I like to use analogies and metaphors in my work as an organizational coach. One of these is the concept of dials. Envision that you have both of your hands each on a dial....
Take it in
Relationships are tricky at times, this is no surprise to anyone in a relationship I’m sure. It would be nice if we could all get along well all the time and not trigger each other. In my work I support people to get better at the art of managing relationships personally, professionally, and most of all with oneself. Because ‘you’ also have a ...
Facing My Fear
I have a belief that I don’t like cold calling and I envy people who have a knack for it, or at least I thought. This past Monday I was teaching my students at the college about emotional triggers and unproductive actions we take to deal with these feelings and associated thoughts. Well, in redoing my to-do list yesterday I realized that a Director of a large non-profit in my area was on my list to cold call. I have been doing a lot of work in non-profits lately and think my skill-set would potentially be helpful to their organizational culture. This particular name kept on getting onto my to-do list over and over again. I had a realization that there was procrastination alive and well in this facet of my life....
I Belong Here
In a recent session with a client of mine, I was asking her about her goals for the New Year. A lot of people I have asked about this have been rather complacent about it, as if this human-made construct of the threshold of December 31st and January 1st has some magic fairy dust in it. Somehow at the changeover our lives will have a different meaning and purpose and our goals and visions will finally be realized. My client was revealing a few things that she wants to do this year and she seemed more stalwart than usual. She had some experiences lately that have her become more awake, more in her own power, more ready to assert herself in the world. Then she said something that struck me as powerful. When I asked her about this new found sense of power, she calmly said “I belong here”....
Skip the Side of Holiday Drama
As most of us know and feel, the hectic pace of the holidays can put us to the test emotionally, mentally, and physically. With so much to do and so little time, overwhelm and anxiety can be real reactions we have to these stressors of fitting it all in. Maybe your are going to roll smoothly through the holidays with no stress, I say good for you! This is the ideal and you should bottle your secret recipe up and share it with others. For the rest of us however, we have the opportunity to slow down a little bit to keep ourselves intact....
How Emotional Triggers Work
In my work recently I have noticed a more comprehensive way (in my mind at least) as to how triggers work. There are many reasons why we get emotional upset, but I will give you a scenario that seeks to encapsulate my understanding. Remember, triggers are not just the hot emotions: Frustration, anger, rage. They also encompass anxiety, worry, fear, sadness, depression. Any of those so-called ‘negative’ emotions are what I coach around in organizations because they can cause a lot of havoc when not managed well....