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Life Momentum

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Do you feel that your life has momentum? Are you engaged, motivated and energised by the journey you have chosen? Do you notice when your life has drive? Can you relax and allow things to unfold?  Do you recognise the signs that you are coasting? Would you recognise the feeling of your life stagnating? Do you know how to get the drive back?

 

Drive

Like driving a car, life can feel like you are driving forward.  For instance, you have a goal or a destination to reach. It is a wonderful feeling to know you have direction and focus. Perhaps you enjoy the acceleration of the car as you press down on the gas to go faster? It can feel just as invigorating to press down on the accelerator on your life journey.  The energy surges, your mind remains focused on the road.  What is around you and your body feels alive to the whole experience.

This feeling that life is flowing in the right direction for you is a combination of honouring your values and being the person you want to become. The three cornerstones of your being: your physical, mental and spiritual energy.  They are all aligned and pulling in the same direction giving you a sense of power, purpose and potential. You feel alive because you feel that drive.

 Coast

At times, the car can slip out of gear. Even though you are moving forward, you are coasting.  There is no drive any longer as you are moving forward on the back of previous hard work. This feels different to the mind and body as the energy of your life shifts out of drive. You might notice it as an uncomfortable feeling in your mind, a sense that you should be doing something or that there is a lack of energy in your life. In your body you may feel it as slight tension in the shoulders or gut. It’s often so subtle that you barely notice it and yet the signs are there.

There is nothing wrong with coasting- sometimes you have to let things unfold in their natural time.   No matter how hard you drive, things are not going to move forward any faster.  You are better off sitting back and allowing things to develop at their natural pace. The key is to be aware of this state of things.  Rather than be oblivious to the subtle change in feel, you are aware of how these delicate instruments called your body, mind and spiritual energy feel.  What they are telling you about what is happening in your life? You feel it because you are connected to the energy of your life.  You are aware of this energy because you are connected to the energy of your mind, body and spirit.

Stagnate

Leave this coasting long enough and your life comes to a halt. This too is OK as long as you are aware of it.  Sometimes you just do not know where to go and what direction to take. Are you searching?  Do you feel out for the next step? Are you open to change and new ideas?  Are you closed to the prospect of new vistas and new potential? The extreme scenario of this is stagnation, where your life has been at a standstill for a long time. This is often a sign of lack of awareness, lack of purpose or sticking your head in the sand, unwilling to face what you know you have to deal with.

I am all too familiar with this feeling- the relationship I have been in too long, the change in career direction I’m too afraid to take, or simply the DIY jobs I know I have to do. When the car comes to a stop you become familiar with the landscape around you. This can be a comfort, feel safe and unchallenging. If you feel happy with that, then you are in the right place. For many, this sensation feels stressful.  The body is tense, the mind distracted with accompanying feelings of demotivation, lack of energy and lethargy. This is an ideal time for coaching- a chance to give direction to this stagnating energy and let it flow to create something new, exciting and full of potential.

Awareness

You may well be familiar with all three of these feelings. I know I have been at different times in my life. I can feel all three at different times in the same day!!!!! The key is awareness and to recognise the feelings in your body, mind and energy so that you know what they mean and you are able to take effective action. This way you are able to drive when it is appropriate, relax and allow things to unfold when it is time and to rest and gently search for the new direction when you require new focus.

The alternative is to drive when it is not appropriate.  This creates stress and tension for your self and others because it is not time to push hard; or to relax when things need to be driven forward otherwise things will come to a halt creating frustration and confusion for your self and the people around you; or to remain stagnant, disempowered to take action and create the life you want for your self and the people in your sphere of influence.

Reflection

Taking some time out to reflect, be still and listen to the energy of your mind, body and life is important.  You can listen for the signs and hear what they are telling you. You have been endowed by life with this exquisite instrument.  It can tell you the subtle moods and phases of your life.  As a result, take time to listen- go for walks in nature, journal, meditate, talk over ideas with friends and colleagues, go for a drive or other activities that give you a chance to tune in to the messages that your body, mind and life energy are giving you. If you do, it will make you more aware of what needs to be addressed.  It will give you a chance to deal with it.

You are resourceful, creative and whole.  Therefore you have the answers, you simply need to be asking the right questions. Time to reflect can do that for you. And if you feel you need some support in getting going, a life coach may be one of the resources you can call upon.

Over to you

How do you maintain your drive? What resources do you use to get you out of stagnation? Do you find your self relaxing for too long or driving too often or too hard? Whatever your experience, I would love to hear from you.   So why not contribute to our on- line community and help others through this common challenge if you have some keys to success. Or simply offer your experience of being in these situations to offer that sense that others are not alone.

 Pass it on

If you know someone who would benefit from the ideas presented in this blog, please send them the link and give them another opportunity to discover more of their potential.  I would really appreciate it……. and maybe they would too.  And if you are new to Potentiality Coaching, why not sign up to the e- mailing list at https://www.potentialitycoaching.co.uk/ and get an e- mail straight to your in box when I post my monthly blog and be first to hear about news, information and insights at Potentiality Coaching.  I’d love to have you be part of the community.

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When Inspiration Strikes

"Passive Thinking" not only taps into the creative mind, but also allows for deeper subconscious thoughts and feelings to surface

“Passive Thinking” not only taps into the creative mind, but also allows for deeper subconscious thoughts and feelings to surface

I don’t know about you, but I find sometimes that I am so busy doing stuff- the next appointment, the next trip, the list of chores- that I give myself no time to sit back and look at my life and ask the question: where am I going and how am I getting there?

We live in a society of rushing and frenetic activity.  More often than not you may feel guilty for stepping out of the race.  This may include taking time to enjoy the view, to contemplate and reflect. You may feel you are not doing enough unless you are active in mind and body.

In spite of all this activity, it can still feel like you are not moving towards that fulfilling life.  If indeed you know what that fulfilling life may look like.

A little less action and more reflection

Action is important. Without it, nothing gets done. And yet, if not done in reference to a bigger picture, a greater context, a larger goal, you may do much and achieve a lot and still feel like you are treading water rather than moving forward along the river of life.  Quiet contemplation can give you the space to think in this larger context. Sure, meditation can be a great way to have time and space to allow new ideas and inspiration to bubble to the surface. There are other means of allowing that:

  • journaling is wonderful for jotting down ideas and reflections;
  • movies, documentaries, music, art and literature can offer ideas that spring board you into new creative directions;
  • walk in nature gives space for more open thinking;
  • good conversation with someone to bounce ideas off can be inspirational;
  • a spa day;
  • a retreat;
  • a holiday;
  • a day trip.

Noticing Inspiration

So you have a three stage process: the inspiration, the planning and the action- here I am talking about creating the opportunities for noticing that inspiration. I believe that inspiration is bubbling away beneath the surface of the mind- you just need the time and space to notice it and hear it. There is the “active thinking” of planning and working out the plan.  There is the opportunity for “passive thinking” which also has great value.  For as well as tapping into the creative side of the mind, it allows for deeper subconscious thoughts and feelings to come to the surface.  These are often the forces that bring us most joy yet we work in conflict with them because we do not give ourselves the opportunity to reflect on them and allow them time and space to grow and develop.

Coaching using the co- active model can offer that opportunity.  In coaching there is the chance to find that inspiration.  You can work out how to use it to drive your life in a fulfilling and meaningful way.  Towards greater personal and professional potential.

Over to you

What place does inspiration have in your life? How does it drive your goals and habits? How do you set time aside for creating space and allowing inspiration? What methods of contemplation and reflection work for you and what hasn’t worked? I’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and offer support and inspiration to other people in our community.

Why not………..

If you found this article useful and interesting please pass it on to other people you think would be interested and spread the word.  I would really appreciate it.  And if you are new to Potentiality Coaching, why not sign up to the e- mailing list at https://www.potentialitycoaching.co.uk/ and get an e- mail straight to your in box when I post my monthly blog and be first to hear about news, information and insights at Potentiality Coaching.  I’d love to have you be part of the community.

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The Impact of Choices

You make choices every moment of every day.  Even by not choosing you are deciding NOT to take action.  All is choice. So, the life you lead right now is a product of your choices.  The question is, are your choices taking you closer or further away from the things that are really important to you?

Being clear about what is of value to you gives you clarity.

Being clear about what is of value to you gives you clarity.

It does not have to be the huge things that this affects.  Although the answer to this question will influence the quality of your life.  As well as the path you take upon that journey.  Each step along that journey also has a flavour, an ambience and a resonance.  That either aligns with the things that you value in life, or it does not.

When my wife and I got married, we made a purposeful commitment to have a wedding celebration that honoured the things that we felt were important to us: family, children, close friends, fun, good food, elegance, homeliness, beautiful surroundings in nature….. the list goes on.  The day was beautiful.  Along the way to organising the day, we were faced with decisions that were full of often overwhelming choices.  It was challenging.  On the whole we did not allow ourselves to become distracted from what we felt was most important.  At times we made choices that others did not like.  These moments were dealt with in a compassionate way and for the most part people were very understanding.

Clarity makes Choices easier

Being clear about what is of value to you gives you clarity.  Taking a little time out to reflect on what is important may be invaluable to you to make sure you are moving in the right direction.  This can be particularly important when faced with the fast pace of modern business and personal lives.  Living aligned to your values helps to keep you focussed and energised.  It may even give you the confidence and belief that you are heading in the “right” direction.  Even when you are not necessarily totally sure of where you are headed.  The beauty and wonder of life unfolds in its own time.

You build your future here and now.  So make sure you are building a future that is full of the things that are really important to you.  As these things change, you will change your future accordingly.  Being aware of the process keeps you in touch with the shifting sands of your life and its passions, drives and motivations.

Determining your Values

So how do you know what your values are?  One such way is to connect to a “peak” experience.  A moment when things felt perfect and you were in the flow.  I had one such moment at my wedding:  looking out over the small crowd of loved ones who had come to celebrate our special day with us, the venue, the setting, the games, the music and feelings of connection that came with it.  When I make choices in my life I do so in reference to these values.  They inform my choices, creating my present and my future and building a past that I am becoming increasingly proud of.

Your turn…..

I’d love to hear your stories of how value- based choices have enhanced your life.  How have they built great memories and helped to create wonderful futures for you and your loved ones?  It is the unfolding of your potential in its many forms that helps to create a life of meaning and fulfilment.  Live it well.

Why not………..

If you found this article useful and informative please pass it on to other people you think would be interested and spread the word.  I would really appreciate it.  And if you are new to Potentiality Coaching, why not sign up to the e- mailing list at https://www.potentialitycoaching.co.uk/ and get an e- mail straight to your in box when I post my monthly blog and be first to hear about news, information and insights at Potentiality Coaching.  I’d love to have you be part of the community.

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