During the next 6 months, I will be journeying with my life coach, Kate Pfeffer, of the Handel Group, and also doing some teleconferencing with Mastin Kipp, of The Daily Love.. this is the story of what I learn, how I grow, and what comes up...Here we go!!!
A friend and I recently had the opportunity to attend the Handel Group's Crash Coaching Course (http://handelgroup.com/CCC). It was a life changing weekend that I will remember and carry with me forever. And, I'm not just saying that. I created and recreated dreams in 8 areas of my life. I dove into the lies I tell myself about why I cannot achieve them (i.e. I am afraid of failure, I am afraid of change, and many more). I looked at generational traits that keep me stuck and push me forward (the good, the bad, the beautiful). I learned that I CREATE my life and with connection to God, I can do anything... I was reminded (once again!) that things don't happen TO me; that I have the power to tell and retell my story every day.
Before you arrive, you are given a HUGE assignment in which you go through a lot of different aspects of your life, dreams, past, etc. The life coaches meet and read through your homework, 10-15 pages worth and, after spending several hours with you the first day to confirm their suspicions (wink wink), they give you two "names" based on what they see/read: 1. Who you are now and 2. Who you can become. These are based on the traits they see in you. As the names were being revealed, I found myself thinking about what they would say about me...would it be martyr? chicken? wuss? I had no idea! So here they are:
1. The perfectionist addict: Yikes, I thought. Well, actually my first thought was, "Um. No, I'm not a perfectionist at all! Have you seen my closet?!" Kate explained the term perfectionist in a way I had never really tried on. She said that I tend to give grace to everyone around me, many second (and third and fourth) chances to those I care about (and even those I don't), yet, I hold myself to such high standards that I do not allow for failure in my life. If I do fail, I beat myself up for it. WOW. She was so right. I never looked at it like that. I always thought I was graceful with myself but, the bottom line was that I do not allow myself to be weak. If I feel like I am having bad day, to allow myself to feel it. That not feeling positive, cheery, and happy all the time is okay. I am only human. This was such a relief. To be labeled this and know that it is something that I can change was a beautiful experience...I can hear the sigh of relief that escaped me when I acknowledged this piece of me.
What I will become (I am deep down!)
2. Trusting Spirit... I love this! This term will direct my next few months. It means that I learn to trust not only myself, but my Higher Power, whom I call God. So often I lean on my own understanding (with death grips). How amazing it will be to trust and let go...
I could go on and on about the weekend. It was over 14 hours of hard work and enlightenment with a wonderful group of people and leaders. It was a challenging weekend full of tears and laughter but mostly love. It was heavy and yet, in the days that followed, I felt a HUGE weight lift of my shoulders.
And so it begins. I will now start a 6 month intensive in which I will set what the Handel Group calls "Promises and Consequences" that will hold me accountable to the dreams in which I want to accomplish. This should be scary, wonderful, and probably hilarious as I begin the journey to expose my "Chicken and Brat", also Handel terms.
During this process, my goal is to keep the following in the forefront of my mind (Taken from the Handel Group course)
1. I picked my life. There are no accidents. This is my soul's journey. I am the author of my life.
2. Remember that vulnerability is not a liability.
3. Act out of love.
4. Be proud of my decisions as they are in line with my dreams. "My mission is bigger than..." Live with integrity.
5. Feel the feelings; they won't kill me. Pain and then pride.
Want to know more: You can also find an article in this month's Elle magazine (The article is called Don't let Your Emotions Make You Their Bitch - read here http://www.handelgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2012.03_Elle.pdf) about the Handel Group and the way they work.
