Accountability

Finding a way to be accountable to myself is a challenge. I have found that with the support of my woman's group, we meet two times each month, moving forward on some issues works. Other issues, well, it doesn't work as easily. Accountability is a concept, I believe, ultimately gets to the root of what we want to accomplish with the time we have on this earth.

I know that if I don't put time frames around issues, or some accountability on some projects that I won't move forward. Change is a difficult process. I need all the help and accountability I can get when it comes to change in my personal life. I need support, focus and someone, other than myself, to hold me accountable to accomplish what I say I want to accomplish.

I value the woman's group so much because it is a gentle reminder that I am accountable to take action on the things I say I want in my life. If I never take action, I am just flapping my gums together and wasting my time and others. Action, movement, picking up the phone, filling out the form, what ever that first step is in my process to take charge and work towards what I want in my life is never easy. That's right it isn't easy, taking the first step. We all feel uncertain about taking that first step, but WOW when things start to happen all because we took that first step it doesn't seem as difficult as we thought. That is why accountability is a marvelous process. It can be that little supportive nudge we need in the moment to pick up the phone or fill out that form.

Plus, it feels wonderful to share with others the success or challenge of taking that first step. Accountability is really a process of support and guidance. Sometimes, when I am working with a client, it is such a reward to hear how things are moving forward all because they had the courage and support to take that first step. Also, reflecting back to my client the reminder of the courage and care they needed to take their first step towards a goal.

Working effectively with ourselves takes accountability. Whether it is working with a coach, a supportive group, or your own self defined process, targeting a deadline to accomplish a task is not always as straightforward as we think. Discovering what holds us back or challenges us to take those first steps can be so helpful. If we never look at what the barriers are in our life we can never truly fill our life with what we want.

Time is not standing still for any of us. I know this only too well. I work in the medical field and it is a constant reminder that time is limited. If we don't account for our time in some way, we can never truly know how to use our time working towards the goals of what we want in our life.

How do you use your time and hold yourself accountable? Can you remember what you did last week, last month, or last year? How do you move your life in the direction of your dreams if you cannot say what you are doing with your time. Come join me in exploring this process.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Pay Off

So, I have been working on a project and finally have found completion. What is the pay off? Yes, I would love it if money would float down from the sky to equal the amount of work that I have involved in the project. Recognition, yes that would be another reward for my efforts, or offer for more work.

I know I have no control over how any reacts to a project that I have done. I can only find a sense of reward of a job well done. It is hard for me to not secretly to want money, acknowledgement, and rewards. All of those things and more, if it could be had. My ego is alive and well. It is so hard to send my work out into the world with the knowledge that I may receive nothing in return.

Ultimately, I know, the only pleasure to have is the pleasure of doing the work. Yes, that can be the only outcome that I have any control over. How much pleasure and excitement I get doing the work. I have a project right now that I am slowly seeing some results. Of course, I had a small return and now I am working on a similar project to see if I can get a larger return for my efforts. It is very challenging to remember that the work is the pleasure.

I look around and see other artists, writers, producers who have received acclaim or have money and I just can't imagine what their daily schedules contain. Are they like mine? Are they just finishing a project, just to start another. Never really seeing the outcome? or that the rewards from a project are so far in the future that I would be waiting forever to receive acknowledgement. Might as well get another project started. Yes, this is the reality, I believe, for everyone.

Waiting around to get acknowledgement or financial returns on my work might take forever. It might never happen. Yes, I do want to receive rewards for my work. Don't we all?? The reality is we can never know if we will. It is not in my control not yours. All I can control is the work I do. My passion for what I love to do, and the care I take when I engage in any project or work with my clients. Staying connected to the passion I have for my work keeps my focus not on the return but in the present and bonded to what I love doing.

Yes, in those moments that I have to reflect or puzzle how was a project received or was working with the client helpful, I can find myself wondering what the reward was. Clients are easy, I am always so excited coaching clients because I get to see how excited they are as they grow and become clear about their life goals. My own personal projects, well the clarity about how well they turned out or were received, sometimes is a bit hazy, but I think back about my process and connect to joy of doing the work.

I pray that we all have rewards from the work we do. It is important getting rewarded, but it must be about balance between what rewards you receive and the joy of doing the work that is your life's passion.

So, how do you deal with wanting to be rewarded for the work you do? Do you get discouraged if you don't see immediate results? How to move forward with new projects when you don't see results from your current work? Yes, dealing with the outcomes of our work is just as important as doing the work. If your work doesn't ever provide a pay off, well, you should give some consideration about getting some coaching. Outside perspectives can be very informative about direction. Otherwise, have patience and eventually you will have a pay off for all your hard work.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George
LifeChoices Coach

Need a Clone?

This week was lost to me and the flu. Monday it started with a slow overall bad feeling which progressed to fever, chills and coughing.

At times like these, I wish I could create a clone. A second me to keep all the things that I am doing moving forward. Getting sick just makes everything come to a screeching halt. No blog, no rehearsing, no follow up on current projects, just a complete stop because I am not well.

I have tried in the past to somehow limp through, but it really doesn't help me. In fact, forcing myself to be active when I am sick is a lost cause. I don't think clearly, I am not representing myself well and just overall nothing is done well. I just am home sick with my mind puzzling over all the things that are NOT getting addressed because I am just not physically capable of doing the tasks.

I try to give myself a break, but it isn't easy. Yes, no one plans to get sick nor do I plan to be as sick as I am. It is an unavoidable part of life that I just must embrace. What makes it more difficult is I know people who never seem to get sick. Or if they do, somehow they muddle through. For example, my boss. He just doesn't get sick. In fact, he prides himself on the ability to keep pushing through despite how sick he might be. He pushes through colds and laryngitis or whatever sickness he has he doesn't keep it from coming to work. You might know I hate him. Well, no, I don't hate him but it does make it impossible to be sick.

I am very compassionate when others are sick or when those who work for me are sick or my friends. I am totally understanding. I am just very impatient when it comes to my own circumstances of falling sick.

What to do? Take care of myself, rest, give myself a break. Nothing will be accomplished by me bemoaning my fate of suddenly become ill. I sometimes give myself the creative license to believe that perhaps there is some greater reason for be suddenly catching a cold. Who knows, but I must give myself a big hug and recognize that the time spent over the past week has been in getting well and staying just barely afloat at work and in other parts of my life.

So, please share how you feel when it comes to getting sick. How do you cope? We all struggle with the hardship of balance when it a flu or stomach virus suddenly takes hold. Can you imagine have a chronic illness? Not easy to imagine.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Knowing what you want

Knowing what I want is half the battle in almost all things that I do. I guess that is why I find that I struggle during some of this discovery period. I need to hold my feet to the fire and make a hard decision. Time is not an infinite thing. At some point, we run out of time. Whether we are too young or too old is probably not relative in somethings but it is relative in quite a few things that we choose to do in our life.

I guess that is why this scripture is important and so relative. To know what our purpose is... I believe that once we know our purpose the time to pursue it appears. It is in the knowing that I am challenged. In my life, I am a talented singer. Not just my words but others. I perform some but with a group not solo. I am a researcher. Talented in knowing design and how to run clinical studies. Very interested in human behavior and science. I find it fascinating. Also, I love to work with people. I am amazed at what providing support and focus to someone can do. I celebrate that I can coach individuals to look for positive actions and seek their desires.

Dare I stop all the things that I am doing and give time to one crucial activity that will be everything to me? One part of me celebrates in the risk and freedom that would come by making that choice. Another part of me is afraid of the financial issues and of my fear of being bored by pursuing a single passion. Or discovering some other reality about myself. So, what to do??

If I was able to do only one thing and knew that it could financially maintain my costs of living, I know for certain that I would be singing my heart out. I love to sing. It is what makes up my very being. Yes, I am discouraged by the rejection and lack of opportunities, but I know there is a place for me to sing. I just need to find it. Meanwhile, I cannot put all my hopes into one basket. I have high risk, medium risk and low risk activities. All that I am interested in and find fulfilling. I guess the singing is high risk. The coaching and consulting medium risk and the research work, a low risk. So, that is the process of how I determine what is my risk comfort zone.

To pursue my high risk singing passion, I am working with someone who may have some contacts. My medium risk is that I am looking for an opportunity to return to school to get my PhD and my low risk is that I am writing grants in my current position and helping structure the program so that it is more productive.

Yes, this sounds like a great deal to do, but I only accept slow small steps. I have learned that making leaps are out of the question. Slow and steady are my two words that I have painted boldly above my desk. I know without a doubt that my moving forward on all fronts slow and steady, I will get to where I am supposed to be and there will be time for me to be who I am..

Please share how you work on prioritizing your life goals and passion. It is always so wonderful to hear how others pursue their talents and interests.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Committment

My parents are celebrating their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary. The big 50. That is so hard for me to believe. Fifty years of being together sharing the trials and troubles over the years. Seven children and twelve grandchildren.

Amazing! The are still committed to each other. Despite all of the issues they have figured out what works or doesn't work for them. I am not sure for my generation we shall see many couples who can make it for fifty years together. First we are not marrying so young. Also, we find it hard to commit to ourselves or to our jobs or careers much less put in place the necessary actions to be committed to another person.

It is difficult to discipline myself to commit to myself. The thought of committing to another person - Impossible! Willing to put my needs and desires aside for another person. I find this difficult. I know there are so many rewards to devoting yourself to another person, but I am not sure I could do it. I don't know if I truly want to. I do like being alone. Although, I am in a relationship that is challenging me to consider these issues. SO, Very challenging!!

I want to know where does their needs stop and mine taken into consideration? Or how do we figure out compromise? So, I am going to start with committing to myself. I am committing going back to school. Something I didn't really want to do, but I think it would give me an ability to focus on myself and find some commitment to what I want and desire. That has been challenging me throughout my life. How to commit to what I desire and wish. I always give in. I never stand up for what I desire. I always feel that others needs are more important. That is changing. Something in me is screaming to be acknowledged and I need to do that. Now, or it will be too late.

So, commitment to myself first. Then, I will figure out how to be committed to someone else. Start small and go slow. Those are two ways of figuring out how to embrace new habits and ideas.

Please share your ways of experiencing commitment in your life.. ? That would be great.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Focus

Keeping our thoughts, projects and energy focused is a talent. It is so easy to get side tracked by family, friends and beautiful weather. Knowing what we want in a certain area or goal is very helpful and keeping the end in sight can be extremely useful when planning your daily tasks.

This week, I have been totally unavailable to the things I love. One, blogging here became a task that literally I couldn't get to. I had two grants due this week and literally it was impossible to take the 30 minutes to and hour that I take each day to blog. I just embraced this issue and continued to get what needed my immediate attention done. Secondly, my goals of increasing coaching clients and other projects that are important to me in my life.. NO TIME... The work that I do and my relationships took all my time this week.

I had no personal time to focus on me. I really do not like it when several days go without me having some downtime that is all mine. Yes, I did what was essential, but those activities that feed my spirit were totally put to the side. Having that happen for several days just makes me crazy and reminds me that it is up to me to have that sacred time that is mine. No matter what!

I didn't honor that commitment to myself and see what happened. The focus on those activities that are important to me became distorted. The only things that I could see were the goals that other people were clamoring for me to address. Sigh! I cannot let this become routine. So, I am here today - Saturday - despite my boyfriends wishes, focusing on me. Writing the blog and contemplating the activities that are of importance to me.

IT FEELS GOOD!! Yes, there are somethings that are screaming for my attention but they will have to wait. I come first and what I need to focus on is the most important thing that needs attention right now.

So, what happens when you get pulled in directions that are not your primary goals. Do you allow yourself to get off track or do you take some time and center yourself to focus back on what is important?

Please share with how you deal with the interruptions of schedules, relationship and right now the beautiful weather that is teasing me at the window..

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Disappointment

I don't know how we learn to deal with being disappointed. It is very discouraging to work hard on something and then have everything either fall apart, not turn out as we expected or just be not what we expected.

It can be devastating to embrace the emotion of disappointment, but we all have to at some time. Not everything we want works out in our favor. It can be frustrating, depressing and can definitely take the energy away from future projects.

How I react to disappointment is really what is critical. I have a tendency to hold on to disappointment. It lingers in the back of my mind. Especially, if I am working on a similar project that did not work out. I am haunted by thoughts of failure or feelings of impending doom. Now, this is not exactly a good thing. It takes away energy and the positive vision for the outcome of new projects.

So, I have learned to have my moment with my disappointment. Feel it fully. Cry, write about it and really go all out. I want this feeling be expressed fully. It can be hard to shake and sometimes I feel the disappointment linger for a couple of days before I can move forward. I have even visualized place my disappointment in a coffin and giving it a funeral service.

Once, a few days pass, I can slowly emerge from this place in my spirit and take on the other projects that inspire my life. I can even look at the project that was disappointing and objectively figure out what changes could be made to move to a different outcome.

It is important to understand how we deal with disappointment. Allowing it to linger or influence future projects is not helpful. I know that by validating my feeling of disappointment and giving it room to breath, I can get past this feeling and move forward in a positive light.

Please share your ideas about coping with disappointment. When was the last time you were disappointed? What did you do, how did you feel? It can be so helpful to understand how we manage this emotion so that it doesn't over power and influence the future.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Seeing behind the Door

Vision. How so we create a vision for our life? Sometimes I feel like I am standing at a beautiful door waiting for it to open and show me what direction to aim towards. I cannot see behind it and I am certain I will be surprised by what is there.

Now, I know this is not a vision for my life. Perhaps, it is mystery but clearly I am not conjuring up a visualization that feels tangible. How can I expect that I am going to know what direction I need to head if I have no idea which road to take.

There are quite a number of supportive articles, documents and movies ("The Secret") that all support creating a vision. Seeing where you would like to go. This is not easy. I know that John Assaraf one of authors of The Secret developed this vision board. Making what we want from our life a tangible vision is extremely helpful.

I am longing to embrace this concrete action of creating a vision board. Filling it will something that is physically in my field of vision for most of the day. The theory is that by consistently seeing this vision is will move me at a molecular level physically and mentally to attract those actions or things that I have within my vision. I am curious about this and truly want to experiment. So this week, I will embark on creating a vision board or section of my wall that is easily seen for almost all of my day. I am excited about doing this and certainly helps me with my comfort zone. I am never really comfortable acknowledging what I want from life. Perhaps this activity will bridge that gap.

So, join me in this activity if you like. I will check in on Friday to share how things are going. Please do share how you contemplate the vision for your life and keep it present and active.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Motivation Part 2

I have come to the end of my day and I just had to sign on to share additional feelings and thoughts about being motivated. I began this weekend entirely discouraged and just down about everything I am doing.

I learned that I can do two things. I can get up and just start something and somehow that changes my thinking or I can choose to think differently. Guess what? The second choice is much more difficult. Changing my thinking once I have allowed that negative energy to invade my mind is very hard to do.

If I can prevent my thoughts from getting started in the negative then I can turn them around and frame the work or my ideas in a positive light. Again, my choice. It is a struggle to frame things positively. For some reason it is much easier to complain or look on the dark side of things. It takes effort to think positive and habit to have my thoughts pointed towards how issues or work can be positive despite how they feel. Looking on the bright side of life takes effort, but great benefit can be had with this effort.

So, just a final thought for the day, if you are feeling a lack of motivation to get started, know that just be taking any action whatsoever the momentum can kick start your motivation. Also, catching those negative thoughts before they have taken root in your brain can definitely lead to finding motivation to get in gear.

We all need help with things become challenging. So, share how you find motivation when you are struggling to work on your project.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Relationships

Relationships challenge our lives. They are both rewarding and frustrating. I never understood what it meant when I would hear couples or friends say that relationships take a lot of work. It never really was clear what this meant. Work at what?

Well, I am now understanding more and more what this work is all about. Working in a relationship means communicating. Openly and honestly what it is you want and expect from the other person. Communication at this level almost never happens. There is a reason, perhaps discomfort or that this person you love has a major character flaw and then what?

Many relationships rock along because we don't want to communicate at this level. We want to be halfway. We feel that our life partner will judge us or believe that our needs or requests are invalid. Yes, these things maybe true, but then what? Do we seek to have this person we love understand our requests and needs? Or do we just stay silent hoping the whole issue will just blow over. I have never done things halfway. I tolerated a situation for a long time because of my understanding where my partner was coming from, but when I asked for the same understanding for my needs the requests fell on deaf ears.

Give and take. Sharing and understanding. None of us are perfect and what we need and want out of a relationship needs to be validated by our partner as well as I need to validate what my partner needs. Then somehow in the midst of this, I need to maintain my own separate identity. Phew!! Boy - I totally know now why relationships are work. Being emotionally available to myself and to my partner takes a great deal of energy and sacrifice. Plus, where is that the line that says okay, this is for us and now this is for me?

Working these details out early in a relationship can establish a mode of communication that can serve you throughout your lives together. If communication, open and honest sharing isn't established early, then it will be almost certain death for the relationship.

Please share how you and your partner communicate and work out the details of your relationship. We all can benefit from the different ways that relationships work.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Motivation

How do we stay motivated. I must admit, I woke up today just feeling that somehow all this work that I am doing is getting me nowhere. I realize that it does have something to do with getting older.



Yes, I celebrated another birthday last month. It was okay at the time, but now as I reflect and think of where I am in my life, well I feel a big sense of disappointment. Now, rationally, I know that isn't true, but the feeling is still very strong.



Actually, perhaps sadness is more like it. Funny how our life doesn't go in the direction that we thought we were heading. Finding a feeling of motivation just doesn't seem easy today. Motivation to sing, write, clean, run errands or just do the things that are necessary. I really had this feeling of just wanting to mope around and just watch TV. Nothing that I had as a task was motivating me to get started.

So, I made a deal with myself to just start cleaning during commercials. Once, I started then things just began to snowball. I cleaned, began organizing and then it felt good to get things done. Instead of being in touch with my overall sad feeling, I was beginning to be in touch with the good feeling of getting things done.

Funny how that is. When you don't feel motivated that just by starting something the energy of getting things done sudden takes over. I will definitely have to remember this. Just to start. Even when I don't feel like doing anything. Starting is half the battle to getting closer to the things we desire. If we never start then whatever we want stays a dream somewhere in our head.

Just starting can jump start that energy to fuel motivation. Once engaged in the activity then I feel motivated and encouraged again. If I stay connected to that sad feeling that wants to focus on negativity, I will get nowhere fast. Getting started and just take a move in any direction at least can get the fires going to go forward.

So, the next time you are feeling that you have lost that connection to your motivation. Just start something, any activity. Once started, you can at least shake off that negative feeling. Who wants to sit around feeling down anyway. Please share what you do to get motivated.

Until tomorrow,

Mary Catherine George
LifeChoices Coach

Business

Growing a business means making hard decisions. It takes a great deal of thought and consideration to balance life, family and income growth when you are a business owner. Even if you don't own a business, your performance at work determines bonuses, salary increases and job satisfaction.

How we choose to engage in our work is critical to how we live our life. Jobs and businesses can take over every waking moment. Yes, our jobs and business are important, but losing the connection to family, friends and people can be detrimental.

Deciding when your business or job needs your undivided attention can sometimes mean the difference between advancement or increased business and failure. Getting those who support you to understand and provide you the space to accomplish the necessary tasks required is critical. Unfortunately, our jobs or business ventures don't always announce the need for our undivided attention. I wish we could plan that project or that sudden business networking that has paid off in increased sales. We can't. They arrive suddenly sometimes with no warning. It is apparent that if action isn't taken the opportunity will not exist.

What to do?? The best thing to do is communicate. Tell your partner, loved ones, and family that for the next X amount of weeks or days, your attention needs to be focused on the project at work or tending to your business. Couple this communication with a projected time frame where you can devote your full attention to your family, friends and loved ones will help maintain perspective. Keeping the line of communication open will serve you. Preserving your social and family life during these times of career building is necessary if you want to be more than your job or your business.

I know it is difficult sometimes to see our selves as more than our jobs, but we are. Placing the focus fully on spending time with family and friends will pay off more than you can ever measure. So, the next time you have a much needed business opportunity or a project at your job that will increase your bonus or salary, couple this with negotiating time in the future with family and friends. You will be glad you did. Balance is a wonderful thing and we all need to be reminded not to lose ourselves in what we do to earn money.

So, please share you ways of staying connected to your family and friends despite your busy work schedule or branching out to cultivate your own business.

Until tomorrow,

Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Imagination

I am a singer by training. Music is my first love, but it was through improvisation that I truly learned how to activate my imagination. It is a funny thing that as we grow older we just don't allow our self to engage our imagination.

As a child, we imagine everything spontaneously. We create cities, towns, friends, creatures and sounds that just exist inside our imagination. It is real and immediate. It is a huge part of what young children do when they are playing.

As adults, we hardly ever just play. Okay, the momentary horsing around with our kids or being silly with our partners, yes that is a type of adult play. We just never really create a spontaneous something that is totally created from the depths of our highly active minds. Well, maybe sexual fantasies, but that is engaging our imagination for other purposes.. (smile)

I can remember very well the first times that I engaged in the games that involved improvisation. I was afraid that I would do something wrong. What a silly concept. One can never be wrong in improvisation. That is the beauty of playing. Nothing is ever wrong. Can you imagine that you are at work and that nothing you did or say could be wrong? This is an amazing feeling. This is why I am addicted to improvisation.

When I began improvising on a regular basis, my imagination began flooding me with all kinds of ideas, melodies, poems and stories. It was like something was unleashed. The weekly playing around with others from all walks of life gave me a different perspective about how I engage with others in my life. It empowered my ability to be stronger at work by seeking to listen and be present in the moment.

Being present is a powerful sensation. You are not thinking about the past or contemplating the future you are just there doing what needs to be done or what doesn't need to be done. It is a feeling for me of both emptiness but incredibly full at the same time.

If you feel that you are not connected to your imagination look around and see if there is a local improv class for beginners or better yet you can play games alone as well. Send me an e-mail and I will share with you some improv games you can play alone.

Okay, do something - anything that will engage your imagination. It provides a rich arena for playfulness and creativity that we all lose sight of in our hectic lives. If you do something now, please feel free to share. We all could benefit from hearing how others engage the imagination.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Rejuvinate

There is nothing better than taking a holiday from everything. Today is a holiday for our nation. Celebrating the US becoming a country is wonderful. Except, this holiday very rarely falls near a weekend. Today is Wednesday. Middle of the week. So, my choice was to just rest, relax and do nothing.

Wow, it feels amazing. My mind feels clear and my body feels really fresh. I am now going out for a walk and off to a movie.

What a nice change from doing the expected. So, next time you have a middle of the week break. Choose to do the opposite of what you normally would do or do like I have done. Do nothing. Enjoy nature, take a nap, read, visit a friend.. something you normally would not do in the middle of the week..

Share your ways of doing nothing or refreshing your mind.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach

Going Around in Circles

Do you feel like you just keep repeating the same behavior time and time again? Nothing you do keeps you from doing again and again things that just don't serve you?

Boy! do I understand this issue. I am not sure why I find that there are some characteristics that I have that just keep repeating themselves. Despite my efforts, I fall into the routine of doing the same thing.

Like my schedule. I will put important things into my schedule that I want to honor. These activities are important to me and in the grand scheme of things are aligned with the direction I want my life headed. Somehow, I am side-tracked or interrupted and what I wanted to accomplish doesn't happen. It is subtle, these interruptions, by those who I believe are important.

YIKES!! Something that earns me more money or is important to a friend or just whatever will appear and I am suddenly off taking care of something unplanned. I do not want this. I want change. Of course, on occasion these types of interruptions are allowed but on a daily basis - forget it.

So today, I am engaging in new behavior that I will stick with NO MATTER WHAT! I will not answer e-mail all daily, I will look at it twice daily, morning and late afternoon. I will not answer my phone just because it rings. I will return messages twice daily as well. If I do not do this, I will never have even an solid hour that is uninterrupted.

Taking charge of my schedule is MY responsibility. No one else's. If things are hectic and unscheduled that is because I AM causing this. Only I can fix this. I am fearful that I cannot achieve this, but with diligence and looking for ways to delegate and train those that I oversee, it could be possible,

The one person that needs the most training though is ME!! I am awful when it comes to just doing one thing. I feel such an urgent need to multi-task it is crazy. I know that this constant interruption to my train of thought isn't useful but somehow I cannot stay focused. Now is this a habit or is this my personality.

Over the next two weeks, I am going to maintain a schedule and see what happens each week. Is it possible for me to be consistent or am I just telling myself I want to be this way and I don't truly have the ability or desire? I am anxious about observing this issue within myself, but I know that if I don't change cannot truly happen.

So, join me in this journey. How do you accomplish activities you desire to get done? How do you work with your scheduling and interruptions? Please share. We can all learn from those who do a lot and understand their scheduling needs. I know I don't want to continue going in circles and doing the same thing over and over.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach.

Hard Decisions

How to make hard decisions. Do I go right where there is potential money and job satisfaction, do I go left where there is tremendous job potential, the money is unknown or do I go straight ahead where I know that I will have money, security but the job is not quite what is desired.

How do we deal with this puzzle? Many of us are pouring energy into many directions, but a time comes when we when we must make a decision to focus our energy so that we can push through and achieve a semblance of what we desire for our life.

I recently celebrated a birthday. It isn't easy getting older, but the one thing I have become painfully aware of how critical the issue of time becomes. Time is limited. There is only so much time available to each of us. Time during the day that is already dedicated to just the necessary routines of taking care of myself, earning a living and having social life. At some point as you pursue your passion.. the decision has to be made. What direction must I go towards?

I am considering going to school in the fall. This immediately brings up these issues. How do I now adjust my schedule to allow me to pursue this goal. I will need to change something or I will not achieve what I want during this educational program. What to do? Take time away from my job where I earn a decent income, decrease my clients in coaching - Never, I love working with people and their goals. So, what needs to give?

I am sure that you too have had this type of a decision and perhaps you just closed your eyes and picked a choice or you just let time and your environment choose for you. Often that is the case. When we have hard decisions we don't do anything and sudden the decision is made for us. Not a great scenario.

I suggest some proactive visualization. You know they say you are what you believe. So, I am putting it out there. I want to maintain my income level but I want to be involved in the work I enjoy. I am making every effort to look for opportunities now that will be in line with this concept. I am using my creative mind to see myself having a schedule that consists of working with clients, doing some research (perhaps a good deal less than I do now), and having, a three how daily block for school.

Okay, so let's see what happens. I will report back to share if this visualization process worked. Please share how you make those tough decision between money and personal passion? A challenge indeed. I will share the outcome of my visualization probable in about 6 weeks.

Until tomorrow,
Mary Catherine George

LifeChoices Coach