Do you pursue your own dreams, or do you tell yourself that you don’t have the time, the money, the focus, the skill, or that you are too young, too old, too fat, or too dumb to take on the challenge of doing something you really want to do? Do you even know what you really want?
Maybe you need a coach.
USA WEEKEND has yearly nominations for the “most caring coach” in order to salute coaches who inspire and nurture kids. Inspiration and nurturing are the essence of empowerment. However, only a handful of women ever enjoyed the privilege of being coached as children.
Most women were taught how to nurture and care for others, and to support their success, INSTEAD OF thinking about our own. We learned that it is selfish to think of yourself first — or at
all.
Now you need to learn to claim your own power. True EMPOWERMENT includes BOTH yourself AND others. Support and nurturing need to be mutual. Receiving is just as important as
giving!
If you have a long history of putting yourself last, it may be a challenge to start reclaiming your own dreams. Here is a process that will help you get started. It will work even better if you ask a friend to do the process also. Then you can share your discoveries with each other.
First….Start a wish list. Write down EVERYTHING as soon as you think of it, even if it seems silly. Carry your list with you. Take time to dream: when you stop at a red light or when you use the bathroom, think about what YOU want and be sure to record it on your list.
Next…. Make a list of your successes, large and small. Start with the earliest success you can remember, something as simple as learning to roller skate, and go on from there.
Share your lists with someone who cares about you. If you can share the process with a friend you can even develop a mutual coaching relationship with a friend.
You deserve the same inspiration and nurturing that caring coaches give to children.
If mutual coaching isn’t feasible for you, or if you just want a coach of your own, hire a coach. Either get a recommendation from a friend or go to, www.coachfederation.org where the International Coach Federation maintains a list of certified coaches.
Is this you? “I don’t need therapy, but I could use some advice about…”
[tags]Self Help, Self-Improvement, Personal Growth[/tags]