positive-living-concepts

Wayne Dyer on Pixar?

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:29:10 +0100

I was very excited this month, after seeing Wayne Dyer at an I Can Do It Conference, that he would be doing 'something' for the 'short' on the new Toy Story 3 movie. As excited as my children were to see Buzz, Woody, and all the others, I was excited to see whatever it was with Wayne Dyer in the beginning!

As a mother, I am always trying to teach my children all I can about loving themselves, loving others, promoting inner and outer peace, conscious awareness...all of it. And some days it can be hard. There are times when I don't know what to say to my children, in terms that they can understand and use in their own life. I have always looked at movies as a great teaching tool for kids, as they relate to the characters, and it's not always a lecture!

The short film is called Day and Night, and features to 'blob like guys' who show what happens when day meets night. Both are completely different from one another, and because of this they do not trust one another. I also get the feeling that they want what the other person has, and therefore try to make themselves seem better, as they constantly out do each other.

As the short rolls on, they discover that each has positive qualities within them, and thus, a friendship forms. At this point, we get to hear Wayne's voice come through a radio tower (in Day's belly) about overcoming our FEAR (false evidence appearing real) and how fear is what holds us back from truly loving one another as we should.

With a proud smile on my face, my children looked at me and asked, is that the guy you're talking about Mom? Wayne? and I had to say YES!

Everyone keeps talking about how we need to teach our children about what humanity really is, and Wayne Dyer and Pixar have started something that I hope they will continue doing. Entertainment doesn't have to be about toys escaping from a day care, or how to train your dragon. It can be about the difference of Day and Night, and get to the core of who and what our children really are, LOVE.

Until next time,
xoCatherine

Inspirational or Motivational?

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:28:28 +0100

Last week, I was out with my children, as we helped some of their friends learn how to ride two wheelers. It was a great chance for all of us parents to get together, and for the whole idea of 'community parenting' to come into force as we tried to teach 3 six and seven year olds how to ride without training wheels. What great pride it was to see these kids fall and get back up again and keep trying, over and over again until they got it right. I'm thinking that they might know a little more than some of us in the practice of keep going, even when the going gets tough!

At one point during the night, the subject of exercising came up, and I laughed and said, I love doing yoga, it's just getting the yoga DVD into the DVD player that I have troubles with. :o)

This made one parent ask, 'But aren't you a motivational person.... shouldn't you be motivated yourself, if you want to motivate others?'

This mother was right to ask this question, however, I don't see myself as a motivational person. As a life coach, I have not become a person who motivates others to change their life...this is only something an individual can do in their own life. Many believe that a life coach will make these changes for you, or will make sure you make these changes, however, if you're not motivated to make the change, than even the most top notch coach will not be able to help you.

So if not a motivational person, than what am I? I see myself as an inspirational person....one who inspires you to change your life, to live your purpose and to live with an idea of one Love in your life.

Many ask, what is the difference between motivation and inspiration? The answer is simple (thanks to my favourite, Wayne Dyer) A motivational person, helps you get to your goal, whether its to quit smoking, lose weight, get a new job, etc. They may have all of the right answers that you're looking for at their finger tips and make it all seem so easy.

An inspirational person, on the other hand, works 'in spirit', helping you to live a life that is inspired. The fact of the matter is, I can give you all the answers that I think will work best for you, however, only YOU know what's right for you. As Wayne Dyer says, a true guru, will not tell you how to live your life, they will simply inspire you to live your best life, whatever that may be.

Remember the spelling of Guru.... G-U-R-U

I know there are many out there who expect that if you're a life coach, or an guru, or a self-help type of person, you must have life down perfectly....perfect relationship, perfect family, perfect job, perfect financial situation, etc etc etc....

However, for the most the part, the opposite is true. Many of us are working towards having the perfect this that and the other thing, and yet may or do not have it. We are simply looking at it from a different perspective (what can I learn from this, what can I do better, how is this helping me right now)

When you look at your life, what is working for you right now? What isn't working for you.... how can you learn or grow from the situation.... how can you make it work perfectly for you? You have all of the answers inside of you, all you have to do is open up to their good....

Bringing It All Together

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:06:23 +0100

Have you ever noticed that your thoughts and ideas run way ahead of you being able to bring these thoughts together?

More often than not, this happens to me! I will have a new idea, and from that, hundred of new ideas will come to mind, and leave me wondering, how do I put this all together?

When I first started Journey Healers in 2008, I had a small vision for what I wanted to offer people.... simply, I wanted to help anyone and everyone that came my way. When I became certified as a life coach, this idea was only enhanced, and I decided to take on more knowledge, to help out in more ways than one.

By the end of 2009, I had completed both my life coaching and hypnosis certification courses, and yet, I was thirsty for even more.

I have come to learn that I am a lifetime student. I love to learn, no matter what it is all about. For quite awhile, I felt that my ideas, and my vision for my business were 'too far out there' and weren't specific enough. (For example, McDonalds sells fast food, Curves helps people lose weight, etc) My motivation for my business was simply to help people....yet I couldn't find a way to bring it all together.

It wasn't until late in 2009 that I was approached by my cousin, who is working towards his Business Marketing degree, that I was able to start really thinking about what I really wanted for my business. He suggested that I do a business plan, which was something I had failed to do for the 2 years prior.

The business plan was to detail what I wanted in my business, what my business values were and how I would market the business according to my wants. What an eye opener this was!

Being able to write down my thoughts, my goals and my visions for my business enabled me to step forward with my business and offer a service that reflected my vision of the business.

This got me to thinking...... Isn't this the same as life? Sure, in life, we face hardships and life does happen the way it does with no control for us.... however, if you have a vision, or a life plan, you can see what it is you want out of your life.

To create your own life plan, simply follow the following steps:

Decide what your life vision is. Where do you see yourself in one year? Where do you see yourself in five years?
Looking at this life vision, what steps will you need to take in order to create this vison?
Who is your target market? When it comes to your life, and feeling fulfilled, who helps you to feel this way? Who brings you the utmost in feeling energized, positive and loving? These people are your target market...the ones that you want to focus your attention on. The opposite of these people are the ones who make you feel unworthy, or undeserving. You don't have to eliminate them from your life, however, you can take a step back, and realize that they don't need your undivided attention, or your self esteem.
What are your financial goals? How will you reach them? *This can be anything from buying a house, to starting a business, going back to school, or a retirement plan....it's up to you!

As you create your life plan, understand that the plan can change. So can your vision. Remain true to yourself, and all of your dreams will come true!

Until next time,
Live love and love life,
XO Catherine

A Little Encouragement

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:13:56 +0100

    I had the pleasure of watching my husband's nephew in a wrestling tournament yesterday. Up until this point, I had always thought wrestling was a matter of pinning the 'other guy' to the ground for a matter of seconds until you win, which it kind of is, but there's a lot more to it than just body slamming.
    At one point in time during the matches, I paused to watch the coaches, as they instructed their students in each match. What surprised me was the difference between the coaching methods that the coaches provided. There seemed to be two different types of coaches.....one was encouraging, and the other was demanding.
    The demanding coaches were full of demands (Do this! Do that!) followed by a few profanities if the student didn't listen as told. A foot might be stomped, or their eyes would roll as they lost all hope for the student they were coaching.
    The encouraging coaches were completely different. They were yelling, Good job! Hold it for a little bit longer! That's right...you're doing it!! Even when the student was obviously losing, they remained positive for the student, and offered pats on the back during round breaks, hugs and more words of encouragement.
    What I also came to learn was the impact of the 'positive' coaching versus the 'negative' coaching.   Out of 17 rounds (yes, I counted to get stats) 14 of the 'encouraging coaches' students won their match. Only three of the 'demanding' coaches students won the match.
    Being a life coach, I know the power of positive encouragement, about believing the best can happen in every scenario, no matter how it may look. I can not imagine myself yelling at my own clients, and cursing them when they make a mistake....it would be unethical in my books.
    However, this rings true for everything in life. Whether it's with your partner, with your family members, or with yourself.....negative feedback promotes self defeat. Positive, encouraging feedback promotes rising above and beyond.
    When you're talking to yourself about a situation in your life...are you a demanding coach, or are you an encouraging one? Do you believe you can do something before you've gotten started, or do put yourself in for failure before you've started.
    Become aware of your own coaching power. Notice how you speak to yourself and to others. If you're being negative, try to change your wording...offer words of assurance, inspiration and encouragement. With it you have a 14-17 ratio of getting what you want.... and those are pretty great odds!

Until next time,
Catherine

A Lesson In Fear

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:55:51 +0100

I've started going to church this year. Being the beginning of the year, I have only gone twice, as there's only been two services for me to go to. However, this in itself has been quite a feat for me.

You see, when I was a young child, I was sent very mixed messages about church, and religion. While my parents didn't force me to go, I was still given some pretty big misconceptions about the ideas of faith and God, and religion in general.

As I got into my teens, I started searching for a more spiritual point of view, and started to read the Bible. I didn't get much past Genesis, before I decided it was time to give up, but still my spiritual quest drove on. Later in my teens, I started going to a church with my sister. When I found out I was pregnant, the church kicked me out. They didn't need anyone like my kind hanging around their kind, and so again, I turned my back on church, deciding that maybe, just maybe, church, and God, or the Great One just had it in for me.

I started looking at other religions, which opened my mind to many new and great possibilities, that I don't believe I would've learned in the realms of a church. When I moved to a new city, a neighbour told me about her own church. "It's not like the other church's, " she said. "It doesn't preach, or tell you what you can and can not do...they just accept you."

That was three years ago. Somewhere in between then and now, I had decided at one point I would go to the church...but I stopped myself after having a nightmare about going. (Yes, I do mean a wake-you-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-cry-yourself-back-to-sleep dream)

And then, in a big AHA! Moment, I realized that my fears were silly. I was assuming that this church would hate me or put walls up against me, because of my past relationships with churches. I had assumed that God (or whatever you want to call it) had it in for me because of my family's history.....I, the life coach, little miss.positivity herself, was ALLOWING my fears to control me.

I put my foot down. It started last Sunday. I went to church. When I walked in, I was greeted and then HUGGED. I held hands with a stranger next to me as we sang a song about peace. I was accepted for being there...even if I would never come back, they still accepted me.

Am I trying to preach God, or religion or spirituality. No. This isn't about that. This is about assessing your fears.... understanding where they are coming from.

For me it was church. For you it may be a relationship, or a job change, or confronting a hurtful friend. What ever your fear is get to the root of it. For me, my fear was based on false truths that I had been taught through out my life. What are your fears based on?

Wayne Gretzky was once quoted- 100% of the goals you don't take, always go in." So take your shot, and don't let your fears over come you.

Until next time,
xoCatherine

Staying Positive (In A Negative World)

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:18:23 +0100

Did you know that on average, in only two hours daily media (t.v, radio and internet) sends out over 10, 000 negative messages to you? Pretty scary, huh?

For each of the negative messages that you receive you need to hear or see 2 positive messages in order to cancel out the negatives.

So what can you do? Turn off the radio, the internet and t.v, vowing never to tune in again? With the world advancing quickly in technology, that's not really an option, however you do have a choice as to what you can do for yourself to ensure that you get your daily dose of positivity!

When buying magazines, opt for Oprah, Body & Mind or Yoga Journal for positive, spiritual and uplifting stories rather than gossipy and self-hating articles that can be found in other magazines.
Turn off the news. The news, while it can keep you informed, can also leave you feeling pretty frightened to leave your own home. Want to know what's going on in your community? Look in your local newspaper, where you can filter out what you would like to read and what you would rather skip for now.
Watch the right t.v. Parenting groups around the nation have stopped children from watching R movies, putting parental discretion on everything from Treehouse t.v to Spike T.V. Why not start rating your own favourite t.v shows with a Positive Discretion? What shows make you laugh, feel good about yourself or make you feel good about the world around you? What shows scare you, or leave you with a feeling of sadness or anger?
Listen to positive music. Music is one of the easiest ways to uplift your spirit, and those around you!
Subscribe to sites that send out daily quotes to keep you motivated.
Post affirmations around your house, or positive quotes, and positive words like "Love" or "Laugh". I was fortunate enough to find some great 'stick on's' of great inspiring sayings to stick up on my walls around my house. They make an easy and cheap decor item, and they can uplift my spirit at the same time.
Stop comparing. Accept who you are, what you have and what you do and be thankful for it. All too often the 'poor me' attitude comes from watching what everybody else has and wanting that rather than looking at what you do have and wanting it.

"Precious"

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:18:56 +0100

When I read about the upcoming movie "Precious" in an Oprah magazine, I was drawn to the story line, however, it wasn't until I watched the movie, that I became such an advocate for the story, and most of all, Precious, the main character.

Precious, is an overweight, African teenager. When she is found pregnant for the second time, by her father's baby, her school kicks her out, and she is left to go to a 'special school' that deals with teenagers that deal with adversity. As Precious goes to school, she deals with her mother's abuse, and the memories of her father's physical and sexual abuse.

A strong character, she moves beyond the life that she has been handed, overcoming great adversities, and learning all the while.

While the movie has a lot of jaw dropping moments, that make you cringe, the uplifting message, is that you don't have to become what your parents have made you to be.

A heartwarming new addition to the Positive Movie Collection!

"While My Sister Sleeps"

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:19:43 +0100

Every once in awhile, you happen to pick up a book to read, that changes the way you feel about your own situation, that you identify with, and that leaves you filled with a new sense of hope.

I recently had such an experience, with While My Sister Sleeps, by Barbara Delinsky. This fictional story, hooks you on the first page, as you encounter Molly, the youngest of three children, who often feels like the black sheep in her family. Her sister Robin, is a professional athlete, who seems to hog all of the light, from society, as well as their parents.

When Robin has a heart attack and is left in a coma, dark family secrets start to come about, as each family member struggles to cope with Robin's health, as well as their own personal issues.

This book literally made me laugh, made me cry, and gave me chills. The characters are easy to identify with, and their own personal struggles and quirks are so completely real. Definately a recommended read!!

Setting New Year's Resolutions

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:04:45 +0100

With the mark of every New Year, our own personal evolution becomes a number one priority. We make resolutions to make ourselves a better person for the year to come.

Before getting started on that, I believe it's important to think of all of your accomplishments of the past year (big and small!) By reviewing your past year's accomplishments, you can motivate yourself for the upcoming year. So what did you do last year, that you're proud of? I would love to hear about it!!

And now on to 2010...... what will you do? Are you planning on quitting smoking, or losing weight? Do you want to stop gossiping, or build better relationships? Do you have a huge list of what you want to accomplish, or just a few things to do? Whether you're like me (I tend to plan a bunch of things I would like to accomplish) or you're like my husband (he always just has one ) now is the time to start deciding what you would like to see in the next year.

One of the easiest ways to get started is by creating a Creative Visualization Board. Cut out pictures and words that describe what you would like to see, pasting them on a large piece of paper, or in a book, and then place it somewhere where you can see it every day.

Decide what little steps you need to take to get to the 'bigger picture'. If you're planning on losing weight, what will you need to get there? Do you need to research gyms, or find new healthier recipes that you like? By breaking your goal into smaller steps, you're raising your 'I will do it' attitude.

Remember, what ever your goals, your resolutions, by staying motivated and positive, you will be able to reach them!!

Until next time,

Live love and love life,
xoCatherine

A New Year, A New You

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:19:21 +0100

As 2009 comes to an end, I find myself looking back at the past year....what a journey it has been! It was less than a year ago that I received my certification in life coaching, and I must confess that for the majority of the year, I knew that I wanted to coach, but I was unsure as to 'what kind' of coach I wanted to be.

When it comes to coaching, there are so many different roads you can take.... you can be a business coach, a leadership coach, a personal development coach, the list goes on and on..... and not one of them seemed to speak directly to me. I thought I had nailed it in September when I released my second book, Power Surge.... I thought I was a Power Coach, one who helps you rediscover your own personal power so that you can live the life you want. However, as time went on, I felt like I had 'bought the dress even though it wasn't the perfect fit'.

And so now, here I am, and I have finally figured it out (well, actually, I figured it out a few weeks ago, however, it was 2am at the time that I had my epiphany, and of course, I had to try it on for size before I decided to wear it.)

It's funny how life is always steering you in the right direction, but you don't realize it until you open your eyes and really see what it's trying to show you. The same was true for my coaching. I searched and searched, trying to identify with one simple concept, one 'title' that would work for me and what I wanted.

Looking back at my life, I see now that the answer had always been there all along. You see, so many people look at a 'life coach' as somebody who has it all together....someone who is getting it perfect this time around....if they can coach others than they must be great at it. For myself, when I looked around, I seen what was, and I thought of what I wanted to see in the future, and it appeared that there was a large gap in the 'in betweens'. But, I was fine with that. I was positive that I was on the right road, and really that is all that matters.

No one's life is perfect. I get that. I also know and understand that my own life hasn't been perfect, or handed to me on a silver platter. When I was quite a bit younger, I used to ask why. Now I just say thank you.

As I searched for my answer as to what kind of coach would best suit me, I realized that the best things in my life were the ones that were the hardest to get through, the ones that broke my heart, the ones that caused pain. The biggest turns in my life were only made when I remained positive through out a situation, looking for a brighter side of things, looking for the best in each person........and all of this led me to where I am today.

So to start off my blog, I am introducing myself as the Positive Living Coach, or a PLC ~because we all need PLC~.

I may not be a financial expert, and I may not be a leader-extraordinaire. However, I've been to the bottom, and got right back up again, time and time again..... you can too..... when you look for the lessons, look inside, and always face the sunshine so that you may never see the shadows.

Have you found your own perfect fit?