Process – Page 4

08/09/201326/01/2018

Life Transformation – Inner Change Focused Coaching

On some level in our lives we all seek some form of life change. For many of us the change we often initiate is what I call external change - change that is outside of ourselves. This change is often enjoyable and a release for us as we seek to alleviate or address what we might feel on a deeper level perhaps to be some kind of imbalance. Inner change seeks to initiate change from the inside out. This is where life transformation coaching focuses its primary attention. For those of us who seek genuine, authentic and long lasting life change, it is this coaching approach that offers considerable advantages as it addresses the whole person before a course of action is considered.

Why is this important? It is because the clearer you can get about who it is you are and what it is you really want, the sooner you can align to your true value base and your life purpose. Its no secret that a lot of people are living lives that they didn't consciously choose to live. They were born, they were given instructions, and they followed them. The instructions are often along the lines of; This is what you need to do to have a successful life. Clearly that is a simplistic explanation, however the point here is that so many of us do not truly think and feel for ourselves. We don't do this because we have not been taught how to do it, nor encouraged to do it.

From the day we are born our well meaning family and associates want the best for us. This is often demonstrated and experienced with a never ending supply of well meaning advice about how we should think, feel and live our lives. Think about that for a moment.....think about the consequences and the ramifications about advice and how it can take someone away from their life purpose and aspirations. Think of how many people have never truly experienced who they really are, and have never seriously thought about addressing that based on their acceptance that life is just the way it is.

The key to life transformation is to understand that if things are not working in your life you need to do some inner work - throwing any amount of things or experiences at the problem here will at best merely mask what is a deeper concern or issue. This approach takes courage and it acknowledges that your life does matter and it is valuable. It accepts that to really change something, you need to understand why it is happening and to then set out to move beyond (transform) it and the understanding or conditions that are holding you back. A life transformation coach would define these things as sticking points, as barriers or blocks, and as blind spots in your life. These things centre around your beliefs about life and the values that underpin these opinions.

Naturally life transformation is something that can be done without a coach. However the benefit of having someone by your side and working with you, is that you can move through this process with an accountability partner who is your support and sounding board. A coach can help you get to where it is you need to go (and that place is you first if you hadn't guessed) in a way that is in true alignment to your real values and the things that are important to you. In other words you start getting to know someone who is really worth your time and effort in getting to know. That person is you.

What is the pay off with this though? What does all this getting to know you amount to? Ever met someone with so much passion, energy and enthusiasm for life who amazed you with how much they loved their life and what they are doing in it? Chances are that this person/s are on purpose in their life and doing what they really want to do. There is no conflict or inner turmoil. There is no despondency. There is no resistance or indifference - they are truly engaged and present in their own lives. It is these people who are generally living (not existing) their lives and know exactly what it is they want out of life.

How much is that experience of yourself and your life worth to you? That is the gift of starting that journey towards you and your own life transformation journey. There are no magic pills or quick fixes here. There are however real opportunities to move from whoever or wherever you are right now, into a new world of possibilities and potential - if you choose to move towards that. So when you think of needing to change something in your life, remember that its the inner change work, that focus on getting to know who it is you really are, that will potentially bring you so much closer to the person you truly are and want to become. Transformational coaching enables this life change possibility in a way that truly supports you and acknowledges your journey towards you.

07/09/201319/07/2018

Solving Your Own Problems – A Life Transformation Coach Can Help

The ability to think and feel your yourself is incredibly important in life as it helps you to determine who it is you really are, and what it is you really want out of life. As a life transformation coach who has spent the best part of my life focused on spiritual and self development, I know the benefits and the challenges that can manifest in life with this approach. I am also aware that regardless of the amount or the intensity and discipline of this focus, there will always be areas that you are simply not aware of. Life coaches often refer to these things as sticking points, blind spots, or obstacles along your pathway towards the best expression and experience of yourself. The fact is that solving your own problems has its limitations - no matter how self aware or cognizant of the facts (as you know them) appear to be.

The real value with working with a coach, particularly if you are a person who values your own ability to solve your own problems, is that the coach will help you to move through this process naturally. It is this cocreative process that can create opportunities and possibilities in your life to see your problems in a different light or from a different perspective.

What coaching provides is a strong foundation of support for the client. When you add a strong sense of presence and active listening to the coaching space, you are able to provide the ingredients that an individual approach to solving a problem simply cannot provide. The power of listening and the language used by the client, can unearth amazing insights and opportunities for the client. Sometimes these opportunities may not be properly seen or even fully acknowledged - nevertheless they have surfaced on some level in some form. It is these 'aha' or 'eureka' moments that can, when acknowledged, create real and lasting change. As a client becomes aware of their underlying beliefs, attitudes and opinions that may be holding them back from experiencing the life they want to live, they now have an increased level of awareness to their life to act on these limiting ways of seeing or processing their world.

The strength in this approach, is the fact that the client is still solving their own problems. So in effect the integrity and alignment to themselves and their own values is intact throughout the process. If their values, beliefs or opinions about their life are questioned or challenged throughout this process, it is still a client driven decision to do so. It is this very process that enables clients to truly align to what is really important to them - if they choose.

So next time you are working through a problem or an issue in your life and you want to work through it with the best possible outcomes for you, it just might be that a good coach can help you access some of the best advice and insights you will ever be given. That advice of course comes from you, and through you - and might just help you move forward in your life with more clarity and purpose in true alignment to who you truly are.

*Craig Hedge is a Professional Coach and Lifestyle Mentor based in Hobart (nipaluna), Tasmania, Australia.

He is author of the Instinctive Living self help ebook and audiobook series available on Amazon.
Author.to/craigwhedge

25/02/201328/04/2021

Life Transformation Coaching And The Language Awareness Connection

There are a number of ways to go about your personal life transformation coaching and self development journey. One of the fundamental approaches that I advocate is the intentional use and application of language in our lives. Language gives and leaves clues about who you are, what you believe, what you value, and its a very good indicator to your future as well.

Big statements? Not at all. Language is a big deal and the more we make the necessary connection in our lives that what we say and think shapes our perception and reality of life, the more we will consciously look at what we say - and what we think. Remember that we think in language as well as we speak it.

Language has power. It vibrates energy. In very simple terms its either positive or negative, weak or strong. Our use of language communicates our intention - or lack of it. Language can be decisive or it can be directionless. It can take responsibility or it can cast blame. It can state a clear path and intention, or it can simply allow you to flounder aimlessly throughout life. Many of us are not even aware, nor do we make the connection that we are in control of our language.

Think about that for a moment. Every word we utter comes from us - not someone else. We have within us the power to control and determine what language we use and how we use it. Once we consciously grasp this and apply it, we naturally and organically start transforming our lives. Like anything in our lives though, we need to understand why its important to make those changes to improve our lives. The fact is a lot of us do not take the time to notice our lives, to listen to what we say, or to observe how we think.

A competent and qualified life coach can certainly help you to become aware of your language and provide a supportive and accountability framework for you to start this journey - but it is you who must make the decision to initiate the changes.

So how do you do this? A good way to start is to become aware of the way you use - and abuse language in your life. We all have our favourite words and phrases. You need to start looking at the ones that serve you, and the ones that take you away from the person you are wanting to become.

I suggest you start noticing all the words you use in your life. Both the ones you speak verbally, and the ones you use in your inner dialogue and thinking. Your task is to start categorising those words into groups. As a starting point, you could start with two lists; one for positive words and phrases, and one for the negative. Don't underestimate the power in this. Just changing a handful of words and phrases in your life can create lasting change.

For example, you could replace words like difficult, hard and impossible, with a word like challenging. You might take a phrase like; "It is impossible to do that, I will never do it" and change that to; "That is a challenging goal that is going to take some real effort to achieve". See the difference in the language used and the intention and power it resonates in the second comparative examples?

You go from impossibility to probability. You move away from being a nocreator to a cocreator. The energy and power in the language in the latter example is loaded with future possibilities for growth and personal transformation. The former examples were well worn paths of futility and hopelessness that lead you to nowheresville.

Another idea is to start listening to people who have presence and positivity in their lives. Listen to what they say and how they say it. What words do they use? Keep your ears open for words that have power and meaning for you as they will serve you better as you seek to further develop your personal power and authenticity as a person who speaks deliberately and intentionally. Once you start building up a portfolio of replacement words and phrases, ensure that you apply them in what you are saying and thinking.

A good rule of thumb is to always think about the energy or meaning behind the words you use. Do your words take responsibility, or do they cast blame? Just a beginning awareness of this theme will see you making considerable progress towards transforming your life.

Remember though to be kind to yourself throughout these changes as nobody is perfect. The gift that language awareness will bring into your life is a growing appreciation of how you use language in your life. Even when you slip up or you know you are falling short in some areas, you importantly start doing it with awareness.

Once you start this journey, if you are committed to it, it will build its own momentum as you start making more and more of what I call those necessary connections in your life. Life transformation coaching is a powerful way you can start cocreating your life with someone who has your best interests at heart - your coach.

*Craig Hedge is a Professional Coach based in Hobart (nipaluna), Tasmania, Australia.
He is author of the Instinctive Living self help ebook and audiobook series available on Amazon.

12/02/201321/07/2018

3 Advantages Of Online Life Coaching

[headline_arial_small_left color="#000000"]Online Life Coaching[/headline_arial_small_left]

One of the great advantages of the online world is the global access you get to people and resources. The internet has changed our lives forever and opened up so many new and wonderful possibilities for us all in how we work and communicate. Many businesses now have integrated their business with the online economy, and so many more have been created as a direct result of it. It really is an exciting time to be alive as all of these options open up to us - and us to them. You can now enlist the services of anyone in the world to do a job for you. No better example perhaps than that of working with people and specifically the opportunity to get online life coaching from anywhere or anyone around the world.

That said, it is still a relatively alien concept for many of us to look for help or guidance from someone for example who may live in another country and culture. By opening up to the possibility of working with others in other places, we in turn open ourselves and our minds to the growth opportunities that come with and through this. The fact is that online life coaching is proliferating as more and more people understand that this mode of coaching has indeed got its own inherent comparative advantages to the traditional face to face model.

[headline_arial_small_left color="#000000"]Lets look at 3 key advantages with online coaching:[/headline_arial_small_left] [green_tick_1_list width="100%"]

1. It is convenient - Its ironic that people can live on opposite sides of the world but still find it much easier to meet for a life coaching session than if they were planning to see each other in the same locality. Busy people who may not have the time to organise a session after work or even during their work day can arrange it for after dinner when they are more relaxed and truly present and motivated to get to work on themselves with a coach. The session can start and finish with you sitting in your armchair or at your computer in the comfort of your own home. There is not only convenience in that, but a real life affirmation of personal choice and power as well.
2. It can promote an open experience to personal exploration - What do I mean when I say this? Its a fact that many people are cautious and indeed guarded when they enlist the help of a local professional. This is common in smaller towns or cities where everyone knows everybody else. Many people don't seek help from many professionals due to their own issues about their privacy or their personal conditions. Even something as life affirming as coaching is something that many people want to keep private - the online coaching relationship is a great medium to do this. People who are reserved, shy or uncomfortable working in person one on one, can get far more out of the online coaching experience as they are much more comfortable in personal exploration from a distance.
3. Much more choice - Once you decide to seek out any type of services online you automatically increase your opportunities in regards to choice. There are thousands of coaches around the world and multitudes of online life coaching options. This means that you can take the time to research and find the right person or fit for you. Many coaches offer a free consultation, so it gives you a fantastic opportunity to shop around to get the right fit for you. An important point further to that is to shortlist the coaches you think might work better with you.

[/green_tick_1_list] [headline_arial_small_left color="#000000"]I would check the following:[/headline_arial_small_left] [green_tick_2_list width="100%"]

Check they have a website and get a feel for their approach, their model of practice and their values.
Do they have qualifications? Coaching qualifications don't necessarily equate to a good coach - however it is an indicator. Remember some qualifications are obtained in a day.
What is your general feel about them?
Testimonials can give a good insight into a coach.
What is their life experience? Are they a people person?
What is their expertise or niche?
What price are their services? Sometimes you do get what you pay for - so beware really cheap operators.
Do they have a blog or write articles/? Thats a great way to gauge their attitude, their values and their working approach.
Remember their are coaches, there are mentors, there are counselors and therapists - what are your needs and who are you seeking? Make sure you know that.

[/green_tick_2_list]

*Craig Hedge is a Professional Coach and Lifestyle Mentor based in Hobart (nipaluna), Tasmania, Australia.
He is author of the Instinctive Living transformational self help ebook and audiobook series available on Amazon.
Author.to/craigwhedge

04/02/201312/11/2016

4 Fundamental Reasons Why A Personal Life Coach Is An Investment In You

[headline_arial_small_left color="#000000"]Life Coaching An Investment?[/headline_arial_small_left]

This article will provide some powerful reasons perhaps why you shouldn't overlook what could be the best investment you ever make in your life. The fact is that having a good personal life coach working with you is your ticket to a much more fulfilling life - a life of possibilities. Many people are now starting to make the connection that good coaching equals performance that results in more appreciation and awareness of the options that they have in their life.

I brand myself as a Life Transformation Coach - in other words, I help people transform their own lives. People come to me because they seek change. They have identified something within them, or something they determine as being outside of them that is causing or creating a life of (for example) discomfort, pain or indecision. In other words they seek solutions to their current life problems or issues. These people are proactive. They either know or sense their life could be better and that something inside of them says there is more to me, and life, than what I am experiencing or believing.

[headline_arial_small_left color="#000000"]Lets look at 4 areas of your life where a personal life coach would be a great investment for you:[/headline_arial_small_left] [green_tick_1_list width="100%"]

1. Life Purpose: This is often overlooked in a society that is focused on getting people to fill positions or holes and to fit in to what it demands and expects of them. How many people do you know who willingly, or unwillingly, fit into a role given to them or placed upon them because that is the way life has turned out for them? Let me tell you, the majority of people working in their jobs don't like their job. A 2012 Forbes research study demonstrated this and stated that over 80% are not happy in their jobs - many of those people unfortnately will always be that way because they don't see a way out. This is a situation that a life coach could improve not only dramatically, but transformationally. A coach helps you get clear about what your values are and what you are genuinely interested or passionate about. There are a lot of sleeping giants out there - perhaps you are one? Awaken to your possibilities!
2. Self Esteem: Often people get stuck in life - in fact we all do. Some unfortunately get stuck forever. They see no value in themselves. They accept second best or worst because they don't have a feeling of self worth or self belief - their self esteem is so low they have no inclination to challenge that. These people are not broken, in fact they are being a functional part of society in helping it tick along. But if their function has caused a close down in their life, if its in some way keeping them from their dreams or a better life, then its a functional role that on a personal level is dysfunctional. A life coach can work with you and help you to get connected with who it is you really are and who it is you can become.
3. Relationships: The quality of your life is determined by a number of key factors, and is often demonstrated by the company you keep, your friends, associates and of course the quality of your family relationships. You might be experiencing some challenging circumstances with a partner, a family member, a work colleague or a long time friend. Your beliefs about that/those situations may be holding you back from the most important relationship you will ever have - the one with yourself. The better you are the better your relationships are. The more aware you are, the better your ability to have deeper and more meaningful relationships with others. When you open yourself up to coaching and self exploration, you set out upon a very important process and journey in further understanding, and getting to know yourself. As you grow so too do your relationships. Some grow closer, some grow apart. As a result you start opening up possibilities in your life as your life transformation helps you understand and control your life.
4. Spirituality: This encapsulates components of the first 3, however its much more than that. Spirituality means many things to many people. As a life transformation coach, spirituality is a big component to that model and approach. Remember though that life coaching isn't about advocating a way of life or thinking or telling a client how to think, feel or believe - or more precisely, that isn't the way I work with people. Your connection to yourself will inevitably strengthen as you start that journey of inner exploration and dialogue with a coach. A coach provides the guidance, the support and those important life questions that will get you starting to think further about who you are, what you are doing, and whether or not that is something that affirms who it is you are or are becoming. You may come to the realisation that the most important relationship you will have is with yourself. When you do, you will find out that as a result of that, your life purpose, self esteem and your relationships start making much more sense to you as you can see how you have created your life to this point. In other words you have opened a gateway to you. You have enabled that part of you to assert itself and to grow. And that is when your personal life coach perhaps transforms from the coach to you. What a wonderful gift that is to give to yourself!

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15/12/201212/11/2016

Life Transformation Coaching – Can You Afford Not To Do It?

'Life Coaching' is a generic term. It is a little vague in its definition, and hardly a helpful guide for those who are curious about what it is - let alone what it does. Its why I brand myself as a Life Transformation Coach - I see my role and purpose as helping clients transform their own lives. Transformation can mean different things to different people. I define it as moving beyond your current situation or state of being or doing. Its about change. Its about growth. Its about moving to the next level of understanding and awareness in your life.

What I find interesting and in fact remarkable, is how we live our lives and how we attribute a monetary value to all that we do and acquire in life. Our capitalist and consumer driven society dictates as a necessity that we should have and acquire things to live a sustainable and secure existence. The potential problems with this is that we move away from ourselves, our being, and start to identify with and cultivate a materialistic focus and purpose. In other words, our lives become more focused around physical possessions and acquisitions.

So where is the problem in that you might ask? The problem is when things so to speak start going wrong. We are moving away from what makes us human beings to being mere robots when we let our lives define us by what we do, how much stuff we have, and how much status we acquire doing it. For many this is a perfectly natural state of being and one they are content with - at least on the surface. But lets talk about those of us who perhaps need a little more than just things to sustain us or give us real meaning and purpose in our lives.

Before I go on, I am certainly not denouncing modern life, material assets, money or working for a living - we all need those things to varying degrees. I'm talking about those of us who become entrenched in these things and seduced by them until they finally lose any concept (if indeed they had one to begin with) that life is just about those things. How many people do you know who are just not happy or content in their lives? You know the ones, those who are never happy, always complaining about life and about people. They talk of life being hard, that life is not a picnic, that you have to struggle and do it tough to get anywhere in life. So many of these people have lost themselves in the machine, or the machinations of life in a system where they failed to see any other way of living life.

This is where life transformation coaching can be of immense benefit to a person - it provides opportunities to move beyond the current limitations and restrictions that are either imposed upon us - or by us on ourselves. Unfortunately because of the system based and societal values that are often the driving force in these individuals, they will never ever afford themselves of the opportunity to truly move beyond this way of life. They either work their way out of it (which is rare as it is a mindset) or they merely grind themselves (and those around them) into the ground. Their world makes sense to them when their actions reflect their values and beliefs. They reward themselves with things, with acquisitions, and for a moment they feel relief perhaps and even a sense of accomplishment.

Life Transformation Coaching can help those who are willing to step out of their box and their current world view. But to do this people need to value and comprehend that this very process has the potential to help them to transcend their current life situations. Unfortunately for many, a brand new TV or multi media device (to replace the one thats working perfectly that they already have) is the only meaningful way for them that they attribute value and reward in their lives. This is why it is so important to never lose sight of your inner world, those things that bring passion, happiness and inspiration into your life. If you hold true to those things, that spirit of creation and potential is ready and waiting for you - ready for your personal transformation.