Welcome Coaching Clients, Friends and Visitors!

Welcome Friends of Benchmark Coaching – to OUR VERY OWN BLOG SPOT!

This is Christen! I will post our ‘Monday Morning Motivator’ emails here, along with the weekly journal exercises. And in this spot you may leave your comments, updates, ideas and ah-ha moments!  This is a space that I’ve created for the clients in my one-to-one coaching practice but all positive and pro-active people are free to come and play in this space.

SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH US!

TO LEAVE A COMMENT, Click on the article that you’d like to comment on – listed under “Recent Posts” — then scroll to the bottom, type your ideas in the box and hit the “Submit Comment” button. It’s fun and it’s easy!

This is our special blog spot for BenchMark Coaching, Inc. clients and friends! Welcome and enjoy!  If you’re interested in an email subscription to the ‘Monday Morning Motivator’ you must first be a part of my one-to-one private coaching practice. However, you can visit this blog spot often as I will post the weekly newsletter snipets here. To learn more about one-to-one Life & Career Success Coaching with christen, send an email to  christen@benchmarkcoaching.com 

To learn about FREE upcoming group coaching tele-classes or live workshops (if you’re in the Denver area) , contact christen@benchmarkcoaching.com 

With Warmtn and Enthusiasm,

Christen

Now sit back, relax and enjoy your morning cup-’o-Jo !!

Look for the Open Door

What door is closing in your life right now? Take a moment to think about this. What ending is coming about for you?

 

Endings and new beginnings are a normal and cyclical part of life. Therefore, there’s a good chance that you’re in the midst of some kind of change at this very time. 

 

Perhaps you’re fighting the transition because the situation feels beyond your control or you’re not 100% ready to let go of the past. Maybe you’re feeling plagued by old, negative attitudes about yourself or ideas about how things ‘should’ have transpired – so you’ve chosen to hang on and fight until you can resolve things more to your liking. Or maybe you’re in the process of letting go in the most natural and easiest of ways, even if you’ve had to leave some messy details unattended.

 

Let’s be honest. It’s hard to feel totally satisfied when an important prayer comes about only half-answered. And the ONE thing that you really want to have happen continues to elude you, like a carrot on a stick, almost within reach but never quite attained.

 

There is wisdom in knowing when to let go and move on. And there is a great courage in allowing a door to close without a great struggle (or without beating yourself up and making yourself wrong). With every door that closes, another one opens, leading you to your next great adventure, and to something that’s even better for you now.

 

Some doors are meant to close, even if you don’t know why. Trust in the door that is opening and allow yourself to walk through it. Go ahead. See what’s on the other side. 

 

In Their Words

 

“Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing, that we see too late the one that is open.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell 1847-1922, Inventor

 

 

Coaching Questions 

- What door is closing in my life?

- Am I struggling to let go of the past, or am I flowing with the change easily and effortlessly?    

- What door (or doors) seems to be opening now?

The Power of Daily Action

 

Nearly 11 years ago, when I was just starting out in coaching, I’d taped a handwritten note on my fridge that read:

 

“Worry is Draining.

Action is Exhilarating.

Do Something about it Today!”

 

My friend Susan was over for lunch one day and noticed the note. She said, “Wow. How is that working out for you?”

 

At that time, daily action was working for me! And I was excited to tell Susan about my super simple formula for success. Because I was new to business, I didn’t have years of experience or contacts to draw on. It was only through disciplined daily action that I stumbled onto a fail-safe method for growing my practice. 

 

Here is that formula:

 

My chosen goal + focused, deliberate, consistent action = desired RESULTS

 

This formula works as well today as it did 11 years ago; especially during those times when my worry takes over and starts to dominate my thoughts.

 

 

If you’ve been draining yourself with worry, it’s time to take daily action on a goal that is important to you. Just get started and give yourself at least 15 minutes to ‘drop into’ the task.

 

You could spend the day worrying  about the economy, about a strained relationship, about your health, about what the future holds or about how you’re going to reach your financial goals. Or, you could start moving toward relief today! There is nothing like a good solid dose of daily action (for one full week) that will snap you out of even the deepest of funky moods.

 

Don’t complicate this! Daily action is a powerful thing. It ensures that you reach your most cherished and desired goals. Plus, you WILL start to feel better. Life will feel a little lighter; and look a little brighter. Even when you temporarily lose sight of your goals, daily action will kick things back into gear. 

 

15 Minutes of Action: Where would you really like to see progress in your life? 

 

Now, take 15 minutes of action every day around this most important goal

 

It could be: 

• 15 minutes of phone calls
• 15 minutes of playing the piano
• 15 minutes of research
• 15 minutes of clearing clutter
• 15 minutes of planning
• 15 minutes of organization
• 15 minutes of writing
• 15 minutes of marketing
• 15 minutes of getting on the floor and playing with your kids!

Get started now

 

Get into action. Do at leat one thing every day for the next 7 days around that most important goal of yours.

 

And don’t make it too complicated. Take this bigger goal and break it down into smaller steps. Once you take those steps, you are done with this goal for the day. 

In Their Words

 

“Remember, success is not measured by heights attained but by obstacles overcome. We’re going to pass through many obstacles in our lives: good days, bad days. But the successful person will overcome those obstacles and constantly move forward.”

~ Bruce Jenner
Olympian, Speaker and Entrepreneur

Coaching Questions 

 

- What important immediate goal have I been slow to act on? What steps do I promise (myself) to take this week to get the ball rolling? 

- What have I been worrying about lately? What action do I need to take to find some relief?   

- What bigger dream have I been putting off, that I really want to get started on? (baby steps count)

Let Yourself Come Out and Play

 

You have a lot of responsibilities, it’s true. The simple act of living life places big demands on your time, money and energy. But you can’t afford not to have fun.

 

A regular dose of fun can help you accomplish even the most pressing and serious of goals. You might protest and say that you don’t have enough time, money or energy to play. Yet playfulness is a wonderful investment that yields immediate and useful returns.

 

When you laugh and have fun, you relax. This puts you in a more connected and receptive place where you can better hear the sound of your own inspiration. This allows you to best respond to your situation versus react from fear. Besides, happy people tend to attract other happy people and helpful opportunities.

 

Let Your ‘Happy’ Happen 

 

When you make room for play, you affirm: “I’m not just waiting for something good to happen. Something good is already happening and I accept it now. I trust that I am being taken care of and all my needs are being met.”

 

In this space of play and positive expectation, you allow your previous hard work to pay off because you’re allowing your happiness to happen. No matter how busy you are today, make some time for fun and play. 

 

In Their Words

 

 

“You don’t have to go where you don’t want to be to get where you want to be. You can go from where you are to where you want to be.” ~ Abraham - Hicks

 

Coaching Questions 

 

- What can I do to have more fun today?

- What fun hobby or activity do I need to pick up again, just because I enjoy it? 

- Who do I like spending time with? Have they seen enough of me lately?  

- Have I gotten too serious lately? Why? What would a more playful perspective be?

Action is an Attractor

 

  

 

“Please understand my friend, that where you find yourself tomorrow is a function of the positive decisions and actions you take today.”

~Akin A. Awolaja, educator

  

Attract Results More Quickly 

 

If you want your desires to come to you more quickly, you must align your actions to match them.   You’ll be in perfect alignment with your goals when you can clearly envision them, easily communicate them and steadily act upon them. A person who is badly out of alignment will think one thing, feel or say something entirely different, and then act in a way that doesn’t match any of their thoughts, words or feelings.  They seem to be tied up in a ball of conflicting impulses and it can be a confusing experience to be around them, to say the least. When people habitually operate out of alignment, they slow their progress and create inconsistent, intermittent results.

 

It’s true, we all feel unsure at times and everyone needs time to think things through; but once you do get clear, it might feel really good to start moving forward again.

  

Act as if it’s on the Way

Imagine that as soon as you declare a goal, it responds and starts moving towards you. You and your goal are like two planets that get caught up in the gravitational field of one another. There might still be a great distance between you, but you’re both heading right for each other, and action is the best way to meet the goal somewhere in the middle. As soon as you set a goal and take action, you shorten the time and distance in which you actually bump into it. Yes, your thoughts have the power to attract your desires but your action reinforces and fortifies the messages you’ve sent to the universal manager. Without words, your action declares, “I’m not kidding; I meant it when I said wanted this goal.” I am sure you’ve heard the saying, “Action speaks louder than words.” This means that your subconscious mind, the universe and the people around you get the clearest, strongest message from your actions, not your words. 

Coaching Tip: Take the first step today. Getting started is always the hardest part of any project, but you will build momentum as you go. Momentum is something that you earn so can’t wait to have it before you get started. It’s hard work to roll a boulder up a hill, but once you reach the top and the boulder starts tipping over the other slope, there’s nothing you can do to stop it from picking up speed quickly.

 

Expect the Best 

 

“Set your sights high, the higher the better. Expect the most wonderful things to happen, not in the future but right now. Realize that nothing is too good. Allow absolutely nothing to hamper you or hold you up in any way.”
~ Eileen Caddy, author

Why is it so important to stay positive? The Law of Attraction helps us manifest by default even when we’re not making requests consciously. The Law itself is neutral. Keep in mind, that action is a great declaration of positive expectation. When you act on your desires, you clearly demonstrate your belief that good things will happen. And you’ll get what you’re seeking so if you’re expecting to create good results and experiences, you will. Expect good things and act as if you know they’re on the way. Keep your focus on the positive, and don’t expect the thing you don’t want.

 

Journal Questions for the Week:

 

The Power of Daily Action 

 

Day One: What action can I take today to move toward my goal?

Day Two: What actions would reap the most, high payoff results – such that I reach my intended goal? 

Day Three: What action steps have I been putting off because they’re a little scary?   

Day Four: What action steps have I been putting off because they aren’t very much fun – even though they are needed? Is there a way I can make these tasks more palatable?   

Day Five: What are the next 5 steps that I need to take to advance my intentions?   

All is Well

All is Well

 

  “Find the good. It’s all around you. Find it, showcase it and you’ll start believing in it.” ~ Jesse Owens

 
Occasionally, life throws us curve balls that can be very scary. An unexpected expense or an urgent need may suddenly arise. When this happens, you might find yourself falling into a cycle of worry and doubt.

 

Even so (and despite appearance) all is well. It really IS!

Instead of anticipating further problems, simply trust that good is at work in your life this very moment. Expect that more good will come. In fact, relief is on the way right now – or perhaps it has already shown up for you.

 

Just this week, one of my spiritual mentors, Joanne, said to me, “Love is all there is;everything else is just an illusion or a delusion.There is only a force for Good working in your favor”.

 

We live in an abundant, benevolent universe which simply asks that we live in, and enjoy, the here and now. Your needs are being taken care of and you are being provided for — even if it doesn’t always look that way. ”Ask, and It Is Given” is a principle that is working for you behind the scenes. Trust it.
 
Coaching Tip: Simply say, “Thank You, Thank You!” “I trust that a solution will come.” “I dare to believe that all is well!” “All is working in divine and perfect order, for my highest good.” “All is exactly as it’s supposed to be.”

 

Just try it; see what comes of cultivating such an attitude.
 

Count Your Blessings

  
“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” -Charles Dickens

  
Sometimes life is hard. But when we wallow in disappointment, we stay stuck a negative, self-fulfilling thought pattern. When you say to yourself “This is all wrong! My life isn’t supposed to be going like this!” it becomes even more difficult to lift yourself out of doldrums and a lot of times, more disappointment ensues.
 
One of the quickest and best ways to turn things around (and uplift your mood) is to change your thinking. Ask yourself “What is already good in my life?” Or, ”What do I already have working out my favor?” Although this may be difficult at first, once you shift your focus, the same part of your mind that was noticing the negatives will now supply you with better things to direct your energy toward. 
 
You have A LOT going for you already, you really do!

 

 

Journal Questions for the Week:

 

Day One: What is already good in my life? (make a list of blessings)

Day Two: What good and helpful people do I currently have to love and support me?

Day Three: What situations or circumstances are already working in my favor? 

 

Day Four: What do I really like about the person that I am today? (a list of my traits, characteristics, qualities) 

 

Day Five: What good things are going on in and around my world (or in the world) right now?  

Getting Geared Up For a New Year

Happy New Year Everyone!
 
Before we dive into your plans for the New Year, I encourage you to step back and take a moment to reflect on 2008. Acknowledge all that you’ve accomplished and appreciate yourself for all that you’ve endured and overcome.  

 

Acknowledge How Far You Have Come

Honor all that you began in 2008. Maybe you didn’t do everything that you set out to do or get as far as you thought you would, but you can let go of that now. Wash your hands of regrets from last year. Forgive yourself for what you haven’t finished yet and clear a path to begin again in the New Year. 
 
When you acknowledge your steady progress and let go of feeling badly about what you did not accomplish, you begin to feel better. And when you feel better, you attract more of the abundance that you desire and deserve — now and in the future.
 
Enjoy this Time of New Beginnings
 
January is a time of new beginnings. Personally, I love the first of January because every New Year holds the promise of a fresh start. Sometimes you do need the opportunity to start over again, in whatever part of your life needs it most. It could be that you want to re-ignite passion in an old relationship, or end one altogether to make room for someone new. Maybe you feel called to change the type of work that you do.
 
2009 could be the year to leave your place of employment so that you can pursue another path. Or maybe it’s time to choose a new outlook or different approach in a relationship! There is a blank canvass in front of you now. 2009 is your chance to be healthier physically, mentally and emotionally.  
 
Let Yourself off the Hook
 
We tend to be our own harshest critic and exaggerate the truth about how we’ve failed ourselves. If this is you, maybe it’s time to stop being so hard on yourself about what didn’t happen in 2008 and put the hammer away for good. Don’t let the things that have (or haven’t) happened in the past dampen your enthusiasm for what is possible now. Just because you’ve made mistakes doesn’t mean that your life won’t or can’t get better now. None of you past mistakes mean that you’re a forever failure, no matter how bad you feel they were.
 
You might miss the full enjoyment of new experiences if you’re carrying the past around so put the baggage down and leave unpleasant experiences behind you now. Today is your opportunity to let go of any unproductive thoughts and feelings that have plagued you or that keep you rooted in negativity.
 
Coaching Action Challenge: Choose one area of your life to focus on now because whatever you focus on and give energy to will grow and take shape. You might think that to have a new beginning is to become a different person, but this is not true. All you have to do to start over again is adopt a new outlook and decide that you will try again. Your best life is waiting for you.
 
Have a beautiful, magical and wondrous New Year where so much is possible now and where so much good still awaits you!

 

Journal Questions for the Week:

 

Small Changes Can Reap Big Rewards

 

Day One: What one positive change in my diet will I make this week? One that I can stick with, going forward.

 

Day Two: With regards to a significant relationship, this is one positive step that I can take to improve upon it (for example, to bring more love, compassion, kindness, respect back into it)… 

Day Three: How can I do just one thing better at work, in school or in my career right now?

Day Four: What one thing do I need to adjust in my daily life so my whole life runs much better (more sleep, more down time, more exercise, more water, for example) …

 

Day Five: What one change would make the greatest, positive and  most significant impact on my life?