Can I be very transparent for a moment? In late December, I spent time and planned out 4 months worth of topics to write about. February was supposed to be all about the different types of relationships in our lives. And we’ll still get there. However, life has been a little up and down since then - nothing major - just the normal winter illnesses, cranky kids (and parents, too, at times!), and a touch of the winter blues as I am 1000% a sunshine and blue skies girl. But today I want to focus on one of the major things that helped me get through the first 6 weeks of 2020.
My Square Squad. First off, this idea is not my own and I give all the credit to the incredible Brene Brown. Her book Dare to Lead is where I first learned about the idea of having a Square Squad. Let me explain. Take a 1x1 inch square. In that square write the names of the people you consider your closest friends. I’m not talking about the friends you see maybe 2-3 times a year. I'm talking about the friends you can, without hesitating, call at 3:00 am to come over and stay with your oldest child so both you and your husband can take your other child to the ER. The friend who has the relational capacity to have the hard, honest conversation with you when your coping skills have crossed over into an unhealthy coping pattern. The friend who cheers you on when you’re chasing after that big, audacious dream you’ve had for years. For me, I have 5 names in my Square Squad. This wasn’t a hard exercise for me because ever since I was a middle school student, I’ve preferred to have a small group of close friends rather than a slew of friends. And I’m also a highly functioning introvert. If you’re an extrovert, this exercise may be harder for you. Regardless if you’re an extrovert or an introvert, I’d encourage you to put some thought into who your 3:00 am phone call would be to. And, since this is February and the month of love, give your Square Squad a text, call, or even a note in the old fashioned mail to thank them and tell them how awesome they are! Be well, JoEllen
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The other day a friend of mine made a great statement: “Can I treat February 1st as my New Years' start to 2020? Because January just didn’t work out how I had hoped.” What a brilliant idea! Seeing as how my January also didn’t work out quite as I had planned, I am *all about* a New Years’ Redo. As we wrap up this series on coaching, I wanted to remind you of a few things.
Be well, JoEllen Fun fact about me: I love soccer. I grew up on the grass watching my brother play soccer competitively. My dad has coached soccer literally all of my life so with those things combined, I’ve spent A LOT of time around the game. By far, one of the most exciting moments of the game is when a team scores - the entire sideline erupts with shouts of “GOOOAAAALLL” (and yes, it must be long and drawn out like that!). I still love to watch a great match, especially when it’s World Cup time. With a sports team, the obvious goal is to score enough points to win. With coaching, the goal should be just as clear cut. Let’s look a little closer at the types of goals one could set:
Be well, JoEllen I have been a sports fan my entire life and an athlete throughout my secondary school years and college. Because of this, coaches have played such a pivotal role in shaping and influencing the person I’ve become. When I think back on the coaches whose influence carried the most weight with me, they all had several things in common. Consistency, genuine interest, and love of the game. So, when it comes to what to look for in a personal coach now, I believe these same 3 attributes should be found.
Let’s break them down:
I’d love to talk with you more if you feel you’re ready to tackle that big dream! You can reach me at 512-265-6599. Be well, JoEllen We are 9 days into 2020...how’s everybody doing? Are you staying the course in your intentions, goals, or resolutions? I know I've already experienced some challenges, but I'm determined to push through! In between Christmas and New Years I wrote about how to accomplish your goals this year. (You may find it helpful to re-read that article here to jump start you on goal setting)
This month we are going to focus on understanding the value a coach can bring to actually accomplishing your goals and meeting those resolutions that you set! So, first up, what’s the difference between a coach and a therapeutic counselor? According to author Jim Paterson of Counseling Today, there are 3 main differences.
Personally, I believe there is a time and a place for both coaching and counseling! That’s why I offer both at our practice. If you have a specific goal in mind - whether it’s career oriented or personal development - then coaching would be perfect. If you’re realizing that “thing” you thought you’d worked through has reared its’ head again, then perhaps it’s time for a counseling session to look at the underlying causes. Whatever approach works for you, I truly hope that 2020 is the year you invest in yourself to accomplish your goals and be whole-person healthy. Be well, JoEllen New Years Eve is one of my favorite holidays! In my younger years, it was such a fun night to get dressed up to go out, celebrate, and ring in the New Year with friends and family. Now at the end of another decade, NYE looks a little different and I’m really okay with a quiet(er) night at home. It’s still one of my favorite holidays no matter how I’m ringing in the new year, as the practice of celebrating a fresh start is one of my favorite traditions. Let’s talk about how most people start January each year - with resolutions! Sometimes these are things they’re going to do or things they’re going to quit. According to Forbes.com, less than 25% of people actually keep working on their resolutions by January 30th. And even more surprisingly, only 8% complete their resolutions at all. I am all for challenging yourself in the new year...but do so in a way that will make that resolution a little more resolute. If you’re going to set some goals or resolutions, consider this approach:
Be well, JoEllen I hope you’ve enjoyed this series on Thriving during the Holidays! It’s hard for me to believe that Christmas is actually next week. And then the week after that, we are in a new year and new decade! I wanted to wrap this series up with two thoughts: Finding Calm and Staying Bright.
Finding Calm - in the midst of the parties, decoration, and giving, I hope that you take the time to reflect and have some quiet moments. Commit to being present and engaged with the people you’re around. Perhaps step away from social media for the holiday season or turn off your email notifications. Whatever works for you to help you pause, breathe, and simply be calm. Staying Bright - this looks different for everyone and what I mean by staying bright is this: when you need a break take one. If being surrounded by family and friends fills your bucket and invigorates you, do it. That project that you’ve been putting off because it will take too much time (even if you know you’ll enjoy doing it!), do it. Actually playing and authentically engaging with your kids and spouse, prioritize it. Incorporating joyful movement into your daily practices - don’t wait until January 1 to start doing that. Do it now, December 19. Most of all, commit to being well and sharing your strengths with those around you. You’ll be so grateful that you did! I am incredibly grateful for what I get to do - this last year I have had the privilege to speak at conferences; work with incredible educators across the country; help people grow into the healthiest versions of themselves. It’s humbling, exciting, hard yet rewarding work. Let’s go into 2020 committed to continuing that pursuit of “All is calm, all is bright”! Be well, JoEllen Welcome to the second edition of our holiday series! I feel like I say this each year, but it truly is amazing how fast time flies. Even crazier to me is that we are approaching the end of the decade! One thing that I’ve been reflecting on is how much more important taking care of myself has become now that I’m on the, ahem, older side, of this decade. This is still an ongoing journey for me and how well I do with this ebbs and flows, however, I have learned a few things that will hopefully help you not just survive the holidays, but thrive!
Be well, JoEllen Tis the season to be jolly...right?! As much as the cheer filled movies and artfully crafted store window scenes of frolicking through a winter wonderland would like us to believe, it’s not always the most wonderful time of the year. But it certainly can be! This week we are kicking off a series of posts that will focus on easy to implement stress-reducing and gratitude building practices. These will be quick things that you can incorporate into your daily drive, your morning routines, or even around whatever table or place you eat dinner. One gratitude building practice that I am starting this season is an end of week check-in and reflection. I love this graphic created by Amber Rae (a wonderfully positive influencer on Instagram - give her a follow @heyamberrae) and I’d encourage you to try it out! When we take time to self-reflect, we are actually training our brain to focus on building healthy pathways that lead us to gratitude. And when we are practicing gratitude, our stress levels decrease and our “happy hormones” increase. Whether you answer these questions in a quiet moment of self-reflection over a cup of hot cocoa or embrace this practice with friends and family, my hope is that you can begin to slow down, recognize what may need changing, and make positive progress towards that change. Be well, JoEllen Benefits of Telecounseling
Grocery pick-ups, same day product delivery, and streamlined exercise programs...all things that are designed to help make our lives easier. Telemedicine, and more specifically, telecounseling and consulting has grown exponentially in the last 10 years. With the technology advances of today, there are many advantages of working with a counselor who is available via video conferencing and phone calls. Here are some important aspects of telecounseling to consider:
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