Am I Over Reacting Over Oprah?

Okay, in case the content of my past blogs hasn't tipped you off, I am an Oprah watcher.  I watch almost no live TV, but record Oprah daily and watch the recordings when the little ones are asleep and my husband is otherwise occupied. I'm not a crazy die-hard fan, but I enjoy the show, and have since I was a little girl.

If you haven't already heard, this is Oprah's last season.  After 25 years on the Oprah Show, she is moving on and forming her own network (OWN). I know that it is just a TV show, and that my life will surely go on. And yet...  And yet I find myself increasingly sentimental and sad about the show ending. I'll miss my time with Oprah.  She has a way of uplifting, inspiring, and connecting that I so admire and appreciate.  I aspire to be like her in so many ways, and feel more than a little let down that my daily dose of Oprah perspective will be taken away.

Well, I suppose I am over-reacting just a bit... and yet I know that I am not alone. Literally millions of men and women around the globe are feeling what I am.  I will savor these last few episodes, and mourn the end of an era once they are all done.  I know that I will shed a tear or several, as I have done hundreds of times watching the show.  

So, there you have it.  The Oprah Show is ending, and I am way more affected by it than I thought I would be. Am I over-reacting?  My husband will undoubtedly say "yes," despite the fact that he is still mourning the end of the Laker's season..  Maybe I am.  nonetheless, I am affected.  Oprah has had an impact on my life.  I am grateful for that. She is a piece of our culture, and part of my experience of growing into adulthood.I owe more than a little bit of who I have become to what I learned watching Oprah. 

Farewell Oprah Show.  I'll miss ya!

Know Thyself

As many of you know, I am currently running a group for recent college graduates who want to get clearer about their purpose, and feel confident about the next step on their path.  I am so inspired (already) by their incredible potential, and am honored to help them to reach it.

One of the common themes in this group is, "I know what I'm good at, but I don't know what I love."  As I was pondering how to address this, I came across a great blog post by Angela Charles.  She is currently doing a series on relationships, and this article, entitled Don't Lose Yourself really speaks to the importance of knowing what you love as a means to better know who you are. After you read Angela's article, take a minute to get reacquainted wit the things you love.  Make a list.  If you can't think of anything from your current set of circumstances, write down what you loved as a child.  Just taking the time to make a list will help to move you closer to your true purpose. Enjoy:

Don't Lose Yourself

By Angela Charles

So often we throw ourselves in to our relationships only to find that when they end, it’s like WE have ended too! “Who am I without (insert ex’s name)?” You are still YOU! With out without him/her!

This applies to marriage too. It’s a fine line. On the one hand you want to give it your “all” (this does not mean sell yourself like a slave to your spouse - it does mean be ”all in” emotionally though). On the other hand, you still need to have boundaries and interests outside the marriage.

As mentioned previously in the series (Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3), guys and girls are just different! (Can I get an amen?)! We have different needs and it is crucial to continuing getting our needs met in the best way possible, despite being madly in love.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately… My brilliant hubby is in law school at Duke. Right now he’s in the middle of finals, before that he was in the middle of moot court competition and after finals he’ll be involved in the big writing competition on campus. It never ends! We just moved out to North Carolina in August and have been pretty dependent on each other for a while now as we’re just getting to know our new community here. But now with school in full swing, he constantly has stuff going on (and he’s actually the introverted one between us)! I am craving contact with people! So here’s my other dilemma: I met some fabulous girlfriends from the law school who I would love to hang out with while my husband is busy… but the problem is, they are all busy with the exact same things! It’s a pickle.

So it’s gotten me thinking… I need to reacquaint myself with… myself! I actually do have hobbies and interests outside of just hanging out with him (although that’s my favorite extra curricular activity)! My husband’s crazy schedule would never have hit me as hard as it has, if I had more of my own stuff going on!

Over the past few weeks, I have been trying to turn over a new leaf and remember all of the things I love doing apart from my husband. I didn’t marry him till I turned 30 for crying out loud, so I had plenty of time to figure out me first! Here is what I am remembering about myself:

* I love to workout! I just feel better when I exercise and now that I have more time, I am trying to work out 3-5 days a week.
* I love to cook. One of my goals for the summer is to perfect a salsa/pico de gallo recipe.
* I love to read. After grad school I could hardly bring myself to pick up a book and read it for fun… I was so over it! But now, some time has passed and I am rediscovering my love of reading.
* I love God, friends and family. While my friends here are busy I can focus on maintaining my relationships from home, skype with the fam and spend quiet times with God.
* I love to volunteer. Recently I have been volunteering some coaching hours and I’d like to add some more volunteering to my schedule as well.

It is CRUCIAL to maintain a sense of self even while in relationship! Remember all the things you love to do, remember your close friends and family and just know… if things ever go downhill with your special someone (either a nasty fight or a even breakup), your friends are gonna be the ones there to comfort you!


For more information on coaching groups or finding your purpose,  please join my mailing list at www.coach-carrie.com

What's Wrong With Being a "Realist"?

"Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity." -Will Smith 

So what's wrong with being a "realist?"  Well, nothing, if you're willing to settle for average.   
Let that sink in for a minute.  If you'd rather not settle for mediocre, you've got to be willing to be unrealistic.  If you want a better than average life, you've got to have a bigger than average vision of what's possible, a stronger than average desire to make it a reality, and a harder than average work ethic.  I know plenty of people with great work ethic and strong desire to live a better than average life.  They work exceptionally hard.  Unfortunately, though, they're working hard at what feels realistic for them.  They're afraid to commit to a strong belief in what's possible.  They're afraid  to believe in a possibility without knowing HOW to get from point A to point B.  But nothing great happens without someone first choosing to believe that it is possible... no matter how improbable. 

Did you know that Will Smith got into MIT, but decided not to go in order to pursue his rap/TV career?   Is this the choice of a realist? People thought he was CRAZY to choose Hollywood over an education that could offer him the hope of a high paying job.  But Will had a strong belief in what was possible for him, coupled with the desire and the work ethic to make it possible. What would his life be like today had he chosen to be a realist?

Believing in what's possible is a choice.  Think about the life you desire for yourself.  Take a minute to breathe in that vision of your dream life and allow it to bring a smile to your face.  Got it?  Now CHOOSE to believe that it is possible for you.  You don't have to know HOW, but choose to believe that this vision you hold for your life is a forgone conclusion. Belief alone is not enough, but it is absolutely essential.

Without belief in what's possible (no matter how improbable), work ethic and desire will only take you to what's "realistic."  And  that's what's wrong with being a realist!


Here's the youtube video that inspired this post.  I hope it helps you to choose something "unrealistic" to believe in for yourself!

When I Grow Up...

I have a six year old, a four year old, and a six month old.  The older two are often asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  I love their answers!  Quinn usually says that she wants to be a singer.  Brady wants to be a rock star... and work at Sea World.  I love their answers because they speak to my kids' passions.  They spend most of the evening putting on rock shows (Quinn sings while Brady drums), and reading about whales and other sea creatures. It seems natural to them that they would earn a living doing what they love to do most.

I wanted to be a mom.  I remember answering this way.  I also remember being prodded for more.  The adults who asked wanted me to answer with a profession.  Maybe that is why I struggled so much when I chose to be "just a mom," and while I still have trouble remembering that I am valuable, important and worthy in my Mom role. I also remember feeling completely let down by my higher education when I graduated college still not knowing what it was that I wanted to be.  I had been a 4.0 student my entire life, and there I was, an educated 22 year old without a clue about what to do next.  I wanted to earn a living doing what I loved to do most... but I wasn't really sure what that was anymore.  Ten years later, I rediscovered what I love and found my life's purpose.  I am here to inspire, uplift, and to help free others from their self-imposed prisons. 

What about you?  What did you want to be when you grew up?  Do you remember your childhood answer to that question?  And where are you now?  Does your current life mirror the one you imagined as a child?  Do you know what your life's purpose is? Are you earning a living doing what you love to do most?

I am offering a 5 week intensive for women in their twenties who are in search of their life's purpose.  If this is of interest to you, please email me at carrie@coach-carrie.com.  This will be an "in person" group offered in Thursday nights in Huntington Beach, CA. 

Feeling Feelings

As I write this, I feel a bit anxious and sad.  I suppose I have felt this way for about two days now.  Yesterday I wanted to cry for no good reason, and today, I had the same feeling of deep, heavy saddness paired with gut twisting anxiety.  Not exactly fun stuff.

The kicker is that things in my life seem to be going really well.  On the surface of my life, there is no good reason to be feeling this way and I am only vaguely aware of where these feelings are coming from.  However, I know that I am wise to pay attention to them, and to allow myself to feel my feelings.  I mean really feel them.  Just sit here and consciously feel my feelings.

Sometimes, allowing a feeling that we'd rather not feel is the best way to release it. Resisting feelings, talking ourselves out of them, or merely pushing them aside and "powering through" is not the solution (although it tends to be my M.O.).  But, what we resist persists. The more we try to ignore, or overcome feelings we'd rather not have, the stronger they get.  Feelings are indicators.  They help us to understand if our current thoughts, words, and actions are in alignment with our values and our purpose.

So here I sit.  I allow my feelings.  I blog.  I journal.  I meditate.  I wait.  I know that clarity will come as I allow myself to explore my feelings without judgment.  Ultimately, I know that listening to my gut (where my anxiety currently resides) and my heart (where the sadness is sitting) are smart choices.  And, while I would rather not feel sad and anxious right now, I know that it's all part of my personal growth and development. There is a lesson here for me to learn... and it may very well be what I regularly tell my clients... "Slow down, and listen". 

My to-do list can wait.  Right now, I choose to honor the needs of my soul and nurture my feelings.  I know they are here to teach me.

 

"Lucky"

Today is St. Patrick's Day, and as I sit here, I feel pretty darn lucky.  I have three healthy children who continually challenge me to grow into the person I am meant to become.  I have a husband who loves and supports me in my journey, and I live in a country with a "you can dream it, you can do it" culture. Sure, there are days that go by when I forget just how good I have it, but for the most part, I feel fortunate.

Having said that, I don't really believe in luck.  Or, at leas not in "dumb luck," "good luck," or "bad luck."  I believe that, for the most part, we create our own circumstances, and that even "lucky breaks" are the result of years of preparation.  I have a friend who is one of the hardest working people I know.  He is very well off financially, but has gotten to where he is through working hard, saving carefully, risking, failing, taking responsibility, learning, and risking again.  He has spent his entire adulthood learning from life and creating the circumstances that he desires.  That is not to say that he hasn't had his fair share of failures.  He's just the kind of guy who always manages to find the silver lining.  He fails forward. I have an uncle like this too.  He finds a way to turn just about any circumstance into a win-win.  Last year his house burned down, and although it was devastating, it didn't take long for him to find the opportunity. He now has a newly re-built dream home, a few extra dollars in his pocket, and an intensified gratitude for the things in life that really matter.

Both my friend and my uncle share similar mindsets.  They are good, hardworking people who simply refuse to blame anyone else for their circumstances.  They take responsibility and they look for opportunity.  Yet, I've often heard each of  them described as "lucky."  I think that people who are unwilling to take responsibility for their own lives tend to see those who do as "lucky".  Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. 

So, what about you?  Do you feel lucky?  Are you focused on what you want?  Or on the lack of it?  Are you preparing for your moment of opportunity?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!  Email me at carrie@coach-carrie.com.

Prepare, Position, RISK!

I came across this video on Facebook today.  I'd never seen it.  I watched it this morning, and it completely changed my agenda for the day.  It inspired me, and helped me remember to prepare well, put myself in position to achieve my goals, and then... take a risk.

So let's talk about the back story on this video.  Chris Solinsky set the American Record for the 10k and became the first American under 27 minutes in his VERY FIRST professional 10k!  But this did not happen merely because he is extremely talented, or because he was in a world class field (although bot happen to be true).  It happened because he prepared well, put himself in a good position, and then took the big risk! 

This video opens up just moments before Chris' big risk, his leap of faith, if you will.  He was not used to racing such a long distance, and  he was surrounded by some of the best long distance runners in the world.  He had experience in the past of taking the lead a bit too early in the race and losing it down the stretch... but he took the risk anyway.  He felt the moment, and he seized it.  He ignored the voice of doubt and listened to his body and his gut.  Every cell in his body said "go for it" and he did!  The result was a place in American distance running history!

Naturally, he could not have gotten to this moment without a strong belief in himself and his ability, and a LOT of hard work in preparation for a moment just like this.  But how many of us prepare and prepare, but fail to seize the moment to be great?  How many of us let fear keep us "in the pack" ? 

My goal for the day:  Prepare well, and be open to life's opportunities! 

Gut Check Time

 "At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.." - Lao Tsu

If the above statement is true, then why do we spend so much time and money trying to figure out who we are and what we want?  

Okay, that is a loaded question, and I could spend days answering it.  But, I won't.  I WILL suggest that we are TAUGHT to doubt ourselves at a very young age by well intentioned parents and teachers.  I read an example today about a mom who insisted that her children wear their coats outside to jump on the trampoline.  When her children took off the jackets because they were sweating while they bounced, the mother threatened the children saying that they must wear their jackets or they would have to go inside.  This mother meant well.  She just didn't want her children to be cold.  However, by insisting that they wear their jackets despite the feedback that their bodies were giving them, she taught her children not to trust their inner wisdom. She taught them that their inner nudges aren't valid.

Our public school system does a fantastic job of killing the intuition and inner wisdom of children.  I see this happening with my 6 year old.  She is constantly asking for permission... for everything!  She no longer trusts her gut, but rather looks for external validation.  "Mommy, can I color this horse pink?"  Before sarting school, she would have just colored it and been satisfied with herself.  Now she asks if it is okay and then asks me if I like it. She can't seem to find satisfaction in her work without validation. 

Luckily, I am an enlightened parent, and I tend to counter her questions with questions... ensuring that she remember to check in with her gut and learn to trust and test her own intuition.  But what about you and me?  Are we any different?

We spend so much of our lives researching, consulting the experts, and searching for the right answers. But how many of us spend time each day to check in with our intuition?  We all have it. Take time today to intentionally check in with yourself.  Sit quietly and close your eyes.  Take a few deep breaths, relax, and ask yourself , "What do I need to know today?"  Then wait.  Just wait and breathe. 

Got an important decision to make?  Stop weighing the facts and just sit with it for a day or two.  Your gut may very well supply the answers you need. 

If you'd like to get more in touch with your own inner wisdom and voice, I encourage you to join my 50 Day Shrink While You Grow Challenge.   For details, check: http://www.coach-carrie.com/Services.html

Answer Me This...

Three of the most basic coaching questions are:

Where are you now?
Where would you like to be?
What's stopping you from getting there?

So, where are you now?  What does it feel like to be you on a daily basis? Take a minute to think about your current circumstances.  Are you financially behind? Are you overweight and frustrated?  Do you seem to have it together on the outside, but feel yourself crumbling on the inside?  Are you living your daily life with anxiety?  Are you unfulfilled? What are the things that are currently in your life that you wish were not there?  Go ahead and make a list.

Okay, now to the second question (this is much more fun to think about).  Where would you like to be?  It may be helpful to give yourself a time frame here, so let's say in 5 years.  Do you want to be a homeowner or move to a new town?  Would you like to have a different career?  Be 30lbs lighter?  Own your own business?  Living anxiety free and comfortable in your own skin? In a healthy relationship?  I'm just throwing out ideas here, but take a moment to really think about what you want your life to look like in 5 years.  What are the things that are currenty NOT in your life,  that you would like to show up?

Believe it or not, if you actually DO what I suggest with question two, you are already ahead of the curve!  Most people like to complain about where they are, but don't give much detailed thought to where they want to go. But here's the thing, you'll never get there if you don't know where THERE is!!!

So now that you know where you are (and can feel the discomfort of it), and you have a pretty good idea of where you would like to go (and are probably feeling the excitement of that), what's stopping you?  What are the things that are holding you back?

Have you made your list?  Now, at the top of this list, write the following title:  EXCUSES. I know, many of you are already protesting and want to explain to me why your reasons are totally legitimate.  I don't doubt that they are.  We all have legitimate excuses, but if we really want to get  the life we've just described, we have to find a way to eliminate the answers to number three.  The hard truth is that if you keep doing what you are currently doing, in 5 years, we'll find that nothing has changed.  You will still be HERE, and THERE will still be 5 years away.

One of the BEST ways to get out of your own way and eliminate excuses is in a group setting with the support of others (a team environment).  If your vision for yourself includes becoming physically healthy and finding balance in your roles as mom, wife, and self, I'd like to invite you to my 50 Day Shrink While You Grow Challenge.  I'll help you to shrink physically while you grow personally.  We'll re-shape your body and re-program your mind, and at the end of the 50 days you'll be on track to have the life you envision! 

For details check:  http://www.coach-carrie.com/Services.html

The Power of an Hour

What could you accomplish if you could add just one more hour to your day?  Could you squeeze in that workout you never seem to have time for?  Maybe you would find the time to read or journal.  What if I told you that you can have that extra hour (or more), every day?  You can!  I'll tell you the secret...

Step 1: Set your alarm for one hour (or more) earlier than you currently get out of bed.
Step 2:  Get out of bed when it goes off.
Step 3: Use the time for what you intend it to be.

Step 3 is the hard part.  But do it.  You'll thank me later.  Just get out of bed.  I promise you will be a more productive person for your effort.

There is a natural tendency among many of my clients to argue "Well, you are a morning person.  I could never do that.  I am more productive at night."  This may be true.  I am a morning person, and I tend to be the most productive before noon. But, I assure you, I wasn't always setting my alarm for 4:00 AM.  The hard truth is that the way you START your day matters.  It sets the tone for everything that follows.  I start my day by honoring the needs of my soul. I "fill myself up" in the mornings so that I can pour my best self into the day.

4:00 AM is uncomfortably early even for me (although this morning I got out of bed at 3:45), but I've learned that my days are better if I can manage to get 2 full hours (or more) of "me time" before the kids get up.  I get my quiet time, my workout, and one or two other things in and start the day feeling whole; like I have nourished my soul.  When I feel this way, there is more of me to give to my kids, my husband, and everyone else I encounter during the day.  If I were to wait until the end of the day to get my "me time," it would most likely be spent unwinding.  I may go to bed feeling more balanced and whole, but the rest of the world would miss out on it, and I would have missed out on the increased productivity that is a natural result of starting my day with scheduled "me time."

Just try it for a week.  You can start with a half-hour if you like, but set the alarm, and get out of bed.  Notice how much more peace this one little habit brings to your busy life.   I promise, it's not that hard once you just make it a habit.  Commit to giving yourself some morning "me" time.  You deserve it!

Re-Parenting Myself

"I love and approve of myself".  This is an affirmation that I have found incredibly helpful over the past several years.  One of the most important things about this statement, when I first started to use it, was the realization that I didn't believe it.  It wasn't true for me.  Maybe I loved myself on some level, but self approval was something I definitely lacked. And the love I had for myself seemed tied to achievement; it was conditional. Like most of us, I felt like I wasn't enough, like I should be doing better or more than I was.  But why?

Let me start by stating up front, that I have FANTASTIC parents.  I am so grateful to them for being exactly who they are.  However, surely, the way I was parented had something to do with my feeling if insecurity, of not being enough.  But did they ever say this to me?  Did they try to motivate me with comments like "You can do better than that" or "Carrie, it's just not good enough"?  On the contrary!  I grew up in the "Good Job" generation.  I was parented with positive reinforcement.  So why, then, did I achieve my way through childhood and young adulthood, only to feel unworthy, and like an impostor in my own life?  And why was it so hard for me to approve of myself?

Alfie Kohn suggests that my feelings of emptiness and unworthiness are directly related to the positive reinforcement I received as a child. It's definitely food for thought.  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/health/15mind.html?_r=2

Yet there is no need for me to BLAME my parents for my insecurity.  My task in adulthood is to re-parent myself. Once I became conscious of the fact that I didn't approve of myself, my job was to learn how to do this.  And as it turned out, it was easier than you might think.  It took some introspection, and some deliberate re-wiring of my own thought patters, but saying, writing, and allowing myself to feel "I love and approve of myself" has truly helped.  As I write this, I still struggle with bouts of self doubt and insecurity, but I absolutely love and approve of myself on a very deep and fundamental level.  I realize that I am complete and lovable as I am, and that I am worthy of love and approval from others.  It took a little work, but it was completely worth the journey.

If this post has resonated with you, and you live in or near Huntington Beach, California, I encourage you to join me for the Mommy-Mind Makeover on February 16th at 7:30 PM.  It's $45 and all proceeds go to North Huntington Beach Community Nursery School, an amazing little Co-Op preschool that supports the philosophy of unconditional parenting (http://nhbcns.org/NHBCNS/Welcome.html ).  For specifics, email me at carrie@coach-carrie.com .

It's the Little Things!

What's the expression?  "Rome wasn't built in a day?"  I am a BIG VISION person, and have a tendency to get really excited about possibilities.  While I am grateful for my ability to continually expand my vision of what is possible, I often struggle with what to do in the now, and this can lead to frustration, procrastination, and sometimes even giving up.    I can see the future, but have trouble seeing how to get there from here.  I know it is possible, but I just can't see the HOW. So, I must remind myself, that Rome wasn't built in a day.  Vision is crucial (one must know where they are going if they can ever expect to get there), but it's not the most critical component to success.

You see, anyone with a dream can have vision.  They can see what is possible.  But what separates the dreamers from the achievers?  It's the little things.  Achievers move daily in the direction of their dreams.  They create habits for success.  Dreamers dream and dream, while achievers dream and do.

So, what's your dream?  Whether is is losing 20 lbs, running a marathon, or building a business from scratch, it's the little things that will make the difference.  What daily disciplines will help you get there? 

My friend Angela has a terrific blog called Habit-Forming Success (http://habitformingsuccess.blogspot.com), where she's starting a new series called Small Changes =Big Results.  She'll spend 21 days gently reminding us to do the little things, and I suggest that we all follow.  Sometimes our dreams seem too big, too impossible, but as the little things begin  to build on eachother, our vision comes into focus, and dreams become reality.

So, lets follow Angela's blog together, and commit to making small changes (little things) in order to get big results!

http://habitformingsuccess.blogspot.com

What does it mean to "Live Your Greatness"

One of the things I am most passionate about is helping others to "Live their Greatness"... But what does this mean, exactly? Put simply, it means living your purpose...the life you were designed to live.  Living your greatness is about  living up to your inherent potential.  It is living life without excuses and without regrets.  Sounds appealing right?  SO what is stopping you?  What stands between you and your greatness???  Time?  Money? Fear? These are just excuses. If you want to live your greatness, you must live your purpose.  So what's yours?

As it turns out, many of us are just not sure.  We can feel that we have more to offer.  We want to make a difference, but we can't seem to put our finger on what our unique contribution to humanity will be (and when we put it that way, it sounds a bit overwhelming.  It would be great to contribute to humanity, but you're barely getting by as it is, right?). We may or may not believe in the idea of  "life's purpose", but the concept applied to our own daily living seems so daunting.  "What is my purpose?  And if it is what I was put on earth to do, why can't I figure it out?"

Steve Pavlina has some great advice in his article "How to Discover Your Life's Purpose in About 20 Minutes". It'll tell you up front, that the title makes the process sound a bit simpler than it may be for you... but so what if it takes you an hour... or three!?!  Isn't it worth it to begin living a life of purpose?  Take the first step toward living your greatness and check the link below:

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/01/how-to-discover-your-life-purpose-in-about-20-minutes/

"A dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes..."

Those of you who know me well, or who I have coached, know that I'm a BIIIIG believer in dreams!  I'm not talking about the dreams we have in our sleep,although I believe that these have great meaning too. I am talking about the dreams that come from your heart of hearts... your deepest (and often most terrifying and intimidating) desires.  My 6 year old often reminds me that, in the words of Jiminy Cricket, "A dream is a wish your heart makes."  But too often, we think that our dreams are imaginary; that those wishes from our hearts are far fetched, too good to be true, and completely unreachable. 

But what if they're not?  What if our dreams come from an inner wisdom that knows our purpose and nudges us toward it?  What if our dreams, our heart's deepest desires, are not meant to spur a moment of wistful daydreaming followed by a dissatisfied entry back into the drudgery of "real life"?  What if they are meant to encourage us toward inspired action?  What if they are meant to cause us to THINK big???

Below is an excerpt from "The Magic of Thinking Big", an article by Will Craig.  It's food for big thoughts and inspired action.  Enjoy!

As long as you are going to go about your day thinking anyway, you may as well "think big". Anyone can think small, and most people do. In fact, most people keep themselves in the same place in life, doing the exact same thing, without significant growth or change because of limited or conditioned thinking. 

Ideas:  Don't just think about what is possible, think about what might seem nearly impossible, that would require you to grow and move beyond who you currently know yourself to be. Think about what you have always wanted to do or have in your life ... those things that your heart speaks of. "If you can dream it, you can do it." ~Walt Disney

Thinking big equals going big. Thinking small means staying small. You decide. You get to choose your thoughts. Try giving big thought and energy to the direction of…who you are becoming. Be outrageous and let your imagination fly. This does not mean thinking unrealistic, pie-in-the-sky stuff, like being able to suddenly perform superhuman feats. It means allowing yourself to stretch and believe in the beauty of your dreams.

Take a moment today to appreciate the gift of your dreams, and answer that nudge from your wise inner self.  Dream big. Think Big.  And take the first step toward making your dreams a reality and living your greatness!  Not sure what the first step is?  Try Greatness Coaching! Contact me at carrie@coach-carrie.com. 

What's a Personal Greatness Coach?

Put simply, I help people to live their potential.  And isn't that the whole point of life, really?  We each have a set of God given gifts and talents, and it is our purpose to live them to their fullest.  Seems easy enough, and yet many of us lack the confidence to live the life that we were put on this earth to live.  Instead we settle for "safe," "secure," or "good enough".  While, there is nothing inherently wrong with any of these terms in the right context, we're talking about your LIFE here... this ONE LIFE that you are living right now!  Do you really want to get to the end of it and use any of thes adjectives to describe it?

This is where I, the Personal Greatness Coach, come in.  It's my life's purpose to help you to live yours to the fullest.  I have a gift for helping others to cut through the BS and get on with what's really important.  I help to eliminate excuses and free people from their self imposed prisons of doubt, worry, and fear, so that they can live each day in their personal greatness!

Just HOW do I do this???  More to come.  For now, rest in the knowing that if you are living anything less than the life you were DESIGNED to live, this blog is for you.  ;)