Life Focus Coaching ADD Coach Financial Coach

A symphony of tools for creating peace, order and connectedness in daily life...

Issue #5 by Viveca Monahan

This issue is in honor of my dear friend, Janice, who for nearly 30 years has quietly modeled how to live a big life. She decides what she wants and then sets out to get it -all the while having fun, being kind, touching lives....

IN THIS ISSUE: Experience the peace that follows a great accomplishment. Think big and go for it!

• IDEA: Challenge yourself to accomplish something grand by building in a natural deadline.
• TOOL: These questions will help you define something powerful you wish to accomplish; and will inspire you to create a time boundary that supports you.
• RESOURCES: 3 Books to help you conquer fears.

IDEA: Challenge yourself to accomplish something grand by building in a natural deadline.

I'll tell you the truth. Martha Stewart never had to fear competition from me. It was she who commanded order and elegance; not me. While she designed lovely satin albums in which to store her still-life portraits, my lifetime collection of household "before" pictures spilled out of cardboard boxes. It distresses me to know she did that foolish 'thing' , sabotaging her life forever. Why did she do it? Was it her distress when she heard about my honey-tofu floral wreath? or had she tired of the attention my sumptuous Chateaubrioche was receiving? Or was it my pearl-studded wine decanter with matching stemware? ( The pearls are neatly strung with dental floss, which provides a practical solution to certain embarrassing moments...)

Well, whatever it was, it was clear that Martha was too distracted to come to Seattle and host a couple of her summer parties, both on the same day. My social conscience took over so I volunteered . Actually, publicly announcing the date was just the incentive I needed to stop thinking about it and finally paint and simplify our home!

And so after a month of intense focus and hard labor; our home was duly transformed! The clutter is gone displaying an array of new textures and colors. My heart and life feels refreshed, clear and at peace. My whole family is calmer and happier. Free at last!

As for the parties, the day was filled with community, connection and love. The incentive for the home transformation became the celebration. The celebration added to our joy. Thank you, Martha Stewart.

TOOL: These questions will help you define something powerful you wish to accomplish; and will inspire you to create a time boundary that supports you.

1. What one activity, once completed, would give you a tremendous sense of peace, joy and accomplishment? To help with narrowing this down, consider some of these areas: self-care, spirit, home, family, friends, significant other, service to others, social conscience, financial management, career, education, self-image, athletic endeavor, creative endeavor, something wild and crazy, something you fear, something that would greatly enhance the life of someone else; an article, a letter, a trip, an encounter with a person or animal; a speech...

2. What is the time frame you will use? (a week, a month, a year?). How will you know you have accomplished this?

3. What commitment will you use as insurance? (tell someone, sign up for something, get a buddy, register, pay for it, announce it, schedule it, reserve it...)

4. How will you prepare yourself for distractions, Gremlins, fears and other challenges? What will be your game plan for them? How will you remember the plan? What/who will support you?

5. Once you've accomplished this, how will you celebrate? (Tell the world!; display your work, have a party, invite the neighbors; take pictures; take that trip...)

RESOURCES: 3 books to help you conquer fears

• Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway, by Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. Dynamic techniques for turning fear, indecision, and anger into power, action, and love,
• 101 Secrets of Highly Effective Speakers, by Caryl Rae Krannich, Ph.D. Controlling fear, commanding attention,
• Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. Freeing the writer within.

We welcome your thoughts and ideas. Please write to harmony@coachviv.com