Simplify Your Life: Ask for Help & Delegate

“Refusing to ask for help when you need it is refusing someone the chance to be helpful.” Ric Ocasek
 

Asking for help can be challenging. We can come up with all kinds of reasons to resist delegating or asking for help.
 

• It’s quicker if I do it myself.
• No one will do as good a job as I will.
• By the time I explain my request I may as well do it myself.

What else? What reasons or excuses do you use? Where do you resist asking for help?
 

Often those around you are happy to help. It is an opportunity for them to use their gifts and abilities to support you. What may be a chore for you may be easy for others.  Asking for help and delegating applies to our business life, home life, and social life!  Asking each family member or friend to cook one of the holiday dishes simply gives you all the time in the world to actually enjoy the day!  How good would that be?
 

Think of delegating as simplifying your life!

And Remember…..
When the task is completed, say thank-you, acknowledge that it is well-done and you appreciate the help!  Leave all criticisms at the door!
 

Ready to ask for help?  Decide on what specific request you will make and who you will ask.  For the next week, make at least one clear request each day and notice the difference it makes for you and those around you.

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Joy Journal

Summer is the perfect time to sit back, relax and write your Joy Journal.  A Joy Journal is the perfect place to remind yourself of your daily accomplishments, moments of happiness, and the gifts you have in your life.  Getting started is easy - pick a spot where you can write uninterrupted for 10 minutes.  Sitting outside will boost your inspiration!  Jot down all the things that made you smile today or moments that encouraged your inner child to play or the gift you gave to someone else.  Focus on non-material riches to truly discover all the happiness you have in your life.  

 

Focus on the moment, right here, right now and you will discover

 an abundance of wonder and joy!

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Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E. Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook

Refocusing after setbacks

How many times have you started a diet, a new way of thinking, or tried something new and then a setback occurs and you just go back to the way you were?

Don’t worry, you are not the only one!

Setbacks and difficulties occur all of the time – they are a natural activity of life.

There are two ways of facing difficulties.

You either change or alter the difficulty or you can alter yourself to be able to deal with it.

Deal with difficulties correctly and it will enhance your confidence, deal with them incorrectly and they can do some serious damage to your self worth.

Your response to issues and difficulties

When you are faced with any setback your ability to deal with it can be turned around into a position of strength by asking yourself positive empowering questions.

There is an unwritten rule that says:

Ask your mind a stupid question and you will get a stupid answer!

So, if after setback you ask yourself something like

“Why does this always happen to me, I never have any luck?”

Your mind will probably come out with:

“Because you are useless and good things do not happen to you!”

Sound familiar?

Instead, if you ask yourself a positive empowering question like:

“What did I learn from this setback for next time?”

Your mind will kick into solution mode and help.

Here are some rules and things to think about when setbacks do occur:

·         Acknowledge that it has happened. Don’t hide from it. These things happen. So what?

·         What positive empowering questions can you ask yourself?

What is good about this situation?

How can I make the most of this situation?

What can I learn from it?

What are the facts about this problem?

How can we make it a successful outcome?

·         Acknowledge that setbacks occur to everyone and you are not being singled out.

·         View them as a challenge to overcome rather than an issue or problem

Think about the negative dis-empowering thoughts that you think on a regular basis after a setback.

What new empowering questions could you ask yourself to give some better answers!

Write these down now and make them a habit.

Coaching Works!  Connect and start your journey to your amazing life.

connect@susanballnlp.com   |  Visit My Website

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Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E. Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook

Live in the Moment

Living in the moment is all about living like there's no tomorrow. It takes practice.  To truly live in the moment you must realize beauty in every moment, and in every day activities. This is your life, embrace it and live it to the fullest!

To understand how to live in the moment you must first realise that this is about participation rather than just observation. Living in the moment is a conscious act and is easily achieved when you commit to making these easy changes to your daily routine.

Spend time in nature.  Spending time in nature will "fill your cup", calm your spirit, quiet your mind, and feed your soul.  Time in nature reconnects you to the natural beauty around you and the inter-connectedness of all things.  Connecting with nature can be a walk in the park, a stroll along the beach, time in your garden, star gazing at night, or watching the changing sky at sunset or sunrise.

Take notice of the world around you. No matter what you're doing, look for and find something beautiful around you. Maybe on your way to work or school, you go over a beautiful bridge, or you get a view of the sunrise behind the city buildings. Realizing these small things can bring life and happiness even to the most boring or routine days. Be thankful for those little things.

Focus on whatever you're doing. Even if you're just walking, or wiping the counter, or shuffling cards - how does it feel? There's probably some kind of commentary spinning through your mind, and it probably has to do with something other than what you're doing. Let those thoughts go and focus on what is (not what was, or what could be). In Buddhism, this is referred to as mindfulness. Pay attention to your senses - touch, sight, smell, sound, and taste. Pretend it's the very last time you'll ever experience whatever you're experiencing. Have you ever been so engrossed in something that it seemed like the rest of the world just disappeared? Living in the moment is about creating that state of mind at any time. Slow down and savour the present. 

Be thankful for what is. When you find yourself wishing for something you don't have, or wishing your life would be different, start your quest for your wish by being thankful for what is already in your life. This will bring you back to the present moment. Make a list of what you are thankful for right now even if all you can think of is that you are alive and can breathe. You don't want to miss the gifts right in front of you, because you are always looking beyond what is in the present moment to what once was or what might be. When you are thankful for what is, you'll be happy to be in the moment instead of some place else. 

Smile, Smile, Smile!  When you wake up, Smile and you will set a positive open tone for your day.  Smile frequently throughout the day.  The more you smile, the easier it becomes and you will find yourself smiling even when life tosses you a curve ball. Smiling sets your tone of appreciation and awareness for the day and opens your mind.  Random acts of smiling are appreciated by everyone!!

Enjoy your day, live in the moment and be grateful for what you have. 

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Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E. Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook

Want to Improve Communication with Children & Teens?

I know you do!

I'm offering an important workshop on September 22nd, 2012 in Amherst, Nova Scotia that will give you NLP communication tools and resources developed to enhance and improve your communication with children  and teens.

Familiar Scene?

Change the picture quickly and easily!

There is always something new to learn and to teach and flexibility and awareness is key to a successful future with children and teens. I will help you understand and reframe the challenges you are experiencing with your own children or the children you work with or teach.

You will come away with fresh ideas that will open your eyes and mind.

Learn how to read your son or daughter better, how to set anchors that will quickly and easily shift their behaviour. Learn what is important to your child and how to influence them by acknowledging what is important to them. Improve your child's reading, writing, and speaking skills.

Technology is changing more rapidly than the average person can keep up with and these changes affect how children process information and act on the information they have processed.

In this workshop, you will learn about the power and influence of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube on children and teens and the importance of working with this generation of future leaders. Discover what's new, what's changing and the role internet and social media sites play in the development of children and youth.

Learn the simple changes to your language that move your child away from negative behaviour.  Does "Why" work?  How about "Try"?  Any "Shoulds" in your arguments?  All of these simple words will cause a downward spiral.  You will quickly go from conversing to arguing.

Join me and learn how to communicate effectively with your children and teens.

Who Would Benefit from Attending the Workshop:

Parents, Teachers, Grandparents, Counsellors, Coaches, Youth Workers

If you have children or work with them, don't miss this opportunity!

Visit My Website to Register

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Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E. Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook

Your Smile is Your Greatest Gift

I had the opportunity to return to Toronto to visit with family and friends.  After 2 years of living in Nova Scotia, I had truly forgotten what the metropolis was like - people, traffic, pollution were obvious.  The subtle differences were what struck me the most.

The one difference that I noticed right away was how unfriendly people were.  There were more frowning faces then smiles and everyone seemed caught up in going to and fro at high speed.  On a couple of occasions I said hello and smiled just as I would at home in Nova Scotia.  I was met with scowls and people looked as if I was going to steal from them or something.  It was very disheartening.

My lesson from my trip to Toronto was that I lost sight of counting the small blessings of my everyday life in my new province and I vowed that when I returned home, I would smile and chat with everyone just as it should be everywhere.  I wake up now with a reinvigorated love for where I live, the people, the happiness, and most importantly, the Smiles!

Learn to SMILE - it will send a powerful message of happiness to your brain and that happiness will flow within you and radiate to those around you.  Simply smiling is the greatest gift of all.

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Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E. Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook

 

Stop, Drop and Roll

Everyday you are presented with situations, some good and some challenging, How you choose to deal with the challenging situations is the key to successfully enjoying the present moment and the future.

You can choose to react with anger, a negative reaction that leads to stress and diminishes your ability to regain happiness or balance for anextended period of time. An angry, frustrated, irritated response is the equivalent of handing over your keys to someone else.

Think about it the next time the salesperson is too pushy or an aggressive driver cuts you off. Will you hand over your keys? Or will you simply smile, remain calm, and move on?

Follow these simple steps:

STOP - Reacting to the stupid stuff. In a stressful or aggravating situation, this can be done by counting to ten.

DROP - Your irritation and anger. Simply smile. Smiling releases tension and automatically resets your physical and emotional reaction.

ROLL - Get on with your life. Replace your anger with a "comfort thought". A comfort thought can by any activity or personal interaction you are looking forward to. Do you have a great vacation planned, or a weekend getaway in your future? Are you going to enjoy walking your dog when you get home?

Smiling and remaining positive in the face of challenges, makes you more powerful than reacting with anger, frustration or irritation.

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Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E. Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook

 

Your 3-Step Plan to Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

Now that you have identified your personal limiting beliefs (April 15th post), it's time to change them.  Think of your limiting beliefs as your subconscious blueprint and blueprints can be changed so they reflect what you really want!

The first step is to understand what a limiting belief is and that it may not be true.

Just say to yourself, "it's possible that I believe some things about myself and the world around me that are not true."

Great!  You have successfully opened the door to let your new belief in.

The second step is really important:

Replace the old belief with a positive new one.

If you want to create permanent behaviour change, you can't just get rid of the old mental pattern, you have to replace it with a completely new one that will take its place.

You want to create a new path, create new tracks, otherwise the old one can come back.

The final step is repetition and reinforcement through affirmation.

The most powerful affirmations are worded to be immediate and personal.  Adding a phrase like 'quickly and easily' to the beginning or end of each affirmation helps to lift the pressure of having to 'make things happen.'

My personal favourite affirmations are: Every Day in Every Way, I'm Getting Better and Better My monthly income exceeds my monthly expenses quickly and easily I repeat these 3 times every morning before I get out of bed to enjoy my day. The primary way to get a new pattern into the unconscious part of your mind is through reinforcement and repetition.  Positive affirmations work by reprogramming your thinking and beliefs.  The way to get effective results is with constant repetition.   Affirmations train your subconscious to believe that what you want is possible, attainable, and already happening. Words are your most powerful tool - they can bring pain or happiness, forgiveness or anger/hatred.  You generate your own emotions through your choice of words.  Make sure that the words you tell yourself are helping you follow your dreams and your heart. My Success Recommendation:  write down your goals with corresponding success beliefs in the form of affirmations  and just keep repeating them. . Choose your new belief and then plant the seed through positive affirmations.

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Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E. Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook 

Are Your Limiting Beliefs Holding You Back?

You can tell what you believe by what you get.

-Alan Cohen

Limiting beliefs zap your energy and keep you stuck by telling you over and over again that you can't achieve your goals or that you're not worthy of acceptance and success.

The Top Ten Limiting Beliefs are:

1. I'm too selfish/loud/shy
2. I'm a bad.... (eg I'm a bad parent/friend/son)
3. I will never be successful
4. There is never enough money (or money doesn't grow on trees)
5. It's too late for me to.... (change my career etc)
6. I will never....(be successful, find love, travel etc)
7. I always disappoint people
8. I am not pretty/slim/clever enough
9. I'm not good enough/I don't deserve...(happiness success, wealth, love)
10. "I can't do it!"

Many limiting beliefs feel so normal that you don't even notice them. They are perceived as facts, rather than as mere beliefs that can be questioned and then changed. A 'belief' doesn't mean it's a fact - it's actually only your perception of the truth and this can be changed, with some work.

If you experience negative thoughts or feelings on a regular basis, or there are patterns in your life that you can't seem to figure out (bad relationships or continuous problems with money for example) it is VERY likely that you have a hidden limiting belief.

The life that you create is largely determined by your beliefs. Limiting beliefs hold you back from being the best that you can be and from being open to unlimited possibilities. Breaking Free of your Limiting Beliefs is the first step to personal transformation.

Look at the Top Ten Limiting Beliefs list. Do any of them sound familiar? If they do, jot them down and think about the ways they are negatively impacting your life - money, relationships, career, goals.

Watch for my next blog post where I'll give you the essential 3-step plan for Breaking Free of your Limiting Beliefs.

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Susan inspires her clients to live the life of their dreams with passion, joy, and love. Susan is an experienced international Life Coach helping people discover and live their ideal life through NLP, Mindfulness, and G.R.A.C.E. Learn more about Susan by visiting her Online, on Facebook