"God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change",
"the Courage to change the things I can"
"and the Wisdom to know the difference. "
The Prayer of St. Francis
Regardless of your religious beliefs or circumstance in life, the 3 qualities sought in this prayer - Serenity, Courage, Wisdom - practised in real life lead to real inner growth and personal fulfilment.
The core of all life coaching strategies is making clients aware of the different options open to them.
- How to change the image of ourselves that we carry in our head
- How to change the language we use on ourselves (if people heard language like that broadcast in their local supermarket they would be outraged!)
- How to communicate our feelings to others, instead of pretending we can read their minds, (they think I'm boring)
People often feel trapped in a way of being that often leaves them feeling frustrated and powerless
as if they were in a deep box and just couldn't see outside the confines of their own experience.
so whether its an inability to lose weight, speak out at meetings or just relax in the company of friends.
Becoming mindful and accepting that they are just thoughts that can be changed is often the first step to becoming a more relaxed, confident sort of person.
Somone who is happy in their own skin.
Mind-Body techniques
So many people these days are encouraged to live in their head and think their body is sort of vehicle like a hired car from Hertz. In fact the mind and body are so inexorably and intrinsically linked that trying to separate them is frankly nonsensical.
If I ask you to droop your shoulders, breathe shallowly, look at the floor with downcast eyes and then.......
tell me how wonderful and enthusiastic you feel... (Being a ham I normally act that bit out for the client - its virtually impossible)
In fact if people were taught how to respect and look after their body then not only would a lot of my work be unnecessary but most of the hospitals would be half empty.
Unfortunately while being bought up to care for others is a good thing, the hidden implication that we ourselves are virtually worthless is extremely damaging to the subconscious.
A point brilliantly and entertainingly made by Terry Hatcher in her book
