Two Sites, Twice the Gratitude!

Photo (c) Susan Cleaver

I took this photo years ago, out of my gratitude for the beautiful sunrise. Like many of you, I'm a big fan of gratitude lists and journals.

In the last few months, I found two sites featuring gratitude journals. They're both fun and easy, and I want to make sure all my readers know about them!

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Warchi

The first one is called Happy Rambles (TM), and you can find it at http://happyrambles.com.  You, the writer, can choose to write yours in any form that pleases you.  

The site also encourages you to add photos if you wish.  It reminds you by email when it's time to write again.  It also allows you to save your entries.

I use this site, but I have no other affiliation with it.  I just like it!

Photo (c) iStockphoto/VickyLeon

The second site I'd like to introduce you to is Laura West's "Joyful Business" site.  (Again, I'm just a happy user of her site, with no other affiliation.) 

To get to her gratitude journal, use this link: www.joyfulbusiness.com/online-success-gratitude-journal.  

This one is a little more structured, but you'll still usually have the elbow room to express yourself as you wish.  There are a few playful but provocative questions in the structure.  Laura's journal allows you to print out what you've written when you're done.

I've been following Laura West's work for years before I came upon this journal.  I like the content and style of her site. 

Photo (c) iStockphoto/IrvStock

I hope you'll find these two sites to be helpful and fun!  Please let the rest of the creative4life Community know how they work for you.

Thanks,

Coach Susan

The Great-Life Advocate (TM)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Results of the "Fall 15" Challenge!

In my last post (11/3/13), I put out a "Fall 15" Challenge with three choices of challenges, each involving the number 15 in some way.  I hope some of you tried one and found it helpful.  We'd all love to hear about your results!

Here are mine!  I chose the second challenge, "Find 15 items in your home to donate to charity within the next 15 days."  I started on November 3, so I had until November 18. 

I'm happy to say that I finished finding and packing up the 15 items by November 6, and they were off our property and donated the next day to Goodwill Industries.

I feel good about making the donations, and I'm glad to have them out of our home and back in circulation again for people to buy for very low prices.  It sure beats sending them to a landfill! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever wondered if your work could be better and easier by knowing a few basic coaching skills that you and I could tailor to your job?

It's true for most any line of work!  

Here are a few examples:

Teachers

Parents

Middle Managers 

Grandparents

Small-business owners with a few employees 

Social workers

Leaders of non-profit organizations

Guidance counselors

Research and Development Teams

Health care workers 

Trainers

Let's talk about it!  Please email me here to set up an informal consultation.  It's complimentary and eye-opening!

~All of Susan's posts are copyright Susan Cleaver.~

~Member of the local TriCounty Community Network at www.tcnetwork.org~

Bring Your Own Bliss (BYOB), Part 3

Last spring, I wrote 2 posts about bliss (BYOB), 3/28/13 and 4/4/13.  More recently, an enthusiastic reader suggested that I expand on the topic, so that's my mission for this post.  

Photo (c) iStockphoto/Igor Demchenkov

Reading through the first 2 posts on bliss, I see that I need to expand on the "doing" step of the "be, do, have" cycle.

"We are the gateway from the numinous world to the practical world."

~Rick Jarow

The tricky part about the "doing" step is learning to discern between an action that seems to be the most logical and obvious and the inspired action.  
  

If we dive into the first action we can think of just to get things moving, this will backfire!

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.  It is the source of all true art and all science."  ~Albert Einstein

In the quote above, Einstein praised "the mysterious."  In our "doing," we need to let go and wait for "the mysterious" synchronicity or intuition to tap our shoulders.  There's nothing to strive for, but we do need to be watchful for the "green light," and trust it when it arrives.  That's inspired action!   

"...somehow, perhaps beyond perception, there was a great click, after which suddenly a new friend appeared, an idea was imparted, or a connection established, causing the tides to turn and the floodgates to open."  ~Mike Dooley

  Photo (c) iStockphoto/Brian Jackson

When we come upon the moment for "inspired action," we must move on it right away.  The timing is very important!  We can't let "practical" thoughts deter us; we must go on faith.  When we do, we see the manifestation (the "have" part of the cycle).

"Dreams pass into the reality of action, from this action stems the dream again."  ~Anais Nin

BYOB!

Coach Susan

email

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The "Fall 15" Challenge!

Choose one of these 15-Day Challenges, follow through, and let us all know how it went!


Unplug the TV for 15 days.


Find 15 items in your home to donate to charity within the next 15 days.


Make an apology or accept one within the next 15 days.


P.S.  I'm choosing the second one, finding 15 items to donate.  My countdown starts today, November 3, 2013!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Locals

The 2013 Senior Health Expo, Thursday, November 14
9:00 am till 1:30 pm, at the historic Sunnybrook Ballroom
50 Sunnybrook Rd., Pottstown, PA

No admission fee for attendees!

Please stop by my exhibit! I'd like to get to know you better, and I have some great information and worksheets for you.  

Many thanks to our generous sponsors, Mark Painter (State Representative of District #146), the Pottstown Mercury, and the TriCounty Community Network at www.tcnetwork.org. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Save the Date for My "Holiday Reiki Rescue" (from the mall madness!)

7:00 to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, December 3, 2013, in Douglassville, PA

Details, consisting of mostly pampering, will be announced in my next post! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All posts on creative4life are (c) Susan Cleaver.

Web Surfing for Creative Types

Please check the recent comments on my last two posts, and on the one dated 3/28/13!  I hope you'll jump into the conversation by clicking on "comments".  If you're not yet used to writing online, this is a good way to begin developing your voice.  And there is an option to comment as "Anonymous"!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

A Few Sites to Help You Stay Inspired!

• Crazy Coaching Friday Episode #016 - Do you Communicate Cleanly and Clearly?

  I was fortunate to have a 2nd appearance on Crazy Coaching Friday on a panel of coaches!  As you can see, our topic was one that everyone can benefit from; you don't have to be a coach to enjoy the show and get value from it!

  You will see a panel of very open coaches, sometimes coaching each other.  The show is unique in that we have lots of fun and dig deep into the subject at the same time.  The shows are unscripted, which really makes it fun and interesting!

  
  

  I think you'll enjoy the part where each coach gives an example of a learning opportunity (read: a mistake to learn from) directly from our own practices or daily lives!

  
  

  Crazy Coaching Friday is possible via Google+, and is available live and recorded at www.CoachVille.com, the producer of the show. The recorded version is then available on YouTube, and that's the link that will take you right to Episode #016.  Use the link at the top of this post to get there.
  
  In the spirit of full disclosure...I'm a member of CoachVille and Google+, however, I'm not an employee or affiliate of any of the sites involved.

  
  

  Crazy Coaching Friday...fun, inspiring, educational, unscripted, and unedited!

    

In Episode #016, we discussed written and spoken communication....

Photo (c) iStock/kemalbas

And we discussed translating the meaning of body language!

Photo (c) iStockphoto/PeskyMonkey 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p04TYk4j0zQ

WOW!  I love this recording!  Imagine this...Billy Joel is giving a presentation at Vanderbilt University to an auditorium full of students.  During the Q and A, a freshman, Michael  Pollan, asked if he could come up and accompany Billy for the song, "New York State of Mind."  He waited a few seconds for the answer,  but it probably seemed more like minutes to Michael....   

Photo (c) iStockphoto/PeskyMonkey

Billy Joel said, "O.K."!  Both men were taking a considerable risk.  Michael started playing the introduction on the piano.  At this point, I was already confident that Michael knew his way around that piano!  Then Billy joined in, singing the words.

It was magical!  The words and the piano blended together beautifully!  I was cheering the young man on as he continued to do a masterful job on the piano.  Does it seem a little strange that I'd do that while watching a recording?  Well, it's no worse than sports fans yelling at their TVs during a game! :-)

Photo (c) iStockphoto/PeskyMonkey

I was deeply inspired by Michael's courage to ask, as well as his magnificent skill.  It gave me
goose bumps!

The link is at the top of this part of the post.  I'm not connected in any way to Vanderbilt or the people present.  I just love the recording.

You may want to check it out, especially if you're
looking for inspiration (cheering is optional)!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Photo (c) iStockphoto/marekuliasz

Are you taking on a big project?  I can coach you from start to finish!

Email me to set up a complimentary exploratory session, where we can decide if we'd work well together.

No pressure, no long-term contract, and affordable rates!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Business Blogging Bliss

This is a class I'm teaching at Boyertown's Continuing Education on Wednesday nights in October, starting on the 9th, from 7 to 8 pm.  Find out more at boyertownasd.org for my local readers.  Registration ends soon...September 24!

A note to my global readers:  

I'm considering offering "Business Blogging Bliss" as a teleclass, also!

If this sounds interesting, please leave a comment, or email me, so I can get a read on the appeal  of this topic as a teleclass.

Thank you!

~Susan~

"Yikes! I See My Opportunity. Now What?"

In my post from May 26, 2013, I discussed how to prepare for an opportunity,even when you don't know what it is yet...or where it is...or when it's coming.  That's a pretty tall order, but it's worth your investment of time.

So, this post is the answer the next question: "I found it!  Now what do I do? First, I congratulate you on your preparations and your ability to observe! 

"Opportunity is often difficult to recognize; we usually expect it to beckon us with beepers and billboards."  ~~William Arthur Ward

Well, Mr. Ward was right; there are no beepers and billboards.  We just have to believe it's there somewhere, in some form. In the post from 5/26/13, I gave you suggestions for growing your roots in preparation for your success when it's time to spread your wings!

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/schuddel 

Turn your awareness level up to "high," because opportunities are waiting quietly in lots of different places.  The best one for you could be surrounded by other opportunities....

          Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/hidesy 

Or you may find your opportunity lurking under a problem....

Photo (c) iStockphotos.com/nobiggie       

Your opportunity may be in broad terms, and you'll need to narrow it down....

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/zimmytws

Or maybe it'll show up in a dream....

              Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/frentusha 

You may be confused; "O.K., now how do I know the opportunity I'm going with is the real deal?"  

There are two keys that need to be present together, and together they usually indicate that you have chosen well.  They are:

excitement and fear.

                                                                             

   Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/AlexKalina      

To say that's a bit unnerving is an understatement, I know.  But I think Anais Nin was right when she said, "It's less painful to bloom than to try to stay in a bud." 

Now, if I may mix in one more metaphor, I will quote the songwriters, Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers:

"Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance...."

I hope you will, too....

Susan

The Great-Life Advocate (TM)

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/marekuliasz 


Would you like to explore coaching with me in a complimentary session?

Being coached is a "real time," personalized experience!

Please email me to set up your tele-session where we can decide if we'd work well together.

No string attached...no pressure.  That's just not the way I do things!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Curious Minds Want to Know....

We all love finding creative answers to our questions, but if you've been mulling over the same issues for a long time, here's something to try!

Coach Dave Buck, CEO of CoachVille (which is where I turn for professional development), has a simple formula to help you with these.  He says to ask yourself, "What would be a better question?"

If you give it a try, you'll see how it gives you a whole new perspective on the issue when you ask the new question. And I think it's fun!

Please play with this idea, and post a comment about your experience with it.

We can all learn so much from each other as a more interactive community here at creative4life. Thank you, dear readers!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are Two Opportunities to Watch Me in Action on the "Crazy Coaching Friday" Show!

This show, which is produced by CoachVille, via Google+ Hangout, features a panel of coaches.  It's live and unscripted, fun, and provocative!
And you don't have to be a coach to enjoy it and learn from it.

Here's the link for You Tube from the first time I was on the show...Episode #013 on June 7, 2013:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvyo7UNU_s0&feature=c4-feed-u 


On this Friday, August 2, I'll be on the panel again, and you'll be able to find it on the same You Tube channel.

If you'd like to watch it live or recorded later on CoachVille, please see the time and instructions on my previous post from 6/6/13.

Come laugh and learn with us!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.**

**Member of the TriCounty Community Network, at www.tcnetwork.org**

Crazy Coaching Friday, Live and Unscripted, Just like Life!

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/CGinspiration

Greetings, Readers!

Have you ever wondered if I'm as quirky in person as I am on this blog?  You can find out tomorrow!  I'll be on a Google+ Hangout with 5 other coaches.

Crazy Coaching Friday

via Google+

Produced by www.CoachVille.com 

1:00 until 2:30 pm  Eastern Time

Friday, June 7, 2013

The show is live and unscripted.

Lots of fun, with a little craziness, 

and too many nuggets of wisdom to count!

The show is complimentary, and you don't have to be a CoachVille member to watch live or recorded on www.CoachVille.com (Just click the blue/green button to the far right on the home page.)

When you arrive around 1:00, you'll see a video box from last week's show.  The new show will start there, usually within a few minutes.  Refresh your screen every few minutes until the show begins.

The recording will also be on You Tube.  

If you're watching live, you can make comments right there on the same page at www.Coachville.com, and they will be weaved into the show!  (Via Face Book or CoachVille.)

You don't need to be a coach to benefit from the show. 

Join us; it's fun!  

You can email questions or comments to me anytime after the show.  Let me know if you're writing just to me, or if you want me to pass something along to www.CoachVille.com.  

Another option is to leave a comment below, here on creative4life.

Thanks!

Susan

My People-Pleasing Past

People-Pleasing began by the tender age of six for me.  I was in first grade, where we colored a lot.  My problem with all this coloring was that it seemed to take me forever.  

But, being a resourceful kid, I soon found the perfect solution, even if I do say so myself!  I had all the kids on my worksheets wear orange.  What a great idea!  This saved me lots of time...shirts, pants, dresses, and skirts...all in orange.  For me, orange was the new black!

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Svemir

My teacher, however, did not see the perfection in my solution.  And like most children, I felt a strong need to please adults. who were, after all the source of our ability to survive!

This self-protection response is often so deeply ingrained, that we forget to leave it behind as we approach adulthood, allowing it to create havoc in our lives.

Once, as a teen, I agreed to serve at a fund-raising dinner.  It was scheduled for the day after my friend's slumber party, which I was looking forward to, even though I knew it would involve very little slumber!

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Jessica Key

I had a great time with my friends, but the next day I had to drag myself to the dinner, which I never should have agreed to in the first place.  Saying NO couldn't have been any worse than that, especially when, in this case, it wasn't a self-protective response...it was just a habit that was not serving me well at all.

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/meshaphoto

Now...fast-forward to my college years.  My roommate and I received a "friendly visit" from two other young women who lived on our floor of the dorm.  They mentioned that they were hungry, so we got out some snacks for the four of us.

  Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Kadir Barcin

O.K., now here's the rub....  The following night, the same scenario played out again.  These young women didn't bother with us any other time.  Clearly these two were just looking for anyone with food who had passed "People-Pleasing 101"!

So, my roommate and I devised a "Pest Control Plan."  When the moochers returned on the third night, they said, "We're hungry!"  My roommate and I responded, "So are we!"  The pests never returned, and we saved our study time as well as our snack supplies.

Over the years, I've learned to protect my time, welcoming countless hours back into my own life! You can share your experiences with and solutions to this issue at the "comments" area button below.  Most of us need a tune-up now and then to keep our boundaries in place, so please share what you know with the rest of the creative4life Community.

Now, when I look back at my people-pleasing past, I see for sure that there was no future in it!  :-)

Thanks,
Susan

Mind Spa Coaching & Reiki

with Susan Cleaver

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/CGinspiration


Announcing Two Community Events
in the greater Philadelphia, PA, area

Pope John Paul II Wellness Fair
"Fun exhibits, healthy activities...and door prizes!"

Saturday, October 6, 2012, from 10 am to 1pm

Pope John Paul II High School, 181 Rittenhouse Rd., Royersford, PA 19468

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Kate_2004


***********



2nd Annual
You Can Heal Yourself from Cancer
Event presented by McCormick Chiropractic

Saturday, October 13, 2012; registration at 8:15 am; program from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Location: North Coventry Fire Dept. Social Room, 114 W. Schuylkill Rd., Pottstown, PA 19465

Eight inspiring speakers are slated to speak!  

Tickets are $20 each before Oct. 2; $25 after or at the door.  Bring a friend for free.

To register, call Lisa Weir at 610-705-0201.

**********

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are (c) Susan Cleaver.***

***Proud member of the TriCounty Community Network (at www.tcnetwork.org), Coachville, and the Coachville R&D Team.***

**********