ulife journal

Are you suffering from Stress?

2009-07-02T15:11:00.002+01:00

Stress is a common word used by most of us to describe the changes that lead to the ups and downs of daily life. But the increase of stress related illness, which includes back pain, stomach ulcers and depression, is a worrying upward trend. What can we do to reverse this?

Ulife is a coaching company that believes it is all about taking responsibility for yourself and making choices that are right for you, rather than what everyone else thinks is right. By attending one of their workshops, you will be given tools to help shift your perceptions, trust in your intuition and start to recognise the signs which help to make those changes you face in your life, however big or small.

Once you have learnt these techniques, you will approach life differently and begin to be liberated from the stresses and baggage that once dragged you down and which caused mental and physical strain. "Trusting in my own decisions has given me so much more confidence and self esteem and I feel ten times lighter. I have learnt to love life now in the present rather than fear what might be around the corner" said Lucy who recently attended a one day workshop "it was so good to do something positive for myself and since then I have noticed that my back is so much better."

The workshops are typically for 8 to 10 people and are held in various locations across the country. Typically, the day begins at 10:00 with some gentle relaxation and ends at around 4:30pm. The deeper sense of self and inner calm makes it a relaxing and enlightening experience. For more details, telephone 020 815 9415 and ask to speak with one of our coaches.

Emotional Duality

2009-06-28T18:23:00.003+01:00

“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion.”

Dale Carnegie

Where does emotional duality show up at work? All over the place!

Giving feedback – anxiety & dread of the conversation paired with optimism & hope for the future should the feedback have the right impact
Receiving feedback – irritation, defensiveness, or righteousness along with gratitude that the other person shared information you can use to improve
Announcement of a change – fear or resistance over top of excitement and curiosity
Mistake made – embarrassment in failure yet pride in the learning that occurred
Systems breakdown – frustration and anger with the IT department, mixed with the excitement of overcoming a new challenge

Take the first example: how often do you put off saying what needs to be said because you pay more attention to your discomfort (the louder emotions)? Yet you know that once the conversation occurs, most people will process the feedback and correct their course.

So, recognize that multiple emotions are present. Name them. Notice if one overwhelms and stops you from moving forward. Lean into that one, and be drawn THROUGH the negative into the positive. You’ll find that positive action is easier when you work from a positive emotional energy source.

Remember: Leadership is not about a title – anyone can be a leader when they focus on helping others succeed!

change perspectives

2009-02-02T15:39:00.005Z

It strikes me that in these changing times, it is the loss of our future not the loss of our past that causes that feeling of uncertainty. Of course, we each react to this with a whole range of emotions – shock, denial, disbelief, mistrust and anxiety – perhaps even anger and bitterness.

And yet, what about the people not directly affected by experiences such as redundancy, divorce or even bereavement? They may still have a similar range of feelings, maybe relief, guilt, anger & insecurity.

Traditional theories often illustrate this range of emotions as a standard line, experienced through time and at varying degrees of intensity. Yet, how we respond and the emotions we have can vary quite markedly from person to person. How can this be so?

Well, have you ever noticed how two people can experience the same thing yet recall it completely differently? You may say that they hold different perspectives on the same situation.

People who view change as a threat will often hold fixed, rigid beliefs that are left unchallenged. These people will find it difficult to see from their perspective how any good could come out of change. Sometimes, they even wonder how they will ever get by again!

On the other hand, people who embrace change seem to have far more open and flexible beliefs, choosing to respond in a resouceful way by constantly shifting their perspective. They somehow know that although they may not be able to change their experience, they can choose how to respond to it!

How would it be if you could shift your perspective and experience changes in your life in a different way? What if you found a new and empowering way to respond to change in the 21st Century?

What new choices could that shift reveal for you? What new perspectives will you gain?