Women thriving after the relationship ends
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To sign up for a free coaching consultation call 315.497.3059 or email Judith Geiger. Certified Personal Success & Relationship Coach.
10-Week
Self-Care Challenge
Week
# 6
I want to congratulate you for taking such good care of YOU.
Although at this point you may only be reading about self-care. Even if you are
not doing the exercises my intention is that you will be gaining insights into what
is possible. For those who have not only read but applied the exercises I would
love to hear from you. What has been your experience so far? Has anything
shifted for you? Are you able to see how little time it actually does take to
focus attention on your needs? Does it easily allow you to reap major benefits?
Tell us about your experience in the comment section of this blog.
I want to turn our focus to week six as I tell you about
my new experience with meditation. If you have been with me for a long time you
know that I have written about meditation before and confessed to struggle with
it. That is until a few weeks ago when I learned Transcendental Meditation. It
is a truly a passion of mine now. I feel like I did 30 years ago when I quit
smoking. At that time, I told everyone I came into contact with how great I felt
because I was not smoking anymore. Now I am telling them how great I feel because
I have finally learned to meditate in a way that is joyful for me.
“The Transcendental Meditation technique has been shown
to be the most effective health and wellness program there is. Nothing we know
of is as effective for promoting good health and reducing health-care
utilization and medical expenses.” Kulrett
Chaudry M.D. Neurologist
Exercise week six:
Meditation as a self-care practice: Spend a little time
checking out meditation if you don’t already practice it. If you already meditate then keeps doing it each day this coming week. If not, there are many
kinds of meditation and I hear they are all wonderful. Find the one that appeals
to you and give it a try or just sit
quietly with no noise or distractions for at least 10-mintes each day.
“One's action ought to come out of an achieved
stillness: not to be mere rushing on.”
D.H. Lawrence
For more information on Transcendental Meditation you can
visit their web site here.
COPYRIGHT
NOTICE
Copyright 2009
Judith Geiger
Certified Personal
Success and Relationship Coach
Flying Change Coaching, LLC
All rights
reserved.
Coach Judith inspires
women starting over to let go of stress, to build self-esteem and be proactive
in creating loving relationships by developing a strong sense of self. When you
are ready to take on the adventure of finding the partner of your dreams,
Judith has the tools and resources to allow you to move forward with confidence
and ease.
10-Week Self-Care Challenge
You are worth it!
This week I
want to talk to you about the power of nature. Most people when given a chance
to go outside find they are drawn to certain things in nature.
Some people love trees and could spend all day sitting under one like Buddha
did. Others find riding horse back over a field at death defining speeds is a
pure delight that makes them feel alive. Two completely different experiences
yet they are both connecting with nature.
Being in nature is something I need to do every day to feel
at peace. If life starts getting over the top with daily pressure I go outside.
If I only have a minute I still go out. When that is not possible I will open a
window and let the outside in. Hearing a bird call or feeling the breeze puts
an instant smile on my face. If I am working though what feels like an
unsolvable problem I will put on my sneakers or hiking boot and go for a walk.
I find answers to my most pressing questions in nature.
“I only went out for a
walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found,
was really going in.” ~John Muir, 1913
Exercise week five:
Simply go outside and STOP. Listen to the whisper from the wind. What do you hear, see or smell? What do you feel drawn to do? This week go outside as much as possible. You can go walking on the beach or visit the zoo. This is your customized outside adventure and I really want you to get creative. I know what I love to do outside but I want to hear about what YOU love to do. Personally I am going snowshoeing at dusk. I am hoping the stars will come out. Post in the comment box what you will do. Encourage yourself and each other to enjoy the self-care journey.
Watch this video
to remember how beautiful nature truly is!
COPYRIGHT
NOTICE
Copyright 2009
Judith Geiger
Certified Personal
Success and Relationship Coach
Flying Change Coaching, LLC
All rights
reserved.
Coach Judith inspires
women starting over to let go of stress, to build self-esteem and be proactive
in creating loving relationships by developing a strong sense of self. When you
are ready to take on the adventure of finding the partner of your dreams,
Judith has the tools and resources to allow you to move forward with confidence
and ease.
Week
# 4
I hope you danced! I had a three way dance myself starting
with my granddaughter, Athena, who is 4-years-old. We were dancing, laughing and having a great
time in the kitchen after lunch when Gretchen, my large standard poodle decided
to join us. Have you ever danced with a hyper poodle with long toenails? It
wasn’t pretty but it did make us laugh!!
Leaving the dance floor (for now) I want to offer a few
words about why we are engaging in this self-care challenge. Often life gets so
busy and stressed that women forget about themselves. When I ask women what
they really need, it come down to feeling stronger about ‘who’ they are, in
other words, having more self esteem and confidence. I believe the corner stone to building a powerful
and sustaining ‘Self’ starts with really good self-care. Your joy and needs are easier to access when
you are giving yourself permission to get in touch with your authentic ‘Self’.
Now in week four we are going to do just that. Tap into
your joy and what nurtures you. The way you will accomplish this is by going on
a ‘Self’ date. How many times have you gone out with someone either on a
romantic date or just lunch with the girls, when you wished that you had chosen
a different movie, a better restaurant or a different activity all together? It started with them asking “what do you want
to do?” and ended with doing what they wanted to do. No worries on a ‘self’
date you get to do exactly what you want because you are in charge and “NO” you
cannot bring a friend. If you cannot decide what you want then you may want to
hire a coach or other professional to help you tap into that part of yourself.
The
most powerful thing I did many years ago (immediately after my mom’s funeral
which was only one month after my husband and I separated) was to take myself
on a weekend vacation. This was something my youngest daughter would do all the
time but everyone had a fit when mom wanted to do it. It didn’t matter, I did
it anyway. I even took myself to a fancy restaurant and was especially catered to
by the waiter and staff. I brought home
a stuffed bear that sets on my bed to this day to remind how such a simple act
changed my life. Not all at once but over time I began to understand that
self-care held the keys to my freedom.
Exercise
week four:
Have
a lot of fun this week first planning and then going on your ‘Self’ date. You
can do anything at all as long as you do it alone. Go to the latest movie, out
to dinner, a great play or how about roller skating? Remember it is your choice. If money is tight
look in the paper for free community activities. No time? Then make it fairly
short, only remember thinking you have no time might be your way of sabotaging
yourself. Stay alert and tap into what best serves you. Your self-care can
become the new habit you have been longing for. Remember what Wayne Dyer says, “Excuses
Be Gone.” Ask yourself this simple
question, “What do I really want to do?” then do it! Have fun and create a new
habit!
“Habit is habit and
not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a
time.”
Mark Twain
COPYRIGHT
NOTICE
Copyright 2009
Judith Geiger
Certified Personal
Success and Relationship Coach
Flying Change Coaching, LLC
All rights
reserved.
Coach Judith inspires
women starting over to let go of stress, to build self-esteem and be proactive
in creating loving relationships by developing a strong sense of self. When you
are ready to take on the adventure of finding the partner of your dreams,
Judith has the tools and resources to allow you to move forward with confidence
and ease.
10-Week Self-Care Challenge
Week # 3
Today
begins week three and by now I hope you are feeling some positive benefits of
self-care. I know when I am practicing good self-care I feel more connected to
all of life and deeply energized. What are you noticing?
As
we turn our attention to week three I want to invite you to go back in your
memory—all the way back to your crib to the age where you could just barely
stand with the help of the side bars. Now your mother or dad puts on a song
that is really rockin’….DID YOU DANCE? Come on, admit it! Your knees were
bouncing up and down as your bum rocked side to side. It came naturally!!!
Sing like no one is listening
Love like you've never been hurt
Live like it's Heaven on Earth"
COPYRIGHT
NOTICE
Copyright 2009
Judith Geiger
Certified Personal
Success and Relationship Coach
Flying Change Coaching, LLC
All rights
reserved.
Coach Judith inspires
women starting over to let go of stress, to build self-esteem and be proactive
in creating loving relationships by developing a strong sense of self. When you
are ready to take on the adventure of finding the partner of your dreams,
Judith has the tools and resources to allow you to move forward with confidence
and ease.
Call or email Coach
Judith for a free 30-minute coaching consultation. 315 497 3059
A
memory of many years ago filled my heart when I was thinking about what I would
like to write for Valentine's Day. I remember very clearly that I had just
finished an idealistic romance novel. As I sat the book down on my night
stand I was consumed with a very sudden and extremely powerful grief. I could
not imagine ever finding love like it was portrayed in the novel. It
must have hurt me a great deal because this was a very long time ago and I
can easily still feel the pain of that moment.
After many
more years of personal development I came to realize that I had been defining
my happiness by someone else's dreams! I must have thought that if my life did
not look like a Danielle Steel novel, then I must be doing it wrong. That could not be further from the truth. We
each have our own definition for happiness and it is ours for the taking. We
need never wait to be happy again. That is why I am writing this for all of you
who do not have a beloved this Valentine's Day or if you do, they are not
meeting your expectations.
So
let's celebrate YOU this Valentine's Day by taking yourself on a date! No more
waiting to be happy. Buy yourself flowers and have them delivered to your
office or home. I find receiving flowers more fun if a delivery
person actually brings them to me rather than picking them up at
a local store. Then take yourself on an adventure and do something that you
have not done in a long time. Maybe you want to go dancing or better yet,
skydiving! Be creative and treat the most important person in your life with
love-yourself. If you take a friend along then remember the rule of silence
when it comes to complaining about what you don't have. This is a celebration
of what you do have. Be happy and celebrate life!
Love
yourself as you would want a partner to love you. The law of attraction in
action! Remember we attract to ourselves what we are giving out.
No
one talks about being happy better than Marci Shimoff in her book, Happy for No Reason.
I highly recommend everyone read it. See her video on youtube.
Happy
Valentine's Day!
COPYRIGHT
NOTICE
Copyright 2009
Judith Geiger
Certified Personal Success and Relationship Coach
Flying
Change Coaching, LLC
All
rights reserved.
Coach Judith inspires women starting
over to let go of stress, to build self-esteem and be proactive in creating
loving relationships by developing a strong sense of self. When you are ready
to take on the adventure of finding the partner of your dreams, Judith has the
tools and resources to allow you to move forward with confidence and ease.
Call or email Coach Judith for a free 30-minute coaching consultation. 315 497 3059
10-Week Self-Care Challenge
Week # 2
Please read week one before you begin here.
We made it to week two in what felt
like record time. How was your experience of gratitude? Did you come up with 70
things or more to be grateful for? In case you are thinking that you are now
done you might want to reconsider when you read what a psychology professor at
“The benefits from counting
blessings are tangible, emotionally and physically," he said. "People
are 25 percent happier and more energetic if they keep gratitude journals, have
20 percent less envy and resentment, sleep 10 percent longer each night and
wake up 15 percent more refreshed, exercise 33 percent more and show a 10
percent drop in blood pressure compared to persons who are not keeping these
journals." I vote to keep going but of course it is up to you.
With our hearts full of gratitude we
will now turn to week number two. This week the word is water. We all know the
benefits of drinking plenty of water for our health but today we are talking
about the benefits of putting our bodies into the water.
When I attended retreat coach
training in
“I was instantly struck by her deep
kind eyes. All of my fear of water just melted away and I knew I would be in capable
hands. She took my head in her hands and tested my body to see how well I
floated on my own. Rather like a rock. So she put floats on my legs to assist
her in keeping me above water as she guided my moves of floating and being led
into what I can only describe as a stretching water dance!” You can read the entire blog post here.
Watch the youtube video
Exercise week two:
This week we explore how being in
water is both physically and emotionally healing. You can do this in any way
that is available to you. The ocean is ideal, your own hot tub can free you
from worries or at the very least take a long bubble bath. I use lavender
scented sea salt in my bath and lavender soothes me to sleep at night. Try some
on a tissue under your pillow.
Those who can experience a watsu
will have memories for years to come. I invite you this week to be in water at
least three times and do it by first setting an intention. Is there anything
you want clarity on in your life? Set an intention before entering the water
and be very present with what your wise self has to say.
"It is never too late to become the person you want to be." ~George Eliot
Please leave comments here or email
me with any thoughts or challenges. I always love to hear from you.
To learn more about watsu click here.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright 2009
Judith Geiger
Certified Personal Success and Relationship Coach
Flying Change Coaching, LLC
All rights reserved.
Coach Judith inspires women starting
over to let go of stress, to build self-esteem and be proactive in creating
loving relationships by developing a strong sense of self. When you are ready
to take on the adventure of finding the partner of your dreams, Judith has the
tools and resources to allow you to move forward with confidence and ease.
Call or email Coach
Judith for a free 30-minute coaching consultation. 315 497 3059
10-Week Self-Care Challenge
Week # 1
Join me,
Coach Judith, every Saturday for the next ten weeks. I will post a new
challenge each week and at the end of that time we will look back and see if
any of us still believe self-care is selfish. Let’s bust that old myth once and
for all.
Remember when
your mother said things like, “You need to play nice and not be selfish.” You
heard this or more…over…and over…and over. Many factors growing up, from
religion to sibling rivalry, made up who you are today. Unfortunately for some
of us, we have developed a huge bucket of guilt whenever we even think we would
like to do something wonderful for ourselves. Not because we deserve it, but
just because we want to. Wow, I don’t know about you but that sounds like
freedom to me. Do you want freedom? Do you want to treat yourself with care and
respect? If yes, then please join me on my 10–week journey. It will open up
your world to new adventures and it might even send that guilt packing. Now
wouldn’t that be nice?
Our first week’s
adventure begins today with a very simple exercise. For the next week, if you
are willing to take on the self-care challenge, we are going to explore
gratitude and what being grateful, on a very deep level, will do to prepare you
for the bigger self-care challenges ahead.
Exercise week one:
Spend 5-10
minutes each day writing down what you are grateful for. You can do this at any
time of the day but I find it most powerful either in the early morning or just
before bed. Take your time to get into a reflective mood. One very important
part of this exercise is that you cannot write the same thing twice for a full
week. Write at least 10 things each day. As the week goes on you are going to
have to dig deeper and deeper. By the end of the week you will have 70 things
you are grateful for. Sound impossible? Get creative or ask your loved ones for
ideas. Look not only in your environment but also inside of you! Most of all…have
fun.
You can use a
special Journal for your gratitude list or simply a notepad. However you do it just
remember once you start, you might not want to stop. Make the journal big
enough to keep going. Filling the pages with what you are grateful for will be
the beginning of your own self-care journey to fill your own cup. When it is
full to the top, you will have more to give others.
"There is a
calmness to a life lived in Gratitude, a quiet joy."
Author:
Ralph H. Blum
Please leave
comments here or email me with any thoughts or challenges. I always love to
hear from you.
Watch this
wonderful video by Deepak Chopra for inspiration. You might want to watch it
each day to get into your reflective mood.
I will post
your next challenge on Saturday Feb. 6th, so please check back.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright 2009
Judith Geiger
Certified Personal Success and Relationship Coach
Flying Change Coaching, LLC
All rights reserved.
Coach Judith
inspires women starting over to let go of stress, to build self-esteem and be
proactive in creating loving relationships by developing a strong sense of
self. When you are ready to take on the adventure of finding the partner of
your dreams, Judith has the tools and resources to allow you to move forward
with confidence and ease.
Call or email
Coach Judith for a free 30-minute coaching consultation. 315 497 3059
Only as high as I reach can I grow.
Only as far as I seek can I go.
Only as deep as I look can I see.
Only as much as I dream can I be.
Karen Ravn
Regardless of your politics, if you live in America today you are feeling change in the air. It bounces off you like an electric spark. What does it all mean for you and me? Simply put, it means hope. When we have hope we can move mountains. Everyone knows about the little engine that could. Hope sparks belief … belief expands into action… action creates change. Rather simple yet so powerful.
Imagine the man who has been searching for a job for six months with not even a nibble. Hope can get him out of the recliner that has been holding him hostage with bad news on TV for too long. He showers and puts on his best suit because the jobs are out there not in his living room. Hope allows him to try one more time and then once more.
How about that single mother who works two jobs just to keep food on the table? Hope can encourage her to go back to school and get the degree she has always wanted in order to provide a better life for herself and her children.
The executive who just heard his position was eliminated packs hope alongside his favorite stapler and revised resume. He knows that he has tremendous value to offer another company and hope makes the transition a little easier.
Hope sparks belief … belief expands into action… action creates change. Rather simple yet so powerful.
Let’s all work together to keep the hope alive.
“Be the change that you want to see in the world.”
-Mohandas Gandhi
I wrote this article just one year ago and I feel it applies just as much to today!
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright 2009
Judith Geiger
Certified Personal Success & Relationship Coach
Flying Change Coaching, LLC
All rights reserved.
