Issue #65 - January, 19  2001 <<Blocks Busters to Finding Your Passion>>

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brought to you by Laurie Riddell Geary, M.Ed., PCC.
Coaching you to get your life IN GEAR by making shifts, getting
unstuck, finding balance, accelerating your growth, and mapping
the best route to your chosen destination: a life filled with
passion and purpose.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Table of Contents:

 1. Topic: <<Block Busters to Finding Your Passion>>
         2. Recommended Tasks
 3. Recommended Books
         4. Upcoming Teleclasses and local Workshops
         5. Subscription information

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**Check out my new booklet on experiential activities for trainers: 75 of my favorite activities
learned from years of working as an instructor for Outward Bound Professional Development Programs.
GAMES & INITIATIVES for NETWORKING, ENERGIZING, & TEAM-BUILDING...now available...hard copy ($20) or pdf. file ($15)
Send check to Laurie Geary, 4 Canal Park, PH9, Cambridge, MA 02141;  email request to: laurie@ingearcoaching.com or order at my website: www.ingearcoaching.com

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Last week's newsletter issue dealt with the <Top Ten Blocks to Finding Passion in Your Life>; today's issue will address ways to reduce some of those blocks so that you can find ....and live...your passion. 

<Block Busters to Finding Your Passion>

1.  Attitude:
 Our attitude determines our belief in the possibility of finding ....and living....our passion; negative self talk can block us from creating a life filled with passion and purpose. How can we reduce this block and change our attitude to one of possibility and potential?
One technique is  Cognitive Restructuring - also called  the A - B - C theory -a technique developed by psychologist Albert Ellis:

 A = Activating Event <eg.trying to act on whatever it is that brings you passion...and not succeeding...eg. singing>
   /
 B = Belief System <I will never be able to live my passion>
   /   
 C = Consequences <feelings of sadness, depression, hopelessness>
change to:
 A = Activating Event  <same as above...singing or ?>
 /
 D = Disputing Beliefs <I will be able to live my passion...I just need to focus on it...practice...whatever it takes>
 /   .
 E = Effect <now feeling hopeful...excited...>

We need to recognize that E + R = O.....The event plus our response to the event creates the outcome.   I have no control over the event but I do have control over my response/reaction to the event...which then determines the outcome.

To read more about <Attitude Adjustment>: read newsletter issue #6...archives at my website: www.ingearcoaching.com.

2. Fears:  A range of fears can block us from finding our passion, such as:   fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of rejection or loss.
 How can we reduce our fears?  I think the best advice comes from Susan Jeffers: Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway!  Changing one's attitude about fear can help also....realizing fear is F alse.....E..vidence....A ppearing...R..eal...

3. Lack of Reserves/Resources can make it difficult to find our passion...we don't have the energy or the time or the money to pursue what brings us joy.
The obvious block buster is to build up your reserves....build your personal foundation/self esteem so that you have more energy...save your money...simplify your life so that you have the time to do what you love.
Take the Super Reserve Index..an assessment tool to help you determine your current reserves. (contact me: laurie@ingearcoaching.com)

4. No Support System or Role Models who can show us how to live our passion.  We need to identify the people in our life who are living their passion...or read about people who have had the courage to live their passion.  What can we learn from them?  How can we model ourselves after them?
We also need to be sure to have a strong support system...people who encourage us to find and live our passion...who tell us to Go For It!
Our connections with others influence our life choices...so let's choose people who can support us and/or show us the way!

5. Too busy...too many choices...   It's difficult to find your passion if you are so consumed by work that you don't have a moment to get in touch with what your really want.  We need to stop ....take stock...simplify...reflect....meditate...whatever it takes to take the time to focus in on what brings you passion.
What brought you passion as a child?  what brings you passion now?  pay attention...be focused..be present...get in touch with your feelings..then you should be able to be clearer about how to bring more passion into your life.

6. Too many Tolerations...no space to create and live our passion.  Tolerations drain our energy (see newsletter issue #39 at www.ingearcoaching.com  for Top Ten Ways to Reduce your Tolerations) and thus keep us from being able to develop and live with what brings us passion.

7. Low Self Esteem:   We don't think we deserve passion..or that it is possible for us to find it.  We can build our self esteem!  Use my  awesome 8-A System for Building Your Self Esteem:  see  newsletter archives at my website: www.ingearcoaching.com.

8. Habit: Sometimes we just get stuck in our daily habits....which are like a groove in a record or a rut in a muddy road...which we can't seem to get out of..
 How can we develop new habits that bring us passion?  They say it takes about 25 repetitions to change a habit...but first you have to be committed to making the change (attitude adjustment!)  Then decide how you will add that new habit.  For instance, if writing is your passion, find a time each day ...or each week... or ?...that you will write...commit to this new habit for 3 months...then it should become part of your life.   This year I have developed the new habit of writing my newsletter every Friday...I have done this for over a year now...I now want to create a new habit of writing my book on self esteem...so I need to find a time each day or each week when I will commit to this new action. Finding a way to be accountable to this new action will help me stay committed: I can use my coach or ask a friend to be my accountability partner.   What success habit can you create?  How can you be accountable to this new action?

ACTION IDEA: <from Rich Fettke: One Minute Climb to Success newsletter>
To subscribe, send a blank email to: 1_minute_climb-subscribe@listbot.com
What is one action that would add to YOUR success (at work
or in life) if you did it on a daily basis? Make a commitment to yourself
to take action this week. If you really to want improve the results of
this strategy, come up with a way to track your Success Habit and ask
someone to be your partner and to hold you accountable. Tell your partner
that at the end of the week you will let him or her know how many times
you followed through on your habit. Use the power of partnership and
public declaration to increase your chance of success. Enjoy the process!

So....take action today - reduce those blocks that keep you from finding your passion (see issue #62)...Be a Block Buster today!

(copyright - all rights reserved: Laurie Geary, 2001)

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Recommended Tasks:

1. Come to my new teleclass to discuss Finding your Passion NOW!   Wednesday, February 7th @ 9pm EST
Register @www.teleclass.com or email me.

2. Bust those blocks to finding passion in your life...Today!

3. Read one of the books mentioned below.
 
4. Go to my Website www.ingearcoaching.com for back issues of my newsletter on the <Top Ten Steps to Finding Your Passion>
 and  related topics <taking risks, building self esteem, becoming assertive...and much more>
 
5.. Call or email me for a complimentary half-hour COACHING session to support you in Block Busting and then Finding Your Passion!
 Voice:617-494-1422;  email: laurie@ingearcoaching.com

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Recommended Reading: (on finding your passion)

<Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway> by Susan Jeffers

<I Could Do Anything If I  Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What you Really Want and How to Get It> by Barbara Sher
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN/0-440-50500/gearupforsuccela

<Getting Past O.K. - A Straightforward Guide to Having a Fantastic Life> by Richard Brodie
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN/0-9636001-0-9/gearupforsuccela

<Capture the Rapture - How to Step Out of Your Head and Leap into Life> by Marcia Reynolds
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN/0-9655250-0-7/gearupforsuccela

<Finding Flow - The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life> by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN/0399515631/gearupforsuccela

<Bright Ideas for a Better Life> by Joanne Schlosser
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0-9668294-2-5/gearupforsuccela

<Facilitating Life Purpose: a Workbook>
by Teri-E Belf - belf@erols.com
Success UnLimited Network
 
 

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 UPCOMING TELECLASS:

<Finding Your Passion>   Free!
Wednesday, February 7 @ 9pmEST
For more information or to register go to www.womensu.com or www.teleclass.com

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UPCOMING LOCAL WORKSHOPS:

BE A PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COACH
*Boston Center for Adult Education
 Tuesday, April 3, 2001, 6:30-9:30 pm
 Tuesday, June 5
also
*NSCC, Wednesday, February 28th, 9-3 p.m.

RISK-TAKING: THE PATH to PERSONAL GROWTH
*BCAE -6:30-9:30 pm.- Thursday, January 25, 2001
also Tuesday, April 10, 2001
and Thursday, June 7th
*NSCC: Wednesday, February 21, 2001, 9-3pm

BUILD YOUR SELF ESTEEM WITH THE 8-A SYSTEM
*NSCC: Wednesday, April 4, 2001, 9-3pm

ATTRACTING WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE
*Middlesex Community College - Saturday, February 24th from 9 to 4 pm

Boston College/Brown University Alumni Clubs: Career Networking Night
CREATING BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE
Thursday, February 8, 2001

MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) Staff Training
Beverly Hospital
Thursday, March 22, 2001

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