…my how the last year has flown…

Welcome to the 12th issue of Brave New World! Just like any birthday celebration you can expect to find a gift or two in the issue that unfolds…

My gift to you
One of the most enduring gifts a coach can give a client is awareness and practise of new strategies that will help them to consistently flourish beyond the close of the official coaching relationship. I’ve put together a list of 10 simple strategies you can use to be your own best coach.

Your gift to yourself
Kusum shares some great ideas for designing your dream holiday or mini break. Why do what everybody else does? With some upfront thinking and planning your holidays can become even more rewarding.

Your gift to another
Mentors can make the most enormous contribution to the development of others. I am sure we have all benefited from either a formal or informal mentor at some stage in our lives. Jim Mack’s article explores some of the real benefits you can get from mentoring someone else. You’ll see that the benefits of mentoring are on both sides.

Enjoy your July. Enjoy your gifts.

Best of life,

 

 

1. Dream
   Einstein said that imagination is more important than knowledge. Our imagination is only limited by the conditions we put on it. Choose to dream and imagine what you could achieve if you knew you couldn’t fail.
2. Listen… to yourself
   Who we are and how we feel is partly a result of our inner self talk. Listen to and be aware of your self talk. Notice what you say to yourself. Are the words encouraging you to move forward or perhaps holding you back? Encourage positive self talk!
3. Believe
   Often the only thing holding us back from doing something we know we want to is a lack of belief in oneself. If you want others to believe in you, the person to convince first is YOU. Write down all the reasons to believe you can do it.
4. Work on your confidence
   Even the most resilient person can receive knocks to their confidence. When you lose your confidence, remember that it’s not lost forever…it’s just been overtaken by doubt for a period of time. Actively working to build your confidence will ensure your focus remains on the outcome you want. When you feel doubt creeping in, brainstorm at least 5 ways you can get your confidence back.
5. Be grateful
   Write a gratitude list once a week. It’s simple, write down 10 things you are grateful for. I have witnessed time and time again the power of this simple tool in shifting your focus towards what you want more of.
6. Write down what you want
   Goals. Objectives. Outcomes. No matter what you call them, the minute you write them down, the minute you share them with someone else they start to become more real.
7. Choose to be at cause
   Take responsibility for your results – Yes, all of them. If you’re getting results that you’re not happy with, ask yourself the question “What could I have done differently to get a different result?” Choose to be at cause rather than an effect.
8. Take small steps
   Success breeds success. If one of your goals seems insurmountable, consider what the smallest first step might be, and do that. This will get you one step closer, build your confidence and prepare you for the next small step… and the next one… before you know it you will be enjoying your view from the top.
9. Stick to what you say you will do
   Follow through on your commitments. Breaking commitments you have made to yourself can be just as disappointing as breaking commitments to others. Learn to say no and only say yes to things you are confident you can make the time to do.
10. Make things happen
    A dreamer can become frustrated if they don’t also do. Following through on your dreams requires realistic planning and challenging and locking in the resources you need to make it happen.

…and don’t forget to ask for help when you need it! A qualified coach is skilled at asking you the right questions and helping you to design and then implement strategies that work. Brave Coaches are available for free coaching consultations so if you’ve got some goals you would like to achieve, get in touch with us at: trialsession@bravecoaching.com

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."

- Winston Churchill

By Kusumanjali R Shrikant

Our clothes, our career choices, our grocers, our coffee beans! Most of our choices today are decided by media onslaught, and clever marketing packages. And we meekly follow suit. Sigh, even our precious holiday time! When lastminute.com announces cheap weekend deals to Brighton or Byron, our heart beats faster, our wallets wriggle in delight, we log on and lo, our next holiday is booked! But hey, take a moment now, and think…. Is that what you really really want to do in your time off? What is truly your kind of holiday? Is it replacing your weekly shopping list with a tourist checklist, albeit at self-proclaimed hot spots? Or do you dream of indulging your passions, developing your hobbies and relaxing in your own unique way? Would you prefer learning to paint or volunteering in an archaeological excavation in Yemen? What is the stuff your holiday dreams are made of? And can they be realised?

The answer thank goodness is a resounding Yes! While it’s true that the trillion-dollar and very competitive tourism industry constantly entices you with mass deals, staple but pocket friendly fare, there’s a parallel surge in alternative holiday options today. Unfortunately though, they are less visible. But here are a few simple steps you can follow to find and experience your dream holiday, the kind of unique-customised experience that makes you tick. 

• Before you actually book your next holiday or even surf options on the net, take some time to introspect on what you actually want to do. Sometimes it could be simply dipping your toes in gently lapping waves, and feeling the warm sunshine spread over. But sometimes it could be learning how to ride in Faro’s stables, or attending a spiritual retreat to calm your soul. No problem, just write a couple down in priority order so you have your holiday wish list on paper to guide you.
• Next, Open Google or any search engine on the internet, and type in the main idea of your holiday as the search words. For e.g.: Riding holidays in Portugal or Writing retreats or Rescuing sea turtles, whatever. You will be surprised at the number of options provided by both mass travel companies and boutique agencies. The official tourism websites of your holiday destination can also be a good source of special interest options such as walking and bicycling tours, sporting events, mini courses etc.
• Exploring magazines dedicated to travel and your line of interest can also pay off. For e.g., Psychologies run a number of ads on yoga retreats and rejuvenation holidays. Writers Forum & Myslexia list several writing holidays in the most exotic locations. Specialist travel magazines like Wanderlust will give you details of companies such as the Imaginative Traveler and Earth Watch which offer unique experiences in far flung places. And yes, do check out mass players as well. From Lastminute ‘experience’ deals like ‘rock star recording sessions’ to Explore’s  ‘whaling weekends’ in Norway, there’s enough going around for everyone’s taste and budget.
• After evaluating options, when you find your dream holiday that fits your requirements, NOW make your booking. In case you do not find anything suitable; do make enquiries with the local tourist office at your destination. One of my friends, a complete chocolate aficionado visited Belgium and chanced upon a weekend course in chocolate making, which she took up with relish. She had no regrets giving the usual museums a miss, in fact that was one of her dream holidays!   

The hitch, (ah there is always a hitch!) is that it’s important if you are traveling with a partner or friends to ensure the holiday’s equally exciting to all parties. A fair bit of planning should do the trick. One of my best trips ever was a weekend in Hay-on-Wye, Wales. The mornings were spent Kayaking (rather my husband was kayaking, while I was merrily made a fool of myself and enjoyed the scenery), and in the evenings he happily tagged along with ‘book wormy’ me, as we walked through the scores of second hand bookshops that Hay is famous for. These experiences can actually bring together different people, and you begin to discover and appreciate each other as much as the places you visit. Then you see, it’s not such a bad hitch after all! So dream on about your favorite destinations and experiences. Get your pen, paper and mouse ready, and give those dreams a chance at getting real. It’s your well-deserved holiday break after all, and your research will be more than rewarded, when your ideal holiday comes true.              

Kusum worked with the General Electric Corporation for 4 years as a Human Resources specialist before taking the plunge - a career break to do all the things she only dreamt of before. These include spending more time with family, writing, charity fund raising, travelling, Interim HR assignments and compulsive scrabble.

By Jim Mack

Most people agree that mentees receive enormous benefits from mentors. In fact, in the 15 years I've been working with mentors and mentees, I've only met a handful of individuals who didn't see any benefits of linking up with a mentor.

Selling mentors, however, is becoming more challenging. Successful people are getting busier, and many aren't sure they want to make time to serve as mentors. If you're debating about playing this role, here are some of the most important reasons for investing at least two hours a month (24 hours a year) to help a mentee.

1. You'll learn. By serving as a mentor, you'll learn from your mentees. They'll have knowledge you don't have, maybe teach you a new job-specific skill, and help you enhance your people-development skills, which you can use with your own employees and even your family and friends. In the process, you'll also learn more about yourself.
2. This is a chance to pay back. In the past, you may have received good mentoring from someone and never had a chance to show your gratitude to him or her directly. You now have an opportunity to reciprocate and "put something back into the pot."
3. You could receive recognition from peers and superiors. Being an effective people developer won't go unrecognised. In fact, if you're in management, you'll be officially or unofficially rated on your ability to recognise and groom talent. If you're in a formal mentoring program, it's likely you'll be recognised for your contribution.
4. You may get some extra work done! Remember how you paid your dues by doing routine tasks for a mentor? Within ethical limits, your mentees can work on your research, help with a project, or finish other work that remains undone.
5. You'll review and validate what you know and what you've accomplished. Teaching another helps you review and reframe all you've learned about that subject. You'll realise that you've accomplished much more than you thought.
6. You'll be more likely to move into "Generativity" (vs. "Stagnation"). Erik Erikson said you'll reach a critical decision point in your mid- to late-30s. You can give up (moving into a Stagnation phase), or you can thrive, proceeding to Generativity and happy 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. You do this by realising you've been through and mastered much, a new generation is coming behind you, and you have a lot to offer it. Being an effective mentor can actually catapult you into successful Regenerativity.
7. You'll probably feel satisfied, proud, and other energising emotions. When you have a positive effect on your mentees, expect several positive feelings of pride, satisfaction, happiness, contentment, and excitement along with the enjoyable physiological reactions that go with them.
8. Mentoring could have future personal payoffs. When mentees are successful, they often reward their mentors. Even if this isn't your reason for helping, you could receive grateful thanks, notoriety, jobs, invitations, and other future opportunities to contribute and celebrate.
9. You'll help your organisation. Mentoring employees can help give your organization a recruitment edge, shorten learning curves, increase your mentees' job satisfaction and loyalty, and improve productivity and quality.
10. You'll leave the world better than you found it. It's been said before, and it's still true. Taking the time to reach out to others, share your life's wisdom, and convey your respect for them is probably the least expensive and most powerful way to change the world, one life at a time.

Jim Mack is the leading authority in teaching actual methods - proven, practical strategies that work. In fact, Jim truly lives the principles he teaches and is the epitome of leading by example. See him at http://www.whoisjimmack.com and http://www.passivecashcow.com

Source: Arkilite.com Management Free Articles Directory

We’ve been working with leading Yoga, Pilates and Health and Nutrition experts to put together a series of Brave New World Wellbeing Workshops.

Imagine learning from experts in coaching, yoga and health in an inspiring, safe and fun environment. Would you be interested in hearing more about our upcoming workshops? Please let us know so we can tell you first.

Simply email ‘workshops’ to: bravenewworld@bravecoaching.com

We’re thrilled to have Masha Young as part of the Brave team. Masha is a passionate and dedicated coach who specialises in helping people to create and achieve their goals and design their life based on their values and life purpose.  

With international coaching experience extending to Dubai, France, the UK, Taiwan and Australia, Masha has coached clients from all walks of life including entrepreneurs, senior executives, stock market traders, stay at home mums, working professionals and students.

Learn more about Masha