The ECI Newsletter
Keeping you informed with each other
August 2005

Definition of Coaching

The soul of coaching is bringing out the greatness in people - that's it.

A good definition of coaching is: "inspiring an individual or team to produce a desired result through personalised teaching, expanding awareness and designing environments for sustainable success".

Coaching is ideal for anyone who has a goal, desire or challenge where learning from an experienced guide would help.



Inspirational Quote 

Believing in yourself is an endless destination.  Believing you have failed is the end of your journey.

Sarah Meredith


 
 

   Readers Feedback  

 

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   appreciate it.
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   Love the newsletter.  It flows
   smoothly from one piece to the
   next, has a clean layout and most
   important has good content.
    David

 
 

Focus on outcomes

If you have a to-do list, you may find that certain items keep getting transferred from one day's list to the next. Not surprisingly, these are the ones that are the least enjoyable tasks and they may not seem that urgent – but, the longer we delay, the more weight they take on and the harder it gets to tackle them.

A useful approach is to re-frame the task as an outcome. For example, if the task were "write invoices," the outcome would be "Be caught up with all invoices!" It's a small difference in wording, but consider how it feels to think about writing invoices (and being paid).

Action

If there's an item you've been carrying over on your to-do list, rewrite it as an outcome.  Keep that outcome in front of you as you do the task, and notice the difference in your energy level.

Jurgen BstormUK@aol.com
www.BrainstormNet.com

 

 

Client feedback

Martin, I would like to thank you for your 'Business coaching’ which I have been having over the last 12 weeks. Although I started the sessions to help with my business you soon made it apparent that things with my home life needed to be right first. 

You have been very easy to talk to and your experience has shone through. You have helped me to look at things differently both in my home and business life. Knowing my Goals for now and the future has enabled me to become more focused on what is important. 

I would be happy to recommend your services to others who need a change in their lives or their attitudes.

M. Read

 


 

Q & A

What coaching questions would   you like answered?

Perhaps you’d like to know more about becoming an ECI accredited coach?  The benefits of joining?  Or how to become a volunteer?

Or maybe you’re a new coach and want to ask a specific question about how to calculate fees?  How to put a contract together?  Or what to do to attract more clients?

Ask us anything to do with the ECI or the world of coaching and we will have an expert respond in next month’s newsletter.

 

Send your questions to:

articles-newsletters@the-eci.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What the media is saying

 

 

Over 44% of adults feel stressed out at work on a regular basis:

Link

 

Turning a sabbatical from dream to reality:

Link

 

Brits 'using office skills to run home lives':

Link

 

Take control of conflict situations:

Link

 

 

 

Please continue to support the ECI by promoting self- development. Forward this newsletter to other like minded coaches and friends.

Missed an earlier copy? No problem, just visit our
Newsletter Archive.


 

 

 

Ice-Breakers

Test your eyes

Count every "F" in the following text:

FINISHED FILES ARE THE_RESULT
 OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...

How many did you see?

 

 

Amazingly, there are 6 -- no joke; read it again until you see all 6!

The reasoning behind it is that the brain cannot process ‘of’.

Incredible isn’t it? Go back and look again!!

Anyone who counts all 6 ‘F's’ on the first go is a genius.

3 is normal, 4 is quite rare.

 

Condensed Knowledge from Mental Floss - 352 pages of fun facts and trivia. http://condensedknowledge.com

 

A cure for brain drain! One brain building, at-a-glance email a day helps keep embarrassing ignorance away. http://knowledgenews.net/s?s=aw091304

 

Offers

The 101 Best Ways to Get Ahead

TIPS is sent only to those who have requested it.  We value your privacy and we never share our mailing
list with anyone.  To subscribe, send an email to:
Subscribe@philiphumbert.com

 

 

Here's something simple, yet irresistible, you can use today.
click here

 

 

Google Alert service at:
http://www.google.com/alerts
here you can ask for alerts when people link to your site - a great way to track how word of your website is spreading.

 

 

 

 

 


Great questions to ask

What are some of the truths that might expedite your client’s process and happiness? (We do not mean that you should know these truths, but which truths, if your client could know them, would facilitate the
process? Consider possible «truths» concerning the following:

a.  about the client;
b.  about the client's abilities;
c.  about the client's issues or
     goals;
d.  about the client’s beliefs;
e.  about the client’s
     perceptions;
f.  about alternative solutions;
g.  about the client’s motives;
h.  concerning your perception
     of what is happening.

More questionnaires found by
clicking here


Missed a copy?

If you’ve missed an earlier edition of our newsletter, don’t worry, you can catch up at newsletter archives.

 

Please don’t forget to promote the ECI to like-minded friends and clients by forwarding them a copy.
 
 
 
 
Acronym 

C lients
O
bjective
Ally
C
onnecting
Harmoniously

 

 
Thought for the month

Ever since I was a young lawyer, each day I would come back from lunch and I would close my office door, I would sit in my chair, and for one hour I would quietly ruminate on one question. And the question was this: Burt, what's in it for you?

Burton Meyer an entertainment attorney  
                          



Word of the month 

trow (tro) verb tr., intr.

To believe, think, suppose or trust.

[From Middle English, from Old English, ultimately from Indo-European root deru- (to be firm) that's the source of such other words as truth, trust, betrothe, tree, endure, and druid.]

"Caledon's publicity blurb starts with a quote from Robbie Burns that, all things considered, seems positively spooky. 'Here are we met three    merry boys; three merry boys I trow are we!'"

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to wsmith@wordsmith.org
Humour

What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer this question:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z is represented as:

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11
= 98%

and

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5
= 96%

but

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E

1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5
= 100%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that while hard work and knowledge will get you close, only having the right attitude will get you there!

 

 

 

 

 

Features in forth coming newsletters:

If you are interested in flexing your creative writing muscles, then we'd like to read what you've got to say (approx. 500 words, copy deadline 15th each month).

All contributions are welcome and will receive a response.

We are currently seeking contributions on everything to do with setting up and establishing a thriving coaching practice.


Other ideas very welcome!
articles-newsletters@the-eci.org

 

 

Newsletter team:

Editor - current
   Dawn Campbell
Editor - from October, 2005
   Milly Shand
Sub-editor
    role still vacant
Article Resource Team Manager
   Michael Duffy
Article Resource Team
   Gloria Vinning
   Loretta Digger
  
further positions available
Proof reading
   Caroline Vidican

 
further positions available

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright:

Articles and illustrations remain the © copyright of the originator; reproduction in any form is prohibited with their written permission.  All other material is copyright © of The ECI 1999-2005 and copyright © of the ECI Accreditation Limited 2004-2005.  All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:

 

The opinions and the views expressed in The ECI's newsletter are those of the individual authors or contributors and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of The ECI.  The ECI assume no liability for accuracy, errors or omissions in editorial or offer content.  No advice or information given by contributors, The ECI or any other party shall create any warranty or liability.  The ECI cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or damage that may arise as a result of any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in this newsletter.
 

 

 

Have Big Problems

"Small problems demand small efforts and yield small rewards. Big problems demand big efforts and yield big rewards. Have bigger problems."

Challenging yourself – deliberately setting big problems (perhaps too big) in front of you – is a key to moving faster than change. Small challenges never lead to big successes. Challenge yourself with big problems, big issues.

The level of challenge you establish sets the level of risk you are willing to take. It sets the level of effort you are willing to put forth.

Do small problems inspire you? Of course not – they annoy you. They bog you down and take up your time. Who would risk much for a small problem and its small reward?

Big challenges call forth the best in you. The changes you must make in rising to meet those challenges can cause an important shift in the world and help people to be their best. There’s more at stake. More to lose. More to gain.

For some people, rising to the challenge is itself a powerful reward. Rising before dawn and getting a whiff of the frosty air before a cold morning’s run is in itself compensation, and makes the run that much more meaningful. The challenge adds its own joy and power to the project or programme.

People want to rise to the challenge – it gives them energy. It makes things more fun.

Ask yourself these questions about your business:

  1. Is this venture a big enough challenge?
  2. Have we bitten off more than we can chew?  If your answer is yes, that’s good.   If not – bite off more! What would make this a real challenge?
  3. Have we thrown down the gauntlet and dared ourselves to succeed?
  4. What would add drama and scope?
  5. What would make it exciting, maybe even somewhat threatening?
  6. And finally, what would make it important?

© Paul Lemberg 2002-05

Index of Items
Editor's Comment:
People are always blaming their circumstance for what they are.  I don’t believe in circumstances.  The people who get on in this world are those who look for the circumstances they want and if they can’t find them, they make them.

George Bernard Shaw

Dawn Campbell
No other word is more important to people who want to change their lives for the better than attitude.

Attitude is an individual’s filter of how they choose to perceive and interpret what’s happening in the world.  But it’s not what happens to us that counts, more how we deal with it; for example, people don’t make us angry, we let them! The number 1 influence affecting our attitude is other people and the media, so stay away from negative people and situations and be careful who you let influence your subconscious.

It takes practice to maintain a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA).  To achieve a PMA here are some of my tips:

  1. Concentrate on what you want to be / do / have.  Your dominant thought must be on ‘what’ rather than ‘how’. Remember to incorporate praise into your self-talk as well as monitor and encourage positive language.  Planning is the key to success -‘Act as if you already are’.
  2. Adopt ABC
    A
    = association – hang around achievers
    B
    = books – you are, in 5 years time, what you are
          reading today
    C = care about yourself.
  3. Visualise what you want to achieve by ‘starting with the end in mind’.  People who imagine themselves succeeding outperform those who expect to fail because we get what we expect. Solution? Raise your expectations.
  4. Be optimistic and smile – you’ll achieve more in almost every aspect of life, including health.  Optimism bolsters the immune system and smiling releases endorphins providing the dynamism associated with confidence.
  5. Create journals, for example a power journal to write strong, positive, affirming, assertive statements about you and your life – word it in the present tense.  Think big, acknowledge and celebrate achievements, set high standards, be organised and disciplined.
  6. Adopt a ‘win win’ attitude – seek to understand before being understood and honour your boundaries by learning how to say ‘no’ assertively without underestimating or comparing yourself to others. This will mean your personal needs and expectations are met as well as clarifying your expectations of others.
  7. Be self-reliant, happy and learn to love your life by networking.  Talking to new people brings energy and excitement into your life. 
  8. Anticipate change – adapt quickly and learn to forgive yourself and others.  Keep learning – be a perpetual student and respond to things that are important but not urgent to ensure maximum control of your own life.
  9. Define success for yourself including when ‘enough is enough’. Create a mission statement and orient your life and goals around your values – including being in charge of your finances. Remember to think in terms of results and outcomes rather than failures.

Check your PMA by asking yourself: ‘Is my attitude helping or hurting me?’ and ‘What areas of my attitude need my attention now?’  Then brainstorm the characteristics of people with PMA and develop the ones you feel you are lacking.

Finally, remember you are in control of what you do, what you say, what you think, your work, who you associate with, your health, the environment you live in, your finances, your time and your legacy - be proactive and live the life you deserve.

'You've got to get up every morning with determination if
you're going to go to bed with satisfaction.'
George Horace Lorimer

Dawn Campbell
Head of Newsletters
editor-newsletters@the-eci.org

Send your questions, quotes, case studies, articles, tips, feedback and queries, acronym's etc to articles-newsletters@the-eci.org.

ECI Update:

Coaching Forum

A new request for information has been entered onto the Coaching Forum.  The current coaching forum request is 'Terms and Conditions for Corporate Clients.  I have started to deliver coaching into Global Corporate businesses. I am currently developing my Terms and Conditions and wonder if anyone out there knows of an appropriate standard T&C internet download which I could use as my template and save myself a lot time and effort. I will of course have it checked by my lawyer before using. I look forward to your suggestions.'  If you have any suggestions, please post these using this link.  If you have any questions or discussion topics, please use the forum to post these or become involved in the discussions.

Your Top Ten's

In our research we have discovered that there are a large number of top ten's in circulation.  Should you have a top ten that you would like published, please email it to articles-newsletters@the-eci.org.  Not only will these be published in our newsletters, but also on our web-site. 

In line with all works published by The ECI, we will provide full credit and copyright to the author of the work.

Supervisor, Mentor, Support Coaches

The ECI would like to thank all those who responded to the request for Supervisor, Mentor and/or Support Coaches.  There are still spaces for coaches to become involved in this team.

Professional Indemnity Insurance for the International Coaching profession

Full details of this insurance policy can be found on http://www.europeancoachinginstitute.org/insurance/.

To apply:

  • Subscribers click here
  • Members - please logon to the Members area and select the 'Discounted Insurance' button.
  • Volunteers - please contact Barbara J. Dalpra.


Accreditation Process

To be a part of an international coaching organisation which has an international focus, building, maintaining, and working with European Standards and Ethics; apply for a recognised international coaching standard here.

For those coaches who have trained on an accredited training course, contact Barbara J. Dalpra for the simplified accreditation route to achieving your accreditation.

For students, become an associate member by at clicking here.

Book Review:

Living the 80/20 Way
by Richard Koch

 Living the 80/20 Way

Startlingly, we get 80% of our results from 20% of our effort. The trick is identifying which 20% it is and this book identifies the characteristics of ‘stars’ reaping 80% of the rewards:

*Stars are ambitious

*Stars love what they do

*Stars tend to do one thing extraordinarily well

*Stars know a lot about a little

*Stars think and communicate clearly

*Stars evolve their own success formula

1.  Take good care of yourself. It's much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising and getting enough rest.
.

2.  Remind yourself of the things you are grateful for.  Stresses and challenges don't seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.
.

3.  Look for the proof instead of making assumptions.  A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually out of line with reality. If you fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof there is something to worry about.
.

4.  Refrain from using absolutes.  Have you ever told a partner "You're ALWAYS late!" or complained to a friend "You NEVER call me!” Thinking and speaking in absolutes like 'always' and 'never' makes the situation seem worse than it is, and programmes your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering.
.

5.  Detach from negative thoughts. Your thoughts can't hold any power over you if you don't judge them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don't follow it.
.

6.  Squash the "ANTs."  In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like "Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me," or "The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!
.

7.  Practice loving, touching and squeezing (your friends and family).  You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones and even pets is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn't touch!
.

8.  Increase your social activity.  By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!
.

9.  Volunteer for an organization, or help another person.  Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.
.

10. Use pattern interrupts to combat rumination.  If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It's never productive because it's not rational or solution-oriented; it's just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment - go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book or turn on some music.

 

Jennifer Koretsky, 

jennifer@addmanagement.com

webtopten.org a service of CoachVille.com

 

Copyright 2000-2004 CoachVille, LLC.
May be distributed if full attribution
is given and copyright notice is included.

Eating disorders, one of the last taboos?

The word sabotage comes from the French word saboter meaning wilfully to destroy. 

Approximately 90% of people admit to self-sabotage, citing food as their method of abuse.  Tangible side effects include loss of time, energy, money, esteem, well-being and a perspective of what’s realistic, normal and healthy.  Sadly, addiction knows no boundaries, it’s oblivious to class, it happens to regular people like you and me. 

Stephen King rationalised his addictions by saying “creative people tend to be prone to addictionsWhen I came to coaching several years ago, I didn’t think about specialising in the area of health, let alone supporting clients with eating disorders.  However, the clients came, maybe because of my own experiences, or my genuine concern for what constitutes a healthy mind, body and spirit.

Sometimes it takes a lot of discipline, but I tend to spend my mornings writing articles, conducting research on the web or interviewing case studies for my book.  As a long-standing ECI volunteer, I’m often also sourcing potential material for the monthly newsletter.  I spend my afternoons and evenings coaching.  I’ll also tune into a teleclass if something appeals; if not, I’ll listen to or read some self-development material (brain food).

However, when I have clients sharing my good life (they are usually established clients by this stage), it’s my responsibility to be available to support them throughout the day.  Most clients are searching for the optimum ‘diet for life’, fed up with being on a diet.  So coaching starts over the breakfast of their choice (usually the juice bar) while exploring why addictions start. 

Clients are encouraged to spend the morning writing in their journals using various exercises and techniques for rescripting their lives: dealing with past issues, creating future visualisations and exploring plans around achievement. 

Over a raw lunch (and often a food preparation discussion), our coaching session continues.  We explore and analyse the impact addiction has had on their relationships, in particular the one they have with themselves.

Afternoons are generally spent relaxing with holistic treatments and imagining themselves living the life they desire most.  In the words of Joseph Campbell (no relation) “We must be willing to get rid of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us”.  

Depending on the length of their stay, we have sessions concentrating on reframing beliefs, values and changing habits; healing the child within; developing and maintaining a positive mental attitude; learning to be assertive and the importance of self care.  Towards the end of their stay, we always have a goal-orientated coaching session.

Once clients are back home, I continue to support them with telephone coaching as necessary.  Working with clients, watching them regain their health both physically and mentally is extremely rewarding.  I just wish I were wealthy enough financially to open a retreat and hold workshops benefiting many more people than I do now.

Dawn Campbell
©  Rainbow Promise 2005
dawn@rainbowpromise.co.uk

Wherever you go, there you are. There’s no escaping it - your world is a reflection of you and if the view in your mirror doesn’t elicit a certain spark, perhaps it’s time to question the underlying assumptions.

It always surprises me in my work as a personal trainer and holistic health counsellor, dealing intensively with the body, when clients don’t do the things that would clearly make them healthier. When I look a little closer, I see they’re still ‘out there’ looking for what is only found ‘in here’. Pursuit of fulfilment can certainly lead to a never-ending spiral of wanting and a maze of improbable options. However, unless you nourish the source of your renewal – your own being – you will always look for the next diet, gadget, guru or solution.

The answer to your quest is not out there somewhere. It resides within you. The quality of your answers is dictated by the intention of your questions. Why is self-care at the bottom of the totem pole? Why is making money more important than making life? Finding the expression of what lights your fire is what gives your world it’s meaning. Primary food – feeding your soul, your essence - is your raison d’être.

The best kept secret – and we all know it – is that self-care is all about self-love. If you still believe that something out there - making $1,000,000 a year, finding the partner… – will bring you happiness, you’re in for a rude awakening. There will never be enough ‘out there’ to make you feel satisfied ‘in here’. That’s not the way it works. Self-nourishment brings outer nourishment. If it’s been a while since you’ve felt this level of vibrancy and vitality in your daily life, it’s helpful to look at the signposts that may indicate you’re off track. What are these indicators?

·    Life feels flat or dull and you're not fully engaged with work or play

·    You feel chronic stress, you compartmentalise things in  order to manage your life

·    Your relationships lack depth, your work is boring, your body is out of touch

·    You’re not expressing your passion

·    You’re mostly in a state of doing rather than being

·    You’re very busy but you don’t have a sense of  meaningful accomplishment

Does this sound like your world? Who are you right now? Does your work excite you? Do your relationships nurture you? Does your body please you?

Remember a time when you were fully engaged and passionate about your life. Who were you being? Being fully alive is about savouring the juicy-ness of here and now. Life is not a spectator sport. Many of us make choices everyday that deaden our experience of life, when we could be making choices that make us come alive! What’s the solution?

Consider that when you’re fully alive, you’re energised, aware and doing what you love. You are fully present, creating your life with joy and excitement, while you navigate the dynamic content of your world. You surf the wave of change, tune in, assess and take your next step. You are here now, fully engaged, ready:

to embrace your intuitive nature and enhance your mind/body connection

to identify your limiting beliefs and where you’re holding out

to discover your energy drains and realign with your intentions

to design a self care program that fits your unique needs

to develop a spiritual practice that sustains you

to identify exercise and movement that feeds your body playfully

to enhance the quality of energy for work and play with ease and joy

to tap your passion and assist you in incorporating it into your daily life.

©  Adela Rubio 2005
www.adelarubio.com

info@adelarubio.com

Why eat healthily? Well, it is estimated that one person in three will contract cancer in their lifetime (Cancer Research UK), and the World Health Organisation predicts an increase to one in two by 2020 (www.who.int). In the UK, the number of people diagnosed as being obese has tripled in twenty years, and if this trend continues, over a quarter of adults will be obese by 2010. A recent National Audit Office report outlined the cost of obesity in 1998 as follows:

  • sickness absence: 18 million days
  • working life lost: 40,000 years
  • 30,000 deaths (9,000 before state retirement age)
  • cost to NHS: £0.5 billion
  • indirect costs to the economy: £2 billion

Are you one of the millions on a diet? Why? If you are hoping to be better accepted by others, do you assume a slimmer body brings that acceptance? Why do diets fail? One reason is that dieters concentrate on excess weight. The key is to change the focus from food to yourself. Do not allow yourself to be controlled by food or anything else for that matter. You take control of yourself. The better you feel about yourself, the more you will be in control and your body will benefit. We often focus on external causes of ill health: but we are concentrating on what to avoid, rather than designing a positive, healthy, high quality lifestyle. “Give rather than give up” could perhaps be our motto.

 “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper”, the saying goes. The less food the body has to process at night, the healthier it will be. We can also eat food we know to be good for us, natural and unprocessed. Most of us want to eat more healthily but don’t know how to go about it. To change a bad ‘habit’ permanently, we need to practise new ‘behaviour’ for thirty days or more. Following a healthier diet is a relatively easy habit to change, and the long-term reward might be longevity rather than premature death.

Overweight is excess body fat, stored as energy. So the good news is that you have lots of stored energy to do all the things you want to do. It’s your energy; you’ve bought and paid for it, so why not use it. Worry less about losing weight, think about using it.

A healthier lifestyle could be achieved through organic food; it is better for the planet, for the farmer, livestock and you. Good nutrition is basically eating a varied and balanced diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole grains. By choosing organic food, you avoid colouring, flavouring, preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers and artificial sweeteners, as well as residues of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics.

Food grown in rich, naturally fertilized soil offers higher levels of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and beneficial plant nutrients that help protect us against heart disease and cancer. 0rganic vegetables often taste much better. Eating natural, locally grown food is ideal. Produce grown in poor soil, picked unripe and kept in cold storage loses much of its nutritional value. Highly processed, pre-packaged convenience foods contain even less.

There is at present an explosion in the demand for organic and healthy food options Organic baby foods now outsell conventional brands in many areas. Iceland supermarkets guarantee that all their own brand frozen vegetables are organic and cost no more than branded non-organics – a sign that organic eating is no longer an elite option. Increased demand for organic and natural food will encourage increased supply and prices will continue to drop.

A study in Britain in 2000 provided evidence of benefits of organic production to biodiversity. Organic farm fields contained five times as many wild plants, 57% more species, 25% more birds around field perimeters and 44% more in the fields during autumn and winter, three times as many butterflies and over twice the number of small insects that provide food for birds. There was surprisingly no increase in undesirable butterfly varieties compared to conventional farms. Fitter you, fitter planet?

For further information and details of a 41-page programme for your physical, spiritual, mental and social development, please contact Bernard. 

© Bernard Genge 2005
bernardgenge@hotmail.com

Stress, tension and burnout are common in modern society. I have come to the conclusion that people want to stay stressed! Why?

Stress helps you seem important. Anyone as stressed as you must be working very hard and is probably doing something crucial.

Stress helps to maintain personal distance and avoid intimacy. Anyone as busy as you certainly can't be expected to form emotional attachments. And let's face it, you're not much fun anyway.

It helps you avoid responsibilities. Obviously you're too stressed to be given any more work. This lets you out of mundane chores; leave them to someone else.

It gives you a chemical rush. Stress is a cheap thrill; you can give yourself a "hit" anytime you choose. Be careful, you might become addicted to your own adrenaline.

Stress helps you avoid success. Why risk being successful when simply staying stressed can avoid all that? Stress can keep your performance level low enough that success won't ever be a threat.

Stress lets you keep your authoritarian management style. The authoritarian style of "Just do what I say!" is generally permissible in crisis conditions. If you maintain a permanently stressed crisis atmosphere, you can justify an authoritarian style all the time.

Are you worried now about how to stay stressed? You'll have no trouble if you practise the following clinically proven methods:

Never exercise. It wastes a lot of time that could be spent worrying.

Eat anything you like. If cigarette smoke can't cleanse your system, a balanced
diet isn't likely to, either.

Gain weight. Work hard at staying at least 25 lbs overweight.

Take plenty of stimulants. Caffeine, nicotine, sugar and cola will do just fine.

Get rid of your social support system. Let the few friends who still tolerate you know that you concern yourself with friendships only if you have time –  and you never have time. If a few people persist in trying to be your friend, avoid them.

Take all criticism personally. Anyone who criticizes any aspect of your work, family, dog, house or car is mounting a personal attack. Don't waste your time listening; instead, be offended, then return the attack! Maintain the cycle as long as possible.

Throw out your sense of humour. Staying stressed is no laughing matter, and shouldn't be treated as one.

Males and females alike – be macho. Never ever ask for help. If you want it done right, do it yourself!

Become a workaholic. Be sure to take work home evenings and weekends. Keep reminding yourself that vacations are for losers. You can tell they’re losers by how cheerful and stress-free they are.

Discard good time management skills. Schedule more activities every day than you can possibly manage and then worry whenever you get a chance.

Procrastinate. Putting things off to the last second always produces a marvellous amount of stress.

Worry about things you can’t control: the stock market, earthquakes, the approaching Ice Age, you know, all the big issues.

Become not only a perfectionist, but set impossibly high standards... feel guilty, depressed, discouraged, and/or inadequate when you don't meet them.

A stress-filled life can be yours today!

© skopun@gmail.com 2005
http://discoveryourdestiny.blogspot.com/

On 6th July 2005, the eight leaders of the world’s richest and most powerful countries met for the G8 summit meeting. Bob Geldof, the driving force behind 1985’s Live Aid, has consistently refused to revive Live Aid – but he believed the G8 conference presented a unique opportunity. “Charity will never really solve the problems. It is time for justice – and 20 years after Live Aid, people now demand it of these eight men.” 

It’s impressive when Bob Geldof speaks.  For me, he embodies principles that Napoleon Hill, advisor to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and subsequently author of Think and Grow Rich, demonstrated.  He knew what he was talking about  - the book was based on interviews of 504 of the most successful people in America, including Ford, Gillette and Woolworth, plus three US Presidents.   His aim, which became his life’s work, was to find a formula that would work equally well for the average person.

He discovered many things including the two most critical ‘secrets’.  Firstly, definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.  Secondly, no man can become a permanent success without taking others along with him.  These factors are crucial to success or the lack of it.  Ask yourself – “How clear am I on what I want”?  If you are not clear, what could you do about it?    Also -  “Who else do I need to involve in this decision or action”?  You see, as Bob Geldof knows, any magnificent obsession is useless without involving others.

© David Miskimin 2005
David@thedirectorscoach.com
www.thedirectorscoach.com

We "become what we think about all day long”. There is tremendous power in positive thinking, just as there is unfortunate power in negative thinking and fear. And the truth is that we get to choose our thoughts!

If our days are stressed, chaotic, unfocused and unsatisfying, at the end of the year (and at the end of life) we tend to look back and wonder, "What happened?" On the other hand, if we make sure each day contains joy, gratitude, organisation and purpose, some honest work and a bit of fun, so our lives will be.

The question is, how to have a great life? Here are a few suggestions:

  1. Plan each day.  Most of us do not put enough time into deciding exactly how we want to live each day. We don't choose our priorities, affirm our values and make hard choices about how we will - and will not - use our time.
  2. Surround yourself with great people. There's an old proverb that says, "show me the five people you spend the most time with, and I'll show you your future". To some degree, of course, we are all surrounded by people we did not choose. But we also have the responsibility of choosing our friends and associating with the best, most inspiring people we can find. Choose wisely.
  3. Write your biography in advance. Write the ‘script’ for your own life and read it often. Think about it and re-read it daily. Where are you going? What will your legacy be? Too often we get caught in the busy-ness of daily living and it pays to review and affirm your dreams every single day.
  4. Read and learn from the great people in history. Life is short and we simply don't have time to make (and recover from) all the mistakes in life, so learn from smart people who have gone ahead and left a trail for
    us to follow.
  5. Share the dream. Tell your loved ones, your best friends and trusted associates where you're going in life so they can support you.
  6. Use your freedom to create lives that express your talents.  Personal independence means living your values. It means freedom from fear and debt. Too many people live lives of confusion, harried and stressed.  Personal freedom allows you to slow down, look around and manage your life.  It also means financial independence. It means living within your means - saving and investing for the future, handling money wisely.

In the end, we get what we think about most of the time. Over time, our lives pretty much look like our days and if you want to predict your future, look at your daily activities. If there are things you need to change, change them! If you need to set better boundaries, re-affirm your values or assert your priorities, do so! In life, we usually end up pretty much where we are headed. Choose wisely, and day by day, do the ‘little things’ that make a great life.
 

Coach@philiphumbert.com 
www.philiphumbert.com

Copyright (c) 2005, all rights reserved.
U.S. Library of Congress ISSN: 1529-059X
You may copy, forward or distribute TIP's
if this copyright notice and full information
for contacting Dr Philip E. Humbert are included

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up
a $20.00 bill.  He asked the two hundred people in the room, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this.”


He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it?"  Still the hands were up in the air.


"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.


He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"  Still the hands went into the air.


"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.  No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it, because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

“Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless.  But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you.

“The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or whom we know, but by who we are. You are special - Don't ever forget it.”

The ECI is providing the opportunity for each workshop and/or course run by it's members, to be sponsored and supported by The ECI.

 

What this means is that to benefit from the sponsorship and support of The ECI for your workshops, courses and/or events please register your interest with Tina Sibley @ conferences@the-eci.org.  As part of your registration email please provide the following details:

 

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e. Membership status with The ECI

f.  date or dates that the course and/or workshop and/or event is scheduled.

 

On receipt of this information, the application will be processed through our supported course and/or workshop process and you will be notified of your sponsorship.

CTECI - Full Coach Training Programme

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