The "Yes List": The Key to Living on Purpose

You don't have to let yourself be terrorized by other people's expectations of you. Sue Thoele

One must live the way one thinks or end up thinking the way one has lived. Paul Bourget

The more time you spend doing what is important to you the quicker the unimportant things drift away. Leanna Fredrich


Thinking it Through...

One of the keys to living a life of purpose is to know what your "Yes List" is . A "Yes List" is simply a list of your top priorities. The brain can handle only 7 goals at a time so choose a maximum of seven priorities for your life. Make sure YOU, your self-care, is one of those seven items. So often I see client's who quickly begin writing their priorities and leave themselves right off the list. The fact is if you don't take excellent care of yourself then you might as well throw out all the other items on the list because you won't have the energy, health or creativity to do them well.

Write your 7 Priorities down on index cards or where you will see them often so you can check in frequently. Now, when someone asks you to do something that is not on your "Yes List" it is time to cultivate the fine art of saying "no".
I recently asked a client about her "Yes List". One of the items she wrote down first was to start the business she always dreamed of. I asked her when she last spent time working on her business. Well, that questions stumped her. She had to think and think before she hesitantly answered that it was about 4 months ago. Four months since she has devoted any time at all to one of her top priorities! Unfortunately, she is not alone. That is why it is critical to be clear on your priorities and divide your time up accordingly. Put yourself back in the driver's seat of your life.
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Challenge:

1. What are the seven items on your "Yes List?"

2. Are they really your priorities or are you listing what you think they "should" be?

3. How much of your week are you spending on your "Yes List?"

4. What do you need to say "no" to so you have more time for the things that are important to you?

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach

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Let's Hear it for the Unbalanced Life!

"I will not should on myself today." Unknown

"The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want." Ben Stein

"Decide upon your major definite purpose in life and then organize all your activities around it." Brian Tracy

Thinking it Through...

We hear a lot about the need for having a balanced life. "If I only had more "life balance" it would be better." Give it up! We will never have a balanced life nor would we probably want one. What most of us want is a life full of doing what is meaningful to us and what we are passionate about. Think about someone who is passionate about their life. Is it balanced or are they spending huge amounts of time doing exactly what they value? Often we talk about needing more balance when what we really mean is that we are spending a lot of our life doing things that we don't care about. That's when our lives feel unbalanced. It is when we are spending our lives on "shoulds" that we start feeling futile. (For example the day I had last week full of running errands. Ugh!) So instead of worrying that your life is not balanced ask yourself how much joy and passion is in your life? Perhaps having a life full of passion will require spending a entire day painting, hiking or researching a topic of interest. Is that balanced? No, but it is fulfilling and purposeful. So my challenge for you this month is to discover the joys of an "unbalanced" life. Load your days up with activities that are meaningful and enjoyable to you.

Challenge:

1. What do you wish to fill your life with?.

2. What are the "shoulds" in your life that you want to let go?

3. What percentage of your day is filled with activities you love?

4. Take steps today to increase the percentage of time spent on those things you are passionate about.


Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
Leanna@AmazingMondays.com

What is Your Ikigai?

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in life has a purpose." Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

"Decide upon your major definite purpose in life and then organize all your activities around it." Brian Tracy

"It's time to start living the life you've imagined." Henry James


Thinking it Through

I was reading the book, The Blue Zones which shares the results of research studies done in areas (Blue Zones) where more people live to be over a 100 then anywhere else on the earth. The researchers were looking for commonality's among the octogenarians to discover the secret to their long and healthy lives. One of the clues they found was that all of the octogenarians had Ikigai (icky guy) or purpose, a reason for living. (Really, it is lots more fun and exotic to say Ikigai then purpose!) In Okinawa, one of the Blue Zones, they talk about it all the time. In fact if you stop one of the Okinawan octogenarians on the street and asked what their Ikigai was they could tell you without a pause. If I asked you, could you tell me your purpose? Do you know why you get up or is your day just made up of an endless to-do list that feels meaningless? If you are without an Ikigiai then it is well worth your time to find a quiet place and think about it. Don't worry we all have one! Consider what is meaningful to you and what you really care about... Here are some examples of purpose statements.

"To leave the world a better place than I found it, for horses and for people."

"To uplift humanity's consciousness through business."

"To inspire and Coach people to live life with passion."

"To bring beauty into people's lives through their homes and yards."

As you read these statements it is obvious that there are many different ways these people could live their Ikigai and that's the beauty of a purpose statement. It needs to be big enough that it will still get you out of bed when you are a hundred and ten! The other wonderful thing about purpose is that you will never get bored because you can do many different things to live your purpose. For example; Let's look at the purpose statement "To bring beauty into people's lives through their homes and yards." This person could be doing a million different things. They might build water features, open a boutique with beautiful things for the home and yard, have an online business, be an organizer... and the list goes on. When I work with clients to find their Ikigai they are often surprised to discover they are already involved in at least a few activities that relate to their purpose. The problem is they have not acknowledged their accomplishments and are not focused on their purpose. Knowing your Ikigai and focusing on it daily makes all the difference!

Challenge:

1. What is your Ikigai? What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning?

2. What are your top 3 unique strengths?

3. How can you use those strengths to live your purpose?

4. What is something you can do today to live your purpose?

Dance with Joy,

Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
www.AmazingMondays.com

Are You Sitting on an Idea?

"In action lies wisdom and confidence." Albert Schweitzer

"...courage is only an accumulation of small steps." George Konrad

"I've never been afraid to step out and to move out in order to make things happen." Victoria Gray

Thinking it Through...

I love the world of ideas. That pure, perfect energetic world where anything can be created and obstacles are unheard of. I'm good at playing in that world. I love hearing other people's ideas and I enjoy thinking up my own. There is no argument that the world of ideas is wonderful but taking permanent residence in "idea land" can become a problem. What I have found is that if I stay too long in the "idea stage" the idea becomes stale and bitter causing me to not even want to think about it. The idea that once was energizing becomes an energy drain!

The only cure I have found is to begin the messy work of taking steps to move the idea into reality. It is messy because the minute I take action to create what I have envisioned my "monkey mind" starts chattering. It says "helpful" things like "This will never work." "I think you can come up with a better idea." "There are too many problems with this idea." or the particularly encouraging, "You're an idiot and all your ideas are doomed for failure!" Taking action is also messy because when I take action that is when I find obstacles and things I need to change. Over time I have learned to hang in there because when I keep taking action a beautiful thing happens...My idea gives me energy again. Even though I come up against problems I feel excited because I am creating and creating is one of the aspects of life that makes it worth living.


Challenge

1. What idea do you have that has become stale and bitter due to inaction?

2. What small step can you take towards creating this idea?

3. Every day for a week take at least one action step to create your idea. At the end of the week notice how you feel.


Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
http://www.AmazingMondays.com

Do You Have a Tribe?

"Finding your tribe can have transformative effects on your sense of identity and purpose. This is because of three powerful tribal dynamics: validation, inspiration, and what we'll call here the "alchemy of synergy." Ken Robinson

"Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are." JC Hare and A.W. Hare

"Each person has an aptitude born with them. Do your work." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thinking it Through...

One of the things I love to do in my Coaching practice is to help people find their strengths...those unique ways of thinking and creating that they were born with. I have been reading a book called The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything. One of the concepts in this book that I had not thought much about was the importance of finding your tribe. When you are with your tribe you feel inspired to create, take chances and most of all you feel "at home." Even if your passion requires a certain amount of solitude you still need a tribe. Martha Beck, a self-help author, has a wonderful group of women writers who she meets with on a regular basis. Freeman Dyson, the physicist says that when he is writing he needs to be alone but when he is actually doing science he welcomes interaction with others. "Up to a point you welcome being interrupted because it is only by interacting with other people that you get anything interesting done."

Perhaps you can even discover your passion by looking for the people you love to be around. By noticing their interests and strengths it will be a sign pointing to your own strengths and passions. Watch for the people and activities that fill you with energy and life. So here's to filling your life with your passions and strengths and having a tribe to keep you inspired!

Challenge:

1. Who belongs to your tribe? What are their characteristics and passions?


2. What are the activities you do where you feel most like yourself?


3. When did you last lose track of time during an activity?


Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
www.AmazingMondays.com

Are You in Control?

"Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one's own sunshine." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"If you don't like something, change it . If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." Maya Angelou

"We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves." Dalai Lama

Thinking it Through...

I was recently talking with a friend of mine about what we can really control. Many of us (myself included) want to feel like we control our lives. We do everything we can to keep things in order and going our way. The fact is we can only control one thing and that is our mind...our thoughts and from our thoughts come our actions. That is what we can control and that is enough! I find that it is more then a full time job to direct my thoughts in positive ways and choose a good attitude. So what are the benefits of controlling your own mind? They are endless but here are a few... More joy, more peace, more creativity, a feeling of direction and purpose and the powerful feeling that comes from taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions.

Challenge...

1. What would you like to focus your thoughts on today?

2. What are some action steps you can take today towards what you want?

3. Who or what do you need to stop trying to control?

4. What do you need to give up worrying about?


Dance with Joy,

Leanna Fredrich

www.AmazingMondays.com

Get Ready for More Joy...

"It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most; It 's making a great deal out of the little ones." Jean Webster

"We set our goals based on the big picture, but our joy comes from the details." Victoria Moran

Thinking it Through...

Life's pleasures come from the details, the small joyful occurrences. We live in a culture that celebrates the big, noisy accomplishments but really how often do those celebrations come along? To truly enjoy life we need to celebrate the details. For example; Easter Dinner is an event. Watching the children painting the eggs is a detail. Event: Driving to work. Detail: Noticing the snow on the mountains as you drive. Event: Going out to eat with a friend. Detail: Enjoying the sound of your friend's laughter. Train yourself to go through life as an artist using her senses to notice each color and shape.
Don't keep your appreciation of details to yourself. Point out the smell of freshly baked bread, a toddler licking an ice cream cone or the bright blue of the sky. Soon you will draw others into your "detail" game. Before long you will realize that the joy of life really is in the details!

Challenge:

1. What are some events you have today? For each event spend time tuning into the details.


2. What colorful details can you purposefully add and enjoy today?


3. Share some of your beautiful details with a friend or coworker.


Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
www.AmazingMondays.com

You Can Make a Difference this Year

"Attention is the most basic form of love; through it we bless and are blessed." John Tarrant

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou

"If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room. Anita Roddick


Thinking it Through...

As I spend time speaking to and coaching people I am constantly reminded of the longing we all have for appreciation. We move through life with a lot being asked of us and each day it seems requiring more and more. What we don't receive much of is gratitude. If you want to make a huge impact on people this year ...share gratitude. Not only will you positively impact others but the beautiful,beautiful part of this is that you will find more things to be grateful for. What you focus on you get, so gratitude is an activity without a downside.

Have fun with this! Notice the look in the cashier's eyes as you take the time to look at her and thank her for bagging your groceries. Enjoy the reaction when you tell the barista at your local Starbucks that she makes the best cup of cappuccino ever. Imagine the surprise on the face of your trash collector when he finds the thank-you note on your trash can. Change your life and others by being grateful.




Challenge

Show appreciation to at least three people today.

Start a gratitude journal and send thank-you notes every week.

Find someone to thank today who you think rarely receives thanks.

List 3 things you appreciate yourself for.

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
coach@leannafredrich.com

January Quotes and Coaching Questions

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Howard Thurman

"I believe that you will be at your most productive, creative, focused, generous, and resilient when you figure out how to play to your strengths most of the time." Marcus Buckingham


Have you ever spent an entire day on something you couldn't wait to do again? You went to bed tired but thinking thoughts like, "I wish I could do that tomorrow!" That is what it feels like to use your strengths. When you use your strengths you feel energized, you feel like you are doing something valuable and you are usually excellent at it. It is a great feeling! As we start a new year commit to finding and using your strengths. This is one change that you can make which will create a huge difference in your life!

Coaching Questions:

1. List activities that energize you. (Be very specific.)

2. How often do you do these activities?

3. What are some changes you could make so you use your strengths more often?

4. What is a strengthening activity you can do today?


Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach

If you would like help finding and discovering how to use your strengths contact Leanna at coach@leannafredrich.com

October Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes:

"Nothing changes until you do." Unknown

"Success follows doing what you want to do. There is no other way to be successful." Malcolm S. Forbes

"You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." James Allen

You have a wonderful, exciting goal... Perhaps you have a business idea that lights you up or a book begging to be written or maybe an adventurous trip you are longing to embark on. Whatever dream you are holding onto begin today to step into the identity and belief that you are ready and GOING to reach this goal. Often the most simple way to begin is to act and dress as if you have already reached your goal. For example if you wish to create a best selling novel and spend your days engrossed in writing then get up a little earlier or stay up later and devote your time to writing. Put on the cozy robe you plan on wearing as an author. Wear those fuzzy slippers and grab your favorite cup of tea. BE an author for a space of time each day! It is not important if you write a lot or little. What is important is that you are stepping into the identity which will help you reach your goal. As you put on your "author outfit " and spend time writing your book you are giving messages to the subconscious mind and letting it know that this is who I am. I am an author! Your subconscious which is very accommodating will begin to support you in your goal and help you see opportunities to get there faster. Not to mention that it will help you stay motivated on those cold, dark winter mornings.

Another way to begin living your goal is to find other people who have already done what you want to. Join the groups and associations they belong to. Go to the meetings and mingle with people you aspire to be like. We are social creatures and by spending time with others who have done what we want to do it is motivating and educational. Soon it will be easy to believe that "I can do that too!"



Coaching Questions:

1. When you reach your goal how will you be dressing? Start dressing that way as much as possible now!

2. What associations or networking groups will you be in when you reach your goal? Join them now.

3. Who could you talk with who has already reached your goal? Ask them how they did it.

4. Will you talk any different after you have reached your goal? Have those conversations now.

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach
coach@leannafredrich.com

September Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes:

"You have to find places where you recognize yourself." Victoria Moran

"There are no precedents: You are the first You that ever was." Christopher Morley

"I'm not suggesting that you refuse to perform necessary tasks but when you have some say in the matter, you can save yourself from the spare peg-round hole frustration of activities that are antagonistic to your essential self." Victoria Moran


We have all known people who adopt the interests and activities of the people around them until they appear to become a different person. We have also experienced the person who will agree to take on a project for which they are not suited at all and do a bad job of it while being grumpy. This is not the way to live a passion-filled life! Spend most of your time doing things that fit you, that give you energy. Does that mean we never try anything new? No! What I am saying is that life is too short to try to fit into someone else's mold. It is time to find out what we love and spend our time there.


Coaching Questions:

1. Are you spending most of your life on things you are passionate about?


2. Are you trying to squeeze yourself into someone else's idea of who you should be?


3. What will you do today that you are passionate about?


4. What activities do you need to say "no" to so you have more time to do what you love?


Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach

August Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes

"For even when the time comes and you can relax, you hardly know how." Alice Foote MacDougall

"If anybody says, "I need it pronto," remember that in Italian pronto is just another way to say "hello." Unknown

You create stress for yourself because you feel like you have to do it. You HAVE to. I don't feel that anymore." Oprah Winfrey

Life can become so busy that we feel in a constant state of overwhelm. We feel like we can never get enough done in a day. It is time to take a deep breath and schedule some silence and emptiness into our lives. Prioritize each day so you know exactly what is most important and then focus on that. Allow yourself to enjoy this day.

Coaching Questions:

1. Ask yourself this questions each day.... If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?

2. What are the top three activities I use to fill time to feel as though I've been productive but really are usually used to postpone more important actions?

3. Do I allow my cell phone and email to dictate how many interruptions I have during the day?

4. If you could only work two hours a day what would be most important to do?

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach

June's Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes:

"When the mind talks, the body listens. We literally talk ourselves into and out of every victory or defeat in the game of life. Dr. Denis Waitley, human performance scientist

"Words form the bridge between mind and matter; they play a vital role in shaping our reality." Victoria Moran

Words are powerful and the words we choose especially when we are talking about ourselves are like windows into the beliefs our subconscious holds. This is often easier to see in others. How often have you complimented someone only to have them discount what you said? "Oh, this old thing!" "It was no big deal." Have you heard yourself or others say things like..."I'm not the smart one in my family." "I'll never make that much money." Each time words like this are said the subconscious files them away. The subconscious mind doesn't get jokes! It takes every sentence you say about yourself as fact. Gradually our beliefs and the words that support them create our reality. It is so important that we watch our words and choose words which will create a reality we desire to live in.

Coaching Questions:

1. Notice your words today. Are they supportive of what you want in your life?

2. Do you put yourself down? "I am such a slob." "I'm such an idiot sometimes."

3. Do you diminish your accomplishments? "Oh it's nothing." "Anyone could have done it."

4. Catch yourself using self-sabotaging language and choose words which will support you instead.

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach

"If you are ready to get rid of the beliefs holding you back from success contact me at coach@leannafredrich.com"

May's Quotes and Coaching Questions

Quotes:

"Don't wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel, stride down there and light the bloody thing yourself." Unknown

"I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it."
-- Jonathan Winters

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful
men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they
don't quit."
-- Conrad Hilton

"Opportunities are usually disguised by hard work, so most
people don't recognize them."
-- Ann Landers

Behind the success and glamour of the people we see who have achieved their dreams is, if we look closer, a lot of work! Often when we read success stories it seems as if they were just lucky and had instant success. How misleading! Usually when you look further that "instant success" was preceded by years of persistent work. Consistent action is critical to achieving your dreams. Even though the actions you may be taking feel mundane and small they are, at the very least, a way to build up the "action muscles" that you will need to reach your goal.

Coaching Questions:

1. Where in your life do you need to take action today?

2. Are you taking daily action towards your dreams?

3. Are you focusing on each step and putting your energy into it?

4. Are you choosing to enjoy the journey to your goals?


Dance with Joy,

Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach

"If you are ready to get past the mental obstacles that keep you from your dreams...Contact me at coach@leannafredrich.com.

April Quotes and Coaching Questions...

Quotes:

"Rest and be thankful." William Wordsworth

"When you find yourself declaring that absolutely, no way, can you possibly take time off, that is exactly when you need to." Jennifer Louden

"A little sacred space is a gift we give ourselves, our homes, and our families - even if they wonder what on earth this is about." Victoria Moran

Thoughts...

Taking time out to stop, rest and still the mind is so important to creating a passionate life. One of the ways to do this is to have a special place of quiet. It can be as simple as a favorite chair and blanket. You might add a candle, picture, inspirational book or a journal to your quiet spot. Having this special spot is a great way to remind yourself to stop and take the time you need to reconnect. Set up a quiet place for yourself today. You deserve it!

Coaching Questions:

1. Do you have a favorite spot for "quiet time?"

2. What can you do to make that sacred place special?

3. What will it take to start taking a few minutes of quiet time everyday?

4. Will you do it today?

Dance with Joy,
Leanna

"If you would like support in creating the life of your dreams contact me at coach@leannafredrich.com."

March Quotes and Coaching Questions...

"Let's make a toast to the long art/ of lingering." Lee Upton

"Rest and be thankful." William Wordsworth

"If you want inner peace find it in solitude..." Stewart L. Udall


Thought's...

After beginning the book, "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle I have been spending a lot of time thinking about not thinking! Although maybe not the point of the book it is a step in the right direction for a severely addicted thinker like me. I realize how much time I think in frantic circles and how little time I focus on what is going on right now. I catch myself, under stress, breathing so shallowly that it is barely breathing at all. The beauty of watching my thinking is that I am now reminded to breathe, to focus on what I am doing now, to God-forbid rest for a moment!

Coaching Questions:


1. How often do you rest from your thoughts?

2. When is the best time during your day to take some time for solitude?

3. How often do you just focus on your breathing?

4. What is right about your life in this moment?

As the song says, "Just breathe!"

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
"If you have limiting beliefs keeping you from your dreams email me a coach@leannafredrich.com and lets work together to move you forward."

Change Your Beliefs. Change Your Life!

Quotes:

"Beliefs are filters for reality- You see the world not as IT IS... but as YOU ARE!" Robert Williams

"The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn." Gloria Steinem

"If you believe you can or you believe you can't ...you're right!" Henry Ford


The beliefs we hold in our subconscious are powerful. In fact they are what we base decisions on and live our lives by. Our subconscious, where our beliefs are filed away, controls at least 95% of what we do. We adopted most of our beliefs as very young children and we carry them with us to this day. The way to really take control of your life is to take a good look at your beliefs and decide for yourself if they are serving you well or not.

Coaching Questions:

1. What are some areas in your life that you feel stuck?

2. What are some beliefs you are holding that might be keeping you stuck?

3. What are some new beliefs that you could choose to support you in getting unstuck?

Have a wonderful January!
Leanna Fredrich
Life Coach

PS. I am very excited about a new technique I learned last year to change beliefs at the subconscious level. The process works quickly and easily. I have been using it in my own life as well as my client's with amazing results. If you are interested call or email me at coach@leannafredrich.com. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

You Get to Choose! November Quotes and Coaching Questions...

"Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success-or are they holding you back?" W.Clement Stone.

"One must live the way one thinks or end up thinking the way one has lived." Paul Bourget

"Never underestimate the effect of clutter on your life." Karen Kingston


There are many books and shows out there about simplifying your life and how important it is. They are right! Everything we do, own or commit to takes energy so it is imperative that we are careful what we add to our lives. The fact is though, some of the most precious parts of our lives are actually huge complications. For example when you get married it complicates both of your lives. Now instead of just considering your wishes you have someone else to consider as well. Not to mention all the stuff you both bring into one house! When you decide to have a child that's another big sweet complication. These are all choices we made that add complexity to our lives. When you start writing a book or creating a new business you add complexity. For most of us the benefits of these complications far out way the energy spent. They are worth it! An important part of having an extraordinary life is to add complexity selectively. Make sure you get rid of the energy drains in all areas of your life so that you are free to focus on what matters to you. Now if there is a bit of clutter around you know it comes from projects you are passionate about. If there are complexities you have chosen them instead of the other way around.

Coaching Questions:

1. Where are some areas of clutter in your life that you can simplify?

2. What are the selective complexities in your life that you chose and want to keep?

3. Have you cleared out the clutter so you have time for what is important to you?

4. What can you do today to simplify your life?

Happy simplifying!

Leanna Fredrich
Success Coach
"Are you ready to get rid of the beliefs that are holding you back? Ask me how to do this instantly! Email me at coach@leannafredrich.com."

October's Quotes and Coaching Questions

Welcome to October! As most plants are going into a dormant stage I have been thinking about rest, "wasted time," doing nothing. I grew up in a family where if you were caught doing nothing you would get a chore! So, I learned that it is important to look busy. Now it is hard for me to relax guilt-free. Maybe some of you feel the same way. What I had to learn is that resting is not "doing nothing!" In fact it is probably one of the most important things we do each day. The fact is whether we plan for it or not our body will take down time so we might as well plan and enjoy it.

Quotes:

"You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose." Indira Gandhi

"What am I doing? Nothing. I am letting life rain upon me." Rahel Varnhagen

"Play so that you may be serious." Anacharsis

"This wasted time I have found by constant experience to be as indispensable as sleep." John Adams


Coaching Questions:

1. How do you feel about down time?

2. What do you like to do that is relaxing and healing?

3. What are your beliefs and fears about "down time?"

4. What will you do to relax today?

Join me in enjoying guilt-free "do nothing" time today!

Dance with Joy,
Leanna Fredrich
Success Coach

If you would like a coach to support you as you create an extraordinary life contact me at Coach@LeannaFredrich.com

Enjoy the Ultimate Career Change by Following Your Dreams

If you want to find work that is meaningful, fulfilling and exciting then it is time to reawaken your ability to dream. Most of us used to dream big at one time or another. We dreamed of being a movie star, sports hero, a princess or the richest person on the planet. Then we begin hearing things like, "Be practical." "You have to be realistic!" "You'll never make any money doing that!" This for many of us, is the beginning of the end of dreaming.

One of the major roadblocks to dreaming is the fear of disappointment. "What if I go for my dream and it isn't what I want?" or even worse "What if I go for my dreams and fail?" Many times we avoid taking action towards our true passions because it is SO important to us that if we fail it would just be too painful. Really though, what is too painful? Would you prefer to live life in a dull, boring way covering up your dreams so that you'll be "safe" from possible failure or would it be more fun to dream wildly, with abandon and follow your desires? One of my favorite quotes is by Robert Fritz, "If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise." Is that what you want? Compromise?

In the path towards your dreams you WILL have obstacles, perceived failures and fear but the payoff will be a feeling of meaning in your life. The reward will be a renewed excitement, passion and the internal rightness that only comes from having the bravery to follow your heart.

Are you ready to unleash your wonderful imagination and let the dreaming begin? I hope so! As a Life Coach working with hundreds of people I have found that the only way to get clear on the career change you REALLY want is to allow yourself to dream wildly. So let's get started! Have paper and pen handy and I will walk you through one of the exercises I use with my life coaching clients.

Think about what your ideal job would look like. Where would you work? Inside? At home? Outside? What kind of people would you be working with? Would you be working alone? What would you be doing? How much would you make? (This is where many people jump back to the safety of "realism". I don't want to see you writing, "Oh, I just want to make enough to get by." Stop! What do you really want in financial reward? Let's play big!) What will you be accomplishing? Which of your passions will you be using? What kind of recognition will you receive?

I can hear some of you saying, "How am I supposed to do this exercise when I have no idea what career I would be passionate about?" My answer is to just guess. Write down what you do know about your ideal work. Leave the rest open. It is important to explore what you know you are attracted to and see where it will lead. Martha Beck in her book, "The Joy Diet" tells a wonderful story of a client's journey towards his passion. Alan hated his job and wanted a career change. The problem was he was so burned out he felt passionless. The only thing that interested him were cars. He thought maybe he wanted to hang out around race cars. So he begin to go to the race track on the weekends. As he was watching the cars he realized it wasn't satisfying enough. He wanted to touch the cars. When he allowed himself to run his hands over the smooth metal it dawned on him. It wasn't the cars he loved, it was the shaped metal! Alan now owns his own design business making beautiful, original furniture and in his spare time he creates metal sculptures . Where will your desires lead you? I dare you to find out!


Leanna Fredrich
Success Coach
Take the FREE “How to Discover Your Passion-filled Work” email class. For more information go to http://www. LeannaFredrich.com