Wellness Coaches: What’s YOUR Brand of Overwhelm?

overwhelmed businesswoman

A Head-On Look at Overwhelm

If you follow the trends of “focusing on the positive”, it may seem odd to you that I’m illustrating this post with a photo of a business woman literally hitting her head against the wall and experiencing (what I imagine is) overwhelm. Instead, you might have expected that I’d use a photo of someone in a zen-like state and then hoped I’d go on to tell you how to attract that state. Nope.

Even though I incorporate the Law of Attraction into my work and life, I’m not much for skipping over what’s so and I’m really not much for trends. I’m more about what works and as far as I know, what works is always about first looking squarely in the eye of what’s so. So let’s talk Overwhelm.

What’s So

It’s a new year. You’ve got big plans for your Wellness Coaching business. You’ve printed out my 2011 Wellness Coaches planning calendar, looked through all 16 pages, seen the year’s worth of to do’s and gotten right down to it. You set your 2011 business vision, outlined your Q1 plans, started in on a huge list of marketing calls you’re committed to making, and you’re already juggling client work, writing blog posts and have outlined plans to develop new mp3 downloads.

Chances are, you have a ton of unread email in your in-box, a stack of juicy but unopened mail on your desk you’re dying to get to, and between it all you’re trying to fit in your own fitness routine!

(By the way, how’s your breathing right now? Just checking.)

You want to join a new networking group, spend more time on social media, order products, and sign up as an affiliate of your favorite big cheese. You also plan to hire a virtual assistant so you’ll be more efficient and work less hours. Of course you also have to place ads, read resumes and interview people… Whew!

How’d You Get Here?

Overwhelm. We’ve all been here. Some of us tend to hang around the place longer than others, but even the infrequent visitors know it well.  And while your brand of overwhelm is as unique as your thumbprint, it’s just about as likely as the sun coming up tomorrow that your version of overwhelm contains some element where you’ve lost your focus.

In fact, I’d bet on it. You probably arrived here at Overwhelm by trying to get your arms around the whole enchilada of your Wellness Coaching business all at once. So, slow down. Breathe. Focus in on just this post for now. We have work to do.

What You’ve Tried

When it comes to “Managing Overwhelm,” you’ve likely tried many ways of rearranging the external circumstances in your business and life to get “it” (as if Overwhelm were an entity) under control. Guess what?

You’re not overwhelmed because you need to work harder to manage your current activities. And we know you’re not overwhelmed because you’re slacking in your effort to try to get “Overwhelm” under control. You do plenty of both.

Neither task works because they’ve both got a faulty premise…they both assume that the content and circumstances of your life cause “Overwhelm.” Not so. “Out there” is not where you need to look.

Where the Work Needs to Be

You don’t “manage Overwhelm” by manipulating the external things in your life. Actually, you don’t “manage” Overwhelm at all, and you can’t “catch Overwhelm” from your To Do list. It’s not a virusas my friend, mentor, founder of The Gremlin Taming Institute and author of Taming Your Gremlin®, Rick Carson is fond of saying. Rick also says, Balance and Pleasure are primarily an inside job. This is key, as Balance and Pleasure are the opposite states of Overwhelm as far as I’ve experienced. Balance and Pleasure are the Big Kahuna of life. So let’s look more closely at that “inside job” of yours.

A Trip Inside You

The question is, what is your brand of Overwhelm? What’s involved when you do it? No, I’m not interested in those things outside of you that you consider to cause you Overwhelm. Those things could look the same or absolutely different for each one of us and some of us would or wouldn’t Overwhelm ourselves in response to them. I am interested in what you do on the inside of you. How do you overwhelm you? What do you do to you?

Actually, I’m inviting you to participate right here in one small component of Rick Carson’s powerful Gremlin-Taming® Method. I’ve studied and practiced the full method for years and teach it to my clients. Here, I’m inviting you to do as Rick taught me and Simply Notice.  Yes, I want you to Simply Notice how you Overwhelm you.

The Exercise (To be done when you’re alone and not driving.)

I’d like you to take a break right now and give yourself some time to do this exercise. Get comfortable to start. Turn the phone ringer off, put the cell phone away, and hang a privacy sign on the door. Great.

Let’s begin. Imagine I’m there with you right now.  I want you to Teach me how you Overwhelm yourself. Yes, teach me. Only you know how you do it. And until now, you probably haven’t been aware of how you do it. We’re going to shine a light on the whole mess right here, right now.

Notice every detail of you and your experience of overwhelm one by one. Do so as if you were writing a guidebook on how to create your brand of Overwhelm. Take big time to notice. Get into your best Overwhelm state. What are you doing to you? What are you doing with your neck? Your shoulders? Your jaw? Your eyes? What pray tell is going on in that mind of yours? What messages of exasperation are you chanting over and over again to yourself?

Notice I’m not asking you what the external circumstances are that you’re using as a reason to overwhelm yourself. Nor am I asking you what you think “causes” your overwhelmed state.  I’m asking you how you are overwhelming yourself. Only you do that to you. Exactly how, step by step, do you do this to you?

Go slowly. Play up, highlight, and exaggerate every smidgeon of the routine you go through.  Don’t judge, just Simply Notice.

Stay with it and see what happens.

Need an example?

Okay, I’ll do the same exercise I’m asking you to do, right here. This is risky because you might be tempted to try out my exact method for “Overwhelm.” Please don’t. You have your own way. That’s enough for one lifetime. So read “my way of Overwhelming me” at your own risk. Then be sure to do the exercise for yourself. Meantime, here’s a description of “my brand” of Overwhelm:

My No-Fail Step-by-Step Guide to Overwhelming Myself:

1. First look at every detail on my new 2011 business plan.

2. Now scan my entire To Do list for the week.

2. Be sure to open my eyes really wide. Then wider still.

3. Alternate this with a frown, squinted eyes & a wrinkled brow as I…

4. Dart my eyes around the room from one thing to the next. (Tricky, but heck, I’ve been practicing for 54 years.)

5. Make my focus go rather fuzzy so I don’t see any one thing very clearly.

6. Make my breathing very shallow or even better, hold my breath.

7. Scrunch up my shoulders.

8. Keep staring at the clock and internally remind myself how little time I have to do “it” all, whatever “it” is.

9. Keep telling myself I’ll never get to “it” all and that others are going to get “there” before I do.

10. Say aloud how overwhelmed I am. Repeat 10+ times per hour.

What Happens?

Once I’m aware of my brand of overwhelming myself, and I exaggerate it just a bit, until I really see how I’m making myself miserable, 99% of the time magic happens. The other 1% of the time I just have to stick with it a bit longer. But the magic always happens. It will for you too. More on this when you come back from doing the exercise.

Now It’s Your Turn

Go ahead. Head on back and do the exercise. Really. I’ll wait.

About the Magic

Good job. If you took the time to do this, and played it up big time, something happened after awhile. You likely noticed that, like magic, things shifted. Rick calls this phenomenon The Zen Theory of Change which he describes on page 10 of Taming Your Gremlin as: “I free myself, not by trying to free myself but by simply noticing how I am imprisoning myself in the very moment in which I am imprisoning myself.” It’s magic indeed.

Now What?

My number one recommendation for Wellness Coaches, and anyone else experiencing Overwhelm, is to take a breath, and Simply Notice how you overwhelm you right in the very moment you are overwhelming you.

It’s as simple, and yet as challenging, as that.

After You’re Centered Again…

The exercise above, truly a life-long practice, will take you quite far when next you Overwhelm yourself. When you come back to Balance, consider some of these tips for staying a bit longer in that Balanced state:

1. Breathe. Do it often:)

2. Put your focus on just one thing. Stay with that one thing for an extended period of time. Even if it’s 30 minutes. Just the one thing though. No distractions. No fuzzy focus on a million things at once (which is impossible anyway.)

3. Phone a colleague or shoot a quick email and declare that one thing you’ll be doing for the next half hour, hour, or more. (Make it short and sweet. Don’t get distracted with the call.) Tell them you’ll be leaving another message when you’re done. Or hire an accountability coach and do the same.

4. Take some time to re-look at your priorities. Frequently. Ask yourself: What’s important? Perhaps it’s time to revisit this, right now.

5. Get a copy of Crazy Busy by Dr. Edward Hallowell. Take your time and read it. (Jane Massengill, LCSW MCC, Director of the Gremlin-Taming Institute, told me of this book just days ago. I ran off and got a copy. I’m drinking it up. Thanks, Jane!)

6. Remember that “NO.” is a complete sentence. You can use it whenever you want to. Doing so makes saying “YES” to your priorities all the more delicious.

7. I’ll say this one again: Get Rick Carson’s book, Taming Your Gremlin®. Go slow. Read it for just 15 minutes a night before sleep. Go ahead. I dare ya. And if you already have it, re-read it, or grab the sequel, A Master Class in Gremlin Taming. Seriously. Read or re-read either one or both. Don’t let your Gremlin tell you this isn’t important. It is.

‘Til Soon,

Erica


Acknowledgments:

This post was born from your ideas. Many thanks for the requests and suggestions you sent or left in the comments on the We’re Refurbishing and Haven’t a Clue post. I appreciate you and your presence in the WellnessCoach.com community.

As you can tell, I ask you to bring your whole being, body, mind and spirit to the party when reading my posts or working with me. It’s a physical experience that you and I and all the other travelers on the planet have this go-round, and I make sure we work with that physical experience. My approach was first  built on years of study and practice of the Bio-Energetic work of Stanley Keleman at the Center For Energetic Studies in Berkeley, CA.

I have grown since then and my work has been deepened tremendously by the year-long studies I did at Rick Carson’s Gremlin Taming Institute in Dallas, Texas. My work and writing continue to evolve through the on-going studies I do with Rick to this day. As you can see in many of my posts, as well as when you work with me, I fully embrace Rick’s Gremlin-Taming Method®, weave it into all I do, and am honored to be doing this work in the world.

Spring Wellness – Time Out for Pondering

contemplation-photo.jpgOnly We Know What’s Best for Us
The best wellness advice I ever received came in the form of questions for me to ponder…questions that helped me uncover my own truths.

As a wellness coach, there is no input I can provide here for you that is more appropriate than the wisdom you’ll receive by checking in with your own body, mind, and spirit. Ultimately, you must decide what is best for you. I believe this is true regardless of the source of any external advice.

Take Time to Go Within
In the spirit of quiet contemplation that the peaceful image above inspires, take some time out to look at your current level of wellness. Explore what you really need in each area mentioned below and let that information gently direct you to take appropriate action or non-action. Allow your body, mind, spirit and heart to speak to you.

I like to go through this gentle process of self-exploration each spring and let the natural healing forces and wisdom within go to work. Enjoy!

SPRING WELLNESS INVENTORY
PONDER THIS…

1. ASK YOUR BODY:

What areas of you need my attention?
Which foods would nourish you?
What forms of rest, recreation or replenishment do you want today, this week, this month, this year?
Do you need additional tools for rest and relaxation?
What activities would you enjoy at this time?
Are there any new healing/wellness modalities you want to experience?

2. ASK YOUR MIND:

What is intellectually stimulating and engaging for you?
Do you get enough of this?
How can I give you more of what you need?
Do I need to provide you with more rest?

3. ASK YOUR SPIRIT:

What helps me feel connected with my source?
What is my spiritual anchor, compass or rudder in life?
What daily/weekly practices serve my spiritual life?
What things make my soul sing with appreciation for Life?

4. ASK YOUR HEART?

Who do I consider to be my “tribe”?
Who is in my closest inner circle?
Who do I love?
Who do I count on?
Who knows my heart?
Where am I expressing love?

5. ASK YOUR SELF OVERALL:

What can I do to further your greatest expression?
Where have I abandoned you?
What am I pretending not to know about you?
How can I love you?

Hope the pondering leads you to new layers of awareness. Love to hear what you discover!

Wellness Made Simple

open-your-heart-stretch.jpgI simply wanted to write a quick blog post about wellness. I’d been writing lengthy posts lately (as you know) and just wanted to break them up with something short and powerful.

I thumbed through pages of notes of “good ideas” I keep in a folder. I chose one topic after another. I started and stopped ten times. I just couldn’t land on something simple. No matter what I tackled the post grew larger, longer and more complicated. Frustrated, I took a  break and headed over to Twitter, vowing I’d make it a short visit.

Keeping that vow was simple. At the top of my Twitter stream was a wonderful Swedish Proverb, shared by  “Escape from Cubicle Nation” blog writer Pam Slim (@pamslim on Twitter). Pam received the gift of the proverb from her friend @desireeadaway. When I read it, I knew it held every piece of wellness advice I could ever hope to live by or to share. Thanks, Pam. And now, dear readers, I joyfully pass the proverb on to you:

“Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more;
Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more;
Love more, and all good things will be yours”

What are some simple words of wellness wisdom that you’ve recieved lately?

Fitness at 50 and Beyond – Seven Sacred Attitudes® for Baby Boomers

Immediately after publishing my post, Fitness at 50 and Beyond, I was interviewed on her BlogTalkRadio show by FeistySideofFifty™’s powerhouse, Eileen Williams. In 15 minutes we covered everything from the highlights of this blog to Seven Sacred Attitudes for Baby Boomers. Take a wellness break, have some soothing tea, and listen in. Enjoy!

FITNESS AT 50 AND BEYOND – Overcoming Resistance and Songs of Appreciation for Club50 and NuStep!

people-jumping-sunset.jpgLooking Ahead
For the past month, I’ve been looking ahead at the winter and realizing that, after decades of year-round outdoor swimming, doing so in the rain each year is getting a bit old for me.

True, the pool is heated, I live in California, and I don’t have to worry about snow where I live. And, yes, I could probably find an indoor pool around here if I looked for one. But that still small voice inside has been getting louder and urging me to find a nice whole-body regime to do during the winter – a regime that will supplement yoga, take the place of swimming, and be available for me at home or somewhere other than a traditional gym.

Buried Treasure
Well, I recently found the answer…but it was located way beneath my resistance.

You see, I’d done some research on the internet and found an incredible piece of equipment made by the company NuStep. Easy-on-the-joints, a full-body workout, and transforming lives, NuStep is a wonderful machine. It also comes with a hefty price tag, so I wanted to try it out first.

NuStep does have a 30-day at-home trial period, but rather than have it shipped here, set it up, and possibly not like it, I asked where I might give the machine a test ride. I found out that a commercially-owned NuStep machine was located at a gym near me called Club50. And not only could I try the machine out, but the salesperson at NuStep told me I could possibly join Club50 and not have to purchase the machine myself. “Club50?” I thought, “This probably means it’s really a senior center and there are tired seniors playing bingo.” So I resisted going. For weeks.

The Other Side of Resistance
But after a month of grumbling, I gave myself a self-coaching session and figured, “Heck, it’s only to check the machine out. I don‘t have to sign up and play bingo.” So I went. And I was oh so wrong about what I’d find.

Club50 Fitness Centers® were created for those of us age 50 and above and it is anything but a place for bingo. It’s for those of us who want a great workout, aren’t training for body-building competitions, choose cotton t-shirts instead of binding lycra and spandex and prefer to use exercise equipment that is highly efficient yet easy on our bodies.

I met the energetic owner of the franchise near me, Mark, and grinned from ear to ear when I looked around. I found an inspiring environment, fabulous equipment, yoga classes, and, what’s become my very favorite, the NuStep machine. As I tend to like to get in and get down to business, I was also happy to see the efficiency of the circuit system and the lack of crowds at the equipment. I adore the place, look forward to going, get a great workout, and feel right at home!

If you are a baby-boomer at age 50 or beyond, want a fun and engaging way to keep fit, I encourage you to try a Club50 near you and/or also try the NuStep machine. Like me, you’ll be glad you did.

Sometimes, what we want is right behind the resistance we cling to.

Love to hear your comments about fitness at 50, swimming in the rain, overcoming resistance or anything else this post brings to mind:)

Warmly,
Erica

P.S. Join me on my FREE monthly WellnessCoach teleclasses. Call me to register: 925-933-7445

Life Lessons from Watching a Master Golfer

golf.jpgEven though I come from a family of avid golfers, and grew up with the game surrounding me, I am not a golfer.

What I do have though is a profound respect for those who do play, a love for the aesthetics of beautiful golf courses and an unexplainable obsession for watching masterful golfers and gleaning lessons I can apply to my own life.

So yes, I was glued to the TV for days watching Tiger Woods win this latest U.S. Open. Especially the round on Father’s Day, the play off round on Monday and the subsequent sudden-death game that resulted in his win. The man never ceases to amaze me.

I’ve been thinking about what I’ve learned from watching Tiger play this past week and how I will put it to use. Here’s what I’ve come up with:

1. I’m not privy to the inside of Tiger’s head…if I were, I’d guess that his mindset FROM THE OUTSET of this U.S. Open was: “I’ve WON the 2008 U.S. Open”.

2. Like a pilot with a specific destination (let’s say Kansas), he knew where he was headed. He had a clear intention. In fact he already saw in his mind’s eye that he had arrived at his destination.

3. Also like a pilot, he had to do course-correction along the way. I imagine when a shot didn’t go as planned, even let’s say an hour before the tournament ended, he didn’t say to himself, “Oh crap, I’m not going to win now”, any more than the pilot would say,”Oh crap, I’m not going to land in Kansas” when the wind shifted a bit and the course had to be altered an hour before landing. I’ll bet instead Tiger’s thinking went something like:

4. “Okay, now what? Since I see myself as ALREADY HAVING WON THIS THING and I project to an hour from now when I am holding that trophy, WHAT DID I DO AT THIS POINT SO I WOUND UP WINNING?”

5. And then he just did the next thing he had to do…he did the next thing that his “winning script” (which was written in terms of the future) already said had happened to get him the trophy. He put ALL HIS FOCUS ON THE SHOT HE WAS TAKING AT THE MOMENT, knowing IT WAS IN SERVICE TO THE GOAL HE HAD ALREADY ACHIEVED IN SOME FUTURE STATE. In the present, he isn’t griping that he has to get out of the sand trap or rough (okay, maybe for a split second) but then, he immediately focuses and just gets out because he knows that’s what will have happened in the script of his already having won that trophy.

6. I truly think he enjoyed the process. (Okay, maybe not the knee pain, but certainly the chance to focus and apply his skill.)

7. In my own life, I have a few “trophies” that I want to attain or cultivate. Some are intangible trophies like peace and joy. Others are tangible like a clear business goal and a fitness goal. I am committed to spending time each day seeing the future “script” of myself as already in possession of these things.

8. And I am committed to simultaneously focusing on each task in front of me that is a part of that “script” with mindfulness.

9. I am committed to shortening the time I spend griping about unexpected sand traps. (I mean really, yes I might be bummed, but how much preciouis time do I want to hang out there?)

10. I’m committed to refocusing on the needed course correction that is already a part of my future success script. (My friend and financial mentor, Loral Langemeir, calls this future pacing.)

11. I’m committed to enjoying the process.

I sure have no inkling whatsoever to pick up a golf club, but God, I love golf. And thanks, Tiger. You’re the best business and wellness mentor I’ve ever “hired”.

How about you? Love to hear if any of this makes sense in your life…

Cultivate Wellness By Keeping it Simple

bluewater-ripple.jpgWellness – a small word with big implications. So big, that some people are overwhelmed by the idea. Overwhelmed because they think they have to take big steps, make major shifts, and do so all at once, right now. It’s no wonder.

Just reading the front cover of a popular wellness magazine this morning, I saw admonitions that I, while reading this one issue, should: “Change the Way I Eat; Change the Way I Exercise; Improve My Meditation Techniques; Revamp My Yoga Practice; Hire a Personal Trainer; Achieve My Ideal Weight; Stay Calm.” Yikes!

Of course, you could get equally overwhelmed by reading every single post I’ve put on this blog and expect yourself to implement everything – and implement all of the tips all today no less. But that’s not the way I approach wellness in my own life, and it’s not the way I want to promote wellness here. I’m a big believer in keeping things meaningful and simple.

Keep it simple.
You can begin to make a difference in the wellness of your life and business with your next breath. You already have the blueprint for doing so within you. With simple attention and a commitment to your inner nature, you can begin today to uncover or rediscover that blueprint.

5 Simple Ways to Bring Wellness into Your Life

1. Honor your breath.
Right now. Without changing a thing, what do you notice about your breath? Is it shallow? Fast? Slow? Your breath is the source of your life. Taking time to notice it each day, in the midst of business and personal life tasks, is a powerful way to honor your inner nature.

2. Clarify your values.
What’s important? Personally and professionally, what do you value? Efficiency? Joy? Education? Recognition? Identify your Top 3 Values and post them on your calendar or dashboard. Refer to this list as you make choices throughout your day, especially the choices you know will impact your overall wellness level.

3. Make a mini-assessment in 1 hour. Assess your life, your business and your actions.
Are your values evident in your personal and professional life? Are you walking your talk? Take your Top 3 Values and spend an honest hour with yourself as you assess your life and business. Is there one small but high-leveraging change you can make? When and how will you do it? Go ahead. Shift something right now.

4. Discover what you love.
What makes your heart sing? What fills your soul at this stage in your life? Sometimes we get stuck in routines and wake up to find we are far away from doing what we love. Tame the Gremlin® that tells you that discovering what you love takes a lot of work. Keep it simple. If you had plenty of time and money, what would you be doing? Why? Take some time to write your answer (or speak it into a tape recorder). Find a way this week to start doing something you love. Review this tip often.

5. Focus on your strengths.
What do you do well? What comes easily? Are you overlooking any personal or professional strength that others see? List your Top 5 Strengths. Now ask 2 people (whose opinions you respect) to do the same for you—have them include any character attributes, business practices, or life skills they admire. Combine the information. Keep the final list handy and review your strengths often.

Bonus Tip: Read Something Inspirational
It’s amazing to me that the simple act of reading a short haiku, a small poem, an ancient fable, or an inspiring essay, can open up new space in the day. Find a collection of your old favorites, or discover a new one. Place Seven Sacred Attitudes® on your nightstand for easy morning or evening inspiration.

Invitation: Choose to take one of these simple tips and start cultivating wellness with your next breath!

Keep us posted: I haven’t done a few of these myself in awhile, so I’ll be looking at #5 today. How about you?

Time Out for Happiness

playing-monopoly.jpgWho knew family game night last night would lead to a blog post on the WellnessCoach blog? Not me. But I will use anything in front of me as a metaphor if I think it will help me shift and broaden my perspective on wellness. And today, I’m looking at a board game.

I believe the designers of Monopoly® were on to something when they put the “Free Parking” space on the game board. I think it was a subtle reminder to take time out and do nothing. A subtle reminder to heed the following quote in our daily lives:

“Now and then it’s good to pause
in the pursuit of happiness
and just be happy.”

– Guillaume Apollinaire

At least that’s how I’m thinking about the “Free Parking” space today.

And if you’d like to join me in this line of thinking, feel free to use this blog post as a “Free Parking” spot for yourself today. In your pursuit of happiness, your rush to read blogs, gather new information, and all matters you face, take a break.

Right here.

Right now.

Take one deep breath.

Close your eyes and just feel the joy of taking that breath.

Yes, just like that.

Take this one moment to be happy, right here, right now.

For this one breath.

Namaste

The 20th Tip for Happy and Stress-Free Holidays

look-closely.jpgThe first 19 tips for a Relaxing Holiday Season were wonderfully presented today by Edward Mills, in the Evolving Times Blog. I’d like to add the 20th tip here.

Just Notice
Yes, this is the tip I offer you this season…Just Notice. Simple words, challenging to remember. The method? Glad you asked…

Try this:

Throughout the day, take time to be present to the moment before you.

First, ask yourself: “What do I notice here?”

Then check within yourself and with all that’s around you by asking:

How is my breathing?
Are my shoulders tensed?
Am I grinding my teeth?
What is literally right in front of me?

And the big question:

What about this haven’t I noticed before? (I was instructed in a workshop once to ask myself this question while looking at a $1 bill for 15 solid minutes, where all we did was to notice something on the bill that we hadn’t noticed before. It was quite illuminating.)

Make no judgments about what you notice, just notice it. Examples: “I see a desktop with 10 stacks of paper, an over-flowing in-box, I don’t think I’m breathing, there is a holiday card from a dear colleague and my clock says 3pm.” or “I see a table of gift wrap, a sink full of dishes, my breathing is shallow, my shoulders are hunched and tight, I see small flecks of glitter on the card my niece made, and I never noticed the way the light comes in through the shutters in the afternoon.”

Then take a deep breath and continue with what you are doing.

I can guarantee that if you “just notice” and omit the judgments (“Oh, this place is a mess and I am way behind”), and simply answer the questions above, the “just noticing” will go a long way toward keeping you focused on the heart-centered present…which is all the holiday present you might really need:)

What tips do you have for stress-free holidays? Let us know!

Seven Sacred Attitudes® –Living in the Richness of the Moment During the Holidays and New Year

3207cvr.jpgThe holidays and a new year bring many opportunities to “live in the richness of the moment”, as I call itor to “live consciously” as Leo Babauta says in his ZenHabits post today. But most of those opportunities for conscious and rich living will go unnoticed if we stress out, multi-task and rush around getting everything “just right” for our celebrations and year-end business obligations.

To reclaim the richness of those moments, I’ve found It’s helpful to adopt the 4-step practice I call, Stop…Breath…Notice…Choose.™ And though I’d love to teach it to you in a coaching program or a Sacred Attitudes workshop next year, the holidays are already underway and I’ll bet you’d like to start reclaiming those moments right this minute. Good news is, you now can!

Announcing the arrival of my e-book! Yes, after a successful year in paperback, Seven Sacred Attitudes has morphed into its new form. For those traveling a path of personal growth and development and wanting to live more meaningful lives, here’s the e-book no “traveler” should be without: Seven Sacred Attitudes®: How to Live in the Richness of the Moment.

I am honored that wellness expert, Dr. Gerald Jampolsky, M.D., endorsed the book by saying:

“Erica Ross-Krieger’s words are wise, sensible and compelling. From the very first page, her profound Seven Sacred Attitudes will become an important part of your life. It is with admiration and acclaim that I recommend this must-read book to everyone desirous of adopting attitudes that heal.”

— Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D.
Author of Love is Letting Go of Fear
Founder, Center for Attitudinal Healing

A few notes about the e-book:
With compelling stories and thought-provoking questions this e-book will encourage you to open your heart and explore your attitudes toward life. Learning the 4-step process to cultivate the Seven Sacred Attitudes will help you lead a more joyful, meaningful life. Discovering more about the attitudes will be a juicy journey. The Sacred Attitudes are:

* Use Inner Wisdom
* Accept What’s So
* Go Slow
* Do Less
* Show Up
* Trust the Process
* Be With the Questions

Each essay, fable, and story in Seven Sacred Attitudes illustrates one of the Sacred Attitudes, revealing that every step, every breath, along life’s path presents an opportunity to deepen your learning. Questions help you examine—and cultivate—energy-giving attitudes for personal growth and a rewarding life.

So, enjoy the e-book and join me in the practice of reclaiming each moment, so we can fully enjoy the season and cultivate the richness of the New Year.

P.S. Here are a few more endorsements of the e-book and mega-thanks for giving me the chance to share my good news:

“This engaging life manual teaches you to rely on Sacred Attitudes to nurture your inner wisdom, cultivate serenity, and allow happiness to emerge. Following Erica Ross-Krieger’s simple daily process of ‘Stop, Breathe, Notice, and Choose’ will help you focus on the heart-centered present.”

— Roger Jahnke, O.M.D.
Author of The Healer Within and The Healing Promise of Qi

“As you contemplate the delicious gems inside Seven Sacred Attitudes, you will find Erica Ross-Krieger has accomplished two marvelous things: first, she reveals the Heart of a true Teacher; and second, she gives us a new model for being with ourselves, coaching others, and making our lives full and meaningful.”

— Craig Carr, CPCC, PCC

Founder, Coaching Elements, Inc.
Senior Trainer, Coaches Training Institute

Seven Sacred Attitudes is a compelling and inspirational book. Who can resist finding out what the Seven Sacred Attitudes are and how we can use them for healing our lives?”

— Angeles Arrien, Ph.D., Author of The Four-Fold Way and Signs of Life

About the Author