Feeling like your life is stuck in a rut? Then this is for you. Keep reading to find out 7 sure fire methods to help you get unstuck.

Hello friend, September is upon us, and after the back to school flurry things are starting to settle down in our household. And this weekend, along with hockey tryouts, a piano lesson and grocery shopping, we will be beginning to pack up a few things here at my parents farm, as it looks like our renovations are finally nearing completion! Woot!!  After almost 10 months away from home, I hope to be sleeping in my own bedroom by the end of the week. Yipee!!! The house looks fabulous and I will be sure to post some pics in the next Fullflight missive. But back to what to do if you are stuck in a rut…..

I was working with a client recently and she was describing her mood when she returned home from work. Going to work uplifts her, she enjoys her job and the people she works with, but returning to her house is a different story. She described driving home from work and rounding the corner to see her house with her front yard strewn with junk, and once inside, being greeted by more mess. Certainly not an uplift.

The family dynamics are such that my client ends up being responsible for most everything, walking the dogs, grocery shopping, getting the meals, looking after an ailing relative, and ALL the cleaning. There are other grown ups in the house but for one reason or another they aren’t pitching in. (And that is a whole other discussion).You can see now why coming home weighs so heavily on my clients shoulders.

Rules to getting out of a rut-

1. De-clutter / clean up / throw out the junk:

Heck hire a maid service if you have to! This is the suggestion I gave my client, and I do this myself when the ‘stuff’ of life starts piling up around me and I can no longer see my counter tops. Maybe it’s just a quick tidy that your place needs, but if it is a big job, pay someone to help you out. It’s worth it.

2. Try the fresh flowers cure:

This goes hand in hand with Rule #1 above. Once you have tidied up an area, and the surface is clean place a vase of fresh flowers there. Instant mood boost!

3. Shift your perspective:

Instead of looking at what is wrong in your life, start look at all that is going right. For the client above I suggested that she write down 10 things she is grateful for, every night before bed. Maybe there is junk in her front yard but she has a grassy, big lawn. Her house may need cleaning but it is hers, and she loves the neighbourhood it sits in. I like to greet the morning like this as well, noting all the things I am grateful for just after waking up. This is my way of ensuring that the day starts off on a peaceful and positive note, before I am swept up in the ‘to do’s’ of the day.

4. Start with the easy.

Let’s say you are feeling so overloaded at work or with your life, that you are frozen, you don’t even know where to begin. Start with one small action. If you are at work, at your desk, start with something doable. Maybe it’s calling a customer you know will be friendly as opposed to calling the grumpy one.

Or maybe your being hard on yourself for getting out of shape, or putting on some extra pounds? If that is the case, again start with something easy. Lace up your kicks and go for a walk around the block. If you want to get to a gym class in the morning, pick out your exercise clothes the night before and lay them out, so when the alarm goes off you will be ready and your morning will run smoothly. Just take one small action in the direction of where you want to go.

5. Be your #1 cheerleader:

When I ventured out into the coaching / entrepreneurial world I had the expectations that my friends and family would gather round me and give 110% in supporting this new venture of mine.

Nope.

Did not happen.

There are only a couple of my close friends and family members that helped me out when I was in that fledgling stage, and I so appreciated it, and do till this day!

But I did expect my cheerleading section to be bigger. But you know, people are busy, they are focussing on their needs, and maybe they don’t even know what you want from them.  What I have realized is that you need to be your own biggest cheerleader first. It doesn’t matter what goal you are trying to reach, the number of set backs along the way, or the number of ‘likes’ you get,  what matters is how YOU feel about what you are doing. I have put up blog posts and released work into the world that has been greeted with …crickets. But you know what, I don’t care, because I love what I do, it is my way of ‘serving’ and I would do it even if no one paid me, and to me that is a BIG win.

Be your own biggest cheerleader, ‘nuf said.

6. Try something new:

Hip hop dance class, wake boarding, poetry slam contest, motorcycle lessons, whatever. Find one thing that lights you up and go for it. Go for it even if you feel like a ‘shlumpadinka’ (lazy person in yoga pants on couch), go for it even if your roots are showing and you haven’t shaved your legs in weeks. Go for it even if you feel silly, scared or self conscious. Move through that fear and you will discover the goodies on the other side and suddenly you won’t feel so stuck.

7. Consult a professional:

If you have tried some of these suggestions and you still feel stuck, or you can’t contemplate even attempting any of the above, then it might be time to consult a professional. Depending on your level of need you could hire a coach, see a counsellor or therapist, or book time with a psychologist. If money is an issue check out free counselling resources in your area or inquire about ‘sliding scale’ payments.

This is your one life and you don’t want to be living it from the ‘in the ditch’ position on the side of he road, watching everyone else zooming by enjoying themselves.

You deserve to zoom too!

Getting to ‘zoom’….

That being said, everyone’s ‘stuckness’ is different, so different strategies will be employed for different people, but the above techniques I have shared are guaranteed to give you a quick jump start, they will help you see things differently, and hopefully get you out of the rut you are in and back on the road of life.

And if you have any tools you employ for when you are stuck in a rut, I’d love to hear about them- so put them in the comments, or if that is too public for your liking, contact me at admin@fullflightlifecoaching.com

Until next time my friend,

xo

Eliz

The post Stuck in a rut? Here are 7 ways to get out. appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Oliver at my parents pond.

Hello friend, hope you are having a lovely April. It is a rainy afternoon as I write this but the air feels warmer and the blossoms are out so yay! Feels good doesn’t it? I am also feeling good because I finally picked my ‘word of the year‘. Keep reading to find out what word I eventually landed on is and how I landed on it.

Apologies for the delay between posts!

As you may know life is a bit upside down for us at the moment due to our home renos.  You might recall we moved out of our place before Christmas and here we sit 3+ months later with not a lot of progress. Despite getting the permits last week the City inspector has a backlog so he hasn’t made it our place yet, which means all the trades are backed up – electrical, plumbing and drywall.

So we wait…and I continue to drive 2 hours a day back and forth to the boys school, and then back again for things like baseball practice. Sigh. At this rate we are hoping to be in by the end of June, early July??? ….it is really out of our hands though so I am trying to go with the flow (see my leaf analogy and how it relates to my ‘word of the year’ below).

It hasn’t been all bad though.

We had a Hawaiian vacation in February that warmed our souls. The boys were in heaven, swimming, strolling and eating, and so were we. Then in March Steve and I made a short, surprise trip to the UK for Steve’s uncle’s birthday. We even were able to fit in a few days sightseeing in London, getting to the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate Modern Museum (where we saw the Picasso show), Churchill’s War Rooms (fascinating) and Harrods. You really need lifetimes to see all that London has to offer!

Steve and I enjoying the Tate Modern Gallery, London, U.K.

More good things have been popping up as well but I will save that news for another day. Stay tuned….

My Word of the Year! Finally!

I am not sure if it was the hectic blur of my life these last few months or a lack of inspiration, but I could not settle on a ‘word of the year’ for 2018.

You might remember that I pick a ‘word of the year’ every year that represents what I want that particular year to be about and for 2017 it was ‘Lean’. Not in the one dimensional sense of say having a ‘lean’ body but more about paring things down; a leaner coaching practice (streamlining programs and services), leaner financial services (paying no unnecessary fees), a leaner home (lose the clutter and make better use of space), and leaner in terms of my body / weight (overall better health and wellness).

Did ‘Lean’ Work? 

To be honest with you when I started writing this post I couldn’t recall what my 2017 word was! So when I went back and read that it was ‘lean’ I had a chuckle. For one, my house certainly is less cluttered as there is NO stuff in it, and we have less ‘stuff’ in general because we are living with minimal things out of boxes at my folks and have either gotten rid of our other ‘stuff’ or it is packed away in storage!

I also have to say that in terms of my health and wellness, that following our Hawaii trip this past winter I was feeling the best I have been in years. For the last 14 months I have been attending a great gym, the planters fascitis that was dogging me for the last year and a half went away so I was able to go for a run every second day in Maui. So yes, I am feeling stronger and leaner health wise (although I took a few steps back due to lots of eating out in London and too much Easter chocolate but I’m getting back on the horse this week! Public accountability!)

So ‘Lean’ worked for me, just as ‘Clarity’ worked in 2016, ‘Ease’ worked in 2015 and ‘Freedom’ worked in 2014.

There really is a special energy that forms when you chose a word to represent your aspirations for the coming year. Writing that word down, telling others, or sharing it on social media as I do, goes a long way to holding one accountable and keeping momentum up.

How I came across my WOTY….

…Oprah Interviewing Pema Chodron

This morning as I was doing the dishes I was listening to Oprah interview the Buddhist nun Pema Chodron. They were discussing heart advice for difficult times. The Buddhist tradition speaks a lot about ‘sufferring’ and Pema explained that suffering refers to encountering difficult times, disruptive times, anxiety provoking times etc. You know, those times that make you feel fearful and insecure.

Well these past months I,  like many other humans, have had some challenging times.

It isn’t easy to pack up your entire house and along with your dog and your two young sons (one with special needs who thrives with structure and regularity), and all your holiday paraphernalia; like 20 plus Christmas gifts, wrapping paper, gift receipts, snowshoes, bikes, pot and pans, food etc…and move in with your parents a few days before Christmas.

If you haven’t done it, well I can tell you it is quite unsettling. And it was unsettling for my folks too, who were used to a quiet, kid free house.

Living at my parent’s place means I often can’t find things like my son’s baseball glove which he now needs for practice, or there is an important file I need but it is locked away in our storage container so I can’t access it. In the scheme of things this may seem like small potatoes, but hey it’s my life and like you I have good days and not so good days where I find myself getting irritated by these types of little things.

So I am working on it.

Which brings me to my word of the year for 2018.

‘Surrender’

Go With The Flow

Pema Chodron spoke about how in the face of suffering, however big or small that suffering is, that surrendering to what is going on and accepting it is the key.

For 2018 I am surrendering to what is; storing my clothes in boxes, working out of my old bedroom instead of my office, a school run of 2+ hours a day, experiencing yet another delay with our renovation permits, finding out that we need to pony up another $12,000 for a leaky roof, whatever it is I will surrender to it.

I will try to be like the leaf that floats on the surface of the water, sometimes getting whipped around in a whirlpool, sometimes tumbling over the rapids, sometimes getting caught on a branch, and sometimes being carried gently down the stream. No resistance. No suffering. Only surrender.

So did you pick your word for 2018?

How is it going for you? Are you keeping up the momentum? Everyday gives you an opportunity to hit that reset button if you are not.

I’d love to hear what your WOTY is so feel free to put in the comment section below or if you are not reading this on my website, over on the blog .

xo

Eliz

*Update- Alongside my usual coaching packages I now offer a career coaching package as well. If you would like more information about this contact admin@fullflightlifecoaching.com

The post My ‘word of the year’ for 2018, finally! appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Surf board art at Islands Cafe- I’m dreaming about Hawaii…

Aloha!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

I snapped this pic while thinking about one of my current dreams and enjoying a hot Kona coffee at Islands Cafe, a Hawaiian themed coffee shop near my house. It was one of those mornings where I felt the need for a change of scenery (this is a by product from working from home- you get cabin fever from time to time!).

This past week I have divided my time between all things coaching including creating this video (scroll to bottom), organizing for my son’s birthday, and continuing to pack up the house as we get closer to our move out / renovation date.

It felt good to visit Islands Cafe as it reminded me of essential life ‘survival’ tip number 6 from the video, which I think is a MUST if you want more JOY in your life. It has to do with creating ‘anchors’ in your life, which tether you to, and remind you of, your big DREAMS, and we all need to have dreams if we want to live a joyful and fulfilled life.

Anyhow I talk more about some of my dreams and anchors in the video (below) so I hope you check it out.

Also!!!!!!

I have extended the date of the special offer ($100 off!) on my 6 week e-course Passion Dream School until Sunday, October 1st at midnight as I was a wee bit slow in getting the information about the course out. I put the baking of my son’s birthday cake (9 years old!) before my social media posts so decided to extend the special offer through to the end of the weekend.

#priorities #familyfirst #always

Will’s birthday cake -baked and decorated by moi (but he picked out the candles)

If you liked what I share in the video and want to take this work further, then Passion Dream School is for you! Chock full of videos, audios, meditations, worksheets etc. and I have to say this program contains my BEST stuff and is priced really well. Click HERE for more info about Passion Dream School.

$100 off until midnight SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1st!!! 🙂

Ok thats it lovely, take care!

xo

Eliz

The post Spilling some secrets (new video about anchors, dreams and more!….) appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

And so September draws to a close. What a blur! One day I will experience a calm and quiet September but I don’t think it will be for many years! lol

Back to school, kids sports and lessons kicking off, prospective clients calling about booking strategy sessions, clients booking coaching sessions after taking the summer off, business meetings ramping up, and on top of this typical September activity I am trying to pack up the house as we prepare for our move out and upcoming renovations. Last week,  I was feeling overwhelmed by it all.

However I am an old hand at feeling overwhelmed AND getting myself out of it, and I willl share six techniques I used this past month which got me out of overwhelm and helped save my bacon.

1. Having a meal plan-

Ideally having five days of meals planned out, or at the very least, three.  Know what you are preparing and make sure you have all the ingredients in house. This will save you time and and energy, keep things running smoothly on the home front and ensure that you are eating nutritious foods.

2. Early bedtimes-

During the last few weeks of summer my husband and I got into a habit of staying up late watching TV. This caught up with us in early September when my eldest son was waking up at 4:30-5:00AM anxious about the coming school day (which meant we were waking up at 4:30-5:00AM!). We started going up at 9:00-9:30PM so we could do some quiet reading, wind down and fall asleep at a decent time. This made for much better mornings!

3. Keeping up the exercise-

During stressful times regular exercise can be the first thing to go. However, it is when we are at our busiest and most harried that we need to get our heart pumping and move our body. Since January I have pre-booked and pre-paid, a bi-weekly workout at my gym. This means I will get out of bed and get to that 6:25AM class on a consistent basis.

This arrangement has been working really well for me and since January I have only missed two classes due to illness. When I attended my old gym which was a ‘show up when you feel like it’ and ‘work out on your own’ arrangement, it was much easier to take a pass or go, but not work out to the best of my abilities. Pre-booked and pre-paid small group training is the way to go for me now.

4. Doing a ‘Mind Dump’ and using a ‘Priority / ‘Non-Priority’ list when overwhelmed-

If you participated in the Passion Dream Challenge or have been following me for awhile you may remember these two tools. I had to use them last week as I was getting bogged down by all my ‘To Do’s’.

I took all the thoughts swirling around in my head and captured them on paper. Immediately I felt lighter. Then I sorted them into one of the two columns. Was this item a ‘Priority’ or a ‘Non-Priority?’ Seeing my ‘To Do’s’ noted in their respective columns instantly made me feel more organized and capable and I knew I could handle all I needed to do.

5. Use a ‘Daily Compass’ every day-

The second step after doing a ‘Mind Dump’ and a ‘Priority / ‘Non-Priority’ list is having a ‘Daily Compass’. From my ‘Priority’ list I then take the top three items I need to get done today and I write them down and put the paper where I can see it.

If I am working at my desk my ‘DC’ is next to my computer, if I’m in the kitchen it’s taped to a cupboard, if I am out it’s on my phone. Then, regardless of how nutso the day gets I will not be thrown off track. I can look at the ‘DC’ and be reminded of my true priorities and focus on what really needs to get done.

6. Have an ‘Anchor’ to remind you of your goals-

Keeping our eyes on the sweet things in life helps us to stay joyful and not get bogged down in the day to day minutiae. I have a friend who said she always has to have something to look forward to like a holiday to keep her feeling good.

One of my big goals is to go on a safari in Africa and there is one specific company I want to travel with and the cost of their safaris? Well let’s just say you would not call them inexpensive! 🙂  I am not in a position to go on this trip anytime soon but regardless, I have signed up for their e-mails and love getting their newsletter and being reminded that this is a treasured goal of mine.

Newsletters or e-mails from this safari company act as an ‘anchor’ to my big goal and reminds me that this is what I want to do, and that there are delicious things in store for me if I stay on track with my dreams. I had one of their e-mails pop into my in-box yesterday, with news about three new leopard cubs and it was a welcome treat!

If you haven’t done so already, I recommend you create some kind of similar ‘anchor’s in your life. This can be a vision board with pictures on it that represent your dreams or having a password on your work computer that reminds you every day of one of your wild and juicy goals. Use these ‘anchors’ to keep your dreams alive and present in your everyday life.

Want more tools like these? 

There you have it my friend, six essential survival skills that will help you get through ANY month with joy and ease.

If these tools resonated with you and you want to take things further, check out Passion Dream School my 6 week e-course all about creating a more beautiful and peaceful life. It is chock full of techniques like these as well as videos, audios and more!, AND I am offerring $100 off until Friday, September 29th at midnight. Correction! – Now extended to Sunday, October 1st at midnight as I was slow to get the information out on social media 🙂 !

If you want to de-clutter your world (mentally and physically), get some more awesome coaching tools like these, and create a more gorgeous life, get my fun and easy e-course HERE

xo

Elizabeth

The post Six Life ‘Survival’ Essentials You Need to Be Using appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

How to make the most of September…

One week in and September is sizzling!

Can you feel the rush of energy as we move into the second week of the back to school season?

That thrum in my veins compels me to hit the reset button, tweak old projects and start new ones. Maybe it is amplified for me as I worked very little over the summer and threw myself into kids activities, holidays and a BIG new project I am excited to tell you about (below), and now with the arrival of September and my boys back at school I can really get to it, in terms of work-  yippee! But first a little backstory.

As you may recall, a few months back I launched the Passion Dream Challenge, seven days of videos, each with a daily mission, meant to help you de-clutter your world and create a more peaceful, beautiful life.

As I was putting the videos together and designing the on-line course that followed the challenge (Passion Dream School) I couldn’t help but do all the exercises myself, (all those that I wasn’t already doing regularly that is).

You know that old saying;

‘You teach what you need to learn.’

Well it totally cracks me up because;

A) It is TOTALLY true and…

B) I have so much to learn!

About being ‘uneasy’… 

Immersing myself in the PDS course helped me gain insight and inspired me to up-level my life (truth be told, as a self development junkie working in the coaching field I am always doing this, and I totally love it!)

So this past Spring, after applying the practices laid out in the PDS course, things in my world started shifting a bit more than usual, and it was unsettling. Everything felt off, and I think it was because I had just put out a coaching program about creating a beautiful, peaceful life, yet my own life did not reflect this (or at least to the extent I wanted it to, and knew it could be).

I felt compelled to acknowledge this inconsistency and make an effort to design my life in a way that felt more congruent. To do this meant creating a mess, but destruction, chaos, disorientation, whatever you want to label it, is a natural part of the creation and / or transformation process. To build something new you often need to tear down the old.

I tell you about our big ‘mess’ below…

To Move or Not to Move?

…right before the launch of Passion Dream School, I had moved my home office into our laundry room, in preparation for redoing my office. My husband and I got to work on the spring cleaning, we decluttered and sent a bunch of stuff to recycling, but despite our efforts we still weren’t happy with the office, and if truth be told, we were not happy with our entire living space. We just could not get our heads around what we were going to do with our poorly laid out, 1980’s era house which is in need of a lot of repairs.

As we live in a wonderful neighbourhood, with our kids settled into school, activities and routines, we had decided against moving. This past winter, we had agreed to fix up the house ourselves, starting with a make-over for my office, but soon realized that was, as another old saying goes, like ‘putting lipstick on a pig’. LOL

I had been dissatisfied with our house for years and was now determined to ‘Create An Environment Worthy of a Passion Dreamer‘. That is the title of Module 2 in PDS fyi, and basically means creating a beautiful, peaceful environment that is reflective of the person(s) who inhabits the space, and despite our best efforts in clearing clutter, and applying a coat of paint, the underlying issues (walls deteriorating, poor layout etc.)  were still obvious.

So we took the plunge and hired a general contractor, and this past month we have been working on a new and improved design for our house, and I am still camped out in the laundry room.

Chaos Before Creation

In keeping with the ‘you need chaos in order to create’ model, I have spent the last few weeks going through every item in our house with an aim to discard, give away, recycle or store – it is a decluttering on a major scale. Once most everything is stored away in containers (which will happen soon) we will be moving into my parents place, about a thirty minute drive away, for about eight weeks while the renovations are done.

Although I am not looking forward to uprooting our lives, and despite the fact I still have a ton of packing to get through, I am very much looking forward to living in a congruent, peaceful living space – one that is worthy of a ‘Passion Dreamer’!

September’s Energy is Available to You!

Now I know a lot of peeps feel moved by the fresh energy of the fall (just as the Spring energy moves us) and if you are feeling the need to pare your life down, or clean out your home in preparation for winter, keep in mind that there is great power in de-cluttering! As I can attest to, it can take you in directions you didn’t even know that you wanted to go! (at least consciously anyways!).

This doesn’t have to mean having a garage sale or taking items to the Salvation Army either, it can also mean ‘clearing out’ relationships that no longer serve you, leaving a difficult job or work situation, or setting stronger boundaries with certain people in your life in order to protect your wellbeing.

If you can, take some time out to reflect on what is, and is not, in alignment in your life, and see what areas you feel inspired to ‘tweak’.

How You Do’in?*

(*Said like Joey on ‘Friends’ ha ha)

If you are feeling that pulse of fall energy and are keen to harness it and make some changes in your life – whatever that looks like for you, but you aren’t really sure where to start or what to do, then you might be interested in becoming a student of the Passion Dream School. 

The purpose of PDS is to create a more gorgeous life and the program is chock full of videos, audio recordings, meditations, checklists, recommended readings and other awesome things.

(Keep scrolling for the full description below).

Keep in mind this course is all done on-line, you can dive into it whenever you feel inspired (no deadlines!), and until the end of this month I am offering PDS at a special price (until September 29th at midnight). Check out the description below if you want ALL the details.

What Will Passion Dream School Do For Me?

In a nutshell?

 It will help you create the life you want.

The Passion Dream School on-line program comes with;

• 3 videos
• 14 audio recordings on topics such as; ‘Life Hacks’, ‘Negativity Busters’, ‘Managing Fear’, ‘The Power of Anchors, Totems, Talismans and How to Make Them Work For You’,  ‘Setting Up Your Own Board of Directors’ and other juicy topics
• Questionnaires like ‘What’s Draining You?’ and ‘How Ready Are You For Change?’
• Meditations, visualizations and ‘how to…’ links re: how to meditate and specific meditations (forgiveness meditation, cutting ties with someone meditation)
• Handouts such as the ‘Life Systems Checklist’ and ‘Goal Setting Cheat Sheet’
• Checklists on de-cluttering and creating your ideal environment
• Recommended readings (my ‘go to’ bedside table books that have helped me get me through any situation life throws at me- and continue to help me!)
• My ‘getting into alignment’ (good vibes only!) personal music play list and lots more!

I must say I’m particularly proud of PDS because it contains some of my best stuff, coaching tools, techniques and info that I ONLY share with my coaching clients or in my groups, and truth be told, this is information that, through a variety of coaching and educational experiences, I have paid thousands of dollars to access.

I am pretty pumped with how I have packaged and priced it (hello- affordable!), in a way that makes it easy and fun, and you don’t have to shell out a ton of cash to access the information. And this program is meaty, so you are getting great value when you purchase it at this special price.

 Now in a previous Full Flight post I did share one of the videos from the program (about the ‘Change Cycle’), and if you missed it and want a taste of what PDS is about, and are interested in how to get a 1,000 foot view of your life, watch it HERE.

But if you know you want Passion Dream School now and can’t wait to get started-  click HERE

And If you would like more information about  Passion Dream School  click HERE.

Ok my friend, over and out and have fun with all that marvellous energy September has to offer!

xo

Elizabeth

The post How to make the most of September… appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

TGIF!

Hope you are having a fantastic day!

I’m talking about goals today so keep reading to find out what my pant size has to do with my current goals and my ‘word of the year’!

Well it is the end of the week peeps and we finally seem to have seen the back end of the winterish weather. It is sunny as I write this but more spring rains are a coming apparently, on par with living in a rain forest I guess!

I am in a ‘fabulous Friday’ kinda mood as I am off to see U2 and Mumford and Sons at BC Place tonight with Steve!

Cannot wait!

I think the last concert we went to together was Coldplay about 5 or 6 years ago, we are well overdue.

And yes I did pay WAAAAAYYY too much for these tickets through a ticket resale site (thinking I was purchasing in Canadian $ when it was really $US-gulp!) but I am going to put that aside and enjoy the show, and for the record I am TOTALLY going to lobby for legislation to out- law ticket re-sales, I cannot believe that this is allowed! What hasn’t anybody done anything about it? I will be contacting my MP this week (I don’t know why I didn’t do that at the time I got fleeced, but will do so now!).

I am also feeling particularly pumped this morning as I am on an endorphin high from my workout at Thrive Fitness Studio. The instructors there really know how to push you (so much so that you can barley lift a loaf of bread the next day) but overall I haven’t felt this good in a long time.

I need to give my friend Erin props for suggesting it to me;

‘Thx Erin!’.

I have a bunch of updates to share with you today – related to my ‘Word of The Year’ so be sure to keep reading because there are some points I am hoping you can take away and apply to your own life.

Let’s go! 

Passion Dream School is Underway!

This week I am fine tuning Module 3 of Passion Dream School, my online course that is all about creating a more peaceful and gorgeous life.  I can’t believe it is Week 3 already, we are about half way done! And the feedback about the course so far has been good. Yay!!!

As I review the information contained in the first 3 weeks of the modules – about owning your worth, creating your ideal environment, and goal setting, I find it is helping me recalibrate my daily practices and improve my focus as I continue to work towards my goals.

‘Word of the Year’ Update

If you have been a Full Flight Insider for awhile you will know that every year I like to choose a ‘word of the year’ (WOTY) -a word that represents how you want to feel in the coming months, and for 2017 I choose ‘LEAN’.

I liked ‘LEAN’ as it represented what I aspired to, not just in my body and overall health and wellness, but in my home environment, business and finances too.

So that means for this new year I intended to;

• lose some weight and gain muscle (become ‘lean’ in my body)
• de-clutter my home and create a more uplifting, peaceful environment (make my space ‘lean’)
• weed out unnecessary expenses, fees, charges etc. from our financial investments and ensure that we only hold worthwhile vehicles  (make our finances ‘lean’)
•  in my coaching business, get more specific about what I provide as a coach and who I can best serve, while paring down programs that no longer resonate with me, or my overall business model (make my business ‘lean’)

We are now four months into 2017 and let me tell you, for the first two months I really wondered about the wisdom of choosing ‘lean’ as my WOTY AND announcing this publicly on social media!

February was a dismal month as the kids were sick and then there were snow days so school was cancelled, and it all felt like two steps forward, one step back.

By month three though, I found my stride, and I want to share with you a few things that helped me stay on track with my WOTY, as my experience may help you as you focus on your own ‘WOTY’ and your own goals for the remainder of 2017.

SO ABOUT ‘LEAN’

Why I quit my gym…

Although I liked the gym I was going to (and had been going to for about 15 years) I quit last month, because in January I started a small group training exercise class (as mentioned above) at a studio close to my house. Going to my previous gym and working out on my own wasn’t getting me the desired results, so I knew I needed to change things up.

When I first started the class (1x per week each Wednesday)  I could barely get through the 45 minute circuit (and my ongoing plantar fasciitis didn’t help matters either-still not cured of that BTW), but over the next few months I saw an improvement in my cardio and strength, so a few weeks ago I decided to add a second class.

I am happy to report I feel like a different person!

Here are some changes I have noted;

-I went for a bike ride with my kids and my youngest said “Mom slow down you are going too fast”, where as in September I was huffing and puffing, trying to keep up with them. *That was my first big clue that I was making gains (I have not weighed myself since January and I have NO CLUE what I weigh right now).

-Last weekend I went in for my 3 month assessment at the studio and instead of holding the plank for 40 seconds I held it for a one minute 15. Instead of lifting an 8 pound weight like I was doing back in January, I was now lifting 15 pounds. I could not even do a proper burpee when I started and now I can do 10 in a row.

-I went shopping the other day for new summer pants and bought two pairs that were both a size smaller than what I was wearing last summer.

Improvements!!!

Why I didn’t care that I irritated our financial planner…

So you know how I was focussed on making our family finances ‘leaner’?

Well in February I spent TWO WEEKS, (yes two entire weeks) reviewing every aspect of our financials- mortgage, debt, investments, RRSPs, RESPs and Oliver’s RDSP (registered disability savings program) AND doing research on the best investment vehicles for our family. (Handling the family finances doesn’t really turn my husband’s crank, but I actually enjoy it and I think I am pretty darn good at it too!)

This financial overhaul meant talking at length to our advisor and asking him any question that came up. My advisor is a patient man and he responded to all my emails and spent a couple of hours over those two weeks on the phone with me explaining anything I didn’t quite get.

There would have been a time not so long ago where I would have just accepted the advisors recommendations and not spoken up about anything I was confused about, but I can’t live like that anymore. I am at that point in my life that I don’t care if I ‘make waves’ (and it has taken me a long time to get here!).

I figure it is our money and I need to understand where it is going and what it is doing, and I don’t care if my many questions irritate someone.

Because I spoke up I now have a much better understanding of what is going on with our investments and the market,  and once I had the information I needed I instructed our advisor to move money from funds of their choosing to funds of MY choosing and in the process switched over some $ from mutual funds to index funds (lower fees).

Last month our investments had a great month, so so far so good!

But really, regardless of what happens in the market, I feel it is a big WIN, because spending time and energy to understand what is going on with our money and then making our financial investments ‘lean’, turned out to be a very empowering experience.

The state of my office

Welllllll……, it hasn’t come along as far as I had hoped but my husband is almost done with scraping the ‘popcorn’ off the ceiling, so I am hoping that by next weekend we can start prepping to paint.

Once painted I can move out of the laundry room (where my desk and computer currently are) and set up shop again. When I moved into the laundry room several months ago I did a big purge of old papers, files and books and I will do another before moving back in.  I am slowly getting streamlined and creating a beautiful new space to work in, and I bought a new picture for my office wall which I can’t wait to put up.

So in terms of streamlining my home (making it ‘lean’) it is coming along!

The state of my business

As mentioned the Passion Dream School course is underway and I am having a blast with it !!!

I discovered the I really love creating audio trainings (a big part of PDS), and this is something new for me. This course is all done on-line which is fabulous as the participants can work on it on their own time, and re-listen, review portions as need be.

Due to scheduling conflicts, I decided not to run another round of the ‘live’ Power Posse group this spring, but I am looking forward to catching up with the last PP group next month for a coffee, a hike and coaching ‘brush up’ session (if the gals are interested in a ‘brush up’ that is).

We will also be stopping by Vista D’Oro winery, as Lee, who was part of the last Power Posse group, has just published a cookbook ‘The Preservatory’ all about her delicious preserves and I am looking forward to getting a copy and taking home another jar of her delicious vanilla rhubarb preserve.

As usual I have other ideas percolating in regards to Full Flight Life Coaching so watch this space for info about more about future offerings…

What I learned about this ‘word of the year’ process – in a nutshell

I’m sharing all this with you because I think choosing the right (for me) WOTY helped keep my focus in the above areas of my life.

So that being said I recommend;

-That you have choose a ‘WOTY’ that is right for YOU, and if you have chosen one, now would be a great time to review it and see how you are making out in terms of your progress.

-That you have the necessary supports in place to help you achieve your goals. (I could not have made progress on my health & wellness goal without enrolling in a new exercise group, or trying something new)

-Don’t be afraid to ‘make waves’ and ask the questions that need to be asked. Women have a particularly tough time with making themselves heard but when we stay small and quiet we lose our power. Don’t accept the status quo if you are uncomfortable with it.

-Make changes if you need to. Just as I quit one gym and signed up with another you may need to juggle things a bit too.

-Listen to your gut but do your research as well. I knew that in terms of our finances our fees were too high, so I asked to move our money, but before I did I made sure to do all my homework so I could stand my ground with my advisor and not get ‘talked out of things’.

As we approach the half way point of the year, take a few moments and check in with yourself and see what small adjustments or tweaks you might like to make in order to get closer to making your goals, (your dreams really!) a reality.

Hope this helps my friend!

And now I must dash, get my kids over to my Mom and Dad’s and head downtown for the big show!

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo

Eliz

PS

The below clip is from a social media post the other day (word of the year update on Instagram).

The post U2, my pant size (lol), going after your goals, and more …. appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

A relief to finally see the blossoms and sun!

What the Navy SEALs taught me about clutter and regret….

It is the weekend, yipee!

Despite having one of the wettest stretches of weather anyone in the Vancouver, BC area can remember (the most rain since they began keeping records!) it is wonderful to see the blossoms out and the green shoots on the trees. Winter is to our backs now, relief! I am so looking forward to warm, sunny days ahead.

New This Week

Today I am sharing some quick tips all about reducing mental and physical clutter and ushering in new energy and fresh ideas.

Spring cleaning for your mind and soul!

Whether it is a pile of papers on your desk, a jumble of never used items in your garage or a kitchen counter that has turned into a family dumping ground, these spots of clutter may be impacting you more than you think.

Physical clutter can sap your energy, energy that could be better directed towards your family, learning a new skill, play or exercise. Too much stuff can cause anxiety, while hardly worn clothes hanging in your closet can cause feelings of guilt. 

Mental clutter,  like stress, worry, and overwhelm, can deplete you even more AND take a toll on your physical health. New medical studies are showing strong links between stress and depression, anxiety, weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure and strokes.

What Can I Do About Clutter?

Below you will find tips on blowing away the cobwebs (in your mind and your home!) and a three step process that Navy SEALs do to clear out regretful thoughts (and they practice deep breathing too!).

Clearing Physical Clutter 

1. Spend 5 minutes a day tidying only one area of your home.
2. Designate a space for incoming mail / papers.
3. Have a place for everything so your family knows where to put items.
4. File papers immediately.
5. Pick one shelf or drawer at a time to tidy.

Clearing Mental Clutter 

1. Take deep breaths.
2. Take a brain break-exercise, go for a walk, nap.
3. Ask yourself whether you really need to do those items on your ‘to do’ list.
4. Get your focus off the past, instead focus on where you want to go.
5. Leave ‘white space’ on the calendar for reflective time.

Think like a Navy SEAL 

Navy SEALs clear out mind clutter with an ‘after action review‘, a three question process that allows them to learn from the past and do better moving forward.

The next time you find yourself caught up in regret or feelings of remorse ask yourself the following 3 questions;

1. What was suppose to happen?
2. What actually happened?
3. What would I do differently next time?

They ask themselves these questions then they move on. They don’t waste time and energy dwelling on the past, instead they clear that mental clutter quickly and get on with things. 

Passion Dream Challenge starts April 10th!

If you would like more information on systems and tools for clearing mental and physical clutter and creating more spaciousness and ease in your life then be sure to sign up for my FREE de-clutter challenge that starts this Monday, April 10th.

Each morning for 7 days you will receive a short, fun video in your in-box, in which I will share with you your daily de-clutterring ‘mission’. This mission will showcase one system or technique I use to vanquish overwhelm and mess.

You don’t have to do anything interactive with this challenge- you can save the videos, watch them at your leisure and try out these mind and soul cleansing tools  in your own time!

Sign up for the free Passion Dream Challenge HERE

Hope you can get outside this weekend and take in those blossoms! 

xo 

Eliz

7 Day Passion Dream De-Clutterring Challenge

The post What the Navy SEALs taught me about clutter and regret…. appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

Getting ready to go ‘live’ on FaceBook with Oliver’s favourite mug (he loves herons)

Getting teary on FaceBook ‘Live’ and a FREE ‘de-clutter’ mini coaching program for YOU! 

So it has been an emotional week for me.

Relief that the kids are back in school, excitement around my new FREE ‘de-clutter’ mini coaching program, feelings of joy and sadness around my son’s upcoming 11th birthday, realizing that some projects I have embarked on are tougher than I predicted, irritation around doing my income tax, pride around feeling fitter and upping my workout game (going from one, to two killer workouts each week!)….ahhhhhh so many feelings.

It never fails to amaze me how life can be both beautiful and a pain in the a@% simultaneously!

What I do realize however is that if I am experiencing some kind of ‘pain’ it is because I am choosing to believe something that does not serve me, and the best thing I could do is choose another thought, (because the truth always feels the best) but some days it is easier to do this than others.

Yesterday I did a FaceBook Live that I was quite apprehensive about because I was talking about personal stuff. I shared it because I hoped people in a similar position would relate to it or find some comfort in what I had to say.  You can check it out here and see what made me get teary eyed as the camera was rolling!

NEW, FREE STUFF FOR YOU!

I created a NEW, FREE mini coaching program for you and it starts on Monday, April 10th!

It is called the Passion Dream Challenge and it is about the de-clutter process -clearing our minds of mental clutter, clearing our spaces of physical clutter and creating a more free and gorgeous life.

Being involved in the counselling, consulting and coaching fields for many years has given me access to some stellar strategies that I use everyday  to manage overwhelm and keep from getting stuck, and as you may or may not know physical clutter is directly correlated to our mental state and vice versa.

For More Clarity -De-Clutter! 

There are certain areas in my house that I have to de-clutter constantly, because if left unchecked the mess will have a negative impact on my mood. As soon as I tackle the stuff that has piled up and see the empty space I feel a sense of calm.

My youngest son attended a Montessori pre-school and they made a point of keeping the classroom clean and un- cluttered, covering shelves with plain white covers, limiting items on the wall and picking soft not harsh lighting. I know with my two sons, particularly for Oliver who has sensory issues, having un-cluttered and tidy bedrooms is calming for them and I believe helps them to settle down faster at night.

Last autumn, after we had our garage sale (so much work for very little money!), both my husband and I felt lighter after getting rid of stuff and we experienced that great rush of energy that comes from seeing a space open up (in this case the garage).

Currently my office is undergoing a renovation of sorts -new paint, flooring, lighting etc, and as we prep for painting (we are moving so slow on this!) I have been clearing out old papers, files and books and have resolved to keep only the stuff that I really love or need, and it feels good!

Up-Level All Areas of Your Life! 

I truly believe that the tidying and updating of the spaces around you cause your to ‘up level’ your life in EVERY way, whether it is your health and wellness, your finances, your relationships, your parenting style, your job or business, or your spirituality. Sometimes it only takes a small shift to get the ball rolling.

Mental clutter-stuff like overwhelm, resistance, fear, anxiety -well those things can be more pesky,  but if you are experiencing this, not to worry, as I have tips in the Passion Dream Challenge on how to stay clear and focussed, so be sure to sign up so I can share them with YOU!

How It Works

Every day for 7 days starting Monday, April 10th I will send you a short, fun video -your Passion Dream Mission and each task will help you create a more streamlined and beautiful life.

Please note**** Even if you are a Full Flight Insider you will need to sign up for this free program as I only want people signing up who are truly interested and I don’t want to spam those who are not.

I talk a bit more about the Passion Dream Challenge in the video below ….and you can see my boys photo bomb me in it!

( Will acted as my ‘personal assistant’ the morning we filmed that, carrying an alternate coat around for me as I could not decide what coat / color I wanted to wear!) Child labour lol!….and if you care to subscribe to my You Tube channel!  Thx!

Sign Up Here

Sign up for the Passion Dream Challenge here and make sure you click on the confirmation link that will be sent to your in-box as well. If you don’t click on the confirmation e-mail then you are not signed up!

I had a lot of fun making the videos and I love the tips and tools I am sharing in them, so I hope you will join me for this free mini coaching program on April 10th!

xo

Eliz

The post Getting teary on FaceBook ‘Live’ and a FREE ‘de-clutter’ mini coaching program for YOU! appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

I was going to sell this little piece at our garage sale….but then I changed my mind, it will be my new pencil holder!

Hello lovely,

Did you survive the first week of September? Hope so.

I barely did! Where do I start? In this post I will share with you why this week reduced me to tears and about those haters so keep reading…

Garage Sale Hell

My head is still spinning from the garage sale we co-hosted with a few other families yesterday.

If you have held a garage sale you know it is a ton of work, the cleaning, sorting, organizing, especially when it comes to kids toys like puzzles, blocks, and collections – trying to track down pieces and get a complete set.

Exasperating!

I took Friday off work and we stayed up late that night dusting, tagging and pricing. The next morning at 7:15AM we had our first customer (a Montessori teacher who bought our alphabet jig saw play mat, despite the fact that ‘D’ was missing), and all told we had a pretty big crowd although due to an error our ad didn’t make it into the print newspaper and could only be found in the on line.

When we wrapped up at 1PM that same day and tallied up our sales we realized we had made a grand total of $110.

Sigh.

View from the garage sale

All that work for so little pay off! and I thought I had some pretty cool stuff too???

On the plus side we did drag a lot of old and unused items out of storage and the things that didn’t sell (some nice furniture and collectibles) we will give away.

Have you been catching my Full Flight & Fierce Facebook ‘Live’  coaching chats ?

If you saw last week’s you will know that I chatted about harnessing the power of September and using it to de-clutter, streamline your living space and life and take a good, hard look at what is and isn’t working in your life and get rid of the things that aren’t serving you.

And I am referring to those things that aren’t serving you in ALL areas, not just the material objects,  so that means TV you might be watching that gets you all jangly and stressed, or negative people, or habits (over eating, too much shopping, too many glasses of wine in the evening) you know, those activities that aren’t helping you to be the best version of yourself.

This morning when I walked into my office it just felt – well – better. There was more space, surfaces were bare, items had been pared down a bit (I still have a long way to go when it comes to books!) and I felt there was a new energy in the room and in the house at large.

And our garage looks new!

Before it was so filled with stuff you couldn’t even see the walls and floor and had to cut through a narrow path between bikes, lawnmower and recycling to even get outside.

The house hasn’t really been touched in the 5 years since we had moved in. It feels good to have cleared the decks (and continue to clear the decks) and Steve and I now feel we have the motivation to tackle new projects.

Back to school week – always a tough one in our house…

Rebus sitting at the school yard after the kids have gone in- he is waiting for them to come back.

Times of transition are always difficult for our son Oliver (who if you are new here has Fragile X – an intellectual delay and Autism) and back to school is no exception. (He is starting Grade 5- hard to believe he is that old!)

I had thought that this year might be easier for him as he has the same full time support worker (who is wonderful and really strives to bring out his best and build his independence) and the same teachers (also wonderful -he is in a 4/ 5 split with two women who job share) but he does have different classmates.

Right now we are trying him on two types of medications also- one for anxiety and one for ADHD.

We started the meds back in June (another tough month – see blog post titled #boycottJune) but given all the changes that occur in that last month of the school year- his inconsistent school schedule, lots of noisy events, his fatigue with school in general – it is difficult to say whether the meds were working, whether they made him worse or whether his meltdowns were due to the external circumstances. He then went off the ADHD meds for the summer at the advice of his doctor.

We are in the same boat for September and it will likely not be until mid- October that he will settle into the new routine and we then can get a clear look at whether these meds are working for him or not.

Every day this week he had a severe meltdown upon seeing me at after school pick up outside in the school yard and it is challenging to see him so upset and draining for me too. The other kids and parents at school that have been around for awhile are used to it but for the new students/ new parents / new teachers they are alarmed.

As Oliver is getting older and bigger it is also tough to physically keep him in check and every day this week he cried, yelled, threw his back pack and jumped up and down- right in the midst of the crowd of children and parents and there wasn’t a thing I could do to stop it – if I tried to hold his hand he broke away, if I tried to get close to him he ran off – he seemed determined to make the biggest scene possible.

Fun times!!!!

Let’s just say this past summer and for the extra busy months of September, December, and June I fall back time and time again on my coaching tools and counselling techniques to help me stay balanced and sane!

And sometimes a good cry is exactly what is needed to help me get it out and move forward – and I did that 2x this week.

It is interesting to note that Oliver does NOT have a tantrum when it is just him and his younger brother Will, so starting this week I will no longer be meeting him at school as the boys will be walking themselves home.

Therefore Oliver’s meltdown will likely occur on the street close to our house, on our front lawn of inside our foyer- but at least it will be contained and he will be safe to express himself as he seems to need to….

…and our new terrier pup Rebus helps him to calm down more quickly too as I can redirect him to Rebus who Oliver loves to greet and pat.

Oliver and Will in Fort Langley

On to a sunnier topic!

Vineyard Meditation

The Posse heading into the vineyard for the ‘body compass’ meditation…

So our Power Posse “Make It Happen!’ coaching group had a wonderful session a couple of weeks ago at Vista D’Oro Farms & Winery. We kicked it off with a morning meditation / body compass exercise smack dab in the middle of the vineyard.

Getting ready to create our ‘Brekkie Bowls’ and a great selection of Vista D’Oro preserves

Then under the direction of Lee (who runs Vista D’Oro along with her husband Patrick) we made our own brekkie bowls for brunch – grains with curry, topped with a poached egg, feta cheese, radishes, cilantro and crispy prosciutto, a drizzle of avocado dressing and accompanied by coffee (of course!!). It was DELICIOUS! and it has inspired me to make my own ‘bowls’ at home.

A recent breakfast bowl creation made with left over porridge- super tasty!

We then walked off our meal on the Campbell Valley trails.

Some of the Posse lovelies on the trail

It was a perfect Sunday!

Vision Boarding and Birthday Weekend

This was a vision board I started up at the summer house with the kids – we all did one and it was fascinating to see what everyone pasted onto theirs. Still needs work though…

This week I am organizing for our Power Posse vision boarding session at my place (Saturday) followed by my son Will’s 8th birthday party on Sunday (at the local bowling alley- yippee! Minimal clean up for Mom!).

When I was prepping for this vision boarding session I had a chance to look through my old vision board / treasure map scrapbook. I bought it in Japan in the mid 1990’s and it is uncanny how  the goals I listed and what I commented on actually materialized.

I really do believe in the power of getting clear on what you want, having pictures or mantras to focus on daily which help you stay the course and assist you in remembering your ‘why’. i.e. Why you want to see a particular goal or dream come true?  and they keep you tuned in to the ‘feeling’ that you are aspiring to create in your life- beauty, peace, excitement, passion, affluence, joy, creativity etc…

My prep work for this coming Saturday will include a little shopping- gathering some fun supplies (glitter!) in anticipation for dreaming and scheming with da’ Posse.

Dealing with Criticism / Handling ‘Haters’ 

Since starting this Life Coaching practice I have had to deal with a few folk who have questioned what I am doing, made snide comments, given my husband feedback on what they think of my new profession or on how I am presenting myself to the world, or have just come across as plain old non supportive.

This negative ‘blow back’ is somewhat of a first for me but I am realizing that as you step out into the world both in real life and on line, and you start playing a bigger game the critics will come out of the wood work, it is just the way it goes.

Give me the on -line trolls any day!

It is much tougher to deal with toxic people in your immediate vicinity (which I have had to deal with recently and it has caused a lot of ongoing turmoil) than dealing with a few ‘negative Nancy’s or Nick’s’ on the web.

My coaching and counselling back ground and recent experiences dealing with criticism has given me some insight on  ‘handling haters’ and I will be sharing thoughts on how I deal with this type of negativity on Tuesday AM for my Full Flight & Fierce Facebook ‘Live’ coaching chat.

Hope you will join me!

Ok that is it for me my friend, here’s hoping that next week will be smooth sailing for us!…

…and now I am off to the gym!

Keep good!

xo

Elizabeth

The post Why I cried 2x this week and ‘handling haters’… appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.