Practicing radical self care! -7:30AM post gym selfie from Friday

(*Todays message was originally posted on my Instagram account Friday morning- hence the emojis!). https://www.instagram.com/elizturnercoach/?hl=en

Burn Out 

This is a subject that comes up again and again in my line of work. I have seen so many women juggling full time work, their families, supporting loved ones who are ill or disabled, striving to be perfect at work and home (the topic of perfection I will leave for another day as that is a meaty one!) – all while putting themselves on the back burner. A few years ago I did this as well.

But I learned some hard lessons and I do this no longer! ?

Why I practice radical self-care?

Because it is key!

If you aren’t functioning at 100% how can you best support others?

We want to be functioning from a soulful place of strength not operating out of fear, right? You can only run on the fumes of anxiety and stress for so long and then you will hit a wall.

How to prevent this?

RADICAL SELF CARE!

and…

… for me, going to the gym consistently is one of my RSC pillars.

My alarm went off at 5:30am and I did not want to get up as I was tired from a busy week, and the bed was so cozy, but I thought about how good I would feel after. So I went and took some of my micro aggressions out on the medicine ball! ?

Now as I write this I feel less stressed about events that before were bothering me, I feel calmer and stronger and I sleep better. ??

Exercise, restorative sleep, massages with an RMT, play, family time, things to look forward to, and eating food that comes from the ground, not a box or bag, are other key pillars of RSC ?.

The Daily Check In

So today please check in with yourself and ask what you are doing in terms of RSC?

How are you feeling in your body right now?

What would feel good to you to do today?

-Coffee with a friend?

-A nap?

-A stretching class?

-A hike?

-A long soak in the bath?

Do it!

Put yourself first and watch how everything else falls into place!

You deserve it!

xo

Eliz

The post Radical Self Care appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

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.

We are half way through November and the the holiday season is upon us! Yikes- How did THAT happen? Who needs some ‘holiday survival tips’? I do!  lol

For me, the last couple of weeks have been a whirl of work, hockey, piano, costume parties, kid’s field trips and fairs. Whew!

In fact, it was so busy that I ended up putting my group coaching / cardio program ‘The Club’ on hold, which I was so looking forward to rolling out, but I have learned the hard way that there are limits to what I can manage at one time, so I stepped it back.

So are YOU ready for the holidays?

I am quasi ready.

I say ‘quasi’ because although things have been hectic (which seems to be the norm in my life!) my life will soon be going into WARP SPEED, and by ‘warp speed’ I mean moving out of our house as the renovations begin. (No they have yet to start…I thought we would be half way through by now!)

These aren’t just little renos either, I am talking about having to remove every light fixture in our house (with the exception of the boys rooms), and remove all major appliances, and completely clean out the garage and storage room type of reno.

Our pricing meeting with the renovation company is this Tuesday which puts us a step closer to demolition day (Good riddance blue powder room with the angel wallpaper!), and OF COURSE the reno will coincide with the Christmas season- Murphy’s Law!

So given the above events, this year my intention is to be as mindful as I can and use all my coaching tools to make sure December is full of peace and joy for myself and my family, and not chaos and overwhelm.

How to ramp up the peace, joy and fun this holiday season!

Here is to a peaceful and joyous holiday season! #nooverwhelm #nostress #noillness

On that note, I am now going to make a hot cup of tea and watch (again) the final installment of my  ‘Holiday Survival Guide’ videos which I made back in 2014.

I just watched videos 1 & 2 and took notes because I had forgotten a bunch!

Now if you have been a Full Flight insider for some time you may have watched these videos before, but don’t let that stop you from viewing them again because they are as relevant as ever, and are full of tips such as setting an intention for your holiday season, saying ‘no’ to events that drain you, and scheduling into the calendar ONLY the stuff that lights you up.

You can check out all three videos (Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh) out HERE.   Make sure you start with video number 1 (Gold).

#selfcare

Today I am off to do some holiday shopping downtown, followed by an overnight stay at one of my favourite Vancouver hotels, The Sutton Place. I am going solo and along with taking in all the bright lights and Christmas decorations, I am looking forward to some quiet time too, some alone time where I can gather my thoughts and energies for the festive season ahead, and for the new year, which is just around the corner.

Hope you enjoy the videos!

I also hope that you make the most of your holiday season, and if you don’t hear from me for awhile you will know that I am deep in ‘reno mode’.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

xo

Eliz

I try and make a solo trip to the Sutton Place 1x per year -this shot is from last year’s stay. #selfcare #reflectivetime #dreamingandscheming

The post ‘Holiday Survival Tips’ – and why I am checking into a hotel today… 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 get a ‘bird’s eye view’ of your life…

Scroll down to see a video that I originally created for Passion Dream School, my 6 week online program that wrapped up a few weeks ago. This overview, called the ‘Change Cycle’, is from the work of one of my coaching mentors, Dr. Martha Beck and it enables us to take a ‘bird’s eye view’ of our life and the different phases we encounter. It also helps us to understand how, particularly during challenging times, those phases may affect us. Martha taught us this framework in our coaching program and since then, I have found it very helpful in my life and I think you will too!

If you have been a Full Flight reader for awhile, then you may recall how last year I wanted to boycott the month of June.  So much going on!

This June was no different, extremely busy, with new pieces added to the puzzle which I will fill you in on at a later date.

Anyhow, I pretty much crawled into July, and this week hit a complete wall which I wrote about in a recent Instagram post...(the one with the pic of the colourful Hawaiian soaps).

Coles notes version of that post;

 When you feel like you have too much to do, and not enough time to do it, you should rest!

That said, I’m off on vacation soon for two weeks at our summer place up the coast, where there will be plenty of swimming in the ocean, barbecuing, reading and resting. The entire family is looking forward to some much needed down time.

I hope you enjoy the Passion Dream School video all about the ‘Change Cycle’, and that you are having a wonderful summer so far!

Chat soon! (virtually) 🙂

xo

Eliz

The post How to get a ‘bird’s eye view’ of your life (video for you!) 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.

It has been a tough couple of weeks hasn’t it?

Total social media overwhelm right?  On our Facebook and Instagram feeds, on the news, on the radio. You can’t escape it.

The antics of the U.S. president, another tragedy (this time in Quebec) and other bad news stories sucked me in. These last ten days or so I have felt simultaneously anxious and lethargic, and have had trouble sleeping.

At first I thought my lethargy was resistance.

Specifically resistance to learning a webinar platform I recently purchased (let’s just say I’m not tech savvy lol).

I thought my insomnia was due to too much caffeine.  I’d get up in the wee hours of the morning make some hot milk, read a book and then fall back asleep just as my son Oliver was getting up at 5am.

During the day I’ve been dragging and in between client appointments I have found myself watching consecutive episodes of the Gilmore Girls instead of working.  I usually enjoy scrolling through my social media feeds and posting and doing computer work but instead I was avoiding these things.

When my husband saw me zoning out, yet again, in front of Gilmore Girls he said;
‘Why do you keep watching that show?’

I shrugged. ‘It’s good’. 

He then said; ‘I know why you like that show. It’s because it is a simpler, less complicated time, and nothing really bad happens. It is an escape from real life’.

Lightbulb moment!

He was right.

It wasn’t resistance I was experiencing,  or the effects of excess caffeine, it was social media overwhelm and that onslaught of negativity had led me to my current state (not working, in yoga pants, on the couch watching GG).

Social media overwhelm and why you need to protect yourself

Loving ourselves is essential if we wish to reach our full potential as humans, and practicing self love includes being mindful of how much negative news and social media we are exposing ourselves to.

We only have so much energetic ‘capital’ and absorbing too much of the bad stuff robs us of our life energy- energy that we need to thrive.

Going Down The Facebook Rabbit Hole…

So when that you see that post on Facebook that gets you all fired up, which you then share on your wall, or write something in the comments section, or furiously type back and forth with someone with an opposing point of view, well those small moves are energy expenditures.

I am not saying it’s bad to stand up for what you believe in, or express your opinion or debate with others on social media -all that is great, in fact it is essential, but I have learned first hand that it is beneficial to pay attention to how you are going about it.

Ask yourself;

‘Do I want to spend my emotional currency in this manner? Am I ok with spending thirty minutes writing a Facebook post about this, or spending an hour reading these political posts or is there something else I would rather be focussing on?”

Protecting your self (self love) is crucial as there are only so many hours in a day and and our energy supply is finite.

Creating your ‘diamond shield’ for protection

Once I recognized that social media overwhelm was the cause of my slump I was able to do something about it.

I…

-Took a step back from social media to gain some perspective

-Watched Gilmore Girls instead of the nightly news

-Turned off my phone well before bed time and read a light hearted book instead

-Went snowshoeing with a friend, soaked up the vitamin D (it was a sunny day) and feasted my eyes on nature instead of my newsfeed

-Put my focus on my children and outstanding work / home projects instead of tuning into all the things the President of the U.S. was doing

-Went to bed early and maintained my exercise schedule

-Swapped out some cups of coffee for herbal tea

What I was doing by taking the above steps was building a ‘diamond shield’ of protection around myself, thereby ending the negative social media assault I had exposed myself to in the previous weeks.

It is SO important to pay attention to where your energy and focus is going!

If your energy is flowing towards news stories that are created for the sole purpose of grabbing attention, instilling fear, and making money, there is no energy left over for the good stuff,  for creating art, generating ideas, completing projects, solving problems, or channelling emotions in an appropriate way.

How are you feeling right now?

If you have been spending a lot of time on social media, check in with yourself, how are you feeling right now?

Is your Facebook feed and dose of nightly news helping you feel better or worse? Are you taking in a stream of negativity or is your feed filled with uplifting posts?  Is FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and comparisons to others you see on social media making you feel bad?

If what you are viewing is bringing you down it is time for a break my friend!

What You Can Do If You Need A ‘Time Out’

If your self care practice hasn’t been as rigorous as you would like it to be, and your diamond shield has a few holes in it, then here are a few suggestions;

Go for a walk, pet a dog, call a friend, bake some cookies, exercise, drink a glass of water, write in your journal, listen to soothing music, schedule a massage, attend a yoga class, make a cup of tea, watch a funny movie, read a good book, create a delicious meal, arrange some flowers, listen to an amusing podcast, feed your backyard birds ….

Do whatever you need to do to create and or strengthen your diamond shield because without self love you will end up depleted.

Without self love we have no love to share with those around us, no love to share with our family, friends, community, country and world- and in these turbulent times we need all the love we can get!

…and if you are curious about another way to enhance your self love and strengthen your diamond shield CLICK HERE

xo

Eliz

The post Social media overwhelm and how to protect yourself… appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.

November Recap

After an action packed few weeks it is lovely to be sitting at my desk writing this!

Life in our household has returned to normal after a number of big events. We had a great time with my father in law who was visiting from the UK. We took him to see the Canucks play one afternoon and at this same game my youngest (Will) got to scrimmage with his team during the first period break which was a big thrill for him, his team, us and his Grandad.

Will getting ready to go on the ice

My Talk

Last week I gave the opening remarks for the UBC Health & Wellness Conference For Persons With Developmental Disabilities at the Coast Plaza Hotel in Vancouver which was lots of fun. My talk was on The Hero’s Journey and Navigating Life and Work With Our Inner GPS. I got to share snippets about my life with Oliver and use heroes like Dory from ‘Finding Dory, Harry Potter and Forrest Gump and how we can use their ‘hero’s journeys’ as wisdom for our own lives.

A high point of the month for me… speaking at the UBC Health & Wellness Conference for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

A Room With A View

I then spent some time in the city working and doing some early Christmas shopping. I stayed at my favourite hotel (Sutton Place Hotel) and revelled in the peace and quiet. It was a perfect combination of relaxing and work.  Here is a shot of my hotel room (what a view!). If I could only be like JK Rowling and write in quiet hotel rooms while room service brings me tea- I would think I have died and gone to heaven!

And the Power Posse ‘Make It Happen!’ Wraps Up

My talk and downtown stay was followed by the Power Posse ‘Make It Happen!’ wrap up lunch. We started this coaching group back in May and the seven months flew by!  I was really thrilled by the calibre of the ladies in this group and how they all are tuned in and excited to create their best lives while at the same time supporting each other. The Power Posse ladies took home these gift bags which contained goodies like delicious preserves from Vista D’Oro and cute greeting cards from Choose Joy greetings.

And so my whirlwind November is coming to an end….

Staying in Alignment This Holiday Season 

Local Ladies!

As mentioned above I have put together a holiday offering that will help you to manage the holiday season with ease. If you want to find out what techniques I use to make sure my holiday season is filled with more peace, joy and freedom (as opposed to stress, debt, illness and family squabbles!) then I have an event for you!  I am hosting a ‘Staying in Alignment Through the Holidays’ half day workshop on Sunday Dec. 4th 1-4pm at my home in Ocean Park. The afternoon involves a rejuvenating meditation, a Christmas tea, and coaching exercises that will help you breeze through the holidays. Cost of the event is $97. If you are a local gal (LowerMainland) and want to come email me at elizjturner@gmail.com and I will send you further details.

Out of Town Ladies!

For you non local gals I am happy to offer the ‘Staying in Alignment Through the Holidays’ workshop virtually (through a tele seminar) on the evening of Monday Dec. 5th from 7-9pm Pacific time. This workshop will cover the same material as the in-person event minus the Christmas tea. The price for the virtual workshop is $47. If you are interested shoot me an email and I will give you further details. Email again is elizjturner@gmail.com

Ok my friend that’s it from me.

The season of Advent approaches, specifically the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. Advent means ‘coming’ in Latin as in the ‘coming’ of the birth of Jesus, where we all know Christmas the holiday, originates from.  I hope that this Advent you find time for some quiet reflection where you can consider what type of holiday experience you wish to have for yourself and your family, and that you set aside time to plan it out and then create it.

xo

Eliz

The post ‘Staying in Alignment this Holiday Season’ Time sensitive! appeared first on Elizabeth Ritchie Counselling & Coaching Services.