I always think, at this time of year, about new beginnings and about creation. Intentional creation. This is appropriate anytime really. You can always intentionally create. But for some reason our brains really like the first of the year. So I am taking a break from my “Habits” blog series and going to talk about the value of Intentional Creation. My first blog is a guest blog from my mom. Talking about the value of being intentional in what you want. And taking committed action!
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It is GREAT having a daughter who is a coach! Except she doesn’t let me get away with anything.
Last July, Cami and her sister, Wendy, and I went on a weekend retreat to Cambria, California. First of all, how cool is that – mother and two daughters choosing to go on a retreat – together! And we had the best time – walking on the beach, exploring the little town of Cambria, fabulous dining, and lots of talking – about everything.
Ah, but I digress from the purpose of this particular blog – sharing my experience of goal setting and the power of declaration.
Earlier this year I co-authored a book called Dynamic Aging: Simple Exercises for Whole-Body Mobility written by biomechanist Katy Bowman with me, Shelah M. Wilgus, Lora Woods and Joyce Faber, three dear friends. It has been a best seller because it addresses a subject about which there is very little information; namely, aging dynamically. The vignettes in the book are written by the four of us, all in our 70’s at the time of publication. It has a lot of credibility because of our ages.
Because of its success, I decided I wanted to start a blog to continue sharing our success stories about how using Katy’s movement program (www.nutritiousmovement.com), each of us has and continues to have better and better physical health and abilities even as we are aging.
At dinner Friday night, I mentioned the idea of the blog to Cami and Wendy. They liked the idea. The second day, I again shared some thoughts I had for the blog and they were very supportive. Finally, Sunday morning as we were walking the beach, I again brought it up. Now they began to ask “curious questions.” (You’ll know about “curious questions” if you have taken Cami’s Communication 101: The Nuts & Bolts of Listening, Speaking and Understanding workshop which my husband and I did in October 2017 and can highly recommend it – not just because she’s our daughter.) These questions helped me begin to clearly articulate the outcome I wanted and how it might look. It also demonstrated they were interested in understanding exactly what I had in mind so they could offer suggestions and feedback. I was getting excited.
As our walk was ending, I said “I think I’m going to really do this.” And there the conversation might have ended and I probably would have wandered around for who knows how long just thinking about it. Thanks to Cami, that blog became a reality on September 18, 2017 (www.dynamicaging4life.com). Why? Because Cami asked, “When will you start your blog?” At first I said, “Soon.” And she persisted by asking, “Would you like to make a declaration about what you intend to do with a date certain?” WOW! That brought me up short. An actual declaration to both of my daughters – like a commitment – like I would really have to do something by a certain time? Hmmm, I thought to myself, is this blog really that important to me that I am willing to set a date? Yes, I decided, it was. I declared my first blog would be posted by September 1, 2017. No, I did not publish by that date due to technical difficulties; however, by that date I had the first blog written and ready to go and my husband had the blogsite created. And every day until we published on September 18, the blog was our priority.
Without Cami’s coaching, helping me begin to articulate the outcome I wanted and without the declaration and a date certain, who knows when the blog might have become a reality or if it would have actually happened.
Joan Virginia Allen is a retired elder law attorney and co-author of the best-selling book, Dynamic Aging: Simple Exercises for Whole-Body Mobility written by Katy Bowman with Joan Virginia Allen, Shelah M. Wilgus, Lora Woods and Joyce Faber, 2017 (available at www.amazon.com) and author of the blog www.dynamicaging4life.com.
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If you would like to intentionally create your 2018, join us in January!
Beyond Goal-Setting: Make 2018 the Best Year of Your Career
If you do not know what you want, you are unlikely to get what you want.
In January, McLaren Coaching is bringing you a workshop that will help you decide what you want from 2018.
Success is the result of committed action.
In this workshop, you will clearly determine what you want from 2018 and you will learn what it takes to get what you want.
When you truly commit to a “goal,” it becomes a “result” by the end of the year.
This is the difference between a “New Year’s Resolution” and a “declaration,” “decision” or “outcome.”
It is the difference between a hope and an intention.
It is the difference between just wanting something and actively committing to it.
You will leave this workshop with:
· Clearly-articulated outcomes for your coming year
· A practical plan to obtain your outcomes
· A system to stay committed to your outcomes
· A tool for creating future outcomes
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/mclaren-coaching-3074191754?s=80605785
January 16 (Tuesday)
9am — 12pm
OR
January 20 (Saturday)
9am — 12pm
Registration starts at 8:30am
Held at Sierra 2 in Curtis Park, Sacramento
$149/person
$140/person for 2 or more from same company
From a former attendee:
“I signed up for the goal-setting workshop in 2017 because I wanted some big changes in my life, particularly in the area of work. The way the workshop was run helped me to clearly define my goals, and to get to this clarity we did a very powerful exercise where Cami took us through a process of experiencing the goal, using all of our senses, as if it already hap-pened. During that exercise I clearly saw myself in a work environment that involved law enforcement all around me. I had a very strong sense of belonging. This exercise helped me to manifest a new job in the city I love and call home (Dallas, TX). I now work with Animal Cruelty Investigators (animal law enforcement), and my boss is a retired police officer! I truly believe that this workshop helped me to manifest a job I wanted in the city I want to be in! I am so glad that I went through Cami’s workshop. It changed my life!”
~ Val Masters
Register now and create the year you want.
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/mclaren-coaching-3074191754?s=80605785
