Does the word "spiritual" make you uptight?

Would you be willing to explore spirituality if I told you it would make you more resilient?

There is one question that I have been asked more in the last several months than at any other time in my business career. The question is: “How do you survive this economy?”

I know at some level I am being asked the question because those asking know we have forfeited ownership of one of our beloved hotels. Our ownership fell due to the convergence of economic factors. We had gone as far as we could personally to financially sustain the business. That answer is actually too obvious so, I could tell that was not the real question.

My best professional guess is the question they wanted to answer was this: “How do you remain so happy even though you lost one of your beloved hotels and all you had financially invested?”

That answer is actually easy: “When the going gets tough, I rely on my spiritual beliefs and practices twice as much as when things are going well.”

Not the normal business answer, I know. Yet it is my answer and I am sticking to it. Here specifically is what I mean.

Spiritual beliefs are those things I believe in relative to the question of “is there a God” and practices are those things I do to connect with my God in order to bring my own spirit alive.

Here is what I actually do. I sit first thing in the morning and just be still for about 20 minutes. For an extravert who values action, this is no small task. Or I should say, 20 years ago when I began, it was no small task. Today, that one task defines the tone of my day and I look forward to it with the same anticipation as I do my warm cup of coffee. After the stillness, I pray (prayer is my preferred spiritual practice. I also appreciate meditation). And I always write. I write about my dreams -- if there are any from the night before that I can remember. I write about people, places and things I appreciated about the day before. And I usually write about what I intent to create for my day going forward.

· Stillness
· Prayer and/or meditation
· Writing

Three small steps you can take to…Only you will know how far on the crooked road of success these steps will take you.

With appreciation,
Andrea T. Goeglein, Ph.D.
866 975 3777
www.ServingSuccess.com

Transformational Life Coaching – By Dr. Cherie Carter Scott, “The Mother of Coaching”

There are many different indicators in today’s world demonstrating that humanity has reached a new level of awareness and appreciation for its own existence. If we look at the shifts in the types of occupations being pursued (and sought after), the abundance of life coaches and personal development mentors is like a mirror held up to our collective psyche. It seems to say that life is a precious experience, and we simply want to be sure that we’re present for it in every way possible. To coin a somewhat overused phrase: We seek to live authentically.

In 1977, long before having a “life coach” was something commonly discussed at Starbucks, Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott published her first book on the subject and began a career that eventually, would find her labeled, “The Mother of Coaching.” New Species (published in 1978) was to become the first of many books Dr. Scott would write on personal development. The long list includes, “Negaholics,” a series of ‘Rules’ books – including “If Life is a Game, These are the Rules,” and her most recent work, “Transformational Life Coaching.”

Transformation Life Coaching throws open the doors to Life Coaching School and invites us all inside. Although written for those who either are, or espouse to become, mentors in the transformational movement, this book is an accessible “how to” for anyone. It welcomes all those who have spent time seeking to develop a better appreciation with their own life and how they intend to live it. Chapter 1 literally outlines what to look for and how to choose a coach, offering twenty-five important questions to discuss during the interview process.

In this book, Dr. Scott has created a virtual concordance of information, challenges for personal thought patterns and judgment, practical exercise and reference tools to use over and over. Embracing many global teachings, Dr. Scott often refers to the different chakras, or energy centers, as tools to release the ego and be of maximum service to others. As she explains, “You are in the process of opening up and taking control of your power,” and by deeply understanding each energy center, we will be able to literally, “open and close each chakra at will.”

Imagine being able to consciously open the fifth chakra (which controls speech and communication) in order to more fully participate in our marriage or work relationships – or being able to close down our first chakra, which embodies survival and security, so that we might be more risky and daring in our professional roles or fearlessly take on new adventures in life.

Dr. Scott has spent most of her professional life traveling the world and sharing her expertise on personal development and empowerment at every turn. On her website she shares that, “Writing a book is not done with the wave of a wand. It takes time to reflect and soul search for the universal truths related to each developmental phase.” These same words could definitely be applied to the very journeys that Dr. Scott encourages us to make with our lives.

What we know about coaching is that it is not only sought after, but it is necessary in today’s fast-paced world of endless challenges. From corporate teams to softball teams, being coached and coaching others on how to live as appreciatively and authenticity as possible is a proactive way to turn roadblocks into paving stones on your road of success.