As a coach on a brand new journey it is all a bit daunting working out how and where to start, what do I need to have in place and how do I do it. Thankfully ICA helps you out a lot. Having a coach definitely keeps you edging on and getting your act together. Having weekly calls with my mentor coach (thanks Lori)  makes you realise just how short your week is when you try to jam so much into it.  It certainly takes the emphasis off the washing, cooking etc. They seem to get done regardless and I don’t spend time stressing myself out about fitting it all into a schedule. I do wonder at times how I am going to get lift off when there still seems like there is so much to do.

The big thing is I realise I don’t have to do it all once, (it doesn’t stop me from thinking that would be great) but little by little, piece by piece I can slowly put it all together. That really dawned on me when I saw my husband had cleaned out the garage, little by little.

The things that help me to get clear on what needs to be done is defining my goal, working out what needs to get done, what are the pieces to getting started and start. Knowing I am going to be talking to Lori and she will be asking me what I have done inches me forward. If I didn’t, then I know I wouldn’t be true to myself and I would question is my goal really important to me?

The simple things that help me get clear, are being more organised, to get reorganised more often,  being able to assert when I need time to do what I need to, to make time to do it, to have the thought processes running in the background during the day. Reading about coaching helps me learn and stay focussed.

I already thought I had a busy life before I took on the journey to becoming a coach. In order to create the time I need, I am learning to be more fully present in whatever I am doing. This allows me to enjoy the moment more and dull the background conversations of what I should be doing and be aware of distractions. It has allowed me the justification to create boundaries for what I will and will not do and to demphasise the general ’stuff’ that just needs to get done. The realisation of the quality of time is so much more important to me than the quantity. Therefore if I choose to spend the evening with my husband, we choose to do what we will enjoy doing together and not start watching TV because it is ‘the path of least resistance’. I choose to take time to play with the kids and be more aware of the important things.

I am also recognising the things I don’t enjoy doing and consider options for change. I am also more aware of where I spend my time and where I ‘lose’ my time, to be more reliable and to say ‘no – thank you’ if I don’t want to. I haven’t got it right all time, I forgive myself, for I am learning.

One of the most powerful things to help me stay clear and focussed is to believe in myself, I can do it and I will be successful.