A Wonderful Life! Coaching Blog

Are you analytical? Do you dissect a problem until you believe you have found a solution? Do you often find yourself unable to sleep because you are constantly weighing your options, thinking of solutions or what have you? Do those thoughts pervade even when you don’t want them to?

Do you attribute these behaviors to your intelligence, diligence, or ability to see things through? This may very well be the case…and at the same time, you may also be a ‘worry wort’ without even realizing it. Maybe you are contributing to the solution of your problems or issues. On the other hand, you may be adding stress to your own life by ruminating problems that haven’t an immediate solution. (more…)

Click your heels! Enjoy yourself and let it show! There’s nothing like enjoying this gift we call life. Too often we find ourselves focusing on the trials and tribulations life has to offer instead of the blessings and gifts. In a way, our focus, may be the very thing that negates our own happiness, not our circumstances themselves. Many aspects of our lives do not fall within the realm of that which we can control. So why worry about those things? We do so because we have come to think that worrying, planning, discussing, and analyzing will actually change these aspects of life that we haven’t any control over. The reality is that those things don’t change a thing. Instead, it puts your focus in the negative and often your emotions or mood follow along. Instead, try being solution-oriented. If you are in a situation where you can actually solve the problem through your positive actions and efforts, then use your energy towards those efforts. If not, let go and let God.

The next time you feel like you need a happiness boost, make a list of all the things that you are happy about. Then smile about them. You’ll be surprised, but this little exercise in REMEMBERING YOUR JOY goes a long way toward living A Wonderful Life.

Technorati Tags: Happiness,Joy,life coaching,Self-empowerment,Self improvement,stress management,motivation

Are you feeling down or blue? I’m not talking about major depression, just slightly down in the dumps. Maybe you are fed-up with your current life conditions. Stressed-out, sick of your job, or you’re not making enough money. Maybe you are tired of meeting or dating Mr. or Miss WRONG. Is your apartment a dump? Are your self-image or self-esteem lacking as a result of these feelings. Maybe you are you suffering from I’m sick of all of this *#%*! If so, you aren’t alone. Many of us get tired of being stuck in the everyday rut our lives have become. How do you find your way out? I have a prescription that seems to work for me every time…community service. I offer community service as a sure fire means of gaining the proper perspective in your life. Often times we get so caught up in ‘coveting thy neighbor’, we forget the blessings that have already been bestowed upon us in our own lives. If you are sick of your job, maybe remembering the thousands of unemployed will help you to be more thankful that you have a job at all. If you are wishing you could buy a home instead of living in the small apartment you can barely afford, perhaps volunteering to feed the homeless at a shelter or church will have you counting your blessings.

This past holiday season I had the honor of participating in several community service events with my WNBA team the Phoenix Mercury that really lifted my spirits. In this photo, I am chaperoning underprivileged children in the Phoenix, Arizona community along with other current or retired professional athletes on a Christmas shopping spree provided by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Bob Lanier and friends. The children were so excited to have the opportunity to shop for clothes, sports equipment and shoes that they couldn’t stop talking about all of their options. In fact, it was partly a math assignment, as they had to figure the best way to spend their gift cards. They had a wonderful time, as did I, because it always feels good to give back to the community. (more…)

As a professional basketball player in the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) and internationally for the past 10 years, believe me when I say that my body is battle tested. I have cuts, permanent bruising, surgeries and scar tissue to prove it. I had an ACL reconstruction on my left knee in 2003 and both of my knees were cleaned out with Arthroscopic surgery a year later. Needless to say, I feel like I have played 10 years. That being said, I can honestly say that I feel wonderful these days. My knees aren’t sore, and I don’t have any inflammation. Interestingly, however, I catch myself anticipating pain or a lack of range of motion when I do certain routine movements. I have such a recollection of all of the pain I have endured through the past few years of my recovery that I am in the habit of feeling pain. Instead of sitting and standing or putting on my pants like a pain-free person, I am expecting pain or an inability to do these actions smoothly. My mind and my body remember all too well, and it is sometimes funny to me that I continue on in this manner. I have to remind myself that I am OK and I feel good and I can do these things pain-free now. (more…)

Remember the old adage, ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’? Where did the belief in that behavior go? I am only asking because so many people seem to be unhappy or disheartened these days. We try to figure out ways to make ourselves more joyful. Some of these outlets are more positive than others. Yet I find that the best way to feel more joyful is to ‘do unto others…’

What do I mean exactly? I mean that instead of everyone turning inward to find what brings us joy, maybe we should try bringing joy to others’ lives. We live in a reciprocal world, where the energy put into the universe usually returns to us in kind. This is also known as karma. Deepak Chopra discusses karma as one of the Universal Laws of Success in his book so titled (I’ll go into that further in a future post with the book review).

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