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A good idea from a life coach for personal development growth:
Getting Unstuck
BY LEA BRANDENBURG
Reprinted with permission
This life coach offers several ideas for getting unstuck when you need motivation to get going.
Everyone can use a little motivation once in awhile. Here are some specific strategies that can help you move through your creative challenges.
 Have fun. Yes, this is a simple, yet powerful, suggestion. When was the last time you had fun? When was the last time you had a good solid laugh? Oftentimes, when we are working on a project that is really important to us and that has a deadline, we somehow misplace our sense of humor. Things take on a serious tone because we are so focused on moving forward. Take a moment to have fun and to laugh. You may find that keeping things light will help you move forward on your journey.
Connect with your community. Tap into other like-minded and positive people and be ready for a shift in perspective. Make calls, write to an old friend, create an advisory board or an R&D team for your business. There is no reason to do everything alone all the time. If you are feeling drained, now might be a good time to connect with your community and people that care about you.
Indulge yourself. Try being extra kind to yourself those times you are stuck. Try giving yourself a reward or bribe! Take yourself to a movie in the middle of the day. Call in sick to work for the day so you can pamper yourself. Schedule a massage. Sometimes a change in environment or a different activity is just the thing you need to jumpstart yourself.
Start a victory log. Anytime you receive praise, put it somewhere or in a book you create specifically for this purpose. Everyone needs a little "pick me up" every now and then and reading about your accomplishments and how people have praised you and your work is guaranteed to make you feel better.
Make an accomplishment list for yourself. You have accomplished lots in your life and work. When was the last time you took the time to acknowledge yourself? Take a moment to make a list of the things you are most proud of accomplishing in your life. This simple gesture and reflection may give you that extra boost of energy you need to move through your current challenge.
Try an attitude of gratitude. Take a moment to see what is going well about the project you are working on. See what is in your life, rather than focusing on what is missing or lacking. This can be like a breath of fresh air when we are concentrated on getting a task completed.
Break down an overwhelming project into bite-sized pieces. Select one action on a daily basis that moves you forward. The Great American Novel gets written, one page at a time. Pick something that you can do in a specific time frame that has a definitive beginning, middle and end. There is immense satisfaction in taking action that creates a direct result. And when we are working on a long-term project, simple linear actions can give us the sense of forward momentum we may need.
Do something for someone else. Random acts of kindness can not only help others, but can help you too. The key here is to give with an open hand and heart and not out of a sense of duty or "should". In being of service to others, we gain perspective on the difficulties we may currently be experiencing.
Focus on the process, not the end result. You'll have a marvelous future if you live well in today. What would like to create in YOUR today?
And one of my favorite ways of getting unstuck comes from the comedian Milton Berle: If opportunity doesn't knock build a door.
© 2002, Lea Brandenburg
Lea Brandenburg is president of Creating Strategies in New York, NY, and has been coaching an international group of clients and businesses since 1997. Her areas of expertise and passion are interpersonal and business communication, intuitive intelligence and creativity. She is a graduate of CoachInc, the coaching industry's premiere and oldest training program, a member of the International Coach Federation, which is an association dedicated to preserving the integrity and ethics of the coaching profession, and a Founding Member of Coachville, the first on line coaching training company and portal. You can contact her at lea@creatingstrategies.com. |
