Thrive or Survive?  What Do You

“To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it.” 

– Mother Theresa of Calcutta

As a parent it’s remarkably easy to develop the habit of going on, and on and on rather like a toy with the off switch broken until eventually the battery goes flat – and everything stops.  As a life-coach I believe that most of us want to make the shift from survive to thrive!  So, have you found your off switch?  How often do you give yourself permission to take a break? How much charge is in your battery?

One of the key topics I work with as a life coach is self-care.  On an aeroplane we’re advised to put the oxygen mask on ourselves before doing the same for our children.  If we don’t help ourselves how can we really help others?  We are most empowered when we are able to approach life from a place of abundance.  Otherwise it’s like trying to draw water from a dried up well.  There are many aspects to our wellness, including physical, emotional, spiritual and social.  If one area isn’t attended to it can affect the others, for example if I don’t get regular exercise then I notice how my energy levels in all the other areas drops very quickly.

What are the benefits of self-care?

ü      Better health

ü      Building a reserve of energy

ü      Improved relationship with yourself & others

ü      Having more to give others

ü      Personal empowerment

ü      Positive role model to children

“Invent your world.  Surround yourself with people, colour, sounds and work that nourish you.”  -  Sark

How do I begin this process?

Paying attention to yourself: Cultivate an awareness of what boosts your energy and what drains it.  Some energy boosters are quality relationships, exercise and nature.  Examples of energy drains are tolerating things, saying yes when you mean no and taking on too much.  It’s a delicate balancing act.  So when we expend energy, for example in caring for our families we need to pull this back in order to thrive. 

Putting a programme in place:  What makes you feel good?  What do you enjoy doing?  What gives you energy?  Try choosing up to 8 nurturing habits and practice them every day, noticing the impact on your life. Even though these are small things they will have a culmative benefit and can lead to bigger changes.  Some things that I have found to beneficial are meditation, yoga and reading.  I have some powerful coaching programmes that support this process of personal growth.

Identify the barriers: Once you know what you need, the next stage is paying attention what stops you from investing the time, money and commitment into taking good care of yourself?  We often blame others for preventing us from getting what we want, need and dream of.  What excuses do you make?  Are thy valid?  Be honest with yourself. Who is really in control of your life? 

“I take care of myself, because I learned early on that I am the only person in life who's responsible for me.”  - Halle Berry

Here are some questions I ask clients around the topic of self-care.  Give them a try and see what you come up with?

• Assess your current level of well-being in the different aspects of your life, for example physical, emotional, mental, occupational, social and environment?
• How do you rate your overall quality of life on a scale of 1-10?
• Which area will you choose to start working on?
• What stops you from taking good care of yourself?
• What do you feel deprived of?

Sheena King

Life Coach

Life Coaching Services:

Ø     Life & business coaching

Ø     Email coaching

Ø     Group coaching

Ø     Retreats

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© Sheena King 2011