(Estimated reading time 2 minutes)
Action always beats intention.
Have you had good intentions recently? I know I have. Perhaps you’ve planned a new, healthy eating regime, decided you want to start exercising again or connecting with some of the people you haven’t seen for a while. Maybe your goals were more business-focused. You know your ideas will kick-start your forward motion, but somehow your plans never seem to materialize.
Even the most brilliant ideas lack value if you don’t put them into practice. Sometimes the plans and goals can seem so far from where you are, that they end up staying as nothing more than good intentions. If you think of your goals as the top rung of a ladder, what would the first rung be? What would the second rung be? Break down that significant intention into small, sustainable action. The first rungs of the ladder are often concrete action steps you could practice daily or (at the very least weekly) to keep you moving towards your goal in a small and sustainable way.
Action always beats intention.
- What is the change you want to see?
- What needs to die in you to make space for what is becoming?
- What daily or weekly action will you take towards your goal?
“I am a human being, meant to be in perpetual becoming. If I am living bravely, my entire life will become a million deaths and rebirths. My goal is not to remain the same but to live in such a way that each day, year, moment, relationship, conversation, and crisis is the material I use to become a truer, more beautiful version of myself.”
Untamed by Glennon Doyle (page 69)
CELEBRATING
I’m celebrating a year of coaching with my fabulous client, Helen. She shared with me some of the changes she has seen and what coaching was like for her. I want to share that with you.
“My name is Helen, and I am an educator plus a full-time graduate student. This time last year, my life felt unbalanced, with so many demands on my time, including commitments to family, work, school and friends. My health was starting to suffer and, although I tried several strategies to find balance, I was struggling to set boundaries and to live a life that honoured my values. After working with Sue as a life coach, I made changes that were beyond my hopes. Sue focused on whatever I felt I needed coaching on for each session. She allowed me to be the “expert” on my own life and responded to both verbal and nonverbal cues to guide me where I needed to go. She used her amazing ability to fully attend to what I said to offer insightful observations that I didn’t see at first, but which I recognized as true as soon as she said them. Sue was instrumental in helping me to clarify my values, become more assertive, and to find balance between commitments and fulfilling my own needs. I would recommend Sue most highly to anyone desiring to live a more courageous life that’s aligned with their values.”
Helen, coaching client
Thank you, Helen. It’s been a joy to work with you. You inspire me.
My Top Three Photos this Week
Actually, I haven’t taken a lot of photos this week, so a couple of these are from a few weeks ago.
If you’re looking for more balance, to work on setting boundaries, some insight about yourself or your life, to clarify your values or help in becoming more assertive, connect with me about coaching.
Did you know that we are already in the second half of 2020? Let’s make it count!
Beyond the Shadow 