Coach Approach

I'm hearing about anxiety more and more in the past couple of years, and I know it's been difficult. So I wanted to offer you some knowledge and some of my top tips to get myself back to calm.

1) Anxiety is a function of groups. It tends to run quickly through systems and is highly contagious.

Tip: Observe its movements, and when it gets to you, pay attention to your body. See how you can self-regulate with a hand on the belly and a soft breath down to the hand, instead of passing the anxiety …

Ever wonder if you've left the stovetop on? For a lot of people, it's a real question because they leave the stovetop on a couple of times a week, and then, even when they do turn it off, they worry that maybe they didn't.

If that's the way your mind works, you learn to find workarounds. For example, you can make your cup of tea in the microwave instead of boiling it in a kettle on the stove (which might sound sacrilegious if you live in Kenya or the UK).

Building empathy

Rather than feeling …

Some people believe that suffering and living in poverty is necessary to be truly spiritual. That idea is hidden or openly taught in many belief systems and philosophies.

And there's a nugget of truth - sometimes the lack of material possessions, wealth, or creature comforts does bring us back to the essence of our soul. I had a prayer partner for years who was with the sisters of charity, and her only possessions were two blue and white habits like the ones Mother Theresa would wear, a well-pa…

One of my all-time favorite places to be is Diani Beach. When our family lived in Kenya, we had the privilege of traveling to the coast several times and staying right on the white sandy shoreline, where I was filled with awe and wonder at each quiet sunrise, and I would wade out into the warm waves. 

I can still feel the ultimate stillness coursing through my body the moment I placed my snorkeled face into the water. Suddenly, a whole new world of light and color and movement opened up, as bri…

Some people think coaches are overly optimistic, always focusing on the bright side and not willing to take a hard look at challenges. But you know that at Awaken, we model coaching skills that really help with overcoming obstacles, getting creative, and trying something new and brave. It takes a powerful love that's refreshing, strengthening, and invigorating. 

Drawing on the work of Steven Hayes, one approach is to develop "Creative Hopelessness". A core tenet of coaching states, "if what you…

If you're like me, sometimes you get stuck in ruminating - having the same thoughts and feelings stuck on repeat with no movement or positive action. It's exhausting. The brain seems to have a mind of its own, quickly taking you on a path to nowhere.  

Wouldn't it be fun if you could get back in charge of yourself? 

The Freeze Frame® technique, developed by the HearthMath Institute, gives you a chance to find more efficient options and resolve problems and conflicts that may be depleting your en…

Our friends the squirrels go through some distinct seasons.

Those that live in northern climates know just when it's time to start stockpiling for the cold winter months. They remind us that it's good and right to think and plan ahead and to conserve an investment of energy and calories for times when those are less abundant in the natural way of things.

For humans, this includes choosing what nourishes and sustains us long-term, through the cycles of life. It includes trusting that more goodn…

Skin is beautiful: the largest organ in the body with astonishing sensory abilities. I was recently at the beach on the Kenyan coast, reveling in the soft, white sand, enjoying the warmth of the sun, the breeze on my face, and the refreshment of a saltwater pool. My skin made all of those gorgeous sensations possible.

Skin protects: I added protection to the skin on my feet by wearing my Tevas when walking in places with coral and sea urchins. I protected the skin on my face and arms by wearing…

Holding Close and Setting Free as a Way of Living

"Holding close and setting free is not a common concept. Most people tend to think in terms of “holding on” or “letting go”—choosing one or the other. The idea of holding something or someone close and, at the same time, setting them free—two gestures becoming one—opens a new world of possibilities.

For me, holding close and setting free has become a beautiful and grace-filled way of living. I believe that the highest form of relationship—wheth…