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Life Coaching 101

As human resources has evolved from managing the benefits and employee details of an organization to an investment-based philosophy, companies and individuals are embracing a new teaching method of personal development, life coaching. Part encourager, strategist, and accountability partner, life coaching is a growing tool for people whose needs are not met within the mentor-mentored relationship.
With corporations pushing productivity and excellence, the trickle down effect has landed in the minds of managers and supervisors who want to experience similar transformation in their personal lives as they conquer fear, adversity, and change. With motivational speakers like Tony Robbins and Les Brown have extreme pep rallys on the dimes of corporations, individuals like Rhonda Britten and Iyanla Vanzant launch people into orbit through personal development sessions as well as larger group meetings of life coaching.

Life coaching’s origins began as counseling took on a different form as people sought to get counsel on matters beyond the typical problems of marriage, addiction, and finances. That counsel was based on the personal development and desire to push beyond this invisible ceiling a person felt confined by. Within life coaching, any individual was able to tackle life in a fresh and exciting way as both coach and the individual agreed on their level of investment and the goals that would be pursued.
People that utilize life coaching do so because they value the input and counsel a life coach brings. A true life coach is someone who partners with their student to ensure that they reach their goals. Successful life coaches bring tremendous value to their student’s lives and usher in the necessary changes to propel their students to greater success, healing, and joy.
Life coaching is not a hocus pocus therapy session where students tell their entire life’s story with the hope that a life coach can make sense of it without any great effort on the student’s part. Quite the contrary, successful life coaching is based on a coach’s ability to discern the root issues of a person’s life and to help them overcome them through coaching exercises, techniques, and other methods.
In the case of Rhonda Britten whose Fearless Living life coaching program is centered on aggressive confrontations of fear, her life coaching strategies were so successful that she parlayed them into a television show called, Starting Over. In the course of five seasons, she was a catalyst to the change of countless women as they overcame their pasts and the consequences of poor decision-making. Her success both here in America and across the ocean in England is based in large part to her commitment to do everything in her power to see to it that her students reach their goals.
As a discipline, life coaching revolves around five objectives. These objectives include what the individual wants to accomplish and a reasonable timetable for them to be met. The goals must be specific and clear. And no goal can be agreed upon unless it is measurable. Lastly, the goals must be action-oriented and results-focused.
When Rhonda Britten begins coaching someone her first goal is to get a picture of what the student wants the end result to look like. Without an image of an end result, the Chicago life coach has no direction to bring the student to. On the other hand, when a student is aware of what the end result will look like; both the life coach and the student have somewhere to push towards. As the student paints the picture, the life coach will look to make sure the picture is specific and clear so that there is no gray area in what they are accomplishing together.
Having grasped the picture of transformation that is desired, the life coach will set out to develop ways to measure a person’s progress in relationship to where they are when they begin the coaching period. When a student is able to continually measure they are able to see the progress that they are making to encourage and inspire them to work harder.
The actions a student will have to do will be action-oriented. Seeing that a student typically gets into a rut because of passive behavior, the life coach will create actions that will push the student to excel and succeed. The more a student is able to feel the joy of success the more it will become the hunger that drives them.
In business, managers are looking for answers more than questions. It is the questions that have led them to the path they are on now. But in life coaching, as opposed to giving you the answers, the life coach will create situations or ask the appropriate questions to get you to see what you have been blind to before.
Results are the bottom line for life coaches. Life coaches fail their students when the number of sessions has been completed and the student has accomplished very little if anything. Just like in business, life is about results. If no noticeable change has been made, life coaching has been a waste. On the other hand, if life coaching is to have any real benefit, results are what will tell the story better than anything else.
Life coaching cannot and will not go on forever. Typically, an aggressive case of life coaching will last six to nine months in length; more passive cases can last upwards of fifteen months as students and life coaches develop a systematic plan of action.
Life coaching is a productive way for men and women to address issues that have kept them from pursuing dynamic positions and places. Successful life coaches bring tremendous value to their clients in a way no other discipline has or can. With motivational speaking and success media selling at high levels, life coaching will experience similar growth in the future as men and women gain perspective, passion, and principles to live a dynamic life.

How to Landscape Your Yard on a Budget

When people drive past those amazing yards that looks as though a professional came through and sprinkled their magic, a touch of jealousy often reaches out and smacks them around. Maybe this is because they feel that they do not have the skill to do all of that on their own or maybe it is because they are on a very limited budget and feel as though they will never have a yard to be proud of.

The thing is though, there is a lot that can be done on a limited budget if you simply know where to look and what to do. When it comes to the design of your landscape, if you do not have many ideas of your own that you can confidentially come up with, simply look for ideas from completed projects. Look through magazines and books and take out or copy the pictures that you think are nice.

Maybe you love the whole look or maybe there are one or two things in that picture that you would love to recreate in your yard. Also, if there is a house in your neighborhood with landscape that is “picture perfect” feel free to snap a quick photo of their yard to use as a reference. If you feel uneasy about this, simply stop and ask permission. After explaining how much you love what they have done with the yard, they will most likely have no problem with you taking a quick picture.

Shopping Cheap

If you are thinking of getting a retaining wall put in or you would like to have some decorative stones throughout the yard then you need to look around before making your purchase. For those without a budget heading to the local stone supply company is no problem, but for the rest of us, that is something that just will not work. The first thing you want to do is to price the different types of stones, bricks, and even railroad ties that may work in your yard. Get an idea of what they would cost for you to purchase the “traditional way”.

Then start looking through the local wanted ads or online venues such as Craigslist. Many times there will be people posting extra landscape materials or supplies that they have leftover from their project or that they need to sell in order to pay some of their bills. Some people even are willing to deliver the landscape to you for some gas money. If that is not working out for you, start driving around the neighborhood. Can you think of any abandoned houses that have been vacant for a while or homes that have had a pile of rocks sitting in their yard for the past four years? If there is someone living there, try stopping by and asking if they would be willing to sell the landscape.

Look For Unused Landscape Around Town

With this economy being such a tough time for a lot of people, you never know when your knock at the door would be a blessing for them as you would be providing them with money to eat off of for a week or to pay their past due electric bill. Everyone could use some money and everything is for sale at a price. With your knowledge of how much the landscape would cost via the “traditional route” you will be able to make sure that you are also getting a deal.

If the house is vacant, a simply trip to the local courthouse with the address in hand will give you the name and contact information for the owner. Most likely, if the home has been vacant for years, they do not care about the landscape rocks. A quick call to see if they would be willing to give the landscape away could land you some free stuff. Otherwise, you could offer to pay a small amount of money. Since none of the landscape is being used, you will probably luck out.

Source: Moreno Landscaping

Avoid Fireplace Remodeling Mistakes

Fireplaces shouldn’t really have to be remodeled, if indeed people had never thought of that in the first place. But because of some brainchildren, we have to rework fireplaces that should have never been changed. If you find yourself in a situation like that, let’s take a look at a few things you should avoid.

Dating Yourself

Home remodeling and quartz countertops are all about trends for the most part. People design a home around the style of the 70s and then the 80s hit. So, they design their home around the 80s and then the 90s come through. Here we are already past the first decade of the 21st century and some people are still back in the 90s, or even the 80s.

I can agree that there are some styles we just want to keep. But, others have to go. If you completely immerse yourself into an era, you might find yourself having to make changes a decade later. That might be fine with you, but I know there are people who don’t want to have to remodel every few years or so.

Lack of Planning

When you have a major renovation in mind, but you don’t have the funds for everything right now, make sure you plan it through to the end. Sometimes, people step on their own toes when they do a small project with other projects in mind. They find that they have to undo certain work or redo certain work.

It can become a mess if you haven’t thoroughly planned an entire project. Ventless fireplaces can be the easiest to plan when it comes to major renovations. Just make sure that everything else that goes along with it has been considered and made a part of the plan before you started.

Inaccurate Value to Cost Ratio

It’s true that the ventless fireplace or several of them around your home will increase its value. But, the actual cost to value should be calculated. A fireplace can probably add about 5 ‘” 10% to the value of the home. So, make sure that you keep your cost well below that value.

A traditional fireplace can cost upwards of $10,000. If your home is worth more than $100,000 then by all means add a traditional fireplace. But when you can build your own ventless fireplace for less than $1,000, you might want to look into that solution.

When you have the fun task of remodeling your fireplace or simply installing new ones all around your home, it should be seemingly painless. There is no need to curse at the ghosts who lived in your home before you. If you built your own home from ground up, then that’s a different story.

Chances are you love your home. However, with some of the homes being quite old in your local downtown area, remodeling is quite abundant. After all, most citizens would rather remodel their existing home than buy a new one. This is partly due to the increasing value of the downtown area and the charm older homes possess in the area. Whether you are remodeling the kitchen, adding rooms, expanding closets, installing windows or adding a pool, avoiding headaches with remodeling contractors is indeed possible. Remodels can not only add value to your home but also make you enjoy your home more.

What to look for:

There are quite a few well qualified contractors in the Bend area. However, finding one who specializes in your specific project is important. Thus, to avoid headaches you need to do a few things before committing to work with a contractor on your ideal home remodeling project.

1. Find someone with proper certification. Mistakes made by contractors could indeed damage your home. In addition, any mistakes could ultimately be dangerous to your family. So, finding a contractor who is well certified will allow you to avoid headaches with remodeling contractors. Before you commit to working with a contractor, be sure you can confirm the remodeler has liability insurance and is licensed by the state. You should check out each potential contractor’s license with the State Construction Contractor Board (CCB) to be sure they are certified and qualified to do the work.

2. Figure it all out before work begins by asking potential contractors many questions. A sure-fire way to avoid headaches from working with contractors on your remodel is to get all information ahead of time. By sitting down with the potentially hired contractor, you can be sure you’ll not be shocked with anything along the way. You can together create a plan of action which will allow you to know exactly what will happen along the way. Thus, whatever happens in any circumstance or situation, you’ll be prepared for it. A contractor who is unwilling or annoyed by answering questions should be fired immediately.

If you come home one afternoon to find a part of your fence down or the railing on you front stairs completely off, you don’t have a lot of choice as far as whom to hire or how much to pay. And handymen know this. They don’t necessarily take advantage of your situation, but let’s face it – we have learned that we need to pay for convenience and anything we need done in a hurry whether it’s putting the fence back up so Fido can’t escape, again, or even sending an overnight package – you pay for convenience and speed. So, when it comes to hiring a handyman, how much should you really expect to pay if you need something done quickly – or not?

Because some jobs are more difficult than others, and rife with “surprises”, there’s not much flexibility when discussing some basic charges. Even though many handymen will gladly come out and give you an estimate – for the ones you can prepare for in advance – pricing won’t really change much from city to city. Of course, a job in Boston will be priced higher than the exact same job in Burlington, VT, but other than this type of fluctuation, you can expect pretty static estimates.

When you do get some bids, you should be looking at things start dates, project length, overages (what if it’s not done on time?), and what kind of options do you have if he don’t show up on schedule.

Even though the fees are fairly standard, there is plenty of room to negotiate the extras or add-ons, or default strategies. For instance, anyone who has ever watched or heard about large “house repair” or even “house flipping” projects, even on reality TV, knows that nothing happens according to plan. You need to be able to work into the contract that if the project falls behind schedule or over budget, through no fault of yours (for example, you may need to go away on business or perhaps your child comes down with the flu and you feel more comfortable not exposing any outsiders to possible exposure), then the handyman will start paying a penalty, for instance, every day that the project runs late they need to deduct a specific amount, usually a percentage, off the project total.

If, on the other hand, your project isn’t quite so involved and can probably be done in a few hours one afternoon, at everyone’s convenience – perhaps he just needs to hang a few new closet doors – there could be room for some negotiating the price here.

ADHD Counseling

When first learning that your child has ADHD, a learning disorder also called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder you and your child might be a little scared. You might start to wonder if he/she could ever have a normal life. Depression might set in with your child and from there you are in need of a Counselor to help you and your family sort out the issue.

It’s never easy with something hard happens in your family and learning your child had ADHD is no exception. You are strong for you child or children because you know that’s what you should be. But behind closed doors, its breaks your heart and maybe you start thinking it’s your fault. Maybe you start thinking about stuff you could have done better. Truth is we all do that. We all get scared that we did something to hurt our children, when the last thing we ever wanted was for them to be hurt. Try as you may, you live everyday making your child feel loved and special but inside you might have regret, not regret for your child, but the regret of thinking you could have changed this.

It’s not your fault though. These things happen and now you have to learn to live life as happily as possible so that your child doesn’t feel as though he’s different. Children with ADHD know that they are different, but they don’t have to feel it. It’s hard enough for them to go to school thinking that they are different and won’t it. So we as parents need to make sure we go the measure to make the happy. Some people need a little help to fit this mold and that’s why we have counselors.

The counselors will help us to see what we can do in the future to help our children with ADHD. They will also listen to whatever you need to tell them. Something’s you just can’t say to other’s, even to your closest friends. So it’s nice to have some one there who will listen to everything. Counselors are also there to help your children to cope with ADHD and to help them learn how to better deal with their feelings about it.

Some counselors are specially educated for dealing with ADHD alone and these are probably the best ones to go with. They do things like group therapy which allows your child to see that others are dealing with the same thing.

If you are considering counseling you definitely no matter what want to make sure you talk it over with your child. He may like the idea and then again it’s possible he may think something is truly wrong with him. It happens all the time; children start to feel like freaks, not like normal children.

How Randy’s High Country Towing of Colorado Springs Came to Be

After eight years of working for someone else, Randy Schranz of Colorado Springs, Colorado set out on his dream to own his own towing company. He came home one day and said to his wife, Patti, ‘I bought a tow truck’. And so began Randy’s High Country Towing.

The year was 1974 and tow trucks were no where near the size and quality of today’s, but Randy’s determination has taken him a mightly long way. His first tow job came in a meer 3 hours after starting his company, and naturally his wife took over office duties and helped run the tow business from home. Being the mom of two small children, she took in all the company calls between changing diapers, feeding and cleaning. Patti never so much as missed a call and even neglected going to the mailbox for fear a call would come in and not be answered. As time was flying by, the children grew, and so did the business. Eventually their son Layne became involved and spent many years working with his father. Layne became operations manager, but then moved to Alabama to fulfill his dreams of becoming a youth pastor.

For many years Patti ran the office on her own, but through the years they have added dispatchers, bookkeepers and a receptionist. When you see how hard each employee works throughout the day, it’s hard to imagine one person tackling so many tasks all at once. The company now has over 35 employees. Over the past 33 years they have expanded from 1 truck to a fleet of 40 trucks. From flat beds towing vehicles to heavy trucks towing the tractor trailers, there isn’t much Randy’s can’t do. I have personally seen them accomplish tasks such as picking up and moving a small airplane, to pulling up vehicles that have fallen 150+ feet off the side of a mountain.

Randy’s recently relocated to a small ‘farm’ on the outskirts of Colorado Springs. This new location gives them much more room for vehicle storage and larger, better office facilities as well. They even have a large barn that serves as the repair shop storage on the bottom half and a game room on the top half. On the rare occasion that a driver has a little time to himself without a tow waiting to be worked, he/she can head up to the barn for a relaxing game of pool. Once a year the billiards table and the comfy couches are removed and the space is turned into a winter wonderland. A large christmas tree is erected on one end of the barn, and a buffet table on the other end full of delicious catered dishes to make an atmosphere perfect for the annual company christmas party.

Randy and Patti worked unimaginable hours to build a profitable family business, yet they never fail to take time to recognize their employees at the christmas party. Not only do the employees receive bonuses, but the also purchase enough gifts for each employee to get one. As if that’s not enough, they start the night by speaking of their pride in the company and those that work hard to keep it going and hand out plenty of extra gifts throughout the night.

Not only has Randy’s grown phenomenally over the years, but they have come to be one of the largest Colorado towing companies. So much so that the drivers often have to travel to cities a few hours away to pick up or drop off vehicles that have broken down or been involved in an accident. And have even made several trips to places as far as New Mexico and Arizona.

If you are ever in the great state of Colorado and your vehicle pops a tire and you have no spare, or your motorhome stops running and you don’t know why, or maybe your tractor trailer has tipped over from strong winds… call Randy’s High Country Towing for quality service and timely response. I can almost guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Next Post : Here are the Top Oak Park towing Companies

How Acupuncture Helps PCOS

Having PCOS is a stressful thing. There are so many symptoms that go along with that diagnosis and it can be a very scary thing to have to deal with on a daily basis. Some symptoms include, hirsutism (excessive hair growth on the face and neck, among other places), acne, weight gain, trouble losing weight, insulin resistance, mood swings, menstrual irregularities, infertility, thinning of the scalp hair, depression and ovarian cysts. Many of these symptoms, if not all of them, can be controlled by alternative means, such as acupuncture, herbal supplements, aromatherapy, and reflexology.

Acupuncture is one of the most commonly used alternative therapies. Acupuncture can help many different symptoms and conditions. It was originally practiced in China, more than three thousand years ago. Acupuncture operates on the understanding that the body has pathways, or meridians, along the body. It is in these pathways that qi (pronounced chee) flows freely, unless there is a blockage. You would know you had a blockage if you have a condition, disease or even just a symptom, such as pain. Each meridian is connected to a certain internal organ or organ system. In order to unblock the qi and get the body balanced, special small needles are inserted in specific places in the body. This is painless and even relaxing for many. The needles are what opens up the blockages and allows the qi to freely flow throughout the body’s meridians, restoring the body’s balance and stopping the symptoms.

For women with PCOS, the biggest benefit is regulating the menstrual cycles. Acupuncture can also help with weight loss, headaches and mood swings. Many other conditions also benefit from acupuncture as well. Infertility has been known to be a big reason that people seek help from acupuncture. Many find that when they are going through conventional medicine treatments for infertility, that it is extremely beneficial to add in some Chinese medicine as well, such as acupuncture. The two work hand in hand in treating not only the symptom but also any other issues attached to that symptom.

There are very few studies that include PCOS sufferers and acupuncture but one study of five women with PCOS that do regular acupuncture sessions shows that all five women regained normal menstrual cycles by the end of the study. Acupuncture can restore the menstrual cycle within just a few short sessions. Some women even see total relief of their problems after just one acupuncture session.

The effects of acupuncture are complex. How it works is not entirely clear but almost everyone that tries acupuncture says that it does work. It may produce a variety of effects in the body and the brain. It increases our pain threshold and my also increase our blood circulation and body temperature. It affects white blood cell activity and also has been known to regulate blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol levels.

With all of these possibilities, it seems silly not to try it out. A typical acupuncture session is an hour or less and costs around fifty dollars. Many holistic centers and spas are popping up everywhere you turn so finding a certified, experienced acupuncturist shouldn’t be too hard. Keep an open mind and try it if you have any medical issues. You will be surprised at the outcome.

I have tried acupuncture a few times in the past and had outstanding results. I have PCOS and at one point in my life, my cycles were extremely irregular. I had one acupuncture session and within in a week, had a period on my own, with no medication help. I continued with the acupuncture until things regulated and I haven’t done it since. I haven’t had the need, but if that day ever arises and I feel that things are turning for the worst again, I will have acupuncture done before seeking help from a conventional medicine doctor. I know many people as well, that have had acupuncture done and have seen dramatic results. It can help almost any problem you might be experiencing. This is the way to go before resorting to unnecessary medications or procedures. It is inexpensive, quick and easy to find. I recommend it to anyone and everyone seeking help with their health.

Top 10 Fast Cleaning Tips for Cleaning Service Businesses

  • Always work clockwise around room cleaning from top to bottom and don’t retrace your steps. 
  • Use caddies to carry cleaning supplies throughout the home or office.
  • Purchase an extra-long vacuum cord or heavy duty extension cord so that you don’t have to repeatedly plug in.
  • Use both hands to clean, one for scrubbing and one for wiping.
  • Let cleaning supplies do their job and don’t rinse until the cleaner has cleaned.
  • Don’t keep scrubbing if stain won’t come out, move on to the next task and return with a different tool or stain remover.
  • Wear headphones with upbeat and motivational music.
  • Eat something first so that you have enough fuel to clean, also bring a granola bar or energy bar for a pick me up.
  • Wear comfortable clothes that allow freedom of movement. You’d be amazed at how much time you can waste adjusting an ill-fitting bra strap.
  • Carry a garbage bag with you to empty trash as you go along.

Compressive Type Back Pain

This type of pain is caused when the nerve roots that leave the spine are irritated or pinched. A herniated disc is a very common cause of compressive pain. The nerves that leave the lower lumbar spine join to form the Sciatic Nerve which provides sensation and controls the muscles of the lower leg. Irritation of the nerve root typically produces pain down the back of the leg, side of the calf, and possibly into the side of the foot. A herniated lumbar disc characteristically produces sciatica but not may not cause back pain. The muscles that the nerve controls may become weak and the reflexes disappear.

Spinal stenosis can also cause compressive type pain. In some people, degeneration of the spine can result in a narrowing of the spinal canal where the spinal nerves are located. This causes all of the nerves within the spinal canal to become inflamed, and fail to function properly. Numbness can invoke both of the lower extremities and may become worse with activities such as walking. Pain can involve both of the lower extremities and worsens with activities such as walking, and gets better after short periods of rest. Weakness of the muscles of both legs may also occur, and again this may get worse when activity increases.

Chiropractic adjustments restore joint function and mobility and relieve irritation of pain-sensitive structures. Your chiropractor is specially skilled in the techniques of spinal adjustments and knowledge in the prevention and relief of low back problems.

Sufferers of back pain, acute or chronic, should seek chiropractic help immediately !

Historically, adjustments (spinal manipulation) have been accepted by patients for eons as an appropriate method of treating back pain. Hippocrates, the father of Medicine, used this approach more than 2000 years ago while 1995 marked the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the introduction of chiropractic to the modern world. Today, the chiropractic profession is recognized as one of the five diagnosing professions in Ontario (also dentistry, optometry, medicine and psychology) and throughout the world. Over 200 million visits are made to chiropractors annually, many for treatment and/or prevention of lower back pain.

Chiropractic stresses the importance of body wellness in maintaining a healthy back. Treatment/prevention programs will include instruction in good back habits, diet, exercise and overall body conditioning. If alternative forms of therapy are required, your chiropractor is knowledgeable about other health professionals and can refer you.

Copyright: Acupuncture Arlington Heights IL

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