Ah, Spring! The days are longer. The sun shines brighter. Oh, and as it shines in and brightens my home, I’m suddenly aware of a winter’s worth of dirt on the windows, dark paths on the carpeting from tracked-in winter slush, and cobwebs in the dim recesses that were invisible in the grey light of … Read more
I didn’t feel very well (physically) over the weekend, and slept really poorly. I woke up Monday morning with the alarm, feeling VERY sleep deprived and nauseous. I made the decision to take care of me, and slept in until 8:30. FINALLY caught up on sleep. Showed up at the gym at time I’m usually … Read more
In a recent coaching teleclass a participant asked, “is it our mood that creates our language, or is it the words and stories we use that create our mood?” She was looking for a neat and crisp definition of how people work. It ain’t that simple. Figuring out how people work is like solving the … Read more
“…there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Hamlet, Act II Scene 2 This quote from Shakespeare is one of my all-time favorites… and defines a foundational element of my coaching practice and life philosophy. Events are just events. Stuff happens. That’s it. THEN…we create a story to explain that event. … Read more
Are you are as happy as you want to be? Have you “succeeded” yet still find happiness elusive? Do you sometimes feel “stuck” in your career or your life, without a clear path to what’s next for you? If those questions caused you to pause for a moment, I invite you to read on. What … Read more
So, we saw two movies this past weekend (Doubt, and Seven Pounds) and enjoyed them both. Yet they were so very different that I find it impossible to compare. I cannot say, “this one was better because…” They were just too very different. I do not want the job of a movie critic, who must … Read more
Many movies today have such short and limited runs that most of us never hear about them, especially if they are released in the shadow of some summer or holiday blockbuster flick. That’s sad, because so many of those ‘little’ movies are really fabulous — they are unconventional, thoughtful, creative, and often showcase some incredible … Read more
The Akron Marathon is this weekend, and I have two clients and several friends who are running. Should be a gorgeous weekend! Thinking about marathons reminded me of a recent discussion I was part of. I was a guest on a local public radio station show two months ago. The Sound of Ideas topic was … Read more
Truly, have you ever asked yourself that question?
This modest blog will seek to provide answers to that question, several times each week. I’m a Professional Certified Coach with a grounding in positive psychology, emotional competency, and working with the body. I believe that what happens for us in our life comes from a combination of what we think, how we manage our emotions, and how we hold ourselves in the world.
Have you ever heard the concept: “my thoughts create my feelings, and my feelings create me behavior, and my behavior determines by outcomes?” Well, I hold it to be true. Something happens, and I interpret that event (maybe tell myself a story about it). The event is just neutral… but my story puts all sorts of meaning to what happened (ooh, he was out to embarrass me. She did that on purpose. I knew it, they’re all out to get me. I doesn’t matter what I do, I’m always screwing up.)
My “story” gets me all emotional, and from that emotional space, i take action. Not always the best action, but hey, emotions aren’t rational!
What I do is teach people practices that can help them INTENTIONALLY shift their response to stories and emotions, so that they get the results they WANT instead of the results that don’t work for them.
Stay tuned. This is just my introduction!
In happiness, Jim Smith, The Executive Happiness Coach®