Time to Chill Out...

I was reminded of a very important life lesson while waiting in the service area of a car dealership. I couldn’t help but notice a young man who was pacing the floor, complaining and fussing about having to wait over 30 minutes for his car. He seemed to be getting himself all worked up. He had a book but refused to sit down and read it. Everyone else was sitting, reading, watching televison, working on their computer and basically chilling out.

No one likes waiting. I know I am not fond of it. In fact, being impatient is something I know how to do quite well. But I wonder what all this accumulative impatience does for us on a daily basis, weekly basis or in a year’s time? How much do we pay for health-wise for anxiety and mood changes even on a physiological basis? Doctors now even say that 70% of all chronic illness is caused by stress. Wow!

Extreme Thinking: “Black or White, All or No...

Ever met anyone with an all or nothing, black or white approach to life? Thinking in these terms is what is called “polarized thinking”. It basically divides life up into extremes and there is no room for anything in between. Now while there may be times that things are black and white, clearly every situation is not so cut and dry. A person that has extreme thinking not only has a very difficult time seeing any gray to life, they also have a difficult time seeing new or different possibilities.

A person that has an “all or nothing”, “black or white” approach to life can really get stuck when it comes to decision making. I see and hear this all the time with my clients. Important decisions are not made or postponed because things are not perfect. It reminds me of the couple who have big plans to travel for retirement only to get to retirement and not be able to live out their dreams because of bad health, or life issues and problems. Wonder why they didn’t travel along the way?.

What Are You Risking?...

As I life coach, I have the joy of seeing women step out and do some pretty amazing things. I even stand back in wonder at times and feel challenged about my own life. You can’t play it safe and experience adventure, a dream or the new things that you would like to see happen in life. Change involves stepping out into the unknown, leaving the familiar behind and taking a risk! It reminds me of a passage in Gen. 12:1-3, when the Lord says to Abram “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” The expedient word here is to leave!