We all want to push the fast-forward button, but is it worth it?

We all have those times when we wish we could press a fast-forward button and propel ourselves into the future and get out of our current situation. Whether the situation we are facing is minor, or major such as the loss of a loved one, it is human nature to want to move away from pain and find comfort as soon as possible. Yet we all know deep down that we need to work through these experiences in a conscious fashion rather than bury our heads in the sand. these are the times when we access important information about ourselves and life. The learning process may not be easy, but it is full of learning that bring us knowledge we cannot find any other way.

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The urge to press fast-forward can lead to escapism and denial, both of which only prolong our difficulties and can make them worse. The more direct, clear, and courageous we are in the face of whatever we are dealing with, the more quickly we will move through the situation. Understanding this, we may begin to realise that trying to find the fast-forward button is really more akin to pressing pause. When we truly grasp that the only way out of any situation in which we find ourselves is to go through it, we stop looking for ways to escape and we start paying close attention to what is happening. We realise that we are exactly where we need to be. We remember that we are in this situation in order to learn something we need to know, and we can alleviate some of our pain with the awareness that there is a purpose to our suffering.

When you feel that urge to press the fast-forward button, remember that you are not alone; we all instinctively avoid pain. But in doing so, we often prolong it and delay important learning. As you choose to move forward in real time, know that in the long run, this is the least painful way to go.

If you would like to begin to change your world,  then contact me and begin your journey. I would love work with you.

I offer coaching and mentoring to you – for you to make the changes you want to in your life. Build your confidence in your abilities.  Read my clients’ testimonials here. To help you to have more fun, more freedom and less stress. That is it. There is no catch. I believe in you.

Maggie Currie

maggieheart

Professional Transformational Coach, Consultant
Founder of MAGGIE CURRIE COACHING

Website:       http://www.maggiecurrie.co.uk

Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/maggielifecoach/

Email:            hello@maggiecurrie.co.uk

My coaching learning from day 1 – You may be inspired to work with me

In 2004 I was offered some free distance learning courses in life coaching and so I took up the offer. I thoroughly enjoyed learning all about how life coaching changes lives, how the mechanics of coaching work, practising on various people and of course receiving my certificates to tell me that I was now a qualified life coach. So now I could go out and change the world! Not quite.

In 2005 there followed some more learning with The Coaching Academy which involved an upfront cost, several weekends attending lectures (extra cost of travel and accommodation) and then loads of workbooks to complete and a dissertation to write. The workbooks were simple enough, the dissertation took time. There was very little ongoing support and I qualified as a corporate coach. So now I could go out and change the world! No.

2006 came and I decided that NLP would be useful. I undertook a three day course. This involved more upfront expense, (extra cost of travel and accommodation) interactive lectures every day and at the end of those three days I was a qualified NLP Practitioner. No support afterwards. That was it. Was I ready now to go out and change the world? No, there was still something missing.

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Still in 2006 I trained with Dawn Breslin who had worked in television and had a slightly different approach to coaching. Her style was gentle and worked loosely on emotions and boosted self-esteem and confidence. This involved a lot more upfront expense, 5 days of interactive lectures and I qualified as a confidence coach and group trainer. Very little ongoing support.  This worked for me on several levels and I changed some people’s lives for the better, but there was still something missing. I needed more, but I wasn’t sure what.

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In the same year I trained with The Association for Thought Field Therapy and loved how it all worked.  I am qualified in the Callahan Techniques of Thought Field Therapy.

Also in the same year I trained with Healing Hands School of Natural Therapies in Indian Head Massage and qualified with a Level 3 Diploma.  This has been very useful when working in festivals as I have helped many people get rid of their headaches, creaky necks from sleeping in tents, and generally relaxed them over the past twelve years.

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In 2007 I qualified with the School of Natural Sciences with a diploma in Sports Psychology.  A great subject that works well with coaching.

In 2010 I was intrigued by some information I found on Twitter about an emotion based coaching programme that offered something different. I contacted the person who was tweeting and she put me in touch with the creator of the programme. This was Maia Berens. We talked on the phone, I found out about how the programmed worked – online. I found out that there would be ongoing phone support weekly – a real person to talk to and bounce ideas off and learn from. I found out I could work with other coaches and enhance my learning on weekly calls too. So that was learning online with two calls per week to support and teach too. And allegedly there was support and contact going on long after completion of the course. There was an upfront expense and I signed up there and then.

Six months later I graduated and although I was promised that teaching would continue for the rest of my life and at no extra cost, this did not happen.  The person who ran the courses was really doing them for her own benefit, to stop her feeling lonely and to boost her own self-esteem.  So once I had graduated I was basically shunned from the organisation and my name does not appear anywhere on the list of qualified coaches.

Also in 2010 I achieved an Edexcel Level 4 BTEC Professional Award in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTTLS) which helps with planning and delivering workshops and training sessions.

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In 2011 I achieved a Diploma in Distance Tutoring from The Learning Institute and began tutoring distance learners to help them achieve the qualification of Life Coaching Diploma with the Blackford Centre.  I love working with these students, who come from all different backgrounds and always work hard to achieve their aims.

Also in that year I worked with Susan Jeffers, author of Feel the fear and do it anyway.  I met her in London and we chatted for ages about what she does and how she liked to meet people who want to do her work.  I completed all the necessary training and became accredited to deliver her courses.  Susan read the manuscript of my book ‘What you believe creates your reality’ and commented “A really good book”.  A great accolade indeed. Sadly Susan died in 2012.

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In 2015 I achieved a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Diploma from the Centre of Excellence and have worked with some lovely clients.

In 2016 I achieved a Mindfulness Diploma from the Centre of Excellence and this works really well with coaching.

In the same year I achieved a Special Educational Needs & Disability Diploma (SENDS) from the Centre of Excellence which has given me a greater understanding of the needs of people with additional needs.

Also in the same year I worked with Jamie Smart over a period of months, which involved several whole weekends of lectures, plus the additional expense of travel and accommodation, plus online lectures and achieved becoming a Clarity Coach using the three principles and working from the inside out.  Something which works very well with my coaching skills.

It is my choice to be a life coach and I am very happy with my profession. My career definitely reflects my passions and life purpose. My purpose is to help people to change their way of thinking so that they learn to love themselves and by doing that they learn to live their lives authentically as themselves. This of course has a ripple effect, as other people change their reactions and perceptions and they see a whole new person and want to change too.

My major influences have been Kelvin (my husband) who supports me in all that I do, me because I believe in myself and am learning more and more how to be ME, my friends in deed (fellow coaches) and everyone who has taught me something throughout my life.

I am finding it totally realistic to want to change the consciousness of the world, one person at a time. I want to impact the lives of one million people either directly or indirectly.  We are all emotional beings who have been conditioned to think of others first. Yes, we must consider others in the world, but we must also look after ourselves first. If we don’t look after ourselves we cannot look after other people. I am changing the world, one thought at a time.

If you would like to begin to change the world, or change your world,  you like my story, then contact me and begin your journey. I would love work with you.

I offer coaching and mentoring to you – for you to make the changes you want to in your life. Build your confidence in your abilities.  Read my clients’ testimonials here. To help you to have more fun, more freedom and less stress. That is it. There is no catch. I believe in you.

Maggie Currie

maggieheart

Professional Transformational Coach, Consultant
Founder of MAGGIE CURRIE COACHING

Website:       http://www.maggiecurrie.co.uk

Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/maggielifecoach/

Email:            hello@maggiecurrie.co.uk

Seeing greatness in people and recognising it in ourselves

A person who it is believed to possess greatness stands apart from others in some way. It may be by the size or originality of their vision and their ability to manifest that vision.  And yet those who recognise that greatness, whether they display it themselves or not, also have greatness within them; if not they could not see it in another. In many ways, the achievements of one person always belongs to many people , for we don’t accomplish much alone in this world. People who display greatness rely upon others who are able to see as they do, to listen, encourage, and support. Without those people who recognise greatness and move in to support it, even the greatest ideas or works of art, would remain unborn.

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We are all moved by greatness when we see it, and although the experience is to some degree subjective, we know the feeling of it. When we experience it, it’s as if something within us stirs, awakens, and comes to meet what was inside us all along. When we respond to someone else’s greatness, we feed our own. We may feel called to dedicate ourselves to their vision, or we may be inspired to follow a path we forge ourselves. Either way, we cannot lose when we recognise that the greatness we see in others also belongs  to us. Our recognition of this is a call to action that, if heeded, will inspire others to see in us the greatness they also possess. This creates a chain reaction of greatness unfolding itself endlessly into the future.

Ultimately, greatness is simply the best of what humanity has to offer. Greatness does what has not been done before and inspires the same courage that it requires. When we see it in others, we know it, and when we trust its presence in ourselves, we embody it.

If anything resonates with you in this article, I will be delighted to hear from you, and of course be happy to help you.

I offer coaching and mentoring to you – for you to make the changes you want to in your life. Build your confidence in your abilities.  Read my clients’ testimonials here. To help you to have more fun, more freedom and less stress. That is it. There is no catch. I believe in you.

Maggie Currie

maggieheart

Professional Transformational Coach, Consultant
Founder of MAGGIE CURRIE COACHING

Website:       http://www.maggiecurrie.co.uk

Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/maggielifecoach/

Email:            hello@maggiecurrie.co.uk

Common Courtesy

Sometimes we feel we don’t have the time to reach out to others with those small gestures that make up what we call common courtesy.  It sometimes seems that this kind of social awareness belongs to the past, to smaller towns and slower times. Yet, when someone extends a small common courtesy to us, we always feel touched. Someone who lends a helping hand when we are struggling with our shopping bags makes an impression because many people just walk right by. Even someone who simply makes the effort to look us in the eye, smile, and greet us properly when entering a room stands out of the crowd. These people carry with them the elegance and grace of another time, and we are always thankful for our contact with them. Common courtesy is a small gesture that makes a big difference.

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Of course a vital component of common courtesy is awareness and common sense—looking outside yourself to notice when someone needs help or acknowledgment. As a courteous person, you are aware that you are walking into a room full of people or that your waiter has arrived to take your order. Awareness then leads to action. It is usually quite clear what needs to be done—open the door for the person holding the baby, move your car up two feet so another person can park behind you, acknowledge your sister’s shy boyfriend with a smile and some conversation, apologise if you bump into someone.  A third component is to give courtesy freely, without expecting anything in return. People may not even take notice, much less return the kindness, but you can take heart in the fact that you are creating the kind of world you want to live in with your actions.

When you are out in the world, remember to be aware of others, lend your hand when one is needed, and give this help without an ulterior motive. Through these small actions, you make this world a better place in which to live and the ripple effect may reach others too.

If anything resonates with you in this article, I will be delighted to hear from you, and of course be happy to help you.

I offer coaching and mentoring to you – for you to make the changes you want to in your life. Build your confidence in your abilities.  Read my clients’ testimonials here. To help you to have more fun, more freedom and less stress. That is it. There is no catch. I believe in you.

Maggie Currie

maggieheart

Professional Transformational Coach, Consultant
Founder of MAGGIE CURRIE COACHING

Website:       http://www.maggiecurrie.co.uk

Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/maggielifecoach/

Email:            hello@maggiecurrie.co.uk

There Is Only Now

It is easy for us to walk through our lives without really being present. While dwelling on the past and living for the future are entertaining, it is physically impossible to live anywhere but in the present moment. We cannot step out of our front door and take a right turn to April of last year, any more than we can take a left turn to New Year’s eve in the future.  We can, however, easily miss the future we are waiting for as it becomes the now we are too busy to pay attention to.  We will spend the rest of our time playing “catch up” to the moment that we just let pass by. During moments like these, it is important to remember that there is only Now.

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So you can feel more at home in the present moment, it is essential to try to stay aware, open and receptive. Being in the present moment requires our full attention so that we are fully awake to experience it. When we are fully present, our minds do not wander. We are focused on what is going on right now, rather than thinking about what just happened or worrying about what is going to happen next. Being present lets us experience each moment in our lives in a way that cannot be fully lived through memory or fantasy.

When we begin to focus our attention into the present moment, it can be almost overwhelming to be here. There is a state of stillness that has to happen that may take some getting used to, and the mind chatter that so often gets us into our heads and out of the present moment doesn’t have as much to do. We may feel a lack of control because we aren’t busy planning our next move, assessing our current situation, or anticipating the future. Instead, being present requires that we be flexible, creative, attentive, and spontaneous. Each present moment is completely new, and nothing like it has happened or will ever happen again. As you move through your day, remember to stay present in each moment. In doing so, you will live your life without having to wait for the future or yearn for the past. Life happens to us when we happen to life in the Now.

If anything resonates with you in this article, I will be delighted to hear from you, and of course be happy to help you.

I offer coaching and mentoring to you – for you to make the changes you want to in your life. Build your confidence in your abilities.  Read my clients’ testimonials here. To help you to have more fun, more freedom and less stress. That is it. There is no catch. I believe in you.

Maggie Currie

maggieheart

Professional Transformational Coach, Consultant
Founder of MAGGIE CURRIE COACHING

Website:       http://www.maggiecurrie.co.uk

Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/maggielifecoach/

Email:            hello@maggiecurrie.co.uk