Tag: goals

i desire…

Posted on by jplatt27

desire

I’m leading a book group as part of Danielle LaPorte’s World’s Biggest Book Club. At the end of our last meeting we went around and shared, off the cuff, what we desire. (inspired by p. 23)

I desire…

to giggle with my husband at least once a day, to make a ritual of taking our future kids to Barnes and Noble and/or the library regularly to pick out new books together, to write, to have my words inspire and comfort other people, to host a standing Sunday brunch, to have a job that lights me up, to move my body every day in a way that feels right that day, to let go and feel free, to have fresh painted nails more often than not, to get in bed at the end of the day feeling a good kind of tired and already relaxed, to get lost in a good book, to go to happy hour regularly…

That’s all for now.

Wanna play? Share in the comments! It’s fun!

 

a feeling yet to be named

Posted on by jplatt27

I’ve been doing something a little different with my Christmas list this year. Each year, Mike’s mom asks me for a Christmas list. And each year I put the same kinds of things: clothes and books.

This year I decided I’d make an intentional Christmas list based on how I want to feel in 2014.

The adjectives I came up with are

cozy | joyful | pretty | abundant.

But at the gym this weekend I realized there’s another way I want to feel in 2014…like me. But I haven’t come up with one word that sums up this feeling.

I was doing a strength exercise in front of the mirror and the song Mirrors by Justin Timberlake was playing on my iPod. When I locked eyes with myself in the mirror I felt…radiant, strong, beautiful, loved, appreciated. Like I was really seeing myself. Seeing the true me. I felt…like me. I adore that feeling. 

Do you know the feeling I’m talking about? What is it called? I’d love to add it to my list.

under pressure

Posted on by jplatt27

I designated June as the “Month of Me” and spent the month relaxing, reading, cooking, having fun. I told myself I’d take June to relax and take a break from the go-go-go-go-go schedule that’s dominated my life since before high school and then hit July with gusto and dive head first into my business.

June was so great. I was really enjoying myself. And then July came along.

I’m not kidding, July 1 I started to feel sad. The sadness came up and up, just kind of lingering under the surface. I didn’t know where it was coming from. Things were and are good. But this underlying feeling of sadness was there and kept growing.

When we got back from vacation, the feelings of sadness got more intense and soon turned to overwhelming anxiety.

I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. Then I thought, hmm, this started around July right at the end of the Month of Me, I should start playing more and having more fun. So I did that. It worked a little bit but wasn’t a magic bullet.

This morning it hit me. The Month of Me was great not because of the play and the joy I felt. The reason the Month of Me was so wonderful was because of the lack of pressure.

That’s it. The lack of pressure.

Because I took the pressure off myself and allowed myself to oh, I don’t know, just live my life, I was able to ENJOY my life. To have fun. To do things I like.

I let myself relax in June and then slammed the pressure back on July 1. And it hit me like a ton of bricks.

The pressure I feel is 100% self inflicted. I am my own worst critic and put so much pressure on myself, beat myself up. And that sucks the joy out of things.

Knowing that my joy is tied to the amount of pressure I (and/or Janice) put on myself, I can start to examine the pressure and question it. Acknowledge it, think about it, and then allow myself to let it go and relax and enjoy my life.

Things always get done. Ideas always come. I don’t need to be thinking about my goals and my business success every. single. second. In fact, when I’m enjoying my life and doing things that make me feel like me, I’m more creative and motivated and things get done.

To relaxing and enjoying life! Cheers!

Do you put pressure on yourself? How do you let it go or could you let it go? 

 

 

 

failure to launch

Posted on by jplatt27

I had big plans for the launch of my new blog. Fireworks. Lots of buzz. Lots of excitement.

But honestly, I have no idea what that meant. And I wanted to start writing again. To start sharing again. That’s why I blog–to share. Not to get famous or have people cheering and whistling.

So I decided to just go ahead, get a few things re-organized, update some pages and click publish. Nothing big, nothing crazy. Everything not perfectly figured out.

Sometimes you just have to do that in life. Make a move without everything perfectly figured out. Just get started.

So, hello again.

It’s been a while, and I’m happy to be back. 

Want to help me celebrate? Pick your favorite post and share it on social media.

my really big dreams

Posted on by jplatt27

Over on my business blog, I recently asked my readers to admit their ambition. The first step in a dream come true is acknowledging the dream at all.

To encourage you to share your dreams, to lead by example, to practice what I preach, and to take the first step in making them come true, I thought I’d share my ambitions here.

My really big dreams:

Self-employed and debt-free by thirty through a six-figure coaching business

Write a best selling personal development book

Throw myself into motherhood (I’m going to be honest, this petrifies me at this point)

Create a home that is warm and welcoming

Host a regular Sunday brunch at our house for the people we love most. So that they know we’ll be there.

Coach on Capitol Hill

Build a premier coaching group for women, one that has the power to give back in a big, big way

Cultivate a love-only relationship between me and my body

Continue to grow the love in my marriage so that years from now we’re still giggling in the morning and dancing in the kitchen

Host a big, fancy, outdoor joint 25th anniversary and 50th birthday party

Join me!

Share one of your dreams in the comments!

what i do as a life coach

Posted on by jplatt27

In September 2011, I wrote this on my blog:

We were on the boardwalk and a little girl was sitting two benches down from us admiring a new hermit crab and holding onto a green balloon.  It’s pretty windy here today and the balloon got caught in the wind and started bouncing down the boardwalk.  Did the little girl cry?  Nope.  She said “let’s get it” and started running after it with a big smile on her face.  She and her uncle finally caught up to it and she walked back our way with her arms around the balloon and a huge smile on her face.  They walked past us on their way to do whatever it is they were going to do next.  Two or three minutes later, we see a green balloon bouncing by again. It brushes Mike’s leg as it bounces under the bench we’re sitting on and a pinkish red one follows.  And here comes the uncle chasing after it again, the little girl following quickly behind, still with a big smile on her face.  And i thought, this is a great metaphor for life.  If your green balloon starts to blow or bounce away, just run after it with a big smile on your face. You’ll get it.

This is what I do now. As a life coach, I help my clients chase after their balloons with a smiles on their faces.

my favorite outfit

Posted on by jplatt27

On my business blog yesterday I shared an exercise for self-reflection based on your favorite outfit. Here are my answers:

What is your favorite outfit?

My weekend morning outfit: Gap G-flex yoga pants, a cotton tank, and a long cardigan

What do you like about this outfit?

I like that it’s comfortable but also looks put together.

How does this outfit make you feel?

Relaxed but motivated to go do something, cute (these pants look good on my butt!), like myself, cozy

How do you move in this outfit?

Confidently, with ease, with a little pep

What activities can you do in this outfit?

Run errands, read a book, go to my favorite coffee shop, go to yoga, lay on the couch, relax, cook

——

Tell me some of your answers and then head on over to www.cupofteacoaching.com/blog to read part two of the exercise!

my vision board

Posted on by jplatt27

In preparation for my vision board party over the summer, I made a vision board of my own.

Here it is:

I kept feeling like it wasn’t done but after a month or so, I realized that this board does, in fact, reflect the life that I want.

Starting at the bottom, I want a career that is a foundation for the lifestyle I want, one that allows me to help others, to feel balanced, to continue to grow and evolve, and to have a flexible schedule.

The heart of the life I want, the middle of the board, is filled with family, friends, love, and a warm home.

And at the top, romance, relaxing, alone time, beauty, leisure, vacation.

It is my hope that each of these pieces supports the others.

With this vision in mind, I can continue to create the life I want.

Have you ever made a vision board?  What are some key things you’re looking for in your life?

oh hey student loans

Posted on by jplatt27

As November approaches, the six month grace period on many student loans is coming to an end and panic mode is starting to set in for some 2012 grads I know.  The weight of the debt and monthly payments is starting to set in.  Fear and overwhelm follow.

I’ve been there. With the principal on my student loans, I could buy a sizable house in the mid-west so I get it.

I get the stress and overwhelming feeling that come along with dealing with student loans for the first time. Not only is there a massive amount owed and sizable monthly payments, but trying to figure it all out on the bank’s website can be a little like reading a different language.

What’s due, when?  How long will this take?  How much will I owe when all is said and done? Consolidating?  How do I do that?  How do I know if it makes sense for me?

I have to call the bank? What?  Do I have to? I know it seems so daunting, you’d probably rather re-take the SATs.

But truthfully, once you get acquainted with the loans and the monthly payments, it’s really not that bad. They’re not as scary as they seem.

I suggest you get friendly with your student loans right off the bat. Just go up and say hello. Find out what you can about them, do a little digging, be patient because they may not reveal all of their baggage in the first date.  Take a deep breath.

Try not to get frustrated if they don’t communicate as clearly as you’d like.  You’ll be able to figure out what they mean soon enough.  Be persistent.

Also, don’t run away screaming when they start talking about your future together.  So maybe you don’t know where you want to be in 2022. That’s ok. If you want to take things slow or speed things up, you can explore that later.  For now, you’re just getting to know each other.

Get to know them.  Be open.  Don’t get defensive. The first step in figuring out your relationship, in deciding how you want things to go from here, is going on the first date.

P.S. Spring for a full evening instead of just a quick coffee.