Energy Coaching

8/100th’s of a second was the difference between the US swim team freestyle relay and that of France last week at the Beijing Olympics.  Jason Lezak coming from behind, out touched Alain Bernard of France, the world record holder in the 100 meters freestyle.  How was that possible?  It seemed like the race was over for the US squad, after all, Bernard had the lead and the best time in the world!

It was amazing to watch Lezak’s drive and determination at work.  He never gave up, went all out and won the race by 8/100th’s of a second.  He said afterward that, for a split second after the turn he thought: “There is no way I can get him!”  However, immediately after this thought, his mind went back to the possibility of winning, to the other possible result that was just as likely to happen - ”There is no way I can lose this!”.  He chose the second thought and gave it all he had.  The result is what we all know now - the US squad won gold.

There are many lessons here for us to apply to our personal life.  The one I want to focus on is the CHOOSING POSSIBILITIES instead of settling for defeat.  If we choose to believe that it’s over, then that’s what we get. 

What we choose to focus our attention on grows stronger in our lives.  We simply need to choose to change our thinking pattern.  At first we need to be aware of what false beliefs and false ideas we are cultivating.  The second step is to create new beliefs and new habits, which will reinforce them.  It’s important to become aware of the old beliefs so that we can create new ones and change the outcome of our lives.  

It all starts with being very clear about what our passions are.  Then we will begin to believe in ourselves, to live an ideal life and to choose to see the possibilities.  More to come about passions in my next entries.  For now, let’s take sometime to contemplate what it means to follow our passions.  We have a clear example fresh in our minds:  Jason Lesak showed us what can happen when one chooses in favor of his passion!

With energy and passion,

Ana  

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We are all amazed by the power of the internet.  We can communicate with one another  extremely fast, buy whatever we want and have all our questions answered in the speed of light.  However, my latest experience with the power of the internet is intimately connected with the power of love.

I volunteer to teach children how to swim at an organization called JAFCO (Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options - www.jafco.org).  They have an emergency shelter that helps all children in need that come their way (not just Jewish children).  They care for them with amazing love and attention until they have a safe place to go.  Since they happen to have a pool, I saw an opportunity to serve these children.  We all have a blast splashing at the pool every Tuesday morning. 

Recently, all the volunteers got a letter from the shelter administration asking if we could donate basic items such as diapers, soap, lotion, shampoo, pull-ups, etc.  I decided to forward her letter to a few friends and to add my own bit to it letting people know how wonderful this organization is.  I sent this letter to 20 people I know.  Within two days I started to get e-mails and phone calls from people I didn’t even know saying they got my e-mail from someone they knew and that they were ready to help.  I went to their homes and jobs to collect the items they had for me and within one week I had more than 1000 diapers, 500 pull-up’s, brand new clothing items, shoes, toiletries, toys, videos, books and many other items the children need at the shelter.  I had to go to the shelter twice with my SUV filled to the max with all this stuff!  Within ONE WEEK, the shelter received all the diapers they will need for the next six months of operation!  One simple letter written from the heart captured the essence of all that is good inside of people and the response was unbelievable.  I was in shock.

That experience got me thinking about the power of good, the power of passion and, specially, the power of love.  Anything that you enjoy, that nurtures your spirit in a loving way, that allows you to share your love with someone else, has the potential to fill your heart with love.  When we are filled with loving feelings, whether those feelings are directed toward humans, animals, G-d, nature, or simply a love of life, we put ourselves in a position to attract love.

Look for opportunities to express your love this week.  Whatever your circumstances, dreams, or preferences, filling your life with opportunities to express love is always a good idea.

With energy (and love),

Ana

My husband sent me this and I thought it was a nice thing to share with you!  Hope you enjoy it.

With energy,

I know, I know…  The Olympics again? 

I am sorry but I can’t help but talk about it!  I was a highly competitive athlete and during these Olympic months I get the Olympic fever.  Besides, sports are great examples for my life coaching.  That’s where most of my analogies and metaphors come from.  Having said that, get ready for another one!  It has to do with PASSION!  

You can’t help but notice the passion all over an athlete’s life.  How else would they endure countless hours of training?  They know that the hard work will pay off.  This way of thinking gets them thru the hardest of practices; to a point where they even enjoy it.  Why is that?  How is it that challenging your body to the max will give you a sense of pleasure and accomplishment?  It has to do with CLARITY. 

Clarity about what you want will bring out the passion inside of you.  The passion will make you endure and even enjoy the hard work in order to get your dreams and goals realized.  Hard to believe?  Watch the Olympics then.  Emulate the athlete’s spirit and match your actions with your dreams and goals.  Then, let it go!  The process looks like this:

1. The athletes are very clear about what they want:  Get to the Olympics.

2. Then, they put their attention and actions toward making it happen.  They practice hard and focus on the final objective at all times.

3. The final part is the actual performance.  They let go and put all the hard work into action.      

I invite you to inquire about what would bring your passion out in the open.  Nothing is too crazy or impossible.  You have all the resources inside your heart and imagination.  You can go there and think about what brings you joy, happiness, a smile to your face and a good feeling in your heart.  Write it down and look for areas in your life where you can make your passion flourish. 

Every successful athlete, entrepreneur, philanthropist, writer, singer, had only a dream to begin with.  They identified their passion and went for it.  That’s the spirit I want you to emulate!  Get inspired while watching the Games this summer!

With energy (and passion),

Ana

A good friend of mine called me the other day and mentioned she had just had a wonderful experience this past weekend.  She took a walk on the beach by herself.  For a good hour, she marveled at the wonderful serenity of being alone for a while.  All of sudden, her roles were “suspended” in time; she wasn’t the mother, the teacher, the wife, the friend, etc.  “It felt awesome to just be myself for a while!”; she told me.

I pondered on our conversation for a while and thought that I wish more people would do just that; spend more time with their own selves!  “Suspend” the roles they all play in life and just enjoy their own company…  It’s almost like stopping time! 

Ultimately we are all alone in life.  We nurture relationships with our family, our partners, our friends, our colleagues and we develop a community.  People come and go in and out of our lives and we are left with the lessons and memories - the most precious gifts they can give us.  However, the person we must face at the end of the day and at the end of our lives, is ourselves.  So, the natural question is:  Are you developing a relationship with yourself?  Another good one is:  Do you feel in peace in your own company? 

Taking the time to be alone is crucial to develop a good relationship with our own selves. Enjoying the silence of our own company, or talking to ourselves are great ways to become comfortable in our own skins.  What we will find is that deep inside ourselves something incredible is waiting to be known.

Take yourself out on a date this weekend and enjoy it!

With energy,

Ana