Cornerstone Coaching

Change

Lois Albrecht — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:14:54 +0000

What have you chosen in your life that it’s time to change? – Chellie Campbell

In January 2011 I accepted a full time job that requires a lot of travel. I love it. But talk about a change! Needless to say, my coaching business, which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed for 7 ½ years, has had to take a back seat for now. But it hasn’t gone away completely.

While I am not able to accept on-going coaching clients, I am offering 1-day “Find Your Focus” Personal Retreats. Click here for details. It’s intense, but effective, for those who are ready to make a change or design the next chapter in their life.

Thank you for following my 90-second ezine which, due to time constraints, disappeared a year ago. I do continue to monitor my business email and you can find me occasionally on Facebook. So let’s keep in touch.

Wishing you all the best in the New Year!

Lois

Lois@cornerstonecoaching.net

Shift From Should

Lois Albrecht — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:20:22 +0000

With the holidays and end of the year upon us, we tend to put a lot of expectations on ourselves. I should bake and decorate three dozen cookies for the bake sale. I should send out all my holiday cards by the 15th. I should… (fill in the blank here with your own should thought).

As the list of shoulds expands, our stress level increases, and we leave no room for the joy of the season.

What if we could shift from should to could? I could bake and decorate three dozen cookies. All of a sudden I have a choice. I may decide this is a fun activity I really enjoy and I’ll make time for it. Or I may decide this year I have other priorities and let go of this project.

CHALLENGE: Think of your biggest holiday/end-of-the-year should. Where did it come from? If you re-framed it as a could, what possibilities open up? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

What do you do?

Lois Albrecht — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:09:55 +0000

”So, what do you do?” How many times have you automatically asked that question when you meet someone for the first time?

It’s part of our culture but has also become a “dreaded question” among Boomers and others. Many people don’t want to be defined by the work they’re doing at the moment, especially the unemployed, underemployed, and recently retired. That can even be true of those who may have chosen an encore career.

Crafting a satisfying answer ahead of time is one solution. I saved an interesting business card of a retired gentleman I met. Under his name the title was “Expert” then listed: Ravines Cleaned, Sermons Preached, Tigers Tamed, Wars Fought, Professional Photographer, Experienced Sailor. Now there’s a conversation starter!

I suggest we come up with some great new “meeting people” questions, queries that help us connect with people we meet. I sometimes ask “What do you do for fun?” That broad question can help me discover their hobbies, vacations past or future, or – sometimes — that they haven’t left much room for fun in their life. Another question that can be useful is “What are you looking forward to?” That can prompt a glimpse into their future hopes and dreams.

What alternative question would you suggest to replace “What do you do?” I would love to hear how you get to know someone other than asking what work they do. Or maybe you have crafted an answer to the traditional question that you find satisfying and helpful?

Should we measure happiness?

Lois Albrecht — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:17:58 +0000

When the King of Bhutan was asked about Bhutan’s GDP, the King replied, “Why are we so obsessed with Gross Domestic Product” rather than “Gross National Happiness” (GNH)? Bhutan’s goal is not to create happiness, it is to create the conditions for happiness to occur. They have actually developed metrics to measure their GNH. One is “how do you feel about how you spend your time each day?” Businessman Chip Conley suggests U.S. businesses and leaders should also start using different metrics. We can begin by asking ourselves and our colleagues, “What one thing can you start counting today that brings satisfaction in your life? I would love to hear your thoughts.

note: if you would like to link to Conely’s talk email me: lois@cornerstonecoaching.net

The Power of F.E.A.R.

Lois Albrecht — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:23:25 +0000

“Whether you know it or not, fear has developed your likes and dislikes, picked your friends, and raised your children.” – Rhonda Britten

I was struck by this powerful quote and although I’m not sure I agree with Ms. Britten the topic is worth exploring. Fear is a powerful emotion that keeps us ‘safe’ from stepping out into the unknown. Fear of failure can keep us stuck in unhappy circumstances.

Chellie Campbell in her book The Wealthy Spirit reminds us how brave and persistent we were as children learning to eat (not a pretty sight!) or to walk. We didn’t worry about the mashed peas in our hair or how many times we fell down.

Fear is real and present but it doesn’t have to stop us from moving toward what we want. What if we could think of fear as the energy of excitement instead of the energy of anxiety? To anchor this concept, Campbell suggests the acronym Face it; Examine it; Accept it; Reverse it. Would it be worth a try?

CHALLENGE: Think about something in your life where you are feeling stuck. Something that you’d like to change but can’t seem to. Take a piece of paper and write out the circumstances. Then continue to write what comes up with each word in the F.E.A.R. acronym. I would love to hear what you discover.

What’s Next? Five Tips Now Available

Lois Albrecht — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:58:00 +0000

You can now download free from my website “What’s Next? Five Tips to Create Your Life’s Next Chapter.” Here’s the link: http://www.cornerstonecoaching.net Take a look and let me know what you think of the simple one-page framework. If you are a fan of my 90-second ezine you know I like to keep communications short and sweet.

Catch Someone Doing Something Nice

Lois Albrecht — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:56:16 +0000

I was treating guests to ice cream at our local Candy Shop @Bayfield, WI today. As we entered a girl about 6 years old with long blond curls was waiting for her cone. She was alone without an adult. While we were discussing all the flavor options I saw the girl proudly hand the staff her money. But she was fifteen cents short. “Do you have fifteen cents,” the young woman at the counter asked. When the little girl shook her head, the young woman smiled and said, “No problem” and took the change from the tip jar. Most people would have done the same. But it warmed my heart.

I hope you catch someone doing something nice today. If you do, share your story here with me and others readers.

Stuck by Success?

Lois Albrecht — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:28:48 +0000

Last evening, discussion in a class I’m facilitating centered around our work lives (paid or volunteer). I told a story about a young man whose parents were determined he would be a dentist. He dutifully went through all the required years of training and eventually built a successful practice. The business supported his family well. But somewhere in midlife he realized he wasn’t happy. After some soul searching he realized he longed to work outdoors. His weekend passion was designing his yard and gardens and helping friends do the same. With encouragement from his wife he took one class in landscape architecture, then another. Over several years he finished his degree. Bit by bit he reduced his dental practice and build his landscaping buisness which also became successful..and personally rewarding. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

It takes a lot of courage to switch career paths, especially if you are doing well. While some can make the transition, many people get stuck by success. The challenge in midlife is to find work that fits who we have become.

CHALLENGE: Take a half hour sometime in the next week to reflect on how well your work life ‘fits’ who you are today. Write out the following questions followed by your answers. What elements of my work do I really enjoy? What would I like more of and how could I make that happen? Working with a coach is, of course, one way to get unstuck. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Retiring the “R” Word

Lois Albrecht — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:51:52 +0000

One of the topics we discussed in my Too Young to Retire group last night was thinking about a new positive word or phrase to replace the “R” word (retirement). The dictionary defines retirement as “withdrawing, going to bed, going out of circulation.” We’re about seeing all the possibilities that lie ahead. And words are important! How we talk about these years affects our expectations. So here are some suggestions: Rewirement, Third Age, Next Chapter, Refirement, Renaissance, Prime Time, Sage-ing. What positive word or phrase would you nominate?

Role Models for Aging Well

Lois Albrecht — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:16:56 +0000

Yesterday is ashes; tomorrow is wood. Only today does the fire burn brightly. –Eskimo proverb

I spent the last five days visiting four relatives, the youngest of whom is 80 years old. And I learned something from each of them. Who are your role models for aging well? I’m collecting stories and would love to hear yours. Share yours here…OR

You can tell me directly if you join my interactive free teleclass on Wednesday, June 16^th at 12 noon Central/1 p.m. Eastern. I am again offering the popular topic: “I’m Not Who I Was; Living on Purpose in MidLife & Beyond.” I’ll be sharing strategies that have helped my coaching clients re-balance their lives and direct their energy toward creating a satisfying second half of life. Visit http://www.cornerstonecoaching.net/events to register and receive the call-in number and pin. Your only cost is the phone call. Please share this information with others who might be interested.