Be warned, this is a sad story with an important message at the end.

Jamie was young and already a mom. Her parents were taking care of the two of them. There was a lot of love in the home but things were not easy for anyone, money was hard to get and quickly spent, time for each other scarce.

That’s when Jamie made some bad decisions. And while trying to escape them, she got into real trouble. She was too young to know better, followed people whom she thought she could trust but really couldn’t, whom she thought loved her, but really didn’t. What she got instead was manipulation and exploitation.

Things turned bad. It is a sad story my friend. I warned you. It is.

But Jamie told me that she did what she did because she had a whole in her heart which she was trying to fill, and since she thought she needed love to fill it, she went looking for it outside of herself.

She has a message for her daughter, and maybe for you:
​It is ok to want/need to be loved. It is ok to want/need to fill this whole. But before looking outside of yourself for someone to come and fill it, start by filling it yourself. With creativity: dance, draw, write, paint, sing, act, cook ,… or by getting involved in something that interests you like sports, or science, or volunteering, or... Put your energy into something that lights you up. Explore that. Get in touch with that. Focus on that. And when you start noticing that the whole inside of you is being filled up, you’ll also notice that you feel much better about yourself. Because the love that you used to look for outside yourself will actually come from inside you. Then, and only then, you might be ready to be find love in someone else as well.

Not before.

Thank you Jamie, for this story.

Melanie
with Mel's help
life coaching

It's Sunday morning, and where I live, snow is falling. I feel a bit depleted as all I wanted was to go out and enjoy the blue sky and the warm sun on my face. I needed some relief from... everything?

So what should I do now?
Look at the snow falling and find it beautiful.
Fill the room I'm in with music.
Make coffee number two, decaf this time.
 Choose a book or take my sketchbook out.
And enjoy the day, as it is, anyway.

Nature teaches us to be more flexible and to adapt to things we can't control in life. And as we know, adapting to what is happening, to what is in front of us is one of the keys to managing anxiety.

Take care of yourself today

Melanie
with mel's help
life coach

An art teacher told me once:
Do you actually think that Picasso showed all of his work? That all of his paintings were great? No. So keep practicing. And among all the work you will do, something good, something great will show up. But for that, you have to keep churning up work.
 
A published author told me once:
My writing is not better than anyone else’s. I just keep at it, keep working on it. From the first draft, I work and work and work, write and write and rewrite until I am happy with most of it. Anyone can do it, if they put in the work.

Whatever project you want to achieve, whatever it is that you want to make/do, first you have to start, and then you have to keep at it, practice, rehearse, ... and then work and work and work. 

Some things are worth putting in the effort. 

Melanie
with Mel's help
life coach

When my siblings and I were still very young, our parents decided to take us on a road trip around a beautiful country for our summer holiday. They must have planned the itinerary but I was too young to know about the important “details” that it entailed. I was following my parents, and that was fine by me.

One morning, at the beginning of this great trip, my mother told us : “ Today kids, we have a long way to go, it might take up to 10 hours, so keep busy, it’ll pass more quickly.” So, that’s what we did. In the big room (or so it seems at the time) at the back of the camping car, we played, we read, we sang, we slept, we ate… And voilà! There we were, at destination, thinking : « Wow! That went quick!”

A few days later, we were back on the road. My mom turned to us and said: “It shouldn’t be too long today, maybe about two hours?” So, we sat quietly, and waited. Because, yes, two hours, that seemed a short trip.

Oh boy! Were we wrong! Those two hours couldn’t have lasted longer. It was endless! Unbelievable! It was like in the movies, when the kids shout every second: “Are we there yet?”

Right. Now… hmmm... Why was I telling about that?  ;)

#pandemic#changingperspective#lookingatthingsfromanotherpointofview

Mélanie
with mel's help
life coach

I know that for some of you crying is a no go. I have heard you say: ”I would never cry in front of ….”; ‘I would never cry at work, I wait till I’m home”, “I don’t cry, last time I did was…”; “Big boys don’t cry”, “A mature person doesn’t cry”. For many, it is a sign of vulnerability, of immaturity; it is perceived as shameful, weak or baby-ish, not in control of emotions... (I, of course, disagree with that as I tend to cry a lot!)

Can I ask you something?
If that’ your situation, and you don’t allow yourself to cry, once in a while at least, then how do you let your emotions out healthily?

Emotions are meant to be expressed, let out, one way or another.

And if they are not expressed or let out one way or another, they are bottled up inside.
They just pile up, are pushed in, until we explode. Or they turn into anxiety, depression, … maybe even illnesses.

So, you know, why don’t you find time to cry a little bit tonight or this weekend? It might help release some of the overwhelm…

Tip from a loved one: watch a sad film. Not too sad of course, but I know you know which one will do the trick for you. And let it out. . And if you feel the need to, blame your tears on the film.

Might do you good.
Let me know.

Melanie
with mels help
Life coach

​“This too shall pass”

I heard that phrase for the first time in the 1997 film ‘My best friend’s wedding’ starring Julia Roberts.
In short, the film was about a woman trying to stop her best friend’s wedding to go through as she wanted to marry him herself. All I remember about the scene where this phrase was said is that Julia’s character was distraught. She was sitting on the floor in the corridor of a hotel. I think she was crying.
The bellman asked her: "Are you ok?"
And when she was done sharing what was up, he told her: “My grandmother always told me: this too shall pass*”.
 
I still remember it.
It made so much sense.
A “ahah moment” as Oprah would say.
Such a simple phrase saying so much, helping so much, meaning so much.

It talked about life, about how we see things, about putting things in perspective, about not taking things for granted, about how time heals, about how it flies, …
 
It is not has if life was nothing but a calm and jolly stroll in the park.
Oh no! In my experience, it is more like a crazy roller coaster ride.
It is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, some fun, some not so fun.
 
So when times feel hard, hold on and be patient.
Remember: This too shall pass.

And when times are good, notice it and enjoy them.
Because: This too shall pass.

Sending you love 
Melanie
life coach
with Mel's help
 
*: Pop culture introduced me to “This too shall pass” but obviously, its origins are not from a film. According to Wikipedia, it seems to be a Persian adage. 

​We all know that to make the change(s) we want to make in our life, or to achieve a certain goal, be it big or small, we have to step out of our comfort zone, stop giving ourselves excuses to not do it and take action.

We all know that.

And yet, a day, a week, a month, a year down the line, we wonder why our life is still not going the way we want it to go, why we still feel so miserable, empty...

But deep down, we know why.
And we all know what we have to do.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO!

You know that you just have to:
- DECIDE what you want to do/achieve, make a plan of the first few steps you know you need to take, then go and do it. You'll figure out the next steps as you go along if you don't know what they are just yet.
- STOP giving yourself permission to listen to the: "I don't feel like..." that will only keep you in this "stuck" state.
Any time you feel stuck, go and do something, anything: move your energy, move your body, make your brain work... That'll help take you out of the stuckness.
- GET OUT OF your comfort zone! You won't know how great life is out there until you get there!

As they say: "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone"!

Contact me if you need help with that!

Melanie
with Mel's help
life coaching

How are you Friend?
How is your life at the moment?
 
Is it going at a slow pace, rather mundane, and you’re happy that way?
Or is it going at a slow pace, rather mundane, and you’re feeling bored?
If you’re feeling bored, remember that you have the power to make the changes you need to get excited about your life.
So... what will you do?
 
Is everything kind of ok and you are taking time to appreciate the good things in your life?
Or is everything kind of ok and you only notice what’s going wrong?
If you only notice what’s going wrong, make a point of noticing what’s going right as well.
It’s important.
You just might realise that you are going through a very good period in your life because nothing is ever perfect, and if everything is kind of ok, it sounds to me like everything is going pretty well. Enjoy!
 
Does it feel like you’re in a hurricane? That things are moving faster than you can deal with them?
If so, is it the result of some decisions of yours or of some unexpected life situation(s)?
If it’s your doing, enjoy the ride.
Remember that you needed that « change », that you asked for it, trust and keep going.
If it’s not, you seem to be going through a hard patch.
Do your best, and your best at this time might not be much, and let that be ok. It might even get a bit harder before you find your feet again, before you find a new normal. Just know that you will.
Adaptation or changes might be required. Trust that you can deal with the situation at hand.
Give it the time it needs. Be patient. Give yourself (and other people) a break... and some TLC.
 
Do you feel stuck? Nothing working as you hoped or planned?
Take a break.
If you can, go on a holiday, if you can’t, make the most of your day off.
And go do something completely different, something outside of your comfort zone, outside of your daily routine, something that will focus your attention fully, something that will stop you thinking for a little while. It can be anything: going for a day walk, reading a saga, drawing, ... anything that you can immerse yourself into.
Make sure that: you detach yourself from your usual thoughts by concentrating on the activity you are doing, breathe, use all of your senses and be in the moment. Just be in the moment. Then come back to your life. Let the dust settle and notice how you feel, notice if a new way of seeing things comes up.
If not, repeat.
The important bit here is to change the energy:  your physical energy, your mental energy, the energy of your environment... Get unstuck by shaking things up.
(if you need more examples of things to do, let me know).
 
How are you my Friend?
How is your life at the moment?
 
Melanie
with Mel’s help
life coaching
 
p.s.: If how you feel is not referred to in this short article and you would like some help,  contact me.

Sam is 8 years old.
She loves everything about Christmas: the magic, Santa Claus, the decorations, the GIFTS!... She particularly loves to send Christmas cards. She creates them herself, a different one for each of her family members (mom, dad, brother, then both grandmothers and grandfathers). That’s only five cards.
In it, she always writes: “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year”, and then she chooses a few words that will be her wishes to them for the coming year. That’s the hard bit. She doesn’t know which wish to choose, which ones would be the most important, the most significant, the most appropriate. She noticed that her grandparents always write: “Health, happiness and prosperity”. She likes that but doesn’t fully comprehend the importance of those words. She even wonders if they are not a bit boring and cliché. Still, as she appreciates that her grandparents know something she doesn’t, she too chooses to wish all her family “Health, happiness and prosperity” for the coming year.

Sam is 48 years old.
She loves Christmas, mostly because it’s a period of the year where work slows down a bit and she has more time to spend with people she loves. She still enjoys sending Christmas cards. She creates them herself, a different one each year but the same for everybody, which she gives to her family members (husband, two daughters, mom, brother and his family). That’s only five cards.
In it, she always writes: “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year”, and then she chooses a few words that will be her wishes for them for the coming year. That’s the easy bit. She knows which wish to choose, which ones will be the most important, the most significant, the most appropriate. She always writes: “Health, happiness and prosperity”. She fully comprehends the importance of those words. Life taught her that those three little words are the best thing you can wish to anyone.

What about you? What do you wish your loved ones for the coming year?
 
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year 2019.
May it be filled with health, happiness and prosperity
xxx
​
Melanie
With Mel’s help
Life coach

It’s that time of year again...
The Holiday season...
 It’s just around the corner.
 Are you ready? 
 
On top of all the things you have to do, the preparations, the gifts, the traveling, on top of all the people, planning you have to think about, will you promise me something?
 
Will you promise me to take time for yourself?
But I mean, SERIOUSLY?
Will you think of something that you really want to do (including doing nothing!), plan it, and do it?
No excuses. No I’ll do it later.
Will you?
 
Because you know... if you do something for yourself that makes you feel good, then you will bring this good feeling with you and people around you will feel it too. It’s like propagating a “good vibe” virus...
 
So will you do it?
It’s important.
 
Melanie
With Mel’s help
Life coach

During a training I attended, a wise teacher told us a true story that I would like to share with you as best I can...
A friend of his, let’s call him Sam, was the leader of a software developer team. Their project was going nowhere. Time was flying by but there were no results. They were stuck. When the Big Boss, who was in another city, called and said he was going to come around in a few weeks to see how things were going, Sam knew he had to do something. So he took a day off to think ... The next day, he spoke to his team:
“If we can’t find a solution, we will get fired, and they will hire new people for the project. So let’s think like new people.”
 
If you have a problem with someone or something and can’t find a solution, stop doing things the way you do them, stop using the same words or communication strategies, hoping that by some miracle they will suddenly start working.
Instead, take a step back and try to see things from another point of view, with new eyes. From there, you are more than likely to find a solution that was there in the first place, from there you might just find the way to communicate in a way that will work.  

Melanie
life coach
with Mel's help

​Don’t hate me, I know I am blessed: I fall asleep inside three minutes after putting my head on the pillow. And I can sleep anywhere any time: in daylight or in darkness, with noise or without, in a crowded environment or in a peaceful one...
 
I’ve always been like this. To me, insomnia is still being awake 20 minutes after going to bed. When that happens, I get up and go watch TV until my eyes shut by themselves. That can take a while, but when they do, up I go to bed and fall asleep immediately. Yes I am blessed. I know. I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me.
 
It’s true, I do sometimes wake up in the middle of the night or in the small hours of the morning. It used to drive me mad, but since I learned that our sleep patterns have cycles, each of which last 90 minutes on average, when I do wake up, I don’t panic as I know that it is likely going to take me 90 minutes to fall back asleep. And it usually does. My mind stays calm waiting for the cycle to run its course....
 
This said, I know a lot of people suffer from insomnia. So I thought that I could suggest a little something to try which I know works (friends told me!)
 
So the experiment this week, if you choose to do it, is to try Dr. Weil 4-7-8 breathing technique.
 
Method:
It is said that you should practice this technique twice a day –in bed and at some other time of your choosing (can be while sitting).
Step 1:  Throughout the entire duration of the exercise, touch with your tongue your two front teeth where they join your gum/palate. This will stop your thoughts going around and around and around.
(** you can use this mini-technique, with or without the breathing, any time you need to stop your thoughts going around in your head**).
Step 2: Breathe in to a count of 4
Step 3: Hold your breath in to a count of 7
Step 4: Breathe out to a count of 8
Step 5: Repeat 3 more times (personally, I would keep at it a little longer as it can’t be bad...).

When you count in your head, do it at a speed that is comfortable for you. You don’t have to count suuuupeeeeer slooooooooooooooowlyyyyyyyyy 1................................2.......................... .3....................4..................... in the hope that your slow count will relax you (it might, but you also might lack air!). As long as the proportion between 4, 7 and 8 is maintained, then you’re ok.
 
Please note: Dr Weil says that you will see best results after doing this for two months. Yes, I know, two months might seem an eternity, but
1) start by trying it for a week, notice any changes in your sleep or anxiety level and go from there,
2) you already have trouble sleeping so there is nothing to lose even if it takes two months to see results, don’t you think? Time will pass whether you try it or not...
 
That’s simple, isn’t it?
Try it and let me know if it works for you, if you notice any changes in your sleep or anxiety level, ...
 
Oh, I wanted to ask::
Are you blessed like me: Do you fall asleep easily?
Do you have any tips to share with other sleep deprived people?
What have you tried?
 
Remember
Sleep cycles last 90 minutes on average so if you wake up in the middle of the night, it is likely going to take you 90 minutes to fall back to sleep
The 4-7-8 technique helps with sleep AND WITH ANXIETY. Use it whenever you need it during the day.
Step 1 can be used by itself at any time to stop the thought going around in your head.
 
Melanie
Life coach
With Mel’s help

When is the best time to start something?

Next Monday?
On the first of the month?
On New Year’s Day?
 
If you think about it, you’ll realise that the best time to start something is NOW, at the exact moment you wonder when it is.
NOW that you’re whole being is shouting: That’s what I want! That’s what I need to do!
NOW that you know it’s true.

NOW.
 
Go ahead.
Make a plan. Write down the steps you know you have to take (you don’t need to know all of them just yet, they will come in time). Sometimes it will be a big one, sometimes a small one. That’s ok, that’s the way.
 
If you can make a start, do it NOW! ←That’s the IMPORTANT BIT HERE!
Don’t hesitate, don’t procrastinate, don't make an excuse!
Go for a walk.
Draw your cup of coffee. 
Clean that room. 
Smoke that last cigarette.
Make that call.
Do that internet search...
 
NOW.
 
Then tomorrow, decide on the next step and take action.
 
And keep going.
Without doubting.
Without wondering why.
Without believing the little voice in your head that wants to sabotage your efforts.
Go!

Believe.

Remember why you want to do that thing you want to do. And start doing it.
Don’t stop.

Make it a habit.
From now on.
 
 What if you tried?
 
Melanie
Life coach
with Mel’s help

If you are dealing with grief (loss of a loved one, relationship break-up, unexpected life change, etc.),
and it is overwhelming you, it is stopping you from enjoying your life…
If it’s been a while now and you don’t seem to be able to find some peace, some normality…
You might benefit from some EFT tapping  sessions. And I can help.
 
Contact me.
 
After a short talk, if it suits you, we will decide how many sessions to work together, be it 2, 4, or maybe 6, depending on your situation.

Each session will be custom made for you and you will be able to use the simple and easy tools we will create together in your daily life to better manage your emotions.
 
The sessions will be done by skype or facetime, from the comfort of your own home.
 
Contact me.
 
Mélanie
Life coach
With Mel’s help
.

​What I love the most, as a coach, is :
 
To listen to you telling me about yourself and your problems, but seeing, from my external point of view, how great you are and how great your potential is.
 
To help you reconnect with who you really are, free from your limiting beliefs and negative self-talk.
 
To guide you to realise that what you see as your weaknesses might be secret gifts, what you see as problems might simply be messages from your soul.
 
Contact me! I just might be able to help you :)

Melanie
Life coach
with Mel's help

It is so easy to eat without noticing we do.
We talk, watch TV, read, play with our smart phones, some even walk...

And when we don’t actually slow down and take notice that we are eating, we miss the experience
(and what an experience!), we even may be more at risk of eating more than needed as we are more
or less disconnected from our body*. And that’s why...
 
The experiment this week, if you choose to do it, is to slow down and
to be completely and totally in the present moment when eating.
 
Sit with your food. In silence. Without distraction.
Slow down. Be present.  Be in the moment.
Look. Smell. Listen. Taste. Savour. Feel.
 
How does your food look?
How does it smell?
 
How is the texture?
Does it crack under your teeth?
Or does it roll around in your mouth melting?
Is it hard to chew or soft?
 
Slow down. Breathe.
 
What does it taste like?
What are the subtleties of the food you are eating?
Is there a spice that you had not noticed before? Or a bit of citrus? Of vanilla?
Anything?
 
Is it sweet? Too sweet? Or just right?
Is it salty? Bitter? Sour? Is it too much or just right?
 
What do you notice?
Is it as good as it looks? Or better?
Is it as good as you think? Or Better?
 
Eat slowly.
Be in the present moment.
Enjoy. Savour. Breathe.

------------------------------------
Was it easy to eat slowly?
How did you find it?
Did it enhance the experience? Or did it spoil it?
And if it spoiled it, how?

Which senses did you use the most in this experiment?
Did a memory or a thought come up?
And... how do you feel now?

Try again. Try often. Eat slowly. Enjoy.
 
Melanie
Life coach
with Mel's help

* Note – If you have a tendency of eating to calm your emotions or if you binge, try to make a habit
​of this exercise and let me know how it helps.

In French, there is an expression that says:
Il faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler,
which literally translates into: Turn your tongue seven times in your mouth before talking,
the idea being that while you’re turning your tongue in your mouth, you unavoidably have time to think about what you are going to say, and at the end of the exercise, what you say might very well be different or better thought-out than what you intended in the first place.
 
Based on that, here is the tip:
When you are about to burst, take a nice deep breath in and count to ten while breathing out. Or seven.  Actually, counting to three might be all you need.
 
This ten second respite will allow you to notice what is really happening in yourself and what you are really reacting to in the moment. It will allow you to change positively the impact of what you are about to say/do in this moment of anger.
 
During these ten seconds:
You might realize that you are about to let out your anger on the wrong person/situation:
 
          -it may be that you are feeling overwhelmed, tired, stressed, lacking support, time, patience, money... thus a bit too sensitive in this very moment to deal with anything. You’ve had enough. If so, it’s a clear sign that you need some ME time (to relax, to take care of yourself, to reflect on what is happening in your life, to get help...), be it for a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days...  
In the meantime, breathe in, take control of your emotions and adjust your reaction positively or get out of the situation momentarily.
 
         -it may be that you are angry at something that is not related to the situation in front of you but this anger needs to come out, somehow, one way or another. Indeed, there are very few safe escape routes for anger in our modern world, if any. It might not be safe to express your anger/stress say, to your boss, employees, colleagues, customers, friends ... so it usually comes out somewhere else in your life and might hurt the people you love the most. If this is the case, it is primordial that you find a way to let the steam off: dance, box, jog, meditate, write down your thoughts, ... You need to find your own way to unwind physically and emotionally, any way you see fit.
Again, in the meantime, breathe in, take control of your emotions and adjust your reaction positively or, get out of the situation momentarily.
 
You might actually realize that your anger is appropriate and justified.
If it is, what should you do then?
 
You could try to see the situation from outside of your body, as if you were a camera in one of the top corner of the room observing the scene as it is happening. From there, you will see the whole situation from a different point of view, a detached one. From there, you will be able to see yourself react and will be more able to choose how you want to do so.  
 
Or...

You could start by taking another deep breath in and think of the result that you want...
Will you bursting out make the situation better or worse?
What is the other person telling you – in words or actions?
What is it that you really want to express?
How can you express it more positively?
If you manage to do so, how will that impact the situation?
How will you feel?
 
By taking a step back from your anger, if only for a few seconds, you will be more able to see the situation as it really is and react in a way which will open up to better results for all. 
 
Try and let me know how it goes...
Remember:  you don’t have to be perfect all the time, it’s ok. Nobody is.
 
What are your tips to help deal with burst of anger?
 
If you need help to deal with anger, contact me.

Melanie
Life coach
with Mel's help

Have you done experiment #1?
If not, please do so now. Click here for details

If yes, what did you find out?
Any patterns? Any repetitive thoughts?
 
I bet you found out that you talk to yourself all day (if you didn’t know already).
That your thoughts rarely stop, if ever, popping up.
It is also possible that they are not all very nice thoughts, I mean, that you are not being
very nice to yourself.
 
Chances are, you found out that there is one or two specific thoughts that come to you all the time.
Like in a loop. Round and round.
 
It could be: 
I am so tired. I’m not good enough.
Life is s*%$t.
I am not a machine.
I’ve have had enough,
or something like that...
 
That’s normal, if normal means that most people experience this as well.
 
So, the experiment this week, if you choose to do it, is to start and question the truth of these thoughts,
be more specific and change the repetitive ones that are not supportive.
--------------------------- 
 
For example, if you tell yourself: "I am so tired".
Are you really that tired? Is it true at this point in time?

If yes, what is so tiring specifically?
Listen honestly to your answer and make a change: slow down, take a break, ask for help, go on a holiday, treat yourself...
 
If not, when did you start repeating that phrase over and over?
Was it during a very busy time? When was it exactly?
If it’s not true, how are you actually feeling?
Check in.
You might realise that you are ok at the moment.
And since you are not actually tired, change that phrase to a positive one
and stop hypnotizing yourself into believing that you are tired.
--------------------------- 
 
Let’s take another example: "I’m not good enough".
Good enough at/for what specifically?
Is that true?
If you go around telling yourself you are not good enough, how do you think that is going to make you feel? What do you think you will notice? How will that influence your choices?
 
Every time you hear yourself saying: "I am not good enough", stop, check in and say something supportive.
Like: I am doing the best I can do today, I am worthy, I am learning to ____, I am in the process of ,
I’m getting better at this, What if I tried?...
------------------------------ 

In short, whatever your repetitive thought is, all you have to do is:
Catch yourself using it. Stop. And replace it with a positive one.
 
You’re going to need to make an effort at first but
​know that you can quickly make a positive change in your life with this simple exercise.
 
Try it and let me know how it works for you!
 
If you need some help, contact me!

Melanie 
Life coach
with mel's help

Experiment: Once in a while, I will present you with an experiment the goal of which will be to learn a little bit about yourself. They will most likely be very simple, but if you decide to do them and really take them seriously, you just might discover something interesting/useful/surprising...  Have fun!
 
The experiment this week, if you choose to do it, is to become aware of all the thoughts that come to your mind on an hourly basis or more to the point, minute by minute. Here I am talking about the thoughts that do not specifically relate to work or life planning.
 
So...
Notice your constant mind-chatter.
Become aware of the thoughts, positive or negative, that keep going round and round.
Become aware of the thoughts that undermine your every move.
Become aware of the thoughts that are supporting you, if any.
 
Notice them. Write them down. All of them.
During the whole day, for a week.
At work. At home. On the road. At the gym...
 
Listen to what you tell yourself.
 
That’s it!
Simple!
 
Come back next week for the follow up to experiment #1...
and for experiment #2!

Enjoy!

Melanie
Life coach
With Mel's help

Three weeks into 2018 already…
How are you doing with your New Year resolutions?
Have you abandoned them yet?
No? Great! Keep going!
Yes? That’s ok.... but...

Maybe it’s time to... 
​Do something differently?

Have you ever tried choosing a theme or an inspiring word for the year?
I did that for the first time in 2017 and I must say that when I felt a bit lost about which way to go or what to do next, remembering the theme I had chosen always calmed me down and put me back on track. And, the theme itself had more sides and meanings than I originally thought...
 
Would you like to try?
Here’s how (in 2 easy steps):

1) Choose your word/theme
Stop and think, take notes, notice what inspires you...  and then close your eyes and ask yourself:
What do I want more of in my life?
How do I want the year to go? How do I want to feel?
At the end of the year, what do I want to have done?
What is one thing that I want to change, improve, learn, master...?
What word/theme would help get me there?
 
As a rule, I suggest that you choose something that inspires or makes you laugh.
Anything that will get you out of a negative state of mind would be perfect.
 
Possible themes:
Calm. Patience. Love.  Fun. Creativity. Action. Exploration.
Smile. Laugh. Trust. Believe. Live.
Take a step! Do the work! Keep going! Focus ...
Make that change! Try! You’ve got this! Why not? Let it go.
Better done than perfect! Dance like nobody’s watching! Be in the moment.
Don’t be so serious. Move your butt Coconut!
 
Be creative. find one that really resonates with you!
 
2) Write it down somewhere.
Write it in big, beautiful, colorful letters, or not
Use it as a wallpaper on your smart phone, or not.
It does not matter... what matters is that you make sure to
see it every day or that it is in your mind, like a mantra, ready to get you back on track when needed.
 
Try and see how it goes... and let’s talk at the end of the year!

Melanie
Life coach
with Mel's help

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