Tuesday, August 08, 2006

We all need some good advice now and then. I am trying so
hard to get my stress levels down. I am going through a
divorce right now so mine are at an all time high and I am
the type that just doesn't function real well with much stress
at all. Kathy Gates has some wonderful advice that I think
we all will profit from.

Stress-Less Life: How To Get OneKathy Gates, Professional Life Coach
www.reallifecoach.com

You can try to chalk it up to "they don't have as much to do as
I do". But let's face it. Anybody who has an organized,
smooth-flowing life has to work at it.

I even heard one client of mine try to pass it off to good
genes by saying that organized people have a different kind of
brain. And ok, I'll concede that different types relate better
to different things just as different bodies are easier to make
lean than others. But, Please! Let's just face it people -it
takes some work.

Think about it this way. If your favorite baseball team just
went on the field without practicing, without working out,
without a game plan, how would they do? Does your son or
daughter go to soccer and just play around? No, they work on
skills!

It takes making (sometimes tough) choices. It takes
concentration, dedication, persistence.

And I know, with all you have packed into your life, it can
seem overwhelming to even get the garage cleaned out. So
here's some tips to help you "rush up" some results to make
your life a StressLess One.

Get consistent.
Pick something, whether it's big like not buying clothes at the
mall on impulse, or smaller like doing the dishes every single
night. Choose just one thing that you absolutely KNOW you can
do, and teach yourself to do it consistently. Add another one,
when you do that one without even thinking about it.

Crank up the reserves.
Reserves are the "extra something" that back you up when things
get tough. I'm a baseball fan and I don't know how many times
I've seen a guy come off the bench in the last innings to get a
game winning hit. Sports teams won't do without them and you
can't either! Everything from extra keys to a frozen dinner in
the fridge. Include some extra love, extra support. Add a
dash of extra time, extra fun. You'll have a life lived from
abundance, not lack.

Got boundaries?
Learning to say No is the best thing you can do for yourself
and teach those you love. Saying No not only to those who want
to steal your time and your energy and your spirit, but also
being able to say No to yourself when it's not in your own best
interest. Try saying 'No' 100 times today -- and take a look
at all the YESes you create in the process.

There are no quick fixes, because life isn't about getting
"fixed". Life is a process of managing what's before you, and
setting up things to create the happiest, easiest, healthiest
life that you can.

But putting these three things to work in your daily life is a
guarantee for an easier, happier life as a result.
===========================
Kathy Gates is a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach in
Scottsdale Arizona who specializes in focus and motivation.
She will coach you via email or telephone, your choice. Take a
look at Real Life Coach (http://www.reallifecoach.com) for more
information.