coachjoelle.com

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

The world is experiencing some interesting times. With the current economic situation and unemployment on the rise, I know many are feeling the repercussions and others are fearful of what’s to come.  Add to this your typical, everyday concerns, like not making enough money or not having the house you want or carrying around that extra 20 lbs ,  I can understand why a person might be having some challenges getting into the Thanksgiving spirit.

As your coach, I am here to tell you that when things are looking gloomy, not only is it a good idea to seek out moments of gratitude, I offer that it is a critical practice for those of you who are seeking a better today and a joyful life.

Read Whole Article

Enjoy the article and Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for you! HUG!

Coach Joelle

During the Make Your Life Program I created me “Peace Schedule.”   It was the perfect plan for me to have a blissful existence. 

6 AM wake and walk
7:00 Meditate
7:30 Journal
8:00 shower
8:30 tidy
9:00 hello day!

Great idea.  Happens sometimes, but not so much.
 

No harm no foul. In the big world of life-making I have come to see this is a journey and as long as I keep moving forward little by little the pieces will come together quite naturally; which brings us to my latest piece of the puzzle being delightfully inserted.
 

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned to someone how great it would be if  someone built a fitness facility in one of the retail spaces around the corner.  I am fortunate enough to live within a 1 minute walk of the friendliest Starbucks in the world, the perfect Irish pub for cold winter nights, a beautiful salon that sets me up with trashy magazines and tea and pampering; would a gym be too much to ask?
 

Then 2 days ago, I was thinking to myself.
 

“I really should get to the gym. If the gym was next door I would totally go.” 
 

This was my thought. Then, yesterday I went for a walk with my husband and we did a Starbuck’s run on the way home.  There, on the community board, was the loveliest flyer for a 6 am walking club that leaves from Starbucks every day of the week.

Hmmmm.
 

“6 am wake and walk”

“If the gym was next door, I would go.”
 

Sounds like things are lining up!
 

I am very pleased to say that I bounced out of bed when the alarm went off at 5:45.  I donned my warmest gear, took out the recycling and went looking for some similarly bundled folks.  The were the only people in the coffee shop and they greeted me excitedly, seeing their beautiful flyer had pulled a new member. 

We walked. It was perfect and now It’s off to ….

7:00 Meditate
7:30 Journal
8:00 shower
8:30 tidy

HELLO DAY!

Make it a great one.

Love,

Coach Joelle
 

Hi gang!

Are any of you having some challenges paying your bills? 

When it comes to these interesting economic times it can seem tempting to just leave the mail in a drawer and pretend that that stack of invoices does not exist.  In Harv Eckar’s Millionaire Mind Intensive, they labeled this behavior the M.O. of the “Avoider” (one of several Money personalities to which we were introduced.) In Marianne Williamson’s "A Return to Love" she says that when it comes to bill paying, you want to honor the people who have provided services to you by paying your bills, in any way you can, even if it is through a series of very small amounts.  She says that “the universe does not support” this “avoidant” behavior so if you want to be in the flow you have to pay up!

Well, I am not sure what Marianne or Harv would say about the behavior of this particular fellow.  It seems that in the absence of sufficient money to pay his bill he offered an alternative form of payment;   a drawing in fact, of a stick figure spider.  The unfolding of events are humorous to say the least and while I sincerely hope I never have to try and get paid by this guy, you have to give him points for creativity.

Follow this link to see the entire correspondence chain and enjoy a good chuckle.

http://www.geekologie.com/2008/11/good_idea_man_submits_drawing.php

Cheers!

Joelle

GOOD MORNING!!!

I usually reserve 4 am wake-up calls for plane rides to romantic destinations but today was a welcome exception.  This morning my sweet husband is doing his part by being a poll monitor for the election and I had the privilege of providing transportation for the donut run and dropping him off at his precinct (he did not want to take up a parking space in what is sure to be a very busy parking lot.) 

I am really proud of him for doing his part (I dropped him off at 5:30 AM and will not see until sometime between 8:30 and 11:00PM)  and I acknowledge all of you who have contributed to the process through attending rallies, making phone calls, canvassing, ( and a whole bunch of other stuff that I do not even know about ) and of course, voting.

I look forward to seeing unprecedented lines and uncommon spirit, and anticipate a really late night as the American people choose their next president.
 

Have a beautiful day and be sure to place your vote (I truly cannot think of a more significant way to Make Your Life.)

With love and a deep appreciation,

Joelle

 Hello citizens of America!

I have been thinking a lot recently.  I have been thinking about the times we are in and the current affairs.  The world waits as America fights for its future in an intense election and navigates an economic situation that is arguably the most challenging of the modern age.  And here I am, someone who tends not to pay attention to such things, paying very close attention to such things and recognizing that it would be inappropriate to let this period pass without comment.

My job, my commitment in life is for all people to experience the magic of a life lived on purpose.  I stand for love, peace, courage and people just being happy.   While I am an imperfect person and I do not always hit the mark, these are the things to which I aspire and what I want to create in my own life and in the world.

 So in the face of the world at this moment (and the US in particular) I will put aside my usual bright eyes and happy, empowerment-centered message to share a reflection of this moment in history.

I have thought for weeks now.  What do I write about all of this? How do I share without hurting offending or alienating some part or other of the population during these heated times?   It has left me relating to a line by Canadian singing group, Moxi Fruvous, a satirical often political group of buskers that became a staple in the mainstream Canadian pop scene in the 90’s.

The line in question opens a song entitled “The Gulf War Song” written about the first gulf war.

“We got a call to write a song about the war in the gulf,
but we shouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.
So we tried….. then gave up…. Because there was no such song.
But the trying was very revealing.”

I understand how they felt.

Over the past months I have been forwarded many emails (as I am sure you all have) that have come from people I have respected and admired speaking very specifically and passionately about the election and the candidates. It takes courage to share such strong views and I will not be following their lead.  

The truth is that after the primaries I would have voted for either candidate happily, I was actually quite content because what I saw in that brief shining moment was a better world either way and two men who shared my views and would take us to a brighter future.  But today, I do not feel that. In this race I have seen things that trouble and disappoint me, things that make me question what we are doing, what are we becoming as a nation and what values we are fostering.

I stand here, watching an increasingly heated struggle for power between two parties and the echoing response from the public; angry chanting, booing, defacement of property, violence and even someone carving up their own body to fuel the fire of divisiveness and fear.

While some of this activity is certainly the behavior of a few unstable people, how much of this is actually created by the negative campaigning, antagonistic speaches and that “anything goes” mentality of the modern election?

Read the entire article

Sometimes a coach just has to take a stand.  Read away, comment at will and please, please VOTE!

COACH JOELLE

Hi Gang, 

I am finishing up a week of sunshine, hot tubs and afternoon naps as my husband and I engage in a week of Arizona living (we have taken it as a warm-up for our future plans - a month long winter hiatus in coming years.)  I wanted to take a moment to share some thoughts on the economy in these interesting times.

This email was sent from one of the life-makers participating in the Make Your Life Program and she shared something that is on many of our minds.  She asked…

“Any tips for those of us who are living in "Fear Central" with this whole economic situation?  I am finding that I am working full-time to protect my mind from the gloom-doom mindset that so many people are talking - and I am succeeding some of the time, but not all of the time.  Would love your suggestions.”

So here is what I have to say on the economy.

I have often wondered, over the previous weeks, if no one had television or access to radio, how many of us would be aware of the economic downturn we are experiencing. And even more importantly, I wonder how much of what is happening is being caused real-time by people reacting to the idea that we are in an economic down-turn/ recession/depression etc.

Personally, I am not experiencing an economic downturn and I have no intention of experiencing one.  This is not arrogance, this is just my intention and I take steps everyday with the full expectation that this intention be fulfilled.  Oh sure, my net worth is about ½ of what it was a month ago but that just means it is a great time to invest!!! I know by the time that I need to retire all my happy little stocks and funds will have reached new heights, so whatever they are doing right now is really none of my concern.

So, I ask you, if you forgot about the news and you just looked at your life, what evidence would you have that there was a problem right now?

For those of you who see none, bravo.  For you the next question is, what do you need to think and what action do you need to take to continue creating the life that you want?

For those of you who are seeing the signs ie.  your are living off your investments that have just lost 40% of their value, you have 5 rental properties that are not worth what you bought them for and you have run out of renters, or you work for a bank or maybe a mortgage company, then now, more than ever is the time to guard your thoughts and look for solutions instead of focusing on the problems.

The economy is a duck my friends. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with the duck story – take a moment to listen to this 5 minute recording and you can learn all about the ducks.)  What I mean by this is, the economy is doing what it is doing and if you are open to seeing it as not good or bad, not disastrous, but instead approach it with interest and inquisitiveness, then you will likely see that even inside of this particular set of circumstances there is opportunity, hope and a bright future.

So the questions to ask at this particular time in history are:

1)    What do you want?

2)    What way of thinking will best support what you want?

3)    What way of “being” is going to give you the most joy in your day and the most power in creating your future?

4)    What action can you take right now?

If you are willing to ask these questions and be open to their answers there is opportunity, hope and excitement available.

As an example: I have a client that is in the investment business.

And not just any investments.  He cannot take a client with less than $1,000,000 to invest.  It would be easy for him to throw in the towel and close the doors until brighter times.  But In our last conversation I asked him to think about who needs him right now, even with everything that is going on.  He was able to quickly rattle off the people who not only could use someone of his caliber working on their team, but who might be actively seeking someone just like him at this very moment!

He made his list and then we went to work looking at where he could find these people.  He left the call with a clear objective and inspired action to take.  I look forward to hearing the stories about how he created the best earning months of his career while his competitors hid their heads in the sand.

If we just take a moment and apply the SEE BE DO GET model to the situation you can quickly see how essential it is to focus on what you want instead of getting mired in the muck.

If your point of view (SEE) is that – “All is lost and there are no jobs, no business and no hope…..”

You are likely to BE…. Sad, depressed, anxious, angry (insert your favorite doom and gloom emotion here__________)

Then you will DO whatever is natural from that place and my guess is that it will not be the most powerful and inspired action you could take to accomplish what you want.

And then you will GET the total affirmation that life is not going to work out and we are all going to H – E - double hockey sticks in a hand-basket (where the heck did that expression ever come from anyway?)

So, clearly, focusing on the problems will not get you anywhere.

Now I am not saying ignore what is going on.  It is totally valid to take a look at your own reality and ask yourself, “What would responsible action look like?” Are you living within your means? Are you honoring the money you have? Do you know what it takes to sustain your current lifestyle?

Knowing the facts can be a powerful starting point for dealing with what is so, alleviating anxiety and just taking the action that is necessary.

The coach’s advice for weathering our current economic situation…

1)    Get in touch with the “facts” (the ducks) of your life.

2)    Get clear on the future you want to create.

3)    Proceed and take action accordingly, regardless of what the news is saying or your friends sit around and talk about. 

The life you want is available right now if you believe it!  If you focus on what you want, if you believe in the power of your dreams and your own ability to create your life, if you take inspired action, today can be a day of great beginnings and the future can be very bright.

Believe it and you will see it.

With love and optimism,

Coach Joelle

Hi gang!

Fun times are at hand!

I have been successfully living my beautiful  new life schedule and the Make Your Life Program participants are nothing less than inspiring! 

What a group! Within the first week people were dumping boyfriends, quitting jobs, buying plane tickets and moving accross the country!  It almost makes a coach wonder if she needs to step it up a little!  But then I remember that at this time, I am not creating My "ADVENTUROUS" Life or My "MOVE OUT OF CLEVELAND" Life, I am making My PEACEFUL, PROSPEROUS Life ,so for now, to have my husband and I marching off to bed at 9pm for an hour of reading (or a happy pre-bed soak in the tub ahhhh) or participating in my new morning rituals of meditating and writing and then taking that precious 1/2 hour before the day starts to clean up a little and get my desk strait, has been exactly what a peaceful prosperous life would call for!

Along with my zen schedule, another piece life-making that I have been embracing is a little something I like to call the Life Limiter’s List. This is a list of that stuff that nags at you and drags you down, those piles that need straitening and that return item that you have been driving around with since spring time.

I am very pleased to say that I have been systematically taking my Limiters off the list and it is a breath of fresh fresh air.  I have included some of my greatest limiters and accomplishments to give you a taste for what is Life Limiter list-worthy:

1) Brought 7 pairs of shoes in to be repaired - SUCCESS! (I moved the shoes to my car during the last program but this time I actually found the address and brought them to the shop!!! Now, I just have to stay committed so I actually pick them up ;-))
 

2) Learn more about my investments ( This one is still on the list but I am excited to take it on.  I have been investing since I was a wee Canadian lass but since my dad taught me well I know that I won’t be touching my money for another 25- 30 years, and so, to this point I have been pretty much taking my monthly reports and filing them without a first or second glance. I figure it is time that I at least know what my money is contributing to.)

3) Proliferation of cat hair (Due to the recent departure of our dear  Bandito we are down to three cats but I am still on the hunt for some kind of miracle brush so I do not feel like a walking lint ball!)

4) Moths – yep – I got moths and I am ready to end their reign of terror. (hmmm, I may not be painting a very pretty picture here - hair and months! Oh well, I guess when we get down to the nitty gritty, it is not always that pretty)

 
5) Kitchen cupboards repainted!! SUCCESS -   I am pleased to say I got in a mood two Sundays ago and painted my cupboards! And while I was at it, I painted the front door as well (note to self: just because it looks like the door is the same color paint as the cupboards at 10 pm does not mean it will look like the same color at 10 am - opps. That is what I get for being a little overzelouos) . It was delightful to get this done.  I feel accomplished and I even spent an hour of my project, painting while checking in and hanging with my mom in Canada over the phone.

6) Ebay stuff – I have a bunch of stuff, that I keep thinking I could sell on ebay, but it keeps sitting on my counter looking at me. Time to send this stuff out to the world and find it a new home!

This should give you the gist of what the Life Limiter’s List looks like. For some it means taking out the figurative garbage (removing harmful relationships and arduous committments) while for others the list includes quite literally, taking out the garbage!

If you have something in particular that you would like to put on your list so that you can put a GREAT BIG CHECK MARK next to it, go ahead and share it with us. I would love to hear about what you are cleaning, organizing, moving or removing as you are making your life!

With Love,

Joelle

P.S. more to come about my adventures as a moth mercenary coming soon!

Hi Gang!

The new Make Your Life Program started last week and that means that I have been busy making my life too!

This weekend I spent a quiet morning over oatmeal and some decaf cap at Starbucks and got started on some serious life-making.  I figured I would share some of my adventures here over the next couple months so you can get some ideas for creating your own life.

One thing I am super pleased about is my beautiful new schedule!

The life I have decided to create is My Peaceful, Abundant Life!

When I described My Inspired Future ( an excercize in the program where you write out what you want your future to look like)  – it had a distinct feeling of peaceful Zen-ness. It begins:

“Comfort and beauty surround me…”

ahhhhh…

To facilitate this lovely future I needed to create a fresh new schedule, since how I spend my days has a major role in my own peace.  Today is my first full day with it.  Here is what it looks like:

6:00 Wake and Walk (love being outside in the dark before the world wakes up.)
7:00 Meditate – this is an important next step for my development that I am clear will not happen without me putting it on the schedule.
7:30 Morning pages – an exercise from the book “The Artist’s Way.” Essentially you write whatever is on your mind until there is nothing left. I have found this to be a powerful way to clear the mind and root out any hidden anxieties for a really powerful day.
8:00 Shower – When you get to go to work in your fuzzy slippers it is important to make time for getting ready in the morning. ?
8:30 tidy, clean, prep – I love this – I actually get to finish the laundry, tidy up the living room, organize a closet or even do an art project to make my home more peaceful before I even start my work day.

Then I have my work day.

And various evening delights.

9:00 Wind down/Meditate/ Bathe/ Read (this means minimal TV and time to ease into my sleepy-time)
10:00 lights out (gotta do it or 6 am will come way too quickly.)

So that is my schedule and I like it. It means that I have no commitments before 9:00 am other than taking care of me and my home and my man and then early to bed. Lots of Zen time and certainly a great setup for peace.
 

May this inspire you to create your own schedule for peace, or creativity, or adventure or whatever else makes your eyes sparkle.

Hugs to you!

Joelle

It’s that time again!  A new session of the Make Your Life Program launches This Wednesday and in anticipation I have something special to share.

As you may have heard I had the opportunity to work with several interns this summer in a variety of capacities.  One of those interns, Theresa Crockett, created this amazing sequence for the upcoming Make Your Life Moments Coaching Videos.  My beloved sister Tiffany Prochera www.tiffanyprochera.com watched the animation and composed the beautiful theme song. 

As with all inspired things in this life, this video started as an idea and then little by little, thought by thought, action by action it came into being.  I am honored to have these talented people around me to bring my dreams into reality.

Enjoy.

Love,

Joelle

Is it time to Make Your Life?  Read more or sign up and join us for your own life adventure.  We start this Wednesday!

The Make Your Life Program™

Experience the Magic of a Life Lived on Purpose

The Make Your Life Program™ is a one-of-a-kind tele-program which combines practical coaching skills, and professional support with creativity and play, allowing you to consciously create a life you love and experience the magic of a life lived on purpose.

READ MORE about the Make Your Life Program!

My mother has often expounded the joys of walking. 

I hear daily of her early morning power walks and more casual strolls with dear friends.

I have recently come to appreciate a good walk and this summer, have even found a few kindred spirits to participate in my outdoor adventures. 

Few things have proven more satisfying than to debrief at the end of the day over a brisk walk with Nikki around Shaker Lakes (I say brisk because she times the whole event and sets the pace and she is about a foot taller than me.) My husband Jeff will indulge me with a heart-to-heart as we walk around our well-treed block or head down the street for gelato.  

Sometimes I “wance”, walk-dance, to Alanis or Zen out to a little Wayne Dyer or walk with the angels with the help of Doreen Virtue and my trusty iPod.

Sometimes I walk for exercise, sometimes to get out pent-up stress and sometimes just to be in nature after long day at the desk.

But recently…. I tried something new. 

I decided to try a walk without purpose.  I decided to leave the iPod at home and not call a friend.  I decided to leave the running shoes in the closet, throw on my flip flops and take a walk to nowhere and everywhere as I let God lead the way.

Now you can call it whatever you want to, but for me, when I just step out into the world and see where my feet take me, that is inviting God to lead the way.  When I start walking with no purpose or destination and find myself having countless adventures, this is the magic of the universe at work.

In my walks with everything with nothing in mind, I have found a new world revealed.  I wander down streets that I never noticed before.  I hear things that would have gone unheard over the pounding music, the chatting voices or the ceaseless chatter of my own restless mind. 

Activity is everywhere as I experience the chirping round of the Cicadas passing their song from the tree tops as they do a sort of vocal wave up one side of the street and down the other. 

I stumble upon a squirrel no more than 2 feet away on the sidewalk.  He sees me, but does not run.  I hunch down beside him to take it all in as he spots a round green nut which he promptly grabs and takes up the tree.  Just out of my reach he begins to chew chew chew away at the green outer shell to reveal the nut beneath.  I watch in awe.  I look down at the ground and see that I am standing in a pile of green shell remnants, a testament to his work ethic and then realize my squirrel has a friend as a newly shorn shell drops from the tree on my head.

Smells everywhere - beautiful, fragrant - and I notice that certain trees have already begun to lose their leaves BIG TIME.  I had been previously unaware that entire lawns have already been given a sprinkling of fallen leaves. Autumn is here.

I spot a bright red leaf on a green hedge and beside it, a huge white flower with a pink center that has always been closed and sleeping when I walked by at the end of the day.  What a wonder.

As I round the corner and approach a busy street, I realize that even the early morning traffic has a warmth to it.  I welcome the line of cars waiting for the light and those whizzing by, not a detraction or annoyance in my day but one more thing to notice and appreciate.

In this world of doing, productivity, activity and functionality I invite you to consider the next time you are looking for something to do, perhaps you could just go for a walk.  A walk without purpose or direction; a walk without accompaniment or distraction; a walk with just you and your creator and the wonders of this world.

With Love,

Coach Joelle

 P.S. We are less than 2 weeks away from our next Make Your Life Program.  If you are ready to take action, suround yourself with joy, beauty and happiness and take way more walks, you may just want to check it out!

The Make Your Life Program™

September 17th - November 12th

Experience the Magic of a Life Lived on Purpose

The Make Your Life Program™ is a one-of-a-kind tele-program which combines practical coaching skills, and professional support with creativity and play, allowing you to consciously create a life you love and experience the magic of a life lived on purpose.

READ MORE about the Make Your Life Program!