September 2015 - Healing Happens Therapy

LIFE COACH (2)

So. Things aren’t going so well. You know it.

You just aren’t so sure what to do about it.

Life is boring, exhausting, stagnant.

Full of have to’s or want to’s, or someday you will do’s.

Blah blah blah. And you’re tired of talking about it.

You need to do something. You need a push.

Who do you call? Who can really help you make change soon?

Have you considered a life coach?

A life coach (eyebrow raised*).

Really?

Yep. Here’s what a life coach can do for you:

Affirm that you can’t do it on your own. Now re-read that… that’s affirm, not confirm. Affirmation of a life lived interdependently means you realize your need for help is not a confirmation of weakness or incompetence, but that life is a cooperative enterprise.

Your life coach signs up to get your back at times, and link arms with you during others. Coach support can release you of the need to see help as a sign of weakness.

You are seeking a coach because you know it’s good for you. Encouragement and enthusiasm is exciting. Your life coach can do his or her best work with your promise and your commitment. A life coach’s job is simply to help you reach the top of your game.

Identify, clarify, and strategize. Life can cloudy, blurry, out of focus. Sometimes we can pinpoint the problem. And sometimes we really don’t have a clue. That’s okay.

One of a life coach’s best benefits is to help you determine what you really want to accomplish, set goals, and make concrete plans to execute your life adventures.

Life coaches are the expediters of life plans. They are interested in, and invested in, helping others take meaningful action. Now.

Push you with healthy, productive motivation, not negativity and condemnation. Your life coach can help you rewrite the scripts and self-talk that keep you from the life you want beyond them.

Your coach will come alongside you with “why not” prodding and “try this” suggestions that keep you moving forward. They challenge you to overcome limiting beliefs and behaviors that stifle your long-held dreams and new aspirations.

Insecurities and confidence low points are part of everyone’s journey. Your life coach will simply help keep your low places from becoming stuck places. Together, you’ll discover key life areas that need change, and those that need more support to flourish.

Uncover the you, that you never knew existed, and the options you never knew to explore. Work with your life coach introduces you to tools and aspects of yourself that may surprise you.

You’ll expand your sense of self and what you have to offer. You’ll see what balance and harmony feel like. And you’ll likely feel comfortable exploring more of what life has to offer. From health, nutrition, to weight management and realized career or relationship goals. We call it fulfillment. Isn’t that what you’ve been looking for all along? Let a life coach be your guide.

Invest in you and celebrate with you. Your experience with a life coach will be one of investments and payoffs. He or she will invest time, energy, and dedicated effort to your cause. You can rest in the knowledge that change is happening.

Your life coach will encourage you to enjoy your good life, and the courageous steps you took to make it happen. Celebrate each victory!

There’s no time like the present. Make the call. Step out of the shadows and let some of that Oakland sunshine warm up those dreams gone cold.

Get “life coached.” Live the life you’re meant for…(and the crowd goes wild*)!

Call today 510-507-1763 Healing Happens Therapy, Kelly Montgomery, LMFT, Life Coach

date night (3) It’s no secret—when you live in Oakland, going out on a date isn’t always the best way to keep your wallet happy. Getting dressed up and leaving the house might be the key ingredients you think of when you want to create a little romance, but it’s just as possible to spice things up when money is tight.

Why is carving out time for date night important? First and foremost, dates with your partner are fun. When you’re busy or stressed, every day can feel like a race to complete an endless to-do list. Maybe you start to lose sight of the bigger picture: the life you’re hoping to create with the person you love most is the reason you work so hard in the first place. Remembering you don’t have to be so serious all the time can be a big relationship buoy during financially stressful times.

Date night also matters because it makes your relationship a priority in your busy lives. You reconnect with your partner and wake up feeling a little more attuned to one another’s needs, interests, and emotions.

All of this is good news: having fun together, turning toward each other, and stoking the flame of interest are each relationship builders you don’t necessarily have to leave home to find.

Date Night at Home!

Get dressed up

While the candlelit atmosphere of a five-star restaurant or the glow of a rooftop bar can be part of the magic of a great date, the most romantic part of the evening is usually dressing up for each other.

Taking the time to clean up and put on your best clothes for your partner is an easy way to remind yourselves of your mutual attraction. Dressing up can feel like a light bulb going off—even after you’ve been together for countless years, courtship matters.

Break out the wine

Another part of a great date with your long-time partner is the chance to let go. Let your walls down. Relax. Celebrate how hard you’ve been working for your family. Ask each other open-ended questions: “what are your biggest dreams?” or “How do you feel about your job?”

You don’t have to get deep. Maybe you’re both tired and just want to make each other laugh. If money’s too tight, you don’t even need the wine; what matters is that you’ve cleared your schedules and set aside time just for yourselves.

Cook dinner together

Sometimes it’s hard to cook with your partner if you both have set ways of doing things in the kitchen. If you’ve tried and decided the best strategy is to cook at different times, that’s okay; but cooking together can be fun and rejuvenating.

When you’ve been together for years, you often fall into a comfortable routine. So try cooking something new for both of you!

Play a game

If you’re stressed about finances or work, it’s no easy feat to unwind. Playing a game together helps take your mind off the heavy stuff so you can focus on the next few hours you’ve reserved just for your partner. So play cards, break out a board game, or look up a new, simple game online.

Watch a movie

Sometimes what you and your partner need most is physical closeness. Try turning your living room into a make-shift movie theater. Make popcorn, cuddle up under your favorite blanket, and watch a movie you’ve both been wanting to see.

Be creative—and do what sounds fun to you!

There are lots of ways to have a great date at home. You can do a craft together, trade back massages, bake a cake, turn up the music and dance, or even look through old photo albums and talk about your favorite memories. What’s most important is that you’re enjoying your time together.

Think outside your normal routine. Get perspective, fresh air, fresh ideas. You LOVE this person. Create life together that has some levity and fun. If you need extra help on how to do this, come in for a few sessions on how to spice things up! Call 510-507-1763 or email kellymontgomerymft@gmail.com. Offices in Oakland and Berkeley areas.

you can heal, we can help.

Relationship & Intimacy Expert, reconnecting couples through counseling so you can rebuild and get on with the best parts of being in a relationship!

Certified Nutritional Advisor and Professional Life Coach, helping motivated people take back their health, reach their goals and integrate a sense of balance in their lives.

Archives for September 2015

How Can a Life Coach Help You?

Date Night and Money’s Tight? Get Dressed Up and Stay Home!

Date Night at Home!