Issue # 25 March 2005

Dear Impish one,
You are the reason for this newsletter. I'm dedicated to
supporting the "imp" in you - especially this month your
Inner Magnificent Potential.

You're receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it,
you're a member of "The Imp Community" online, or a friend
passed it on. Sign up or unsubscribe at the end.

A special welcome to new subscribers! Earlier editions are
archived: http://www.theimpjournal.com/archives/

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1. Feature Article: What "Coaching" Really Is!
2. Coaching Q&A: "What can I do? I believe a woman's place is in
the home, but I'm dissatisfied with my life and it feels wasted."
3. News, Comments, Success Stories, Winners
4. Inspirational Message to Ponder

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1. Feature Article: What "Coaching" Really Is!

Dave Buck, the CEO of the largest coaching organization in the
world, Coachville.com (including me among their 60,000 members),
recently stated, "The soul of coaching is bringing out the great-
ness in people - that's it." He also described coaching as
personalized teaching. (The Imp agrees and pipes up, "Yes! You
have Incredible Magnificent Potential! Believe it and seek the
support you need to realize it.")

Reading Dave's article brought back to mind a long buried dream
of mine of running "The Imp Creative Learning Centre" (that's
my Canadian spelling of Center).

In this Centre every student would have a Personal Learning Coach
who supports, values and nurtures the student's interests and
dreams; who facilitates self-empowerment - trusting one's inner
wisdom, believing in oneself and one's capabilities; who provides
resources for pursuing the topics which fascinate the learner and
letting the learning process come to a natural end for any
specific topic; who focusses on how to learn not what to learn.

This ties in with the 15 coaching proficiencies which must be
demonstrated for certification with the International Association
of Coaches (IAC). (My goal is to have my IAC certification by the
end of June this year.) Four of the 15 proficiencies would be
integral to the Learning Centre:

#3 "Elicits greatness" - coaches ask clients to think and act
bigger, and challenge clients to raise their own bar and
standards.

#5 "Expands the client's best efforts" - the coach acts as both a
catalyst and accelerant by supporting the client to do more than
they have done or think that they are capable of doing. A key
distinction is expansion not pushing.

#11 "Champions the client" - the more often, and deeply, the
coach champions the client at all levels (including actions,
progress, dreams, traits, commitments, gifts and qualities), the
more encouraged the client feels and the more likely they are to
succeed. Encouragement is not enough; championing is a higher
level of support.

#14 "Designs supportive environments" - rather than relying on
fortitude and willpower to get things done. Key distinction is
environments vs. self reliance.

Can you see how this kind of support would benefit you? I find it
really exciting!

Can you see how an awareness of these proficiencies can help you
play a supportive role for others? You do play a coaching role in
someone's life.

Dave Buck says a good definition of coaching is: "inspiring an
individual or team to produce a desired result through personal-
ized teaching, expanding awareness and designing environments
for sustainable success."

Coachville membership is free and open to anyone. There are many
unique "learning communities" in Coachville including
"Awesome Dads". sIMPly click now to join. (AOL copy and paste
into your browser) http://www.cvcommunity.com

If you would like more information on designing supportive
environments or a list of all 15 proficiencies, email me.
bev@theimpjournal.com

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2. Coaching Q&A: "What can I do? I believe a woman's place is in
the home, but I'm dissatisfied with my life and it feels wasted."

Arlene continues, "I want to be here when my husband comes home
from work and my son comes home from school. The least I can do
when my husband is working hard all day is to clean the house. He
says to stop trying to be the best wife and mother and just be
myself. It's OK with him if I go out to work or stay home. I want
to take control of my life and have more freedom."

We all have roles we fill. Arlene and I explored her expectations
of her roles as wife, mother and homemaker. A starter was to
separate housework from nurturing family members. She recognized
the role she was trying to fill was in her words, "a throw back to
the 30s". Clearly, she is a nurturer and wishes to be loving and
supportive. And she hates housecleaning!

We explored options about housework. She can't afford to pay
someone to do it. Arlene also wants to get back to her career,
which can be operated as a home based business. One viable
option is to barter her skills for someone who would clean house
for her. Options included playing lively music and "seeing" the
housecleaning as physical exercise; or to wear headphones and be
learning something. There are lots of tapes and CDs available on
a wide range of topics.

We also explored how she felt about her husband's comment, "Stop
trying to be something you aren't." Did she feel like it was
diminishing her, limiting her? If she is being genuine, what does
that look like? Does being yourself include blossoming, living
your potential, expanding the possibilities?

A man who loves a woman, wants her to be happy and sees it as his
responsibility to make her happy. And the difficulty with that is
that happiness is an "inside job". (Just caught the pun as I
wrote that - smacks of being indoors at home...)

Arlene was willing to give herself permission to take time for
herself and the things she felt passionate about. In doing so,
she'll be happier. She can bring more of her genuine self into
her relationship with her husband and son.

When your question is answered in this column, you'll receive
a set of whimsical Imp notecards. (If you are local there are
other options. Arlene opted for a foot massage instead!)
Go ahead! Send your question to:

What's missing in your life? What isn't working? Ready to look at
removing the blocks? What 3 things would you like to accomplish
in the next 3 months? Ready to start right now? Schedule a
complimentary 40-minute "explorations" coaching session.


To help me IMProve my coaching skills and be ready for
Certification through the International Association of Coaches,
I've 'cleared the decks' of other involvements and have time to
take four more clients. I'm continuing to offer my Coaching
Special until the end of June: 3 40-minute coaching session per
month plus email contact as needed for only $30 per month. In
return, I need permission to tape calls. Coaching is done by phone
so you can be anywhere in the world!

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3.News, Comments, Success Stories, Winners

I've not heard back from "A.M." the t-shirt winner for February.
Every month I give away an "Imagine Magnificent Possibilities"
t-shirt to someone who's a new subscriber or has helped the Imp
travel around the world (pass on "The Imp and I were here."
cards, mark your location on the guestmap and let me know.)
Ask for cards and enjoy the game:
http://www.theimpjournal.com/where-in-world.htm
The Imp is tugging at my sleeve to say, "Your t-shirt is still
waiting for you, A.M."

Did you know that my book, "The Imp Journal: Guided Journal
Writing for Personal Empowerment, Vol.1" has 23 themes in it? The
intention is to focus on one theme a week. "The Imp Community"
online has resources which expand on the themes in the book.

My webmaster, Alan, will have the new revamped website up some-
time within the next few weeks. I'll let you know in the next
newsletter about all the new and exciting things that will be in
"The Imp Community" online. However, if you are the first
subscriber to see the revised website and write and tell me, I'll
have a special Imp gift for you. (Heck, I'll have the special
gift available to the first 3 people.) So keep checking
http://www.theimpjournal.com

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4.Inspirational Message to Ponder
The Imp encourages you to write the quote on a card, read it
regularly, and then journal about your thoughts, insights,
feelings and, especially, actions.

"Possibilists believe that no matter what your circumstances,
you can alter the direction your life is taking. There are always
choices, an infinite number of possibilities. I am a Possibilist.
I believe that humanity is master of its own fate."

Robert Bateman gave me permission to quote this passage from his
book, "Thinking Like a Mountain" to include in "The Imp Journal".
When I had the pleasure of meeting Bateman in person, he
autographed my copy of "Thinking Like a Mountain" with the words,
"from one Possibilist to another."
Does his name ring a bell? He is a renowned wildlife artist,
environmentalist and naturalist living on Salt Spring Island here
on the B.C. coast. His website is http://www.robertbateman.ca

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Please share this "IMPressions" newsletter with your friends.
Just hit the forward button on your e-mail program...

Look for your next newsletter in mid-April.

Warmly, "The Imp and I", Beverley ;-)

Beverley Howden, M.Ed.
"The Imp Lady"
Author, Speaker,
Personal Empowerment Facilitator,

1-250-897-0992

 

The Imp is the delight of my life starting over in 1993.
My other website is www.StartingLifeOver.com

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