Issue # 9, November,2003
Dear Impish one,
I'm dedicated to supporting the "imp" in you - your Inner
Magnificent Potential; your Incredible Mental Powers and your
Inspiring, Magical, Playful inner child!
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 information is 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: A "Duh?", "Oops!" or "Aha" Moment?
2. Coaching Q&A: Peace or Turmoil?
3. News, Comments, Success Stories, Winners
4. Inspirational Message to Ponder
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1. A "Duh?", "Oops!" or "Aha" Moment?
Last Thursday evening I was an "In the Spotlight" speaker at
the local Women's Business Network meeting. Fifteen minutes to
talk about my business before approximately 80 other women.
In preparing for this talk, I reread a great book by Margaret
Hope, "You're Speaking but are you Connecting?"
Margaret focuses on audience needs. Connect with your listeners
rather than talking 'at' them. Two strategies are: using stories
(did that) and involving the audience (did that). I skipped the
chapter on visual aids. Couldn't see me doing a power-point
presentation or lugging my flip chart to the meeting.
I shared information about my "Starting Life Over" program, how
"The Imp" emerged from a dark period starting my life over and
about self-publishing "The Imp Journal".
After I got home the obvious hit me. A visual aid to use would
have been to hold up the actual book. Duh... I didn't!
Last month I shared an "oops!" experience - catching myself -
becoming aware of something that wasn't obvious earlier.
Are "duh" experiences or "oops!" incidents really any different
than an "aha" - when the light goes on? Maybe the biggest
difference is really how we feel about it - whether it has come
about as the result of making a mistake.
Are you comfortable with making mistakes? Or do you have a
difficult time - berating yourself, feeling stupid or
embarrassed? I first heard the expression, "The courage to be
imperfect" from Adlerian Psychology. Just knowing the phrase
has helped me feel OK. It is part of learning and growing.
So, have the courage to be IMPerfect!
Some of the things I've truly learned and remembered have come
from making mistakes. Is that true for you also?
Are you among the many who call public speaking their #1 fear?
If so, "The Imp" challenges you to "Get over it!" For information
on joining Toastmasters, e-mail: clubs@toastmasters.org
Another option is using the "Emotional Freedom Technique"(EFT).
One of the members of the Comox Valley Home Based Business
Association to which I belong, was terrified to get up in front
of the group. I helped her overcome her fear by using EFT and
at a subsequent meeting she did a wonderful job of sharing her
passion for photography. www.emofree.com
Margaret Hope self-published her book, "You are Speaking but
are you Connecting?" (ISBN# 0-9683973-0-1). She can be reached
at Lions Gate Training Ltd., 4140 Dawson St.,Burnaby, BC,
Canada V5C 4B1 mhope@lionsgate.bc.ca
Adlerian Psychology is a practical and positive psychology
based on the work of Alfred Adler (1870 - 1937). It was the
basis for the Parenting courses I facilitated a number of years
ago. If you are interested, search "Adlerian Psychology"
(rather than me suggesting any one specific website).
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2. Coaching Q&A: Peace or Turmoil?
Anne T. of Alberta writes:
"If I am true to my emotions, which is turmoil, and not denying/
suppressing them, how do I choose peace? If I am accepting my
needs, accepting my shadow side, there is peace in acceptance,
but I am finding no peace in getting needs met. I have lost
faith that I will. I can intellectually get the concept of
attraction and that my needs are already met, but I sure don't
feel it. And I believe in feeling all of my emotions, not
denying them. Is this making sense?"
Dear Anne,
Yes, it all makes sense. I see three aspects to your dilemma:
1) "how to" choose peace,
2) misunderstanding how the Law of Attraction works
3) the part beliefs play in creating turmoil.
1)In "The Mutual Support Group Handbook" by Arnold Patent there
is a very effective Feelings Exercise. It can help you experience
peace. I meet weekly with a small group of friends in a Spiritual
Support Group that uses this handbook. The handbook is free to
download at http://www.arnoldpatent.com/handbook.pdf
2) The Law of Attraction is based on the physics principle that all
energy vibrates and 'like attracts like'. Through the vibrational
frequency of our emotions, we attract things into our life that
vibrate at the same frequency level. The Law of Attraction is
ALWAYS in effect whether we are aware of it or not.
An excellent book for learning practical ways of making the Law
of Attraction work for you is "Law of Attraction: The Science
of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't
Want" by Michael J. Losier http://www.lawofattractionbook.com
3) How we think 'feeds' our emotions. Part of you, Anne, is
trying to believe your needs are getting met when another part
of you very clearly is experiencing them as unmet. Part of you
is trying to accept that your needs being unmet is 'OK' while
another part knows it is not 'OK'. A helpful resource here is
the book "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle.
My offer to Anne, and to all of you, is a complimentary 40-minute
"exploration" coaching session. Let me know your time zone. Just
contact me at: http://www.theimpjournal.com/contact.htm
What challenge are you facing? Feeling stuck? Ask for Bev's
perspective. A wider perspective means more options. When your
question is answered in this column, you will receive a set of
whimsical Imp notecards.
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3.News, Comments, Success Stories, Winners
Check out the other delightful art work by the illustrator of
"The Imp Journal", Povis Law, at http://www.red-studio.net
My friend and mentor, Alex Kovats, has developed a program of
workshops at his Seabreeze Inne on Salt Spring Island, B.C.
Check out http://www.saltspringworkshops.com
Gail Lewis of Courtenay, B.C. writes: "Just wanted to let you
know I love the idea of the Inspirational Memory Packet - I'm
going to start doing this right away. Too often at the end of
the day all we remember is the low points. What a wonderful
easy way to make the high points shine brighter. I would rather
remember the good things, no matter how small...
Thanks again for this great idea - you are the IMPiest!!"
The "Inspirational Memories Packet" is one of the themes in
"The Imp Journal". If you have not yet bought your copy, you
are missing out on a step-by-step guide that takes you on an
uplifting journey of personal empowerment. Online ordering
includes free shipping and handling in USA and Canada.
http://www.theimpjournal.com/order-journal.htm
In B.C., the book is available:
In Courtenay - Laughing Oyster Books, Winds of Change and the
Soap Box; in Comox - Blue Heron Books; in Campbell River -
Inner Odyssey; in Powell River - Coles Books.
Another heartwarming comment: "Hi Bev, I read a lot of coaching
newsletters and yours is among the best! Thank you!"
Barbra Sundquist
Life, Business and Mentor Coach
http://www.BecomeACertifiedCoach.com
I'm a member of the International Association of Coaches and was
among the first 149 of 5000 members to complete Part 1 of a
3-part process to become a Certified Coach.
http://www.InternationalAssociationOfCoaches.org
October's "Imagine Magnificent Possibilities" t-shirt goes to
Judith Carter of Courtenay, B.C.
Judith wrote: "I bought one of your note cards at The Soap Box
recently to send off to a woman in Winnipeg for a secret sister
exchange I run for Canadian Forces Wives and Girlfriends Yahoo
group.:)
"Thank you for sending Imp game cards. I am going to put one in
all my exchanges and then you can see where they travel to from
there in Canada and the US. They may even make it overseas.:)"
Thanks, Judith! The Imp loves jaunting about the world. Join in
the fun - request game cards and see where the Imp has been at
http://www.theimpjournal.com/where-in-world.htm
There are several ways to be eligible to win a t-shirt: by
adding a comment to the Guest Map if you have found an Imp game
card or by requesting cards. Also the first month as a new
subscriber to this newsletter puts you in the draw.
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4.Inspirational Message to Ponder
If this quote resonates with you, The Imp encourages you to
write it on a card, read it regularly, and then journal about
your thoughts, insights, feelings and, especially, actions.
"We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We
often discover what will do by finding out what will not do;
and probably he who never made a mistake never made a
discovery." Samuel Smiles.
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Look for your next newsletter in mid-December