Life Coaching

 Who, What, When, How?

I have been asked often to explain what exactly is life coaching anyway. So here it is from the perspective of my life coaching practice style.

We all want to live the best, most joyful, easy, purposeful, meaningful, abundant, and FUN life, right? That is what we are all here for! But life sometimes causes us to believe and live in ways that do not promote those values and we end up feeling stuck, unhappy, and/or unfulfilled. Then if we stay there long enough our relationships, our health, our feeling of freedom, and our overall joy and love of life loses some of its luster. We all have times or areas of our lives that we could certainly be experiencing in a more positive way.  

Much as an athletic coach assists their player to play their best game, a life coach assists you in living your best life by being your guide, your cheerleader, and your accountability partner. Coaching helps you gain focus and clarity in moving towards that which you most desire. Life coaching focuses on now and moving forward in the direction of your dreams, not back on where you’ve been.  Life coaching is NOT therapy or counseling, nor is it a casual conversation.

A coach does not tell you what to do. A coach guides and works with you, offering tools and suggestions to assist you in choosing what is best for you and what direction or action you feel inspired to take.  

Hiring someone is a powerful thing to do. When considering hiring a life coach, or any coach for that matter, ask yourself what it would be worth for you to define and realize your dream or that which you desire. What would, improving your current life situation, having more joy and ease, or defining and following through with a desire feel like? Maybe you just want help defining or clarifying exactly what it is you desire or what changes you wish to make in life.  There is incredible value in making a decision for yourself and your life. That is what a life coach is there to do, working together with you offering tools, support, clarity, and guidance.

WHO – Anyone who is FUN, open- minded, and has a desire for improvement in a specific area or just overall in life. Which, by the way, includes those of us who are life coaches, we too hire our own coaches to work with us.

WHAT –Life coaching is a powerful partnership to assist in growth, fulfillment, and living your best life.  

WHEN – Anytime life calls you to want to expand from where you currently are.

HOW – Go to my website: www.cjstaples.com and contact me for a complimentary 20 – 30-minute phone call to get to know one another and see if we are a good fit and would choose to work together.

P.S. … It is FUN to be a coach and to be coached!!!

Climb that Mountain!

The Backside... (of crossing the pass)!! 

My super amazing husband, Jeremiah and I just hiked the trail from Aspen to Crested Butte on Friday Sept. 11th. on our recent trip to Colorado to celebrate our 5th. Wedding Anniversary and my 55th Birthday.

What an amazing experience it was. And I didn't die! I thought I might as we were heading up the pass.... there is not much air up there ;) The elevation is around 12,500 ft. and we climbed approx. 3000 ft. and close to 12 miles.

This whole experience reaffirmed for me that we really can do SO much more than we think we can. I really wanted to do this hike and felt I was in decent shape to do so, I mean it wasn't Mt. Kilimanjaro or anything, but I had a small, but nagging fear that I would fall apart somehow mid-hike (well I did cry/fall apart once but that is another funny story).  I had been experiencing some hip pain for quite a while and of course as I tried to gear up for the hike prior to heading out there, it had been flaring more intensely than normal. I felt concerned as the day was fast approaching but was doing my best to focus and visualize a great hike and stop allowing the worry to creep in. And if worry did creep in I would focus and try to change the subject... Thank you Law of Attraction!

I will not say it was easy but I will say it was great! My hip was a non-issue pretty much and the main discomfort was the altitude and having to stop every 10 - 20 ft. as we approached the pass, to breathe. Once I relaxed with that, it became suddenly "doable" for me. I am grateful for the experience and hope to do something like it again sometime when as my friend said, like childbirth, I'd forget the pain! :D I believed I could do it, I just had to remove the fear as it came... kind of like it stepped in the path and I had to pick it up and set it aside. Our bodies are able to handle - no thrive - far more than we are taught to believe they can.

I highly recommend getting out of your comfort zone and doing something that frightens you or you think you aren't able to do and shift your thinking about it. Start to actually believe you can.  You will be amazed at what you can do!! No kidding. No matter your age or ability, once you move past a discomfort, and let go of old and untrue beliefs or fear that hold you back, you realize you really can do anything if you truly believe it.

I wish you many adventures!

And if I didn't mention it... Seriously... that was FUN!!

Recently on our yearly girls weekend "up north", we walked into a small bar & grill as we do on the first night every year to have dinner near the cabin. For the second year in a row there is a group of fun people also enjoying a weekend away, who as you walk in the door all clap and cheer like crazy for you as if you are a rock star or have just done something amazing. It is awesome and even though they do it for everyone it just feels good. It is so fun and refreshing. I love watching the reactions of others as they come in. Of course we all raise our arms in the air like the champs that we are :) and we high five and cheer with them. What a great idea and a reminder that it doesn't take much to make another persons day. Give it a try next time you are out with a group of friends or family and see how wonderful it feels for everyone! Gotta love fun peeps!!

4 Years ago today! We laughed and we danced! Our Wedding was not only our favorite day ever but it was also so FUN!!

Law of Attraction ~ A practice worth practicing

 Law of Attraction ~ A Practice worth Practicing!

I have been studying Abraham Hicks Law of Attraction teachings for many years now (about 15) and was very fortunate to attend their week long “Landcruise” event in Playa del Carmen in April.  Their teachings have helped me immensely in life to be, feel, and have more than I could have ever imagined and I continue to learn and practice it daily. One of my favorite quotes is “You’re never satisfied. That’s what life is, it’s just the ongoing, never-ending vacation adventure, you see. You can’t get it wrong and you never get it done-and we recommend that you have as much fun as you can along the way. It gives me such a sense of ease and peace knowing that, I mean really knowing that.

For a long time I thought that I had to have all of the important areas of my “wheel of life” in perfect order to be a great Life Coach, but I have learned that is not the case. I have something to share and practicing LOA has given me great peace and confidence in sharing and helping others who want to play along and live joyfully.

Are you having fun on your journey?? I hope so!!

Just for fun, take a few minutes today to simply stop, take a few deep breaths and relax, then think about something that makes you smile or feel good. It can be a favorite memory or even better, something that you would like to experience, as long as it makes you feel good. Notice how you feel afterward.  You will likely feel “lighter” and more appreciative. That is what being “in the vortex” is, thinking a thought that feels good and is without resistance.

 Take the time to do this for yourself each day. I find that first thing in the morning and last thing before you drift off to sleep are the most effective times to do this. This will set the tone for your day the more you practice it.

~Life is Supposed to be Fun~ Abraham

Life is calling ~ Pick up and say Hello!

This past Sunday my friend Bonnie and I did just that. And we are so glad we made that one second decision to say yes ~ hello opportunity.

Have you ever done something and after the fact you can hardly believe you did it? We did just that.

A few times each winter a big group of us do a cross-county ski weekend at our friend Carrie's cabin in Two Harbors, Mn,  which is connected to my hubby's parents property giving us hundreds and hundreds of acres of private groomed trails (many thanks to my father-in-law), to enjoy.

Their "neighbors", Ward and Colleen, who live about 3 miles away, have sled-dogs and they both have raced for several years now, stopped by Saturday eve and invited just a couple of us to come with them on Sunday morning to ride along with them. Cool! Bonnie and I said Yes!

We arrived thinking "this will be really fun to do a ride-along"... and we were excited. We greeted many of the very excited dogs and chatted with our friends while they were preparing two sleds and lining up the appropriate dogs for each. Then Ward called us over to a sled he was getting ready and said to us " Here is what you are going to do" and proceeded to instruct us on driving the team. Bonnie and I looked at each other in wide-eyed surprise. What did he just say? We are going to drive??? No he did not ask, he told us and we listened. (He really enjoyed springing that on us). Ward would be in the lead sled with one of us in the sled and the other would follow leading their own team... alone!!!  We would be doing an 8 mile loop and at the half way point we would switch places so that we would each have the opportunity to drive a team!

Our trail went through the woods uphill and down and it was lovely. Ward had instructed us on what to do if we lost control and/or fell off.... "Get back up to the team as soon as you can". Both Bonnie and I had to follow those wise words.  I won't say I didn't scream "Oh sh*******t" as I lost control around a sharp corner in deep snow. I thought I could perhaps hold on..., yeah right. As I was flying through the air I saw the sled tip over. I got up as fast as my surprised mind and body could take me, ran up to it, set it upright, breathlessly yelled yes to Ward who was up ahead asking if I was ok, and thanked my team for stopping! It was completely exhilarating and exciting!  It was the experience of a lifetime to be sure.

Afterwards as we climbed into her Suburban in disbelief with giant smiles on our faces, I said, "This was not on my Bucket list but now I am going to put it on there and check it off because this was a bucket list experience that I didn't even know I wanted."  Bonnie laughed and said she was just thinking the exact same thing! We went back to the cabin and shared our experience to the group all of whom wished they had said yes. Boy are we glad we did!

Seriously...Life IS FUN!!!

One of my darling granddaughters at about age 9 ~ " I always thought it was Warren Peace".
Priceless!