How do you set an intention for the day?

Think about something you would like to accomplish or something you wish to bring into your conscious awareness, to shed light. Your intention can be to act a certain way, to observe, to listen, to notice, to finish, to start, to think about, to plan for, to respond to, to acknowledge, to save for, to work toward …
An intention can be about anything that is at the forefront of your mind or perhaps causing you stress and also at times, an intention can be quite challenging. The challenge is to maintain the onus on yourself and ownership of your intention and minimize the natural temptation to use excuses, blame or accusations (example: “ If he/she/ it hadn’t…” or “ I couldn’t because”), which often prevents successful execution.

You can experiment setting a random intention as practice to experience how it can create focus, (example: see how many green cars you can spot today when you’re out and about – who knows, you may be considering buying a green colored vehicle and want to know how popular they are).
You may want to choose an intention that has a more critical meaning to you, (example: if you are having trouble communicating effectively with your spouse or anyone important to you, make it your intention to notice the tone of your voice or your choice of words and the subsequent reactions you are getting).
Other intentions can be task related such as choosing a drawer or a box that needs to be cleaned out and then completing at least one.

Consider the following questions:

What good can come from setting any intention, in other words saying, “Today I am going to do this”?
What is important about setting an intention that is meaningful to you?
In what ways can being intentional improve your quality of life?

There are pros and cons to being spontaneous or even oblivious at times but how can being intentional when dealing with a particular subject matter that is causing you stress, possibly create more desirable results?

How are you different when you set an intention aimed at attaining your most profound want?
How critical is it to know what that want really is?

Recall the last time you intended to do, to get or to feel something that you wanted and reached it. What was it? What did you focus on each day leading up to success?
Example 1: How many of you remember saving up money for an item that you desperately wanted and eventually purchased, what did you do each day?
Example 2: Because of focused intention which created new awareness, you came to realize that you had control over your perceptions of things and let go of a destructive thought process that was eating away at you. As a result you felt peace within.

In both these examples intentions were meaningful and felt good when results were met with success, satisfaction, a feeling of accomplishment or one of many warm and positive emotions.

At this time, consider how you want to feel at day’s end. What intention would you like to set for yourself that will either begin to move you toward or make you feel the way you would like?
How will what you choose today jump-start you on a path that will render you in some regard, a better person and/or a happier one?

Note: This is all about you and your intention, not your intention for someone else.

With all that life throws your way each day, it takes courage to set even a seemingly small intention and bring it to fruition.
For those of you who choose to harness your courage, with a personally meaningful intention, you can bet that each day will feel much more than just another day gone by.

 ~Lesia S.

What a celebratory weekend we just had! It began with the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver on Friday February 12th, was followed by Valentines Day on Sunday and officially in some parts of the world, Family Day on Monday.

Aside from having the common focus of ‘celebration’, what other ‘commonalities’ do you share on each of these occasions?

Here are a few:

Tolerance
Laughter
Togetherness
Failure
Creativity
Goals
Stamina
Respect
Love
Focus
Effort
Dedication
Resourcefulness
Desire
Perseverance
Endurance
Happiness
Disappointment
Hope
Persistence
Vision
Connecting
Sharing
Experiencing
Seeing potential
Determination
Success
Harmony
Courage
Strength
Teamwork
Pride
Reward
Chocolate maybe?

If you make the effort to reflect on just how much each of the above fit into all three occasions, you just may end up feeling like an Olympian yourself!

~Lesia S.

Dear Friends,

May each day bring a smile
May good spirit last a long while
May you soar like an eagle
In peaceful vastness like a seagull

May you harness your soul’s richness
Regain your desired fitness
Escape the wavering throws
Of the indecisive “I don’t knows”

May you capture your might
Take hold of your forces
Set forth on a plight
Or roam free like wild horses

May what ever you choose
Put a bounce in your step
May it spring you into action
Harvesting endless satisfaction.

Happy New Year Everyone!

~ Lesia S.

Jingle bells ringing
Line-ups at the check out
Strings of colored lights, sparkling angels, stars and Santa’s
Overheated babies
Frustrated Mommies
Perplexed Daddies
Overspending
Parking lot fiascos
Tempers flaring
Christmas concerts
Winter break
Day Dreaming
Locking keys in the car
Menu planning
Trimming the tree
Cookie baking
Making wishes
Sending greetings
Dealing with fender benders
Christmas music
Singing in the Church choir
Gift giving
Drinking eggnog, plain and spiked
Fireplaces roaring
Party going
Reminiscing
Last minute shopping
Volunteering
Getting speeding tickets
Thanking
Observing traditions
Attending Religious Services
Fundraising
Hungry
Sharing
Donating
Overeating
Dieting
Deep breathing
Vacationing
Praying
Lives beginning
Lives ending
Re-connecting
Separating
Celebrating

These are just a few random sights, sounds and experiences shared by people all over the world at this time of year. No doubt you will agree, some we can do without, however magically in some way and especially if we look for it, the true spirit of the season is captured in the end. How would you define the true spirit of the season? How will you make it happen?

                 ______________________

~We are thankful and proud to be able to partner with our clients in achieving the best possible personal experience that life can provide, one that is not only rewarding, happy and fulfilling but has a positive ripple affect on others along the way.

In this spirit we wish you and your families the very best of what the Holiday Season has to offer and most importantly, all of what you personally want to experience.

~Lesia S.

~Are you enjoying success?

~Is success all about ‘the climb’?

Miley Cyrus sings about one’s journey in life or ‘the climb’ in one of her latest songs. She sings, “there’s always gonna be another mountain….aint about how fast I get there, aint about what’s waiting on the other side, it’s the climb”, and many of you have heard the adage about success being the journey, not the destination.

How do you perceive success?
How has your climb proven to be successful?
How hard or easy is it for you to recognize your successes?
What makes your success different from someone else’s?
What makes your personal journey unique?

Have you ever thought about what makes up a personal journey?

Is it what you see and how you see it?
How you feel and how you want to feel?
How you think?
What you want and how much you want it?
What you do and when you do it?
All of the above?
What else…?

~It’s your climb and your success, then what would stop you from making it your intention to recognize and savor every well-earned moment of each and every personal success and use those celebratory moments to nourish and fuel your soul as you venture ahead?

Harold V. Melchert said it well –

Live your life each day, as you would climb a mountain.
An occasional glance toward the summit keeps the goal in mind,
But many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.
Climb slowly, steadily, enjoying each passing moment;
And the view from the summit will serve as a fitting climax for the journey.

~Lesia S.

To the Veterans of War,

On this Remembrance Day we salute and support you. You are the men and women, past and present, who put yourselves in harms way in the name of freedom and peace. We salute your families and acknowledge their strength. Thank you all for your courage, your heart, your sacrifice, your bravery and your patriotism.

In your honor I for one will reflect on what I can do, how I can be and how I can communicate with others to cultivate respect, freedom and peace to lessen your burden.
In fact, I make it my intention and invite my peers, all men and women, to join me in making myself accountable for my words and actions.

Today we remember and will never forget to celebrate your courage and all of the freedoms that we are privileged to enjoy as a people and a nation.

Sincerely,
~Lesia S.

What do you endeavor to do or to be and with how much passion?

The first part of that question when clearly and firmly defined is the first crucial step in the pursuit of that endeavor.

What is your endeavor?

To be happy again - What exactly does that mean?
Land a rewarding job that fits my lifestyle – What is your lifestyle?
Master a skill – What will that bring?
Conquer a struggle with weight – What will happen if you do?
Be the first person to…
Attain a career objective?
Win a scholarship?
Run the Boston Marathon?

Whatever the magnitude of your endeavor, knowing exactly what it is, wanting it and imprinting it in your mind, is one battle won. The next battle is becoming aware of the implications of actually succeeding. What will it bring? How will you feel?

The second half of the question is about the fuel or passion that will fire up your engine, the engine that will ultimately drive you to your destination or to succeed in your chosen endeavor.

But what is your fuel, your motivation?
Where will you get that fuel?
How do you assure that you will not run out of fuel before you reach your destination?
What do you think will determine how long it will take to get there?

Whether you wish to be the best person you can be, the best athlete or the best in your profession, the success of each endeavor however large or small, rests upon and will be the result of how much you want it and are prepared to reach and keep learning until you achieve it.

Success need not take as long as you may think.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I invite you to fire up your engines!

~Lesia S.

It’s a great day to share.

Share food

Share your love

Share stories

Share memories

Share acknowledgments

It’s a great time to reflect.

Reflect on what you’ve created

Reflect on what you’ve overcome

Reflect on how you’ve grown

Reflect on what you’ve learnt

It’s a great time to celebrate.

Celebrate family

Celebrate friends

Celebrate freedoms

Celebrate choices

Celebrate new beginnings

It’s a great time to visualize.

Visualize a dream

Visualize the ideal partnership

Visualize living each day with ease

Visualize yourself happy

Visualize doing what you love to do

Visualize diverse cultures living in peace and harmony

Visualize the earth in equilibrium

Visualize life without disease

~It’s a time to give thanks for what we have today.

~It’s a time to communicate, take steps and never lose hope for a better tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Lesia Saplywyj

THE HARDER THE CONFLICT, THE MORE GLORIOUS THE TRIUMPH.

WHAT WE ATTAIN TOO CHEAPLY, WE ESTEEM TOO LIGHTLY;

IT IS ADVERSITY THAT GIVES EVERYTHING ITS VALUE.

 

-         Thomas Payne

When asked to name a few things that she values Sheila replied, “My life, my family, my job, my shiny red mustang convertible, my house, my friends, taking vacations….

If you were asked the same question what would you say? What do you value?

How many of the things you truly value did you have to work for?

How hard were they to come by?

How much adversity did you have to endure?

Was what you attained worth the effort?

According to Sheila, nothing came easy. She struggled, stumbled, got up and stumbled again. Her relationships were volatile, little money in the bank and her vision of the future bleak. What she had in abundance was passion, will and courage. With professional support, conversation and guided process, she did a lot of soul searching and went through a great deal of personal growth, gained new insights into her life, forged ahead when she was in dire straits, took small steps and kept her attitude in check.

In a breakthrough moment, one that put it all in perspective for her, Sheila realized that she would not change a thing from her past. What she endured she feels provided her with the skills the wherewithal, the need, the ability to make informed choices and the vision to see, reach and achieve anything she decided and truly wanted. Sheila noticed that she attributed little value to the things that came too easily or were literally handed to her.

Sheila is a mature woman who now knows how to manage what ever life throws her way and feels that she will make mistakes but she will never fail because there are no failures only learning opportunities, challenges to overcome and potentially that much more to value.

Sheila is an inspiration and a success in her own right.

~Lesia S.

“I FEEL LIKE NOBODY REALLY UNDERSTANDS ME AND I AM SO TIRED OF PLATITUDES AND ADAGES…YEAH RIGHT, THINK POSITIVE…”

John, an intelligent, hard-working, passionate man and personal coaching client quoted above, has been searching for answers to quandaries in his personal life and specifically within his personal and business relationships. He says that deep in his heart he has not been happy or fulfilled and feels angry as a result. Among other things, reading an enormous amount of literature and listening to notable speakers, friends and family share their wisdom on the betterment of life and specifically relationships, for him, has turned out to be more of a source of frustration and anger. He recognizes and is working on becoming more aware of what has specifically fueled his anger and how to take action to resolve it. In the process he has come to a “striking revelation” that what he frequently does, numerous times each day, is use sarcasm and make judgmental remarks about people in his life as well as himself.  He has decided to make it his intention to curb the sarcasm and judgment – something he now notices does not help him become the person he is striving to be and does not evoke the communication he is searching for in his relationships.

John is not alone. Anger, frustration, overuse of sarcasm and judging, often go hand in hand. Taking action is a key to creating more awareness and change.

A few questions to think about:
What are sarcastic or judgmental remarks?
How is excessive use of sarcasm and making value judgments damaging or putting strain on your relationships?
How do you feel when someone says to you or you think to yourself - “You should have done it this way, but you know everything” Or “That was a really smart thing to do, now you’ve really screwed up!” or “I’m such a moron, I don’t deserve to be happy!”
How often do you make similar comments in your everyday thinking and conversations with others?
What, if anything, is driving you to make demeaning or negative remarks about events, other people or yourself?
In what specific ways can it benefit you to manage it?
How could you make your point without the use of sarcasm or unnecessary judgment?
How do you think managing these kinds of remarks can improve how you feel about yourself, how people perceive you and how you perceive and communicate with others?
How willing are you to notice how you speak to and think about both yourself and other people?
Who can help you answer these questions, take steps and make changes?

After giving theses questions some thought and if you are so inclined, give it a whirl and see what you get. Once you begin to manage the ‘S and J’s,’ it will be interesting to see what transformations take place day to day.
It may not be easy at first but the payoff will be well worth the effort.

~Lesia S.