Dear ,

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays have been filled with love, celebration and joy. I realize my December newsletter is coming to you the last day of this month... to be honest, I have been focusing this month on my wonderful clients, spending time with my family in California and nurturing my relationships.

 

The Power of Trust is the final piece of this year's theme on accessing your personal power. Trust is defined as the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something... and relationships are built on this foundation. In thinking about trust as a Coach, I often work with clients on "trust " issues... not necessarily just learning how to trust others, but understanding how to confidently trust yourself and building a better relationship with yourself. Self-trust includes the ability to listen and then act on one's own opinions, intuition and experience to make bold decisions and follow their hearts. Trust also aligns with faith in God or a Higher Power, as well as building relationships that have respect and trust at the core.  I encourage clients to look for the many areas that self-trust and trust of others already exists (perhaps confidence shows up in the career area but not in romantic relationships, for example) and to learn from what they already do well. Where does trust exist in some life areas, but not others? I also encourage my clients to recognize how being authentically true to themselves supports self-trust; and if there are blocks, we tackle those and then create strategies to build this muscle of self-trust.

 

My experience tells me that trust starts with BELIEF. And without that, trust is hard to build. There must be faith and a firm commitment to a person or dream, because without it, doubt sets in, causing ineffective actions, wasted time and possibly deficient decisions that may not support who you are, your relationships and what you are trying to achieve. Trust is earned, built by continually practicing congruency in words and actions and allowing time and experience to reinforce it. Trust yourself, and learn to trust others. By doing so, you will free up positive forward-moving energy to focus on what's really needed and desired. You will be free, powerful and purposeful. Here are some quotes to think about:

• "Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see." -William Newton Clark

• "Some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end.  Life is about knowing, having to change, taking a moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.  Delicious ambiguity." - Gilda Radner

• "Let Go and Let God" - Anonymous

•  "You see things as they are and you say, 'Why? But I dream things that never were, and I say, 'Why not?' " - George Bernard Shaw

• "The important thing is to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."  - Charles Dubois

• "The inability to open up to hope is what blocks trust, and blocked trust is the reason for blighted dreams." - Elizabeth Gilbert
   

• "To sit patiently with a yearning that has not yet been fulfilled, and to trust that, that fulfillment will come, is quite possibly one of the most powerful "magic skills" that human beings are capable of. It has been noted by almost every ancient wisdom tradition." -Elizabeth Gilbert

I hope this year's theme of "Power Up Your Purpose" has inspired you to fully tap into the many ways to become more authentically empowered to be the best version of yourself in the world. There is power in tapping into your own gifts, talents and values and then getting clear about how to use those to achieve not only more personal fulfillment, but also to shine that light on others in the world.  The key to finding your purpose starts with being true to yourself, so re-consider these words: self, passion, expansion, connection, balance, intention, choice, action,  risk, giving and trust...  they will assist you in your on path of self-empowerment and happiness.

 

I am excited for 2011 both personally and professionally. But before I look to the amazing possibilities for next year, I have been honoring the opportunities I had to learn and grow this year and many blessings I have received. I especially want to acknowledge my own coach, Lauren Powers, for her amazing partnership to allow me to be my best this year.... I am forever grateful to her.

 

I hope you will join me in reviewing 2010 and looking towards 2011. Here are some questions to inspire your own thinking and visioning...

• What did you like most about this past year?
• What are the things you are happy about?
• What did you accomplish or achieve?
• Is there any unfinished business?
• Is there anyone you need to acknowledge?
• What do you hope for in 2011?
• What's next?

Next month, I will be launching my newly-created coaching packages and programs. If you are interested in getting started sooner on your next chapter, please contact me, jennifer@excavive.com.  I wish for you a deliriously wonderful and magically joyful new year!