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February 2014 - Catalyst! Newsletter
from Sue Cowan Coaching
                                                                                              Issue 31          
       

Mont Blanc


It's one of my favourite times of year- still deep winter up in the mountains but almost spring-like down here in Geneva, with the snowdrops in full bloom. Experiences like this- Mont Blanc in all its glory- really help charge my batteries!

 

 

This month: why not think about which wolf to feed? And enjoy a post-Valentine fun quiz before meeting Shiva Keshavan from Sochi. 

Till next time,                     
                Sue

You can email me at sue@suecowancoaching.com

phone me on (+41) 076 2055 076  (office and mobile)

or visit  my website    www.suecowancoaching.com

You can  read past editions of this newsletter via the archive here

In This Issue
* Which wolf wins?
* Quote of the Month
*Quiz- Take Good Care
* Video from Sochi
* About Sue Cowan Coaching
Which wolf wins? 

 

I' d like to share a story which shines some light on part of our nature, on how we manage thoughts and emotions. I have heard it  in various forms, it's an  old story from the native American tradition . The story goes....

A native American Chief was once deep in thought at the edge of his tribal village. He was sitting there hour after hour by himself under a tree. The other members of the tribe  were coming and going, getting on with their daily routine but they couldn't help but notice him as he sat there so deep in thought for hours on end.
Finally,  another elder from the tribe who couldn't contain his curiosity any longer wandered over to the chief and asked,  "Chief, what's wrong?"

The Chief looked up and said:

"Inside of me it's like there are two wolves... The bad wolf is fearful, mean and angry. The good wolf is loving, peaceful and kind.... The battle goes on between them all day: the bad wolf forever fighting the good ..."

And the elder asked the Chief: "Which wolf wins?"

The chief reflected a moment and simply replied: "The one I feed the most."

 

Quote of the Month 

cartoon  

Thanks for sending this, Mary!
                                                                                                                                                    
Quiz - Are You Taking Care of Yourself?

 

And a bit of "self love", at the end of the month of St.Valentine....graphic-heart.gif

With busy lives, it's more important than ever that we make time to take good  care of ourselves-yet it's often the last thing on our minds.

We have to meet that deadline, use break time to run errands, get through all the items on our list. We all know the negative impact on our health that stress can have. 

 

 

Take this self-quiz to see how well you are taking care of yourself: just answer True or False 

 

T/F  1. When I'm upset and/or feeling hopeless, I talk about the situation with a friend or family member.. And if I need more help, I ask for it.

 

T/F  2. I let go of the way things used to be- and accept the way

things are.

 

T/F  3. Every day I do something physical even if it's just a walk around the block or a 15-minute workout.

 

T/F  4. I eat healthfully and take the time to enjoy my meals. I set aside work, driving and other activities while I eat.

 

T/F  5. I think positively. I view problems as opportunities and obstacles as challenges.

 

T/F  6. I can say no when I need or want to.

 

T/F  7. I remember to breathe!

 

T/F  8. If I'm experiencing physical symptoms, I go to the appropriate health care professional. I don't panic about the symptoms, and I don't deny them either.

 

T/F  9. I can settle for "good enough." I don't demand perfection in everything that I do.

 

T/F  10. I recognize the value of working in different gears. Some tasks require less effort. That saves energy for those times when I need to push myself.

 

T/F  11. I get enough sleep most nights.

 

T/F  12. I value my personal relationships and give them the time and energy they need and deserve.

 

T/F  13. I choose healthy ways to relieve stress. I don't rely on crutches such as smoking, drinking and overeating.

 

T/F  14. I recognize the importance of breaks during the day, as well as longer breaks and vacations.

 

T/F  15. I listen to and respect my feelings.

 

If you answered false to several of these, you may want to take an honest look at the impact your choices may be having.  

Don't hesitate to call if you would like support in taking better care of yourself!

 
Video
 

So many highlights from the Winter Olympics at Sochi....

But one of the luckiest competitors must have been Shiva Keshavan, a luger from India (though he officially competed under the Olympics flag). Amongst his training tracks is a Himalayan highway..perhaps this helped him in his almost unbelievable recovery from a spill off the luge in competition on Day 2. 

He managed to pull himself back onto the sled and finish the run uninjured.

As one commentator wrote: "The footage of his incredibly fluid recovery looks like it is straight out of a hollywood special effects studio, and is a bit mind-boggling to behold. "

 

In an interview later, Keshavan said simply: "if you give up.. (and let go) it's all over... but if you stay focused, you can get back. So I just waited for the right moment...and got back on the sled"

 

You can see the wipeout  here  (just 6 seconds) 

 

Amazing! And at nearly 70 miles an hour... "Focus" indeed.

 

About Sue Cowan Coaching 
If you are considering working with a coach to gain clarity, focus and direction to help you implement some change in your life, do get in touch:
photo Sue
info@suecowancoaching.com
Tel. Mobile (+41) 076  2055  076

If you are curious to know more about what I do, or about coaching in general, you can visit my coaching 
website    
www.suecowancoaching.com