The Blog Forum : : A Creative Little Series #6 ~ Envisioning Your Future

We each create our online homes one step, one post, one image, one connection, one powerful word at a time.  If your mission is clear, your words true to your heart, your design compelling, and your hospitality evident, before long you'll have created a beautiful online tapestry that uniquely reflects who you are.

 

No cookie cutter blogger, your presentation will be completely and gloriously different from the writer's down the street.  For we are each fearfully and wonderfully made.  And by God's grace, what we create in partnership with Him will reflect that awesome truth and give Him honor.

 

HARD QUESTIONS

*  What are the 3 biggest challenges your blog is facing now?

*  What's the first change you want to make?

*  What's your hesitation?

*  What do you want your blog to look like in 1 year?  5 years?

*  How do you honor Christ in the midst of this all?

GOOD STUFF

Resources to Help You Be More Awesome

Peek User Testing

Blogger Getting Started Guide

LET'S CHAT!

 

Thanks for traveling through this little series with me!  What a ride!  The recent huge influx of visitors tells me that this whole blogging thing matters to many of our readers.  Big time. 

 

You've asked for it, so here it is!  To show my gratitude, I'm offering a FREE 30 minute coaching session to anyone who's left a comment on any of the six sessions.  And it's not too late to jump in on the discussion to be eligible.  This offer is good through May 31st Friday, June 13th!  You can get in touch with me here to set up your appointment.

 

I'd love to chat with you 1-1 on the phone, explore your blogging challenges, do a bit of brainstorming, and ask you the questions that will jumpstart you right on up to the next level.  I can't wait to connect! 

 

I hope you'll continue to grace us with your presence and interaction in the days ahead.  If you like what you've been reading, would you please share it with your tribe?  The links are below.  And if you haven't subscribed to the blog, what better time than right now?

 

Please know that you are always welcome here ...

 

The Blog Forum  : :  A Creative Little Series

The Blog Forum  : :  A Creative Little Series #2 ~ Crafting Your Mission Statement

The Blog Forum  : :  A Creative Little Series #3 ~ Designing Your Look

The Blog Forum  : :  A Creative Little Series #4 ~ Editing Your Masterpiece

The Blog Forum  : :  A Creative Little Series  #5 ~ Creating Your Community

The posts keep on coming!  Click here to get yours delivered straight to you.

 



Oodles of Lists

At any given time, I've got four lists going.  There's one on my desk at home. 

Another on my office desk. 

A third in my appointment book. 

And a white board I share with my husband that's adhered to the fridge. 

Writing stuff down energizes me.  It clears my mind so I can indulge in more important things.  Like connecting with people.  Doing something fun.  Curling up with a good book. 

Or simply zoning out.

And there's few things in life more satisfying than grabbing that list and crossing off yet another completed task. 

So if you're a list maker like I am, enjoy downloading this comprehensive list!  And then go ahead and ...

BOOK IT

DO IT

FIX IT

SEE IT

READ IT

TRY IT

BUY IT

RESEARCH IT

Linda

Propel Yourself!

Life coaching is coming to the forefront again.

Most people are familiar with counseling. It's a reflective process. It focuses on sorting through the past and its impact on the client's current situation. It's a life saver for those folks struggling with anxiety or depression. And for those who need freedom from the old, distorted tapes that play in their minds. It's the venue for those who need to recover from trauma or abuse. For those who need to grieve ... or do some serious forgiveness work.

Life coaching is a different animal.
It's forward-looking, proactive, and edgy. Coaching is designed for people who are ready to stop looking over their shoulders at the past. It can be fairly fast-paced and usually requires heavy-duty homework.

Whether individual or family coaching, the most successful clients have the ability to partner with their coaches to take responsibility for honest self-evaluation. They can't wait to roll up their sleeves and get going on the work they need to do ... be it improved communication skills, wise decision making, saying 'goodbye' to the lifestyle ruts that have left them going nowhere, or fresh goal setting for the next season of life.

Check out one family's communication breakthrough. And keep an eye on HGTV's new coaching show, HOME RULES. It'll be interesting to see if it offers something substantial ... or if it's just a mid-season filler.

If you're ready to look for a life coach, search for someone with some level of training and certification. Most coaches have carved out a niche for themselves (family coach, business coach, health coach, ministry coach, ADD coach, etc.

Christian Coaches Network is the place to find faith-based, Christ-centered resources. And the good news is that most coaching is done via phone and the internet which allows you to choose the perfect coach for you.

What a great time of year to propel yourself forward!
Linda

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"
- Philippians 3:13-14.

Lame Excuses

I had to smile as I read "Say Goodbye to Alibis." I'll be the 1st to raise my hand and admit that I can entertain some very creative, yet lame excuses when I don't choose to eat nutritious food or stick with an ongoing fitness routine. Even after a substantial weight loss this past year, I'm realizing that maintaining a healthy lifestyle will always be an ongoing challenge for me.

So I appreciated the author's responses to such all-time favorites as:

"I'm too tired."

"I just had a baby."

"I'll do it tomorrow."

"I'm too old."

My challenge? Take a few minutes to jot down your favorite excuses. And then decide what you want to do with all those alibis. They're getting kind of old, aren't they ...

Are you ready to release them to the only One who can help you make those oh-so-hard choices?

In the boat with you ~

Linda

"I can do all things through Him who gives me strength"
- Philippians 4:13.

Open the Next Door

If you know me, you know I love to coach! It's in my blood. It's part of who I am. I love working with people who simply need to get unstuck! Asking them the hard questions. Encouraging. Providing resources and accountability.

And yes - it works! Just ask my clients!

So, I was delighted to find another coaching resource yesterday. And you know how I love to share new finds with you!

If you're a coach ... or work with a coach ... or have wanted to get your hands on more coaching resources, check out The Christian Coaching Center. This looks to be a great site to explore many of the niches that coaching embraces - women, wellness, family, career, ministry, groups. Helpful insight on training, research, practice building, marketing ... it's all there.

My challenge for you as the summer stretches before us? Consider using these "lazy days" to move toward that door that has you intrigued ... and see what happens as you begin to open it.

Accompanying you ~

Linda

A Simple Ministry Evaluation

- Ministries I have been involved in this past year

- 3 life-changing things God accomplished 

- 3 people that mentored/encouraged me

- 3 ways I said thank you

 

- 3 people I mentored/encouraged 

- 3 things God taught me

- 3 areas where I messed up  

- 3 lessons I learned 

- 3 things I will give up so I can be more effective

- 3 things I need to have in place so I can be more effective

- People I need to ask forgiveness of 

- People I need to forgive 

Pondering with you ~

Linda

Moving Ahead - and Being Still

"While Christian coaching focuses on goal-setting, action, and moving ahead, spiritual direction encourages the development of stillness in the life of the believer - a stillness with God that enables us to hear Him more clearly and enables our faith in Him to grow much deeper. Spiritual disciplines like solitude and silence, contemplation of Scripture, and the journaling of our conversations with God develop a focus on being with God."

~ Linda ~

Quoted in Journal of Christian Coaching

Winter 2008

Volume 1, Number 3