A Space to Pause & Re-Align With Your Own Wisdom

21Jul 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

In My Own Way

About your Coach, Mental Fitness, Mindfulness, Personal Development
Have you battled internal obstacles – problems that were entirely created by your way of approaching the world in your thinking and actions? – I have! For more than a year I had been bothered by a digestive issue: There was a knot in my intestines, always in the same spot. It never went away. The intensity of the discomfort varied. I consulted my family doctor. I consulted an Ayurvedic doctor. Nothing. I researched online. – A partial breakthrough was achieved when I found a useful video how to alleviate the symptoms temporarily. But no solution appeared. I started to despair. Then, we went on vacation and I did not drink my tap water. The discomfort was gone. I had stumbled upon the solution. The problem – or obstacle –…
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18Jul 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Changing Course Fluidly

Mental Fitness, Mindfulness, Personal Development, Problem Solving, Self-Reliance
Flexibility is the key to common sense and success A battleship had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. The captain, who was concerned about the deteriorating conditions, stayed on the bridge so that he could keep an eye on all activities. One night, shortly after dark, [the fog was getting even thicker] the lookout on the bridge suddenly shouted, ‘A light, captain, bearing on the starboard bow.’‘Is it steady or moving astern?’ the captain asked.The lookout confirmed that it was steady, which meant that the battleship was apparently on a dangerous collision course with the other ship.The captain then called to the signalman, ‘Signal that ship: “We are on a collision course. Advise you change course 20 degrees north.”’Back came the response from the other…
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15Jul 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Doing Little Things That Matter

About your Coach, Connecting with Nature
Do you remember the story “The Star Thrower” who was rescuing starfish one at a time, and even it did not seem to make a difference in the big picture, it made every difference to the starfish he did rescue. Here is how this story resonates with my life: I believe in minimizing my footprint and taking care of nature. I own a little piece of land – 4 acres – and I feel that I am the steward of this land. I am responsible for, but I am not entitled to do any damage to this land. I have the right to live here, to grow my plants, to live in my house, to be who I am. I see this stewardship as our calling as humans. We have…
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13Jul 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Change – Perspective – growth … Obvious?

Mindfulness, Personal Development, Philosophy, Problem Solving
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. - Wayne Dyer In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are. - Max De Pree Do you remember the metaphor about the two caterpillars looking at a butterfly I shared a few days ago? – It can be found at: https://creeksideinspirations.ca/two-caterpillars/ __________ Question: What change are you resisting and what might become obvious if you change your perspective? (photo by Jeffrey Dungen, Unsplash) __________ Manuela Zeitlhofer | Authenticity & Mental Fitness Coach
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11Jul 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Two Caterpillars

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Two caterpillars were sitting on a cabbage leaf having a chat. Suddenly, they heard a loud swishing noise, and looking up, saw a beautiful butterfly flying overhead. The first caterpillar looked to the other, shook his head and said, ‘You’ll never get me up in one of those things.’ (by Scott Simmerman) __________ Question: What represents the butterfly (or change) for you? __________ Manuela Zeitlhofer | Authenticity & Mental Fitness Coach
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06Jul 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Judgement or compassion

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“Judgements prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.”- Wayne Dyer __________ “What you see is evidence of what you believe.”- Wayne Dyer __________ Ask yourself: -Is your opinion the truth (or is it a hypothesis)? -Does what the other person is doing really matter to anyone but them? Does your opinion really matter to anyone but you? -Do you have compassion? __________ Manuela Zeitlhofer | Mental Fitness Coach
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29Jun 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Identity

Personal Development
“It is easier to live through someone else than to complete yourself. The freedom to lead and plan your own life is frightening if you have never faced it before. It is frightening when a woman [editorial comment: ...or man] finally realizes that there is no answer to the question 'who am I' except the voice inside herself.” ― Betty Friedan __________ What makes you unique? What does the voice inside tell you? Manuela Zeitlhofer | Mental Fitness Coach
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27Jun 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments
Introspection for Introverts | Canada Day Gift

Introspection for Introverts | Canada Day Gift

Getting to know your Coach, Goals
Canadians are celebrating Canada Day on July 1. For 10+3 days (starting today), I am giving some of my time, expertise and devotion back: 🎁 My gift to 10+3 people* (in honor of the 10 Canadian provinces and 3 territories) is a 45-minute coaching-call each. 🎁 Book your coaching-call here: Please feel free to share this link with people you think might enjoy this gift: a safe space to hone in on introspective perspectives, and work toward goals. Why? I feel very fortunate and grateful to call this country my home. In Canada I have found freedom, adventures, love, a place to live, a wonderful child, incredible friends, and the liberty to develop and maintain a positive mindset. __________ Manuela Zeitlhofer | Mental Fitness Coach | The Introvert Solopreneur *For…
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27Jun 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Edison and the Light Bulb

Mindfulness, Problem Solving
Failure is a natural part of the creative process! Thomas Edison, the American inventor, is thought of as being one of the most creative and intelligent men in history – and yet, the history books tell us that he attended his school in Michigan for only three months before being expelled at the age of 12 because his teachers thought he was ‘educationally subnormal’. In later years, Edison was to become famous for his saying ‘genius is 1 per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration’. This was certainly true for him in his attempts to convert electricity into light, one of his most famous endeavours. He was reputed to have tried and failed over 1,000 times to perfect the incandescent electric light bulb, and when advised by his colleagues…
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22Jun 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Authenticity

Mindfulness
"The final freedom is choosing to live who you are - especially when it's scary, uncertain, inconvenient, or unpopular." Kim George __________ What would you do differently if you lived every day without fear of the outcome? __________ Manuela Zeitlhofer | Mental Fitness Coach
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20Jun 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

The Star Thrower

Goals, Mindfulness
Do you see your mission and your goals clearly? And how do you feel about small steps – do you give yourself credit for them, do you celebrate your small accomplishments? __________ Story: A man was walking along the beach when he noticed a young boy apparently picking something off the ground and throwing it out into the sea. As the man got closer to the boy he saw that the objects were starfish. And the boy was surrounded by them. For miles and miles all along the shore, there seemed to be millions of them. „Why in the world are you throwing starfish into the water”, he asked the boy as he approached. „If these starfish are on the beach tomorrow morning when the tide goes out they will…
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18May 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Coaching Boosts Your Success

About Coaching, Philosophy, Self-Reliance
I think it's not just how good you are now, I think it's how good you're going to be that really matters. … (Great coaches) are your external eyes and ears, providing a more accurate picture of your reality Atul Gawande Coaching can be beneficial at any stage of life. Coaching can greatly increase our awareness of the status quo. It can boost us into and support us in making the necessary changes, so we achieve goals (both short and long-term) with more ease and integrity. In my personal and professional life, I am striving to increase my awareness and intercept my self-critical thinking patterns. A person who is trained to assist me in becoming aware of my blind spots and move past them has made all the difference for…
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12May 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Freedom in Between

Mental Fitness, Mindfulness, Personal Development
So often, people feel that they are not in charge of their own lives, that their lives are determined by circumstance, duties and habits. Victor Frankl is said to have shared a thought-provoking perspective: Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. Viktor E. Frankl What are your thoughts on that? Please drop me a note. ________________ New and super relevant: I have expanded into Mental Fitness coaching to support lasting change in my clients’ lives. #mentalfitness #personalfreedom #mindfulness #coachmanuelazeitlhofer
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15Mar 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer 1 Comment

Neuroplasticity confirms: We can create the life we want!

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Are your familiar with the term Neuroplasticity? – It refers to the brain’s ability to adapt, form new neural pathways, and change the wiring of brain circuits. Metaphorically speaking, this means that certain pathways become highways, and other just gravel paths. It also means that we can develop the gravel paths into highways. Practically speaking, this means that we can train our brains. It means we can change our thinking. It means we can change our habits, how we think, speak and act in the world. As a life coach, I would like to point out the great possibilities this approach holds for the world of coaching: We can train our brains. A good life coach can help establish new habits. I am accepting new clients. Contact me today for…
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28Jan 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Multiple Perspectives

Connecting with Nature, Getting to know your Coach, Mindfulness, Personal Development
Essentially, things just are. We attribute meaning to things and events. Sometimes we dwell in the negative aspects or implications of something, when there really are other sides to everything. In coaching we use this principle, and we call it reframing: We encourage a different perspective or seeing something in a different light. Today, I did this with my sandpit: Part of our property consists of a former sandpit that was left in its soil-deprived state. For the past 25 years, nothing more than a few tough grasses, willows and even fewer very tough pines and cedars (all looking like bonsais) have been growing here. In the summer, this bothers my agriculturalist’s heart. Now, with a little bit of snow, the steep banks make marvelous sliding hills. And I wonder…
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06Jan 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

How to Live in a Seemingly Small World

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I find that with the restrictions imposed on us during COVID, my world is shrinking to the size it was when my daughter was born. Back then, we were living in the wilderness, and I was the only person taking care of the baby. I could not leave the house or have any time to myself for a seemingly long time. I learned how to carve out a space in my life that would hold who I was, so I would not loose myself. And it worked. For example, instead of going for long walks or do the outdoor chores (like getting water from the creek), started Yoga, which I could do inside with the baby around. I also reframed – that is, give different meaning – to seemingly tedious…
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16Dec 2021 by Manuela Zeitlhofer 2 Comments

Emotional Contagion

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You might have noticed that you are affected by the emotions of people around you. If someone expresses worry, frustration or anger, it will be picked up by you and others around. The same principle applies to positive emotions. Social Psychologist Elaine Hatfield calls this phenomenon emotional contagion. If you read about it you will find out that humans need the pack and from an evolutionary perspective, it has been safer to play along with the group rather than being left alone in the wild. I want to focus on an empowering aspect: Every person can be that catalyst! If other people’s emotions affect ME, then my emotions affect OTHERS. Isn’t that wonderful? Here is a current example from my life: This morning, I was walking to the school bus…
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24Nov 2021 by Manuela Zeitlhofer 1 Comment

Everything Has Two Sides

Mindfulness, Personal Development, Philosophy
I repainted my mailbox. It looks like new, but the flag is not installed properly yet (long story). When I inspected it today, contemplating how to solve the issue, I noticed beautiful ice crystals on the north-facing side of the mailbox. The south-facing side was steaming in the sunlight. I was thinking how everything has two sides: literally and metaphorically speaking. If we accept that our perspective can only be subjective, and that every situation has different aspects to it, then we have to accept that we might not always sit on the sunny side of a reality. And if that is the case, we could infer that there IS indeed a sunn(ier) side to things. How does that strike you? By the way, as a life coach I can…
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