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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28Jän 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Mehrere Perspektiven

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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06Jän 2022 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Wie lebt man in einer scheinbar kleinen Welt

Uncategorized
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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24Nov 2021 by Manuela Zeitlhofer 1 Comment

Jedes Ding hat zwei Seiten

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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08Nov 2021 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments

Glücklich sein, hier und jetzt

Uncategorized
"Happiness is a Value, not a Goal!" That means, happiness is not something to look for, to try to reach, a goal, but a value, something to believe in, a moment-to-moment way of being! Does this sound familiar? - “I will be happy when _______” (fill the blank). What did you wish for as a child? – Your next birthday gift? As a teenager? – Your driver’s licence? As a young adult? – A good job? / A wonderful partner? – And once you got what you were wishing for, how long did your happiness last before you filled in the blank with something new, a new condition for your happiness? What are you longing for or chasing today? – Do you think this ____ (fill the blank) will make…
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28Okt 2021 by Manuela Zeitlhofer No Comments
Global Cultural Mindset (Part 1: Values)

Global Cultural Mindset (Part 1: Values)

Cultural Awareness, Personal Development, Self-Reliance
For a seemingly long time, the work was becoming smaller as global travel became easier and more and more affordable. Then, a pandemic hit, and the world seemed to expand. Sometimes, the other side of the earth seems to be as far away as another planet. Then again, we are interacting and working with people from all over the world, often in a virtual setting. In my work as a teacher and a life coach I have come to learn about the cultural challenges a global setting can provide for individuals. In a synthesis of my training as a sociologist, my experience as a teacher, and the many wonderful things I learned from people I have worked with, I have created a program. The series is called “Developing a Global…
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29Sep 2021 by Manuela Zeitlhofer 1 Comment

Common Ground: Connecting by Taking a Step Back

Conflict Management, Getting to know your Coach
We live behind an industrial woodlot. This time of the year, the guys (male-dominated workplace) are cutting and shredding wood. We see them twice a day on the way to and from the school bus, and we wave at them. They wave back. That is usually the extent of our interactions. Friendly neighbors. When my daughter’s friend came over, I asked the girls to stay well away from any big equipment. I also mentioned that we wave at the guys to say hi. My daughter’s friend’s mother (I am calling her Clara) said that no, they don’t to that, because you never know the intentions of strangers. That comment stirred up a set of emotions in me. Then I took a step back from the situation. I could sense the…
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