MIND newsletter: Grow old or Grow whole?
Happy Saturday!
Lately I’m reading “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. Words are so powerful. So much so that a little girl with “I’ll show you” attitude paved her way to Princeton because her teacher said she can’t. Words, whether it is encouraging or humiliating, always trigger something in us.
I’m reflecting on that a lot and wonder how I can further support my clients as well as dear friends out there (though I might not know you in person, we somehow have crossed paths, right?). So I decided to launch this newsletter as a way to connect with you, to grow together.
You will start receiving my MIND newsletter every Saturday. Sometimes it’s about career, sometimes it’s thoughts about life. Each message includes 4 short sections:
M – Challenge your MINDSET (“Or” series to spark your reflection)
I – I’m my own coach (tools for your self-coaching)
N – The power of NOW (A question, a quote to bring you back to the present moment)
D – DO & DON’T (What is one thing that you can say Yes or say No now?)
I hope you are able to get some quiet “me” time on Saturday and enjoy it.
In this first email, I want to bring you:
1. M (Mindset) – Grow old or grow whole?
Many of my clients share this common fear: running out of time. I find it interesting, as, despite the effort of humans to measure and universalize time dated back around 800 years ago, time is still so relative to each individual’s own belief. And although time is uncontrollable, it’s perhaps the thing that we waste most time, money and effort trying to control.
So today, I would like to challenge your mind on 2 things: 1 is accepting that you can’t change time, but you can change how you perceive it. 2 is since the calendar is growing thinner every day anyway, would you choose to be fearful by that, or would you choose to celebrate another passing day you have lived to the fullest? In other words, would you choose to grow old or grow whole?
2. I (I) – Effective journaling
𝐉 – 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭-𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞
Write whatever in your heart, no judgment. It’s a safe space for you to express those thoughts and feelings.
𝐎 – 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
What did you notice? How would you interpret that?
𝐔 – 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
Circumstances are not as important as how we react and perceive them. What self-understanding you have gained through reflecting on your behaviors and thoughts?
𝐑 – 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Any hidden thoughts, desires, dreams, fear, or belief that starts to emerge?
𝐍 – 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
What do you need to move forward?
𝐀 – 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
The first step of change is awareness. Learn your Why before moving to How and What
𝐋 – 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞
Journaling is the best way to review your life horizontally and vertically. What have you learned so far?
Source: from JOURNAL acronym (Coach Federation, 2013)
3. N (Now)
What do you care deeply about at this moment?
4. D (Do)
Going from 1-3, what are thoughts coming to your mind? What’s one thing you would do today?
For me, I realized that family is what I deeply care about and should spend more time cultivating mutual understanding. This week I started to listen to one talk about parenting each morning so that I can understand my parents’ perspectives and learn to respect our difference.
Do feel free to write back to me and share your thoughts. It will brighten my day reading your email 🙂
I hope you are able to get some quiet “me” time on Saturday and enjoy it.
