Archive for the ‘Classes’ Category

Change Your Brain .. Walk with Me in the Rain

Want Healthy? 
Healthy = Being + Doing + Sharing.  Plan regular daily trips to “Healthy” using activity. Prepare for your daily healthy living by taking your bodies outside … walking and talking. Being in the moment and sharing.

Being alive means being present in the moment.

Be active in the experience of your life. Portland, Oregon sees a lot of rain, but no matter, the runners, walkers, bicyclists, and even the dog walkers are out in it, doing what they do.  Yes, we get wet.  Smiling… we see one another, say “hello,” nod or smile and keep on moving in the rain.  We adjust our thinking for what we choose. Doing these activities feels good in our bodies.  On the beach, in the city or the forest, birds and animals are fine in the rain, so let’s take you. Click here at Portland Afoot for some ideas about walking in the area.

Doing a run, riding a bike, walking helps your body inside as you enjoy the outside.

Enliven your systems! Your lymphatic system supports immunity and absorbs the toxins, but you need to be active to keep it flowing. Lymph systems move when you do, muscle action with the skeletal movement supports you in clearing out the toxins. Your muscles and blood need the air to create the energy to flow through you. As you move you breathe and get oxygen flowing inside.  Oxygenated brains make you more fun and smarter. Thinking, talking, moving, and sharing enliven your creativity, too.

Sharing the walk in the rain is beautiful.

“It’s so green, fresh and lovely here!”  Look around. Walk quietly for a while. Stop and appreciate something. Look out into the distance.  Feel the air. Sense it.  Listen to birds in trees, look up. Find the birds.  Where is that birdsong coming from?  Inhale and smell deeply. What is that?  Share what you are noticing with a little conversation, “Oh, look! A beautiful plant over there.” The path to conversation is here in your experience of the walk.

 

Experiencing our walking path, we like to see it clean and clear.

So, we plan for this clarity, bringing small bags to pick up along the way, helping keep our neighborhood pleasant.  We walk for 15 minutes or so… and on the way back … bend over here or there … picking up stuff.  This stuff is evidence that others leave of themselves on our path and includes candy wrappers; drink cans, cigarette packages, clothing (t-shirts, socks, gloves, shoes, and once we found trousers), as well as receipts for purchases of food, medicine, bus fair, and prescriptions.  Visitors to the hospitals that we walk by park along the path. We suspect that they don’t realize the life around them here.   Oh, well. The next walk will be cleaner tomorrow. Sometimes people notice what we’re doing and say, “Thank you.”  We say, “Thank you for noticing.” Along the way is a trashcan and we release our bags …  the stuff of others along the way …  feeling good inside with the knowledge and movement of our walk.

Ready.  Set. Go!  You can go with us in your mind first, then your body.

Tonight, before you go to sleep, plan on getting up early and going on a walk to healthy with me in the rain.  If the sun is shining… it’s okay.   Portlanders call rain “liquid sunshine.”  However you view it… is all in the mind.  Remember: Sharing + Doing + Being = Healthy.

 

 

Learn to focus your mind on a higher level.

Join our NLP Training in the Pacific Northwest.

Classes are ongoing, which means you can find one that works.

Focus and be your highest and best possible you! Be Pro-active and Call  503-525-0595.

Check our website for dates and more info.

 

• NLP Primer – May 11th, 2013, Beaverton, Oregon
• NLP Practitioner – Begins October 11th, 2013, Portland, Oregon
• NLP Master Practitioner – Begins October 18th, Portland, Oregon
• Life Coaching – Begins June 21st, Portland, Oregon

Start Your New Skillbase with Apositiva

Apositiva is a place for people who want creative, interactive training.  Are you interested in playing in learning and having other people give you feedback and experience? Then we may be the right place for you.

In the Pacific Northwest, Apositiva (formerly A Positive Change) has been serving the Portland, Oregon area and attracting students from as far as Argentina, China, and Australia to our fun, empowering and growing courses.

Hypnotherapy

We are affiliates with The Oregon Hypnotherapy Association (OHA) and have been for over 20 years.  Since before 2001, we have provided Affiiate training for people wanting certification to join The National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH). Our courses meet all the requirements, plus we provide over 50 additional hours, including NLP, EFT, script writing, production, and mindmapping to name a few. In addition, our coursework is built to provide hypnosis and hypnotherapy, amidst over 20 years of practicing instructors.  Then we go beyond with our advanced courses in working with children, Age Regression, and more.

NLP

When you step into the world of Neuro-linguistic Programming at Apositiva, you are walking with Masters. Rich Aanrich has trained with all the founders and more including Mr. Bandler, Mr. Grinder, Mr. Dilts, Mr. Hall, Mr. Halboom, Ms. Smith, Ms. Delozier, and many, many, many more. His partner Cat Wilson has also trained and been in association with NLP leaders since 1992 and was one of the four (4) recipients of the NLP World Award.

We know that you can get training for these and many other courses in many places. We just want you to know that we are locally based in Portland, Oregon.  Our classes are fun and interesting, and our students and clients go on to do many wonderful achievements.

It’s “You” that we are here for, and this is why most of our classes are designed  for small (6-12) interactions that give plenty of attention to our students. Yes, it is true that we have held large workshops of 55 to 85 people, and that we bring in exceptional talent such as Michael Hall to teach Genius courses.

COACHING

How do you make a dream come true? What makes it possible to be of more service to a human, even when they are a continent away?  Coaching. It is not consulting, not therapy, not training, it is a specific way to guide people, and still allow them to own all their ideas. You are so much more than you know.

How did Apositiva’s Coaching Certification class come about? Cat Wilson, Rich Aanrich, Dr. Marci Nemhauser and Michelle Rios were all a part of the development of our coaching course. It is Board Certified by CCE, and thereby accredited for counselors, professionals, etc. who want this additional stamp of approval.  Our coaching course includes Life Coaching, Transformational, Executive Coaching, Health Coaching, and Vision Coaching.

MINDMAPPING & VISUAL FACILITATION

Ask anyone who has ever come to a class here if they have experienced Mindmapping in a class of any kind and you will get a smile of happiness.  You see, we know that there is more than one way to learn and express yourself and create. Cat Wilson is a master of visual communication with local businesses, non-profits, small businesses, and individuals seeking more creativity and “flow” in their minds. It’s fun, it’s useful, and you’ll get it here.

CHOOSE APOSITIVA

Do these look like happy people having fun?

When you think about “Personal Development” and imagine fun workshops…  and want to wake up your mind, we hope you will choose Apositiva in Portland, Oregon for  your learning experience. Whether it be Hypnotherapy, Neural-linguistic Programming, Coaching, Mind-mapping, or our specialty courses such as “Courage to Prosper,” “Pediatric Coaching,” “Life-scripting Journey,” and more, call us and visit us. You are our priority and we go beyond the “inth” degree to make you feel at home and at ease.

JOIN US.  Please let us know how we can help you. Our focus is to be your choice, because we care about you and listen. CALL 503-525-0595 to reach us at Apositiva Training Center. Welcome, we look forward to meeting you soon!

Thank you!

Happy Valentines Day and Despicable Me!

Open your eyes, blink, open. Surprise!  Happy Valentines Day to You!  I Like You. I Like Me.  All the staff at Apositiva also want to wish you a day to enjoy yourself and others with a loving thought!

Hey! We are who we are and we all deserve to be loved, even with flaws. As we begin with appreciating ourselves as human beings we can feel better by trying to “love our self” and others. It’s odd how when stuff happens, we impose lots of rules on others … and yet somehow the person in love doesn’t see all the flaws. What about those rules that we impose on others, you say?

In the movie “Despicable Me,” the mad scientist (or the good guy bad guy) adopts a trio of little girls. Upon arriving at his weird home with a monsterous dog (dog?) and lots and lots of minions, he brings the new members of his family into the kitchen, the children are given ground rules in the movie Despicable Me.

Rule Number 1, “You will not touch anything.”

Rule Number 2, “You will not bother me while I’m working.”

Rule Number 3: You will not cry, or whine, or laugh, or giggle, or sneeze or barf or fart!  So, No No No annoying sounds.”

Agnes replies, “Does this count as annoying?” and and makes popping and funny sounds with her hands on the side of her face.

 

    Agnes is adorable in the best scenes in Despicable Me, even when she plays childhood tricks and prays for a mommy and daddy who have a pet unicorn and a house made out of gummy bears. Unrealistic? Sure, but it makes you smile, doesn’t it?  When the girls mischieviously pull pranks he falls in love with them. (Despite the rules, they giggle a lot.) It’s a joyous personal growth to watch them all learn how to live together and love together.

    SPECIAL GIFT FOR YOU OR LOVED ONES. It’s time to pause for your time. Why not give yourself a little love and joyous personal growth? Attached to this blog is a special gift certificate for $20 off any session or workshop. It’s good for ten (10) days. Our little Valentines Gift for you! Call us to schedule your time or sign up for fun workshops at 503-525-0595.

Sweet thoughts to you and yours on this day!  From Cat, Rich, Cindy & Gang

 

It’s a Perfect Time to Make Plans … to be Happy

Looking through the medicine cabinet, we have bandages, salve, alcohol, calamine lotion, and some natural remedies. Sounds like I’m planning for hurt or discomfort. Do you have lots of canned goods, dry milk, dried fruits, tea, and even bottles of liquids a big bag of food for your pets? Does that make you feel secure? Alright. Good work! Let’s see … what did we forget to plan for?

How’s your happy plan? 

Do you have a “Emergency Happy Plan” for the day when you are out of it and need a plan ready to set in motion? Well then, let’s get going!  Some of the simple actions you can take now in planning for your happiness can give you a boost when you most need them. It’s a perfect time to make plans to be happy!

In a box, small or large, gather some “Emergency Happy Care Box” items. These can be items that are pleasing to the touch, sound joyful, visually appear interesting and some that smell nice (but not living flowers).  Include a poem that inspires you on some level that it makes you take a breath and sigh (i.e. Desiderata), which is lovely for your mind. If you have a puppet you can talk to (or it can talk to you from your hand/food), and maybe some bubbles. Now, as you can tell, I’m making up a list of sensory items that may be pleasing to you… personally.

My third grade teacher gave me a card that said, “put a poem in your pocket and a song in your head and you’ll never be lonely at night when you’re in bed.”  As you can tell, it hung around… probably because it made me happy. I used to actually have a bunch of items in my cedar chest (also referred to as a Hope Chest) that when I pulled them out, I could imagine myself all grown up and happy. It was my escape to happy when I was a teenager.

Grumble, Grumble, Grumble

Recently, when I was in the middle of a “mood” I tried one of Rich’s “inner emergency happy tricks.” He grumbles. No, not his stomach, he says it literally over and over.  Makes me feel good and I suggest you put this idea in your head for emergencies when you can’t get to your “Happy Box” in time. The first time I saw it in action:

Rich walked out of the kitchen, making fists and squeezing his eyes mumbling. “Grumble, grumble, grumble, grumble, grumble.”  (Try saying that over and over.)

I laughed and said, “Oh, yeah?”

He laughed and explained, “When you run dry on happy you may as well “grumble n a funny, silly happy way.  Shakes it loose.  Let me know how it goes when you have a chance.”

Right now, it is a perfect time to make plans to be happy, and if you don’t have an emergency box, get going. You can also make plans with another person to get together for a cup of hot tea. How about planning a walk on Sunday? Pick up special items that will make someone else happy, wrap it, hide it in their drawer, or mail it if they are at a distance. Just knowing that you sent something to someone will give you happy anticipation.

Grab anything that is querky, fun, a child’s story book, a funny photo, a sea shell, a $10 bill! Put it with your sealed bag of dried cherries in a box and put a sign on it that labels it “Happy Emergency Kit” or something along that line. Sort of like we suggested a while back with a Dream Jar. (Talk to me if you missed that one.)

Happy Bottom Line

The bottom line is, don’t just prepare for bandages, plan happy time for puppets and bubbles, too! If you need more suggestions, call me or join our Pediatric Workshop this week-end on Saturday/Sunday, February 9-10th. We will be giving lots more ideas and demonstrations for happiness there! One of our instructors will be demonstrating a fun process with a little girl there.  How fun! Gotta go! Call me at 503-525-0595.

Remember, it’s always a perfect time to make plans to be happy!

Food Glorious Food (Gluten Free Snack)

Lots of people have come to our classes and always ask for the recipe of our energy bars. Here it is. Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BARS

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup honey

1-1/4 cup peanut or other freshly made nut butter (Grind at store)

½ cup ground flax seed OR meal (It’s better to get seeds and grind in coffee grinder, but meal is ok)

1 cup gluten free cereal (Nature’s Path Organic Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise)

1-1/4 cup total of any or all of your favorite nuts and dried berries including the following: dried cranberries, dried cherries, chopped dried apricots or apples, etc., Nuts and seeds of your choice (i.e. chopped walnuts, little peanuts, and sesame seeds)

If you wish add ½ tsp. each of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin pie spice

MIX _________________________________________________________________________________

Soften nut butter (let sit on counter for a bit) and mix with honey. Mix together. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir with a heavy spoon until everything is evenly distributed. Place mixture in a greased 9” x 13” pan and press mixture to an even thickness.

Refrigerate until chilled through and cut with a warm knife into squares of desired size. (If you like, cut prior to refrigerating and later redefine the lines.  You can put two sharp knives in hot water for easy cut. Use one to slice. Put back in water. Take other knife and slice. You get the idea.)

We take a few of these to the movies, I’ve sent my son on his drive to university with a pan, my students love them, and we use them for energy boosters.

 

Note: This Recipe Inspired by Dinah’s Healthy Energy Bars from New Seasons in Mountain Park.  We changed recipe to meet our taste and process. Many of the ingredients can be found there, plus lots more that can add different combinations of granola mixes.

How I Became (a Hypnotherapist)

My brother asked me to write a book about How I Became a Hypnotherapist.  He wanted to know what motivated me to do “it.”  May I tell you that it’s interesting to hear this from people. So, I wanted to take this time to talk about it (you can buy the book later).

If you were to go to the Oregon Hypnotherapy Association, you would probably find at least 100 people with stories of what led them to do this healing work. Contact someone from the National Guild of Hypnotists and you would find nurses, lawyers, engineers, massage therapists, graphic designers, business managers, contractors, cab drivers, dentists, and writers who practice hypnosis and have a great story on how they chose to do this work.

Many of them would tell you how they experienced a session in quitting smoking, loosing weight, overcoming a phobia, or some major feat that was really important to them.  Many different stories! When you ask me, I might say, “I was in the right time at the right place when the OPPORTUNITY came along.”

You see, I didn’t come out of Kindergarten and say, “Mommy, when I grow up I want to be a Hypnotherapist.”   My dear, loving Catholic mother would have probably reminded me that I could be a secretary (as was popular at the time) or a nurse, a teacher, or a mother (most popular). What I wanted was to be an Artist (and something else, but you’ll have to ask me personally what that is).

Been There, Done That

Originally, I learned hypnosis from my father and aunt who studied with a Psychiatrist in the 1970′s.  I worked many years doing lots of other things after I first learned of hypnosis, doing other things. “What is that?” you ask.

My career involved working in a hospital with dietary needs for patients, performing paralegal work for a law firm including a Congressman. Oversees I helped people overcome “culture shock” as military families came to a country very different than their own.  Years of working for a telecommunication company followed where I supported telecommunication engineers, developing standards of quality control, managing facilitation for workers (and office needs).  I started a design firm, where I worked with a team to design logos, newsletters, product displays, and corporate identities.  I was an Account Manager in computer training, sold advertising for a New York firm, and communicated with Pacific Rim countries who needed to repair lasers.  As a customer support engineer, I installed telephone systems and later developed training programs for large electronics firms.  All this while raising children as a single parent, and pursuing education at university full time.  “Wow!” (Mom upside down.)

Why Did I Do “It?

There must have been one specific reason to explain how I became a Hypnotherapist.  Let’s see …  I loved helping people:

• quit smoking (which I did personally)
• losing weight easily (ditto)
• studying and remembering better
• learning how to communicate
• transitioning women to go beyond shame
• bringing men back to normal after dealing with pain
• giving children more focus and confidence in school.

Then again, I LOVE art!  Writing is a major pleasure. Training flows through my blood.  My highest value is family and people, and I deeply care about making a difference in the lives of people and helping my community.

Hmmm… I can’t tell you at this time. Well, I guess you can always call Rich and me at 503-525-0595 or e-mail me at cat@apositiva.com and we can talk.  Come and have tea with Rich and me at Apositiva’s center and you can ask, “How do I become a Hypnotherapist?”

Advice for Seeking a Fresh Start

Who knows better than the person who has lost everything in how to get a fresh start?!  Life, business, and relationship. The challenge, however, is that we naturally gravitate to what we know. How do we seek a fresh start?

If you want to find a new relationship you may start looking in the same place you met your last partner. Or you may find yourself looking for someone with the same color hair, similar hobbies, or common social sites. Perhaps you didn’t much want to repeat the relationship so you look for the opposite.

One Story

Seeking a fresh start means that you are on a new path. Years ago, I was finishing my degree and started thinking about a new relationship. My mind went to all the people I had loved and become close. Happy feelings and some not as resourceful came to mind. I began picturing in my mind who would be wonderful to be in time with now. My initial description for this person included this statement:

• “One  who is playful, loves sitting with tea or coffee, humorous, enjoys walks and dancing,  interested in sharing family, someone who listens, and wants to be listened to in conversation, sees our togetherness as respectful and growing, and tells me “I love you,” and wants to work and play together.”

Defining the Highest and Best You

My description had some traits of those I’d already been in relationship with, but it also gave me an opportunity to begin with some new traits. Fortunately, I met “the one” and we’ve been together a long time. I say fortunately and I felt that it took courage to prosper in my relationship. Our relationship has prospered! Being happy is so important, and it’s something we learned to appreciate helping others to find, too.  Are you going to do what you did before when you start again? Or are you ready for something more? Could you be someone who is searching for the one and seeking a fresh start?  If so, we have have something fun for you.

Baggage Fees

We create baggage, and sometimes it’s in our mind. Not in reality, but we create a lackluster future for ourselves in our life, because our thoughts are stuck. Before you seek the fresh start, remember to “create a higher, more courageous and fresher you.” Maximize your joy and prosperity of thinking higher thoughts. Your attraction vibration will rise, a smile will be on your face, and you’ll be ready for “the one.”

Self help books can provide advice. The New York Times printed an article on seeking a fresh start and you  might enjoy the books to help you along the path. Click here.   In the selections of books, you will find a book called The Beauty Experiment, Wheat Belly Cookbook, and Making Habits, Breaking Habits. All looked inspiring!

Want a Fresh Start?

If you want to seek a fresh start with a group of playful people, sign up for our workshop Courage to Prosper on January 26 and January 27 at Apositiva.  SPECIAL: Sign up by January 15th and receive 50% the price of the workshop and two (2) follow-up coaching calls. Click here for info.

What a deal! Space is limited. Call now 503-525-0595 or text Rich at  503-754-8226 and say you saw it here. Live long and prosper!

 

Hurt Cats, Dogs and Rabbits – Oh, My!

When a chipmunk falls on a Saturday night, who cares? Blackbirds with a broken wing … a hurt dog or kitten … who reaches out a helping hand? DoveLewis , a 24 Hour Emergency and ICU Hospital for animals. You can be black, white, yellow or all three colors and even more and any animal and you are welcomed!  Feral cats, wild birds, or “Spot” the family cat (or dog) are all given care at DoveLewis. How do they work? Their programs include: Velvet Assistance for low income, Stray Animal and Wildlife, Blood Bank, and Pet Loss Support and pet loss support. Donations keep them going.  Rich and Cat, and Apositiva’s Admin Cindy, went to Dove Lewis to bring a donation and were escorted on a visit by Julie Heade . We called ahead and she met us in the lobby. Julie surprised us with a number of interesting activities performed by this animal sanctuary.

First off were the “super heroes” of the center, viewed behind a fish tank window. These are cats that give regular blood donations.  (When you visit, ask how many blood types cats have. Then ask how many dogs have.) Julie took us on a tour where we met one of the cats giving blood. There are dogs who come regularly into the center and donate blood, too.  A large “treat” box is a popular reward area, which makes them happy to share!

Owners Grieve Over Pets Like People

If you have a pet, whether it be a bird, hamster, or rabbit, they are precious. People grieve over their pets just like cherished family and friends. Go into the “Grief Room” and discover a lovely, peaceful place where people sit with their pets in final moments and grief therapy is offered. It sounded like a beautiful way of working through the sadness of loosing a best friend.  Dove Lewis has special programs through the Pet Loss Support program:

• Four free pet loss support groups each month
• Free monthly memorial art therapy workshops
• A pet loss support blog with helpful advice and insight from Pet Loss Support Director Enid Traisman, MSW, CT
• A free, annual Service of Remembrance event
• Copies of the “My Pet Remembrance Journal” by Enid Traisman for only $9.95 each

It’s year end, and maybe you have already dropped off a check at the Food Bank or any various charity. Why not consider this wonderful place, too, DoveLewis. The good work they do there might have meaning for you some day… or maybe someone else. In any event, out of curiosity, call them and ask for a tour. If you need to bring a hurt animal, yes, even yours, in, they are open 24/7!  Wow! Check them out and give a charity donation.

Julie:  971.255.5911  (Ask about her rabbits.) 

Emergency:  503.228.7281

OLPs to Perks to Feel Better

 

Do you wake up with “OLPs” Obnoxious Little Pains? This is when parts of you feel achy, slow, just not all 100% happy.  You do if you find yourself saying things like “Groan…  I feel pain in my back, joints, head, etc. I’m so sad.”  Want to change how you feel? Let’s talk about state management.

Your brain hears “pain” and repeats the expression of it in clusters of ideas about what you relate to with the word “pain.” Words like: discomfort, hurt, emotional sadness, grief, loss, desperation, depression, loneliness, betrayal.  Not meaning to, but because you only said it, the “P” word filters your day with a kind of fog. What you want is to feel good again, right? So, let’s change states! Go to the opposite…  “Everything Feeling Wonderfully” or “EFW” (pronounced like it rhymes with “Achoo”).

Managing the Gang with Gratitude

Let’s start with “gratitude.” When you wake up and notice OLPs, do a “check in” to help “the gang” feel better (the gang includes all the parts of your mind and body). Set yourself up for a successful outcome. Begin with the intention to listen to all your inner parts so you can help the gang feel better. When  your body responds with, “It hurts inside and it’s boring outside.” Say, “Thank  you. What do you need?”  Address the needs with “Perk Me Ups.”

State Management with Perks

“Perk Me Ups” or PMUs can include: 1) Movement, 2) Healthy Ideas, 3) Nutrition, and 4) Appreciation.

1) Movement – Get up and start moving around. Stretch. Dance. Walk.

2) Healthy Ideas – What makes you happy? Sound of chimes, smell of vanilla, feel your pet, taste of toothpaste? (Okay, so the toothpaste could be improved…)

3) Nutrition – Protein like fish or eggs, warm veggies cooked in olive oil, baked apples with cinnamon sticks, green tea with a splash of honey… and you know the rest.

4) Appreciation – Lotion up your hands and say, “I’m learning how to like myself more” or “I love my arm, my leg, my mind.” Speak positively and appreciate five areas or people or ideas around you. “I appreciate liquid sunshine that creates a green paradise in Oregon.”

When you start listening in quiet stillness of who you are, you begin to open up to your possibilities.  Begin now with positive state management. When the “OLPs” come along remember to “EFW” with your “PMUs” every day! (Take Sundays off if you like, so you can have your contrast.)

You are so much more than you know! 

Create Your State Management experience and be the highest and best possible you!  Discover your path and get on it!  Here is a quick check to see if you are ready for personal coaching . You can invited to attend our workshops to jump start you!  Fast-trackers, remember Cat and Rich are Life and Business Coaches and Trainers who support people and businesses in defining and enriching their lives. That is what Apositiva means. See our workshop Courage to Prosper for A Prosperous Mind on January 25 – 27th, 2013. Sign up. Come. Become. For more playful change… Call us at 503-525-0595.

Just Two More Things

Two more things to add to my list and no more paper. This is when I’m glad the paper is just a small yellow legal pad instead of a whole page. Why? This is my day off.  Do you make lists? Efficiency makes the day more valuable, and when I know there is this one day to get it all done, a list is the trick. My partner Rich has lists all over. The Costco list, the current Class list, the “some day” list. Yet, there are always “two more things” … coming in from the back of your mind reminders.

Frequently I will be ready to go to the office, and just as I get my coat on and reach for the door knob I look at a book. “Oh, I’ve been wanting to read Robert Dilts’s book From Coach to Awakener again. I’ll take that with me and read it later… ” So, I grab it and off I go!

Later that day, I reach for my list and realize I had “read book” on it… funny, but I just grabbed this book on the way out the door. Now I have it on my list, so I can give myself permission to read it. Nice!

This is pretty much how I get so much done. Set an intention to do it, and even if it’s not exactly worded on my list, my unconscious mind reminds me “at the precise moment I need it.” How many of us use this powerful and amazing tool: unconscious or greater mind?  Working with people in personal development coaching, I find it is important to walk your talk and use as many ways to develop your own successful life as you can.  Unconsciously we have so much ability! Let me tell you a story of a day of “two more things.”

We were working on a new training session, and knew I needed one more piece to enhance the learning for a particularly tricky skill. My conscious brain was busy answering the phone, feeding the cat, and putting together meals for the day.  I added to “Cat’s Doing List” a line saying “find amazing learning activity for today,” and then left it at that. Picking up my purse, grabbing the cell phone, iPad, stack of mail ready for the post person, I walked down the steps to the car. Opening the car, strapping myself into the car and the phone into the handsfree unit, it struck me how my generation had so many gadgets to worry about just to get out the door!  Mom had such a different perspective. The phone was at home. No such thing as computers. Before going out shopping she may have said, “Oh, I need to put lipstick on!”  Simple.

Suddenly I realized that I had it! The learning exercise would be taking a look at changes from our past and how we handled them. Then, I remembered a conversation in a book with some great questions for introspection! Next… “Inspector Gadget” – the video about a man turned into a robot with lots of funky inventions – popped into my head. Zing! I had it – my exercise for class which included a way for people into audio learning and one with visual learning.

I pulled out my list, and added “two more things.”  1) Past Reflection questions and 2) Show  1 minute film clip from “Inspector Gadget.”

Using your unconscious mind in the background is going to happen anyway. So, why not pull out yours and use it with two more things? For those of you interested in learning more ways to enhance your productivity or work on business issues, join Dr. Marci Nemhauser and me for Executive Coaching this coming Week-end, October 20th &21st at Apositiva’s Center in Portland, Oregon. Write two more things on your list: Call Cat at 503.525.0595 and Sign up for Executive Coaching (less than $500.) See you on the list!