Active Listening

Do we always need ambitious coaching goals?

I'm always looking for the reason. I had been feeling a lack of peace. I realized the sun had been hiding for a week. So I did an epsom salt bath, took a break from the new sleeping herb. Those things helped. So does connecting with someone or some cats.

I think we usually just kind of take our viewpoint seriously. Meditating, deep breathing, therapy, journaling, talking to a friend etc all are ways we can have perspective shifts. Just a good hug even.

We are affected by our neurochemicals and hormones. These levels are affected by our decisions, sleep, success at work, sense of purpose, sense of community. I got my guitar back from the shop and played for an hour or so and sang the other day. There's nothing like it. Except the drum circle. Or yoga, lifting etc. All the stuff I do.

But part of why I do all these activities is to change my state. Lifting makes me feel manly, whatever that is. Yoga gives me peace and relaxation and pain relief. Racquetball makes me feel like a kid. Jogging and biking get me out and about in nature.

I think I've been looking around and wondering about purpose. Purpose doesn't solve all our problems, but it does contextualize them. In 2024 I want to serve and live from my purpose more instead of from a place of survival.

Parliament said: to the humdrum don't succumb.

I think I do that far too much. It's like being hypnotized by fear.

But death is the only thing we really have to fear. And it's coming for us all. Let's get hypnotized by love and music and bringing forth our piece of the puzzle.

One piece I want to introduce is active listening. It came to me during a walk/voice journal session today. Most people coach in order to solve your problems. I think they over-promise.

Why not lower the expectation and make it more about self-care instead of trying to self-perfect? If we solve the world's problems then great. But in the meantime, with the pressure off, maybe active listening is really what's needed. Some non-prescriptive coaching with no agenda, no product to buy or sell, no expectation. Just connecting to a friend who is not going to try and tell you what to do with your life.

That's my new angle with coaching. Active listening sessions. A gift to yourself. What do you want to talk about today?

Hit me up if interested