Time For A Career Change?

Dreaming Of New Horizons?

Can’t wait to get away from it all?  Do you desperately need a break?  Has your holiday been booked for a year because you had to have something to look forward to? Are your suitcases packed even though your holiday isn’t until next month?

Its time for a career change!

Its a scary thought though, isn’t it.  If you listen to the news / your partner/ your peers / your colleagues, they would think you were mad if you declared you were changing your career now.  We’re in the middle of a recession aren’t we?  

I would argue that now is the perfect time to consider your career change.  The world is taking a huge in-breath.  Everyone has tightened their belts and closed their wallets.  However, at some point, the world has to exhale.  Why not be ready for then?  Most career change clients take between 2 and 12 months to make a career shift, depending on their circumstances. 

Shiobhan’s Story 

When she first came to see me about 8 years ago, Shiobhan managed the procurement and distribution department of a pencil factory.  She’d spent years feeling trapped and unclear about what would fulfill her now, in her mid 40′s.  During her coaching we explored various options, and before long she re-trained as a massage therapist and began working in a salon.  She loved her work.  She looked forward to each morning, and above all else her work was meaningful.   She saw me again about 18 months ago with a view to achieving her ultimate goal of owning her own salon.  Within 6 months she achieved her dream.  She is the proud owner of  Harmony Hair and Beauty in Borehamwood.  Shiobhan says about her coaching experience “my new business is all down to Swan Coaching and your expertise. You have been my saving grace and my journey continues thanks to your invaluable help. Thank you.”

We have numerous other stories just like Shiobhan’s.  If you would like to be one of them one day, give us a call.  You’ve nothing to lose!

Call: 01582 413013  Email: swancoaching@btinternet.com

 

Tackling Workplace Stress

Feeling out of control is the most common reason for stress to occur

At Swan Coaching, it is our core belief that an emotionally balanced and happy workforce is the key to leading edge innovation and creativity.  These are fast becoming the crucial components of a thriving organisation.  Working in tandem with professionals using methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), we have studied with the global leaders of emotional physiology, optimal function, resilience and stress-management research. The Institute of HeartMath can be found at  http://www.heartmath.org/ 

Stress seriously undermines an organisation’s ability to excel. The use of commonly employed but ineffective stress busting solutions by employees (such as substance abuse, gambling, unhealthy eating, etc) only serve to slow down responses and often lead to short, and long-term sick leave.  The need to respond well to change and keep ahead of competitors is key.  By learning sustainable and healthy ways of tackling stress, your business will more easily stay agile and ahead of the game.

Feel free to share these simple but effective stress busting tools with your organisation. Employ one of these tools and stress will reduce a little; employ all of them consistently and stress levels will take a nose dive, leaving employees feeling more in control and ready to tackle new challenges:

Top 5 Stress Busting Techniques:

  • Breathing - breathing is always good!  Deep breathing is essential.  Take a few deep breaths, filling up your lungs and slowly releasing until you feel better. This technique immediately calms your nervous system and helps you focus
  • Take Control – you must feel in control.  Take action, however small, that helps you feel more in control.  This could be as simple as saying “no”, or asking someone you trust for help
  • Change States -to quote Einstein “you cannot solve a problem in the same state in which it was created”. Take a moment to take a walk, read a paragraph of a book on an unrelated topic, or if you can, take a power nap
  • Pause – “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” ~ Victor Frankl
  • Perspective - this is often what’s missing when we are stressed. When its dark, go outside and look up at the stars.  By comparison our problems begin to shrink as we stare into the vastness of the Universe and realise how small they are

Swan Coaching provides targeted programmes for individuals and stress workshops that equip individuals, teams and managers with effective coping mechanisms.  Contact us today for a free consultation.

Packages start from as little as £400.

The Happy Ever After – Coaching For Your Marriage

Image By Gadl

Couple’s heads are filled with questions and decisions that go towards making the perfect Wedding Day.  Literally from the top of her head, to the tips of her toes, the bride considers every inch of her body, as well as those of her bridesmaids,  and what to adorn them with.  The couple will question everything from the venue to the honeymoon.

The transport, the colour scheme and whether there will be balloons or flowers on the table.  Or both?  The guest list, the photographer, the rings, and the music.  What about the hen night, and the stag do, or will that be a weekend?  Not forgetting the invitations, the cake, the seating plan, the speeches and the vows.  Ah, yes, the vows!

At the planning stage of a wedding, the questions, and their answers are the main focus of attention for the pair, and probably at least half of their closest friends and relatives.

The Happy Ever After

So, lets assume the Wedding Day was … or will be…. a beautiful day of love and celebration.  The perfect wedding.  So much effort, time, energy and focus has gone into it to making it so.  So, what’s next? What about the marriage itself?  How much preparation and planning has gone into that?  What happens when the confetti has been swept away? How much do you really know about your own, or your partner’s expectations of married life?

Top 8 Questions to consider together to help plan your perfect marriage:

1. What do you expect from your marriage?

2. What do you expect from your partner?

3. Do you think your life will be different once you are married?

4. If yes, in what way? If no, what do you hope to get out of being married?

5. What are the things you value about your life now, that you would like to carry on, or enhance in your future together?

6. What made you decide to get married in the first place?

7. What personal gifts and talents will you bring to your marriage?

8. Do you have any unspoken ’rules’ about what you consider to be a perfect marriage?

What Can Marriage Coaching Offer?

Consider what may happen if you never get round to answering these questions with your partner? Marriage coaching is about identifying your relationship’s strengths, and potential weaknesses and resolving any differences at the outset, before they become a problem. We’ve all heard the statistics about divorce rates being high.  One of the main reasons for divorce is lack of communication.  The most likely time for a marriage to break-up is within the first 4 years. All those expectations that weren’t met because they were never discussed in the first place.

So what would be the best gift you could give anyone at the beginning of their marriage, or to each other as a firm foundation for a long and happy life together?  What about the gift of a strong, healthy partnership? Where each person comes to that perfect Wedding Day with all their expectations fully aired and agreed together.

Newly Wed Coaching Offers – until October 2011

You can use these coaching sessions to plan your marriage before you are married. They are also available for couples who have been married for one year or less.   Your coaching package will be sent to you in the form of a beautifully personalised gift voucher.

Newly Wed Package 1 – 3 coaching sessions.  One session each on your own, culminating in a joint session with both of you present.  Total Package £150 (all sessions to be taken within 6 months)

Newly Wed Package 2 – 4 coaching sessions.  One session each on your own, two joint sessions (or any combination, depending on the couple’s requirements). Total Package £185 (final session to be taken within 12 months)

Payment: Contact Sandra at Swan Coaching to provide details for personalising the voucher and for bank transfer details, and address details for cheque payments.  Apologies, no other forms of payment accepted

Tel: 01582 413013    Email: swancoaching@btinternet.com

Welcome to Swan Coaching’s New Blog

Welcome to my blog!

I’m very excited about this new feature and am planning to bring you some useful hints and tips, special features and great offers in the coming weeks and months.

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With appreciation for stopping by,

Sandra