So if you’re browsing my blog – for latest thoughts – head over to www.kerriephipps.com and you’ll find something far more useful than these two paragraphs!

See you there,

Cheering you on,

Kerrie

And while your making the most of the new year, it doesn’t hurt to reflect on the old one – what gems are you bringing with you from 2009? I spent some time going through the questions in my previous blog – and I must say!  I ask some good – and challenging questions!  It took me a few days, but my journal is loaded with insights, and some great ideas I have to implement at the right time.  That’s something else I noticed – I have some great goals, but not the best sense of timing.  I want to do everything NOW, but do see the sense in pacing myself, as well as listening to my husband who has an amazing innate sense of timing.  More insights for another blog – go and try this recipe!  I love that it’s 2 minutes effort after dinner, and about 5 minutes in the morning!

Have a great week!

Love Kerrie

Sometimes the year finishes all too soon, with goals incomplete, and disappointments scattered around you like the gift-wrapping after Christmas lunch.

If you’re familiar with my writing or speaking, you know I’m passionate about celebrating.  Reflecting on accomplishments and celebrating learning is incredibly valuable. It’s not always easy, and even more important at these times. I know many people who are completing 2009 with a sense of “Thank God this year is over! I don’t want to think about it again.”

It may have been a really, really tough year, so let’s have a look at what there is to celebrate… come with me on a journey of discovery. (It’s been a tough year for me, but the outcomes are amazing!)

Did you do something for the first time this year?
Did you meet someone new who opened your eyes to new ideas or opportunities?
Did you step outside your comfort zone?  What do you now do, or know, that was once outside of your reach?
Did you set a goal that scared you because it was ‘bigger than ever’?  How did you go?  Whether you reached it yet or not, what did you learn?
What do you now have, or what do you know as a result of tackling this goal?
How did you handle the challenges that came up this year?  (Never mind if it wasn’t as well as you would’ve liked, but did you handle things better than a previous time)

What would the most encouraging, sincere friend be saying to you if you discussed the above with them?

It’s so important to find opportunities to give yourself a pat on the back.  It increases your awareness, expands your creativity and your confidence, and can even increase your energy – how useful is that at this time of year!
If you keep noticing the things you aren’t so proud of, acknowledge them and put them aside… you might need to remind yourself that it’s time to silence the inner critic and see what else is there that the critic has been ignoring.

Personally, I’m really looking forward to a week to reflect on this year, which feels a bit of a haze at the moment as I’m more fatigued than I’ve been for a long time, so I’m going to start by going through my calendar month by month, noting the events.
I know I will realise that I’ve traveled extensively, met amazing people each time that I am grateful to have connected with. Some have been dear friends for a long time, some are new connections.
I know I will find many new experiences, and moments where I jumped out of the comfort zone which resulted in great learning and more opportunities.
I know I’ll find moments where I surprised myself, and insights that will jump off the pages and excite and inspire me.
I know I’ll be grateful for each coaching journey I’ve taken with clients and in awe of the difference it’s made for them.  Actually reading their testimonials speaks volumes to me…

Are you seeing how this could look for you?

What will you do to celebrate your accomplishments – and the fact that you’ve arrived at the end of this year? See yourself crossing the finish line… You made it!!! Well done! Start with the simple things – pen and paper – and go for it!!!

Now go and have a real celebration, no need to put a smile on – the happiness and confidence will come from the inside out!

Cheering you on,
Kerrie

PS.  Please leave a comment with your thoughts, especially if you’d like to be notified when I actually do my list (I know it’s going to take a while!) – I’m happy to share some of it with anyone who would find it useful to see an example.

The kind of celebrating is one you can do alone or with friends, but a piece of paper is a really great help either way.

Here’s what it looks like… list all of your recent achievements; consider all the little things you’ve done that you felt proud of, even for a moment.

1. Planted my own rocket and basil

2. Tidied my desktop and keep files managed

3. Helped a client gain an ROI of 80% after the second week of coaching!

4. Inspired myself writing out my presentation for Friday

5. Blogged for 100 consecutive Days – inspired self and others, and learned to insert photos!

6. Studied Theoretical Foundations of Coaching with David Rock

This is a simple example list, and I’m going to do a more comprehensive one over the next few days, but I just wanted to share an example. It’s too easy to look at what’s not yet been completed, or see skills that are lacking, but that kind of thinking doesn’t tend to move you forward.

When you look at what you’ve accomplished, and what you’ve learned, you can then ask yourself – so what does this mean for me? Now what can I tackle that I once thought was too hard or too scary?

When I was in New Zealand a few years ago, I stood at the top of a water slide called “the coffin” because once you let go of the top, you were plunged into absolute darkness, speeding down (and around in unexpected directions). My brother-in-law said to me “this is the scariest one” and I stood waiting for the green light and realised that I felt scared.  It was so easy to take on what he said, which was just how that slide was known.  My thought “I’m actually a bit scared” was followed by “What! You just did a bungy-jump last week!” and all of a sudden the anxiety was gone, replaced by confidence and anticipation.  A scary idea?  Bring it on, I’ve tackled some of those before – and come out the other side with a great sense of accomplishment and valuable learning.

What are you going to celebrate?  And what can you then do as a result of seeing how amazing you are?

Cheering you on,

Love Kerrie

14 Days of Thinking – Ethan Phipps

And thanks for all the feedback on facebook about my 100 Days of Gratitude!  I’m grateful – and I’ve learned so much.  More blogging to come…

Love Kerrie

Rather than list of 100 things, which might be a great way to complete, I’ll list 10 people who’ve been a great encouragement to me as I’ve blogged a thought or 2 each day.

1. Darren Ramsey

2. Sue Owen

3. Lyndon Phipps

4. Teonie Hoyes

5. Shelley Taylor-Smith

6. Charyn Youngson

7. Sherry Davies-Selak

8. Annette Ferguson

9. Courtney Powell

10. Allan Sentance

And how did I celebrate my Day 100?  Friends came for afternoon tea, which led into a lovely dinner and conversations until after 10pm, as they do with fabulous people.  Allan and Carolyn Powell came over with their youngest 5 (of 10 gorgeous kids) and we celebrated the blog, the book, (which is being typeset for printing) and the book I’m now writing for.

People have been asking me what’s next after these 100 Days, and the answer is that I have a couple of things in mind.  I have a few themed “100 Days” to come, but for a few weeks at least, I will return to a less frequent blogging habit, (but more frequent than prior to this 100 Days commitment) and when I’m ready I will launch with another 100 Days project.  As always, I hope to bring inspired, and inspiring thoughts and encouragement.

Please share your thoughts in the comments below, I appreciate the feedback, and learn from it.

Cheering you on,

Love Kerrie