“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want—oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” – Mark Twain
Hello!
My intention going forward is to have a monthly newsletter. It’s something I enjoy doing - when I knuckle down and do it - and I’m hoping that it is something you enjoy receiving! Look out for it mid-month and please do share it with anyone you think might enjoy or benefit from it.
 Spring is always a season I love but in this continued pandemic I am appreciating it even more. I am a firm believer in new starts - new year, new growth in Spring and I look on each and every day as a new beginning! I love that I can 'fall off the wagon’ of my goals and start again - each day if necessary.
I wasn’t always so forgiving of myself but age and experience has taught me that being kinder and more forgiving of my slip ups works much better than letting my inner critic or Judge rule the roost. If the Judge had her way I’d give up on my goals altogether - and I’m not letting that happen anymore!
In this issue, I am going to:
- Share my thoughts on The Gift of Spring
- Present the "3 Rocks Technique" a great exercise to help you focus on what's important to you
- Share some helpful resources
- Share upcoming events: Mental Fitness Booster Programme starting in May
Happy Spring!! 🦋
All the best!
Kathleen Fanning
The Gift of Spring
“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.”
–English Proverb
 This is true every spring but - oh boy, isn’t it an especially wonderful truth this year! What a winter it has been - what a 12 months it has been!
I’m so so conscious of how little I have really suffered in this pandemic - relative to other’s experiences - and I am very grateful for that. But even with the realisation that I have not fared too badly, it has been hard not to see family and friends and to be restricted in traveling beyond our local area. Here in Ireland we are only starting to emerge from a lockdown we’ve been in since Christmas.
In his book Positive Intelligence®, Shirzad Chamine says that everything that happens to us, no matter how difficult, can be transformed into a gift or opportunity.
I’ve asked many of my clients what positives or gifts they’ve experienced in Covid times - and it’s amazing how many people easily find!
One gift for me and many others is a re-discovery of the healing power of nature. I know that I am more aware of my surroundings since Covid and am taking such pleasure in seeing the young shoots and leaves on the trees. I’m also noticing how it doesn’t all happen at once. Daffodils and Tulips are in full flow but my Lilac is only waking up! Like all of life, nature follows her own timetable and won’t be hurried! How good it would be for us to follow our own internal timetable with eating, sleeping etc. That is important for good health.
Many years ago the Byrds took the words from Ecclesiastes for their song, 'There is a time for every season’ . While I love the change of seasons, winter has a bleakness that can sometimes be hard to appreciate. The true celebration is witnessing each blossom, bud, leaf emerge from the earth without hesitation. If nature had a choice she might want to hold back coming into this somewhat chaotic world but despite everything she comes forth with a sense of trust that all will be well. Can we emulate that trust in a positive future for ourselves and this world we live in?
What was the winter like for you? In particular, how did you experience this challenging pandemic winter?
What is Spring like for you? Do you feel a sense of renewed hope and energy as you witness the magic around you? I hope so.
Spring is truly magical – we are surrounded with vibrant colour, texture, scents and beautiful scenery. The days are getting longer and we are starting to feel warmer. We are emerging from the cocoon which was winter.
Spring signifies new beginnings - readily apparent in nature but can you notice these things in yourself?
The 3 Rocks Technique
This is a technique I learned from Melinda Cohan of Coaches Console fame - one of the many things I’ve learned from her over the past few years since I started my training with her. It’s called the "3 Rocks Technique" and it’s benefited me and many of my clients, so hopefully it will be a helpful tool for you too...
As you look ahead, perhaps for the rest of the year or the next 6 months (choose whatever time works best for you) - you might want to consider this planning tool that was introduced to me by my coach, Melinda Cohan.
 Picture yourself filling an empty jar with different size rocks and pebbles - all of which represent some interest or activity in your life.
Notice how quickly the jar fills and you still have a number of ‘rocks’
or activities that can’t fit in yet are important to you!!
Time for a re-do!
Instead of letting the jar get filled willy-nilly...
- How about you first think about the 3 Big Rocks that you definitely want in your 2021 jar for the next 6 months?
- Reflect on the key areas you want to see results in, that bring you enjoyment and feed your passion.
- Then choose the three most important to be your Big Rocks.
- The remaining space in your jar can be filled with the smaller rocks that enable the big rocks to happen - or lesser but still important interests.
- Choose wisely as our time is not unlimited!
Would you like to learn more? Click here to schedule a complimentary Clarity Conversation with me!
I love sharing tips and tricks that have helped me along the way!
Click here to access these and my entire library of valuable resources!
LATEST FINDS
Spring challenges us to mind our body as well as our emotions.
This is a great resource for help us spring into fitness with success:
- Find your “why” It's important to focus on your true goal. ...
- Start small. ...
- Schedule it. ...
- Create a plan. ...
- Build in movement throughout your day. ...
- Take it outdoors. ...
- Get enough ZZZs. ...
- Pal up!
Click here to learn more.
 Inspiration
Psychology Today has a lovely collection of Spring quotes and reflections to inspire you.
Let yourself bask in them! Click here to learn more.
I will be starting my Mental Fitness Booster Programme again in May.
 Mental Fitness (PQ) the X-Factor in Performance & Happiness
✔️ If you’re physically fit, you can climb steep hills without physical stress.
✔️ If you’re mentally fit, you can handle life’s great challenges without mental stress or other negative emotions.
✔️ You’ll be happier and perform better!
Click here to learn more and and to take a Free Assessment.
Many of you know I am living here in beautiful Tipperary in Ireland. The area is called the Golden Vale because of the richness of the soil. In the past year, I have found another kind of richness being able to deliver my training courses and work with my 1-1 coaching clients - all from the comfort of my home office! How lucky am I that I can work with groups and individuals in Ireland and the US without traveling at all - the gift of Zoom which most of us have benefitted from this past year.
Here are some of the programmes I offer:
My Bend Not Break Resilience & Wellbeing Workshop is perfectly suited to online learning and I’m delighted to have supported many participants in becoming more conscious about how to fill their 'wells of resilience’ on a daily basis.
I’ve recently launched an exciting new programme - Mental Fitness Bootcamp! A recent participant said: “If you are hesitating about taking this course please don't. This will change your life , your relationships and your way of being. It is without a doubt one of the most insightful and transformative experiences of my life. Knowing about your hidden saboteurs and how to work with them changes everything.”
In my 1-1 Coaching, I work with women who are Senior Leaders in Business and Higher Education who are experiencing overwhelm in their working lives that spills over into their home lives. That initial starting point leads to many wonderful self discoveries and a new found commitment to caring for themselves. To borrow a phrase from a colleague, “Coaching offers us our personal guide to our world that is waiting to be discovered”!
To learn more, visit my website, Invest in Yourself here: www.invest-in-yourself.ie
You can also email me directly here: kathleen@invest-in-yourself.ie
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