The Zen of Red Wine

Just by chance today, 2 days before the 100 day challenge begins, I am attending a one day retreat at my Buddhist temple. I decided to attend the retreat a few months before I decided to enroll in the 100 day challenge. Red wine and Buddha have been duking it out for a while and recently they began to embrace the idea of co-existing. When I first became a Buddhist I took the 5 Precepts. The 5 Precepts are 5 things you promise to do and among them is "not to take intoxicants". The first time anyone ever told me about this precept they followed it by the disclaimer designed for modern day, American Buddhists... "That doesn't mean you cannot drink, it means you cannot drink to the point of intoxication". Fifteen years ago that little loop hole allowed me to see the possibility and I bowed obediently in front of the Buddha and the monks at my temple and took the 5 precepts. A few months ago I felt an intense desire to re-commit myself to the precepts. In looking back I realized I had translated that loophole into "You can drink" and left it at that not respecting the true purpose and meaning of it. Part of my 100 day challenge is about honoring my precept and re-evaluating and designing my life to accommodate that. I'm not sure of exactly what it will look like but I think my retreat today will perhaps shed a little light on it for me.

Who am I and why am I doing this?

My name is Marianne Emma Jeff and I am a strategy and success coach in Los Angeles, California. I am originally from Nottingham England and will be turning the big 40 this October, YEAH.

As a coach I often reflecting back limiting beliefs to my clients. I say "reflect back" because part of what I do as a coach is point out language, habits and patterns that present themselves during our sessions. Limiting beliefs are assumptions we make and then hold as "the truth" which stop us from achieving our goals and intentions. They crop up in negative self-talk, that little voice in your head saying "your not good enough", "you will never lose weight", "I can't do this"... There are lots of techniques to shift these beliefs and develop positive, healthy, propelling habits. In essence you are shifting your internal programming which may have been wired by what your parents told you, a bad experience or a positive role model you had as a child. This is not an easy process but it is possible.

How can you tell if limiting beliefs are sabotaging your life?

• Your dreams and intentions are constantly alluding you, an illusive carrot hanging in front of you.
• You often begin things but don't see them through to fruition.
• You frequently talk yourself out of things that you really want

The hidden cost of limiting beliefs!

Recently I was coaching a client and a limiting belief presented itself in the conversation. I checked in with the client and she confirmed that she was holding the belief that "she could never get ahead". She is an extremely smart and intuitive women and she quickly realized that this language and thought pattern was not influencing her positively. Familiar with the power of using positive language and my mantra "What you focus on expands" she saw that the statement was holding her back but I became curious about what other effect this was having on her life so I posed the following scenario to her.

"Is there ever a time when you are about to make a purchase, something you really don't need but you really want (I like to call these bright shiny objects) and you tell yourself "why not, I'm never going to get ahead anyway?""

The penny dropped. Not only was this limiting belief about money holding her back she was using it to literally dig herself into a hole. I am sure she is not alone.

What has this got to do with my 100 day challenge?

As the deadline for this 100 day challenge approached I toyed with different things I could focus on. In the last challenge I focused on 3 things:

• Promoting my classes
• Putting together coaching 3 coaching packages
• No TV

What would I shine the spotlight on this time? The elephant in my living room is RED WINE- ahhh I said it. How could I bring it into my challenge? I do not want to eliminate it but instead shift it's place to a less featured role in my life, more of an extra in the background of a medieval crowd scene than the hot, red-headed, starlet on a block buster movie. As I pondered this I realized this would be an excellent opportunity to document the process of shifting habits and to use real life examples to explain some of the techniques I use in my coaching as well as a great way to develop new ones.

So for all of you out there that have been asking how do I change my habits, break thru my barrier or achieve my goals...

Watch this space!

What is a 100 Day Challenge

The 100 day challenge was originally developed my Thomas Leonard, the father of coaching. Coachville after Thomas's passing now continues the tradition. On March 2nd, 2009 the next 100 day challenge will begin and I will be blogging my way through 100 days of shifting my habits and Breaking Thru MY Invisible Barrier to Success.

What is a 100 Day Challenge?

"What is something challenging, creative, and fun that you could do every day for 100 days that would rock your world (at least a little bit) and add value to the lives of others?
Is there something that you would LOVE to do but you have never had the inspiration or environment to take the chance and REALLY go for it. It could be something personal like telling your mate “I love you” in 100 different ways, or something for your business like meeting a new business person in your community every day for 100 days.
Perhaps you already know what it is, OR perhaps you know you are ready for a challenge but you are not quite sure what it is yet? Either way, the 100 Day Challenge program is perfect for you.
During the program you will explore what it really means to PLAY! To put your heart and soul into something that is important to you AND to have a lot of fun at the same time.
You will also explore the distinction between practicing an activity to reach mastery AND taking steps on a project to reach an objective. Both are good and important aspects of playing a game in business and life. "

Coachville.com