I spent the first 3 weeks of 2021 in Jamaica, where I was born and where my immediate family still lives. I hadn’t seen my 91 year old Mom for almost a year. My spirit said it was time to visit. In March of 2020, I took stewardship of a property that has been in my matriarchal lineage for well over 100 years. I needed to make arrangements with a caretaker for its maintenance and upkeep. My Mother was so…
What is self care? It is caring for yourself deeply and deliberately. It is taking care of yourself by making choices and decisions that honor and reflect the true nature of your soul. It’s about recognizing and meeting your own desires. It’s about being conscious and authentic in speaking your truth and making choices from a place of love and compassion instead of guilt and obligation. Unfortunately, It is not a concept that has been modeled very well, if at…
By Matthew Gordon-Martin Focus is a word that I’ve heard constantly since the age of 5. If you are like me and have an inner rebellious spirit, then it is the word that you’ve deviously made your enemy. If not, then its the word you’ve been playing with off and on, maybe as a friend who you engage with whenever it suits you but not a best friend who’s integrated into all aspects of your life. I was taught that focus…
By Brandon Clarkson of Helen MacMillan Coaching We’ve all got to that point before, that realization that things feel stagnant, unmoving, unchanging. Nothing feels inspiring – with your motivation and energy levels suffering as a result and it’s usually a creative’s biggest roadblock. I’ve personally felt like it for weeks, maybe even months. As soon as Covid hung up its coat and promised that it was here to stay, I could feel all the energy I had for life slowly…
When life gets blurry, we have to adjust our focus. Clarity is the act of refining your focus in order to determine your next steps and ensure they take you where you want to go. Clarity isn’t necessarily certainty, it’s the complete knowledge of what is in the present. Your intentions for every aspect of your life — from relationships to careers — are more profoundly molded based on just how clear you are with what YOU want! So, how…
I hosted a call on zoom last Saturday which was meant to be an informational call about our new coaching program: Project Me First. I had planned to open the call by sharing a short personal story of how I came to understand that all change begins within, and why the inner work we guide people through in the Project Me First program is important. It was an epic FAIL. At least that’s what my MIND told me. I ended…
“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” ― Lao Tzu What is “Presence”?We define presence as being fully aware of what is happening with yourself – and whoever or whatever you are interacting with – in the present moment. Having all of your attention and awareness focused on what is going on in any given moment…
“You can’t change what you can’t see”. That’s why all change begins with awareness. Awareness is consciousness and it requires presence. Being fully present expands our awareness and, the more aware you are, the more choice you have – to keep things the same (if you like it) or make a change (if you don’t). It’s actually quite challenging to be fully present in each moment. Our mind is masterful at distracting us from being fully here and now by…
Yesterday, I spent the entire day in bed watching movies and playing games on my iPad. I listened to a whole book in the morning (fiction). I skipped exercise class. I didn’t run my client payments that were due. I told myself. “It’s ok to take today off and rest”. “You work hard”. “Relax and take it easy”. “You deserve this!”, as I massaged the growing tension and pain in my right hip and lower back. This morning, I sat…
