So, Life's Not a "Day at the Beach"

Once upon a time, I and a group of seekers, sat at theupgrades.
feet of a wise man. At one point he leaned over andSometimes you have skills in one area of life that
said in a whisper, "Do you want to know the secret ofwould serve well in another, but for some reason, it
success without hard work?" All eyes brighteneddoesn't occur to you that you translate them.
expectantly. Then, after a short pause, he shrugged hisDeveloping the ability to set boundaries and know
shoulders and confessed that as far as he knew, itwhen to say yes and when to say no can serve well
was still a secret.in most of life. This and other skills can be developed
Perhaps we see too many television shows whereand refined with time.
things are solved in twenty odd minutes. Somewhere,Strategies are the overall plans, and tactics are what
somehow, many of us have the mistaken andyou use to achieve the plan. Having plans help you
disheartening belief that there are specific answersrespond rather than react to life.
and formulas. The truth is that we are often soSupport from the outside can be invaluable when
focused on product, or end result we wish for, that wethings seem to be getting out of hand. A coach is a
discount the process. And the process is often thegreat supporter as s/he will give you feedback,
where we discover our answers.champion and acknowledge you, hold you accountable
Life presents constant challenges. You can beso you can get back up when you fall, and be there to
prepared  and deal with them more effectively. Whatcelebrate your successes.
helps is using the Four S's coaches work with; lifeWhen you allow yourself to be in the process of life
coaches that is. They are structure, skills, strategies,you gain knowledge, strength, and resources. With
and support.those life becomes easier. When you know you have
Having structure means  using systems to managethe tools and resources to deal with life, you're ahead
your life. Create processes and procedures that youof the game.
can rely on and be willing to make adjustments and