life coach

Time and Money: We Never Have Enough. Or Do We?

Posted by Barbara Techel

kylie and joie snuggling on pillow

Before my post today, just want to mention that today on my Joyful Paws Jaunt Blog Tour I am featured on Kim Gifford’s Pugs and Pics blog with an audio interview. Grab your favorite beverage and sit a spell– and I hope it inspires you!

Yesterday on my Facebook wall I asked this question: “What’s the one thing that stops you from doing something that would bring you joy?”  The common responses were time and money.

I don’t know what it is exactly that others want to do in regards to bringing more joy into their lives, but I find the answers intriguing. Maybe they were looking at the question in too big of terms. Maybe I should have been more specific. But none-the-less the answers are nothing new. We hear them all the time, as well as we each face them.

Isn’t time all we have? While at the same time we don’t know how much time we really do have. We could be gone tomorrow. Just like that. Poof. Gone. Then what of that joy we were always seeking?

I guess for me it just makes me think about taking little steps towards those things that bring us joy. Does it have to be so big? What if all the little steps of joy added up to living with even more joy?

We will likely never have enough money. Let’s face it. But what if we could make do with what we have and still have joy?  What would that look like to you?

To me, it is moments of time with my dogs, my dear friends, my family, my Johnnie.  Most of this does not require money. It requires time. And while I have much to do in my everyday life with promoting my books and my mission, besides all the normal day-to day things, I find that if I can fit in moments of quality time with what brings me joy, more joy comes to me.

The other thing it made me think of is when I decided to take three months to hunker down, hire a life coach, and dive into what my soul was trying to tell me. Yes, that required money, and it was money we really didn’t have at the time to spend. But I wanted this so bad that I gave up other “things” to make this happen. Again, I realize not everyone may be able to do this in terms of money, as their situation may be completely different than mine.  But I also think often times it is just a mask. A mask to doubt and fear of uncovering things that may be scary.

We may never have enough time or money. Or do we?  What if we just started today and did one small thing that brought us joy? So just for today find one small thing that does not require a lot of money or time, and just do it.  My moment of joy today is going to be sitting for five minutes with Joie and Kylie, and hugging them tight.  What is yours going to be?

How a Life Coach Helped Change Me for the Better

Posted by Barbara Techel

Diane and Barb

I can’t even begin to imagine what my life would look like today if I hadn’t taken the leap and hired life coach, Diane Krause-Stetson.  It wasn’t an easy thing to do. I was scared. Scared to really dig down deep to find out what was working for me and what wasn’t. It is also a hard thing to do– asking for help. But seven years later I can absolutely say it was one of the best things I ever did for myself. And actually, something shifted in me the day I committed to work with Diane- something in me just knew I would come out better after the experience.

From that fateful day in April 2005 my life took a 180 turn. I hired Diane thinking she could help me with marketing weight loss products for a company that I was a part of. I committed to three months in figuring this out. Two months later I knew what it was I wanted to explore. I set out with a determination I never had before to do just that. Writing and writing about what I love most– dogs. I slowly walked away from the company I was involved with and each time I made another leap to let it completely go, I felt my soul come more alive. It was all I needed to know I was on the right path.

Diane cautioned me that there would be forks in the road and I’d have a choice to take that turn or not. But listening to my heart and following my intuition would be key. Now I’m not going to say that was, or is, easy. But as I get ready to launch my new book next month I feel certain, even with the few twists and turns I’ve had, this is right where I am meant to be.

Working with a life coach not only helped me to trust more in what my heart was calling me to do, but to not be afraid who I was really meant to be. If we can just get past thinking asking for help is a weakness, oh, how far we can go! Asking for help means you want better for yourself and your life.

I’ve had so many moments of reflection as I think about where my path will lead as I push my book out into the world. And as I look back seven years ago, I don’t recognize the person I was then– but I see her now and I like what I see. For that alone, I’m deeply grateful to have found Diane and trusted my gut that day and took the leap.

I dedicate this post to Diane for believing in me and helping me see that I was not a failure, but an explorer!

Meeting One of My Inspirations– A Memory I’ll Forever Treasure

Posted by Barbara Techel

cynthia and barb

 Meeting an inspiration of mine, writing coach and author Cynthia Morris

This morning I sit at my desk feeling so emotional.  Last night I met writing coach and author, Cynthia Morris. She is promoting her debut novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach and made an appearance in Milwaukee, WI at the Lyndon Sculpture Gardens.

It was in 2005 that I was introduced to Cynthia’s work. I was coaching with life coach, Diane Krause-Stetson at the time. I was 41 years old and trying to figure out what it was I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to do something more meaningful. I wanted to live with more joy. I wanted to find my authentic self and not be afraid to be that person.

Coaching was not easy. But it was worth every minute of the deep dive into my soul’s stirring. Trying to narrow down and focus on something that would bring me what I was seeking was challenging. I think as women, at least among my circle of friends, we tend to like to do so many things!  But as I went through the coaching process, dogs and animals kept surfacing, and my deep love for them. Then writing surfaced for many different reasons.

It was then, with the help and encouragement from my coach that I decided to pursue writing and write about what I love most– animals, with an emphasis on dogs. It was then that Diane loaned me a book from her extensive and beautiful library called, Create Your Writer’s Life by Cynthia Morris. I’ve followed Cynthia’s work enthusiastically since that day. I’ve read all her e-books, taken some of her on line classes, been a part of her Creative Book Salon, and also participated in the Creative Leap Club she offers– which by the way I credit as a part of my process in helping me leap forward in finishing my new book.

Her tenacity for living her dreams and following her heart speaks to me. So to finally meet her in person last night was an absolute joy. It’s why I sit at my computer this morning feeling so emotional. I feel filled with so much inspiration to continue on my own path– to keep following my heart.  And the other way I can describe it is when you decide to pursue what makes your heart sing, by default, you attract into your life those much like you. Being around someone like Cynthia and her amazing energy of choosing to live life as she chooses is something that once you taste and experience it, you never want to go back to anything else.