Lisa McDonald

Empowering Women And Men To Get Unstuck, Walk Their Own Path, And Have A Great Life

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When Strength Becomes Weakness

When Weakness Becomes Strength Blog

 

“Sometimes you don’t realize your own strength until you come face to face
with your greatest weakness.” – Susan Gale

I love this quote about strength and weakness, and this image of a woman hanging on as she scales a rock race..

We all have some place we want to get to, a pinnacle we are trying to climb.  That may be a good, a dream or some important aspiration you have.  It can be hard work, and the struggle can sometimes make us want to quit.  ⁣

The Struggle Can Make Us Want To Quit

⁣At this moment we have a choice – we can keep doing the same thing, we can give up, or we can do something different.

This moment of weakness, or vulnerability can push you to a place where you have to dig deep in order to find the inner resources to move forward.  ⁣Thus your weaknesses move you towards your strengths.⁣

Choices

It took a long time to conceive my son.  Along the way there was plenty of struggles to navigate. There were many moments where I felt vulnerable and weak.  There were also numerous times where I had to consider my options.  Would i keep doing the same thing, do something different or quit and move on?

Each time I had to make a decision, I had to summons my inner resources to figure out what was right for me and how to move forward.  One of my biggest lessons was in learning to let go.

What pinnacle are you trying to climb? Where is the perceived weakness? What strength is your struggle pushing you towards?

With warm regards
Lisa
PS if you’d like some help to address your struggle or climb your pinnacle, click here to book a chat with me.

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Spicing Up Your Habits

Spicing Up Your Habits

It’s been a little while since I posted.  That’s because in the past month I’ve been spending some really focused time working on my upcoming book.  It’s taking longer than I anticipated, and is certainly providing lots of opportunities to learn along the way.  (Click here to learn more about my book).

Today I’m back in the office after an enjoyable couple of weeks away in Western Australia with my husband and son.  It was wonderful to be able to spend time visiting family and friends, relaxing with diverse travel and leisure activities.  It provided a great break away from my book writing , and other regular habits and activities.

Variety is the Spice of life

Visiting different places and doing different activities, can be a great way to reinvigorate the mind, body and spirit.  It shifts your focus away from habits and towards the unfamiliar.  In doing so it creates space for freshening up your perspective.

While we were in Perth, we visited the impressive Sculpture by the Sea event https://sculpturebythesea.com/cottesloe/ at scenic Cottesloe Beach.  Every year sculptors/exhibitors spend months planning and creating their artistic piece, which is then displayed for all the public to see. (It’s a free event.)

Weird or wonderful?

Whether an art piece is weird or wonderful, good or bad or not, is in the eye of the beholder.  Each piece offers the observer the opportunity to interpret the art themselves.

How we judge the art is based on our own internal measuring sticks, the library of references in our mind.  This library is created through our own memories, experiences and emotions, and what we have learned from others.  The mind uses it to filter the information we see, hear and feel.  It shapes the way we think, feel and act, and therefore our results.

Tweaking your habits to create new results

When you’re dissatisfied with your results, it’s a sign that you need to tweak your library of references and change what’s limiting you.  A holiday is a great way to start the process of tweaking your references.  But you will likely need to do other work to identify these references in order to retrain your mind and body by implementing different habits.  With persistence and consistency,  your results should begin to change.   If not, further work may be required to achieve success.

Do you have an important decision to make or goal to achieve?  If you’d like some help to shift your perspective and habits so you can achieve different results, I’d love to help you.  You can find out more by clicking here:  to book a chat with me.

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Running Away From A Problem Only Increases The Distance From The Solution

Quote Running Away From The Problem“Running away from a problem only increases the distance from the solution.”
– Anonymous

Just as the above quote says, running away from a problem is just a strategy for avoiding the problem.  And the problem with avoidance is, it doesn’t resolve the situation.  If it’s a big enough issue, it will present itself at some other time, or continue to pop up again and again.  It may be in the same shape or form, or it might be different.

Three common examples of things that people run away from are making decisions, confronting what they think and feel, and taking action to implement their decision.  All very normal  But all stand in the way of making progress.

Problems can eat away at you

Unresolved problems have thoughts and feelings attached to them.  They sit in your mind ad body, shaping your actions an outcome, whether they are conscious and unconscious.  They can eat away at you, undermining your confidence and resilience.   If the issues are big enough, then can seriously affect your health, relationships, finances and every other area of your life.

 

Getting closer to the solution

Rather than avoid the problem, the solution is of course to deal with it.  This requires a willingness to confront the problem. To be honest with yourself, to confront the issues and to take actions to move you forward.  It doesn’t mean that it will be comfortable or easy.  However it is necessary to get closer to the solution. Otherwise it will hold you back and you won’t be able to breakthrough.

Have you been running away from a problem?  Is there a decision or action that you’ve been avoiding which is causing you pain, discomfort or holding you back?  It could be around your career/business, having a child or not, or any other area of your life.  If this sounds like you then you must set a very clear intention that you actually want to resolve the problem.  You must commit to taking action and start implementing.  You also need to be flexible enough to keep adjusting.  Things may happen differently than you expect, and it’s likely you’ll have to try new things. 

Just keep stepping forward.  Keep going until you’ve succeeded in your desired outcomes.

Warm regards

Lisa

PS If you’re tired of running away from the problem or have an important goal you want to achieve,  click here to book a chat with me.. We’ll talk about your situation  and see if we’re a match.

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Creating A Successful New Year

Creating A Successful New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome to a fresh new year, another 365 days of opportunity to achieve the life of your dreams!  I am excited to be back and hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year holiday period.

How was last year for you?  What were the struggles and triumphs?  Did you achieve your key goals?

If it was a difficult year in some shape or form, or you didn’t achieve one or more of your key goals, then I hope that this year is better for you.  Either way, it’s time to be grateful.  Grateful for all the things you DO have in your life, and all those things that you are grateful that are NOT in your life.  It’s time to review, reflect and learn from the past your.  Then to transition into the new year.

A Fresh Year

It’s a fresh NEW year, with a fresh book of experiences for you to fill over the next 12 months.  This transition into the new year has created a culture over the years of setting resolutions.  If made with careful consideration, resolutions can help reinforce permanent changes.  However, most New Years resolutions are made in a heightened or inebriated state, which often lacks a degree of commitment.  And, as a result they often never gets started or fall away within a short space of time.

So NOW is the time to set the stage for THIS year.  To connect and energise yourself for the year.

A Fresh Vision

Take some time to create a fresh vision for the year.   Clarify your intentions, then formulate them into specific goals. 

Goals are more outcome focused than resolutions, giving you attainable milestones and time frames.  When they are set in a more conscious and committed way, your goals can keep you motivated.  Especially if they’re aligned with your highest values and aspirations.  Years ago I created my SMARTIES Formula for goal setting.  It provides a checklist of 8 essential aspects of goals setting, which you must include to set really successful goals.  Click here now to get my SMARTIES Formula for goal setting, 

Which areas of life do you most want to create results in this year:  health, relationship, family, finances, business/career, leisure,  community or other?

2019 Strategic Goal Setting Workshop

2019 Strategic Goal SettingJanuary is a great time to reflect on the outcomes you want for 2019, to write your goals and to start taking action.  That’s why  over several years I’ve run a Strategic Goal Setting Workshop:  Life Review & Planning Workshop.  Originally it was a full day where you had to travel to participate.   Last year was my first live online workshop to assist you in reviewing, goal setting and taking action on your goals in 2019.  And I’m excited to say that I’m running my live online workshop again this year.Having the live online format means I can:

  • Offer it to you at a fraction of the price of my previous offline workshop held in Melbourne,
  • And  … still have the personal connection that made those workshops so special.  Click here to find out more ...

Achieving Different Results This Year

To support you in achieving your goals this year, I’ll be continuing to share tips, tools, and insights into how you can make this a more successful year.

If you’re serious about creating different or better results this year, then it’s up to you to take action!  What next step will you take to succeed this year?

Wishing you every with creating more of the life and success you desire this year.

Warm regards
Lisa McDonald

PS If you haven’t had a look yet at my program Click here and find out more

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Come Back To The Heart of Christmas

Come Back To The Heart of ChristmasDuring the Christmas season it’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of the season and to get distracted by issues, obligations and stories.  Today I’d like to encourage you to put aside the trappings and commercialism of the season for a moment, to come back to the heart of Christmas and to share your good will with others.

Connecting To The Heart of Christmas

Christmas is one of the most celebrated events around the world, and is a busy time for many people.  Too often though, people loose sight of the big picture.  Instead they get caught up in busyness, obligations and inflated expectations.  That’s why it can be really beneficial to stop for a moment and to reconnect with what’s important. 

Below are the lyrics and music video for Matthew West’s beautiful song, “The Heart of Christmas”.  Take a few moments now to watch and listen to the music video of Matthew West’s song, and to connect with the heart of Christmas for you.   Click here

Lyrics:

I’m going to make a wish this Christmas 
I’m going to say a little prayer
Im going to stop here for a moment
Before the moment disappears

The World’s in a hurry this December
The city street’s a shopping mall
I wish we could slow down and remember
the meaning of it all

Wherever you are no matter how far
Come back to the heart, the heart of Christmas
Live while you can, cherish the moment
The ones that you love, make sure that they know it
And don’t miss it, the heart of Christmas

Let’s make it feel the way it used to
Let’s find the wonder of a child
You can see the magic all around you
Come on and open up your eyes

Well you can find it in the warm embrace of your family
Or call up a long lost friend
You can even find it in the eyes of a stranger
When you reach out a helping hand

Wherever you are no matter how far
Come back to the heart, the heart of Christmas
Live while you can, cherish the moment
The ones that you love, make sure that they know it
And don’t miss it, the heart of Christmas

In this shadow of a feeling
It’s the star that lights the way
You will find you need an angel
The heart of Christmas has a way

I’m going to make a wish this Christmas
I’m going to say a little prayer

Wherever you are, not matter how far
Come back to the heart, the heart of Christmas
Live while you can, cherish the moment
The ones that you love, make sure they know it

Wherever you are, not matter how far
Come back to the heart, the heart of Christmas

Spreading Goodwill

Some people find Christmas a difficult time, and find it hard to be merry.   Take a few minutes now to consider someone who finds it hard to be merry, or is going through a tough time.  They may be someone you know well, an acquaintance or someone you’ve just come into contact with.  It  might even be you …

Here’s a way you can spread your own goodwill at Christmas:

  • Come back to your own heart
  • What loving goodwill message is within your heart
  • Picture  someone who find’s it hard to be merry;
  • In your mind, connect with them.
  • Send a prayer or wish to them, sharing your own heart felt message 

Remember spreading love and goodwill shouldn’t just be confined to social, cultural or religious celebrations.  So … connect with your heart … spread your love and goodwill  … all year round.

You can take steps today to connect with the heart of your Christmas.  Then, spread your goodwill with others.

Warm Regards

Lisa

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