<![CDATA[Owning Your Voice - Blog]]>Wed, 23 May 2012 00:01:19 -0800Weebly<![CDATA["Poor Me"]]>Sun, 08 Jan 2012 12:46:25 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2012/01/poor-me.htmlWhen I think of "Poor Me" I think of "Eeyore" from Winnie the Pooh. I can think of many times when I was the embodiment of that energy. Literally stuck in the mud unable to move forward, unable to see where to take my next step and unwilling to take that step. I think of all the wonderful friends that I had who tried so hard to support me and help me get out of the mud. Yet in retrospect, I would say that my biggest struggle was often avoiding fully being present to where I was. It was a tension between where I was and wanting to move forward, rather than really experiencing where I was. I also remember the tension that was created by living in a society where it isn't fully acceptable to "be" broken and embrace the deep, dark emotions. I felt like I didn't always share where I was at in order to protect those around me as I felt it was difficult for those people that cared about me to witness where I was at. I judged myself for even being at such a dark and dreary place in my life. It was in this energy that I discovered the depth and darkness of The Voice of the Saboteur (The Inner Critic / Ego). The Saboteur loves these deep dark places as it feeds its very existence. 

Below you will find some tips and suggestions for "Being With" the energy of "Poor Me" ~ 

Ask yourself, Am I at choice? ~ Are you able to see a glimmer of light in the situation? ~ If you feel completely overwhelmed, you may need to reach out for external help and support. Asking for help is a strength and not a weakness.

Be with your emotions ~ If you are at choice, allow yourself to completely "be with" the emotions that are coming up and connect to them. Giving in to the situation and your emotions is a powerful step.I remember at times deciding to stay in bed with the covers over my head, which created a kind of pressure cooker.

Notice your journey ~ As you experience this situation, notice and observe the journey. Notice your body and where the tension lives. Is it anxiety in your chest? Is it a blocking energy? Is it tension in your throat? Does it have a colour? Is there a memory or experience connected to what you are experiencing. Try to breathe into the block or feeling. Ask yourself if this experience is a pattern? Have I been here before with different people / situations? 

Connect to the Glimmer of Light ~ Allow the natural arc to happen. I always found that if I stayed under the covers a door of awareness would always open. This was always a throw the covers off, realization for me. It was a connection to strength and courage.

Acknowledge ~ Great peace and learning can come from "being with" a situation and the emotion that comes up. Take a moment to acknowledge yourself and your choices. Acknowledge those around you that care for you and support you. 

Remember that this is not a destination and that you may not get through all the suggestions and steps above. This is very much a process. Enjoy the "Eeyore" video below.
]]><![CDATA[Green]]>Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:58:10 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/10/green.htmlWhen I think of all the different aspects of the work that I do, the one that gets me most excited is when people open up to a different perspective or awareness. I am very passionate about collaboration, creativity and communication. One of the tools that I share in my workshops is a tool called "Yes and..." Often we will shut down the ideas of others and our own internal ideas by saying "Yes but..." This will often shut the door to creativity and possibilities. When we think of the word YES we often think that it means agreement. In relation to Yes and... the yes is an energy of acceptance, appreciation, acknowledgement and encouragement. If you think of working collaboratively the yes is about being open to the creative suggestions of someone else and trying them on even if they don't feel like a fit. The word "and" is about blending your ideas with your energetic yes which opens the door to a greater possibility or idea. So here is a really simple example. Person A's favourite colour is "Yellow" and Person B's favourite colour is "Blue". Person B says "let's blend our two favourite colours and see what happens? Person A says I like the idea of experimenting and mixing colours is exciting. The end result is "Green". Green represents the unknown possibilities that can't emerge unless we energetically create the space for their existence. Think of where in your life you may have internal or external conflict? Or think of your relationships? Where can you create the space for "Green"? All of this reminds me of a very collaborative initiative called "Playing for Change". I had the pleasure a few years ago of witnessing the beginnings of this project when they played for us live at a Starbucks leadership conference. Enjoy the two selections below. I love Grandpa Elliott and saw him play "Amazing Grace" live in New Orleans. Enjoy!
]]><![CDATA[Weight Loss Entry #5]]>Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:55:38 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/08/weight-loss-entry-5.htmlSo things are continuing to move in the right direction. Current weight is now 270.4lbs - 3.6lbs. Total weight loss to date is 14.6lbs. Woot Woot. I was actually able to wear a shirt the other day that I couldn't fit into before.

Some things to note. Eating well has become habitual which has also made it easier to continue to eat well. Access to easy and flavorful recipes through Weight Watchers has also been very helpful. Exercise at the gym continues to be fun and I am increasing the weights that I am working with and the # of reps that I am doing from 12 to 15. I am also going to start riding my bike to work instead of driving which will increase my exercise and contribute to further weight loss.

Until next week!!

Ross
]]><![CDATA[Weight Loss Entry #4]]>Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:19:41 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/08/weight-loss-entry-4.htmlPicture
Quick Update...

Went to Weight Watchers tonight and weighed in and reached my immediate goal of losing 5lbs. I lost 4lbs this week!!

August 4/2011 274 -4.0 Net loss = 5.8lbs!! Feeling great. I also went on a nice long walk this afternoon around the Four Lakes trail.
]]><![CDATA[Weight Loss Entry #3]]>Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:44:53 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/08/weight-loss-entry-3.htmlSo I have now been going to the gym consistently for 7 weeks. I have to say I am absolutely loving working with a personal trainer it has made this journey so much easier. Thanks & Gratitude to Heidi @ Garibaldi Fitness 604-898-4401 for making this such an enjoyable experience. Today felt like a real victory!! I really felt strong and able to engage my core strength. Exercises that had been difficult were, dare I say it, almost easy today. In regards to the eating, I am loving the Weight Watchers program it is not restrictive and eating well and regularly is becoming a habit. I am finding it much easier to make healthy choices and plan ahead which I think is going to have a positive effect when I get on the scale again tomorrow. I did start all of this slower than I may have liked in regards to my actual weight loss numbers. However, I feel like I am finally gaining some momentum and I think I have gained some muscle because of the weight training. I have even had some people comment, that I look like I have lost weight. Here are the recent numbers.

July 21/2011 278.4 +.2

July 28/2011 278.0 -.4

Net weight loss to date is -1.8 pounds. Slowly but surely going in the right direction. Looking forward to stepping on the scale tomorrow and sharing my results.
]]><![CDATA[Weight Loss Entry #2]]>Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:12:13 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/07/weight-loss-entry-2.htmlWell it has been a slow yet intentional start. Here are my recent weigh-ins.

July 7/2011 277.6 = -3.2

July 14/2011 278.2 = + .6

Net weight loss is - 1.6 pounds. I also remembered that I went to Weight Watchers the first week and didn't officially weigh in. I lost 5 lbs in that first week. However it was not official.

I have been doing a great job of planning my meals, tracking what I have been eating and staying within my targets. My opportunities are exercising everyday and drinking water. Water is a big one for me and I think important for weight loss. I have not yet made water a habit. The funny thing is that I actually love water, so this shouldn't be difficult.

I have also really enjoyed going to the gym twice a week. Working with a personal trainer makes exercising so much easier. That's it for now. I will update on Thursday when I weigh in again.
]]><![CDATA[Time to lose weight]]>Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:37:19 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/07/time-to-lose-weight.htmlOver the last 10+ years I have done a lot of what I call my "inner work" (I don't think this ever ends btw), yet the outer does not reflect the inner work that I have done. A few weeks ago I decided it was really time to take action. I have been working with a personal trainer now for about 3 weeks (Loving It) and I started going back to Weight Watchers two weeks ago. I thought it would be fun to document my weight loss on this blog, partially for personal reasons and also to share my journey with my blog followers. In my experience, being overweight is one of the most complex issues as it can be rooted in so many different beliefs and experiences. To commit to losing weight is committing to hard work and investing energy in yourself. On that note, the significant thing that I realized over the last few weeks is that it is so much easier when you reach out for support and guidance, rather than trying to do the work alone. Working with a personal trainer is changing my relationship to exercise and it is so much more fun when you have someone supporting you. I have also partnered with someone who is also going to Weight Watchers which has created another area of accountability and support. In the spirit of being vulnerable, here is the score card and some starting photos. I would love to interact with others and hear your thoughts and ideas in regards to being overweight or losing weight so please feel free to share.

Overall Goal = Lose 100 Lbs
Immediate Goal = Lose 5 Lbs
Short Term Goal = Lose 10% (28 Lbs)

Weight June 23/2011 = 279.8 Lbs
Weight June 30/2011 = 280.8 Lbs (frustrating but I realized I was eating well etc. and I wasn't drinking enough water)

Next weigh in July 7/2011
]]><![CDATA[Conflict in the Workplace]]>Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:08:22 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/06/conflict-in-the-workplace.htmlDo people get along in your workplace? I think we've all witnessed or been a part of conflict while at work. As an employer you do your best to hire the right people and provide them with the necessary training to perform their jobs well. An interesting situation is created, in the sense that you are bringing together a group of people that might otherwise never cross paths. This can be a good thing in terms of creativity and innovation, and it can also lead to conflict as there will likely be a broad range of values and beliefs. As a leader, you can become somewhat isolated to what is actually going on between employees. Conflict may be brewing for some time before it comes to your awareness. How you respond when it comes to the surface can be significant in the impact it has on your business.

The response I see most often is that managers encourage the parties involved to resolve the situation amongst themselves. While this is the ideal solution in terms of maintaining relationships moving forward, it raises a number of questions. How can two people who are in conflict find their way out of a situation in which the emotions may be at a peak? In addition, do your employees have the right communication tools to resolve the situation? How do you uncover the truth when each person gives you a completely different account of the situation? As a manager, do you have the confidence and skills to bring them together for a facilitated conversation?

There are specific skill sets for communication that can help employees to manage conflict and ideally avoid conflict in the first place.

Listening - this is #1 on the list because it truly is a skill. In order to be an effective listener we first need to learn and understand how we listen and manage our thoughts in the process.

Curiousity - when we embrace the state of being curious, we are simply trying to discover what is going on in a given situation. We are more likely to discover the truth in this state, because true curiousity removes judgement and assumptions.

Acknowledgement - this is all about learning to say Yes in communication. Saying yes acknowledges what the other person is sharing and allows them to feel heard.

Giving and receiving feedback - far to often we think we are giving clear feedback yet we are simply communicating our emotions. Clear feedback allows each person to understand what is needed for the other person.

Communication Model - a clear model for communication can help us understand each persons role and the impact we have when people are in different states.

Culture - When a culture supports and embraces the need for open & honest communication it creates a space for safety.

Owning Your Voice leads fun & experiential workshops in which participants are given a clear model for communication and specific tools and skills which are practiced in a safe learning environment. These skills can then be applied in the workplace.

]]><![CDATA[Where in your life are you experiencing conflict?]]>Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:30:57 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/06/where-in-your-life-are-you-experiencing-conflict.htmlWe can experience conflict in relationships, and we can experience conflict internally. I truly believe that all of us have a unique purpose in which we are meant to influence the world. This purpose emerges and evolves as we experience internal and external conflict in our lives. If we are disconnected from our core needs and values we can make decisions that collide with our hidden values that result in conflict. When we stop and take inventory of who we are being and where we want to go, we can begin to create a road map for future goals. Below is a link to a very useful resource that can give you a perspective on your current way of being. The wheel can indicate where you are experiencing fulfillment and it can show you areas that are experiencing conflict. Take a few minutes for "you" and check in with yourself. If you are fulfilled in parts of the wheel, take a moment to celebrate and be grateful for the reasons why. If you do not feel fulfilled in certain areas, ask yourself what you really want. Ask yourself, how you will get there
wheel_of_life.pdf
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]]><![CDATA[Wild Soul Horses]]>Mon, 30 May 2011 14:50:17 -0800http://www.owningyourvoice.com/1/post/2011/05/wild-soul-horses.htmlThis morning I had the absolute pleasure of going up into Upper Squamish to spend some time with Yasmine Jodrey and her wonderful horses; Blackjack, Dakota and Hollywood. Yasmine is a Certified Equine Guided Educator and she has created an amazing space in the peace and quiet of the Upper Squamish Valley. When I arrived, Yasmine and I sat down and connected with each other and observed the horses, while she shared an overview of the principles of EGE. Yasmine then led me through a grounding exercise which connected us to our roots and to the earth and after a few minutes we silently approached the fence. It was amazing how curious the horses were, all three of them immediately came towards us and Dakota came right over and started checking me out. I silently observed her and tried to connect to her energy. So much happened during the exchange and there was a moment when I quietly said "You are beautiful".... she instantly moved her head and all I could see was a reflection of my face in her eyes. Wow...that was powerful. The horse was mirroring to me that I am beautiful. I also connected with Blackjack and then we moved away and Yasmine and I talked about what we each observed. It was a beautiful exchange that jarred me on some level.

Our next exercise was to enter the enclosure and again connect with the horses. Immediately all three horses surrounded me, it was exciting and a bit unnerving to be surrounded by such strength and power. I gently moved away and found my spot. Again Dakota and I connected and checked each other out, I walked with her and she followed right by my side. Again all three horses surrounded me. The experience was a bit of a dance, playing with my intention and also being aware of their energy and hierarchy so that I would remain safe. The entire experience was very powerful it reminded me that we are all energetic beings and that we are all connected. There were times during both exercises when I engaged my thoughts and passed judgement on my actions. The horses showed me the power of being grounded and connected to your breath. The more I let go of my thoughts the more I could guide and attract the horses with my energy and intention.

Overall I had an amazing experience with Yasmine and her horses. Yasmine is so calm and knowledgeable that you immediately feel safe. The horses are such powerful beings and they connect you to your human ways of being so that you can get curious with yourself. The horses seem to give you immediate feedback on your energy which is a great perspective.

I highly recommend Wild Soul as a unique opportunity to learn about yourself or to just take some time for yourself and connect with nature.

Wild Soul Brochure
wildsoul0001.pdf
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