A Coaching Power Tool Created by Priya Lakshmi
(Leadership and Life Coach, BAHRAIN)
I have deliberately not written my power tool in the format of “vs” as I felt that I should keep my note completely positive and only positive.
I have experienced the power of being positive! To keep reminding ourselves that everything is going perfectly fine and I am happy and strong, will help you stay calm and focused. It will help you overcome any obstacle. I also feel that most of the time the things we worry for never happen so why worry!
With so many challenges we face today, it is all the more important to remain positive. I learnt this art of being positive as a part of my meditation sessions many years back and since then I have practised it every single day and now it’s a part of me. My friends call me a “positive vibe”. I have people coming to me asking, how can I manage to remain this way always and I tell them I have trained myself for long to be positive and see positive in everything.
From confusion, uncertainty, unhappiness, the client looks for a coach to assist in bringing structure, clarity and happiness. As a coach, making our client follow a
few actions, consciously and with belief will tune their mind to think positive and be positive.The following has helped me in my journey and I have used it as a tool on various occasions with my family, friends and a couple of clients and it has worked out every time. Both as a coach and as a client if we follow the below it will help achieve our goals:
Visualization is having a picture of end objective/aim or how one wants to be. It brings us closer to our dream. Once the target is set, visualizing and dreaming about it will result in making the goal look more realistic as now you also have a picture of it. Believe in it completely that this is going to happen and trust me it’s very powerful. We all have heard this old saying: what we think, we become! So think your dream.
Positive self-affirmations
This is the most powerful step for being positive. Practising the use of positive words/statements when saying affirmations (eg: Say I am strong instead of saying I will not be weak), will work magic in everyone’s life. It will improve the thought process and make one confident and reduce worries. Positive affirmations should be a part of life as food and water.
Meditation
When we meditate our mind feels calm and when our mind is calm, we feel relaxed, settled and happy. A happy mind is a key to abandoned opportunities coming our way. Since we are so occupied with our thoughts in a day that we miss to see the opportunities for us. Meditation helps you to connect to our self and as a result, all answers you have been seeking becomes clear, thereby you can decide for yourself what is best like coaching. (refer to my research paper for more details on meditation)
Smile always. Never underestimate the power of a smile. Smiling makes you feel good and happy and boosts your confidence. It also helps you forget your worries for some time. It helps you to think positively. People look up to you as friendly and would come to you for support and help when needed.
We don’t smile because we are happy, we become happy because we smile. William James
Stay healthy because health is wealth. In today’s life, it’s our utmost responsibility to take care of ourselves first. Only when we are physically fit, is when we can be happy and confident. Our motto should be to eat, sleep and exercise well.
Do some charity
Working for a cause you care about can be liberating. It boosts your self-confidence to another level and it’s so nice to feel human. Just imagine that the Almighty has given you the ability to help others – isn’t it a blessing.
Conclusion
As coaches, we have a powerful role to play in supporting our clients to not only have a better life but to love the life they have. Developing a positive attitude is challenging; it takes courage, willingness and belief.
So why is being positive worthwhile? Being positive will bring on calmness and relaxation. This, in turn, will help the clients to look for solutions and work on those without much difficulty. Where positivity is present, life is lived in an engaged and meaningful way.
Reflection:
As a coach, what are some questions you could ask your clients to create awareness on being positive:
- How might you encourage clients into a deeper analysis of their thoughts and behaviours?
- How does being self-aware of your own thoughts, beliefs, values and other areas benefit the coaching process?
- Why is it important for clients to see the relationship between their behaviour and attitude and the positive things in their lives?
- What is the relationship between visualization and achieving your goals?
- How have you used visualization in your own life?
Finally, don’t forget that the universe is out there to support you, you just have to be positive.