coaching

Accountability Week: 7/11 – 7/17

- Mel

What does self care look like to you? Bubble baths and face masks and lots of relaxation? More rest days and social time and focus on loved ones? Decompressing with a book or writing? Well, I did all of the above this week. And that was my goal for the week.

I’m proud of the consistency that I’ve added to my workout routines, and I wanted to think of this period as something like a cut-back week in regular training. To be honest, I work hard to combat the negative self-talk when I start thinking about how to plan out my training again. I’ve not really had success in sticking to a plan. So, I’m exploring options — like social running groups and coaching — to help me see my goals through. I think having accountability is SMART to combat those times when you don’t feel like following through. And since I know my tendencies better than anyone, I want to be set up for the greatest success without being my own worst enemy. This week, I found my first accountability buddy, and those kind of things really add value to my life. I’ve certainly missed having a Running Tribe like I had in Pittsburgh, and I really hope to find my “people” this running season.

But I still find it weird that there are NO organized group runs here on Sundays! Every other day of the week, though, there’s a group somewhere, and several run on Saturdays. WEIRD.

MONDAY Rest

TUESDAY Mostly a Rest Day, though I did a couple sets of my hips and glutes exercises and some air squats in the evening.

WEDNESDAY Ran on the trails, approx. 3.4 miles. My foot felt pretty uncomfortable after this run (maybe because of first time running outside in a while?), but still no noticeable swelling or bruising. I iced it for a bit anyways when I got home.

running iowa trails blogger

THURSDAY Rest Day, aka: Wine Day – after-work wine tasting

FRIDAY Rest – with wine waiting for me when I got home (had to work late to cover time missed by my dentist appointment). I certainly tapped out on rest days this week. My legs felt like they needed a lot of stretching (yeah, I don’t think I did anything after my run on Wednesday… #dumb), so I focused on that a bit before I went to bed.

SATURDAY Run. I went outside again… and had an AWFUL TIME. UGH. This was legit a struggle to get through 3 miles, and my mind just kept quitting on me.

Needless to say, I couldn’t shake off my mental struggle enough to run on Sunday, and just gave up for the week, shrugging off my Sunday run.

So, yes. It’s time to work with a coach.

Setting up habits for 2016 resolutions

- Mel

You know that saying about not waiting to make changes? How January 1 shouldn’t be the impetus for life changes — and that you should start making good habits TODAY?

Baby steps, people. Yes, I do agree that a date on the calendar is widely misused as a placeholder for resolutions. So whether you decide that January 1 or your half-birthday is the day that you want to set some new goals for yourself, have at it. But real, honest change will come if you start doing something now. Like, NOW now. I’m not saying that your life will instantly change in that moment, but if you want something new or different to take place, do something right this second that leads to that eventual start date.

Say for example that your resolution is to “lose weight” in 2016 — do you have an exercise plan, have you consulted with your doctor, have you researched the monthly cost and/or joined a gym, hired a trainer or nutritionist, pinned some healthier meal options on Pinterest, or thrown out all your gross processed stuff in the freezer? And what does “lose weight” mean? I hope your goal is SMART or CLEAR. I guess there are HARD goals now as well. Do you at least know how to increase your chances at success? Doesn’t it feel SO OVERWHELMING?

Baby steps. One foot in front of the other. One day at at time. Write a to-do list. Buy some new sneakers.

So, yeah, I have goals for 2016 — quite a few, actually. But if I don’t start changing some of my bad habits now, I will be setting myself up for a mess of frustration on January 1. And likely, failure, by March 15. I can’t let my already-good habits go by the wayside either.

An example of my own baby steps? Waking up at my first alarm. NOT sleeping through five different alarms. I’m seven days in! This will lead to a bigger goal. But for now? I get to celebrate some small successes (and hopefully help my sleep schedule out a little in the meantime).

More reading:
Mind Tools has a bunch of articles about goals. Check out this article about personal goal setting. There are some great explanations about the different methods (with more links to further explain) and questions to ask yourself before you get started with the process. And if you have a coach or mentor (or are one), I personally like use of the GROW model.

Weekly Therapy: Trust Your Struggle

- Mel

the week:
The formulation of a prospectus for my senior capstone project has been overwhelming. While I have a good idea of my final project, filling in all the parts of what I’ve learned so far in my program, I feel troubled at being able to pull this all together in less than 6 weeks. Mind you, there’s nothing else to work on in this course aside from the capstone project, but BOY do I need the miracle of time and project management on my side (and BOY would a project management course had been helpful in this program). My other course is the Psychology of Motivation and already getting some really interesting info about motives (how can I also work these concepts into my prospectus?).

#trust
#trust

But guys? MY LAST TWO CLASSES. In 6 weeks, my week and weekend reports will no longer be filled with homework (but likely more than enough grad school application stuff to keep you entertained!).

weekend:
Tying up some loose ends on aforementioned prospectus. We’ve got tickets to the Indians vs. Pirates on July 4th, along with a BBQ/tailgate with our Pittsburgh Browns Backers prior to the game. I also have a 90-minute massage scheduled.

Otherwise, I’ve mostly stayed out of what’s going on around town this weekend (I mean, aside from You Gotta Regatta because can we really ever get away from that during the holiday weekend?).

52 books in 52 weeks:
I’m halfway to my goal — and I’m on track!
#26: After Perfect: A Daughter’s Memoir by Christina McDowell. This was a TOTALLY gratuitous, guilty pleasure read, and I finished it in one day. Non-fiction, and a really interesting complement (and perspective) for those who are familiar with “The Wolf of Wall Street” story.

seven things, seven days:
1. Four-day workweek!
2. Uh, did some damage to my shopping budget this month: splurged on a TRX Home system (but I got a $50 discount towards it!), some new yoga accessories, and a couple pieces from this month’s (awesome, tropical printed) Fabletics collection. ACK. At least it wasn’t on a credit card? Note: contains referral link.
3. I am committed to putting the EXACT amount I spent towards paying off a credit balance too (in keeping with my July intentions).
4. We hired someone (who came highly referred from another company we work with) to take out a tree on our side patio. Welp, he never showed up!
5. ERMAGAHD, speaking of roots… I finally got my hair done (and it’s more platinum than ever!).
6. That’s one way to a fountain of youth: Older athletes have a young fitness age {via New York Times}
7. Mark Reagan on Tim Brownson’s site posting about the Laws of Attraction… What universe just exploded? {via A Daring Adventure}

Weekly Therapy: SPORTS and spring and all the things.

- Mel

the week:
Happy First Day of Spring! And Happy International Day of Happiness! And Happy International Macaron Day (freebies at both Jean Marc and Gaby et Jules, by the way). And OMG Gaby et is setting up a location within the new fancy-schmancy grocery store opening in downtown next month). (I’ve had a lot of sugar today, including chocolate-caramel popcorn from Pittsburgh Popcorn Company.)

snakes

Oh yes… it was also my 6-YEAR anniversary this week! We celebrated by going for burgers at Benjamin’s (I drank almost a full bottle of wine, save for the glass that I knocked over and the glass I gave to my neighbor) and went to see Cold War Kids. Ah, blissful normal-ness.

weekend:
OMG does my house need some spring lovin’ (that’ll be me up on a ladder, trying out the new fan blade cleaning trick with a pillow case that I saw on Pinterest!) I also have to tweak the living room layout, clean the wood floors, lay down a new rug, replace my one off-sized window panel, vacuum EVERYTHING… I’m putting the boyfriend to work outside to clean up the courtyard. Because, SPRING!

seven things, seven days:
1. Registered for the Niagara Falls International Marathon in October. Half-excited, half freaking out.
2. Also getting more serious about training now, and signed up for coaching through Steel City Road Runners.
3. And so long as I make it through this year’s longest of long runs, I’m planning for Prague Marathon in 2016.
4. I also now have a mentor through AASP.
5. While we’re on the topic, The Sports Psychology of March Madness. {via Sporting News} FWIW, I’m in the “Sleepers” bracket category at work for only properly guessing 9 out of 16 in the first round. First prize is a free vacation day. GIMME!
6. Designer juice is for assholes. YES, THIS. {via The Financial Diet – add to your blog reader!}
7. The Methodology for Psychology Podcast gets me moving (and smarter!) in the morning. But as the days get nicer, I’ll be walking to work more, and I’m already going through more episodes than there are sunny days. Have any interesting psychology podcasts to recommend?

Weekly Therapy: plan for greatness, but also don’t forget to adapt to reality

- Mel

the week:
Well, I’m glad my two new classes are rolling out slow this week, as I hit my midway point in my Coaching class (and have another paper due this weekend), AND I started my new job on Wednesday. I have a lot of nervous energy, but through my peer coaching sessions, I made some good measurable goals to take me through this transition with (hopefully) little anxiety and a lot of success and openness.

I have to say, I am loving the autonomy and flexibility that comes with this position (no more asking for bathroom or lunch breaks). But holy crap, you guys, I have been EXHAUSTED.

weekend:
I’m excited for a Trigger Point workshop hosted at the new yoga/spinning studio Urban Elements on Federal Street (North Shore) on Saturday — it’s targeted to runners and athletes with and emphasis on myosfascial techniques and work on mobility and flexibility or injury points common with runners.

Then, I’m GETTING MY HAIR DONE! (finally.) It’s also the Super Bowl this weekend, if you’re into that…

52 books in 52 weeks:
#5: Coaching & Mentoring at Work: Developing Effective Practice — my required textbook for my Organizational Coaching class, but finished the book in advance of some intense assignments coming up for the next couple weeks.

seven things, seven days:
1. Snow, YAY! LOTS of snow. Woah.
2. I tried out three different modes of commuting to work this week: car, walking, and bus. It’s certainly a benefit that I have options!
3. Is it silly that the thing that made me most nervous about my first day at work was lunch with my boss because of all my diet restrictions. (edit: it went fine — but of course I had to return my salad when it came out with tomatoes.)
4. LOTS of fancy deluxe-size sample goodies came with my Bergdorf beauty order, and my feminine side is all SQUEE.
5. Received — and LOVE — my new furniture from West Elm. Now I need to get this old couch out of here!
6. Some perspective we all need to consider: How to embrace Plan B {via Carrie Cheadle}
7. As I have been exploring more about the topic of Authenticity, I came across: The Authenticity Paradox {via Harvard Business Review}

Weekly therapy: This is not recess. Everyone is accountable.

- Mel

the week:
Winter semester (and, well, WINTER) is upon us. My first class started on Monday, and in a couple weeks I’ll begin two more. Two semesters to go! Also, this week marks the return to roller derby. Can you believe tryouts are already next week? We held our introductory meeting (in my tiny house!) this week, and I announced my final season and leaving my post as team Captain. I loved our leadership team last season, but I really needed to step down from those responsibilities to maintain extra focus on school and upcoming graduation.

weekend:
Looking forward to the Frigid 5 Miler in North Park this Sunday!

52 books in 52 weeks:
Let’s try this again, shall we?
1. Coaching for Performance: GROWing Human Potential and Purpose by John Whitmore. Recommended/required as part of my Psychology course this semester — yes, I got a head-start on my reading — this book provoked a greater interest in performance as it pertains to organizational coaching through Whitmore’s GROW framework: goals, reality, options, and will — through context of awareness and responsibility.

2. Making Sense of People: Decoding the Mysteries of Personality by Samuel Barondes. It was an quick easy read — with a lot of footnotes and references (almost 100 pages!!!) — but not very instructional in “how” to actually read people. Not required or technical reading by any means, but informational to the novice or “armchair” psychologist. I enjoyed the profiles of Benjamin Franklin and the comparisons of presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama; likewise, the expanding of the Big Five personality traits was engaging (and I followed a link to another personality quiz included in the book). Otherwise, the book left me unsatisfied.

I also started and abandoned two other books because, boring… and WOW are we dead at work right now.

Does anyone else love the movie Less Than Zero as much as me?

seven things, seven days:
1. HOLY SKATE BAG SMELL, sMEL.
2. Surprisingly not very sore after my first derby practice back… and I had to re-test my minimum skills. Won’t take a 90+ day break again!
3. We had two weather-related work delays this week, at two hours a piece. The days did not go any faster, and, well, it’s fricking freezing.
4. I put in my notice at work, by the way. MORE LATER.
5. Because of winter, I finally got to break in my new Sorel boots. These things are legit!
6. The subtle art of not giving a… well, you know. Strong language alert, so likely NSFW. {via Mark Manson}
7. Long-form, interesting and a must-read: Has Technology Killed the Jewelry Industry? {via Pacific Standard}