ActionPodcast

How do you define health? How do you know when you're healthy? In this podcast Chris and Sam challenge you to stop and think about your own approach to maintaining good health. Is health the absence of illness? Or is it maximum energy and vitality? What you believe - both consciously and unconsciously - about your personal health will have a dramatic impact on how you think, behave and respond to health challenges. We all have a core philosophy about what creates, maintains or restores health and for many people their beliefs are a direct result of what their parents pass on to them (...and whose parents parents pass down to them). Or we might follow the general attitudes of our cultures and societies. But is that serving us to live each and every day with sustainable, high levels of vibrancy, energy and action Listen to Sam and Chris debate this important topic and decide which of your own beliefs are worth re-evaluating. Let us know what you think by posting a comment here or on our Facebook page.

If you're someone who struggles to find the right work/life balance, you need to listen to this podcast from Chris and Sam as they identify the root cause and give a simple and effective strategy and tips to address all the issues with work/life balance. The issue of work/life balance isn't a new one, but it isn't an old one either. However it seems to be an increasingly difficult issue to resolve for most people. Changes in technology and immediate access to all the information, entertainment, emails, deadlines, requests and demands has created an environment where work and life are harder to separate. Especially for those who are ambitious and interested in a growing career, the pressures to be 'always on' continue to rise. Does it have to be that way though? Is there a realistic, practical and manageable solution? The answer of course is yes. Listen to these ideas and let us know where you can create new boundaries and find the balance you are seeking. Leave us a comment here or on our Facebook page.    

In this podcast Paul and Sam talk through a number of different issues people have with being absent minded and how they deal with their own forgetfulness as well as their partners!

Guilt trips are usually the result of us being judged by someone who feels we haven't done, agreed with or been what they think we should. The person judging us then makes their disappointment clear in an overt attempt to make us feel guilty for whatever it is they think we've done wrong - and hopefully get us to change our minds. These comments can be very pressurising and, particularly if repeated, can make us feel very uncomfortable or even manipulated. It can be helpful to try and understand why some people attempt to guilt trip us in this way, and then look at some ways we can respond effectively. This great topic comes from one of our listeners, Tamworth, via twitter and includes some examples of how people can lay the guilt trip on thick. Guilt Trippers - Why Do They Throw Guilt? Guilt trippers or guilt throwers may or may not be aware that they are being judgemental in this way, but are even less likely to understand the reasons why they are doing it in the first place. Often, it is an unconscious belief or fear they have, that they are projecting on to us - i.e. it is their issue! It could be that they are unable (or unwilling) to recognise the behaviour they are judging in themselves, so they react strongly when they think they see it in someone else. Or they are simply feeling guilty about something themselves, and are trying to avoid that guilt by pushing it on to us. The fact that they are likely to be unaware of why they are doing it means they are also unlikely to recognise how inappropriate their behaviour and judgement is. So whilst we cannot change or fix them, we can look at a few ways to respond effectively when someone tries to guilt trip us. Tips on How to Respond The first thing to do is to double-check how comfortable you feel with your original decision. A guilt trip can cause us to feel bad if we already have doubts about the decision we made or the reasons for it, but if you definitely feel your decision is the right one for you, then in this podcast Paul and Sam share a few tips on how you can respond to a guilt tripper. Sam and Paul also share some questions to consider if it seems like there are a number of different people who are trying to guilt trip you so that it is starting to feel like a theme... To read the article that inspired a Crucial Conversations style tip, find it here: http://www.crucialskills.com/2012/05/crucial-conversations-for-kids/ Or for more info on Crucial Conversations, visit: http://www.vitalsmarts.com/crucialconversations/ Remember though, that taken a step too far, guilt tripping can be a form of bullying - so if you feel you could be being bullied, please do seek support from an appropriate source like http://www.bullying.co.uk/ (UK) or http://www.stopbullying.gov/ (US).

in adversity, the feelings of helplessness, grief & anger are universal. We feel like victims. But we can find a positive within the pain...

For some people, learning from practice might seem second nature - but the benefits of practising regularly at something go beyond the steady improvement you might expect. The saying that "practice makes perfect" is oft quoted, particularly from hopeful parents to their children; so what does this mean and how can we adopt an everyday action approach that delivers greater-than-anticipated results? What Do We Mean By Learning from Practice? At ActionPodcast we know that regular, consistent action is far more effective (and sustainable) than spikes of intense activity. When we work at something little and often, we start building a set of skills that take us from a state of conscious effort towards automatic ability - the more you repeat something, the easier it becomes. One form of this is described as 'muscle memory' whereby the repetition of a physical action becomes so ingrained that it is easier to do it naturally than to actually stop and think about it first. In this way, practice does make perfect, and the learning of specific things through repetition enhances not just your ability but your confidence too. This is a virtuous circle, because the more confident you become, the more comfortable you feel with pushing your boundaries and the more you enjoy the experience. Learning from Practice Requires Two Ingredients It is these two factors - continuing to enhance your skills (by pushing the boundaries of your ability) and your intrinsic enjoyment of the process - that facilitate the cycle of learning from practice. If you inherently enjoy the action you are taking regularly and you can see a continual improvement in your skills, then you are much more likely to move towards a state of mastery of that experience. Ironically, this suggests that you are starting from a place of inexperience or lack of ability precipitated by either a need or a desire to do something well; and it is this assumption that can make some people feel uncomfortable. The Value of Practising If you are naturally good at something, it can be easy to assume that innate talent will be sufficient. We all have something specific that we find easy to do that others around us struggle with, and that ease can cause us to take it for granted. But when you love something or truly desire to be great at it, even natural ability needs to be honed, directed and nurtured. So for Sam, the effort of working at something she loved - like playing the piano - was a sharp reminder that she wasn't immediately brilliant at it to begin with. Despite the logic of "practice makes perfect", this discomfort led to the question of Why should I work at something difficult when there are plenty of other things I am naturally better at? This perspective devalued Sam's perception of practice, and created a stumbling block that has taken three decades to overcome! Thankfully, a growing awareness and a few sources of inspiration (The Voice - Australia, Britain's Got Talent & her partner) helped her reverse this recently. Join Paul and Sam as they discuss how regular practice honours our ability to learn and master a skill, and boosts our confidence through joyful discipline. Committing to learning from practice of something we truly love - even if we aren't a child prodigy - is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves; and all it could take is a little inspiration and a slight reframing of the concept of practice. What have you always wanted to learn, but never quite been able to commit the time or define a need for? What would inspire you to allow yourself to begin at the beginning, and give it a try?

recognise if you are suffering from learned helplessness and how you can take steps to move out of this self-sabotaging patterning to a place where you can feel more confident, and eventually stop playing the 'small and helpless' game.

Have you ever heard the expression 'focus creates reality'? It's a powerful phrase that describes the fact that what we think about we certainly do attract. So if your focus is on lack of money, lack of love, lack of relationships then that is exactly what you'll attract – more of the same. Chris and Gina discuss effective ways in which we can shift the power in our subconscious minds. And as a result, create a more powerful, fulfilling current reality in which we are consciously focusing on all the things we do want to create in our lives.

Whether you're a fan of Oprah Winfrey or not you have to admire her attempt to break new ground with her live, interactive and global Oprah's Lifeclass: the tour. In this podcast Gina and Chris build on the recent theme of 'What is Your Story?' which was discussed with Oprah and Tony Robbins on stage at Radio City Music Hall in New York. We all create stories in our mind about what we imagine a future experience will be like. Simple things like having an uncomfortable conversation with a colleague, what exercising first thing in the morning would be like, or why our bank account isn't a large as we want. It's our stories, not the facts, that create our feelings...which directly determines the quality and consistency of the action we take. Listen to this podcast to hear practical actions you can take immediately to move forward in spite of your story, and ultimately re-write a more empowering, effective and fulfilling story to live more of the life you want.

If preparing to travel makes you feel so stressed you start to wonder whether going away is worth it, then you've failed the holiday stress test! The idea of a week or two away might sound like a dream come true, but for many of us an approaching holiday signifies a period of major stress: Things seem to get busier at work, and we want to clear any loose ends before we go away; Preparing to travel (incl. packing) requires a lot of planning and organisation; Our health or holiday budgets can become a concern; Arranging care for our pets can be difficult; And even getting the house ready (so that we don't come back to a mess) can wear us out. What can you do if you failed the holiday stress test? Instead of questioning whether your holiday is actually worth all the stress of preparing for it, you can start to explore what causes you to feel most stressed in the lead-up to a trip. Think back to your last few trips - what were the common patterns/issues? You don't want to be left feeling like you need a holiday to recover from the holiday (!), so once you understand what particularly causes your pre-holiday stress a few small changes might make all the difference, allowing you to truly enjoy the holiday you deserve. Could you be adding to your own pre-holiday stress? We can also set unrealistic expectations for ourselves prior to a vacation (this is not the time to do a complete spring clean, or wardrobe clear-out!), or even find that our travelling companion(s) have different approaches to travel preparation that might clash with ours... Listen to this podcast to hear Chris & Sam share some strategies to make the experience easier - so that next time you take the holiday stress-test you'll hopefully get a different result. Here's to stress-free travel!

The terms "Coach" and "Mentor" are often used interchangeably. But what really is the difference, and would you ever need to have a coach and a mentor at the same time?

Staying focused on what really matters can be a challenge at the best of times, with so many distractions either imposed on you, or even created by you.

Reasons why many of us choose to 'go it alone' and discuss the benefits of reaching out to others. It's amazing how often people struggle on their own for too long rather than ask for help

Sometimes getting more done needs a good ol' fashioned To Do List. A clear list of priorities to give us focus, purpose and clarity on where our attention and energy should go. What's more rare - yet equally as powerful - is getting clear, acknowledging and facing up to the things you know you shouldn't do. We all do it: defaulting to checking and continuously refreshing our emails, going to Facebook, or putting our energy in smaller, easier tasks than the more important items that will really give us the results we want. In this podcast, Sam and Chris discuss the simple power of creating a daily "NOT To Do" list to accompany your regular action items. A clear reminder to yourself of the things you shouldn't do since they take away your success, happiness or productivity. Have you tried using a Not To Do List before? If so, let us know how it's worked for you. If not, join Sam and Chris in this week's ActionChallenge and share on our Facebook page what you're NOT going to do each day this week.

 Another great topic suggestion from a listener on our Facebook page: Hi Paul & all, I'd love to hear one of your "water-cooler chats" about Twitter & Facebook & Linkedin & Websites & Blogging and all the other stuff we small business owners are suppose know about. Facebook sometimes (like now :o) seem like a displacement activity for me, while in fact it is where I do most my business :o) But should I be Tweeting? And is it a disaster in this iPhone/Pad age to have a Flash site? (oh the thought of rebuilding my website . . . ) PS. I think Gina should open every episode with a song Have a great week guys Vig Facebook and Twitter the two biggest time drains Facebook is great for keeping up to date with friends and family, as well as brands, TV show, and products that you love. But if you are frustrated by the lack of responses from your status updates, be aware that Facebook automatically filters everyone's feed. Twitter is a fun way to connect with new like minded people. There's a pretty steep learning curve and for a while you might just not "get it". Twitter also have limits on the number of people you can follow so this can be frustrating at times too. It's important to connect with other people in all sorts of ways. Having friends over, meeting people for business, or if you are looking for love then bars, clubs and dating agencies are good too. These are all just different ways of connecting with people, just as online social media is too. But it's certainly not the be all and end all. Having experienced (and been guilty of) having to deal with friends constantly checking their phones for updates, you might have to find new ways to ensure an acceptable use policy! One interesting concept I heard, was for everyone at the table has to put the phone in a stack, in the middle of the table. The first person to remove their phone to check for messages or take a call, gets to pay the bill! Tools to help limit your time on websites and social media MinutesPlease, Control your webtime   http://minutesplease.com/ Limit use of any website with Chrome plug in  Chrome Web Store - Nanny for Google Chrome (TM) Monitor and report on you computer activity  https://www.rescuetime.com/ The best use of LinkedIn and Blogging We didn't get a chance to cover the following during the show:- Linked in is great for networking with other people for business and career related discussions. Some of the best parts of LinkedIn are actually the groups and the Q&A sections. If you're not using them, then you are missing out on a massive part of the LinkedIn community! Blogging is open to everyone and every business. It's a great way of telling a story at your own pace on a subject you feel passionately about. As there are millions of blogs around you're bound to find one on a topic that you're interested in. However sadly it can be a bit of a thankless task as often your posts can seem to go unheard for a long time. Building up a base of readers and earning comments takes a lot of time and commitment, which is why it needs to be on a topic you love talking about, otherwise you'll soon lose interested and quit. Visit us on Twitter or Facebook Oh and if you did want to connect with us on our own social media networks, here are the links Paul on twitter @lifecoach Sam on twitter @CuriosityCoach Chris on twitter @ChrisTheCoach Gina on twitter @LondonLifeCoach You can find us all on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ActionPodcast