If you have changed your work environment due to the C-19 pandemic please read on.

Perhaps you are now working mainly from home. Whilst there are benefits to you of this 'where' I am working, such as less commuting time, you may have started to notice some downsides such as sitting for long periods, not taking breaks and working more hours. 

I am working with several individuals just now to help them to adjust their daily habits so that they feel more in control of their thinking and their behaviour.

One lady is working on her eating and exercise habits using a plan that she put together last month with my support. The plan is tailored to her personality and the way she works as well as sugary snack substitutions that she enjoys just as much!

Working from home, albeit often with a virtual communication network can feel lonely and disconnected.

I am working with clients to make small as well as pleasant changes that address the impact of the new working from home model.

Personal development is the best thing that you can do for your wellbeing, helping you to master your psychology and improve your physical health, due to your mind-body connection.

If you would like help and support on your personal development journey, please get in touch in the first instance via enquiries@westofenglandcoachingandcounselling.co.uk, sharing a bit about what you would like to address.

Be Yourself Now

 If you are fed up with being told what to do, this blog is for you.

There are times when being told what to do is necessary, for example the rules we are required to follow with respect to COVID-19. Another example would be to stay within the law. Another to meet the operational needs of a business such as health and safety. In leadership terms this would be the autocratic approach.

Other times, such as being given well meant advice by friends and family, being told what to do can confuse us.

We know that when we are advised the brain actually pushes back and this can be experienced as anything from slight irritation to not listening at all.

Sitting with a professional coach and counsellor you can work on the relationship that you have with yourself, what you are drawn to, what gives you satisfaction, how you are feeling in situations. Reflecting in this way will help you to find solutions for yourself and be more authentic.

Your coach will provide a non-judgmental space  without interjecting, rather listening, completely present, holding the space whilst you reflect on your highs and lows. They will also encourage you and help you to see that setbacks are normal, supporting you through your 3 steps forward and a step back, or two!

My favourite is deep work where we get to equip you with the beliefs and values that will support you to move towards and achieve the outcomes that you want.

If you want to get to know yourself better with the freedom to be yourself, invite yourself to grow and develop by working with me, please get in touch via pam@westofenglandcoachingandcounselling.co.uk and start by telling me a bit about you.

Career Review

If lockdown has created shifts in your thinking about your career then this blog is for you.

Perhaps time spent at home has shifted your priorities and thinking about your existing role and other options.

For example, if home working is a viable option in your career, perhaps you are thinking that you could cast your career net wider in terms of business base. Travelling distance for say one or two days a week may be feasible for you within this home dominating business model.

You may have saved more money than usual due to less travelling and homemade lunches. Could you follow a calling that may pay less than your old role, managing due to lower outgoings?

Lockdown has surpassed the ninety day guideline for how long it takes to change habits. I was reading in the news that approximately sixty percent of Americans will not be returning to their old gym routine, having found cheaper on-line or no cost alternatives such as walking and gardening.

Businesses are likely to be more receptive to home working where this works and can potentially reduce costs through say less building space.

Perhaps you have itchy feet but no calling yet or are unsure where you would be happiest in a career. The majority spend so much time at work so it makes sense that we enjoy it most of the time. Life is short...

At West of England Coaching and Counselling we specialise in career transition. Your coaching and counselling typically begins with a career diagnostic. This is a transformative process, looking at your work personality, skills preferences and values and aligning these with a few career options. If you have never undertaken such an assessment, maybe your time is now.

We also help you with acquiring skills necessary for a career move such as confidence and motivation. Helping you to present your best CV and interview capability is also on offer.

If you would like to know more please get in touch for an initial consultation through enquiries@westofenglandcooachingandcounselling.co.uk.

Think Smarter...

We are all leaders in one context or more. If you want to improve your leadership this blog is for you.

Adair, a leadership guru, argues that "to act is easy, to think is hard, thinking needs to dominate for leadership development and results". How many times have you found yourself acting quickly only to regret it?

When we are told something a new mental map is rarely created and we often experience this as with a threat response. When we think about an issue in depth, we do create a new mental map.

An expert coach will ask you clean, incisive questions not give you brain clouding opinions. An expert coach-mentor will wait until you have exhausted all of your own thinking and asked them for your perspective before giving you advice.

The same experts will provide you with a confidential space where you are not judged, help you to normalise your vulnerabilities and feel less burdened by your anxiety. Your emerging awareness will help you to process your thoughts, explore a number of perspectives and response strategies.

They will both support and challenge you in your pursuit of courageous goals and transformational change including helping you to live the values and beliefs that will help you to achieve what you want.

In essence, talking things out and through in conversation with a coach-mentor expert opens up places in your mind for you to gain more insights and feel more secure.

To find out more about the results that you can achieve with the help of a coach-mentor, get in touch with us through enquiries@westofenglandcoachingandcounselling.co.uk.

Personal Development by Walking

If you like to get the best results you can and stay safe then this post is for you.

Here at West of England Coaching & Counselling we are blessed with stunning outdoor grounds.

Stanford University studies found that 100% of those who walked outdoors were more creative than those sitting indoors.

Dr John Ratey, of Harvard Medical School explains "Exercise is a prime mover of the brain helping it to deal with emotional ups and downs as well as anxiety, tension, stress and help the brain function better. The more we exercise the better our brain gets, the more focused we can be and the smarter we are."

Added Value Benefits to you are

•  You can have silent thinking reflecting solutions finding time as walking slows your pace
•  Without the social pressure of eye contact your thinking can flow uninterrupted and you can gain extra insights
•  The informality of walking is relaxing. Calm, your brain is free to do its best thinking
•  The side by side approach allows you to fall in sync and develop a supported partnership connection with your guide.

Our offices provide the requisite 2m/6ft space between coach and client if you prefer to work indoors or if it is raining hard! We also provide virtual coaching and mentoring and counselling.

To book your initial consultation please get in touch:

enquiries@westofenglandcoachingandcounselling/call Pam on 07712 716602

Self-improvement through lockdown and challenges ahead

This blog is for you if you want to cope better through current and future challenges.

I have pulled together my 5 top tips that will help you to ride the ups and downs in your world.

1. The starting point is to improve your serenity, your calmness. Focus on changing the things that you can and letting go of or accepting the things that you cannot. For example, what personal changes can you achieve, baby steps, this week? One of my clients is spending some of the time she used to spend on social media, on moving! She chooses what this is, dependent on her mood. I like it. Sitting for long periods of time is not good for our health and wellbeing.

2. To help you to cope better what resources can you draw on? Start by identifying people you know who listen well, make you feel good about yourself, help you to organise things and solve problems. Connecting with positive can do people is good for your health and wellbeing.

3. A well-known tool for helping you to be calmer is to put a boundary around worry time. For example, you allocate yourself twenty minutes each day at a set time to worry, say 6-6.20pm. If you find yourself worrying outside of this time you put it to one side in your mind or note it down so that you remember it during the boundary period at the end of which you stop.

4. Giving to others is another good practice feel good/wellbeing practice that self-esteemed individuals use. Giving the gift of time I recommend. It costs nothing and is very rewarding.

5. Create a couple of calm practices in your day that you can do alone. One idea is starting the day with a positive affirmation that calms you, such as "today I will smile and be kind to myself and others". Another idea is to be mindful, just for the day, experiencing what you do through your senses rather than rushing through the day, slowing down.

West of England Coaching and Counselling provides coaching, counselling and mentoring for busy professionals who value the guidance and support of a trusted advisor. You can get in touch via our website www.westofenglandcoachingandcounselling, that gives e mail and telephone details.

Wellbeing, Being Positive ...

During these challenging times, we all need to dig deep. If you are struggling like a lot of people, please read on for some simple suggestions from me for staying sane when things feel out of control.

I like feeling in control as much as the next person. I do become anxious and a bit sad when control seems impossible. Here I share my own strategy which, I am pleased to say, worked well in week one of lockdown...

Firstly I would like to share/remind you of the Serenity Prayer from the wise Reinhold Niebuhr:
"...Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference."

Secondly, the importance of creating your new routine. Routine is good, our brains like it because it involves making less decisions! And don't just take my word for it. Listening to Davina McCall talking about home schooling her three children, she made the point that big brother contestants best able to moderate their mood well into being in a confined space with others, were those with a routine.

We know from research that one of the most positive ways to address depression, anxiety and anger reactions to negative thinking, is exercise. Building some of this into your routine at home, is good for your mental and emotional as well as physical wellbeing. Experts in the field suggest that the best time to move is first thing as it sets you up positively for the day. Find exercises that you enjoy to help you to stay with this.

I have two more daily routine habits that I suggest you build into your day, one for the beginning of the day and one for towards the end.

Start your day with a gratitude list. Yes actually write down things that you are grateful for, ideally in a journal that you can refer back to say at a low ebb. They can be small things such as the sunshine or bigger things such as you being well enough to complete this exercise. Being grateful, like exercise, correlates highly with emotional and mental wellbeing.

Before your head hits the pillow tonight think of at least one thing that you feel positive about from the day such as helping someone that needs it and reflecting on what you enjoyed about it and learnt from it.

I wish you safety and wellness and a positive perspective during these challenging times.

If you would like help and support with your career or life challenges, please get in touch via pam@westofenglandcoachingandcounselling.co.uk, to book your Zoom or standard telephone call.