BLOG; Thoughts on the business of life and work

Funny side up

11/26/2013

I grew up with very funny brothers. I have a few very funny friends. My children tell funny irreverent stories.

I can’t tell a joke or make a pun, but I am the first to laugh if you deliver a funny one-liner or a good funny story. For me, humor keeps things in perspective and creates bonds between people as they share the “joke”.

After a recent difficult conversation, I was emotionally and physically exhausted. I wanted to make sense of it and took to writing as a way to explain my thoughts to myself. Before long, I was belly laughing and lightened up considerably.

The value of humor (besides being so entertaining!) is how effective it can be in reducing tension. It provides another perspective, uncovering the irony, the nonsensical and the absurdity of life. It also helps us cope with challenging situations and the unwelcome inner dialogues we carry in our heads.

Difficult personal circumstances are not laughable. But when we find a playful way to think about our problems, we have a better chance of clearing up some of our confusions, contradictions and mixed emotions. Using humor to understand and explain various predicaments can be a masterful creative force in reducing the distress and unhappiness we naturally encounter.

When we laugh at ourselves and use humor to view a current problem it:

Offsets our own self-righteousness, arrogance and pride
Releases emotional and physical tension
Gives us more flexibility in our reactions and a larger repertoire of potential interpretations, explanations and alternatives

If somewhere along the way, you lost your sense of humor, I will help you find it.

Keep you posted,

Coach Minda

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ROI that matters

11/18/2013

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I was once known as a star fire-builder, from Lake of the Woods to the Bay of Fundy. They called me "the torch." But I have strong competitors in my family and don't hold this title any more.

Building summer outdoor fires and indoor winter ones, is for me, one of the best time-wasting activities. For me, doing nothing but staring into a fire, listening to the crackling, adding logs and moving embers and hot coals around while time passes, is a great pleasure.

Growing up we were taught that wasting anything - food, water, intelligence, talent, potential, resources - was sinful. I'm sensitive to waste in general and particularly about how I use my time or how my time is used. Time is my highly-valued resource that I take care to spend where I get the greatest return on investment (ROI).

I aim for a high ROI, with time wasting as well as highly productive activities, actions or thoughts. So I ask myself, did the time spent:

energize, excite or stimulate ?
inspire me towards reflection, contemplation or joy?
contribute towards my overall health and feelings of well-being?
release pent up stress and other unpleasant feelings?
offer a new window or perspective on life, a situation or feeling?
supercharge my productivity as a result of any of the above?

While I need to do things each day that don't necessarily meet the above criteria - such as paperwork, bookkeeping or talking to my internet provider - I do aim to indulge in time-wasters with a high personal ROI. Get the benefits you so deserve and need.

What are your favorite time wasters?
If you need coaching on how to improve ROI of your time, contact me: minda.miloff@sympatico.ca

Keep you posted,

Coach Minda

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Come rain or shine, snow or sleet...

11/12/2013

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“Rain or shine, snow or sleet,” I’m proud to say, has been my winter walking motto for years. When friends complain of the cold or nasty weather and turn their backs on a walk, I am quick to make a remark about a lack of inner determination, spirit or hardiness.

Without a car, I walk, use public transport or Communauto - a local car share program. This means that I'm outdoors a lot and need the right combo of clothes to battle the frequent changes in temperature and conditions within a day.

Well, how the zealous fall! As the wind blows colder this November, I can’t stop complaining about:

Being cold
The total effort required to match inner and outer wear, to type of weather and occasion
The layering that weighs me down
The flattening of my hair
How I want to leave and be somewhere warm for the winter

“Your rants on being cold are a bit tiring," my husband remarked. I asked for his patience and said, “I need a few more weeks of griping and then, I’ll have a handle on it."

The idea of granting myself a short-term and time-limited break to work my way up to a more positive state of mind seemed like a smart idea. I wasn't ready to give up whining just yet.

If you need a bit of time to:

Re-direct your energy and find an alternative way to view a problem
Regain a more positive attitude about something you have no control over
Seek out perspectives, insights and observations from another person about a problem
Integrate new points of view into your life
Set aside a “problem or concern” with the hope that it will lose its grip on you
Conceive of and develop a new plan, approach or attitude

I’d say, go for it!
A planned break used wisely can kick-start you back on track, set you straight and give you the wherewithal to make a new choice about how you want to be and feel.

If you feel you’ve been making excuse after excuse about why you can’t do something you want to do, it’s time to take a short term, limited break and regain control over your thoughts.

Keep me posted,

Coach Minda

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Funny side up

ROI that matters

Come rain or shine, snow or sleet...

Coach Minda

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Feel free to call/text 514-791-4506 & email minda.miloff@sympatico.ca to set up next appointment. Sessions can also be over SKYPE or WhatsApp.

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