Inspiring and empowering people to maximize their quality of life in spite of a chronic health condition or a disability

STEPS TO CHANGE

 Issue # 15                                                                                                                  

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      IN THIS ISSUE

 

TRAVELS WITH TRISH

POST-DIAGNOSIS SUPPORT

FEATURE ARTICLE    A Holiday Season    For You 

FEEDBACK FORUM

CHUCKLES TO LIGHTEN YOUR DAY

FR~EE RESOURCES

WORDS TO CONSIDER

ABOUT TRISH

 

A chronic health condition can be a catalyst for personal growth and self-discovery. 

Are you ready to break free of the bindings that are holding you back from discovering your own personal level of optimal health?

 We all have one – no matter what the condition is that ails us.  

I challenge you to want to discover yours!

I take people from an overwhelmed existence to a comfortably paced lifestyle. 

Are you ready for that journey?

Contact me today for a fr~ee sample coaching session and get started on living your maximum life.

TRAVELS WITH TRISH

Are you ready for the holidays yet?  I am.  In attitude anyway...

This year I've decided that our Christmas is going to be about the birth of Christ, NOT all the consumerism that we're meant to get trapped in.   This has been a rough year for Ernest and I financially.  My health insurance ran out (lifetime maximum reached) in April so we've had to pay the $1,600+ per month for my MS medication while I'm waiting for coverage to kick in with our provincial Trillium Drug Program.  What a nightmare it's been!  If you've also had trouble with Trillium, please don't hesitate to email me.   I'd love to hear your story and how you're managing. 

Well, in light of all that, I've decided that I'm not sending greeting cards by post this year (emails instead) and only children are getting gifts.  And you know what?  I'm ok with that.  My comfort level with this reality is clearly attributable to my serenity level.  I know that my Higher Power is at my side and that He's going to help us get through.  There's only so much I can control and the rest, I've given over to Him.

Despite being raised in the Catholic faith, up until a few months ago, I would have described myself as an agnostic when it comes to Jesus Christ.  Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe in God, but had mixed feelings about the concept of Jesus.  That uncertainty has been lifted after having read a book called "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel.  Lee is an investigative reporter, and a self-proclaimed former spiritual skeptic, who set about the task of examining the evidence of Jesus' birth, death and resurrection.  Quite a book, I have to say.  I highly recommend it.  If you're interested, you can use this link to find out more.

On a business note, I want to share a small success with you.  I recently got published online again!  I'm so thrilled!  An online resource called Current Living has posted my article about "de-stressing" the holidays on their website.  In fact, they've put a link right on their Home Page!  Very cool!  If you're interested in reading about ways to lower your stress level this holiday season, click here.

POST-DIAGNOSIS SUPPORT

AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS: WHAT'S NEXT?

Brought to you by 

"My Optimal Health Solutions"

 Over this 8-week intensive, we'll walk through the critical steps necessary to achieve positive and powerful living despite being diagnosed with a chronic illness.  You will:

·                     Have a chance to see that you’re not alone,

·                     Find comfort in the discovery that others have the same difficulties that you do,

·                     Learn about both unique and similar perspectives to your own, 

·                     Decide how you can make the transition from denial to acceptance,

·                     Be invited to approach life in a way that will enable you to transform your outlook from uncertainty to hope,

·                     Create a healthy emotional foundation so that you can shift from reactive to proactive living,

·                     Learn tried and true strategies to be empowered to take control of your life.

This is an opportunity to break down the anxieties and the isolation that are inherent for many who live with chronic illness.

 RESERVE YOUR SPACE!

All sessions are on Monday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 pm (Eastern/NY time)

This series will be limited to ONLY 6 participants so register NOW by emailing postdiagnosis@changingpaces.com with “Sign Me Up” in the subject line OR call 905-967-3014.

The next series will start in MARCH.  Email me today to add your name to the waiting list.

Cost:   A single payment of $149.00 or 2 monthly payments of $79.00 payable by cheque or credit card through PayPal.  That’s less than $20 per session!  It’ll be the best money you’ve ever spent on your health.

If you're ready to move past the trauma of your diagnosis and through the steps to finding your optimal health, then email me NOW and we'll travel that journey together. 

FEATURE ARTICLE

~~ by Dana Marcon, Personal Training & Medical Exercise Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

During the holidays we spend most of our time running to pick up various presents and things that we’d like to get for other individuals.  However, when we stop to consider our health, it becomes apparent that the most important person in our lives is ourselves.  Even though we are the most important person in our own lives we generally neglect and forget to do something for ourselves. It is necessary to spend time giving ourselves something so that we can feel the holiday gift giving feeling.  Here is a list of some quick ideas that you might be able to implement during the next few days to help yourself feel more festive during the holiday season. Taking time for ourselves does help us have more energy. Remember that the holiday season does begin with you.   

• Try not to obsess about eating or exercise; too much of a good thing is not so good after all.  Find balance.

• Plan some down time, time to take a bubble bath, do some reading, get a massage, or sit in a whirlpool.  Time for you to reflect and rejuvenate before the New Year.

• Look at cutting down on your social obligations this year.  Too many obligations make it tough for you to enjoy the pleasure of the holiday season.  Learn to say no with grace. 

• Have you thought of taking a vacation day off and not letting anyone know so that you can just sit around and enjoy the day by yourself? 

• Look for the positive in every encounter.  Holiday spirit comes with the moment.  Remember: positive thinking is a pre-requisite for peace of mind.

• Fitness can be a great gift to give yourself, even during this busy time of year.  

• Release your need to judge and compare yourself to others and reflect on your own accomplishments.

• Have you gone to a good movie lately?  Had a good laugh or cry at one?  Perhaps now  is the time to try and fit one in.

• When was the last time that you played with your children, truly played and didn’t really care what you looked like, what happened, how it went, whether or not it was structured?

• Sit down and feel the warm glow of a fire. 

• Use candles to add ambiance to your holiday season.

As the year-end quickly approaches, now is the time to think of you and do something for yourself. Reflect with pride on all the positive things that you have achieved during this past year. Look forward with eager anticipation to next year!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dana Marcon has successfully owned and operated Kaizen Coaching, and DM Personal Training for over 13 years. In addition to being a professional coach, Dana is also a trained medical and clinical exercise specialist and certified personal trainer.

Combining both practices, she has developed a results-oriented business targeting the mental and physical wellness of clients. With extensive experience in presenting workshops, consulting and writing newspaper articles, Dana has developed a professional and successful approach to positive influence. She can be found on the web at www.danamarcon.com.

FEEDBACK FORUM

Jim Woodbridge, MSc                                                                                                   Woodbridge Unity Process And Emotional Freedom Techniques                              Unity Process Associates                                                                                                 website: www.jimwoodbridge.com

CHUCKLES TO LIGHTEN YOUR DAY

Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride.

With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car. Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Sally.

"What's in the bag?" asked the old woman.

Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, "It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband"

The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said, "Good trade".

FR~EE RESOURCES

Create Your Personal Mission Statement  

"The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about and what you value."                                                                                      

~~ Stephen R. Covey

Use this Mission Builder exercise brought to you by Stephen Covey to add focus, direction and a sense of purpose to your daily decisions.  This wizard will take you step-by-step through the process of creating a unique, personalized Mission Statement to guide your life.  Visit this website and click on the "Go" button.

Are you tired of feeling alone with your health condition? Are you ready to reach out to others who share similar issues? Do you have trouble with the “concept of” or the time or logistics involved with attending a support group in person?  Click here to find out more.

(this event is a $30 per month value – yours FREE)

Are you ready to break free of the bindings that are holding you back from discovering your own personal level of optimal health?  We all have one - no matter what the condition is that ails us. I challenge you to want to discover yours!  Click here to find out more.

WORDS TO CONSIDER

"Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." 

– Raymond Chandler, Writer

"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan." 

– Eleanor Roosevelt

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them." 

– George Bernard Shaw

ABOUT TRISH

Trish Robichaud is a Maximum Life Coach who lives with major depression and multiple sclerosis.  Her passion is helping people to maximize their quality of life in spite of a chronic health condition or a disability.  Through the process of coaching, she takes her clients from an overwhelmed existance to a comfortably-paced lifestyle.  

Trish facilitates TeleClasses and a monthly TeleSupport Group at no charge to participants as well as publishes a free monthly electronic newsletter.  Her services also include Disability Awareness Coaching for organizations through interactive experiential workshops.  

Her background is in business with training and extensive experience in support counseling and life skills facilitation.  Together with her vast experience advocating for people with disabilities, her success with her own personal journey makes her ideally suited to coaching others through their life, health and vocational transitions. She can be found on the web at www.ChangingPaces.com.