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Inspiring and empowering people to maximize their quality of life in spite of a chronic health condition or a disability |
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STEPS TO CHANGE |
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Issue # 11 May 2005 |
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This ezine is 100% opt-in. You are receiving it because you subscribed but may cancel by using the link at the end of this message. |
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IN THIS ISSUE |
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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.
Contact me today for a fr~ee sample coaching session and get started on living your maximum life. |
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TRAVELS WITH TRISH |
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April was a VERY busy month for my new colleague, Marg Gaukel and I. We facilitated Disability Sensitivity Training for the municipal staff of the Town of Georgina; training almost 140 people during 7 workshops over the course of 4 weeks. What a wonderful experience! The staff were open-minded and participated enthusiastically. Marg and I feel fortunate to be able to advocate for people with disabilities, helping to see that they're accommodated as well as treated with dignity and respect. If you know of an organization that would be interested in having this workshop facilitated for their staff or volunteers, please don't hesitate to contact me. We'd love to spread the word far and wide! I hope you're enjoying the beautiful spring weather we're having. I know I am. Here in south-central Ontario the daffodils are in bloom and the trees are budding nicely. I usually enjoy a burst of spring energy with this season but this year I'm laying low with an MS relapse at present. The prednisone is helping to bring me back to baseline but I hope I can manage to get there without "ripping someone's head off"! Ernest has been dodging me well. He knows the drill! <grin> We had a really great time last weekend out near Montreal. His sister Cecile and her husband Paul celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows. It was a beautiful church service complete with a pretty little ring-bearer in a white flowing gown. Cecile was quite a sight in her white, hand-crafted wedding gown trimmed with ruffles, lace and beading. Paul was beaming as he laid eyes on her and the hankie was right at hand. What an inspiration! 50 years of love and friendship. We should all be so blessed. To those of you who subscribed to my newsletter just recently: Welcome to my readership! I truly appreciate your interest. Till next time, take care and God bless. ~~ Trish :-) trish@changingpaces.com ~~ 905-967-3014 ~~ www.ChangingPaces.com |
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FEATURE ARTICLE |
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POWERFUL STRATEGIES FOR MAXIMIZING
REMISSION
Webster’s dictionary describes remission as a “lessoning of symptoms”. For those of us with a chronic health condition, remission may be described as a state that brings a feeling of “normalcy”. What is “normal” anyway? It’s one of those words that means something different for each one of us. For many, being in remission means that we’re not currently affected by the “acuteness” of our condition. We may still experience fatigue or brain-fog from time to time or the symptoms of residual damage from previous attacks but for the most part, life is good, considering. Here are some tell-tale signs that your condition may be in or going into a remission:
Here are some strategies you can use to maximize your body’s ability to maintain remission or perhaps even alleviate an attack or relapse:
In the beginning with our illness, it seems as though remissions and attacks are totally unpredictable and beyond our control. With experience and a deeper sense of self-awareness however we learn that in spite of having an “incurable” condition, we do have a great deal of control over our health; especially over our general well being and our mental health. |
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FEEDBACK FORUM |
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"Coaching has made a huge
impact. I feel much more focused in my life. I am so much more aware
of the choices I make and of how much I am accomplishing, even when it seems
to me that I am spinning my wheels. I’ve learned to look at every problem
and conflict as a possibility for growth and change. I enjoyed having
someone to talk to and to put things that may seem overwhelming into
perspective as well as having someone to offer an outside view and qualified
suggestions for change. It is also so helpful to have someone to be
accountable to. I've been totally happy with the experience."
Tamara Ward is a Website Designer (www.wildbutterfly.net), Singer and Theatrical Producer who lives successfully with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) |
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CHUCKLES TO LIGHTEN YOUR DAY |
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THE WASH CLOTH
Mary-Jane was due for an appointment with the gynecologist later in the week. Early one morning, she received a call from the doctor's office to tell her that she'd been rescheduled for that morning at 9:30 am. She had only just packed everyone off to work and school, and it was already around 8:45 am. The trip to his office took about 35 minutes, so she didn't have time to spare. As most women do, she liked to take a little extra effort over hygiene when making such visits, but this time she wasn't going to be able to make the full effort. So, Mary-Jane rushed upstairs, threw off her pajamas, wet the washcloth that was sitting next to the sink, and gave herself a quick wash in "that area" to make sure she was at least presentable. She threw the washcloth in the clothes basket, donned some clothes, hopped into the car and raced to her appointment. She was in the waiting room for only a few minutes when she was called in. Knowing the procedure well, she hopped up on the table, looked over at the other side of the room and pretended she was in Paris or some other place a million miles away. Mary-Jane was a little surprised when the doctor said "My, we have made an extra effort this morning, haven't we?" Feeling a little uncomfortable, She didn't respond. After the appointment, she heaved a sigh of relief and went home. The rest of the day was normal... some shopping, cleaning, cooking, etc. After school when her 6 year old daughter was playing, she called out from the bathroom, "Mommy, where's my washcloth?" Mary-Jane told her to get another one from the cupboard. Her daughter replied, "No, I need the one that was here by the sink, it had all my glitter and sparkles saved inside it." |
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FR~EE RESOURCES |
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TeleSupport
Group
Support
for People with a Chronic Health Condition
(membership
is a $10 per month value – yours FREE)
What's
a TeleSupport Group? Glad you asked that! It's like an in-person support group meeting in that there is a facilitator (me) and there'll be participants (yes, hopefully you) and we'll be getting together to share the challenges and successes we've experienced living with a chronic health condition. The differences are that you don’t have to leave your house, you don’t have to drive to some distant location and you don’t even have to get dressed! How
do I join? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TeleClass
Essential
Elements of Living Well with Chronic Illness
A multi-part series - content changes every other month(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! Class
Description: Over the course of one hour we'll explore 3 great strategies that you can incorporate into your life right away that will help you live well with chronic illness. The key messages that you'll take away with you will include the ABC's for finally taking control. Class notes will be provided by email following the session. How
do I register for the class? Call me today at 905-967-3014 or email me, provide me with your first name only and I’ll provide you with the bridgeline to join us for the next class. I hope you can be with us for this interactive event. Contact me today - you'll be glad you did! |
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WORDS TO CONSIDER |
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“Imagination is more important
than knowledge”
– Albert Einstein “Even if you’re
on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit
there.”
– Will Rogers "Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it." – Mark Twain |
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ABOUT TRISH |
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Trish
Robichaud is a Maximum Life Coach living with multiple sclerosis
and major
depression.
She's grateful to have been blessed
with a God-given, instinctive ability for seeing assets in people and
then reflecting those assets back to them. This enables her clients to
confidently reach for and unleash their full potential.
She
facilitates TeleClasses and a monthly TeleSupport Group at no charge
to participants as well as publishes a free monthly electronic
newsletter. Her background is in
business with training in supportive counseling and life skills
facilitation.
Together
with her experience advocating for people with disabilities, this
makes her ideally suited to coaching others through their life and
vocational transitions. She can be found on the web at
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Copyright
© 2003-2005 Trish Robichaud, All rights reserved |
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