Welcome to the Te Ara Blog. Here, you will find a selection of short stories and opinion pieces. Some will relate to coaching, most will touch on the topic of personal and/or professional development, and all will reflect my inner thoughts and essence.
In addition, I plan to invite guest coaches to contribute to this page.
If you have any thoughts or feedback, if you have a different opinion and would like to start a discussion, please share them as I’d love to hear what you think.
Blog
Purpose and Meaning – what are yours?
Purpose and Meaning - What is yours? Do you have a sense of purpose –do you know what it is you were put on this planet to achieve, to become? This is a question that I didn’t even think to ask myself until a few years ago, during my recovery from depression. I realised that knowing why I am, was important for my recovery. To be authentic and true to myself and to live in a way that respected [...]
External Accountability
External Accountability I announced to my friends that I am doing the “20 by 20” challenge this year – to achieve 20 meaningful goals by the start of 2020. I felt excited and happy as I said this … until they asked me what 20 goals I intended to achieve. At this point, I felt my heart flutter with nervousness – I hadn’t really thought through that part of the challenge yet. This may sound odd to you, [...]
Making choices: Why do we find it so challenging?
Making choices: Why do we find it so challenging? I originally wrote this piece in my journal, long-hand. I let the words flow from my pen, and was so fascinated by the story that emerged, I decided to type it up and reproduce it for you today. Dear Journal I’ve changed my pen today, putting down my green/gold Cross pen to write instead with my red/silver Cross pen. You may argue that it's not much of the change [...]
Are You Fit For Purpose Today?
Are You Fit For Purpose Today? NLP teaches us that the person with the greatest flexibility [in their beliefs, thoughts, behaviour and expectations] is most likely to “control the system”. And yet, we see ourselves as having a fixed identity which is separate from and independent of the environment and the relationships we are in at that time - I am who I am. In reality, we are shaped by each and every situation we find ourselves in. [...]
Listening – A True Art
Listening - A True Art A colleague reminded me the other day, we spend more time listening to reply than we do to understand. I agreed eagerly. And then thought again. Whether I listen to reply or listen to understand, my attention is on me and not the person that I am, in theory, listening to. Shouldn’t the speaker, from now own referred to as the thinker, be the focus of my attention? When I listen with a [...]
The Sound of Silence
The Sound of Silence I am a member of an amateur writers group and this flash prose was written in response to our April monthly challenge: Write 500 words inspired by Disturbed's cover version of The Sound of Silence. I recommend that you listen to the music, watch the video - they are amongst the most powerful I've heard/seen in recent years - and amongst the most surprising. ************* The Sound of Silence... an oxymoron, surely. Silence is the [...]