Call Paige Today! 919-948-4772

What Were You Wearing?

By

Ever so often we pause to look ahead, plan for the next few months or year to come and begin setting things in motion to make our goals our reality.  Ever since I was a little girl I have always loved looking ahead and setting my sights on exhilarating adventures for the future. It was always refreshing to let go of the old and embrace the possibilities of something new.

Today though, is different.  As I sit here at the end of one year and the beginning of another in my comfy oversized sweater, favorite jeans, and fuzzy socks, with my computer in my lap, having carved out “me time” from the family, I find myself not at all focused on the possibilities of a new year. Instead my thoughts are on the past year , the toughest year of my life.

In the spring my husband and I decided to put our house on the market and move our whole family (2 kids and a golden retriever) back to my home state of North Carolina. Then, just three weeks after our house went on the market, I was diagnosed with an extremely rare and potentially life-threatening adrenal tumor. At that moment many things in my life came to a screeching halt. I, now, needed to focus my energy and attention on my health. Except for my current coaching clients, I knew I would need to take a step back from my professional work while I addressed this daunting, personal obstacle.

That was hard for me as I thoroughly enjoy being connected to the coaching world and I had several projects I was passionately and intensely working on. Yet, in a matter of weeks I was in my red pajamas at Mass General Hospital preparing for surgery that only a handful of surgeons are trained to perform.  And as if that wasn’t enough, our house went under contract during all this and we had no idea where we were moving.

My surgery went very well and for two weeks into my recovery all was going smoothly. I was returning to my normal self.   Then one week before moving to N.C. my doctor notified me that a test came back that was very “concerning.” Eight more tests were needed and I wouldn’t get the results for 2 months.

Okay, I’ll just say, up to that point, with the amazing support of my family and friends and some serious positive psychology “self talk,” I had been a rock star in dealing with everything that had come my way.  However, after hearing “concerning” and my potential prognosis, in about 2 seconds I went from wearing my rock star pants to being enveloped in a cocoon of both fear and sadness, thinking of how to prepare my children for a life without their mom.

A week later and the last morning in our now-empty house, we were frantically cleaning. My favorite shorts and tank top were covered in dirt and sweat. We had about 20 minutes before meeting the buyers — a young, “showered,” professionally-dressed couple — the realtors and the closing attorneys to sign the papers. Yet, right before we walked out of our house for the last time, instead of freshening up and changing our clothes, my husband and I and our 2 kids walked through each room, holding hands and sharing memories of the past 7 years.  Slowing down to reflect on our past before we stepped out of the door into our highly unknown future allowed us to package those 7 years of our life, the good and the bad, and take them with us with acknowledgement of what we have experienced and appreciation for being at the point we were that day.

After 2 months emotionally snuggled up in my cocoon, helping my kids adjust to a new life in North Carolina, absorbing every moment I had with them and my husband, and with fear pulsating through my body of not seeing my kids grow up, I had finally gotten to a place that I knew my family would be strong enough to thrive without me.

And then I got the call with the best news possible. More in depth testing indicated that I am in the clear. I could finally be that person I was at the beginning of 2013.  I could finally put my rock star pants back on!

But it was hard to find them.

It took awhile to totally absorb and recover from those long months of physical ailments, rollercoaster emotions, making tough decisions, and being a mother when I was feeling more like a child. With each new day, I started to see glimpses of my old self bubble back up.  I could think of the future beyond the next few months.  I could hear myself laugh again. But strangely, I continued to really need the things in my life that made me feel secure, cozy and comfortable like refreshing walks on the beach, snuggling with my kids, hugs from my husband, more baths than I could count, long talks with family and friends and of course my  favorite pair of jeans, baggy sweater and fuzzy socks.

This year, unlike any other year, I have spent a lot of time thinking back on 2013. How I started off strong, how I was reaching my personal, business and health goals, how everything stopped dead in its tracks, how weak and vulnerable I felt at times, how fearful I felt for my future and the future of my family, how hard it was at times to keep my head up, and how I learned that I could handle the worst year of my life.

Before opening the door and stepping into your future, take some time to reflect back on your past year. Allow yourself to acknowledge your strength in making tough decisions in difficult situations, your courage in standing up for what you believed in even though you felt alone, your compassion in hugging yourself when you needed hugs, your sense of humor in laughing at yourself when you tripped, your bravery in stepping into the unknown even though you were scared, your humbleness in allowing yourself to lean on your family and friends when you needed support, and your perseverance in continuing to push forward in what it is that makes your life worth living.  Whether things have gone the way you planned or not, think about what it took for you to make it to this day.

And suddenly we realize, through it all, our rock star pants were on the entire time.

New Adventures, here we come!

Paige

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE?
Great! Just include this entire blurb along with it:
Paige Ritchie is an Advocate and Mentor to Women and Men who are Embracing the Possibilities of their Lives. She helps people find the courage and confidence to clarify ambitions and accelerate personal growth through individual business coaching, life coaching, tele-group coaching, workshops and retreats. She lives in North Carolina and works with people, nationally. If you are ready to “Embrace the Possibilities” of your life, you can contact Paige at https://paigeritchie.com.

Let “You” come first today!

By

Ahhh! You like the sound of that, right! I do. Today is the first day I’m sitting quietly in my house as both my kids are back in school. For so many of us, this time of year is when all of the wonderful ideas we have put on hold in order to embrace the beautiful, carefree months of summer start bubbling back into our minds.

Sounds like a peaceful place to be if only the little spurts of butterflies (aka: anxiety) would go away. This is also the time that we start acting on all our wonderful ideas. Afterall we did tell ourselves that at the end of the summer we would get it together and make those fantastic ideas happen. I can feel my heart kick it up a few extra beats.

As my 5 y.o. son would say, “Settle down, settle down.”

So now what. How do you make your ideas happen without going into a panic attack or feeling overwhelmed before you even get started? Here are some tips on how to enjoy “the most wonderful time of year.”

1. Remember why you came up with your idea. How does your idea balance your life?

2. Start a simple daily ritual that brings you inspiration and commit to it no matter what gets in the way.

3. Think small. Take time for yourself today to think about your first step (or next step) forward as a small step on your authentic journey.

4. Surround yourself with people who inspire you.

5. And yes, let YOU come first. Embrace who you are. Your thoughts and your desires. The world will be a better place with your light shining in it. Don’t hold back.

Enjoy yourself!

Paige

Embrace Your Inner Knowing

By

Have you ever had that feeling that you know there is more inside of you? That you have more to offer, more to experience, ultimately that there is a better “you” tucked away somewhere? That “inner knowing” can be exactly what we need to kick-start a process of change and growth in our lives. For many reasons, I love this inner knowing because it has a deep-rooted element of hope. Hope for a tomorrow filled with passion and fulfillment.

When we have hope the door opens for us to be excited of what could be. We get excited about the possibilities of our future. Have you ever thought about:

  • Owning your own business
  • Being the CEO of an organization
  • Traveling to Africa
  • Writing a book
  • Taking scuba diving lessons
  • Changing jobs or careers

These thoughts give us excitement of what our future holds as well as very key information of how we want to grow.

Another feeling that pops up is a sense of personal empowerment in knowing that deep (sometimes really, really deep) inside, you know you’ve got what it takes to make your life great. This personal empowerment doesn’t always show up when we are thinking of our personal desires, though. I notice it more in situations where it is up to me to make something happen for someone else. You see a need or desire and you figure out how to solve it. You know the times you’ve done things like organizing a community fundraiser for a family in need, having the speed and agility of an Olympic athlete to save a toddler before they fall off a rock, finding the money in your budget to buy your spouse a special gift, or working 60 hours a week to complete a project at work.  When we feel that something can be better, we get excited and empowered to make a difference! It’s awesome! We have a purpose and we kick it into gear!

It isn’t always that simple, though, especially when that inner knowing is about your own personal desires and needs. This is when fear sets in, questions bubble up and suddenly that “inner knowing” doesn’t know so much. We start experiencing fear of not knowing how to begin, what direction to take or what the heck is that feeling telling you, anyway. How would this change your lifestyle and routine? What sacrifices would have to be made? We’ve all had the fears of feeling inadequate, looking silly for trying, and the possibility of failing. And then…we get stuck.

Over the last year and a half of staring my own coaching business and taking courses for my Life Coaching certification, I have cycled through all these feelings, sitting longer in some feelings than others at different times. Which brings me (finally, right?) to today’s blog and the core of my coaching: Embrace.  When we embrace that inner knowing that there is something more powerful and authentic wanting to come out, when we allow that “knowing” (along with the unknowing) to be there, the answers bubble up, we have our Aha moments, our perspectives change and we make positive transformations in ourselves. And by doing this we open the doors, widely, for our loved ones and everyone around us to do the same.

This is a kick-off for all of us! Empowering each other to listen to our own inner voice, be comfortable being uncomfortable, open your doors, and allow the answers (and questions) to come in. Believe me, as your answers come, you will find the strength to follow them.

Thank you for following my blog, Actively Embrace, as I continue to grow in coaching you to “embrace the possibilities of your life!” As we enjoy our journeys together, please encourage everyone around you to embrace their best, too. Imagine what can happen!

Paige
Certified Life Coach

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE?
Great! Just include this entire blurb along with it:
Paige Ritchie is an Advocate and Mentor to Women and Men who are Embracing the Possibilities of their Life. She helps people find the courage and confidence to clarify ambitions and accelerate personal growth through personal life coaching, tele-group coaching and life coaching workshops and retreats. Paige lives in Rhode Island and works with people, nationally. If you are ready to “Embrace the Possibilities” of your life, you can contact Paige at https://paigeritchie.com.

TO SEE MORE ARTICLES BY PAIGE GO TO:
paigeritchie.com/blog/