Happy Friday everyone and thanks for the Alter Eco Giveaway entries! <–I promise not to be offended if you just scroll to the bottom. 
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve briefly mentioned my coaching program. Today I want to talk a little bit more about it plus provide insight into two more of the activities I’ve been doing to make huge changes in my life + psyche.
At the end February I signed up for Hillary Rubin’s group coaching program, Your Soul’s University. I had been wanting to work with Hillary for quite some time, having met her last June at the Kripalu Center. The price was always a bit out of my reach, especially in the thick of me being injured and riddled with medical bills. But now it was spring and I had been discharged from hand therapy and planning to quit my job and work my biz full time andthe timing just felt right. So I said, count me in girlfriend.
In addition to being a part of the group YSU program, I’m also working with Hillary one-on-one through 12 weeks worth of coaching calls. I’ve completed five of these so far and after each I feel inspired, grounded, energized, and clear. I sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed and ready to take on my day. I’ve gotten more work done at my day job, my profits have practically doubled with the biz, my relationships have improved, and overall I’m feeling more confident and more ready to take whatever is coming next.
That being said, the whole experience has been a frigging roller coaster ride. I know, I know…everyone speaks so highly about coaching programs. Because they work. But they also require you to experience some pretty big growing pains. As Hillary said, “Waking up is hard to do.” In any given day I’ll experience the full range of human emotion. Some days I feel downright schizophrenic, going from pure joy to raging anger to sobbing-in-the-shower sadness.
Luckily, this is part of the process and I’m not going through it alone: Hillary and my YSU sisters are right there with me. Besides trying to live in and fully embody each emotion as it passes through, I’ve experienced a ton of success using the tools Hillary gives just to me during each of our coaching sessions. My pie chart was one of these. Today I’m introducing you to two more: brain dumps and permission statements.
Brain Dump
The idea behind the brain dump is to literally empty your brain of every single thing you have to do. Its like a to-do list on steroids. Don’t believe me? Check out mine for this weekend:
See? What’s good about this is that it follows Parkinson’s Law which states that we will finish tasks in the amount of time we give them. So if I say, “I’m going to be done with this in one hour,” more than likely I’ll finish it in one hour. I’ve very clearly specified the time frame for this Dump. It isn’t a big picture to-do list, but rather my weekend one. And yes celebrating totally counts. 
Now I’m a big list person but honestly, a lot of times its more for show than actual usefulness. What’s different about the brain dump? It includes everything. I break each bigger task, like “Pack,” into its smaller components and include those too. Rather than just having loose goals, I have each one visually represented with all of its parts. I can’t wait to share a snapshot of it after this weekend is over!
I did this last night right before bed in lieu of my regular to-do list creation. Once it was done, my brain felt totally empty and open. <–that’s the point right? And while it looks like a lot, much of it is already scheduled. Momma is coming up today and we’re doing a lot of the packing so she can take a carload home this evening. When we break for lunch I plan on stopping at the post office en-route to the restaurant. All the reservations for my bday celebration are already booked. I have to complete my grocery shopping done before my friend arrives on the commuter rail at 3:15 tomorrow which means I have to have my coupons organized, meals planned, and grocery list made tonight before bed. Etc, etc, etc.
The next time you are feeling overwhelmed or like you just aren’t making progress on your to-do list, I highly suggest trying this exercise. Make it fun…draw bubbles and stars, use pretty paper or colored pens, make it something you want to look at. And then, just do it!
Permission Statements
This was one of the very first exercises Hillary had me do. She describes them as a surfboard to hold me up and steady me as I go through this period of tidal wave change and shifting. And that is exactly what they have been. Whenever I feel myself getting overly anxious or distracted I can use these as a way to get back on track. I know that simply by giving myself permission to let go, to feel through it, to be in the moment, to be committed…I’m lifting my vibration to a higher level and shifting the focus from positive to negative.
“I give myself permission to be committed to myself and whatever I am doing no matter what.” This was a huge one for me so one morning, post-meditation, I grabbed an old eyeliner pencil and went to town. Around my mirror are pictures of family and friends as well as some other mementos that have special meaning to me. Its my upright altar and I can’t wait to transfer it to Baltimore with me. I start each morning with this image and end each day with it. I have a list of other statements written down that I can consult any time I need. And when necessary, I make a new one.
I encourage you to give yourself permission to do something today. Maybe its to be healthy or to be committed or to relax. Whatever it is, say it out loud. Stand up. Dance. Stretch. Shake it out. Lift up your spirit. Recommit and restart. Post it somewhere you’ll see it regularly. Make it fun. Make it your own.
What are you giving yourself permission to do today?
Yoga/beauty/life,
Kait xo
PS If you are interested in working with Hillary you can check out her website at HillaryRubin.com. Be sure to mention I sent you her way! If you want to know more about my experiences, don’t hesitate to contact my using the Contact page above or shooting me an e-mail at kscalisi88{at}hotmail{dot}com. xo
