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September 2005 eNewsletter
Live Your Greatest Life’ eNewsletter is written by Margie Warrell, a Life Coach, speaker and writer who is passionate about empowering people to live lives they love.
 The kids are back at a new school, I’m in a new home, surrounded by new people and visiting new places in my new home state of Virginia. Needless to say there has been plenty of change going on in my neck of the woods over the last few months (and hence why this newsletter hasn’t been arriving in your inbox for a while).
Given all this change I’ve decided to focus on just that in this month’s newsletter. You see change is part of life and even if you haven’t had to relocate home in the last couple months I’m sure you’ve had to experience change in some shape or form.
I hope my words will help you to muster up your courage to make whatever changes you have been putting off in the areas of your life you aren't really happy with. Enjoy!
What Changes Are You Avoiding In Your Life?
Change is a constant in our lives and yet so often we resist it. As human beings we are wired to avoid change because any type of change, even change for the better, involves a level of discomfort in some shape or form. The whole concept of comfort zones evolved to explain the hedonistic psychological drive in all of us to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Comfort zones – characterized by the familiar, the known, the predictable – are where we risk little except, of course, our spirits deepest fulfillment. Change, by its very nature, requires us to step beyond our comfort zone and let go of something we’ve become familiar with – whether it be a the structure of our company, a relationship, a routine, a neighborhood or a physical environment in which we’ve lived or worked – and adapt to something new, something unfamiliar.
As someone who has moved around a lot over the last decade and had four children along the way, I know all too well that change can no only be uncomfortable but it can be inconvenient and, at times, quite overwhelming (as every new mother will tell you). However I also know that unless you are willing to embrace change in your life you will miss the opportunities your ever changing environment presents to you and will be unable to create for yourself a life you really enjoy living.
Perhaps you are someone who feels very averse to change. A ‘creature of habit’ you call yourself. That is all fine and good. But if your aversion to change has left you unwilling to address the areas of your life you don’t feel good about and fulfill your own unique potential then it is coming at a cost to you. In my experience when people choose to avoid change – even positive change – it because they doubt their ability to take on the challenges that change will bring. Fear keeps them stuck and resigned to the status quo.
Is there something you do feel not completely great about in any of these aspects of your life?
Ø Your relationships
Ø Your home and work environment
Ø Your career (or lack thereof)
Ø Your health and general sense of well being
Ø Your finances
Ø Your sense of community
Ø Your recreation/leisure time
Ø Your life in general!
What would need to change to bring into your life more of what you wanted and less of what you didn’t in whichever areas you feel dissatisfied with? People who achieve true success in their professional and personal lives are those who view change not as something that is ‘bad’ and to be avoided but as something that is necessary if they are move forward toward the goals that inspire them. They don’t resist. They embrace.
Likewise the only way you can ever have the life you’d really love to live is by proactively going out and making whatever changes need to be made. But what’s that you say? You feel scared, daunted even? Well of course you do… you’re human! No-one is born immune to fear and self doubt. We all experience it. Likewise, no one is born with an absence of courage. Courage lies within each of us and is not an absence of fear but action in spite of it. So whatever changes you have been putting off know you are capable of taking on much more than you have been giving yourself credit for. Stop underestimating yourself!
Sure your life right now might be relatively easy and ‘comfortable’ but that doesn’t mean it is truly rich in the stuff that makes it truly rewarding and meaningful. Upgrading your experience of being alive in the world requires willingness to continual personal growth. Growth does not occur in comfort zones. In fact the only way you can grow into your full potential is by stretching yourself a little now and then, and as you do, leaving behind the old in order to experience the new. When you approach change with the right attitude you will become much more confident in your ability to handle life’s challenges and to take on bigger, more exciting challenges that really inspire you.
Today I encourage you to take one small action toward addressing something you feel dissatisfied with. It may require a change to your daily routine, who you hang out with, your commitments, your eating habits, your spending habits or to your willingness to have conversation that you’ve long been putting off… whatever! The most important thing is to step into action and as you do remember that you really are much much more capable and courageous than you think you are!
If you would like some help in stepping into action toward a goal that inspires you please read my October 2003 newsletter Getting Past Your Fears & Into Action located in the resources section of my website.
“Who moved my cheese?” by Dr Spencer Johnson.
This is a easy to read book written in parable form with cheese as the metaphor for what you want to have in life. It will help you learn how to adapt to change and embrace it in every aspect of your life.
Margie is available to do key-notes and workshops in your organization or association. Please contact her for a summary of her key speaking topics. For speaking testimonials please visit www.margiewarrell.com.
Margie's forthcoming speaking engagements:
Thursday September 29th
Southern Methodist University
“COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS: Speaking up about the things that get you down”.
This seminar will empower you to mast life’s ‘difficult conversations’ to further your career and increase confidence as you build stronger professional and personal relationships. It will involve interactive discussions and demonstrations will provide practice in managing emotions with ease, speaking your truth, dealing with awkward silences, listening powerfully and saying ‘no’ graciously.
Thursday September 29th 6.30-9.30pm, SMU Plano Campus.
To register or get information: phone 214-SMU-THINK or www.think.smu.edu
Junior League,
Northern Virginia Junior League
October 6th
American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) National Leadership Convention
“Success Is A Balancing Act” and “Talk is cheap until… - 9 Keys to Mastering Difficult Conversations” November 12th, Gaylord Texan, Grapevine, Texas. Further Information: www.abwa.org
For more information about Margie Warrell and her speaking and coaching services, please click here, or visit the Web site at http://www.margiewarrell.com.
You can also contact Margie at coaching@margiewarrell.com or phone (214) 686 4155 | 
