no dead ends: the blogbloghttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/2013-01-23T21:17:00ZSquarespacea winter retreat to warm your hearthttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/a-winter-retreat-to-warm-your-heart.htmlThe Next Step2013-01-23T21:08:48Z2013-01-23T21:08:48Z 

YOU ARE INVITED!

Friday, February 15, 2013

8:30am - 4:30 pm

Timberlake Earth Sanctuary

Whitsett, NC

 

 

]]>Happy Thanksgiving!http://thenextstepihc.com/blog/happy-thanksgiving-1.htmlThe Next Step2012-11-21T15:38:48Z2012-11-21T15:38:48Z 

 

 

 

Better to shower the people you love with love

                        Show them the way that you feel  

                           Things are gonna be just fine if you only will                                             

]]>toastmastershttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/toastmasters.htmlThe Next Step2012-03-21T17:41:48Z2012-03-21T17:41:48Z

 TOASTMASTERS?!!!   

Usually, when I mention Toastmasters,  I receive one of three responses,

1 - no reply

2 - what's that?!

3 - ain't no way

I suppose I'm one of the rare people who actually chose to join Toastmasters because I want to and I enjoy it!!  Toastmasters is described as a "non-profit organization developing public speaking and leadership skills through practice and feedback in local clubs since 1924." 

Mostly, Toastmasters presents itself as a challenging, but very rewarding, opportunity.  The first challenge is walking through the door!!   The second challenge is jumping in!  You have to participate, and through participation, you will improve both personally and professionally.

An added bonus is we have FUN.  We work hard but we laugh & we encourage each other to go from good to great. 

Think about visiting....Speakerpreneur Toastmasters, 2nd & 4th Thursdays of every month, Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship, 2007 Yanceyville St, Greensboro, NC  27405.

]]>for my tribe, with gratitudehttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/for-my-tribe-with-gratitude.htmlThe Next Step2012-03-08T03:26:20Z2012-03-08T03:26:20Z

]]>overcoming obstacles with passionhttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/overcoming-obstacles-with-passion.htmlThe Next Step2011-07-31T19:47:55Z2011-07-31T19:47:55Z

no words are needed.....

]]>stuckhttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/stuck.htmlThe Next Step2011-05-17T15:05:37Z2011-05-17T15:05:37Zthinking about things that get STUCK.

like....peanut butter on the roof of my mouth.  that happens when i take too big of a bite, or just get in a hurry to be done with it.

or a shirt getting stuck over my head because either i get bigger or the shirt got smaller or maybe i just got too big-headed about something!!

or trying to decide between doing this or doing that and actually doing neither.

through coaching, we realize that stuck is all of the above plus more; stuck is a very strong feeling of no choice or at least not a choice we favor!  sometimes it's a question mark of how to break down what appears to be just too much to handle.  being stuck can protect us, but it also limits.

so why the photo of a wide-open sky and a blog called STUCK?

because when we are un-stuck, POSSIBILITIES for us are wide-open.....

 

]]>gratitudehttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/gratitude.htmlThe Next Step2011-05-08T18:32:53Z2011-05-08T18:32:53Z

  

     today, i asked my children, "what is gratitude?"  the replies included,  "i don't know; i have no idea; i'm not sure; and i think it's glad plus your attitude."  funny!

seems as if gratitude is a  tricky thing.  when life is smooth and fairly well-balanced, we aren't always grateful.  maybe it's so easy, we forget to be thankful.  maybe we just pat ourselves on the back and consider how wonderful we are!  the flip?  when life is challenging, we go into "stinking thinking" mode and nothing seems quite good enough.  we can't see the good because we're consumed with the bad.

there must be some magical middle ground....i'm thinking to be really effective, gratitude must be a daily, moment-by-moment practice. 

 

     send me your thoughts!!

 

recently, i met a lady who has me thinking of gratitude.  Corliss McGinty, President of Soft Solutions Consulting, is a transformational corporate coach in the Triad area.  Among other reasons, she is a successful businesswoman due to her "people skills."  Corliss is a firm believer in a "let's share coffee" connection versus a virtual hello.  She has invited me to partner with her during two speaking engagements, one being the Women's Leadership Summit sponsored by the Junior League of Greensboro, and the second being a Women's Wellness luncheon sponsored by the Bank of Oak Ridge.  Corliss has also connected me with several other highly-skilled coaches in the Triad area.  Perhaps most important, she takes time to listen and believe.

Corliss has a quick smile, a deep heart, a passion for happiness for herself and others, and an authenticity that is refreshing!!  what's not to love about a girl in cowboy boots?!

it is, with grattude, from this blog forward, you will read the ending....

with gratitude,

susan

                                                                                                  

]]>daffodilshttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/daffodils.htmlThe Next Step2011-03-09T03:13:39Z2011-03-09T03:13:39Z 

We're going...the long way, by way of the daffodils....

You will never forgive yourself if you miss the experience....

each took a child's hand and followed down the path....

Before me lay the most glorious sight, it looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it down over the mountain peak and slopes.

 

But who has done this?

50,000 bulbs.

One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and very little brain.

Began in 1958.

 

The above is a small excerpt from The Daffodil Principle.  Perhaps enough to spark an interest?

There is so much to learn from the story!  As an Integrative Health Coach, my hope is you will read The Daffodil Principle and be moved to live a richer, fuller life.  Get your hands dirty, little by little, enjoy traveling "the long way," hold someone' s hand as you travel, and deeply feel the richness of simplicity all around you every day!

Wishing you daffodils!

 

 

  

]]>Women's Resource Center of Greensboro - New Choiceshttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/womens-resource-center-of-greensboro-new-choices.htmlThe Next Step2010-11-15T04:10:00Z2010-11-15T04:10:00Z      

In November 2009, after much-needed encouragement from a dear friend, I applied & was accepted into the New Choices program at the Women's Resource Center in Greensboro.  Listen to the content of the video & you'll understand the focus of the program.  You'll also understand the most difficult part of the class is walking through the door the first time.  From that point forward, we, as ladies, are home.  No matter how challenging it is to re-write a résumé, or discover deeper layers of ourselves, or learn about transferable skills, or survive mock interviews, Susan Ball & her colleagues & the many volunteers support & encourage & teach.

In Integrative Health Coaching, there is a mantra....

     Deepen the learning, forward the action.

I believe the same applies to the Women's Resource Center & the gift they give to women in this community.  I am forever thankful for what I learned & what I continue to learn from my involvement at the Center.

]]>Perfect Dayhttp://thenextstepihc.com/blog/perfect-day.htmlThe Next Step2010-10-28T10:15:42Z2010-10-28T10:15:42Zhave an average day?  are you kidding?!

i can understand the importance of accepting an "average" day and treating myself gently when things don't go as planned.  often, we just get part of the way through our plan or maybe we complete our list but not quite to the level that we desire.  it's easy to beat up ourselves if we think we're only average.

my challenge to the acceptance of an average day is to consider a PERFECT day.

why not?

consider these lyrics:

"it was the perfect day
what i'd give if i could find a way to stay
lost in this moment now
ain't worried about tomorrow
when you're busy livin in a perfect day."

click here for more...

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