Thriving Coaches: Have you asked today: Would you like to hire me?

Have you been squirming away from directly asking someone to become your client?

My private clients and coaching colleagues have told me many reasons for not asking.  And yes, I used to use a couple of them myself!

– I don’t want to bother them.
– They’ll ask if they want to work with me.
– I don’t like to sell.
– I shouldn’t have to sell.
– They’ll ask when they’re ready.

All excuses of someone who isn’t committed.

When we are committed, we do what it takes. 

Are you committed to serving this person in front of you?

Are you committed to your financially sustainable and abundant business?  Or, are you trying to be committed without bringing cash in the door?

When you ask the person in front of you if they’d like to become a client, join your program or buy your product, you provide the delicious opportunity for them to commit.  You have asked them for a clear “yes,” “no” or “here’s what I’m considering and here’s by when I will commit to yes or no.” 

They may not yet be comfortable with committing.  They may squirm.  They may be in the process of getting comfortable with discomfort.

And, they may be thrilled that you asked so that they get to be in the process of committing – to a clear and true yes or no.  The clarity and truth of commitment empowers the person who is willing to stand in that clarity and truth.

When you ask, you give the person in front of you a gift – the opportunity to truly self-empower with a clear and true yes or no.  This is not something that is done often.  For most of us, we move through our day making, receiving and accepting half-agreements, excuses, hopes, best guesses and uncommitted, empty promises.

When we commit, it feels entirely different inside us and to the people around us.  Think of a time in your life when you knew you would do whatever it took to make something happen.  Did it happen?  Of course it did.  Because you were committed.

Take a moment now to allow yourself to feel how that commitment, devotion and determination felt inside you.  Imagine your work and life if you felt that way most of the time!  You’d feel like a goddess, a wise woman, an avatar.  Perhaps very accurate, indeed.  

– From my new book, Thriving Work

Thriving Work

As you are creating and discovering your thriving coaching business, where is your commitment?

Would you like to buy my book? 🙂

If you’d like support in committing to your coaching business and to your coaching clients, get a copy of my new book, Thriving Work: 90 days of daily practice for transforming you and your coaching, consulting or healing business.
http://www.annstrong.com/thriving-work-book/

To your thriving coaching business,
Ann

P.S.  I invite you to share your thoughts and insights in the Comments section below.

Spiritual Clarity: Why Gratitude for This?!

Many years ago, I was introduced to the practice of expressing gratitude for everything – all that I considered “good” and all that I considered “bad.”  As best I understood the idea at the time, I was to practice this because I could never truly know if something was good or bad, so why not just trust God and be grateful for everything?

Today, I practice refraining from immediately judging something as “good” or “bad.”  Some days, my practice is more graceful and grateful than others!  

Recently, I’ve started a conscious practice of expressing gratitude for everything.  I acknowledge and affirm that every experience, indeed every moment, offers a fresh opportunity to express my divinity.

Gratitude, Spiritual Growth, Happiness, Best of You, Transformation

Every single moment offers us
the opportunity to express
yet another of the
infinite aspects of our divinity . . .

When something “good” (read: something I think I want) happens, I may express aspects of my divinity such as joy, love, enthusiasm, etc.  When something “bad” (read: something I think I don’t want or that I think shouldn’t be that way) happens, I express other aspects of my divinity such as courage, compassion, patience, etc.

Why express gratitude for the “bad” stuff?  

Because from the perspective of our souls, rather than the perspective of our human personalities, there is no “bad.”  Every human interaction is either love or a distortion of love, a cry for love.  I’d rather consciously choose to bring my kindness, understanding and caring to me and/or to the other person involved in a “bad” interaction than bring my anger, judgment and blame.  If the “bad” situation involves circumstance beyond my control like weather, I’d rather express acceptance, creativity and curiosity rather than rail against what I cannot change.

I don’t always choose from my soul perspective.  That’s why I call this undertaking a practice!  Some days my practice is amazing, like I’ve played a piece on the piano flawlessly.  Other days my practice looks more like I forgot I even have a piano!

And still, I am so energized  by more and more consistently choosing to express my divinity in it’s infinite forms no matter what the circumstances.

In deep gratitude for this practice and sharing it with you, I extend you a Happy Thanksgiving!

As always, I invite you to share your own responses and experiences below.

Conscious Choice: If you focus on mistakes . . .

I’ve been re-reading my own book, Thriving Work, as I am coaching two of my clients through it.  What strikes me when I read a piece that I have already read many times before: in every moment we have the opportunity to consciously choose where we focus.  Yet, so often, I don’t make that choice as consciously as I would like!

Do I focus on my human “mistakes” and limitations or do I focus on living and working from my Divinity?

In each moment, the choice is mine.

Today, I offer you one of the affirmative prayers from the book.  So simply, it keeps my focus in a great place.  Off of me and on Oneness and on the person in front of me . . .

Through Me

Through Me

Oh Great Spirit,

I affirm my ever–increasing awareness of your omnipresence.

I appreciate you always at my side,
Working through my hands,
Speaking through my voice,
Loving through my heart.

I delight with you.
I delight through you.
I delight as you . . .

Fully engaged in life,
Thrilled to be
Your hands,
Your voice,
Your heart.

– Ann Strong
From the book, Thriving Work

What about you?  As you are creating and discovering your thriving coaching business, where is your focus most of the time?  What tools do you use to keep your focus where you’d like it more of the time?

I invite you to share your thoughts and insights in the Comments section below.

To your thriving coaching business,
Ann

P.S. If you’d like 33 of these focused reminders of your Divinity, they are included in the book, Thriving Work: 90 days of daily practice for transforming you and your coaching, consulting or healing business.

Get your copy today:
http://www.annstrong.com/thriving-work-book/