Christine Laureano - Coach In The Moment  

The holidays can be very stress-filled, if you let it. You choose how you want to react to the stress trigger that you may face.

So, how do you handle the stress? Start from STRENGTH. Yep, find something that you love about the holidays - it can be a memory triggered by the aromas around you. When you start from a strong, positive place it's hard to feel bad. Next, get very clear on how you want your holidays ( or the lead up to the holidays) to look. Create a vision of what it looks like. Visualizing is a very powerful tool in creating what you want in you life. Then get very clear on what the stress triggers are for you.When you know, you can change how you react. If you have to, dig deep in order to create new ways for you to respond. Kick the old habits and limiting beliefs. Finally - Take ACTION. You can only change things by taking clear, defined actions.

Also, here is my Top 10 Steps for a Stress-Free and Joy-filled Holiday

1. If it's out of your control - LET IT GO!

2. Shop during the off times. You get more done is less time and ecnounter friendly (not surly) sales people.

3. Give yourself a holiday shopping time limit - so you don't hit mall overload.

4. Take regular breaks to avoid overload.

5. Down time! We all need it. Take a little extra downtime to reorganize and re-energize.

6. Smile at people you pass. Y ou could just help de-stress their holidays!

7. Stress-free your wallet by giving something from your heart.

8. Do something to get into the holiday spirit. How about Christmas Caroling?

9, Keep up with your meditations. 5 minutes is enough to reconnect.

10. Go out and PLAY! Have a snowball fight, make snow angels and just be a kids for a few minutes.

HAVE A HAPPY, Stress-Free and Joy-Filled Holiday!

Don't let the holidays get the best of you. Let the best of you shine! Let's talk about the ways to stay up during the holdays and how to handle the stress of the season. Plus - I'll give you my Top 10 Tips for Staying Stress-free and Joy-filled during the Holidays.

I know this time of year can be really tough when it comes to grief. It's not a dirty word, it's just that no one wants to talk about it. In fact, it's very necessary to talk about grief because it supports in healing!!

So, let me share with you the process I use in my Up From Grief Coaching.

1) Feel - yes, it's very important to run the gammut of feelings
                   Anger
                   Loss
                   Loneliness
                   Sadness

2) Acknowledge your feelings and your loss. Sounds basic but, we don't let ourselves go there. We feel that we have to hide our feelings so we won't make other people feel bad.
It is soooo important to fully acknowledge all of your feelings. Where ever you are right now in your feelings is exactly the place you are supposed to be in.


3) You have a CHOICE!  Stay in grief or heal and move forward.

* If you notice you are staying stuck in a feeling or feel as if you are spiraling downward into depression, please seek the help of a professional therapist, grief counselor or physician.

4) Moving Forward    It's Okay to move forward in our lives. It does not mean we are forgetting! It means we are taking care of ourselves, honoring our loss and learning strength, compassion and trusting in the healing process.

5) Self-Care     Take really good care of yourself during the grief process. This is one area that we neglect. Be kind to yourself. Get support. Rest when you need to. Exercise to keep your body moving. Know it's okay to be OK!

6) Create Healing Intentions     What are your intentions for healing the grief you are in? What can you do to move forward? Small, gentle steps. Don't rush the process - BE KIND TO YOURSELF - because the healing process doesn"t happen overnight.

With love and healing
Christine

This week we will talk about a subject that is rather difficult, but so very needed! Grief is not a dirty word! It hits hard during the holidays, a time when joy should fill our hearts. We will talk about coming Up From Grief - going through the process and creating a space for healing your heart.

We all have a story. How do you tell yours? Does it tell of your tales of woe? Are you your ailments? Are you letting things "get in your way" instead of seeing them as unique opportunities? What is the legacy you want to leave behind? When you are at the end of your life, sitting in your rocking chair on the front porch, will you be saying "I really wish I..." You get the idea. Why wait? Re-write your story! Don't leave this life with your music still in you! You have the power to do whatever you choose, so at the end of your life you can say "Wow, what an incredible life I've had!"