life coaching

Fire in the Belly

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 19 Conversations

 

I woke up early, awakened by a belly grumbling with hunger.

What do you hunger for?

 

I like feeling the hunger.

It reminds me there are many things in life I hunger for, perhaps some days, even long for.

 

I hunger for solitude.

Time alone, away from the demands of people and life. I hunger for the silence that becomes my companion in the solitude.

“I have never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude.” – Henry David Thoreau

 

I hunger for freedom.

To do what I want when I want. And even though I mostly live my life this way, some days I want freedom from all responsibility.

 

I hunger for intimacy.

I long to move beyond the superficial, the comfortable, the ‘normal’ and surrender to the intimate and connected.

“…available people are the ones who are dangerous, because they confront us with the possibility of real intimacy.” – Marianne Williamson

 

I hunger for the unknown.

I want to share myself beyond what I already know, where I’ve already been.

 

I hunger for openness.

Self-preservation and protection sometimes sneak in and make me forget.

“The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open.” – Chuck Palahniuk

 

I hunger for the deliciousness of life.

Life sometimes seems a buffet; a dilemma because I like choice but don’t always want to choose.

 

I hunger for fire in the belly.

For light and passion, for giving it my all, thoroughly used up when I die.

“Good men and good women have fire in the belly. We are fierce.” – Sam Keen

 

Over to you:

What do you hunger for?

What nourishment is missing that might make the difference?

 

Inspired by Rachel Cole.

 

I Am NOT Sorry

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 61 Conversations

 

dancing child

Three years old and owning the dance floor!

I am NOT sorry for. . .

dancing by myself on the dance floor, at 3 or now

being intense and passionate and sometimes “too much”

being a girl/woman with strong opinions

hitting that boy in grade 3 when he called me stupid

having a voice and using it

unleashing my Lola and yours

upsetting an uncle by telling the truth when he asked my opinion

loving people as much as I do, even when they mess up

leaving a great opportunity when my boss was an asshole

 

I am NOT sorry for. . .

poo-poohing superficial communication

talking to strangers

being selfish instead of selfless – I am not a martyr

my wit and humour, and sometimes sarcasm

disobeying the rules

taking a stand for what I want

asking you to choose now over someday

NOT sorry for that at all.

 

I am also NOT sorry for. . .

crying easily and often

sharing and loving more than “acceptable”

writing what’s in my heart

calling bullshit when I hear it

disagreeing with the status quo

leading more than following

refusing to settle

I want what I want and sorry be damned!

 

Most of all, I am NOT sorry for. . .

being curious about you, life, and what makes us tick

asking questions when I don’t understand

discomfort – there’s no  magic in the comfort zone! 

growing and learning and wanting the best out of life

being bold and full of moxie

laughing loud, often and unabashedly

being a demand for love, intimacy and connection in my relationships

pursuing my dreams, even though some have not worked out

shining bright and asking you to do the same

loving so deeply I thought I would die when it ended

and having the courage to love again.

 

I am NOT sorry for turning 49 today.

Every single thing that’s happened in my life, whether I enjoyed it or not, has caused me to grow, transform and become more myself than I ever thought possible.

And I am so NOT sorry for that.

 

Toot Your Horn, Loud & Proud

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 43 Conversations

What might happen if you acknowledged your gifts openly?

musical instruments

Would your lizard brain raise its head and demand silence or. . .would it allow you to shine the way you’re meant to?

Let’s put it to the test, shall we?

I’ll go first , then you let it rip in the comments.

 

Things I’m deeply proud of

1.  I completed an honours degree in Fine Arts with a dream of making my way in the world as an artist.

While I never made it to the New York art scene, my passion for art oozed into other areas of my life and creativity, one of my core values, was honoured.

2.  Less than a year after knee surgery I ran a half marathon.

After the surgery the doctor gave me a list of things I should no longer do (included running and dancing) – I was 33 and decided to to prove him wrong.

It may not have been the smartest thing to do, but according to Sally Hogshead’s 7 Triggers of Fascination my primary trigger is rebellion (not so surprising!) so what I did totally makes sense.

3.  I’ve been self-employed for almost 12 years, first as a photographer and then as a coach.

There are so many resources now to help you leave the corporate world, ditch your boring job, and design a life you love. Twelve years ago, not so much.

I didn’t come from a long line of entrepreneurs and looking back, I really had no clue how great the challenge. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, following a vision and correcting course as required.

 

Credentials (or proof-that-I’m-the-real-McCoy)

1.  I’m a Solution Focused Coach, on a mission to wake you up from your ‘someday thinking’.

I’ve got close to 7,500 hours of coaching under my belt (a Master Certified Coach credential requires 2,500 hours) and have worked with hundreds of amazing people over the years.

2.  I am certified in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming).

I love personal development, and one of my favourite areas of study has been NLP.  Google it and you’ll find over 57,600,000 results but the definition I like the best – finding ways to help people have better, fuller and richer lives. Says it all for me.

 

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23 Things I Love About Being a Coach

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 14 Conversations

number 23

 

In random order, 23 things I love about coaching:

23. The intake of breath I hear when you are about to go deeper than expected.

22. Emails that share your excitement about a new project!

21. The reciprocity of the coaching relationship. I get as much as I give. Every. Single. Time. 

20. Conversations about values.

19. An impromptu voicemail message with a joy-filled update! 

18. Fanning the flames of your greatness.

17. Holding the space for you to step into the unknown.

16. Waiting for you to call, thinking of who you are and what you’re up to in the world.

15. Text messages sharing a win that you couldn’t wait to share!

14. Silence. . .sometimes uncomfortable, more often sacred.

13. Being with “I don’t know” instead of being an expert.

12. Connecting with people all over the world.

11. Igniting your desire to go where you’ve never gone before.

10. Switching up my hats – from cheerleader to kick-ass, from accountable to woo woo – I love it all.

9.  Laughing with delight when you get that you KNOW what to do next!

8.  Meeting in person when possible and hugging the you I know so well over the phone.

7.  Asking a question that leaves you speechless.

6.  Sharing my own journey and knowing we’re on the same path.

5.  Eliminating an old belief that’s kept you stuck.

4.  Letting you know I believe in you.

3.  Crushing your someday thinking.

2.  Lulling your lizard brain to sleep. Shhh. . .

1.  Watching you share your gifts with the world.

 

For these 23 and so many more, being a coach is what I’m here for and YOU are why I do what I do.

Sandi Amorim signature

 

 

 

Generate Excitement (because you can)

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 12 Conversations

 

BURNING QUESTION:

What is your relationship to excitement?


Confession time. . .I’m easily excited.laughing Buddha sculpture

You weren’t really surprised, were you?

Truth is, some days it hardly takes anything at all and I’m lit up like a roman candle! 

I think of it as a way of being AND my relationship to the world.

Maybe that sounds Pollyanna-esque.

Maybe you think I’m wearing rose-coloured glasses, totally out of touch with reality.

But (and this is a very important but). . .

if it feels good and empowers you why would that be a problem?

I’ll tell you why; because our conditioning begins in childhood with phrases like:

  • Rein it in.
  • Settle down.
  • Don’t show off.

And you learn how to turn your excitement right down to a manageable level or even worse, suppress it completely.

That my friends, is a sad state of affairs.

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The Humanity of Being

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 9 Conversations

 

“There are four questions of value in life…Buddha looking down

What is sacred?

Of what is the spirit made?

What is worth living for?

What is worth dying for?

The answer to each is the same.

Only love.”

– Don Juan de Marco

I’m a doer.

I like action. And results.

I really like results and making things happen.

But it’s a fast and slippery slope to a driven kind of energy that stops feeling good before I’ve reached the bottom.

The drive, the doing, the “making things happen”…all get in the way. Continue reading →

Boy Meets Girl

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 21 Conversations

boy meets girl

Boy meets girl. I was 16.

Boy & girl grow up together.

Boy gives girl ring. Promises future.

Boy leaves girl. No longer a girl. I was 30.

The facts don’t tell the whole truth.

They rarely do.

For how could these simple facts tell the story of first love, promise and heartbreak without being a cliché?

I once read that however long a relationship lasts is how long it will take to get over it when it ends.

That was true for me.

While there was no happily-ever-after, this story lead me down the path of personal development, which lead to the work I love.

And that?

Has made all the difference.

 

“…Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

– Robert Frost

 

 

No One Does It Alone

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 7 Conversations


Buddha in profile, monks walking away

No one does it alone.

It’s easy to forget that.

Maybe your past has turned into a story about why:

But everyone needs help sometimes. Especially those of us who think we can go it alone.

It’s tough to talk about; God knows I don’t like admitting it.

But here’s the truth I know today. . .

No one can or should do it alone, and even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.

We’ve all got stories, plenty of them, but those stories suck the joy out of life and lead to a dark and scary neighbourhood where your lizard brain thrives.

It’s easy to hang onto the stories and forget that you have amazing people in your life. Call me Pollyanna but I am certain that you do.

People who light you up with their joy, show you the way when you feel lost and love you no matter what.

This is a love note to them.

 

Dear One,

Who you are is a recent gift, for which I am grateful.

Who you are gives me comfort, and like Linus with his blanket I feel safe.

Who you are is a beacon, lighting my path when I think I’m at the end.

Who you are is love in human form; remembering your hug makes me smile.

Who you are for me reminds me of who I am for others.

Some days I have to dig deep to remember you are there, nestled safe and snug in my heart.

Some days I try to avoid who you are, for your light reflects mine. . .and I can hardly be with that.

And when you, yourself, forget who you are, come to me and I will tell you. Search my heart and you will find. . .you.

You remind me that I don’t have to go it alone.

And with my whole heart I thank you.

xoS

 

 

Stop. Start. Burn.

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 25 Conversations

 

BURNING QUESTION: 

What would you like to stop doing?

 

roman candle taking off in the night

Burn baby, burn!

STOP

Stop beating yourself up with your shoulda/woulda/couldas.

Stop backing off just as you gain momentum.

Stop playing that damn comparison game.

Stop waiting for permission to do what you want.

Stop holding back because you need more training, experience. . . . . . .fill in the blank.

Stop brushing off compliments.

Stop focusing on what others say is important.

Stop adding to the to-do list that’s never getting done.

And please, STOP waiting for someday.

 

START

Start celebrating each and every win.

Start fanning the flames of your desire.

Start loving. . .truly, madly, deeply.

Start owning your gorgeous, luscious self.

Start reaching out, stretching up and growing inwards.

Start breathing – big, deep, belly expanding breaths.

Start sharing your enthusiasm and watch it go viral.

Start saying what you want, often and with abandon!

 

BURN, BABY BURN

For that’s what you were born to do.

You know it. I know it.

Hell, we all know it.

And wouldn’t it be great if we all cut the crap and burned like a roman candle?

 

Inspired by Danielle LaPorte’s Burning Question.

 

Ode to Joy

Posted on by Sandi Amorim 16 Conversations

I heard a Hawaiian phrase recently – malama pono – which means ‘take good care of yourself’ and I wondered, do you?

Do you take care of yourself the way you know you should or do you coast through life taking your health and well-being for granted?

heart shaped stone etched with word joy

I know I don’t always take the best care of myself, distracted by business, commitments to others and yes, I admit it – sometimes laziness.

What? A life coach admitting to laziness? Not too common I know, but hey I’m human and I’ve got my challenges just like you do!

It’s been four months since I first focused on self-care in the month-long homage. Four months during which time my focus has waxed and waned as reliably as the moon.

And it makes sense that I’m thinking of it again now as I’ve been in Maui the past two weeks and self-care has been effortless, creating a sense of well-being and joy I haven’t felt in a very long time.

This focus on self-care and joy was partly inspired by Andrea Olson’s recent post 100 Tiny Pulses along with Martha Beck’s Joy Diet, not new but an empowering menu of daily practices for a happier life. But more on that in a minute.

While here in Maui, this is what effortless has looked like.

Typical vacation day:

  • Up between 6-6:3oam
  • 15 minutes of meditation (sometimes watching the horizon for whales)
  • Breakfast of fresh fruit, yogurt, maca and nuts
  • An hour or two of writing
  • Day’s activity
  • Picnic lunch made with fresh local ingredients
  • Lots of walking and fresh air
  • Healthy dinner, usually grilled with fresh veggies
  • Asleep by 10:30pm

What’s important to note about this regime is this – it’s pretty simple, and more importantly it’s sustainable.

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