One Simple Trick to Create More Happiness & Success in Your Life

A tough day at the office?  Too many deadlines for not enough pay?  Parenting toddlers or teenagers and just about at the end of your rope?  Too much month for the money and having it out with your partner because of it?

Our family and work situations can cause signficant stress and that can have lasting effects on the success of our relationships or our business. 

I invite you to shift your perspective about whatever challenging circumstances you're facing.

Try this little trick:  Change your attitude.  How you think about the challenges you face and how you respond to them is the key to your happiness.  

What exactly does that mean?  

Our Emotional Intelligence (EQ) refers to our ability to condition ourselves to become a master of our emotions.  

When we become more conscious of our responses, we can be more adaptable, go with the flow and take it all in stride.  Raising our Emotional Intelligence allows us to become unshakable.   

We may not be able to control our circumstances all the time, or anyone else, for that matter.  We can control how we respond to them. 

Watching my parents' marriage fall apart drove those tough lessons home.  At ten, I was helpless to save it, but I could learn from the experience.  What I could do instead was choose to be married for life.  

I was reacquainted with those lessons through my cancer experience too. 

If I wanted to live, the chemotherapy that took my hair and my strength was not an option.  

I could check my attitude about it and give the nurses a well-deserved smile as I faced the poison again.  After all, they tried so hard to make me more comfortable.  I could have a grateful heart.  After all, I was fortunate enough to live in a country where I had a fighting chance.  

I could hold onto hope that I'd make it through and live to see my children have kids of their own - a luxury not afforded to every oncology patient.  

Becoming a Master of your Attitude and elevating your Emotional Intelligence takes practice.  The first step is becoming aware of HOW you respond in tough circumstances.

Here's why we want to raise our EQ:  What we focus on expands or improves.  

When we focus on what's wrong in our lives...guess what happens?  We end up with more that's wrong in our lives. When we focus on all that we have to be grateful for, opportunities open up and miracles happen.     

The next time you're faced with a challenge...and life gets tough, as it tends to do, ask yourself these questions: 

• How are you responding?  
• How do you overcome?  
• Do you brainstorm with your family or with your team to find solutions?  
• Do you craft an action plan to achieve your goal or winning outcome?  
• If you want to increase your knowledge or experience, do you seek information or guidance?
• Do you ask for help?

I've been so fortunate to be mentored by some amazing people.  

What I've learned from them, and from life, is that when the going gets tough, quitting is not an option. 

People of strength and integrity don't say "this is too hard" or "there are too many problems here."  People with an attitude of success do whatever it takes to reach their goal.  

You can choose to have a winning attitude - about anything.

T. Harv Eker shares his Gold Key for Success and happiness:

Written By:
Andrea Raco, Certified Professional Coach, Founder of Coach for Life, Creator of 'Your Masterpiece Life' ~ a program designed to help you build the life you love, curator of Gold Key Club and Coach For Life Connections, Wife, Mom of 4, Breast Cancer Survivor and lover of LIFE.  

Drop me a note: andrea@coachforlife.ca.

Resolution Realization Action Guide

Resolution Realization Action Guide

I sincerely hope you welcomed 2016 with loved ones, laughs and fitting celebrations. 

It's time for the decorations to come down and be put away for another year. The tree is at the curb and you're geared up for 2016. You've made your resolutions, set your goals and intentions, picked your word for the year...

It's full speed ahead now.

Many of you shared your focus word with me and took advantage of the Resolution Realization session too.  I'm so excited for you and for those results.  I appreciate your confidence and looking forward to working with you as we make those goals a reality this year.

Reflecting and dreamimg big for 2016 is the perfect first step.  Without a Plan Of Action and figuring out what you need to do differently this year to make those goals a reality, your big dreams can fall short.

If you're serious about achieving your intentions once you've set them, take a moment to reflect on the past year.

• What were your top five 'wins' or successes?  List them out. 
• What are the things you're grateful for?  List those out too.

Next, contemplate what could have improved.    

• Were there priorities that didn't stay at the top of your list?
• Were there projects that remained unfinished? 
• Did any relationships slip away?  
• What had you hoped to accomplish, but didn't?

Ok... now for the big question...

What are you going to do differently this year to blow the lid off last year?

Follow these simple steps to make 2016 your most successful year yet:

Step 1:  Spend some time thinking about what you want 2016 to look like and maybe even consider these categories:

Finances - Perhaps this is the year you're going to slay that debt-monkey and eliminate your consumer debt.  Maybe it's the year you're going to make a plan to pay off the mortgage, save for your retirement or for that trip you've always wanted to take. 

Business/Career - Is this the year you're going to start a new business or reach a new level of success?  Maybe you'd like to retrain or find a career you absolutely love.

Health - You've had it with yo-yo dieting and you're ready to make a commitment to your health, to lighten up a little and to stop coming home with the ice cream when you went out for the beans.  

Relationships - What can you do to improve them?  Maybe your marriage is already great and that's wonderful, but I'll bet you can think of ways to surprise your partner, to kick up the romance level a notch.  Maybe try something new?  Take a look at how you can make things even better with your partner or your parents, your kids or your best friend.  

Travel & Leisure - Where would you like to go?  What would you like to see?  If time and money weren't an issue...what adventure would plan?

Personal Development - What do you think you need to do to grow and improve on a personal level?  Maybe you'd like to take a course or learn a new language?  Develop a talent or take up a new hobby.  

Whatever has been niggling at the back of your mind or growing inside your heart...write it down.

If you're a visual type, try creating a vision board for your goals.  Take images from magazines that represent the things you want and post them on a board or create a virtual vision board using Pinterest.  However you choose...what's important is to get those goals in front of you somehow, someway.  

Step 2:  Focus On Finances

The more people I work with, the more amazed I am to learn how many don't set financial goals.  If you're running a household, this is a great time to re-evaluate how your household finances are managed.  Do you have a plan for eliminating debt and increasing savings?  Have you built up an emergency fund?  Are you giving away too much of your financial power?  Do you put money aside for travel?

If you're running a business, set some revenue goals - for the month, for each quarter, for the year.  The more specific you are, the better position you'll be in to make a plan to get there.   

Here's a tip from Christian Mickelsen:
"When choosing a revenue goal, pick a number that you can see happening, but one that's a stretch for you - realistic and attainable.  If you're currently making $100,000 in your business and want to break into seven figures this year, maybe set a target of $200,00 (double)...you can still set an intention to be a millionaire, but aiming for the next target amount makes it more within your control, and not just wishful thinking."   

Step 3:  Determine the Skills You'll Need to Achieve Your Desired Result

What skills do you already have to get you from where you are to where you want to be? What skills do you need to acquire and develop?  What do you need to learn in order to grow and achieve your goals or resolutions?

If you're growing your business, maybe you need to learn how to write magnetic copy, perfect your marketing message or improve your networking skills. You might need to hire an expert for an area of your business that needs expertise and you're just not there yet.If you're like me and have decided to commit to improved health and fitness this year, I know I need to stop bringing home the ice cream when I go out for the beans, restructure my schedule to be sure to get that workout in and learn some new healthy recips to share with my family.

If it's the dreaded Debt-Monkey you want to slay, maybe you need to learn a few new money tricks....and...deep breath...make friends with the word 'Budget'...there, I said it! Nobody likes that word, but a budget can be a lifesaver.  In fact, it saved me years ago.

Write down all the skills you'll need to develop to achieve your goals or resolutions.

Step 4:  Get Support

Even top level athletes have coaches to help keep them on track to reach their goals. Some of them even work with multiple coaches.  The more support you have, the better your chances of achieving your winning results. Putting that support in place, or seeking out the training you need right now, is a vital component of crushing those resolutions and achieving those goals.

• Have a quick review of the skills you wrote that you needed to acquire or develop. 
• Take a moment to think about the kind of support you need this year to help you achieve your goals.  
• "Figuring it out on your own" may very well lead to just letting those goals go when the going gets tough.  

And it's going to get tough.  Change is always an uphill battle.  Expect that you're going to have to persevere.
Step 5:  Create a "Mini-Plan"

All too often we get caught up in the 'how' to make our goals happen and this can hold us back.  How to achieve them is important, but it's crucial to understand WHY you want to achieve those goals.  Beside each goal on your list, take a line or two to write down why you want to achieve it.

Sometimes, simply focusing on the 'why' can open up new possibilities for 'how' to make them happen.  

Here's an example:  Maybe you'd like to lose weight to enjoy a more active lifestyle and have the energy to chase after your kids.  A goal to lose 100 pounds is a monumental goal.  Instead of looking at the whole kit and caboodle, break that massive goal down into smaller, more manageable ones.  Focusing on the first 10 pounds won't seem so overwhelming.  To get from a 10 pound loss to a 100 pound loss, all you have to do is repeat the process of losing 10 pounds, ten times.  

The same can be said for revenue goals.  If you want to save $12,000 in a year for a trip, break it down into monthly and weekly goals.

Another important question is...what do you need to learn or what skills do you need to develop to accomplish your goals this year?  

Here's tip for creating positive habits to achieve winning results: Break each goal down into measures of time - six months, three months, one month, each week, all the way down to each day.  Do the same thing over and over each day for 21 days and you'll create a new habit.  Change is tough, but it's absolutely possible.  Decide you just won't give up.

With specific goals, this Resolution Realization Action Plan in your hand and all the support you need (psstttt - I coach all this stuff), 

I have no doubt that 2016 will be your most successful year yet.  

Written By:
Andrea Raco, Certified Professional Coach, Founder of Coach for Life, Creator of 'Your Masterpiece Life' ~ a program designed to help you build the life you love, curator of Gold Key Club and Coach For Life Connections, Wife, Mom of 4, Breast Cancer Survivor and lover of LIFE.  

Would you like to have a spotlight shone on your success story?  

I'd love to help you craft and share your story so more people can hear from you.  

Drop me a note: andrea@coachforlife.ca and we'll get started.

The Lessons Of Her Death - Resolution Realization

It's that time again - when we say goodbye to one year and ring in a new one.  For me, the days between Christmas and January 1st are a time for pointed reflection and excited anticipation.  I absolutely love a new year.  Like the fresh page of a journal or a blank canvas on the easel, I'm full of hope and excited for the possibilities of what the new year will bring.

This holiday season was a time for celebration and happiness.  Our family spent 14 days in paradise and loved our trip to the sunny Dominican Republic.  We already miss the cheerful smiles and happy attitudes of our friends there.   On December 23rd, we celebrated my 45th birthday (how did THAT happen?) for which I'm incredibly grateful - especially considering some serious health challenges in the recent past.  I am blessed in so many ways and thank so many of you for making my birthday memorable.

Our holidays were amazing, but they were also marked with overwhelming sadness.  My mother passed away suddenly of a heart attack early on the 24th.  We were travelling home from our trip that day and didn't receive news of her death until later on that evening.  Of course, the news was devastating, but not in the way that you might be thinking. 

Many of you know that the relationship between my mother and I was terribly strained and has been tumultuous since my early teens.  In fact, we haven't shared a relationship at all for more than a decade.  I have no doubt that witnessing the challenges of my parents' marriage and struggling for decades with my own mother led me to value relationships so highly and coach people with theirs.  

The differences between her and I will stay unresolved forever.  To underscore a lesson Cancer taught our family years ago and because the passing of my mom just drove that lesson home one more time, the message of this letter is simply this:

The Time Is NOW.  

Don't wait.  Tell those you love and care for that you love them.  Let those you have differences with know you'd like to resolve them and then do that.  Every single day we are here is a blessing and may very well be our last.  Tomorrow is not promissed.  We have only today to make a difference.

Ask yourself, if not now, when?

If you have a dream for your life that has been growing inside your heart, your mind, your soul...don't wait.  The time to do something to make it happen is right NOW.  Now is the perfect time, actually - a new year is upon us.  A fresh page or blank canvas upon which to create your masterpiece lay before you. The masterpiece is your life.  Every day that passes is one more opportunity to move yourself closer to your goals and dreams.   

Whatever this past year has been like for you, at the cusp of a New Year, it's the perfect time for

• Gratitude:  there are so many blessings to be thankful for.
• Reflection:  what were the wins and what were the challenges of the past year?
• New Beginnings:  Oh...the places we'll go, the possibilities, the goals.

I get excited about those goals!

I absolutely love setting my resolutions each new year.  Yeah, yeah, I know...it's been proven that most of us who do that give up on them within just twenty one days, but I say bah humbug to that!  I still try every year and hope you'll join me this year too.  If you haven't set resolutions in the past...make this year the first one for a new tradition.

Here is a trick that fellow coach, Pam Bruner teaches to help keep those resolutions. 
This simple three-step ritual will inspire your entire year.

Step One:  Pick A Word For Your Upcoming Year

Think about the new year that lies ahead and pick ONE WORD that comes to mind as the underlying, boiled down, pinpointed theme.  Only one word though.  Not two or three.  Not a phrase.  Just one word. It may come to you in meditation or prayer.  It may pop into your mind while your reading or at the gym. Over the next few days, be mindful of the blank title at the top of that blank page or the bottom of that blank canvas.  When it hits you, fill in that blank.

Whatever your word is, it'll become the focus of your growth over the upcoming year.  Go out on a limb...pick a word that feels a little uncomfortable.  You'll be in for an exciting ride for sure!

Step Two:  Reflect.

Grab a pen and a sheet of paper, sit down in a quiet space and write out your goals. Try a new way of doing this.  At the top of the page, start with "I am so happy and grateful that I..." and then write your goals.  It might look something like this:  

• 'live in a house that I own and love' (for someone who may want to pay off the mortgage and do some renovating or redecorating)
• 'make $___/month in the business that I love' (for someone who wants to build their business or reach the next level of success)
• 'love my healthy and fit body' (for someone who wants to achieve a health goal)
• 'have incredible financial responsibility and love my debt-free life' (for someone who is trying to eliminate their consumer debt)
• 'love my partner and the life we're creating together' (for someone who is trying to find their soul-level love match or improve their marriage)

Step Three:  Make A Focus Sheet & Frame It

Put the focus word and year at the top of a fresh new page.  I like to write a bunch of goals for each year.  Being diabetic and always struggling with weight issues, in addition to having come through breast cancer, being healthy is unfailingly at the top of my list each year.  Improving relationships and building my business always makes the cut too.

Once you're finished writing out your intentions for the upcoming year. Find a beautiful frame for your list.  After all, they are your goals and dreams, your heart's desire. They deserve to be framed and admired!  Put the focus frame on your desk or dresser.

To increase your chances for success even further, add a copy to your bathroom mirror where you're sure to see those goals every morning.  Read them.  Memorize them. Understand what it will take to make them a reality.  I can help with this if you'd like - take advantage of my offer for a free Resolution Realization session. 

At the end of the year, you'll be amazed at how many of those goals you've achieved. Just writing them down increases our chances for success.  

I'd love to know what word comes to mind for you.

Visit me at www.facebook.com/barriecoachforlife and let me know what your focus word for 2016 is.

Better still, set up a Complimentary Resolution Realization Session with me at atandrea@coachforlife.ca and we'll put together a plan to reach your goals and make 2016 your Breakthrough Year.  I can't wait to hear from you.  

Written By:
Andrea Raco, Certified Professional Coach, Founder of Coach for Life, Creator of 'Your Masterpiece Life' ~ a program designed to help you build the life you love, curator of Gold Key Club and Coach For Life Connections, Wife, Mom of 4, Breast Cancer Survivor and lover of LIFE.  

Would you like to have a spotlight shone on your success story?  

I'd love to help you craft and share your story so more people can hear from you.  

Drop me a note: andrea@coachforlife.ca and we'll get started.

Zero To Launch Action Guide To Success

Congratulations! 

You've decided to take the LEAP into Entrepreneurship.

The possibilities are endless possibilities ~ for you and for your business.

It's time to launch your coaching or consulting practice or jump-start your marketing business.

Follow this action guide and carry that momentum forward laying the foundation for solid, steady growth and profitability.

Ensure your successful launch with these essential steps:  

1.  Narrow Your Niche

By asking yourself some important questions about who your ideal clients are you'll be setting yourself up for success.  Of course, when we're first starting out, we'd never turn away the opportunity to work with any client, but going through the process of figuring out how you can be the most effective will allow you to position yourself as an expert in your niche.  

• Who do you really want to work with?
• What does that potential client want or need?
• What massive divide can your solutions bridge?
• How can you make a difference for your potential client?  

Doing the work to figure out who you can best serve will lay the foundation for your product and program development as well as the basis for your marketing messages.

2.  Create Your Signature Product or Program

What do your Ideal Clients need? Here's your chance to develop something truly useful for them.

• What are your ideal clients' ultimate 'Rise & Shine' challenges?  
• What problem keeps them up at night and is the first things they think of in the morning? 
• What problems do they need to solve?    
• What solution can you create, or what process can you outline for them that will move them from their misery to absolute mastery of that issue? 

Develop a step-by-step process that will help them slay their dragon, overcome their challenges and take them from where they are to where they want to be. 

• Package your solutions into a product, service or program that best serves them. 
• Determine the most effective means to deliver it. 
• Name your product or service in a way that features the solutions you've developed.

Voila!

You now have your very own signature product or program.  Something you've created that is unique to you.  A special gift to share with your clients.  One that helps them and serves their needs.  

3.  Become A Marketing Master

Ok... I get that you may not have a Master's degree in marketing and so...you may be wondering how you'll create magic with your marketing messages.  Booking your first clients and actually launching your business will absolutely depend on how effectively you inspire and move people to take action.  Your marketing message is your key to success.

Wouldn't it be perfectly blissful if your phone started buzzing, your email pinging and your schedule just booked up solid because you hung out your shingle... I mean put up your website? That would be completely awesome right?

The reality is...and there's no getting around it, over it, under it or through it...you are going to have to learn the art of promotion if you want to be successful as a coach, a speaker or any form of entrepreneur, for that matter.  

Everything you do in your business - the words you speak, the messages you write, the publications you post... it all has to center around your marketing message.
These elements will help:

• Having laser-like focus about who you can best serve and how you'll do it
• Understanding what the top-of-mind challenges are for your ideal clients
• Improving your communication skills
• Taking a writing course designed specifically for marketing 
• Practice
• Having someone review and edit your work
• Understanding that your message will evolve over time

What's important is to get something going.  Take action to get the ball moving forward and then build some momentum. 

With everything you do that is business related, aim for progress, not perfection.  

4.  Cast Your Web.

Make It 'Sticky,' Not Stinky

Once you've gone through the process of targeting your niche, and developing solutions for your ideal clients' challenges, getting your website up and live is a vital step but I don't recommend it as the very first step (obviously...we're here at #4 in a 6 step action plan.)  Whether you're creating your own website or having a nice fancy one built for you (or maybe you're building a nice fancy one yourself...if you are, please show me how) your website is your virtual storefront. Make it as attractive as you can with the budget you have to work with.

Your potential clients need to know where and how to contact you.  Google is everyone's friend.  Your website should include all the essentials, (and that's a whole other checklist) but by working through who your ideal client is, and creating amazing products or programs that solve their tough dilemmas, you'll be able to design your website to showcase the solutions you provide.

You'll have the best chance of attracting your ideal client by designing your site for them, with their needs in mind.  

One critical factor to consider when designing your website is that you have less than a handful of seconds - one hand, not two - to capture the attention of your potential client.  

It is imperative that you stand out with your message right there on your home page so it grabs their eyeballs immediately. 

Think about ways that will set you apart from what everyone else is doing. 

• What makes you unique and special?  
• What are your strengths? 
• If I'm your potential client, why would I hire you as opposed to the next coach Google pulls up for me in my search?  
• How can you make your potential clients stay on YOUR website?  See #3.

5.  Build a list.  Keep Adding To It

So you've narrowed your niche with Zen-like precision, you've created your signature product, program or service, you've honed your writing skills and crafted a killer marketing message and now...drumroll please... it's time to send that message out into the world, to promote your services or your product.  

It's time to promote your business.  Exciting right?  

Maybe the drumming has faded a bit because you'll have to come up with an answer to the next question:  

Who are you going to promote to?  

Your website will need an opt-in prompt to capture potential clients' e-mail addresses. Ask for contact information in exchange for complimentary information you offer.  

By tying your offer into your signature product or program, you'll increase your chances for success and book more clients. 

This is an excellent way to showcase your expertise and your ability to solve their top-of-mind challenges.  It also gives you an opportunity to build a relationship with them.

Your success as a coach will absolutely depend on your ability to foster and build relationships. Be completely honest here.  Would you give a stranger your money without a rock-solid guarantee for your satisfaction? Or at least, a referral from someone you already know and trust that the purchase you're about to make is really a good one?  

Of course you wouldn't hand over your hard-earned cash to a virtual stranger without a guarantee. 

How can you build a foundation of trust and familiarity with your potential clients?  

The answer is a single word:  Contact.

Your potential clients need a way to get to know you, to begin to like you and to begin to trust you as an expert along with what you have to offer.  There are many ways to build credibility and establish your expertise within your niche.

Here are a few suggestions:  

• Offer a complimentary Free Consultation
• Online chat - "Ask-the-Expert" open session
• Skype or Zoom
• E-mail campaign
• Teleseminars
• Webinars
• Podcast - be a guest or host
• Start a blog
• Live events...

Which of these comes easiest to you?   Pick the one that works best with your personality and strengths and then start to build from there and provide plenty of free stuff.  You want your potential clients to come away with the feeling that they 'can't believe this is free!'

6.  Ask

Not necessarily for the sale, but ask for the opportunity to showcase your product, service or program - to talk about it, to present it, to let people know what you're offering.  Ask for the opportunity to serve.  Ask for the referral.  And don't be afraid to ask for the sale either.  We are in the business of selling, after all.  

The absolute worst thing you'll hear is 'No'.  How bad is that? 

Just move forward, we're aiming for progress, not perfection, remember? Eventually, if you do this work and with practice, you'll start to get more and more clients saying "Yes" I'd like to hire you, "Yes", I want to subscribe to your newsletter.  "Yes", I'd like to interview you for my podcast.  "Yes" my best friend needs your program.  

Then, even better, you'll hear "Thank you so much for helping me solve that problem.  Because of you, I overcame that challenge.  Your recommendation changed my life.  I'm out of debt, sixty pounds lighter and loving my relationship with my spouse because of your program."

How awesome will that be?  

You're welcome to use this article in your E-zine, on your blog or website provided you include the following in its entirety: 

Andrea Raco, creator and curator of Coach For Life and Coach For  Life Connections Blog and Newsletter, supports entrepreneurs, organizations and business builders with strategies, solutions and success systems. She has an honours degree in Sociology/Anthropology, enjoys writing and is certified as a Professional Life Coach specializing in relationship coaching & personal success coaching. She is delighted to offer you Free Gold Key Success Solutions at: www.coachforlife.ca

Feasts & Festivities & How To Avoid Overeating This Holiday Season

I have to admit it:  The holidays stress me out.  

One minute it’s “Happy Thanksgiving” and the next minute it’s “Happy Holidays.”  

As the temperatures drop and the stores get a little crazy, so do our schedules.  

If you’re anything like me, scratching all the items off the “To Do” list is virtually impossible before Santa’s Big Night.  

And then, there's the FEASTING to think about. 

I’ve struggled with weight and body issues since childhood and when the time crunch is on, the very first list item to get shuffled to the bottom of the list is my trip to the gym.  

Add in all the delicious holiday treats, parties, gatherings and dining options, and it’s safe to say that the season to be jolly brings on a jolly added belt hole and some serious anxiety along with those gifts under the tree. 

Between Friend & Family gatherings to friendly workplace potlucks and shopping in the malls, there are opportunities galore to blow the calorie budget with another tempting treat.  

I find myself in numerous positions where I'm faced with making a choice between a special sweet delicious treat and sticking to my health goals and oftentimes, around the holidays, it’s easy to throw restraint out the back door and give in to temptation when guests arrive through the front door bearing all kinds of tasty treats to eat.

Mindless eating, less sleeping, added stress, and traveling to visit this family member or that friend likely take their toll on you too.  

These tips have helped me make it through the holidays without breaking the scale once the ball has dropped to ring in the New Year:

Put Yourself at The Top of the List

Start the mornings of your holidays on a peaceful and healthful note.  

What's most important to you?  

A workout or a walk outside? 

Maybe it's yoga for you or a date with your journal or even just a peaceful meditation to set the tone for the day.  

Another strategy that helps me focus is to set intentions for the day.  

My next step is to pick 1 thing that's a priority to get done that day.  (Usually, it's to make sure I slip my workout in for the day.)  

Anticipate Saboteurs

 

There’s always one or two relatives concerned with what’s on your plate or what's missing from it.  

Make a choice for your health by simply declining offers for unwanted food politely and graciously.  

Bring a nutritious and delicious dish or two to the party.  

This is a great way to support your health and the health of those you love.  PLUS, there's the added bonus of satisfying anyone out to sabotage your efforts to stay true to your health goals.

Create an Unforgettable Atmosphere

Move the focus away from the food and toward the opportunity for everyone to visit and catch up.

Be an exceptional host and make your event extraordinary by playing to all the senses.   

• Gorgeous decorating for the eyes
• Luxurious scents to tantalize
• Music that touches the soul or puts a tap to your toes

If you’re hosting, pull out all the beautiful serving ware that rarely sees the light of day, those gorgeous heirloom pieces, and the beautiful crystal stemware.  

Enjoy the experience and the beauty all around you. 

Your guests will feel cherished.  

Remove Distractions

Yep, I do mean turn OFF the devices.  

I know it’s tough, but if you’re hosting, you get to make up the rules!  No email, Facebook, Twitter, no Instagram, and so on.  Of course, everyone will want to be taking pictures with their phones, so I'd only pull out the 'No Selfie' rule if you absolutely must.  

Scrolling through feeds makes it impossible to really connect with the people around you and steals away the opportunity for guests to appreciate how beautiful the atmosphere is,  incredibly delicious the foods are and how wonderful the company is.  

Keeping the focus on the people who are actually in the room shows respect for everyone there. 

Be Intentional With Food Choices

Rather than just picking at this or that, be intentional about what you choose to eat.  

It’s easy to lose track of what you’ve eaten when you’re sampling all the treats being passed around on the trays.  

Be mindful and choose carefully.  Take a peek at all of the choices before deciding what to add to your plate.  

By getting a sense of what’s available, you’ll avoid heaping on excess mounds of offerings that don’t completely blow your mind because you didn’t realize the mind-blowing items were at the end of the buffet. 

Don't Skip the Ruffage & Protein

Absolutely indulge in those rare dishes that your family treasures.  

Those family favourites are often the best part of holiday festivities.  

By adding in the salad and fiber along with your meat option, you’ll feel fuller faster and stay satisfied longer  - keeping you on track with your health goals.

Make Up a Lunceon Plate 

Using a smaller luncheon plate rather than a full-sized dinner plate for your meal is an invaluable trick.  This strategy fools you into feeling satisfied quicker and makes you feel like you've had a very full meal, even though it's a smaller one.  

• Keep an eye on your serving sizes and decide that one helping will do
• Fill the plate with the choices that appeal to you the most
• Then sit down and savour every tasty bite

Remove Yourself From Temptation

Physically sit away from the food. Beyond arm's length is great.  If you can’t reach it, you can’t add more items to your plate and you’ll avoid munching mindlessly. 

Completely out of eyeshot is even better.  (Out of sight, out of mind, right?) 

By sitting far away, you’re forced to make a conscious decision to go back to the buffet.

Hydrate

Water is a beautiful thing for your body.  By quenching your thirst first, you may find you're not quite as hungry or that you're satisfied sooner as you eat your meal.  

Another trick to enjoy the entire gathering is to stagger your alcohol consumption with a glass of water between each drink.  Not only will you stay hydrated, but you'll also avoid inebriation.  

Slow Down & Chew

It seems like a simple trick, but it’s easy to rush through your meal with all the excitement of the holidays.  Take your time. Better still, put your fork down between bites. 

Chew carefully, and enjoy all the flavours and textures of the treats you’ve chosen for yourself.  Your tummy doesn’t have teeth, so it’s up to you.  

This strategy will likely lead you to feel satiated with less food, saving you unnecessary extra calories.   

Pay Attention to Your Hunger Level 

Be aware of how hungry you are as you're eating.  

Finish your meal before reaching the feeling of being stuffed like that holiday turkey.  

There's no reason to finish everything on your plate if you're feeling satiated.  

Enjoy some conversation with your table mates (once you’ve finished chewing, of course), and focus on family and friends instead of feasting.  

Relax and relish the environment.  After all, the holidays only come around once a year.

Now it's your turn...

What do you love best about the holiday season?

What gives you the biggest challenge?

If you'd like some help designing a Health Care ~ Self Care Plan that's right for you, I'd love to chat.  Connect with me to schedule a complimentary 'Your Masterpiece Life' Strategy call - it's entirely FREE and by the end of the call, you'll have

1. Clarity about what steps to take next
2. A customized Action Plan
3. Some Free resources to help you get started

About the Author:

Andrea Raco, is a Certified Success and Life Enrichment Coach, Founder of Coach for Life, and Curator of Gold Key Club ~ a private community for Ladypreneurs, Supermoms, and Sisters making a difference in the world.

For more information about her services and programs, visit www.coachforlife.ca or contact her via e-mail: andrea@coachforlife.ca.