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Posts tagged ‘life coach’

Jul 14

Grow Your Self-Confidence

Just as there are no born leaders, no one is born born with confidence. It comes with experience and practice. As adults, we experience life events that make us feel confident. Perhaps you helped your child understand a life or school lesson, reached an important work milestone, or completed a DIY project on your home.

40% (1)While none of us feels confident all the time, cultivating confidence and living more confidently can improve our lives in many ways. A confident person feels comfortable within themselves. They live their values and beliefs, make decisions easier, respect others and are grateful.

What Self-Confidence Provides You

  • Openness to new experience
  • Positive energy
  • Calmness
  • Influence
  • Action orientation
  • Future focus

The other side of confidence is doubt. While doubt can be healthy in small doses, too much creates indecision and the loss of self-efficacy. When we remain in an indecisive mindset, our progress falters and our goals slide out of reach.

You can increase your confidence simply by making decisions. Nurturing the habit of decision making builds confidence by moving you from a state of inaction to action. Inaction drains you confidence and sense of empowerment. Action generates progress and feelings of accomplishment. Even if your decision turns out to be incorrect, simply learn from the experience and continue to move forward.

A second habit is to take a few moments each day to visualize past accomplishments that gave you confidence, and re-experience those positive emotions.

Avoid or minimize your exposure to negative people. They drain your energy and have little or nothing to add, other than why you can’t or shouldn’t take action.

Finally, develop self-care habits so you feel your best. This can include exercise, mediation, hobbies, volunteering or spending time with family and friends.

Cultivating these habits will recharge you and give you more energy to live with greater self-confidence.

Gregory Alford, MS. Psy., is founder of Accelerated Coaching & Consulting, LLC., and specializes in business, leadership and life coaching. Learn more at http://acceleratedcoachingandconsulting.com.

Jun 24

Gregory Alford, MS. Psy.

My Coach training comes from the International Coach Academy (www.icoachacademy.com), as well as a master’s degree of science in psychology, and more than 15 years of service as a marketing, communications and business development executive for several large healthcare organizations. In addition, I have owned two small businesses and worked as a newspaper reporter for newspapers in California and Illinois.

Gregory Alford MS. Psy.

Gregory Alford MS. Psy.

In 2013, I began taking on coaching and consulting clients. In 2014 I followed my dream of personal and professional excellence when I exited an executive position and formed my own coaching and consulting company, Accelerated Coaching & Consulting, LLC.

Based in Naperville, Illinois, about 25 miles southwest of Chicago, I specialize in providing phone and video coaching to my clients. In-person sessions may also be arranged for those who live in the Naperville area.

My Specialties 

I specialize in coaching:

  • Business owners
  • Those currently in leadership positions or transitioning into a leadership position for the first time
  • People seeking to develop more meaningful relationships with their loved ones

Key discovery and action areas of our partnership may include:

  •  Goals clarification
  • Discovering and building your strengths
  • Creating and organizing priorities
  • Work-life balance
  • Managing conflict
  • Values clarification
  • Gaps between goals, values and your style of life
  • Authentic living

Consulting

I also provide consulting service to help you accelerate the growth of your business with marketing and communications services, which include:

  • Branding audits
  • Re-branding marketing and communications (internal and external) materials
  • Develop messaging for all of  your key stakeholder audiences
  • Starting and growing a social media presence
  • Media relations and media training
  • Culture change communication

Please call me at 815.985.4229,  email me at gregorydalford64@gmail.com or use the contact form below for more information or to schedule your free introductory session.

Jun 23

The Accelerated Coaching Program

A Coach Can Help You Change Your Life

Leadership, business and life coaches combine many of the best concepts from management theory, psychology, philosophy, sports and spirituality to facilitate positive life changes. Although there is some similarity, coaching is not therapy, mentoring or consulting. It is a strengths-based approach that empowers you to use your energy and insights to propel your life to new heights.

The Accelerated Coaching program requires you be open to change, complete agreed up action items between sessions, and be prepared to gain greater self-awareness. Over the course of our sessions, we will partner on tapping into your inner strength so you can become a better and more focused business leader, have more energy for your home life, and one the road to a a happier, more fulfilling life.

My Promises To My Clients 

Coaching sessions are values-based, goal-oriented and focus on today and the future.  My belief is everyone has within themselves the answers to increase their happiness, and personal and professional effectiveness. To uncover those answers and find a path to success, I promise to:

  • Be a partner who truly listens, asks questions, and challenge your assumptions to help you lasting change
  • Help you build supportive structures and people into your life
  • Help you set goals and priorities
  • Guide you toward greater self-awareness and sense of purpose
  • Treat our sessions in confidence
  • Share methods and techniques that can increase business and life performance that can be used long after the coaching relationship ends

The goals and outcomes of working with me are up to you. Common goals include:

  • Enhance your leadership skills
  • Balance your work/life balance
  • Better apply your energy to enhance productivity
  • Learn what behaviors work/don’t work
  • Increase work/life satisfaction
  • Enhance self-confidence and personal power

Coaches such as myself who are trained in programs approved by the Internal Coach Federation have a variety of coaching tools to help you create a more fulfilling and rewarding personal and professional life.

The primary service is coaching for business owners, corporate leaders and the general public with a focus on short-term, Accelerated programs. The Accelerated Coaching approach focuses on aligning values and actions, communication, conflict management, team building, and creativity.

Coaching Packages

I accept clients locally and globally. Sessions are in English at a mutually agreed upon time. Most sessions are conducted via telephone or via Skype.  I also offer face-to-face coaching sessions for those in the Naperville, Illinois, area.

You can choose the amount and type of coaching that will best fit into your life.

  •  As part of the Accelerated Coaching Program (ACP), you will receive four (4) fifty (50) minute coaching sessions by telephone, and a written progress sheet following each session via email. These sessions are structured to enhance your self -awareness and put you on the path to improve your personal and professional excellence so you can achieve your dreams. It is easiest if our sessions are conducted at the same time each week.  If you’re in the US, I will call you at no extra charge. International clients will need a Skype account. Cost: $899.
  • Each month of the Standard Coaching Program (SCP), you will receive three (3) fifty (50) minute coaching sessions by telephone, and a written progress sheet following each session via email. This program provides time for a “deep dive” to find and clarify your goals, dreams and desires for your life. The fourth week in each month will be used for personal reflection and recharging. It is easiest if our sessions are conducted at the same time each week.  If you’re in the US or Canada, I will call you at no extra charge. International clients need a Skype account. Cost: $600 per month, or $1,500 for a 12 week program.
  • Also offered is my package that consists of one (1) fifty (50) minute coaching session by telephone, and a session progress sheet. Also included are two (2) email “check in and encouragement” sessions each month. These e-mails include feedback, questions, insight and encouragement. They also include updates concerning your progress.  This program is ideal for those “Road Warriors” who have unpredictable schedules, and those who prefer written communication. Cost: $400 per month.

We can also create a custom package the works for you. Contact me for information.

Jun 23

Successful People Have A Confidence Habit

“And no one will listen to us until weBy Gregory Alford, MS. Psy.

Just as there are no born leaders, no one is born with confidence. It comes with experience and practice. As adults, we have experienced life events that made us feel confident. We may have helped our child with a life or school lesson, reached an important work goal, or finished a DIY project on your home.

While none of us feels confident all the time, cultivating confidence and living more confidently can improve our lives in many ways. A confident person feels comfortable within themselves. They live their values and beliefs and have respect for others and gratitude.

What Confidence Looks Like

  • Openness to new experience
  • Positive energy
  • Calm
  • Influential
  • Action oriented
  • Future focused

The other side of confidence is doubt. While doubt can be healthy, too much of it creates indecision. When we are indecisive, our progress falters and our goals slide out of reach. Doubt can stem from external sources such as negative people, or our own negative thoughts.

Sometimes, simply making decisions, even if they turn out to be incorrect, boost our confidence. Learn from the outcome of the decision and continue to move forward. Simply developing the habit of making decisions builds confidence by moving you from a state of inaction to action.

Also, take a few moments to visualize some of your past accomplishments that gave you confidence.

Finally, practice self care so you feel your best. Self care includes exercise, mediation, hobbies, volunteering and spending time with family and friends. These activities will recharge you and give you more energy to live with confidence.

 

Jun 23

1 Comment

The Power of Acknowledgment

The Power of Acknowledgment

 By Gregory Alford, MS. Psy.

One of our deepest needs is to be acknowledged. Unfortunately, it’s a skill few people have. As a result, we don’t acknowledge others, or ourselves, very often. This is our loss. But it is a skill that can be learned!

When you acknowledge, you draw attention to something wonderful about a person. When done appropriately, it strengthens relationships and builds trust. It can be verbal, or written, and is often most appreciated when done publicly (especially at work).

Acknowledgment is…

  • Heartfelt
  • Occurs after action (ideally immediately)
  • Highlights good deeds
  • Encouragement

Recall a time when you received sincere acknowledgment and notice how good it still makes you feel. Now, recall when you completed a project there was no acknowledgment. Big difference – isn’t it? This is why behaviors we regularly acknowledge generally increase over time.

Self-Acknowledgement is also vital

Since so many people are unskilled acknowledging others, there are times when the kindest thing you can do is congratulate yourself.  This can help avoid disappointment, frustration or even anger that might follow times when your contributions or accomplishments go unrecognized.

Take a deep breath, let go of negative feelings and acknowledge yourself, out loud, several times if you want to! Then, acknowledge those who supported you. Top it off with a celebration of your choice.

So, your challenge today and everyday is to catch someone in the act of doing good and acknowledge them. You will discover it makes everyone’s day!

 

Apr 27

8 Ways To Banish Self-Doubt And Restore Confidence

By Gregory Alford, MS. PSY.

When we trust ourselves, we remove doubt and open the door to greater achievement.

When we trust ourselves, we remove doubt and open the door to greater achievement.

Each day, many of us play an internal game tug-of-war with self-trust and self-doubt pulling us in opposite directions. When self-trust gives way,  a cascade of negative feelings rush in.

What is Self-Trust?

Author Steven Covey describes self-trust as feeling confident and secure in our lives. Strong self-trust results in deeper a connection to ourselves, our loved ones, co-workers and community. It also is an indispensable part of self-reliance, resiliency and your ability to overcome inevitable setbacks.

Another benefit of enhancing self-trust, is it diminishes doubt. When we give into doubt, confidence and self-esteem are stripped, and energy and momentum are lost. When your thoughts tell you, “no,” “not now,” or “this is too hard,” when you want to take action – it is doubt talking.

Fortunately, you can improve your self-trust in many ways, including:

  • Make and keep promises by setting small goals and tracking achievements
  • Focus on what actions led you to achieve previous  goals
  • Develop support structures and habits that encourage achievement (i.e., self-care, calendars, checklists)
  • Visualize success
  • Choose to believe in yourself!

There are also things you can stop doing as well, such as:

  • Paying attention to negative people
  • Comparing yourself to others
  • Worry about what others think of you

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. We all need help getting unstuck every once in a while. Be kind to yourself and reach out people who love and support you, a coach or therapist to help your build self-trust and confidence so you can achieve greatness.

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