The Makeover Issue

Have you seen the latest issue of O Magazine? It’s the Makeover issue. The whole thing is about transformation.
Women know a lot about makeovers. Every season we’re supposed to learn the latest fashion thing, and purge our wardrobe of the current style no-nos. If transformation were that easy everyone would be in their “higher self” attaining unimaginable superhuman feats.
Real transformation, however, is not as easy as changing shoes. God bless Oprah for her courage to take the weight issue out of the shadows of shame. Yet many still struggle with body image. We each have to deal with our own issues. What’s yours? Money, work, addiction, procrastination, guilt, revenge, temperament, self-doubt?
The first step toward transforming anything is naming it. The second step is determining to be in charge of your life. Any shift you make is a victory. It will empower your decision to persevere. One of the most rewarding things about being a coach is expanding the perception of a client. Those ‘Ahah! Moments’ when the client has a new insight give me goose bumps.
I don’t believe in creative blocks in art or life. I believe the ‘block’ is a locked gate. And the key is hidden somewhere nearby.
One of my ‘issues’ is not being able to promote myself. I was taught that saying anything good about yourself is bragging. The Catholic Church taught me modesty in all things. Frankly, those two teachings are not good business practice! So in the spirit of helping you with your transformation, I’m using some Oprah-style courage to tell you I’m a terrific life coach, and I’d love to work with you! Let’s find that key to your locked gate. Give me a call!

Adriana Díaz * Creative Life Coaching*

510 530-4182. Tell your friends! 510 530-4182

As Oprah concludes in the back of the recent issue: Reaching your potential is more than an ideal. It’s the ultimate goal.

Get Some Perspective

It’s easy to understand why perspective is important to a painter or a photographer, but how does perspective play a part in daily decision-making? Recently I read a quote from Irish author Anne Enright that offers wisdom about perspective in writing and life. “All description,” she said, “is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand.” Perspective is the geography of politics, ethics, and values.
“Find a place to stand” tells us to “take a stand”. We ask the question ‘where do you stand’ on gun control, the death penalty, or abortion, for example, to learn someone’s perspective. You may be very clear about your opinions on the larger issues of life, yet feel unclear in deciding whether or not you would really go through with cosmetic surgery.
Issues arise that stop us in our tracks, because we can’t discern a clear personal perspective. Someone who’s out of a job buys groceries with a perspective of cautious spending. The perspective of limitation guides each decision. Someone with cash to spare, however, buys food from a perspective of desires, abundance and freedom.
What do you want? What are you working toward in your life? Before you take steps toward making it happen, solidify the foundation of your actions by taking the time to know your perspective. What are you risking? What values are attached to the goal you seek to achieve? Are those values in line with what you stand for? Take a look at where you’re standing, literally and figuratively; imagine two separate decisions and try to see three years beyond the possible actions. That distance gives you a chance to see the “bigger picture” and the possible influence of time.

Think you might need a coach? Curious about the coaching process? Give me a call at 510 530-4182. I’m happy to take questions and talk about what coaching could do for you. Just three months of coaching can set you on a new path armed with a fresh understanding and tools for decision-making and evaluation.