Blogs

Life Changes

Building a well-ness vision.

by Margaret Moore

Margaret Moore is the co-director of the McLean/Harvard Medical School Institute of Coaching. See full bio

August 13, 2009, Happiness

Kick-Butt Laura lets go of her sabotaging gremlin and talks back

Kick-Butt Laura lets go of her gremlin and talks back

Kick Butt Laura commits to let go of her sabotaging deliberate mindlessness gremlin - Laura talks back

Listen to 17 minute coaching session mp3 file Kick-Butt Laura lets go of her gremlin and talks back

My challenge is weight loss, and defeating the gremlin that sat on my head and deliberately turned me into a mindless saboteur of my own goals. This usually occurs around ten o'clock at night, often following a perfectly "good" day of exercising and eating healthful foods.

Meg quickly helped me ascertain that the real issue was not weight, per se, but rather the effect that my extra pounds have on my ability to fully be the inspiration I want to be for others in my classes and the rest of my life. They keep me from shining as brightly as I otherwise could. And she elicited from me my desire to live a "kick-ass" life, in concert with my true spirit.

On to action steps! I was stumped. This gremlin is big, fat, ugly and seems to be in control when he shows up. Meg encouraged me not to engage in any dialogue with this fellow; he's quite strong and will win! Instead, we created a plan for me to create a different relationship with the ten o'clock gremlin. We made a plan, with the promise that I would report to her the following morning how it had gone.
That evening, I joyfully went to a dance performance after teaching my class, came home and had a light dinner, then went to the hot tub. I was chuckling to myself at the time that I didn't need to go to the hot tub; I was in such a good frame of mind that I knew the gremlin wouldn't show up. I went only because I had promised to and would have to check in!

It was wonderful. I was relaxing outside in the cold night air and the swirling heat when a load of testosterone entered my house in the form of my teenage son, a friend, and my husband, from whom I've recently separated. I re-entered the house, refreshed and calm, in time to wish them goodnight as they left for the night. Had I not been in the hot tub when they arrived, their visit might well have heralded an invitation to the gremlin.

I learned that a new practice of self-care, rather than discipline, at the dreaded hour can have remarkable effects. I learned first-hand the value of a good coach. I hired one the next week, and have even more tools in my toolbox to play with now.

Onward and upward!
Laura