Alternate Choices

10/05/2022

Join Barry & myself for this insightful workshop as to what the food you consume is doing to your body and mind. Learn how to make the changes you need for better health.

06/04/2022

08/03/2021

As we move through these tough times of uncertainty would it make your life easier to have someone with whom you can discuss your fears and anxiety?

A coach that has 10 plus years of assisting people from all walks of life from those seeking to improve there lives whether it in business, sport or relationships.

Problems will always be around and if they consume one we struggle to find the solutions. With my assistance and insight, I will assist you in easing the anxiety and exploring solutions.

If you are interested, why not book a free 45 minute one on one session to find out whether I can be of assistance to you?

22/01/2018

MANAGING STRESS
Definition of Stress
Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.

Stress is the number one killer in the western world. It creeps up on one and if not managed it will lead to other complications.
Our coping mechanism when dealing with a problem often lets us down. We see only the problem and do not seek the solution. The mind conjures up images of what will happen because of the problem. I like to call the images monsters and all we see are the monsters coming to get us.
Symptoms of Stress:
 Eating constantly or not eating at all
 High Blood Pressure
 Irritable Bowel Syndrome
 Heart palpitations
 Sleeping badly
 Constant Head Aches
 Constantly arguing
 Excessive alcohol intake
 Recreational drug abuse
 Depression

If stress is not managed and appropriate action is not taken to eliminate the cause the final result could be a stroke or a heart attack or maybe both. You may also lose the relationship you are in.
You do not want this to happen to you, do you?
One needs to take appropriate action to eliminate stress and that is to deal with the root cause. Once one starts with the action one will notice how one’s stress begins to diminish.
There are many things that can lead to stress.
 Financial
 Business not doing well
 Loss of loved one
 Seeking employment
 Divorce
 Unhealthy relationship
 And many others

The first step to managing stress is to understand what emotions are present. Once you have established the emotions ask yourself if they have any purpose. The emotions that present themselves are your queues to do something about the cause of the stress.
Some emotions that could manifest are:
 Anger
 Frustration
 Anxiety
 Doubt
 Fear
 Guilt

Example:
Your business was thriving and now you are in a tight spot. Sales are down and you have creditors on your back. You have a team around you that needs to be paid their salaries and a host of other accounts that need paying. Not enough money to go around and of course there is your private life that is now being affected by the lack of money. You begin to panic and so the stress begins.
You find that you are dreading the phone calls from your creditors, you are worried that the salaries may not be paid. You begin to feel unwell and start doing things irrationally. Your home life is becoming a nightmare and you are permanently irritable. The one whisky you had in the evenings is now turning into half a bottle. You find yourself being ill more often.
Your emotions manifest frequently and they are affecting the people who work for you and they are affecting your family. You probably get told by someone close to you that they don’t know you anymore. You have wild outbursts of anger and frustration. The guilt sets in. You begin to worry what your friends think of you. So the monsters multiply. Not a happy picture.
In order to minimise your stress, you have to put a plan of action together. Your action plan must be solutions-driven. What result do you want? Start doing things that will bring the results you want. Write the plan and take the necessary action and do it now.
Things you can do to minimise your stress whilst taking action:
 Exercise – walk, go to gym attend yoga classes.
 Find someone to talk to that listens.
 Avoid negative conversations.
 Eat healthily.
 Avoid sitting in front of the TV and watching rubbish.
 Minimise your alcohol intake.

Take action. Don’t wait for things to change you must make the change.
SUMMARY
 Determine the root cause of your stress. This should not be too difficult.
 Notice the emotions present and what they are doing to you.
 Put a plan of action together.
 Work on your health.
 Talk and work with someone who can assist you through stressful periods.

Take action rather sooner than later.

15/01/2018

SAME OLD

Stuck in a rut and seemly there is no way out. Goals set and resolutions made yet nothing changes. Are you in this space? Week in and week out. Month after month and the end of the year you reflect on your achievements and your life in general and what you see is the same. No real change except your age.

Ever wondered why this is the case? Is it just you or is the same thing happening to others? Yes, it happens to many others and there is a very good reason for it. It is about making a shift in the way one thinks. You need to create new habitual habits of thought which will, in turn, start the cogs turning to guide you on a new path.
We all have habits and the ones we want to change need some provocation from your conscious self. What is it you want to change so that you can look back and notice what has changed?

Whatever it is you want to change or do will take effort. The effort will reap rewards. You must make a conscious effort until it becomes your new norm.

So in order to achieve your goal or goals, you need to ask yourself the following:
What is the purpose of the goal and what results are you wanting from the goal. This may sound straight forward but if not thought out correctly you may miss your mark. Say you want to make more money, maybe an extra R100,000 a year. What is the real purpose of the extra income? If it just sounds good then there is no purpose but if you are wanting the money to pay for your daughters piano lessons or purchase a new home or go on exciting holidays then there is a purpose.

So if you live life with the same old attitude you will receive the same which is the same old. If you want to change then you need to be clear on what it is you want to change. Find the purpose and set your goals. Never lose sight of your purpose and the goals will be achieved.

One important step in order for you to achieve new things is for you to change your habitual thoughts that are not helping you. You need to find out what blocks your progress. Rid yourself of the blocks and install new patterns of thinking. This could be a goal on its own as it could help you with your other goals.

Start with small goals and as you achieve them the bigger goals will be so much easier to reach. The small ones will inspire you and will make you stretch yourself further.
So if you are tired of the same old you then begin setting goals and you will be amazed how your life will change. Challenge yourself and have fun. Enjoy your new journey.

16/10/2017

Some Wisdom

16/10/2017

Keep learning and never give up.

13/10/2017

The Power of Listening

People generally love to talk as their ego’s love to express their opinions and impose them on others. In the business environment talking incessantly will lead to a lack of growth and ultimate failure. People lose interest when people talk too much.

Listening is probably the most powerful form of communication. Listening to others is how we gain knowledge. People talk in the manner in which they are accustomed to and often they do not say what they actually mean. When one trains oneself to listen with intent, one will notice the nuances and underlying meanings of what the speaker is saying.

The trained listener will be in in the moment. They will have blocked out the white noise and will focus 100% on the speaker. Their minds will not wander and in so doing will understand what the speaker is saying. With this in place, the listener will be in the position to ask appropriate questions and ultimately find out more.

In a business networking environment, and I have been to many, most people in the room are doing their utmost to sell to you and could not be bothered about you. They talk from their heads and not from their hearts. Big fail!

A business networking group that works differently is BNI, Business Network International. The approach is different. No pushiness and no hard selling. Listening to what others are saying is the key to the organisations' success and its members. The power of BNI is about members finding referrals for other members outside of the network and this can only be done through effective listening.

Successful relationships both personal and business, are built on the power of listening. Through listening one gains knowledge and in turn one is able to take the appropriate action.

If you are battling to close deals or are struggling with a personal relationship learn to listen.

Michel Sixel Coaching. Private 1 on 1 coaching. Changing attitudes by removing Self-limiting beliefs