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What is resilience? 

It is an ability to cope with a crisis using mental and emotional strategies such as relationship building, self-efficiency and healthy thinking. People who demonstrate resilience have emotional/behavioral capabilities to ensure that they remain calm during crisis such as flight/fight/freeze scenario and can rebound quickly.

Despite being in a crisis, they can move on without any long-term negative consequences.

Being resilient at work can enable workers to cope with a crisis especially in a highly stressful occupation. This is so because as resilience is a set of behaviors aimed at workers being equipped with knowledge and skills through training interventions.

Resilience in a workplace or individually acquired,

Develops strong connections with others

Manage stress and burnout

Be genuine/authentic

Develop grit (that is having an ability to complete things when there is supposed to be done. Its dedication to daily practice and their ability to stick to a schedule.

It is building good habits, breaking bad ones.

Building resilience

In life we must be the change we wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi.


How to become a Competent Coach

Coaching empowers us through growth and improved performance by sharing effective communication and understanding. By asking a set of questions moving through a coaching model, the client gains a better understanding of where their problem is. By working from a goal, the client and coach are challenged through the process from probing questions and summarizing by the coach to clarify their own understanding of the client's needs.

Coaching is for individuals, professionals from the school room to the board room and onto the sports fields, with the result of a better working environment, performance. The coaching models enhances personal motivation, optimizes self-reflection, decision making, while improving management skills and the overall functioning of any business and its bottom line, being its productivity and financial gain.

During the coaching process the client talks about their situation. Has a work document not been created that should have been on the bosses' desk three hours ago, or that is due in three days? 

The client has come to the sessions struggling with a lack of motivation needing to have the document completed as fast as possible. The coach is going to want to know what has happened or is happening, to cause such a disruption in the workers life and motivational ability. Why has the work not been completed, if it is so urgent?

Is their confrontation at work, a lack of communication, or no communication, could cause a major problem. Did the executive have several late nights, getting behind in his work. The document was not going to be on the bosses' desk in two days. This is why a coach can be of enormous value not only to an individual but an organization. 

The executive wanted to know what I could do to assist him get this project completed and on the boss's desk as soon as possible. 

During the coaching process workers and management interact, wanting talks which can create a better understanding and creating better work relations, and communication skills between employers and employees.

A coach who watches his students play on a field or performing on a stage, would be asking them for an intrinsic/ honest appraisal of how they thought their performance was, that is, giving guidance and constructive criticism about his or her own performance. 

By giving their opinion on how they believe their performance was, the coach can give his honest opinion, about what he thought, being careful to not be too negative with his or her criticism. 

When coaches and clients respond to each other, in an office environment, for example, verbal and non-verbal messages are being sent to each other, creating an environment of mutual influencing and co-creating outcomes. The use of non-verbal language creates a congruent conversation. The same can be said on a sports field.

If a client was saying he was sad, and laughing, the coach or counsellor would be a bit concerned about what they were visually seeing, and question why the person was sad, yet laughing.

This type of reaction shows the client that as their coach or counsellor, is visibly tuned in to what they are saying. This is the process by which the client becomes more comfortable with the coach's presence and is more likely to tell the helper what is troubling them. Once the client and coach develop an understanding their talk and non-verbal communication become connected, and they begin to mutually influence each other as in a normal conversation and develop a solution for the problem the client has come to see the coach about. It is a personal centered focus, giving the client your utmost attention.

The coach follows techniques, where active listening is employed. Empathy is used and understood. Emotions arise due to the presence of arbitrary factors which can go beyond our voluntary control and are part of our experience. This is where protocols and boundaries in professionalism, is warranted. Emotions are seen as normal positive and maladaptive thinking can be overridden. However, if the client is having a session about a paper or report that is supposed to be on the boss's desk in three days and the client doesn't know where to begin because they have so many things to do, the coach is going to ask some questions to ascertain what is different to the past reports that were handed in on time and which is more important. Time management might be a consideration.

Skills learned as a counselor and coach overlap. Most people who enter these types of professions, such as counseling and mediation, and coaches, have qualifications which are accredited and enable them to join an organization which supports them as a member. There are financial coaches, school coaches and basic life coaching and coaching a business or an individual in a business, or a business in general with Employee Assistance Programs.

With the invention of the computer and its technical advances professions such as counseling, coaching, can mediate and work online. Client confidentiality is of utmost importance, as is privacy both of the client and the consultant. All health workers, no matter what their field of work, have a duty of care to themselves and their clients and co-workers.

Self-coaching can also help you achieve lasting behavior change. Your goals are important, and it is important that you reach them. No matter what your intention the same process can be used to transform, execute performance in all aspects of your life.

Structural Changes in Families

Structural changes in families have been occurring for many years and in some 
cases, many of these types of family structures have been the norm. With the
advent of financial status, lifestyle, individual needs, household needs, abusive situations and societal disasters and necessities, the family structure is now made up of single families and same-sex marriages and cohorts of mixed family members and homes where several families often live together.

During the twentieth century, families underwent significant shifts in structure. Extended kin and unrelated people began living within a family structure during Federation. Following World War 11 the nuclear family was made up of the mother, father, and siblings, with no
extended family members. This is still the case today; however, social change has seen the increasing diversity in the children of family structures not only in Australia but on a global scale, with same-sex partners living in often blended families. In contrast, decades ago many of these terms were unheard of and often termed an irrelevant part of family existence with stigmas attached.

Families just didn’t want to know about a son or daughter who preferred the company of their own gender. Times have changed and what seemed unfair for many is slowly becoming part of society on an outward front. People today refer to "coming out" as relating to two people of the same sex into a community as a couple. But still for much homosexuality is taboo, and many people believe as did my ancestors that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. This has its merits when I think about it because only men and women can produce a child.

Yet I also agree with the argument that people should be able to love who they want. This allows stability and more care often between two people who might be more content with each other than their next-door Neighbours' husband and wife. The benefits for many of these same-sex marriages and childless couples come from the fall out of a husband-and-wife situation for whatever reason which can be varied; financial, legal, or they have just grown apart and prefer their separate path in life. This is all change and change is a good thing, because it involves altering a stagnant and often floundering situation for many in society as we see so readily with gay marriages, same-sex marriages and divorced couples or feuding/domestic violence. 

Many institutions and countries won't allow same-sex marriages to adopt or marry. In some countries, it is a crime to kiss in public or on the beach. This type of governance is strict, but it does tend to maintain a similar nuclear family structure, which is what my parents grew up in. But life moves on and so does society, and the people within it. 


STRESS

Stress is a common reaction when your basic needs are not being met. In this case, our basic needs are love, shelter, food and water. It is a psychological response to stimulus in your environment. As a counsellor, it is my job to assist you to manage your stress in your present situation while trying to build up your skills so you can better manage your stress levels in the future. 
Stress is defined as a pattern of physiological, behavioral, emotional and cognitive responses to real or imagined stimuli. It is a result of a stressor that is something that causes us stress. It is a biological response that is experienced as an emotion. The stressor causes the stress whether it is direct or indirect.

Psychological symptoms of stress include anxiety, agitation, apprehension, depression, frustration, hostility, intolerance, irritability, reaction to noise and sleep disturbance. Stress is the result of a mismatch between the challenges you experience and your belief in your ability to cope. These are internal reasons which are pressures from inside you and are a product of your own values, needs and expectations, this affects our attitudes and actions. Whereas challenges from an external source may be the result of the above stimulants or stressors causing too much pressure.

Stress can be physical which comes from over-extension and being tired. 
Shift workers often suffer from tiredness, because the shiftwork throws the body out of balance.

Stress though can be good for us, whether positive or negative it motivates us giving us the energy to provide commitment while challenging our creative problem-solving natures. Stress is needed to produce a productive lifestyle because achievement is necessary for our well-being. The problem is when stress becomes chronic. Stress is inevitable due to the situations we find ourselves faced with throughout our life. If we choose to act positively to these stressors, then grief, confusion and the use of drugs and other negative life choices become less important in our life. People deal with stress differently and our bodies react differently to problems and stress.

In an attempt to relieve stress, people often resort to drugs, which can include caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. After a while the person tires of how they feel or living in a drug-induced stupor or a state of no sensation. On the other hand, they could be unaware of their drug dependency and seek outside help to sort out their problems or a solution to how they are now feeling. Confusion can have a person unable to concentrate enough to analyze or provide a solution. They could be aware of the problems that their stress is causing them, and they might be able to pinpoint the cause of their issues, but they might seem too complex. Often this type of person perceives themselves as a victim.

This organization has an outreach program to assist people with mental health concerns.

Evidence shows how gardening and horticulture in general assist people's well-being. Gardening can be used as a therapeutic means to assist people suffering from depression and other mental health issues.
This video talks about Managing Stress. The points make sense and if you follow the tips you will find yourself being less stressed and more organized.

This organization has an outreach program to assist people with mental health concerns.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-miller-616a4123a
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Here is some relaxing music. Hope you enjoy it?







How can the benefits of good eating assist a person's state of Mind?
Published on June 6, 2022

Have you ever noticed how a person going on a hunger strike can become emancipated?  Looking just like an undernourished child, who is unable to eat because their parents cannot provide them with the food they need. The newly planted crops get wiped out by a lack of irrigation due to a drought, a cyclone or some extreme weather event. These situations have been with us throughout history and resurface every so often. 

Our bodies need vitamins, and minerals to sustain our daily living. This is why food provides the energy which our body needs to fuel our metabolic functions such as respiration, circulation and physical activities including walking and running and our daily activities we enjoy doing, such as going to work and having enough energy to meet our friends on the weekend. Too much food can be bad for us just as too little can be bad for us. The type of food we consume and the amount of food we eat influence how efficiently our body functions.

Eating a balanced diet makes me personally feel better not only because I have more energy, but I also don’t feel so sluggish and tired. This does vary though. By eating a variety of foods, you should be eating your basic nutritional requirements. A healthy diet maintains our teeth and bones giving us sparkling eyes glowing skin, and a healthy color and glowing skin.

Healthy solid muscles not only look good but can assist us to have less illness and injuries because our body is fitter, and it can fight sickness, disease, and accidents.

The food we take into our body is called energy and is stored in our body as fat in the form of adipose tissue. Too many fat stores have us put on weight and you can get fatter and unfit fast, especially if you don’t expend or use energy or fat stores. By the way. I am speaking from experience. I once lost eight stone through proper nutrition and exercise. I had been eating quite a lot of Mcdonald's. Its content is healthier these days than it was several decades ago. When we exercise, do our daily activity, and do not overeat, our body converts the stored fat into energy, reducing our fat stores. With an increase in healthy lifestyle living and better relationships, you should notice an improvement in your financial gain, mainly because you should be feeling better and not so overweight and be able to move around more easily and make new friends while improving work productivity. Feeling good about ourselves is healthy, and we look good. We can move faster with lots of energy to spare and do the things that we love to do. Food is necessary for your body to function properly. Either way, losing weight can be a challenge.

A healthy diet maintains bones and teeth while giving us sparkling clear eyes and glowing skin with a healthy color. Muscles become strong and healthy, while hair becomes shiny and looks healthy. Our body just functions better. To lose weight joining a local gym can be inexpensive and a good social venue and a place to leave the little ones while you exercise, if they have a creche. Joining the local community and leisure centers offer many activities such as tennis and indoor sports and activities.

Exercise classes are not only an effective way to lose weight but a safe way and way to meet people while doing something good for your body and something enjoyable.

There are many factors that influence what foods we eat and there is a strong link between our finances our general health and knowledge, and culture or upbringing. Many illnesses are related to our lifestyle because we don't know any different. It is important to understand nutrition to make informed decisions about your diet and to be able to make improvements to your health. Too much of any nutrient can have harmful effects on our body, as does a nutrient deficiency. A poor diet is one that consists of a diet with an excess supply of energy or food stored as fat, saturated fat and sodium, and a low fiber and micronutrient content such as calcium, iron, vitamin B group and vitamin C and fish products.








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