Sassy Seniors!

A couple of months ago I went to two senior facilities to talk about my weight loss and wellness ideas. I am becoming familiar and at ease with speaking in public, especially about something that I love and live. One facility was an assisted living facility. The other was a YMCA senior enter program.

I expected mostly very elderly people, using walkers and wheelchairs who would just sit there and listen, unenthusiastic and unaffected by what I had to say, even though my information and approach is always extremely informative and interactive. I was so surprised and delighted to be very, very wrong about the people I met. Most were very elderly, some using walkers and wheelchairs but they were alive, funny and very full of good advice and inspiration for me. Both groups had actually participated in an exercise class right before my talk. I was soon realized, much to my delight, that I was actually preachin' to the choir!

One gentleman had been a foster father to over 100 children in his life. One lovely lady told me she was 93 and she didn't look a day over 75! Several of the people just wanted to talk and be acknowledged by the group. I asked questions and posed some issues about growing older and staying healthy and active. They were quick to offer ideas and very profound insight.

In one group, two of the elderly women had their daughters there. I began to talk about how many of us are raised to have low self-esteem. When I asked who had been raised with lots of praise and warmth, the two daughters responded that they both had mothers who were loving and supportive. I told them that I thought that was the reason they were still with their mothers today, loving and supporting them in return.

It seems that these incredible people who I was privileged to met have the secret to health and happiness and that's why they are still very much physically, mentally and spiritually alive.

I want to be like them when I grow up.

Sunday at the Beach

Today I decided to walk on Ocean Beach in San Francisco. I used to walk 4 miles there regularly but since hurting my knee I've really not been walking that far very much. It took me about an hour and half because I walked pretty slowly due to a bit of knee pain but I pushed on.

Toward the end of my walk I saw some figures on the beach in the distance. As I approached then it turned out to be a huge display of plywood cutouts recreating a photograph taken in 1902 of Buffalo Bill and about 100 Indians on the Ocean Beach. It was simply amazing.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?o=0&f=/c/a/2008/09/05/MNFS12OSPK.DTL

I said I would talk about my coaching practice. So here goes. I have been wanting to do something different in my career for a few years now. Child care has been a wonderful career but I am ready for something new. I hired a life coach to help me determine what my next step should be. During the first fifteen minutes of our phone call my coach said," I know where you're headed but I can't tell you until you come up with it yourself." So after five sessions she asked, So what to you want to do?" I told her I wanted to be a life coach and she said"Bingo! You got it!" So I became trained as a life coach. I am specializing in weight loss and wellness with side interest in parenting coaching.

Life coaching is a relatively new profession. Coaches have been used in business for several years now but the profession has grown to include life coaches with a multitude of specialties. I've met coaches who specialize in everything from women in transition to those who coach people who want to travel and live in Europe for extended periods.

Coaches help people to set goals and accomplish them. I do this through a series of individual telephone conversations or group meetings during which I ask powerful questions, give feedback and insight and provide expertise and tools they can use. I then provide accountability for accomplishing goals and acknowledge success. Coaches are like the best friends you always wished you had.

I am trying to start my practice but it is very difficult to market this kind of service because it is so new, it is hard to explain unless you experience it and it isn't a necessity in these difficult financial times. But I am trying to get speaking engagements at senior centers and other community groups. I am determined to make a success of this.