This week I was reminded of the power of women–collectively and as individuals. I had the opportunity to attend the Texas Women’s Conference, where 5000 Texan women gathered to hear many speakers. For me, the highlight of the conference was a speech by Ms. Isabel Allende. She reminded us to pursue joy and pleasure in life–yes pleasure! She talked about “mamisma”, femininity defined by mature and maternal qualities. Mamisma is an energy available to all women, not just mothers. It is the essence of powerful women–who do not have to act like men to succeed. I wish I could have bottled the energy of the 5000 women–I sat next to a friend, feeling empowered, hopeful, optimistic. And, most of all, joyful. What if we could conquer our fears not by taking a warrior stance but by embracing our femininity? The collective power of women in the room was palpable….I hope each one of us took a little bit of it away with us! Ms. Allende recalled the stories of one woman in Mexico and one in the US who dared to make a difference. These two women were mothers, not powerful media personalities. But they chose to help others…each one of us can make a difference. How easy it is to be enveloped by fear and to forget. Courage is to remember that we can make a mark even when we fear.
May we all go out in the world and emobody the graceful energy of mamisma…
Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna Grassini

Recently I was coaching a group of clients on the phone. One of the assignments to one of the people was to stop during the day and breathe. Another assignment was to give herself a pat on the back. I recently heard from the client that these small steps were making her feel less stressed and more accepting. Happiness really is within reach–if we just try. Professor Tal Ben Shahar, a well known “happiness specialist”, suggests that there are six steps to happiness. The first requires that we give ourselves permission to be human! That means accepting our emotions and sitting with them instead of rejecting them. If you are having a hard time, hire a coach and set your course in the direction of happiness…that is one transition that will surely pay off great dividends in your life!

Life is Amazing! Live Well.

Anna Grassini
Your transitions coach
www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

Here is an excellent article for people looking for a job or for those who are receiving calls from people they may not know to well. I love the part about remembering that one day you may be in someonelse’s shoes! Great advice on working within one’s network to learn more about opportunities! And don’t forget–don’t make your next transition along…hire a coach to help you find your vision and encourage you along the way.
NYT Article on Networking

Thanks to a friend who is also a coach, I realized yesterday that the sadness about preparing the house for sale was not about detaching from the walls (after all, I have done that before!). What the sadness was telling me is that I was in transition–and declaring the end of an era. My friend used the analogy of reading a chapter book–one chapter has ended, and now I sit staring at the blank page before the next chapter starts. Despite the excitement that surrounds the next part of the story, there is sadness that an important chapter has ended. Being able to name what the sadness was about suddenly made it lift–oh yes, I said to myself. There is much to be celebrated about the last chapter, but also some grief about letting go. It is ok to sit with it…suddently, just as it had come, the wall of emotions that had enveloped me over the last few days is dissipating…and leaving space for the the joy that lies ahead.
Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna Grassini
lifeinbalancecoach.com

So I have been doing more reading and thinking about the new “social media”…especially relevant after my recent arrival on Facebook!. According to a NYT story on the Austin Festival South By SouthWest, folks attending the most successful part of the festival are not musicians…they are people dealing in the new media!!! Says the NYT, however, that the folks creating content seem too busy to have time to consume it! And in any case, I wonder…what does this content really mean? Do I really gain from knowing that my 21 year old nephew is “stoked” about an upcoming weekend of sports? (Which, in my old fashioned mind, might mean simply a weekend of watching too much television!) What about the old friend who thinks Florida is too pretty? What am I gaining here? What is the content?
It feels to me like I am entering a whole new culture. But the question for me is, does the connection pay off or does it simply mean a huge loss of privacy? What do the young people out there think? What does it mean to be truly connected?

Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna

http://www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

At the urging of my young Italian cousin, Luisa, I have recently joined FaceBook.   I have been on LinkedIn for a while, thinking of it as a professional network.   The function of LinkedIn has been to reassure me that as I face a huge transition in my life, there are people to whom I am connected–and that those bonds will follow me wherever I go.  But what does FaceBook do?   My husband John asked me “do you like it?”  The answer is…I don’t know yet.   Clearly, it makes me notice the difference between being old and young.  There is a whole new lingo to learn (really, what does it mean on FaceBook to tag someone? To poke them?) and then there is a level of discourse that does not really conduce to deep conversations.   I still have to find my way around it.  

Would love to hear what other people are getting out of these social networks and how they use them….

In the meantime, I remain confident that 

Life is Amazing! Live Well.

Anna 

http://www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

As fall approaches and lots of young women I know are applying to college, I found this article that I thought was inspiring and informative, especially considering that it is written by a young woman who has not yet graduated. I know firsthand that going to Wellesley has empowered me as a woman–and I often get asked how come I have so much self-confidence. I think Wellesley put me on that path…though there was a long part of the journey that was uniquely my own and that happened well after I left college. Anyway, for young women considering the choice of college, this is a good article to read!
Intro to Empowerment – The Boston Globe

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Recently, I found myself in a wonderful conversation at the dinner table of a family with three young children.  The fourth grader quickly brought up the topic of  politics–yes, the upcoming election is on the mind of children as well.  I suspected that this bright and spirited child was not a supporter of my candidate.  In fact, he was quite surprised when I brought up that I would not be voting for his candidate.  What ensued was a very engaging and civil conversation with the parents  about our differing political views.  What a wonderful experience, especially when compared to the constant barrage of negative ads and defensive views that surround us these days when we bring up the issue of politics.  I felt completely safe exposing my view (albeit one that might be different from those of the parents) and at the end we had the same respect for each as we did when we started.  What I learned is that if we could keep our minds open and out judgment in many of our conversations (not just those difficult ones on politics), we may live richer lives.  I encourage you to try it next time you are entering a conversation on a touchy subject…you may not change anyone’s mind, but you will be touched by what listening with an open mind can do for you.

Life is Amazing! Live Well.

Anna Grassini

I was recently in communication with a great real estate agent in Austin, Jill Crecelius.  She and I have in common a love of books and a thirst for learning.  We also share a passion for serving people with first class service and giving a 100% commitment.  As I was suggesting yet another learning source, she reminded that first she wants to implement some of what she has learned.  Yes, indeed.  How important for those of us who are learners to be aware that we need to pause and translate the learning into real life applications!  A coach can help us navigate the process! 

I remember when I first started a real estate business, I needed a place to brainstorm my ideas and reducing them to practice.  I hired a coach…and she really helped me take off!
So, keep loving learning and books! And find someone to guide you in the process of applying it all in your life.

Life is Amazing! Live Well.

Anna Grassini

www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

My dad used to be said that to every problem there were four solutions. He said three solutions would be easy to find and clear, the fourth one would require some stretching. His was an optimistic way to approach problems and to deal with choices. Oh, yes, choices. Everything in life requries a choice. Some of these come easy (I will have coffee this morning, as I do every morning), some of these do not (should I move or should I stay?).
Should we not feel abundantly blessed when we have them? Of course, says our brain. No way, say our feelings. Ever looked at a number of choices that might all be decent–and yet felt that all you could think about was the burden of the regret you would feel later if you made the wrong choice?
So, I am inviting you right now to let go of the fear that you will regret something tomorrow. Take a deep breadth, and allow yourself to embrace the choices and think how change can be good.
Need help? Find a good coach to guide you through the process and let you verbalize what your feelings and your head are saying!
Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna
www.lifeinbalancecoach.com