INSPIRED MUSINGS

I’ve written articles, exercises and journaling tools on topics related to life coaching issues. Please check back for more to come. I welcome your comments, so please call or email with your own musings.

Getting to What You Want

Inviting in New Love: Release and Rituals

Energy Management for Caretakers

Heart’s Desire: Naming and Manifesting One Step At a Time

Career Questions: Getting To What Matters

A Few Words About Self-Sabotage

Inner Solstice: Is It Time for a Turning Point?

PRODUCTS:

Touchstone Within: Visualizations for Centering, Guidance & Inspiration;

The Touchstone Within is an audio CD of short visualizations to support your personal goals and intentions. The visualizations are designed in an open-ended way so you can evoke the images most helpful for you. The CD includes a companion guide for further reflection and journaling.

CD Tracks:
1. Welcome/Introduction
2. Breathing Room
3. This Moment Is All
4. Two Parts
5. Answering the Call
6. Inside Spirit
7. Fear and Excitement
8. Pendulum
9. Breathing the Four Directions
10. Heart’s Desire

Cost: $15 (includes tax; shipping and handling extra)

To order, contact Debbie Lacy at Debbie@TheInspiredCoach.com or phone 206-709-3948. If you wish to order a CD as a gift, please note that processing and delivery takes up to 5 business days from the time your order is received. Express mail available at additional cost.

SUGGESTED READING:

These are some current favorites of mine. Check back periodically for new additions to the list.

Silver Linings: The Power of Trauma to Transform Your Life
by Melissa Gayle West

This is the one book that helped me during a time of immense grief. I highly recommend it for anyone going through a major transition, even if you wouldn’t necessarily call it a “trauma.” West provides a truly empowering framework for the stages that we enter in trying to cope, figure out who we are, and move forward with a renewed sense of self.

How Did I Get Here? Finding Your Way to Renewed Hope and Happiness When Life and Love Take Unexpected Turns
by Barbara De Angelis

The doozy of a title says it all. I recommend this to a lot of my clients because it covers all the bases and is also aligned with my own approach and philosophical outlook on transitions.

The Seven Whispers
by Christina Baldwin

A slim volume that contains a huge amount of wisdom, including this: “Move at the pace of guidance.” If that sounds like a breath of fresh air to you, you’ll love this book.

Refuse to Choose!: A Revolutionary Program for Doing Everything That You Love
by Barbara Sher

If you are sometimes overwhelmed by your many interests and all the possibilities, this book is a great beginning. Many of my clients have recognized themselves in Sher’s writing and then we take her suggestions to build ongoing, consistent actions.

The Thundering Years: Ritual and Sacred Wisdom for Teens
by Julie Tallard Johnson

Not just for teens! Although I would have gained so much from this book had it been around decades ago, I am catching up now. The author shares traditions and wisdom from various cultures aimed at supporting teens to listen to themselves, gain confidence, and follow their dreams. It’s full of journaling exercises, activities, and ideas for personal rituals.

Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives
by Wayne Muller

I loved passing this great book around to all my friends. It’s a wonderful approach to self-care as something we can easily bring into our daily lives. It makes a powerful argument for the reasons we need to slow down and reconnect with ourselves and our families. But, it doesn’t stop there. This book is full of practical advice.

The Way of Transition: Embracing Life’s Most Difficult Moments
by William Bridges

Bridges tells the story of how his wife’s death launched him into another major life transition and period of self-examination. His teachings about “the neutral zone” are particularly helpful. This is the place where you’ve left the old life behind, but you’re not yet in the new. I often recommend it to clients so they can start building a language and context for that very difficult stage.

Where Two Worlds Touch: Spiritual Rites of Passage
by Gayle Karpinski

This author’s rendering of times of transition is deeply spiritual, but very accessible. It puts things in perspective and gives you a way to integrate your experience of transition with spiritual meanings. This was one book where nearly every page had something I had underlined or made notes of in my journal.

Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life
by Greg Levoy

For seekers who know that a calling awaits them, but haven’t yet discovered it, this book is a must read. I can’t recommend it enough. Although the language and metaphors are sometimes a bit much for my tastes, the content is really valuable and provides real-life strategies for the quest to find your calling.

The Book of Awakening
by Mark Nepo

I have used quotes from this book probably too excessively, but I couldn’t help it. I don’t normally like books that follow a daily affirmation approach, but this one is an exception. You can read one of his teachings each day, or devour as much as you can at one sitting. Having done the latter, I recommend the former. It’s better to go slowly and take your time with his writing. The meditation exercises Nepo recommends at the end of each are transformative, yet simple to do.
           
My favorite children’s books that have great life coaching messages:

The Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams

What being “real” is all about.

The Carrot Seed Board Book
by Ruth Krauss, Crocket Johnson (Illustrator)

If you believe in yourself, in spite of others’ doubts, you can achieve greatness (or at least grow a colossal carrot)

LINKS:

Resources…friends…great people living their own “inspired lives”

Here is an eclectic group of resources. Check back for more additions in the future.

SolaceScents was created by my friend Carol Walter. “SolaceScents creates products for your body, room, enjoyment, goals, and life by using natural scents for healing.” I always have a hard time choosing which scent to buy from her line of products. They’re heavenly. www.solacescents.com

Phil Eidenburg-Noppe is a talented videographer following his passion. “Sockeye Video Productions is dedicated to capturing life's fleeting experiences and events and honoring them with an inspired creativity that will be valued for years to come.” www.sockeyevideo.com

Look, Listen and Learn is an exciting project created by Val Thomas-Matson. She’s the Producer and Host of Look, Listen, and Learn, aiming to bring entertaining and educational commercial-free television show to children in Washington State. Read more at www. looklistenandlearn.org.

Diane Tchakirides is the graphic designer who created my door and vine logo. She captured perfectly the tone and energy that I wanted, and I felt we were speaking the same language from the beginning. I appreciate her creativity, skill, flexibility and gentle guidance. Her website is a delight: www.dianetdesign.com

Consuelo Gonzalez is an incredible healer and teacher and I’m fortunate to have her as a dear friend. She uses unique movement and sounding practices with her clients, and provides workshops in the Seattle area. I don’t know of anyone who provides more insightful and skilled guidance when it comes to the world of emotions. www.ConsueloGonzalez.com

I love Soul Collaging™ and Noelle Remington is an excellent coach and facilitator who does Soul Collage™ workshops regularly and also facilitates retreats throughout the year. Noelle’s style is warm and enthusiastic, leaving you with the belief that everyone truly can be an artist. www.LifeDoula.com.

Lori DeMarre is a photographer and Photo Therapist. I felt completely at ease with her when she did my headshots. Her website provides information on all her services, including the use of art & photography to empower and inspire personal growth. www.inneressencephotography.com. 

Richard Middleton is a Seattle musician and songwriter who created a great website as a resource for music lovers and singer/songwriters. Check out www.Songspace.net as well as his personal website www.RichardMiddleton.com. Get to know him and his music.

Another great musician is Joe Crookston who now lives in Ithaca, NY. His CD Fall Down As the Rain is a beautiful collection of original songs about life’s seasons. www.JoeCrookston.com

Rock School is a nonprofit, after-school program that teaches all aspects of music to youth in the Seattle and East Lake Washington areas. www.rock-school.org

Looking to buy or sell a house? Sharon Carlsen is an excellent real estate agent whose strength is in her resourcefulness, follow-through, and full presence to your needs. Her website name says it all. www.HappiestHomes.com

And, last but not least, Jesse Greenawalt is my Webmaster. He’s a jack-of-all-trades, master of all. I’m grateful for his talents and his generosity. Check out his website:
Playhouse Multimedia

Coach Training

I often receive questions from people wanting to become coaches. Here are some resources:

I got my training through Coaching From Spirit, www.coachingfromspirit.com. My instructors there were Sherry Hudson and Carolyn Wilson-Elliot. They created the curriculum that we used at Coaching From Spirit, and they have since launched their own training program, Quantum Spirit International (QSI): www.quantumspirit.com. I highly recommend their training – the instructors are talented, warm, and inspiring, and the curriculum is unparalleled.

Through that group of folks, I became involved with Belinda Ryan, who was my classmate when we were studying together. She and I have stayed in touch and we co-created a website affiliated with QSI called Answering The Sacred. www.AnsweringTheSacred.com. Belinda facilitates teleclasses on a variety of topics, including the ones that we created together for that website. Check out the info, and if you are interested in classes over the phone, or want a great coach in the Ashland, OR area, please contact belindaryan@charter.net.

A great website for exploring all current training programs available:

www.peer.ca/coachingschools.html