Coach Louise Gillespie-Smith shares her thoughts and experience in today’s guest post:

Acting from Fear vs Love

By Louise Gillespie-Smith

Most of the time as a life coach I am really living my dream; I am inspired, I am enjoying doing the things I love and I am empowering people to live a life they love too. Then there are other times when I find myself behaving from a totally different place, from fear.

I can recognise it now, it’s like I have had a double espresso even though I don’t drink caffeine anymore. An anxious feeling starts to burn in my heart, my actions are frenzied and I am not connected to who I really am at all.

Surely a life coach doesn’t feel fear?! GASP!

Coaches are seen as such positive inspirational people that it can be hard to admit to feeling like this to others and even to myself sometimes. However we are all human and sometimes it’s natural to get a bit scared, it’s what you do with the fear that matters. What you resist does indeed persist so acknowledging the signals that you are in the fear zone is the first step to turning it in to love, which is our true nature.

At the core of our being is love, this is who we are and this is what we have to share with the world. We have chosen to walk down the path of being coaches to support and empower people to be who they truly are. So it’s important that we do the same for ourselves!

Following are a few things I have found that work for me to bring myself out of the fear zone and into acting from a place of love;

• Go outside and connect with the earth. Fear is in our minds, when we are caught up with self-talk we are not grounded or in our bodies at all. If I notice myself tensing up, thoughts spinning round and round I’ll stop what I am doing and go outside. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes I will feel the earth beneath my feet, I’ll listen to the birds, I’ll watch the sun sparkling on the sea, where ever I am I will take a few moments to bring myself back to the present moment right here right now.
• Remind yourself “there is only ever this moment and right now I have a choice of who I am being, which parts of my personality I wish to draw upon”.
• Meditate, I find this one particularly works:

Sit in silence for a few minutes paying attention to the rise and fall breath

Start to think about all the things you are grateful for

Start to bring to mind your fear and then release it to God/ The Universe

Pay attention to your heart beating, feel every sensation, consciously use your intention to slow it down.

Send your intention to feel your heart beating in your hands and to feel the warmth grow in them.

Finally repeat an affirmation that works for you. For example “I am safe and totally protected by the Universe/ God, all is well”.

• Get into your body by doing some exercise, I teach yoga and find this perfect for calming my mind down. Dance also really connects me with my body. Do something that works for you.
• Ask what will bring me joy? Then do that. For us to be able to help others we need to be taking care of ourselves. Self-love is crucial for us to have the energy and inspiration to help others.

I’ve got to admit I find writing a blog for other coaches slightly daunting as I am sure you will already know lots of this stuff already but I also know that sometimes we just need a little reminder! Being kind and loving to yourself is what is going to help you be able to share your love and support with everyone else you come into contact with.

About the Author/Further Resources

Louise Gillespie-Smith runs a business called Create Yourself which empowers and supports people in making positive change in their life. She has a holistic toolkit of resources, life coaching/NLP/ yoga/ reiki/ image consultancy, to create individually tailored packages based on what each client needs. lo****@***************co.uk /07779 150886.

Find Louise and Create Yourself on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CREATEYOURSELF and follow Louise on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LouiseatCreate