But no matter why you exercise, you are most likely not getting the most you can get out of your workouts.
Read on for some useful tips.
6 Smart Tips for Getting More from Workouts:
1. Follow a Training Plan.
Working out randomly when you feel like it will not generate impressive results.
While it’s okay to do a short run from time to time, or lift weights in the garage once in a while, if you want to see gains, this isn’t the way to do it.
For best results, have a training plan and stick to it. This applies whether you are trying to build muscle or earn a new PB in a 10k race in three months.
There are loads of training plans online if you are working towards a race such as a marathon.
If you can’t find anything that suits your goals or fitness level, contact a personal trainer and ask them to devise a personalized plan just for you. It won’t be as expensive as you think.
2. Be Consistent.
Consistency is crucial. A haphazard approach won’t work if you want results.
Have a weekly planner where you record your workout sessions and stick to them.
If work is busy and you are stressed, instead of ditching a hard workout, do a recovery workout instead, or hit the pool.
It’s better than lazing on the couch with a pizza and six pack.
3. Eat a Healthy Diet.
Eating a poor diet will hinder your workouts in numerous ways.
Your body is an engine and it needs the right fuel for maximum performance.
Make sure you eat a good balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fats.
A small calorie deficit is okay if weight loss is your goal, but not eating enough will harm your performance, especially if you are trying to build muscle.
4. Try Sports Supplements.
Sports supplements can make a big difference.
There are lots of them on the market, so choose one that suits your workout goals.
Georgina Halabi is one of the coaches we found and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her “playing big” mindset. But she is not a regular coach, this is her purpose in life. And when she dives into her powers, oh boy. Here is what she said.
Meet Life Coach Georgina Halabi:
Name: Georgina Halabi Pillar: The Mind Who is this coach for: Anyone who wants to overcome doubt, maximize their performance, get in flow and connect with their greatness. How they can help: By resolving and aligning conflicting internal tensions that hinder personal and professional growth, and establishing self connection and trust.
First of all, how are you and your family doing in these Pandemic times?
Very well. We found that lockdown was a wonderful opportunity to indulge in our inner introverts, whilst spending quality family time together.
I used it as a chance to let go of my day job, dive into my coaching career and embark on a strenuous path of self exploration and growth.
We moved from Singapore in July of this year, put our kids into new schools and my oldest daughter promptly caught covid.
Thankfully she had very few symptoms, and surprisingly, loved being in isolation for a week. As a teenager with ADD, suddenly all the social and performance pressure was off, and she had time to just relax and be.
How does the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?
Some of my clients were laid off, or put on furlough.
Others had careers that were well suited and managed the turbulence easily.
Most of them accepted the new reality of working from home, although peace of mind was often an issue during lock down, managing kids, workload and lots of other stresses that came with the uncertainty and fear.
Luckily a lot of my work involves creating the headspace needed for optimal performance and wellbeing, so it was timely and relevant.
Everybody suddenly took to zoom, instead of meeting face to face, which allowed me to take on clients from all over the world including Australia, Asia, South America and Europe.
The pandemic actually helped my business. I left behind a day job with a monthly pay check, and threw myself into coaching full time and never looked back.
I made the time to hire a coach and do the inner work needed to counter my beliefs and assumptions that I couldn’t charge full rates when people were being laid off.
I leaned into, and busted through my own money blocks and ended up hitting my financial targets with ease. This was something I also worked through with my clients, and their own beliefs about circumstantial limitations.
What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?
That good things can come out of bad things.
The pandemic changed my life and I will look back on it as a time of growth.
I hired a coach, and did the work. I am amazed at how far my business has come as a result.
Oh and how much coaching works?
It’s amazing to have the privilege of doing this work.
The Origin:
Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?
I was in a board meeting about 3 years ago when I felt myself float out my body and ask myself “what am I doing here? I’m not saving lives, or helping anyone, why am I in this job?”
As soon as I had the thought, I knew I had to make a move in my career.
So, I booked a coffee with my friend Avalyn Lim, Coach and “career adventurist”, and asked her to share her own journey of transitioning careers.
When she told me about coaching, I remember thinking “really? You can make money doing this? I’ve been doing this my whole life!”
Within a week, I’d registered in coaching school, studying alongside my day job until the pandemic hit. By this time, I already had a few clients and knew that coaching was 100% for me.
I told my day job that I was stepping down but was happy to coach the company instead. They took me up on my offer on a part time basis, whilst I focussed on growing my business.
What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?
This is something that I don’t normally share as it’s quite “woo woo”, and many of my clients are very rational.
I have always had a very strong sense of intuition and clairesentience, and feel honored to have seen inside quite a few people’s minds and souls over the course of my life.
I believe this capability is channelled, it’s a universal energy, and is accessible when I’m truly aligned and connected with myself.
About 18 years ago, before I moved from the UK to Singapore, a work colleague asked me to volunteer for hypnosis as part of her credentialling practice.
We did a past life regression and what I experienced scared the pants off me.
I re lived a past life traumatic event, and felt a flood of rage erupt from my solar plexus. My colleague didn’t have the training at this stage to resolve or integrate the trauma, and so I was left with a very deep fear of my own powers and a fear of anger in general.
This promptly shut down my ability to access my vibes. I felt disconnected and lost.
I’ve been on my own journey to get back to that beautiful feeling of trust in the universe that I used to take for granted, and to “reconnect” with myself, knowing this is the first and only place where meaningful work can be done.
This is my “why”, my purpose.
I help people who feel their own sense of separation and doubt, to build up that self connection and trust again. I help them tap into their inner wisdom and greatness.
The Coaching Style:
How do you innovate with coaching your clients?
One of my core beliefs is “I don’t have to be original. I can be myself, and that’s enough” as I have a tendency towards hyper achievement and the need to “perform.”
A lot of my inner work has been getting out of my own head so I can powerfully serve without putting myself in the picture.
I take a moment before each coaching session to mentally step into my “higher self” and I also get my clients to agree to this too.
This means we both have to show up from a space of non judgmental awareness, with a more expansive perspective that allows for exploration, creativity and possibility. No playing small!
When we’re in this frame of mind, innovation and creativity comes naturally. It’s being in the moment and open to all possibilities.
What’s unique about your coaching approach?
My own life journey has allowed me to synthesize the logical and the intuitive, using a whole brain approach to help my clients.
Left brain: I have 25 years of commercial, creative and strategic expertise, plus a deep understanding of the workings of the mind. I’m a life long meditator, I’ve studied the foundations of buddhism up to the level of a novice monk, and I am passionate about neuroscience.
Right brain: meditation, visualization, manifestation, NLP have always been tools that I have used as part of my own practice, even before becoming a coach. For example, I used self hypnosis when having my 2 daughters, and goal visualization throughout my career.
What benefits do your clients get after working with you?
The main goal is around maintaining outer success and inner peace.
There are 3 main benefits and outcomes we work to achieve:
1. Headspace, a feeling of calm, confident presence even through the most challenging times.
2. Clarity and prioritized focus, the ability to channel their time and energy more effectively and purposefully.
3. Peak performance and flow.
Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?
I have so many tools that I have integrated over the course of my life.. where to begin?
I find NLP incredibly impactful, and that Positive Intelligence is amazing for helping people understand their own self talk and step into their Sage selves.
It’s so in line with the work that I do, that I’m doing my accreditation to become a Positive Intelligence coach at the moment.
The Impact:
If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?
Don’t believe your own stories, you are enough!
You have everything you need within you!
What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?
Not to believe our own narratives!
Half the time, it’s our ego trying to protect ourselves.
And the fear of suffering is often worse than the suffering itself.
Also, if in doubt about anything, go within, you’ll have all the answers you need.
Your final thoughts?
Stop doing, and start being!
Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in all the activity of building a coaching business, that it becomes frantic, exhausting and overwhelming.
We serve better when we take the time to care for ourselves, and do the self reflective work that helps us truly serve our clients from a more authentically informed space. That means taking time for ourselves and prioritizing this.
Where Can You Find Georgina Halabi?
If you liked this interview and you would love to get to know more about her work make sure to go on her website and you will learn everything you want to know about this wonderful human. You can also check her video.
You can always sense when the coach is truly dedicated to their work. This is definitely the case. It was an honor having this interview with her.
Wherever you go and whatever you read, you’re likely to come across adverts and directions for living a healthier lifestyle.
Whether it’s adverts for a gym membership or a new supplement designed to boost your immune system, or even a whole new type of diet, you can’t escape the advice about healthy living.
Unfortunately, a lot of the advice is either not backed up by science, or it’s simply not attainable for the average person on an average income.
This doesn’t mean there aren’t ways you can be healthier, though, there are lots of easy ways you can make a positive impact on your health, and you don’t need to drastically change your life or break the bank to do so.
Here are three easy ways you can live a healthier life, all of which are backed by science, and you can start doing today.
3 Ways to Live a Healthier Life:
1. Limit alcohol, caffeine, and salt intake.
Lots of people enjoy a drink after work at the weekend, but too often, the recommended alcohol consumption limit is exceeded.
If you regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week over the course of 10 or 20 years, you are at a higher risk of developing a range of illnesses, including:
Cancer, Liver disease, Brain damage, Heart disease, Mental health issues.
All of these diseases can be fatal and greatly diminish your quality of life, not to mention the side effects of some of the treatments such as chemotherapy. More information is available here.
It’s not just alcohol that can cause some of these problems, though.
Too much caffeine, more than four cups per day, can cause insomnia, nervousness, oral health issues, and digestive problems.
On top of this, if you regularly ingest more than six grams of salt daily, your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke is increased.
2. Exercise three hours a week.
Exercise is unique to each person, yet we’re frequently told that we must do one hour of moderate exercise per day to remain healthy and active.
This isn’t necessarily the case, and this type of advice can make those unable to do such exercise feel inferior.
Exercise should be something you enjoy, and any is better than none.
If you don’t have the time to go to the gym, can’t engage in such workouts, or simply don’t enjoy it, don’t worry.
Even if you only go out for three hour long walks a week or do six 30 minute HIIT workouts a week, anything is better than nothing and you’ll still enjoy the mental benefits of increased serotonin, not to mention the physical benefits of getting up and being active.
3. Implement a rigid bedtime routine.
It’s not just children who need a good bedtime, it’s adults, too.
By going to bed at a certain time and ensuring you’re regularly getting between six and eight hours sleep a night, you are reducing your risk of a disrupted immune system, diabetes, depression, heart disease, and infertility.
With this in mind, consider implementing a proper bedtime routine free of light, noise, and blue light right before you settle down.
Other things you may want to consider include socializing with positive people regularly, doing good deeds, and taking enough time for yourself to fully rest and recover from the week.
Brendan Cusick is one of the coaches we found and we did a little interview with him. He impressed us with his courage and life experience. Here is what he said.
Meet Life Coach Brendan Cusick:
Name: Brendan Cusick Pillar: The Mind Who is this coach for: For anyone who wants to free themselves from their thinking mind and reach their goals in life. How they can help: By being present and empathetic, helping you be less afraid and more honest. By discussing what you really want out of life and making a plan how to get there.
First of all, how are you and your family doing in these Pandemic times?
My family is doing quite well during this time. I have personally taken advantage of the opportunity to reflect on what is most important for me and my family.
This has included some transformative shifts in my personal life that I am enjoying.
My children did have a hard time adjusting to the social aspects of missing their friends and remote schooling, it appears we are slowly exiting the tunnel of this experience and everyone can bring forward what I hope they have learned.
How does the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?
I have really noted an increase in anxiety and the unstable fear of the unknown.
Humans try to control and predict out so much that it can be self deprecating to being with what is in your control which is this moment.
The pandemic has nearly forced people to look at what is and what is not controllable.
The pandemic has brought forth a lot of clarity for me and it has illustrated all of the unfortunate misinformation and distrust that exists in our society today, that I hope can be mended.
One conversation at a time.
What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?
Humans are more apt to protect themselves than to protect their community.
The Origin:
Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?
I have an interesting history.
I spent much of my childhood living and traveling in Europe and grew up in a small town in Northern California. I embarked on a life of climbing high mountains and guiding them, this eased to an end after some near misses in the Himalaya and sadly having to say good bye to friends.
I entered the world of consulting yet despite the conversational interactions with people, I missed seeing the fulfillment that came with the enriched experience of a client summitting a mountain or climbing a hard rock route.
So I discovered and have embarked on coaching, to once again provide a space in support of people realizing their dreams, goals or ambitions and I can walk along as a guide.
What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?
I would say it was fear.
I always had a fear of death, speaking my mind, being truthful to myself and asking permission on any little thing.
I no longer live with much fear. I do see it, embrace it and agree to work with it in support of being a better person.
I was once asked what the hardest thing I have ever done is and my response is that I don’t know as I have not done it yet.
I have encountered a lot of obstacles including witness to death, nearly dying, sobriety, being hurt and hurting others. I have also pushed my body to the limit of that moment.
The obstacles are my lessons to my why, I hope to see them everyday and be enriched by them.
The Coaching Style:
How do you innovate with coaching your clients?
Coaching is always dynamic and ever changing based on the topic and present space that is occurring for the topic at hand.
I encourage my clients to look within and to explore ways of knowing that by building deeper awareness within themselves that the possibilities of even the most auspicious barrier become possible.
I try to be innovative within each session to explore and support all while allowing the client to find their own path, I may just have to clear a few branches out of the way to improve the view at times.
What’s unique about your coaching approach?
My empathetic nature and stillness that allows people to be authentic and unafraid of honesty in my presence.
People seem comfortable and uninhibited in my presence, I recognize the value this brings to the first or fifth session.. power of presence and truly caring means everything.
What benefits do your clients get after working with you?
A stronger growth mindset supported by an improved inner awareness.
Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?
If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?
Be with your thoughts, don’t be your thoughts for they are not you.
Everyone should live to their own inherit values and support humanity to do the same, while blessing each other for being themselves.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?
There is no limit to each human’s potential, it is only our own perception and personal blocks that prohibit growth.
Also that it is important to listen, be honest, confident and passionate every day.
Your final thoughts?
Nothing to add.
Where Can You Find Brendan Cusick?
If liked this interview and would love to connect with Brendan you can find everything you need to know about his work on his website at summitnrg.com.
If you have any question or something that you would like to tell him directly than we suggest to visit his Facebook page. It was an honor having this interview with him.
If you’ve been with us so far on our Leadership Ingredients journey, you need to know this: I’ve kept the best for last!
[If you haven’t read about them go and get up to date with this one: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.]
The ingredient we are talking about today is the one that makes all successful leadership journeys happen: emotional intelligence.
Here’s why I’m saying this…
“Emotional intelligence is the difference that makes the difference. A lack of emotional intelligence is what limits some people in their ability to manage themselves, manage others, or manage situations.”
— J.D. Meier, Director of Innovation at Microsoft
The 5 Ingredients for Leadership: Ingredient 5 – Emotional Intelligence!
A recent study of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development in the UK (CIPD) says that:
‘Nearly as much as 80% of the reasons why careers are derailed can be traced to weaknesses in Emotional Intelligence.’
The good news? Emotional Intelligence is a skill we can all work on and improve.
So, how do we do that?
First things first: let’s define emotional intelligence (more than 15 years of working with lawyers taught me we need to define things before we start to talk about them!).
What is emotional intelligence?
In a nutshell, it’s about how you feel, how others around you feel.
Knowledge of Emotional Intelligence helps you identify what feels good and bad and how to change.
It’s all about maintaining an emotional awareness and sensitivity, and developing the skills that will help you to stay positive.
It is all a dynamic process of learning skills to understand yourself and others!
The original theory of Emotional Intelligence was first identified and developed by two American Psychologists, Peter Salovey and John Mayer, who, in 1990, defined this as a learned ability to perceive, understand and express our feelings accurately and to control our emotions so that they work for us, not against us.
The term Emotional Intelligence was made popular by psychologist Daniel Goleman who defines it as the ability to:
1. Recognize, understand and manage our own emotions and,
2. Recognize, understand and influence the emotions of others.
“In practical terms, this means being aware that emotions can drive our behavior and impact people (positively and negatively), and learning how to manage those emotions – both our own and others.“
— Daniel Goleman
So, what do we need to look at to develop our emotional intelligence?
Here are the 4 dimensions you need to be aware of and practice to keep building that muscle:
Remember, our skills are just like muscles: they need to be trained regularly so that they grow and stay in shape.
It’s just like going to the gym: we can’t expect we go to the gym once a year and be fit! We go and do our exercises regularly.
The same applies to our skills, they need practice to develop, grow and stay in shape.
1. Self Awareness:
Emotional Self Awareness.
Accurate Self Assessment.
Self Confidence.
2. Self Management:
Emotional Self Control.
Transparency.
Adaptability.
Initiative.
Optimism.
3. Social Awareness:
Empathy.
Organisational Awareness.
Service Orientation.
4. Relationship Management:
Developing Others.
Inspirational Leadership.
Influence.
Change Catalyst.
Conflict Management.
Teamwork and Collaboration.
You will have noticed one thing: it all starts within. It starts with Self-awareness.
The mistake I see people especially at the beginning of their leadership journey making is this: they focus on building successful relationships. And they struggle.
They get frustrated when this doesn’t work the way they thought it would. Then they give up and simply change the place where they operate, they are changing jobs because of that is something I’ve often seen happening, only to bump into the same issue later on.
Because they started in the wrong place.
Start with yourself.
The minute I am aware of how I react, which behaviors I want to keep and which ones I need to change, that’s when real change can happen.
Self awareness is what helps us all realize what our strengths are and what our weaknesses are that cause us problems. And then we can start fixing them.
Then we can self manage. Then we can CHOOSE to change one behavior with another one that’s more helpful for us and the others around us.
Then, and only then, can we expect to genuinely build on empathy and create healthy and sustainable relationships with others.
Doesn’t it all make more sense now, when we say that success comes from within?
That said, pick and choose the ingredients that help you build your own successful leadership path.
And, whatever ingredients you choose, in whichever quantities, remember to always add the essence first: yourself.
Whether you are 25 or 45 years old, if you have seen 80s movies you have likely heard at least the mention of Feng Shui.
It might be mentioned as a way of life, a part of Taoism, or even as an interior design style and furniture layout. But what is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui is the practice of creating balance and harmony with the natural world and harnessing the related energy sources.
This philosophy falls right in line with Taoism, an Asian practice of beliefs, based on being in balance with nature and natural forces, like the elements.
Although the first evidence of Feng Shui in Asia is from the 9th century BC, the concept did not make it to the western world until the New Age craze in the 80s.
Spirituality, Wicca, and other pagan belief systems have only continued to grow in popularity, and the recent boom in interest has brought Feng Shui back to the forefront.
The Feng Shui interior design style follows 3 primary concepts: The Commanding Position, the Taoist Bagua map, and the 5 elements.
3 Base Principles of Feng Shui:
The Commanding position.
The location of primary seating, whether it is your throne, accent chair, recliner or a sofa, should be placed diagonally from the door.
The first time you sit in this position in your living room you will completely understand why this is called the commanding position.
From that viewpoint, it is easy to feel like a king on his throne or the captain of a starship.
Using the Bagua map in interior design.
The Bagua is an extremely important part of Taoism, and by default Feng Shui interior design as well.
It is based on 8 inter related concepts of reality.
The belief is that by applying the colors, natural materials, etc. to balance yourself within nature you can improve certain areas of your life.
In interior design, a map of these 8 principles of reality is used to find 1 to 3 related areas of your life to find the colors and designs that help you manifest that intent.
The map lays out the 8 principles, with yourself in the center.
The 8 areas of the Bagua map, by row, are:
Row 1: wealth, fame, partnership.
Row 2: family, Tai Chi or yourself, children.
Row 3: knowledge, career, helpful people.
The most common mistake that people make when implementing any new self improvement plan is to try to take on too much at once.
You should only choose a maximum of three areas of reality on which to focus your intentions.
Taking on too much typically leads to failure.
You can choose any 3 areas on the map, but you may have the best results choosing areas that are directly connected.
The 5 Elements.
The primary concept of Feng Shui is to be in tune with your natural environment, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that elements are involved.
Using the materials and colors of nature brings balance to your living spaces.
Just as with the Bagua map, you don’t want to try to incorporate all 5 elements into one space.
However, you have a ton of options with just one or two elements, and they are very easy to incorporate into your design.
The 5 elements of Feng Shui are:
Wood
Fire
Earth
Water
Metal
Incorporating wood or metal in the frames of your furniture is easy, just check for natural materials and other couches.
And any other elements you wish to represent can be added in colorful elements and patterns for the furniture, floor coverings, and décor. Go decorate.
When we think about having debt, we typically think of a monetary value that is holding us back from achieving what we want in life.
According to Debt.org, the average adult in the United States has accumulated around $90,460 in debt. It’s no wonder why someone would feel hopeless in this situation.
Thankfully, there are dozens of ways to get yourself out.
One of the biggest ways people are getting themselves out of debt is by getting a side hustle.
These are ways in which you are able to continue working your full time job but can earn more money on the side.
You might be thinking that with these extra jobs, you won’t have time to live a full life.
However, many of these side hustles allow you to work on your schedule.
It’s all about how much time you are wanting and willing to put into it.
If you are trying to get out of debt and are looking for a second job, here are four side hustles to consider.
4 Easy Side Hustles to Get Out of Debt:
1. Start With Rideshare.
Becoming a driver for a rideshare app such as Uber or Lyft is a great way to earn extra income, especially if you have a vehicle at your disposal.
The only requirement is that you have a mobile device, a car, and won’t drive more than twelve hours in a twenty four hour period.
Some of the apps provide rental cars if you don’t own a vehicle.
You can also drive with ease knowing that you are covered by their provided insurance policies.
If you aren’t big on driving others around, you can still utilize your vehicle for other types of side hustle apps.
Companies like DoorDash and Postmates are delivery applications you can download right to your phone.
All you have to do is pick up the customer’s item at one location and drop it off at the next.
3. Leverage Your Skills.
We all are gifted with certain abilities or have worked diligently throughout our lives to develop unique skills that others are looking for.
Maybe it’s time to start leveraging them to start making extra cash.
Say, for instance, you are a graphic designer who works for a digital marketing agency.
You may be able to utilize those skills and offer them to small businesses and individuals on the side.
If you aren’t big into selling yourself, there are several types of third party platforms that make the process even easier.
Websites like Fiverr or Upwork are platforms where people connect to provide and purchase services such as graphic design work, content writing, virtual assistants, or even voice over work.
Digging into these types of side hustles can make you a substantial amount of secondary income and help you get out of debt faster.
4. Make Your Hobbies Work For You.
Everyone has hobbies, so why not consider having your hobbies do the work for you?
During the global pandemic, we all had significantly more time at home.
Many people started diving headfirst into their hobbies such as woodworking or making homemade soaps.
You may be surprised to hear that during 2020, 4.4 million new businesses were started in the United States.
This is because people were looking for new ways to make money and start the business they had always wanted.
Whether you are looking to sell your beautifully crafted quilts or want to finally bring the art of macramé onto your website for people to buy, you can certainly start having your hobbies make you money.
What You Should Remember?
There are many ways you can get out of debt.
The first step is to put yourself in the mindset that it is possible to get out.
The second step is to find the best skills you can use to earn.
When you find them, then invest time and energy to learn them.
And, finally, use those skills to build a side hustle. Or, you can use the easy ideas that we shared in this article.
You have an origin story, a special talent that you use to help others, and you go out of your own way to make sure that others have their problems solved.
Mostly it’s an art.
We meet with 100s of coaches each month. We interview them, get to know their backstories and unique innovations in the coaching style.
Some of them who join our platform are truly unique. They have a backstory that will give you goosebumps, or innovate on a way not seen before, they might go an extra step further than most.
Whatever it is they end up being listed as the Top 10 Coaches for that month.
