Hanna Cooper

Thank You Day

Today has been named "Public Health Thank You Day" in honor of all those who work to support the health of the public. 

Since I often say that public health professionals are some of  "my people" - I'm one of them, they are me - here's a shout out to all of you who visit and read here:  Thanks for all you do!

And, whether or not you are a public health professional:

Who in your professional or personal circles deserves a Thank You Day?

What are you thankful for, every day?

Take the leap

A few weeks ago, I received this unsolicited email from a former coaching client:

I wanted to take a few minutes to thank you for working with me and to reflect back on some things that I’ve learned through our work together.

 

I have attached a photo that I feel summarizes my experiences with getting out of my “rut”. It is of me jumping off of a cliff in Madeline Island this summer. Talking about myself and reflecting on my life was completely uncomfortable and somewhat terrifying—but I am so glad that I got out of my comfort zone and went for it. Just like jumping off a cliff.

So many positive things have come from our work together.  I find myself doing more of the things I want to do and saying no to some of the things I never wanted to do but felt obligated to do. I truly found my voice.  Thanks again for your help.

While I knew our work had been meaningful to her, this note and her photo blew me away.  This client took the leap - literally and actually - into the unknown, out of her comfort zone, and into her life.   I couldn't be more pleased for her, and I'm honored to have witnessed her courage and persistence throughout her transition. 

What leaps are you longing to make?

What cliffs do you need to jump off of?

Hey there!

If you happen to be heading to the American Public Health Association meeting in Denver this next week, stop on by the Career Mart to sign up for a coaching session or just to say hi! 

I'll be providing individual coaching sessions as well as group coaching sessions based on my networking series from here both Monday and Tuesday, along with three great colleagues!  Come on by!

What you know

I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.  -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Despite Mr. Emerson's adage, I love quotations (especially Emerson, ironically) -  and you'll see I use them generously here.  There is something about the wisdom of others expressed in words that seems to help us make sense of our own experience.  Quotations can spur us on, motivate us, give a new perspective on a situation we are facing.

In fact, in this 24-hour news and life cycle we seem to be living in, finding our own voices amidst the background noise and din of others' opinions can be challenging.

In coaching,  we use the concept of values as one way of articulating and creating your path.  Different than morals or ethics, values are who you are at your core.   The coaching perspective holds that deeply fulfilling life comes from true alignment with your own set of values. 

To examine this concept of values more closely for yourself:  think of a time you were at your personal best - either personally or professionally.  What was happening, who was with you, what was in play?  Who were you being?

In this experience, look for what were the personal qualities or characteristics you were demonstrating that made it a personal best.  Translate these into 5-7 prioritized values - we are usually operating from our values when we are at our best.  With your values in mind as a compass, you can begin to look for how best to align your actions in your current life.

Oprah popularized it:  "Tell me what you know for sure."  Even if it's not condensed to a set of personal maxims, what do YOU uniquely know?  What do you use as your own personal guidelines in life?  How do you know you're on track or not?