by Kim Childs, CPPC So here we are, in a new year that doesn't feel quite so new yet as we remain a bit cooped up and careful, especially here in New England, seeing when and whether it feels safe to freely move about the planet again. It’s a little depressing and distressing, and I'm beginning to resonate with the term “pandemic fatigue.” I also feel this ordeal has created a kind of leadership vacuum, as scientists, government officials and…
by Kim Childs, CPPC As we attempt to protect ourselves and others, stay informed, and live our new lives in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, we're all riding waves of fear, worry, grief, anger, and shock. There is no guide book for navigating an unprecedented time like this, and so we're each coping...and even hoping...as best we can. I'm admiring the resilience and resourcefulness of my coaching clients these days, as they make the best of being home amid…
by Kim Childs, CPPC As I've said here before, a simple practice called Morning Pages changed my life in 1997. Done at the start of the day before other agendas beckon, they are a fundamental part of The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, a book I’ve taught and used with clients for nearly 20 years. The idea behind them is to meet ourselves on the page and see how we’re doing each morning by writing, uncensored, by…
by guest blogger Karen Jones On this journey of life, it's completely normal to have times when we feel down. And while these states do pass, it sometimes feels as if they won't. We can move through them more effectively - and even joyfully - with some tried and true practices, though, so here are some of the things I do, and recommend to others, to feel better: Reach out to help someone else No matter what has me down,…
by Kim Childs, CPPC Many of us are tempted to make resolutions or set intentions as January arrives. It’s hard to resist the promise of a fresh new year, full of possibilities and opportunities to make changes in our lives for greater well-being and fulfillment. By spring, however, many of those plans and good intentions have typically been compromised, abandoned, or forgotten. There’s a different way to design the year ahead, based on how we want to feel in the…
by Kim Childs, CPPC When people ask me what kinds of clients I mostly work with, I don't have a pat answer because I've worked with both men and women, ages 20-something to 70-something. I can, however, identify what often unites them: they have discounted their desires and believed their doubts and fears to the point of inaction. They come to me to get unstuck, get clear, get out of their own way, and get moving and on track toward…
Last summer, I enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime journey to South Africa, where I toured the country performing with my chorus and experiencing moments of awe, joy, and connection that will last me forever. This summer I took a different journey - inward - to process the recent death of my father and some other personal losses and endings. As grief forced me to slow down and attend to my deepest needs, I made space to nurse my aching heart and sagging…
by Kim Childs, CPPC We lost my sweet, salty, quirky, loving dad last month after a heartbreaking battle with COPD. He hung in there long and strong, until he couldn't, and died just short of his 81st birthday this weekend. Peter Barry Childs was a Cape Cod native, born into a large Irish Catholic family and raised in Centerville, MA. He went to Barnstable High School and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts. He served in…
by Kim Childs, CPPC As I headed toward my 55th birthday this winter, I started to think about my intention for this next chapter of life. I decided that feeling more empowered was the overarching goal, and adopted the cartoon character Kim Possible as my role model. About the same time, I read a horoscope that said 2018 was "the year to kick your own butt." [caption id="attachment_3008" align="alignright" width="207"] My role model, Kim Possible[/caption] Pondering this directive, I realized…
by Kim Childs, CPPC This month, we “fell back” an hour when Daylight Savings Time ended, to gain more light before moving into the shorter days of winter. Likewise, when we’re preparing to move forward in life, we may sometimes need to first go back in time. Just as an archer prepares to shoot an arrow by pulling it back to prepare, focus, and gather momentum, we can constructively revisit our past to propel forward movement. If we want to…