“Victory is in having done your best. If you’ve done your best, you’ve won.”

–Bill Bowerman, US Olympic Coach, track and field, 1972 

The books are closed on the 2012 Summer Olympics and what a show it was, from the stellar opening ceremonies to the fantastic closing ceremonies and every jump, leap and dive in between!

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute and it’s such a valuable reminder of the power and fortitude of the human body and spirit.

Watching the intense relationships between the coaches and athletes made me remember each and every coaching relationship I have had and the value these relationships have brought to this Alpha Chick!

During this trip down memory lane I compiled the checklist below of all of the coaches I’ve had since childhood:

• Voice
• Piano
• Tennis
• Modeling
• Real Estate
• AA Sponsors
• Fitness
• Spiritual
• Life
• Business

Oh my, it certainly takes a village doesn’t it!

This little exercise made me realize just how many people helped me to become the person I AM truly meant to be. I asked myself… who would I be without them? How would my life be different if I did not have the opportunity to learn and benefit from even one of these brilliant mentors?
Honestly, I am done living in the past and I don’t want to know… I am happy and grateful beyond words that each and every one of these people has touched my life in some meaningful way and look forward to the magnificence that future coaches will bring to the table that is my life.

I also spent some time thinking about the people I have coached and what I have brought to their lives, this journey was particularly meaningful. It makes my heart sing to know that MY work can make a difference.

So, the question was do YOU need a coach?

I say ABSOLUTELY!

I would love to hear your experiences, thoughts and questions about working with a coach, please share them with the Alpha Chick community on our Facebook page; or if they are of a more personal nature please email me at malduane [at] alphachick [dot] com.

Live Faithfully,
Mal Duane 

I’m honored to host the Virtual Book Tour of Soul Journey to Love: 100 Days to Inner Peace by Irene A. Cohen, MD.  

“Would you like to reach a state of inner peace, undisturbed by thoughts, feelings, or outside events? Soul Journey to Lovecontains 100 inspirational messages, prayers and processes for you to reflect upon and apply. The messages appeal to those who are interested in meditation and quieting the mind, and also to students of A Course in Miracles and non-dualistic philosophies. By reading these short, devotional entries you can be returned to your true self, to love and to God.”  The book is endorsed by Larry Dossey & DavidPaul Doyle.

Enjoy this great article on Starting A Meditation Practice by  Irene A. Cohen, MD

Research on meditation over the last 35 years has shown benefits to stress reduction, pain management, athletic performance, blood pressure reduction and so much more. In meditating, one learns to quiet the sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight response”) and increase the parasympathetic nervous system (the normal physiological functioning of the body of which we are usually not aware).

I am often asked what the benefits of meditation are and how to meditate. Many people feel they are too busy to take time out of their day or that they can’t quiet their minds enough to sit still. Yet they realize that they would like to achieve the effects of meditation, having been exposed to it at the end of a yoga class or by hearing about it in the media. In fact, a 2010 survey showed that more than 75% of Americans felt their stress level was high.

One should first set aside a regular practice time daily, either at the beginning or the end of the day. It is better to be seated and not lie down, because you do not want to fall asleep while meditating. The purpose is to have a focused, calm awareness and in sleep we lose awareness. You do not need to set aside a large portion of time to begin with, since you want to build up your practice to about 20-30 minutes. Try to sit for 1-2 minutes to start, then for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes. Eventually you will be able to meditate for longer times. It is good to set a timer at the beginning in order to have a sense of how long a minute or two really is.

Secondly, in order to quiet the mind, most people need a focus of attention that is away from their thoughts. There is no need to obtain a mantra from a guru to focus one’s attention. Research done at the Benson-Henry Mind Body Medicine Institute at Harvard by Herbert Benson, M.D. showed that the “relaxation response” can be induced by thinking of a calming word like “peaceful” or “love.” Choose a word that resonates with you and say it to yourself silently over and over again with your eyes closed. Let thoughts come to you but pay them no attention. Just keep repeating your chosen word. Sometimes you will be lost in the thoughts, and that’s okay. Just return to your word again. Imagine a train passing by, and put the thoughts onto the train as it passes you, letting the thoughts go away. We will always have thoughts, but we need not pay so much attention to them.

There are many types of meditation, from using a mantra, to mindfulness, to just sitting in quietness. Try these simple exercises and then explore the style of meditation which will work best for you. Hopefully you will find that you can bring that calm and awareness you seek into your day.

Irene A. Cohen, MD is a psychiatrist, acupuncturist and interfaith minister who has maintained an integrative practice for almost 30 years.  Hay House / Balboa Press just released her first book, Soul Journey to Love:  100 Days to Inner Peace .  Visit Dr. Cohen on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and blog with her at www.drirenecohen.authorsxpress.com.

Purchase Soul Journey to Love: 100 Days to Inner Peace by Dr. Irene A. Cohen, MD today on Amazon and on Kindle and win a signed paperback of Dr. Cohen’s book through August 14, 2012  at GoodReads!

Live Faithfully,
Mal Duane