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Courageous Coaching Group
Is it time to hold yourself accountable and create the work & life you really want in 2017 ?
A new kind of peer group for business owners, entrepreneurs, and those wanting to create more for themselves.
We’ll gather together once a month. We’ll challenge, stretch, create and deepen our awareness of what’s important to us. We’ll show up and be willing to share how we’re showing up in the world. We’ll be vulnerable and brave. We’ll dig deep and play light. There will be laughter, exploration, tears, celebration and support.
We’ll follow a loose program around the theme of developing our own Inner Wisdom to achieve the results we desire (whatever that may be). We’ll flow through the themes of Purpose, Passion and Performance through a combination of prepared exercises and reflective tools. Mostly we will share, challenge and debate. We will learn to deepen our questioning and listening skills to be fully present for each other. We will be accountable and we will deliver against the actions we commit to because it matters to us.
As a result of the success of the group we will gain;
- Performance in our lives and our work that exceed our expectations.
- A greater ability to connect, communicate and build relationships that will inspire others.
- Courage to make the decisions we’ve been putting off.
- A wealth of different perspectives, wisdom and insight to enrich our own performance.
- An improved sense of personal wellbeing.
- More energy and passion to create.
- Better decision making.
- Greater impact in the world.
- Support and accountability from our peers.
In the first session we’ll contract in what we need for this peer to group to create exceptional impact, respect and support for each other in however many different ways we need to cater for our authentic styles.
The group will be loosely and carefully held by JP (founder of Simply JP) who will bring authenticity, honesty and courage to the group. Exercises, content and inspiration will be created and provided by JP. All you need do is make the monthly commitment to yourself and your peer group to show up, be you, be present and be brave.
YOUR COMMITMENT
- Show up monthly, be honest, be brave, be you.
- Honest feedback every month about what’s working and what needs to change to get maximum impact from each other and from JP.
- An investment of only £75/session (£675+vat) paid up front
- To book your place, email jennifer@simplyjp.com or call 07786 250 175
How was it for you? (2015 that is)
It’s usually around this time of year I start to reflect on the year that’s just been so I can start plotting what mischief I’m going to create in 2016. It’s been quite the year for me and I decided I wanted to share more of my personal journey with you in the hope that it may not only inspire some of you, and so that we may be able to connect on an even more personal level than we are already. What I don’t want you to know about me is that this makes me feel particularly vulnerable. I fear what you will think of this approach and in deed how you might judge me afterwards. That said, integrity is everything, and being authentic is a core value of mine, so if I’m not being authentic with you, how can I expect you to be authentic with me?
So here goes. It’s been a crazy year for me I cannot lie. It’s been a year where I’ve faced some of my biggest fears, dared more courageously than I ever imagined I would or could and felt more authentically me than I ever have before. I have met some amazing people (that’s you!), helped clients be brave with their hearts, delivered new programs and coaching that’s helped people to step up beyond their expectations, made some great new connections, collaborated on cool projects, and helped businesses to make the tough decisions.
On a personal front, it’s also the year I stood in a crown court to face the man who attacked me over twenty years ago, got a guilty verdict and wrote a book to help other people thrive after trauma. This journey in itself taught me a lot. It showed me just how resilient and brave I already am (don’t we always question that in ourselves?). It brought me back into my full feminine energy without fearing you’d perceive me as weak or a lesser sex in the work place. It showed me our biggest critic is us and that self kindness is a fundamental lever in personal growth. And it showed me first hand how every tragedy can be a gift as much as a curse as well as how important it is to be able to ask for and receive help or support from others.
More recently, I was very grateful to meet one of my hero’s, Brene Brown. Brene is a social researcher from Texas who specialises in Vulnerability and Shame. Her TED talk was the biggest viral video of its time, you can see it here if you’ve missed it. Her work underpins so much of my approach to coaching but was also paramount to me being able to dare courageously in my personal life this year. Spending a day and half listening to her recount the highlights of her work returned me to the insighting reason I set out on this crazy journey in the first place; to make the world a better and easier place to be you while thriving myself!
Thanks to Brene, I was reminded of the three principles that under pin my work whether I’m working with individuals or teams which are,
- Be authentically you
- Dare courageously by learning to be ok with your vulnerabilities
- Speak your truth
Next year I’m looking to work with more clients who want to be more of themselves, to dare courageously and be able to speak their truth with integrity. I want to stand alongside them asking the right questions to help them get the awareness they need to be more of that. To be more of them. So if this is you, I’d love to hear from you and we can talk some more.
But for now, perhaps you’re also reflecting on 2015 and how it’s been for you. So here are three questions to help you with some reflection;
- Where and with who in life have you really shown up as all of you? Nothing held back, no concerns, no shoulds, just you, authentically you?
- What have you held back from doing this year that with the right courage you would have done yesterday?
- Where and to who are you not speaking your truth out of fear of their emotional response to you?
And finally, a big thankyou to all my clients, working with you is as much an inspiration and a gift to me as I hope I am to you. I hope your year has been as adventurous as mine, that you’ve got exciting things planned for 2016 (for me it will include doing more of the work I love, publishing my book and being open to more joy and fun than I can imagine!)
I hope that you have a fun fuelled christmas with your loved ones. And if you need a hint as to what to get in the office secret santa check out this blog
Warmest blessings, Jennifer x
Rachel, Head of Partnerships, Intermarketing Agency
JP is a visionary, and she allows you and your team to be visionaries, too. Her enthusiasm, creativity and ability to bestow epiphanies upon everyone she meets is truly unique. She has the ability to help you bring everything into focus; no stone is left un-turned, and suddenly things make so much more sense. It was a catalyst to me becoming a more confident, determined and focused individual, both personally and professionally.
Richard, Business Owner, Alt Professional
A day with JP was elegantly, sublimely, inspiring. JP handled three disparate personalities and a complex proposition with aplomb, helping us to distill and express our “vision”.
We now understand both our potential and our vision in a way that connects with our genuine purpose. Don’t expect an easy ride from ‘the Paxman of Potential’ but do expect to be blown away by the results
Rob, Business Owner, Plump Agency
Jen has supported Plump on some really big business challenges. The results have been profound. Her way of listening and intuitively understanding situations and people, combined with her ability to make connections and explore different perspectives make her a very powerful and creative problem-solver.
The Thinking Big program she did to support our management team has not only inspired us all to step it up a level beyond what we thought we were capable of, but has breathed new life and energy into an already thriving business.
Kevin, Business Owner, Insurance Octopus
JP is my virtual talent director. She inspires and enthuses all 12 of my management team in both group workshops and also in 121 executive coaching. She creates space to explore what more might be possible and my management team has stepped up as a direct result of the work she’s done. She is caring but challenging, curious and playful and will help you develop your talent beyond what you thought possible.
Justine, Director, Vodafone
Jennifer’s leadership and people skills are second to none. She adapts her approach and can flex seamlessly from coaching to directive leadership styles as necessary. She is committed to delivering the right result and does not compromise, bringing colleagues along with her by sharing a clear vision and an infectious energy. Jennifer has an ability to cut through the superfluous and focus on what needs to be done, and communicates that very clearly.
Wellbeing at Work is trending…are you?
As you will know wellbeing at work is a key passion of mine. I know what it is like to get ill through working too hard and putting everyone elses needs ahead of your own health. A few years ago, I was working in a consultative role I mainly enjoyed but it was a tough environment and I wasn’t happy. I was working silly hours driving beyond the health and safety guidelines, working with bullying clients and quite frankly draining myself. I was counting down the weeks until a break at Christmas. Everything seemed to be draining from me and I wasn’t topping it back up!
Eventually my body said no more and I ended up with a rate viral attack of rhuematoid arthritus, which went from a sore wrist to being resident in every joint in my body within three hours. I can tell you first hand it f***ing hurts! I couldn’t dress myself. My illness took me away from work for 2 weeks and it was 3 months (with lots of acupuncture and a serious re think about how I was working) before I was feeling myself again. I consider myself lucky. Some people are ill for much longer and I don’t do being ill very well.
So you can see why I might be on a mission to make sure you don’t ever have to get ill to have a wake up call!
Recently, I signed up to do Arianna Huffington’s Online Thrive Course in partnership with Oprah no less. The Thrive book is a great book if you haven’t read it and focusses on redefining success and wellbeing at work – click here for more info. The world we work in is definitely changing with information overload, the ability to work through our sleep, demanding clients, the pull to live an extra ordinary jam-packed life.
And all of this got me thinking. How are you monitoring and creating a working environment and culture that supports both you and your teams’ wellbeing?
Happy healthy workers = happy clients and happy profits after all.
Are you living true to your unique culture? Do you create a culture of flexibility and empathy for your staff? Are you providing ‘wellbeing benefits’ as well as financial and personal development ones?
To help you get going, I have summarised Arianna’s top tips for success in todays very thoroughly modern workplace (and how to avoid burn out) in the following blog. The book is jam packed with so much more and definitely worth a read.
As always, I would love to know what you think.
Enjoy JP x
- Wellbeing – Find time to meditate. If it was good enough for Steve Jobs, it’s good enough for us. It’s no longer an activity bestowed only on the hippydom market. It’s made it mainstream, and the scientific benefits of meditation are finally catching up with what the enlightened crowd have always known to be true. It helps your creativity, it reduces your risk of depression, anxiety, alzheimers and other mental emotional ailments.
If you want to learn meditation the easy way, get in touch with Effortless Jo. She also offers to come to your company and teach groups if you can guarantee a group of no less than 8 people and she’s fab. Click here for more info.
- Sleep – Yep I know some of you young uns think it’s over rated but when you’re working at warp speed, sleep is essential. Arianna suggests you check into your sleep routine and remove all electronic devices from your bedroom ESPECIALLY YOUR PHONE!! Yes I did just say that. Aim to get half an hour extra than you’re used to. Use a different alarm and leave your phone in the lounge. She also recommends that you have a switch off time in the evening where you stop looking at your device. I have found this immensely liberating. I also turned off my alerts for social media and now allocate two slots in the day ‘to play’. I refuse to be a slave to social media… !!
- Get outdoors and move – Thomas Jefferson claimed ‘ the object of walking is to relax the mind’. So take your next 121 outside and have a walk. I used to take a lot of my team’s 121’s outside and we’d walk around the campus, sometimes with a take out coffee. A problem faced side by side will always feel more embracing and safe than a face to face one. Fresh air, nature, a change of perspective might just unlock those creative juices too.
- Get wisdom – learn to listen to your inner intuition. ‘Intuition not intellect, is the open sesame of yourself’ Einstein. Meditation helps me to do this. A more lighter way of tapping into your intuition is to follow this little exercise. Ask yourself a question with the word Truth at the beginning and then notice if your energy feels lighter or heavier. For example, ‘Truth – should I take on this new client?’ If your energy feels lighter you’re intuition is giving you the go ahead. If it drops…. You might need to dig a little deeper before deciding.
- Let go of that which doesn’t serve you. I think this one needs very little explanation. I notice sometimes I have a sanctimonious version of me that pops up into my head occassionally and usually she’s judging me or giving me a hard time. I’ve learnt to befriend her and gently put her back in her box, but this took time. I know she’s trying to help me grow but quite frankly she’s not always helpful. So notice the voices you have and ask yourself, is this helpful and kind? If it isn’t, they need to be told to ‘do one!’
- Embrace gratitude – another easy one. Buy yourself a posh pad. Write a daily list of all that you’re grateful for in life. And one day challenge yourself to write 100, I bet you find it totes easy!
- Experience wonder. This section is all about ‘just being’. It’s about coming back to the moment we’re in. After all it’s the only one we ever have right? Breathing is a great way of becoming present (are you breathing? I hope so. Slow it down. Deepen it. Notice and release any tension from your body. Better? Good!). Find something which ignites joy and expand with that feeling whenever you need a good check in. And finally be forgiving. Judgements of you and others should be banned.
- Arrianna’s final section is all about GIVING. We’ve been talking random act of kindness in the marketing world for oodles of time but how often do we embrace it for ourselves and those we love? Kindness doesn’t need to cost either, a compliment can have more value than a physical gift. Take time to notice people, compliment them and give where you can. You will feel more alive and connected.
- And finally – Get a dog! Ok well Arianna talks about a furry friend but most of you will know I’m slightly dog obsessed. Dogs are a fantastic example of being in the moment and their love knows no bounds. To inspire you, here is a recent pic of Murphy and his magic flying ears….. (PS he just had his 1st birthday !!!)
- Be you. (this is my add on to Arianna’s list). Simples.
I don’t need coaching!
I love having this conversation. It typically goes like this
THEM: So what do you do?
ME: I help people and businesses to shine
THEM: So you’re a coach or a consultant then?
ME: Well that’s part of how I help my clients, but it’s not what I do or who I am.
THEM: So what is it you do then?
ME: Well I ask the right questions, I help them get really clear about what it is that would make their lives or their businesses (or both) phenomenal. Then I support them to ensure they believe it can be possible, that they deserve it and we make it all happen together easily and effortlessly, faster, bigger and better.
THEM: Oh I thought coaching was for people who weren’t very good or needed help.
ME: Why do you think the most successful sports people, politicians, business leaders and life’s game changers invest in coaches? They’re investing in themselves, not the coach, quite often it’s the difference that makes the difference. What gives them the edge.
THEM: Oh well when you put it like that….sign me up!
It’s a common myth about coaching. That somehow to hire a coach implies you’re not good enough. Not capable of working it out alone.
The reality is that a good coach can help you see what you can’t see yourself.
They can help you get clarity and focus when your mind is full of a million responsibilities and decisions that need making.
They see your FULL potential even on the days you can’t see it in yourself, because they believe in you even when you don’t (subconsciously or otherwise).
They help you to create the magic and life you’ve always dreamed of because they help you to see how easy and achievable it all is when your beliefs and values are aligned to what you want and not focussing on what you don’t want.
The first question I ask all my new clients is this;
“What would make this year extra ordinary for you if anything was possible?”
What would your answer be?
I work with individuals who believe they have what it takes to make life amazing and those that are curious to explore whether they could believe that about themselves. I offer everyone a free coaching session to explore that last question and to experience whether coaching and my approach could be the difference that makes the difference in helping you achieve all that your heart desires.
To see if coaching could be the difference that makes the difference in your life, call me on 07786 250175 or email jennifer@simplyjp.com. Exploratory sessions can be done face to face via Skype or phone.
Here’s what some of my recent clients said about their unexpected experiences….
“It’s like you know me better than I know myself” Stuart
“I didn’t know I could achieve so much in just one session” Judy
“You helped us to see things from a totally refreshing perspective and we achieved more in one day with you than we could have done in a month without you” Richard
“I’ve never felt so excited about my future” Nicola
“I didn’t think it was possible to change what I think and feel about situations. I’m revolutionised. Life is going to be easy from now on in” Steve
with me
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