Very often, when I tell someone I am a coach, I witness a similar reaction.  Their head tilts ever so slightly, their brow begins to furrow and a confused tone emerges from their mouths as they ask…”Basketball? Softball? What do you mean?”  Although coaching was developed over 20 years ago, it is still in its infancy as a career and is unfamiliar to most people today.  Knowing this, my typical response is…” I partner with people to create momentum in their lives. Tell me about something you would like to accomplish.”

Everyone has goals and dreams.  Some are light and ethereal, flitting about in our imaginations, while others are so real you believe they could manifest themselves directly from your minds eye.  To see these ideas to fruition you must remain inspired, encouraged, and focused on why you began the journey toward your goals in the first place.  If you had someone in your corner, cheering you on, helping you back up if you stumble, and holding you accountable for what you aspire to do, you could be unstoppable. This is the role of the life coach.

So, how do you determine if coaching is right for you?  Where are the areas in life that coaches are most often called to offer support and assistance to their clients?  The list below highlights some reasons to enter a coaching relationship.  Coaching could be the key to creating momentum in your life.

To identify the goals that YOU truly want to achieve in life:

Coaching can help you sort through what is most important to you, define your values and create a solid foundation to begin working on what you want in life.

To create workable plans in order to accomplish your goals:

Your coach helps you identify the best course of action for your particular situation, implement this process and hold you accountable for the commitments you make toward achieving your goals.

To empower yourself to make more money:

Your coach may challenge you toward financial increase by tackling tasks such as asking for a raise, choosing a different career path or starting a business.

To nurture an environment of happiness in your life:

Coaching helps you determine what you value in life so you spend more time on what matters to you.

To live the life you desire and deserve:

With a coach, you have an ally to support you as you identify and work toward living your life’s purpose.  It is your life.  You deserve to live it.

This article is published in it’s condensed version.  To read the full article, please visitwww.intentioncoach.com/Articles.html

About the author:
Ashley Wilson is a Personal and Professional Life Coach. She may be contacted by email at Ashley@intentioncoach.com or visit her website atwww.intentioncoach.com. March ‘09

Technorati Tags: life coaching, life inspiration, personal coaching

As most of you know, I am always reminding my clients to drink more water.  Our bodies consist of about 65% water, so you can only be at your best when you are well hydrated.  Your muscles will not function properly if you are not properly hydrated. So, if your muscles are behaving improperly, dehydration may be part of the cause.  Below you will find some great information on how to make sure you are properly hydrated and signs of dehydration.  So, pour yourself a tall glass of water and take a moment to learn a bit about the importance of cool, clear, water…

How much should I drink?  For many years we have been told to drink 8 glasses (8 oz each) of water a day, however, for most of us, that is not sufficient.  To calculate the proper amount of water to consume per day divide you weight in half and use that number to show the amount of water in ounces to drink daily.  For example, if you weigh 150 lbs you would need to drink 75 oz of water per day.  How does that compare to your normal water consumption in a day?

What is water?  Of course water is two Hydrogen molecules & one Oxygen molecule.  We all know that.  Perhaps a better question is: What is NOT water?  So often I hear people say, I drink water.  It is in my Coke, my sweet tea, in my beer… Sorry, but the only thing that counts as water, is water.  Even these new products to “jazz up” your water prevent it from actually being truly water any longer.  If your body has to filter ingredients from your water then you are not receiving its full benefit.  If that product also contains caffeine or alcohol, then you are actually de-hydrating your body and should then consume that much more water that day.  So, one 8 oz cup of coffee adds 8 oz to you required water intake for the day.

Why is water so important? About 65% of the human body is water, your muscles are 75% water, the brain is composed of 75% water, the lungs are nearly 90% water, your bones are about 22% water and about 90% of our blood is water.   Here is a list of some of the things that water and proper hydration provide our bodies:

• Water is required for expiration (breathing out)
• Regulates body temperature
• Carries nutrients and oxygen to all cells in the body
• Moistens oxygen for breathing
• Protects and cushions vital organs
• Helps convert food into energy
• Helps body absorb nutrients
• Removes waste and toxins
• Cushions joints

How do you know if you are dehydrated?  If you are not drinking the recommended half of your weight in ounces, then you probably are dehydrated.  Listed below are some of the signs and symptoms of dehydration.  Someone exhibiting signs of severe dehydration should seek emergency help immediately.

Mild Dehydration:

• Thirst
• Loss of Appetite
• Dry Skin
• Skin Flushing
• Dark Colored Urine
• Fatigue or Weakness
• Chills
• Mild muscle spasms
• Head Rushes

Moderate Dehydration:

• Increased Heart Rate
• Increased Respiration
• Decreased Sweating
• Decreased Urination
• Increased Body Temperature
• Extreme Fatigue
• Muscle Cramps
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Tingling of the Limbs

Extreme Dehydration:

• Severe Muscle Spasms
• Vomiting
• Racing Pulse
• Shriveled Skin
• Dim Vision
• Painful Urination
• Confusion
• Difficulty Breathing
• Seizures
• Chest and Abdominal Pain
• Unconsciousness

Dehydration can be the result of many things aside from not drinking enough water.  Some other causes of dehydration are vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and malnutrition.  Illnesses that cause fever and sweating can also contribute dehydration.  Here is a GREAT link that shows how water affects different parts of your body.

http://www.wateraid.org/uk/get_involved/drink_more_water/1416.asp

The simple act of drinking water can give your body so much of what it needs to function at full capacity.  Whenever you are feeling sick, sore, tired, or just not yourself one of the first questions you should ask yourself is “Have I been drinking enough water?”  If you aren’t drinking half of your weight in ounces, then you now know the answer.  So, get yourself a stainless steel water bottle (for your health and the health of our earth) and drink, drink, drink.

Yours In Health,

Ashley Wilson
NMT, LMT
~Inspire Someone!
March ‘09

Technorati Tags: dehydration, hydration