City News – Depression Column

CityNews_Web_Image_Depression_Column_12Aug1o

Contrary to what you might think, there is no shame to admit that your work or your life in general might be getting you down.  Pretending that you are okay or suffering in silence is not helpful and in the long term will not win you any medals.

One in five people will experience major depression in their life, and yearly, undiagnosed depression in the workplace costs Australian companies $4.3 billion in lost productivity. However, you do not need to be diagnosed as having depression in order to experience depressive like behavior.  Feeling flat, unmotivated and melancholic does not always mean that you are depressed, it may indicate that you might be stuck and overwhelmed – learning new life skills is crucial to overcoming depression or depressive behaviour.

Feeling challenged emotionally is never easy, however difficult times offer a powerful opportunity for growth, understanding and new perspectives.  When life is not going to plan and we are feeling defeated you can either; let it swallow you up or you can get some understanding and clarity around it through introspection and professional support.

Taking a holiday, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, buying clothes, expressing regular bouts of anger, lying on the couch and hiding do not solve the issue – Your beliefs are views and opinions on life, that may or may not be accurate.  Beliefs sit under your emotions and behaviour, and what you believe shapes the way you experience your everyday.  If you would like to enjoy your life and live with increased ease, then you need to look at what’s at the root of your feelings.

Workplace stress and anxiety are strong indicators that you might not be dealing with things too well, and stress related behaviors can lead to depression.  Don’t wait until you have hit rock bottom before you seek professional support.  Do something about it straight away.

Changing the way you experience your work and personal life may be easier than you thought.

Written by Nadine Piat-Niski

If you are experiencing personal or workplace stress, anxiety or depression then join our next Weekend Intensive Workshop ‘Sustainable YOU,’ 25th and 26th September.

Nadine is the founder of Calibrate Coaching, a Writer, Speaker and Behavioural Change Practitioner.  Call for more information or book in for a no obligation telephone consultation M:  0408 50 11 60   W:  www.calibratecoaching.com

{ 0 comments }

Life can never be perfect, so priortise

CityNews_PrioritiesArticle_8April10

Do you believe that you can somehow create a perfect system that will enable you to get everything you want done?  This is a myth and impossible, you need to reprioritise!

If you are living your life in a way that seems out of balance, then I can assure you that your life is perfectly balanced based on your priorities.  Meaning, you would not be living your current way of life if it did not support you in some way.  The choices we make daily represent what is important to us, on a conscious and subconscious level, sometimes to our detriment.

Your priorities are at the forefront/core of your behaviour.  Until you take a good look at what you do, and why you do what you do, then it’s very hard to change the way you “do” life.  You will make decisions daily that will either support your ideal life or not.  And certainly, if you have no idea of what your ideal life is or what you need and value, then no wonder your life is not the way you would like it to be.

For example:  If you are a person that constantly says “Yes” to other’s demands or requests and as a result you find yourself tired, frustrated and taken for granted, then you need to find out why you say yes.  At the core of all decisions are our beliefs and priorities, which govern our behaviour.  Our beliefs can be inaccurate and in conflict with reality.

What areas of your life do you feel are lacking a solid place in your list of priorities – family, health, finances, love, sport, work?  If you are over-worked, lacking motivation, stressed, not spending time with the people that matter, drinking too much, eating poorly, etc. then it’s time to look a little deeper.

Reevaluate your current lifestyle so that you can live with increased, energy, time, fulfillment.  Make your life easier.

Written by Nadine Piat-Niski

APRIL GROUP WORKSHOP -  Beat Personal and Workplace Stress & Anxiety with our powerful & effective professional support!   LIMITED PLACES.

Nadine is the founder of Calibrate Coaching, a Writer, Speaker and Professional Personal Coach.

M:  0408 50 11 60   W:  www.calibratecoaching.com

{ 0 comments }

Coles BEAUTY Article – ‘Ways to Stress Less’

ColesBeauty_StressArticle

Nadine has been professionally quoted by Journalist Bronwyn Phillps in the following Stress article -

See points 4 and 6 – Nadine offers advice and give the gives tools for ways to address stress in your life such as;

A) TURN OFF – Learning to deal with technology overload.  Nadine suggests you put in place some daily guidelines that will assist you to simplify your life.  E.g. Answer no emails after 6pm, have social media free days or evenings, etc.

B) BREATHE - Take the time to stop and breathe and assess what is going on in your life.  Running on autopilot does not allow the time or space to create change.  We need to sit still long enough to see what needs to take place in  order to grow and develop.  If you are stuck in a rut you need to create a new path…

ColesBeauty_StressArticleInside

{ 0 comments }

Counter stress of a heavy workload

CityNews_20May10_Workaholic-Stress_Article

Are you tirelessly working yourself toward business success or unwittingly working yourself towards destruction? Success does not stop and start in the workplace. However based on your beliefs this may be the only place that you believe gives you worth and value or what you think you need in order to feel good about yourself.

There are times when working hard is required, absolutely, however if you are constantly pushing yourself and other areas of your life are starting to suffer then it may very well be time to ponder as to why you are placing so much energy into working so very hard.

Workaholism is an addiction, pure and simple! The Japanese call workaholism karoshi – “death by overwork”, here it is known as the “respectable” addiction…. there is nothing shiny and enticing about it when you find out you don’t know your children, nor your partner, or you are standing alone and your health is on a steady decline.

Workaholism is driven by avoidance, adrenaline, self-worth attached to net-worth, and many other subconscious emotional drivers that you may not be aware of.  Addictions create distractions or ways to avoid underlying core needs that have not been met. And working in such a way does not necessarily mean that you are more effective and producing results, it can be quite the opposite.

Could you be a workaholic?

1)    You are unable to switch off from work mode when you leave the office?

2)    Is work what you like to do best and talk about?

3)    When on holidays do you continue to be available and/or think about work for a large portion of the time?

4)    Have long hours hurt your family or other relationships?

5)    When exhausted are you relentless and continue to push yourself?

6)    Do you get annoyed if people ask you to stop working and do other activites?

7)    Do you have warm loving relationships?

8)    Are you fit and healthy – mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually?

Don’t wait for a major catastrophe to happen before you open your eyes.  Addictions do not bring real joy and substance into your life – the good news is that you can change it!

Written by Nadine Piat-Niski

If you are suffering from personal or workplace stress, anxiety or melancholy then join our upcoming Intensive ‘Beat Stress’ workshop starting 29th May, the following 26th June – limited places.

Nadine is the founder of Calibrate Coaching, a Writer, Speaker and Behavioural Change Specialist.  M:  0408 50 11 60   W:  www.calibratecoaching.com

{ 0 comments }

Fostering Your Strengths

CityNews_StrengthsArticle_4Mar10

City News, 4 March 2010

If you often find yourself focusing on your weaknesses and spending zero to little time developing and nurturing your natural strengths then maybe it’s time to shift gear.

There is nothing wrong with improving on the things you don’t do so well, sometimes it’s imperative, however for real success in the workplace I recommend spending time maximising on your strengths.

Maybe you’re not aware of your strengths or maybe you are, everyone has them, the question is, are you cultivating them consistently?  Utilising your strengths can help you develop an expertise and also bring increased fulfillment to your life.  Part of my role as a professional coach is to assist my clients to get to know themselves better and to live the life they want.

Start to tap into your strengths:

1) Build awareness by daily taking note of the things you enjoy, get energised by, and what you excel in.

2) Think back through your life – your childhood, teens and early adult years, and current life – your strengths are there to be found.

3) If you are not sure then ask others what they think you are good at.

4) Have a look at your current role – how could you develop and integrate these strengths into your job or into future roles?

5) If these strengths do not match your current role then research alternative jobs and/or study that will allow you to excel.

Living in a way that supports your strengths can be incorporated into your life relatively quickly, however sometimes it takes time.  Without awareness and a clear strategy it may never happen – get involved and invest some time into your present and your future.

If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life!  Get out there and find your strengths and live with real passion and drive!  Make a difference and become your very own strengths expert!

Written by Nadine Piat-Niski

{ 0 comments }

Ensuring you land that job

CityNewsPDF_EnsuringYouLandThatJob

Get the job you desire. When on the job hunt it is important to be prepared for interviews to maximise your success.

Showing real interest and enthusiasm for the position and finding out about the company, the product and/or services is a good place to start.  Following are some other areas that you may like to address:

1.     Your appearance, manner and attitude are important– If your self-esteem is low and you feel uncomfortable the interviewer will pick up on it.  Take the time to recognise and address your insecurities and enhance your communication, this is imperative.
2.     Have answers for questions regarding education and career plans, experience and skills, personal strengths, interests and weaknesses.
3.     A job interview is a two-way street.  The interviewer and interviewee have the right to ask each other questions. You may want to know more about the company culture, job description, potential challenges of the role, company expectations and so on, prepare and research!
4.     If you don’t get the position find out why not?  Try not to be disillusioned, instead learn from the feedback!  It is always good to know how you could do things differently next time. 
5.     Keep applying for other positions, learning and developing!

Every position will offer pros and cons – some positions are your ideal role, maybe a fabulous stepping-stone, or possibly a fill-in until something more suitable able comes up.  When you are clear as to which direction you would like to head and your priorities, you can then see very quickly if the role is for you.

You don’t always have to wait for positions to come up online or via recruiters, approaching companies directly can also be effective. You never know who they might be looking for – it could be you!  Be resilient and give it your best shot!

A professional personal and career coach can help with confidence building, presentation skills and inter-personal skills that can help you stand out from the crowd.

Written by Nadine Piat-Niski for City News 3 DEcember 09

Join our upcoming group workshop ‘Build Strong Relationships’ starting December/January

Nadine is the founder of Calibrate Coaching, a Writer, Speaker and Professional Personal Coach, specialising in Personal Performance, Wellness, and Emotional Resilience.  Live with increased Energy, Fulfilment & Clarity!

Call for more information or book in for a free telephone consultation
M:  0408 50 11 60   W:  www.calibratecoaching.com

 

{ 2 comments }

Act with integrity in the workplace

CityNewsPDF_KeepYourWordKeepYourJob_Dec09Integrity in the work place is imperative for a healthy working environment.

It does not matter whether you are the janitor or CEO, living with workplace integrity will make a difference not only to your long-term professional development, it will also enhance the overall company culture – it’s a ripple effect!

Workplace integrity starts with honesty, decency and trustworthiness. Following through with your word and being impeccable and honourable with your actions creates respect and professionalism.

There are many reasons as to why someone may or may not be enjoying their job or acting with integrity. Regardless, if you choose to stay in your current role you might as well lift your game and do it with integrity.

What kind of boss or employee are you? Are you setting a good example for your team, staff and colleagues? More often than not the less productive employee will find more to whinge and whine about than the industrious type.

Here are some points to get you thinking:

A clean attitude:  When we are confident and comfortable within ourselves we have next to no reason to belittle others or act with arrogance. Build your confidence and clean up your language and communication skills.

Honour your working hours:  Do not steal time from your employer. You are there to get a job done, not to surf social networks, talk to your friends and waste time.

Confidentiality:  Keep workplace secrets such as; client information, employee salaries and un-coming company changes to yourself – it’s an absolute integrity must.

Be truthful:  Managers are less likely to have confidence in you and promote you if they feel as though you are not open and truthful. Over time most lies come back to bite you! Mistakes and mishaps can be your greatest time for growth and learning.

Are you the person you want to be?  Maybe it’s time to redefine your workplace values, attitude and behavior for overall development and success.

Written by Nadine Piat-Niski –  for the CITY NEWS November 09

Join our upcoming group workshop ‘Build Strong Relationships’ starting December/January

Nadine is the founder of Calibrate Coaching, a Writer, Speaker and Professional Personal Coach, specialising in Personal Performance, Wellness, and Emotional Resilience.  Live with increased Energy, Fulfilment & Clarity!

Call for more information or book in for a free telephone consultation  M: 0408 50 11 60  W: www.calibratecoaching.com

{ 2 comments }

Focus on Goals

CityNews_Focus on Goals_Nov09_ImageClear direction and focus is crucial for overall professional development and growth.

Whether you are looking for a new job, climbing the corporate ladder, diversifying or reinventing yourself – clear focus will assist you to reach your professional vision and goals.

When we lack focus it is very easy to end up staying in one place with little advancement, or end up somewhere you never wanted to be.  Regardless of the global crisis and other challenges you might be facing, some solid focus is essential!  Knowing what you want to change will help motivate you to either seek new opportunities or to recognise opportunities when they are presented to you.  Lack of clarity, fear, and self-doubt can stand in your way!

Clear focus + action + momentum = results

Here is a good place to start developing your career success?

1) What would you like to change about your current job or career, and why?
2) What is standing in your way?
3) For long-term fulfillment, make sure your current or future goals are your goals and not what you think you ‘should’ do.
4) What do/don’t you enjoy about your current role?
5) Determine whether your interests, core values and skills are addressed through your current career.
6) Brainstorm ideas for career alternatives and then investigate them.
7) Explore educational opportunities or look for ways to develop new skills with your current employer
8) Create a strategic breakdown of your goals within a timeframe, such as; research to carry out, companies to contact, people to speak to?
9) Put systems in place to keep you accountable and progressing.
10) Be prepared for obstacles and challenges!
11) Get serious and commit to you future!

It may not happen over night, however putting the wheels in motion is the key to creating your ideal career and working environment.  Every step counts no matter how big or small.

Without clear direction, goals get lost in the everyday – weeks become months, and months become years!  There is no time like the present to start preparing for your professional new year ahead!

Written by Nadine Piat-Niski

Group Coaching starting November in the areas of Stress, Anxiety & Depression

Nadine is the founder of Calibrate Coaching, a Writer, Speaker and Professional Personal Coach, specialising in Personal Performance, Wellness, and Emotional Resilience.   Live with increased Energy, Fulfilment & Clarity!

{ 1 comment }

Nadine’s daily stress management tips

  1. Listen to your body (it speaks much louder than we realise, and tells us many things)
  2. Learn from your mistakes, then live this learning.
  3. Become clear about your Values – they are your guiding compass and shall make your life journey much easier once identified and honoured.
  4. Breathe - take the time to consciously notice your breath, it can heal & assist you in so many ways.
  5. Focus, Focus, Focus – Get on track with Clarity and Clear Focus.  Without laser like focus we tend to go around in circles.  Clarity and focus lights up the path to your personal goals and ultimate vision.  Find your focus!
  6. Humour – When appropriate (more often than not) look for the humour in situations, even during tough times.  Laughter, fun, humour is great for the spirit and your health.  NOTE: Be careful not to use humour as an avoidance tactic.

{ 1 comment }

Women Connecting

Live with understanding, femininity and real connection through communication!

Part 2 (following on from last month, Part 1- Men Connecting)

I often hear women say that their partners aren’t expressive, and that they are having trouble communicating and connecting with the special man in their life.  This may be very true, and yes, men can be inexpressive and not as communicative as women would like, however how much do women add fuel to the fire?

Our behaviour and attitude towards communication is largely influenced by our upbringing and social conditioning, therefore our beliefs, attitude and behaviour is largely due to nurture versus nature.

Women have a tendency to be ‘emotional’, and are known as the emotional gender.  What does this mean?  When someone regularly experiences high levels of emotion, normally this is indicative of the person not really understanding their feelings and what they mean.  It all gets jumbled up into a mixed bag of emotion and then we label ourselves ‘emotional’.  When we feel this way it is very hard to communicate with the people around us what we need or what the root of the problem is, because often we don’t know or understand ourselves.  The source of the problem gets lost with little resolution!  There may be lots of words spoken, tears and frustration, yet nothing clear to work with.

If both genders want to connect with each other, then we both need to take a really good look at ourselves.  It is okay to be different, we do not need to be the same, yet if we are to fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, different yet connected, then both parties need to learn to understand themselves and their individual emotions before they can communicate with clarity in a productive way with their partner.  What works with your friends, colleagues or family may not be conducive in a personal relationship.  There is plenty of scope for both men and women to learn and grow to connect more effectively.

Women need to understand that when they express their tidal wave of emotion, it can be very overwhelming for their partner and themselves.  Often men further retreat because they do not know what to say or do.  Everyone ends up more confused!   So what is connection, what is love, what is communication, what is support?  Take some time to connect with yourself first!  Get to know YOU on a deeper level!  Every relationship you have starts with the relationship you have with yourself!

If you are feeling upset, frustrated, angry, confused, unappreciated, etc., ask yourself.  1) What must I believe to feel this way?  2) What is at the core of these feelings I am having?  3) What am I hoping to achieve by talking about this? (get clear, rather than talk in circles)

Although I have focused on the two extremes of the genders, there are certainly plenty of men and women who are in tune with themselves and know how to connect and communicate with ease and grace.  From my experience and research our behaviour and attitudes are a product of socialisation and family and cultural influence more than.  Dr. Erina MacGeorge through her extensive research has found that there is only a 2% difference in our communication styles.  “Men and women use, and strongly prefer, the same ways of comforting others – listening, sympathizing and giving thoughtful advice.”  Who would have thought that we do actually come from the same planet!

It’s time to abolish old conditioning and beliefs and learn new skills to create your own personal operating system.  Men and women both have the right to be expressive, warm, vulnerable, to share feelings and be heard. Clearly, being closed and shutting of emotion is just as detrimental to your emotional health as being over emotional and overwhelmed.  Each end of the spectrum is not healthy for anyone.  You can be vulnerable and strong at the same time, vulnerability is a strength!  You can share your feelings and express emotion with clarity without the dramatics.

In summary, regardless of your gender, get out there and find out what is going on inside of you, so that you can enhance, develop and create fabulous personal and professional relationships!  Take yourself to another level.

Maybe we are not so different after all!

Written by Nadine Piat-Niski

Balanced Magazine – October 2009

Nadine is the founder of Calibrate Coaching, a Writer, Speaker and Professional Personal Coach, specialising in Life Balance, Wellness, Depression, Anxiety and Stress.   Live with increased Energy, Balance & Joy!   
Call for more information or book in for a free telephone consultation
M:  0408 50 11 60   W:  www.calibratecoaching.com

{ 0 comments }

← Previous Entries