Dear Gail....

Thought you'd enjoy this mini-conversation I shared with a friend about polyamory.

Enjoy!
Gail

Dear Gail,

How do you do it? How do you manage a poly relationship? I am watching friends fall apart because they tried it and its just hard...even for me because I am friends on both ends.

Sincerely,
Heartbroken

Dear Heartbroken,

How is this different than a mono-relationship; isn't it the same pain?

It's true that polyamory has its own challenges and learning opportunities. But in my opinion, leading a healthy, successful poly relationship takes many of the same basic skill sets that you need in order to lead a healthy, successful monogamous relationship. In my 20 years of coaching, I have seen many people who just flat don't have the basic skills to live a successful, thriving relationship.

Here's one example. When the sh** hits the fan, I often see people make one of 3 basic communication mistakes:
1. confuse stories for observations (ex: she's mad at me vs/ she hasn't made eye contact with me today) - we can avoid misunderstandings if we - as Krishnamurthi suggests - seek the intelligence of observing without judging.
2. confuse feelings and needs for thoughts and judgements (ex: i feel like he should spend more time with me if he loved me) - when we separate our feelings (sad, disappointed, unhappy) and needs (because I want companionship) from our thoughts, we have a better chance of asking for what we want in a way others can hear (ex: i've been sad wanting more companionship, would you spend 2 hours with me tonight?)
3. not make clear doable requests to meet their needs

These simple, common habits can make or break a conversation.

Now take folks without basic relationship and healing skills, throw them into a poly scenario where emotions are even MORE likely to be stimulated, and where transparent, generative, needs-based conversation is even more vital, and you've got a recipe for disaster alright! This is why they pay me the big-bucks to do relationship coaching. *wink*

With a few fundamental skills and practices, I believe many more polyamorous and monogamous relationships would thrive.

If you'd like more information about polyamory, or if you'd like a free consultation toward an ongoing coaching relationship, call Gail toll-free 1.877.535.5438.

3 Steps to Finding Fulfillment

Wallowing: the act of focusing on what we don't like, don't want, don't have, and/or what isn't working, at the expense of taking the next step. What is the next step? Articulating what Is It We Do Want, Would Like, Wish To Have?

• Last week I had a call with a client who said, "I just realized I've spent so much time focusing on what I don't like about my life that I've put no energy into trying to understand what I want."

• A woman in Nevada so consistently focuses on what she does NOT know that she never takes the step to ask others if they know, so that she can know.
  
  
• A man in Colorado finds his life so terribly unfulfilling that he's crushed under the weight of his loneliness and misery, but he doesn't cultivate the skill of asking for what *would* bring him fulfillment.

When I watch these clients and so many of you living the same habits, these moments break my heart, because I so so want for your opening, your thriving, your joy, and your exquisite-cup-overflowing-fulfillment.

Would you consider taking on these 3 steps toward finding relief for yourself?

3 Steps To Finding Fulfillment:

1. Track your list of what isn't working, what you don't like, what you don't want, etc. This first step is vital, as a first step. But when we stop there, we merely cultivate our own misery, disempower ourselves, and piss in the ears of people around us, perpetuating more misery. Writing them down gives us a place to move from.

2. Next, for each line in your list of #1, ask yourself - what is the YEARNING behind that voice. If the line for #1 says, "My life sucks." (what I don't want) - write in column 2, "I want more XYZ". If your line for #1 says, "My boss is a jerk." (what I don't like) - write in column 2, "I'd like to be treated with more respect." What does that voice in #1 yearn for? What do you need that the voice in #1 is dearly (and tragically, in its style) trying to ask for? What does the voice in #1 want more of?

3. Make a doable request to *get* the thing you wrote about in #2. Write down a request you can make of yourself, or that you can make of someone else. If in column 2 you wrote, "I want to be treated with more respect," ask yourself to stop your boss the next time you want it and say, "Listen, would you be willing to speak to me at a lower volume?" Write it down.

What? You can't think of a request for #3? Try this: I request myself to ask 3 people what they would do if they were in my shoes and wanted what I want in column #2.

Now what? Do you have to actually MAKE this request? Oh, you may do it, you may not. However, learning to translate your wallowing into an actionable request about what you DO want will take you miles further toward finding fulfillment. While you wallow, you are 100% guaranteed to NOT get what you want. While you translate wallowing into what you want, and try to get better and better at making requests to fulfill what you want, you have at least a 50-50 shot! Maybe you'll get it, maybe you won't. But at least you'll have a chance.

If you'd like more information about "Powerful Requests", or if you'd like support to make the 3 steps work for you, or if you'd like help to come up with doable requests that will actually help you meet your needs, call for a coaching session: toll-free 1.877.535.5438.


Visuals by www.PDImages.com

Knowledge and Adventure

Henry David Thoreau said most people "live lives of quiet desperation." Are you one of them, or are you a seeker of adventure, knowledge, growth and fulfillment?

What if a 24-hour program could give you everything you need to find an infinite source of knowledge and adventure?

It's not enough to rage against the lie.. you've got to replace it with the truth. - Bono

Isn't it about time you got to replace desperation with adventure, knowledge, growth, and fulfillment?


Here's a 4-question interview that could increase thriving - for you, your family, your work/group/community, and beyond!

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QUESTIONS:

1. If you could see more fulfillment in 1 area of life, which would you choose to start with?

• more for myself
• more for my existing love relationship
• more for my family
• more for my office/organization/work environment
• more for my group/community
• more for my culture/subculture
• more for the planet/humanity at large
• more fulfillment for Isness / Emergence

2. In the area you chose to start with in question 1, imagine 1 thing that could contribute to your sense of fulfillment in that area. What comes to mind?

3. Quantify it - How could you describe your answer to question 2 in measurable terms? How much, by when; how would you be able to know when question 2 were satisfied?

4. Request it - What request could you make (of ourself or of someone(s) around you) that would contribute to your answer to question 3 happening?

5. Skillful Means - On a scale of 0-10, how effective are your requests at getting what you outlined in question 3? 0 = not at all; 10 = I have gotten my request so abundantly met that I'm utterly and completely fulfilled in the area I chose in question 1.

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If your answer to question 5 was 6 or below, you could be more effective in delivering Powerful Requests. You may want to consider enrolling in a coaching program or in a Teleclass directed at helping you strengthen that muscle.

If you had difficulty answering any of questions 2-4, consider calling to schedule a free coaching consultation as a gift to yourself. You cannot fulfill what you cannot name, quanitify and ask for. Give yourself the gift of clarity as a first step.

If you found questions 1-4 easy, and you *still* don't experience the level of fulfillment you want in your question 1 domain, this is good news - the next step is obvious. Here's why:

Like a dealt hand of cards, we each hold a specific set of skills, perceptions, tendencies, and inclinations on how to respond to our world. And, like a hand of cards, this set of cards is limited and often insufficient. Imagine you hold a whole deck of cards in your hands - you could win basically any card game you want to play!

If you already had the cards you needed to win the game of fulfillment in the domain you chose in question 1 - you'd already be winning. If you're not winning, it's because you don't have the cards you need - it's time to get them from someone else. This is why more and more people are turning to Coaches: life coaches, career coaches, financial coaches, organizational development coaches, spiritual coaches, communication coaches...or Integrated Coaches.

Integrated Coaches are coaches trained in The Integrated Approach (TIA). TIA Coaches a trained to help you uncover and recognize the areas where skills, perceptions, tendencies and inclinations are insufficient to expand fulfillment. TIA Coaches can then ask questions or provide recommendations for how to build those skills, widen those perceptions, balance those tendencies, and integrate new inclinations with the prior ones.

Ready to take the first step toward leaving the "quiet desperation" behind?

A single free hour could enhance your adventure, knowledge, growth and fulfillment.

Call and set a free appointment today! 1.877.535.5438

Here's to your thriving!
Gail