Happy New Year!
News from Life Coaching Institute

**Spring LC100 ~ LCI First!*** Our coaching program is growing and we are offering LC100 in January for the first time ever! Click here to learn more and REGISTER TODAY! Last day to register is Friday, January 21, 2011. New Classes for Existing Certified Coaches This year we will be adding one day and half day workshops for continuing education for coaches! More information will be announced soon. Transformational Coaches Network A volunteer leadership committee for 2011 is reviving the Transformational Coaches Network (TCN). The group will meet quarterly on the third Wednesday from 6-8pm. TCN Statement of Purpose: We provide a comfortable place for coaches to talk and promote life coaching. We are an informal group devoted to social and professional development for transformational life coaches. Meetings with seasonal themes are scheduled as follows: March 16, 2011: “Seeds of Living” June 15, 2011: “Colorful Coaching” September 14, 2011: “Harvesting Abundance” December 21, 2011: “Solstice for the Souls” Venue(s) and details will be announced soon! Please mark your calendars, coaches! Recommended Reading: Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive by Barbara Fredrickson “Positive psychology pioneer Fredrickson introduces readers to the power of harnessing happiness to transform their lives, backed up by impressive lab research. The author lays out the core truths and 10 forms of positivity—joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe and love—in a book that promises to change the way people look at feeling good. Disdainful of Pollyannaism, Fredrickson remains realistic in her treatment and provides scientific evidence to illustrate her findings that maintaining a 3:1 positivity ratio of positive thoughts to negative emotions creates a tipping point between languishing and flourishing. The book includes compelling case studies, concrete tips, a Positivity Self Test and a tool kit for decreasing negativity and raising the positivity ratio. Although many of Fredrickson's methods and theories (notes on meditation and karma) will seem familiar to anyone versed in yoga or eastern religions, the scientific foundation of her arguments and additional online resources (www.positivityratio.com) offer readers a chance to experiment with positivity and very possibly lead richer lives.” - from Publishers Weekly Click here to view on Amazon

Look Back to Move Forward By Vicy L. Wilkinson, Director of Coaching Services I spent a lot of time traveling and visiting with both friends and family throughout the 2010 holiday season, and a lot of the time the theme turned into something like “2010 has been a REALLY hard year for me.” It seems that many of us experienced a lot of pain, suffering, and more than a few challenges and changes last year, as is part and parcel to the human condition. A new year, however, brings a new optimism and a new spirit of moving forward and making positive changes, no matter what happened in the “old year.” I believe it’s important to get some clarity and perspective on that old year, though, instead of just thinking of it as “over” so that we can move forward with more purpose and a clearer vision of what we WANT for this new year. How do we ensure we have a truly happy new year? How do we choose to make our dreams and wishes come true during 2011? How are you going to make the best of the new year? My recommendation is to be deliberate – look back for lessons and insights, define your purpose, and then set you goals and be accountable for achieving them. Looking back on 2010: There are many ways to reflect on the past that are productive for planning and creating the future. One of my recommendations is to spend some time making a list of all the things you learned during the year. Often these learning experiences come from going through difficult – and painful – times and situations. Be real with yourself. As you make your list, be kind to yourself. Making this list may help you begin to shift your perspective on the negative experiences you may have had. As you begin to see what you learned, you may feel inclined to group them into positive and negative things. This is a great plan as long as you are able to do a little more work with the “negative” ones. If you group your list, take it a step further with your "negative learning" experiences. Look at each thing separately and write out what you would have done differently (knowing what you know now) or what you would have preferred someone else do differently (if the thing has to do with something you learned because of someone else’s actions or reactions). Reframing negative experiences by spelling out how you would consciously choose to make them different really helps (a) solidify the lesson learned and (b) gives you something concrete - and positive - to show for your pain. Another fantastic “looking back” activity is to spend some time making a list of all the things related to 2010 for which you are grateful. Gratitude is one of the biggest contributors to overall happiness and well being. If you are stuck in a really difficult place, just start with the basics. You obviously survived the year, so there’s something fantastic to be said for that fact alone. Once you have nurtured some learning and gratitude, it’s easier to look back at the year to see what your major successes or achievements were. Write those down, too. Then you can take a look at your 2010 goals and see what all you achieved or what obstacles stood in your way. All of these things combined will help clarify where you have been and will be an important part of moving forward with new goals and a new enthusiasm for 2011! Working with a coach is a great way to take what you’ve learned in these easy looking back exercises to define your real purpose and set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) goals for 2011… and achieve them.

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. ~Francis Bacon Check out our Blog Upcoming Meetups Meetup Information: 6-8pm at Earthfare on Pelham Road http://www.meetup.com/LIfe-Coaching-Institute/ Print the LCI Meetup Schedule here. Monday, January 17, 2011 Strategies & Secrets for Success in 2011 with Karren Peterson Start the New Year off on a great track with Strategies for Success in 2011. Modeled after famous motivational speaker and author of Life's Golden Ticket, Brenden Brechard, Karren Peterson gives you an intimate view along with structured exercises for achieving all the success you desire for this year and beyond... Karren holds Masters Degrees in Counseling and Education, and is certified as an Empowerment Life Coach and Global Career Development Facilitator. As a licensed Counselor and coach, her focus is to help people bring out their B.E.S.T. (Believe...Excel...Succeed...Transform...) and reach their fullest potential. Monday, February 21, 2011 Thermograms - Healthier, Safer, More Effective Breast Screening with Dr. Marina Ponton The medical community and many patients have expressed concerns over the recent changes in the guidelines for mammograms and women's breast health. Because Life Coaching Institute is dedicated to people living their BEST life, we want everyone to be aware of this valuable screening tool. LCI wanted to let women in Greenville know about a safe alternative to mammograms. Dr. Marina Ponton, LAp, will tell us what every woman needs to know about this preventative and early detection technology called a "thermogram." Dr. Ponton has been an Acupuncture Physician in private practice since 1999, and has recently earned her Doctorate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. Dr. Ponton’s practice focuses on helping others achieve and maintain their optimal health through acupuncture, herbology, diet, supplementation, and nutrition. Dr. Ponton’s belief in healing the body through natural methods, has led her to practice and lecture in the United States, Sweden, and Holland. Her extensive studies include the American University of Paris, FAMU University in Prague, The University of Miami, and The Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine. Dr. Ponton is an exceptionally talented natural health practitioner, and well recognized lecturer, who is passionate about educating the masses on the importance of incorporating natural health modalities into their every day life. Some of her specialties include: pain management,  women’s health and fertility, holistic dermatology, environmental diseases, and mental & emotional disorders. Dr. Ponton is bilingual in English & Spanish. Meet up Information: Third Monday - 6-8pm Earthfare (Near I-85/Michelin) 3620 Pelham Road Greenville, SC 29615 Click here for more info on Earthfare. For more information, please visit www.LifeCoachingInstitute.net, call Life Coaching Institute 282-8989 or email mailto:Vicy@LifeCoachingInstitute.net.