Write Thinking

Perspectives from a writer & life coach indulging her desire to intersect those two passions

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Location: Hoboken, New Jersey, United States

I am a practicing life coach who is currently writing a life coaching column called Game Plan for Foxbusiness.com: http://nancola.com/pages/press.html. I am also working on a book about the power and magic of life coaching.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

My big move!

Write Thinking has officially moved! I launched a new website today and the blog is front and center. I'm very excited about my updated web presence and am thrilled to share it with my readers.

From now on, you'll find my daily thoughts right here:

www.nancola.com

Thanks for reading!!!
Nancy

Monday, May 19, 2008

Horoscope as blueprint

One line out of my horoscope today:

Treat yourself the way you wish a lover would.

I like it because it seems simple, but it is really a call to action and a shift in thinking. It begs the questions -- How well am I treating myself these days? Where is there room for improvement? Celebration?

Yes, that is an excellent piece of advice. I will take it. And give it. And take it again.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

A hunt and a kill

Bought a sleek dress today. It was one of those bargains that blows the mind. Brought back a pair of pants and was determined to only spend the refund or less.

Bingo. The dress was less than half price and was within a dollar of the price of the pants. I already own the fabulous jacket that goes over the dress.

Meant to be? I think so.

I rock.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Provocative

Had lunch today with a life coach I met at the Conversation Among Masters conference in Asheville, N.C., last month. She made me think, really think, about several areas of my life just by asking some good questions.

This is what distinguishes coaches. This ability to note a pattern, suggest a next step. She is good with a capital 'G.'

My mind is working. It's delicious. Much to consider moving forward.

More Than a Feeling

There's something going on with me and music this week. My earlier Game Plan was about Frank Sinatra. Today's kicks off with a bit about one of my all-time favorite bands -- Boston. It has a new lead singer and his story inspired a column:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/personal-finance/lifestyle-money/lifestyle-money/feeling/

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Reaching across the pond

Headaches running rampant, on and off today. What was supposed to be a packed day turned into a spotty one.

One thing that I'm happy worked out was a meeting tonight with a woman from Scotland who had written me after reading my column. She's a coach and is looking to relocate in New York. She was visiting the U.S. and I met her and her mother for coffee; they were delightful. They had never been to Hoboken and they seemed to really enjoy it.

Global reach. Gotta love it.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

What a hoot

So I'm watching Medium the other night and about halfway through I get a jolt. They are teasing the upcoming 11 o'clock news and I hear, coming from my TV, this: What the f--k are you doing? There is a picture of a cruise ship, but suddenly it cuts away and programming resumes as normal.

This made me laugh out loud! I just sat there, astounded, wondering if I was hearing things. Then I laughed some more.

I now know it was anchorwoman Sue Simmons. Apparently, they're deciding what her punishment should be.

Geez. Get over yourselves. It was a mistake. It hurt no one.

Move on.

Ol' Blue Eyes

Today's Game Plan column is about Frank Sinatra, as it has been 10 years to the day since he died. I think he had something to say about how to live life to the fullest. A tip of the fedora to my brother John and cousin Joe for lending a hand with this one.

One of my favorite quotes from it: “I'm not one of those complicated, mixed-up cats. I'm not looking for the secret to life ... I just go on from day to day, taking what comes,” Sinatra said.

Check it out:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/personal-finance/lifestyle-money/make/

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

End in sight

Did a fair amount of work on my website in a really productive meeting with my web dude today. I'm so excited about unveiling the finished product.

It looks like my branding is getting a makeover. There's nothing like seeing just the right mix of graphics and color and realizing sometimes two heads are indeed better than one in the creative process. What a rush.

Stay tuned.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Luck is anything but dumb

Was out of town Friday and didn't post the latest edition of Game Plan on FOXBusiness.com. This one is about my pet peeve that people too often throw the words "luck" or "lucky" around when talking about those who do what they love for a living. Check it out:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/personal-finance/lifestyle-money/whats-luck-got/

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Give me a dose

Something I confirmed this weekend: I am addicted to email. Was gone for three days visiting Mom and the family for Mother's Day and resisted the urge to bring the laptop. OK, so maybe I'm not really addicted.

And I have managed to avoid Crackberry issues, so I am not one to text. Ever. I think this keeps me sane.

Even if I am a little too happy to be sitting at my computer and typing this ...

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Zoom Zoom

I'm looking at my teeth whitening experience at the dentist today as an opportunity to embrace a nice white food like vanilla pudding rather than as a devious means to keep me from coffee for 48 hours.

How glass-half-full of me.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

High energy

Had five client sessions today. What a dynamic bunch.

I say this all the time, but I can't help but continually marvel at and revel in the amazing people I meet through coaching. The Law of Attraction doing its finest work.

I am blessed.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Ready, set, action

Another thing to love about New York: Walking down Fifth Avenue and realizing some guy with a walkie talkie is telling you to keep moving if you're not part of the set and that you've indeed walked into the middle of somebody filming a scene for something.

Never did figure out who or what it was, but I must confess it wasn't my first time. I've happened on two Law and Order scenes in my day.

What a hoot.

Monday, May 05, 2008

Arrow in motion

Tonight was the conclusion of the 10-week webinar on A New Earth with author Eckhart Tolle and Oprah Winfrey. It was illuminating and inspiring and, to use a term they mentioned tonight, I feel like I strengthened my "spiritual muscle" during the course.

What really spoke to me in chapter 10 with regard to my own life and how it impacts my coaching was Tolle's presentation of three modalities -- acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm. He writes, "You need to be vigilant to make sure that one of them operates whenever you are engaged in doing anything at all -- from the most simple task to the most complex. If you are not ... look closely and you will find that you are creating suffering for yourself and others."

Later, in the section on enthusiasm, he writes, "Enthusiasm means there is deep enjoyment in what you do plus the added element of a goal or a vision that you work toward. When you add a goal to the enjoyment of what you do, the energy-field or vibrational frequency changes." How wonderful to bring this understanding, or dimension, to a coaching relationship. And to help facilitate in a client what Tolle describes here -- "You will feel like an arrow that is moving toward the target -- and enjoying the journey."

I am feeling this. I want others to feel it, too.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Chocolate

Lindt Lindor Truffles are so good I could cry.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Saturday collage

Facilitated a collage workshop in Manhattan today. What a fun experience. I so enjoyed the mix of ages and perspectives. Even did one myself so I could demonstrate to the group and it proved to be telling.

Left the workshop, strolled through the farmers' market in Union Square and wound up in the West Village having a fabulous hot dog at Gray's Papaya.

A special afternoon, particularly because it threatened rain but never broke through.

Perfectly pleasant.

Friday, May 02, 2008

An artist and a teacher

The chance to interview author Julia Cameron on Monday was special, kind of a full circle moment. Not only is her work infused through my life coaching, but she is an example of a writer who has truly followed a calling.

Check out today's Game Plan column on FOXBusiness.com about the interview:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/personal-finance/lifestyle-money/lifestyle-money/artist-teacher/

Thursday, May 01, 2008

My expanding world

It's amazing how the process of creating a new website forces us to ask questions that go far beyond the technical. My fab web guy, Pete Lacis, has broadened the scope of my thinking just by making a few simple suggestions or asking what seems to be a simple question on the surface. He thinks in a completely different way than I do, which means we complement each other very well. While I'm in my little web world tunnel, he's in the mindset of the big global Internet, you know?

For example, who is my audience? Potential life coaching clients? Readers of my FOXBusiness.com columns? Readers of my blog? All of the above? So then the tagline should reflect that, Peter suggests. Yes. It seems so clear now. Let's make that happen, I say. And he does.

This is our process and I am loving it.

It's a whole new world.