In Life and Executive Coaching most professionals myself included like to keep abreast of the latest books and trends that might help our clients to achieve their goals, gain results and become successful in the areas that they desire.
Here though we look at a book which was published some years ago but is still very much relevant today called, ‘The 100 Year Lifestyle’ which is a trademark name and a very interesting read and journey by Dr Eric Plasker.
He is touted in the book as being an internationally Acclaimed Wellness Expert and here he sets about explaining how to live to that ripe age with strategies, exercises, principles and more.
He states, ‘At the core of customising your 100-Year Lifestyle are three life-changing principles that you will use throughout this journey:
I love these principles, as most of the time we need to be our own life coaches and looking a little closer at each principle to explore what each one means we identify his key explanations which are;
In Principle #1 he uses the magnet principle and creating ways to attract what you want and detracting from what you do not want.
Yes, we know that change my not feel simple but thinking about it as being easy feels like it helps the entire process and in my mind’s eye instead of seeing myself dragging my feet or with my head down, I see myself standing tall and with my arms stretched forward ready to embrace.
In Principle #2 he describes how change happens one step at a time and may take some time, and in many ways we need to seek to look for the results themselves and build on that momentum not thinking that it will always be perfect or a particular way.
In Principle #3 it is about approaching your 'ideal life' with fresh, new expectations in mind and to develop exciting ways and a vision for your life and is a shift in thinking and creating new patterns of thinking.
Now speaking of living a long life, my grandfather on my Italian mother’s side lived to almost 100, (three months shy) and my grandmother lived to 95 and both died of old age and no conditions or diseases.
They were born in a small country town in Italy, were the poorest family apparently and did not have great access to medical care, did not have modern conveniences and their lives did not contain numerous vaccinations, flu shots or were surrounded by electrical devices all day long. My grandmother would walk two kilometres into town just to get water from the well for many years, and my mother said that she had two outfits, one for school and one for home.
My grandparents lived a long life and were healthy throughout almost their entire lives, bar a few minor sicknesses, ate the same foods almost weekly, worked very hard in the fields and my grandfather drank more home-made red wine then water.
Our lives are so very different now.
Now though, as I do love lists. Here Dr Plasker describes how your ideal 100 lifestyle includes a ‘Live Long and Strong Exercise’ list and these areas are;
Health
Environment
Schedule
Finances
Relationships
Career
How you spend your free time
How you use your talents
How you manage stress
The way you treat people
How you allow people to treat you
The way you think about the past
The way you approach your future
This is not quite an extensive but kind of unique as I thought that proposing that one can live to 100 years is perhaps not quite an easy or simple task but he insists that change is easy. It may not be simple often in life but creating ways forward to create a life we love I think is incredibly worth the effort.
Prior to this book I couldn't recall ever seeing this 'prompter', - 'how you treat people', which I found very refreshing to put early on in the list that prompts you to identify that to live long and strong we must embrace how we treat people - and treat them well.
There are in fact so many great things about this book that I could write a few blogs on it and probably will, but for now will try to keep it to a few minutes read.
Here, it feels like the moment I embrace the idea that it is simple or easy or the moment a client embraces this way of thinking, being and living, it ‘feels’ like the prospects of transformation unwind and it becomes easier to transform.
At this stage it describes energy drainers versus energy enhancers and to take an inventory of what drains you and what enhances you which is very personal and different from person to person, but often with similarities.
Some of the energy drainers are explained as;
· Sugar
· Not exercising
· Overworking
· Not taking play time
· Taking abuse
· Slouching
· Mindless television
· Etc.
Energy enhancers include:
· Speaking my truth
· Being grateful
· Keeping promises to myself
· Eating healthy
· Saving money
· Being involved in things I believe in
· Celebrating special occasion
· Focusing on the positive
· Etc.
Here it continues by making your own personal energy inventory list and then employ energy enhances in your life and taking the time to do them to be, 'replenishing your energy bank one choice at a time.'
Dr Plasker stipulates five Dominant Energy Patterns (DEPs) that colour the outcomes of our lives which he describes as;
1. Destructive patterns
2. Survival patterns
3. Complacency patterns
4. Comfort patterns
5. Human potential patterns
The above list is important and is what we focus on when people come in for coaching and often takes time to identify.
Dr Plaster then almost blatantly states;
“These are the five Dominant Energy Patterns that shape your life – whether you are aware of it or not. Do you know what pattern colours your life”
Here I find that often people don't know their patterns but it's fascinating in the process of coaching to figure it out.
Sometimes clients start to see that they often merge their understanding of their ways of thinking and living, when they are spiraling or in depression and can often merge what they think are the destructive patterns with their survival patterns seeking only comfort patterns.
Human potential patterns I find sometimes the most interesting and fascinating to explore in a life or executive coaching sessions where people are surprised and come to enjoy pushing the healthy boundaries of their own personal 'potential' positively.
I sometimes find that clients often do know what their patterns are when they are over-anxious as well but with some exploration come to recall them but are not yet capable of continuing to them and this is often what coaching is all about.
Remembering that change is easy can help us, or can frustrate us sometimes, but remembering that being taught that change was simple, works for me and is a ‘mindset’ like neuroplasticity – positivity can be learnt and embraced.
Here in the book, he looks at discovering your potential and we are only just at the end of Chapter two…
There are many fantastic life coaching (and executive coaching) exercise’s, quotes, and activities in this book to be able to keep referring to it often and we recommend it highly and this book is well worth a read.
Dr Eric Plaster is according to the book a graduate of Life Chiropractic College and the founder of the World Chiropractic Alliance and lives in Atlanta Georgia.
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