Ask Ms. Mindfulness

If you’re like most folks, you’re caught up in a perpetual tailspin.  A crammed diary filled with meeting after meeting with barely enough time to shove in a lukewarm sandwich in-between, or after school activities for the kids, school run, volunteer activities, endless lists of chores that only seem to get longer and longer.  The first response to the question “How are you?” is typically something in the order of, “I’ve just been so busy!  There’s just never enough time to get everything done!” or my personal favorite “Frazzled!”  Or maybe this is just the strange universe I hang out in.  Never having been one to jump on the bandwagon, folks often look confused when I don’t respond back in agreement.  I’ve often wondered if there is something wrong with me. When I lived in the UK, making it into someone’s personal diary was a point of distinction, a barrier to be overcome, as spots in it were tightly guarded and highly coveted.  Brits in general, not being as spontaneous as their American cousins across the pond, tend to respond to the question of “when should we get together again,” with things like – “let me check my diary and get back to you.  The next three months are mad, just mad!” (Mind you, this could also be their subtle and polite way of blowing annoying Americans off, but typically we’re too stupid to notice this.) But while we might, on the surface, spend a lot of time complaining about this busy thing, I’ve often wondered if deep down we secretly like it.  Perhaps being busy has become the new badge of honor, a justification for our existence.  If we are busy, we are doing something with our lives.  Our life must have some meaning, some deep purpose, something greater than taking out the trash and watching the next season of Ozarks on Netflix, thrilling though it may be. I myself have even reveled in this practice from time to time, secretly gloating to myself that I have so many client engagements on my schedule that it would be impossible for me to meet with such and such person for the next couple of months. Well, not anymore, thanks to Corona virus. So here’s the question, in a life that’s filled with activity after activity, what do you do with yourself when the tailspin finally ends and sound of silence finally comes? I mean, you can only rearrange your closet and shop on amazon so much.  I was talking to a friend of mine the other day, who lives in Orange County, CA.  The eternal optimist, she mused that perhaps this might be a good opportunity for society to finally slow down, and smell the proverbial roses, so to speak.  The eternal realist that I am reminded her that many of us (present company included) will most likely lose work, maybe even their jobs, and these days will be filled with worry and anxiety of what to do after the

So far I’d been coping like a trooper.  For instance, I hadn’t the slightest bit of concern about the run on toilet paper.  And despite client cancellation after cancellation in my leadership development training diary, I still hold faith that these events will eventually be rescheduled, albeit it may take some time.  I don’t care what the so-called experts say, I plainly refuse to believe that training and leadership development has been relegated to a computer screen for the rest of eternity. In a quest to use this “time off” to my advantage, I had mentally started to compile a list of all the things I would like to do for my business I had been avoiding:  do my taxes, clean up my files, update my coaching log for the International Coaching Federation – a super tedious task I’ve been avoiding for over a year and even start my blog up again.  Like many small business owners I had enthusiastically embraced the blogging and posting practice back in 2015 when I started my leadership training and coaching business, determined to change the world with my inspirational messages and quotes, carefully curated from conscious thought leaders, placed cleverly on calming meme backgrounds like a babbling brook or a starlight sky, and scheduled strategically on apps such as hootsuite to ensure maximum audience attention.  After about six months of lackluster results I abandoned the practice in a fitful rage, convinced that social media in all its forms was one gigantic scam as well as the downfall of our modern mindless society, perpetuated by higher ups to get us to publicly humiliate ourselves. But this morning the impossible happened.  This morning I finally hit the wall.  The meltdown I had been unconsciously teetering on the edge of for the last two weeks finally materialized. The cause?  My local yoga studio temporarily shut its doors, the most recent business to fall prey to the corona virus meltdown. I’ve been practicing hot yoga for over ten years now.  Since I began my practice in 2009, it’s been the one constant in my life.  The longest running positive habit I have.  The only long running positive habit I have, I might add. I’ve had loads of negative habits over the years.  I’m really good at these I must say.  I smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 14 years, it was only nine weeks of grueling yoga teacher training that finally got me to quit.  Happy hour was always a convenient excuse to avoid doing the things I knew I needed to do at work or at home, under the guise of 50% off appetizers and trying the newest exciting craft cocktail at a downtown hipster bar.  I’ve been biting my nails on and off since I was a child, although I did manage to give up my favorite stained, smelly, blue crocheted blankie at age 8.  I suppose that’s a plus.  I have what one might call a serious addiction to tex mex queso

Should I Call an Austin Career Coach? Perhaps you’re thinking it’s time for a promotion?  Or maybe a career change?  What about starting your own business?  Or maybe you’re wondering if you’ll ever manage to find a career your feel passionate about because you’re living a version of groundhog day, doing the same thing day in and day out.  A career coach in Austin, TX, can help you explore these questions as well as challenge your beliefs that may be holding you back from success. Career Coaches Understand Today’s Recruitment Methods Linkedin, Indeed – the bottom line is the job market has changed.  You upload your resume into a nameless, faceless database and you never hear back.  How can this be – you were perfect for that job!  Recruiting has changed too, whether we like it or not.  How can a person possibly stay abreast of all the latest developments?  A career coach in Austin is skilled at helping you navigate this new and confusing world. Hire a Career Coach in Austin to Find Clarity Wondering how to start a whole new career path?  Shelley Pernot has access to a number of helpful assessments like the Highlands Ability Battery that provide much needed clarity on your strengths and natural abilities.  Once your strengths have been identified and the way forward becomes more clear, she provides tips and techniques for making a smooth career transition. Your Free Consultation Starts the Process Shelley is excited to help you with your next career decision. Contact Shelley Pernot today for your complementary career coaching consultation by filling out this form or calling (512) 200-4269.  If you’re wanting to get a jump start on finding your dream job, download chapter two of her book Running on Empty here, it’s filled with countless tips and exercises to get you thinking. .

 i How Can I Find a More Fulfilling Career? Career coaches get this question all the time: how can I find a more fulfilling career? The answer starts with what you should not do to achieve that aim. Do not be complacent, do not be content to complain about your current career, do not think the grass is greener. Complaining about your current situation will get you nowhere and worsen your mood without actually accomplishing anything. How Can a Career Coach in Austin Help? A career coach is going to help you to figure out the “why” instead of the “what”. Asking “what do you want to do instead?” is putting the horse before the cart. Instead, we want to ask “why?” Why do you get up in the morning? Why are you unhappy in your current career? Why do you think changing careers is important? Once you know the why, the what will fall into place naturally. This is the job of a successful career coach, to guide you through this discussion. Seeing a Career Coach in Austin, TX Shelley Pernot is a career coach and counselor in Austin, Texas who has a wealth of experience with career coaching. Pernot was struggling with her own career a number of years ago. When she eventually figured out what was wrong, it was simple enough: she hated what she was doing. So, you could say Shelley Pernot has personal experience with the struggle that many of her clients are dealing with.  Contact Shelley Pernot for Career Coaching in Austin If you’re struggling in your career or thinking of switching careers, Shelley Pernot can likely help. If you’re interested in having an initial career coaching session with Shelley, fill out this form or call (512) 200-4269. If you want an introduction to how Shelley’s coaching style, you may want to download a free chapter of her new book Running on Empty here.

  A Bad Case of the Mondays I woke up on the wrong side of the bed the other day.  It was just one of those days.  The kind of day when your entire body feels heavy and lethargic, almost as though someone sucked all the energy out of you with a Dyson turbo.  Every movement felt slow and labored, like I was pulling my limbs through an endless chest deep river of water.  I forced myself out of the house at 7:15 am with a double espresso and made my heavy legs carry me all the way to boot camp.  Of course it was the day coach the boot camp coach decided on a power burpee session.  10 burpees a minute.  Minute after minute after minute.  Four minutes in my body was screaming and I wanted to burst into tears.  No amount of “mental reframing” worked.  It was just one of those days when you have to suck it up. When the torture had finally ended and I arrived back home, I warned my husband to stay a good 15 feet away from me at all times, because I was having “one of those days.” At this point you might be wondering what the heck had crawled up my ass and died.  But nothing bad had happened.  Nothing had changed from the day before.  Nothing was technically wrong.  Except for the fact that I felt like shit and my mood was beyond foul. Now, ordinarily when something like this happens, as a life coach my first thought is to resolve it.  What affirmation can I say that will make me feel better?  What gratitudes can I journal that will bring about a sense of open heartedness?  Perhaps I need to dust off Pema Chodron’s Practicing Peace in Times of War?  What 7 steps to happiness blog can I find on facebook?  What book can I read? I looked down at my kindle and eyed my newest purchase, a book on positive psychology by the highly notable Tal Ben – Shahar, “Choose the Life You Want:  The Mindful Way to Happiness.”  I stared at it on my kindle and took it all in.  The bold colors.  The lofty promises on the cover which spoke of endless happiness and serenity.  Perhaps the secret to my unhappiness lay somewhere in this treasure trove of self-help solutions? But the book stayed closed. Let it Be It was at that point I had a sudden flash of inspiration, and did something quite different than my usual life coach reporitee:  I let it be. Let it be, you may ask?  “Okay Shelley, I know it’s a great song, and was one of the most popular Beatles hits ever, even despite the fact John Lennon hated it.  But really, let it be?” Yes, let it be. It was in that moment I decided to let myself feel the frustration, the sadness, the melancholy, the hopelessness, the lethargy. I didn’t try to analyze it.  I didn’t try

Would You Like a Free 30 Minute Life Coaching Consultation? Shelley Pernot is a Life Coach in Austin, Texas, who has a strong track record helping her clients tackle the problems in their lives head on and create the lives and careers they desire. She is currently offering a free thirty-minute initial consultation to those looking for either a career coach or life coach in Austin, Texas. Speaking with a Life Coach in Austin An experienced local life coach in Austin, TX will be able to understand the challenges and stressors you face on a day to day basis. Perhaps you feel stuck in a dead end job.  Or perhaps you hate your boss.  Or perhaps you’re wondering why the relationship you desire continues to evade you.  Chances are you’re getting in your own way, and you don’t even know it!  Having held a number of high profile roles at fortune 100 companies, Shelley Pernot understands the pressures her clients face. Most importantly, she’s especially skilled at helping her clients reach their full potential and specializes in helping her clients “get unstuck.”  Given these facts, why would you wait another moment to create the life that you desire? Contact Shelley Pernot today for a Free Life Coaching Consultation! If you’ve been thinking of making a call to kick start your life, Shelley Pernot is ready to listen and help you take the next steps to create a life and career you love. For a free 30-minute consultation, simply fill out this form or call (512) 200-4269. If you’d like to get a sense of Shelley’s work and how she approaches the life and career coaching process, download chapter two of her new book Running On Empty:  The Irreverent Guru’s Guide to Filling up with Mindfulness here.  It’s also available for purchase on amazon.