Pop Roy’s Red Gravy

My husband and I stood in the kitchen the other day after Thanksgiving and he was saying how he missed his dad’s Red Gravy. As we talked, I reminded him that this is now his legacy because it is one of his family’s traditions and memories. We haven’t been present at very many Thanksgivings or Christmas’s for 30 years now, because of the fact that we live in Hawaii, but that still doesn’t change the desire to be there with family. I told my husband that since it’s his family tradition we could (and should) pass it this on to our kids and grandkids. (The fact that Pop Roy’s red gravy gets its great color from cayenne pepper might have some bearing on whether they choose to continue the tradition, but that’s their choice, right?) So I asked him how were we going to go about getting this secret recipe? Someone one has to have it, right? We knew that several of the older grandkids had observed their Pop Roy over the years as he stood at the stove putting in all his magic spices and vinegar and who knows what. We knew one of the kids had pretty well mastered it and was continuing to make the red gravy for the holiday turkeys. So we decided to give him a call and see if he really did have the recipe. It will have to be up to my husband to see if he can make it. Traditionally it had been done by the guys. And it will have to be up to our boys to decide if this is a keeper or not. After all it is my husband’s memory and tradition.

What a great thing memories and traditions are! An important element of what makes them so special is what they conjure up in the mind of the one who holds the memory. The memories of relatives present, young and old, and the great times spent with these people are actually part of what makes us who we are today.

This post is going to be the first in a series of thoughts and stories that make up some of my family’s history, my husband’s and maybe even yours! What about you? Can you think of something that is a “Keeper” for passing down to the kids and to the next generation? The holidays are a time of memories, both good and maybe some not so pleasant. So, I thought I’d start out talking about something that just happened, that was so fresh and close to home. But I also love to hear from you about things that stand out in your memories when it comes to family gatherings during this time of year….

Much Aloha,

Coach Kathleen

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Part One:

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day when she began to say to me…..

“You know, YOU Should probably…do this next time and you should do that !”

Until I stopped her and just said, “I Should, HUH?!”

I think it surprised her and caught her off guard a bit.  (Especially since we were just talking about my most recent Blog that discussed exactly that subject!)  After we both laughed about it, the realization was clear to both of us that this is truly something that few people think about and yet many people frequently do in conversation.

Previously, I suggested that it’s all about the framing of what you say.

Instead of  “YOU Should” which could be perceived as criticizing or even sound demeaning to the person on the other end; even though that may not be your intention at all.

Here’s something to think about…

How about using this phrase;  “Next time… Have you thought about possibly …”

OR “In the Future… have you ever thought about doing it this way?”

Do you see how the framing of words can change the way they are received?

Think about it this week and let me know what you decide.

Till next time…

Aloha,

Coach Kathleen

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As promised…… I told you that I would be writing more about a phrase I often use in my writing and with my coaching clients.  That phrase is the famous “Get To” phrase.

When I use this phrase I find that it tends to stop people right in their tracks.  It’s like an interruption to the norm of what we are used to. 

Let me explain…… “Get To”  is quite simply about choice; that’s all.  It’s a perspective that we may not always consider, however.  “Why?” you might ask.  Well, because during our lives (I would venture to guess) most of us have been raised to think and hear these words instead;  “You need to do this.” or  “You have to do that!”  Does this ring true for you?!

And here’s another one that may cause us to cringe, when someone says ….”You should do this or that”  Oie!

Have you ever noticed what happens to your body when you hear one of these phrases?  If you’ve never noticed it before, I encourage you to start to pay attention to what happens when these words are said to you.

But for the sake of time, let’s just start with “need to” this week.  Again, what happens to your body when someone says to you “You Need” to do this?

(Like they know what you need more than you do!)

Let’s go back to our childhood.

“You need to eat your vegetables.”

“You need to finish your dinner.”

“You need to clean your room.”

“You need to brush your teeth.”

And so on and so on and so on!

Then we get older and what happens when you hear ……

“You need to be on time for work.”

“You need to pay your taxes.”

You need to this and you need to do that….

What’s wrong with this phrase?  “Why does just hearing it actually create a physical response in our bodies that is triggered by stress hormones?”  (Which is probably why we can actually feel our blood pressure raising once these words hit our ears.) 

Why?–because what it does is puts me (the person telling you) into the position of the expert; the all knowing/all seeing authority.  And yes, there were times in my life when it was necessary for me to say “you need to”…  for example, when the kids were little and they did “need” to learn to do something.

But most of the time when talking to adults, I might have been coming from my own opinion when I said this, ouch!  Not that opinions are bad–we all have them–but if I wasn’t asked for it (my opinion that is) then I am coming from a position that places me above you and makes me the all knowing/all seeing expert.  (Otherwise known as the person to whom you desperately want to say “If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it!”)  But, of course we don’t because we’re much too polite – most of the time, anyhow!

What the phrase “you need to” can do is actually hinder our ability to see other possibilities in front of us.  This is because I think this phrase becomes so uncomfortably embedded in our psychic that we don’t even realize how it may be stopping us in our everyday lives.

So here’s my suggestion. 

Try  “Get To” on for size this week and see what happens. 

“I get to go to work.” 

“I get to wash my car.”

“I get to decide if I want to see the glass half empty or half full.”

Remember, it’s a choice; a perspective that is there for the taking….

I CAN choose to see the glass half empty if I want to and I “get to” see it half full if I want too.  The choice is mine. It’s always mine!

I know that how I choose will make a huge difference in my world-view, my perspective, my mood and my expectations of what is going to happen today.  AND (and this is a big AND) it will affect the people around me as well.

My husband is one of those people that when he enters a room he brings the party with him!!  He can immediately create joy wherever he goes because that is what he chooses to do in his daily life.  (Yup, that’s why I married him!)  Now don’t get me wrong, he has his days.  But, for the most part, that’s just who he is.

“Choice” or “get to” it’s all the same.  It’s how you want to frame it.

So what do you think?  Does this idea open up anything for you to consider? 

Try it on and see how it feels….

Love to hear your feedback.

Aloha till next time!

Coach Kathleen

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There are messages that are all around us if we pay attention.

Let me explain.  Recently our local 24 hour gym went through a remodel.  One of the last things they put up on the walls was some thought provoking, inspiring phrases that I will be sharing with you in the coming weeks. 

I kept seeing these phases every day when I went there to work out, but wasn’t really paying attention or even trying to take them to heart.  My own internal conversation was saying “Ahh this is just hype, sounds trite!” etc.

But then I began to look past the words to take a deeper look at:

1. My attitude
2. My resistance
3. Not looking at it from an encouragement standpoint
4. Or even, God forbid a challenge to consider something new or different that could be quite simple and personally beneficial.  

Until then, I was just plain resistant and thought they were stupid.  What was I thinking???

Let’s look at the “Challenge Yourself a Little More Each Day” message that was on an advertising poster in the Vitamin section.  It was a picture of a very fit, very handsome guy running with those words very prominently displayed under him.

I had already begun to shift my perspective with the phrases upstairs in the exercise room (which I will share with you later).  When I saw this poster it caught my eye.    I immediately thought that this was something from which we could all benefit.

By the way, this doesn’t have to do with just exercise or fitness, even though it is a good mindset to incorporate into your routine. But let’s first start with exercise since that is where I began.

• Do you exercise? 
• If you do, are you just mindlessly going to the gym because it’s good for you or you feel you “should” be doing this? 
• Do you have a purpose for going to the gym?
•  Are you really clear about why you are there?
• What is it that you want to ultimately accomplish?

Now these questions would hold true for any part of your life wouldn’t they?

“Challenge yourself a little more each day.”  I thought, I can work with that!  It’s doable, right?

How about you? Can you see the benefit of accepting a challenge every day; even if it’s a small one?

Creating a new habit takes 21 days.  Why?  Because our brains rewire themselves to create new neuro-pathways that contain the new information or habit.  To really “get” something, it also takes the determination and fortitude to do it for an extended period of time.

What about business or relationships?  Could you use this concept there? What would it take to “challenge” you a little more this week in those areas?

For me, it’s about getting some projects finished that I’ve been putting off.  I first learned about this issue in my early coaching courses.  There seemed to be a theme in not putting off projects and getting a clearer vision of where I wanted to go and what it would take for me to get there.

So, just start with something small. 

Maybe get a system down in your office.  I have a hard time being creative if there is clutter and disorganization around me.  Clear out a closet that you’ve been putting off organizing.  Do you see how this could be a way of “challenging yourself” a little more each day?  

 “Challenge yourself” and see what happens….

So now, let me ask you.  What will you challenge yourself with this week?

I actually like that statement/phrase so much that I plan on printing it and sticking it right in front of my computer so I can see it each time I sit down.

WHAT WILL YOU CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THIS WEEK?

How does this post land for you?  Is there anything that jumps out?  I’m really looking forward to hearing from you!

Till next time….

Aloha,

Kathleen

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I was going to write a piece on values to go with my last blog post. I have to tell you, though, that I had an interesting experience this morning when it comes to priorities and values.

I’d like to share with you what I saw that made me re-consider what I wanted to share — what we value in general, even in the moment. I’m was at the gym riding the bike when I look up and on the screen I see this young girl swimming upstream in what at first glance I thought was a muddy river. But, in fact, it was somewhere in Oklahoma where there was flooding taking place. As I watched her swimming, a helicopter was hovering over her from the news station breaking the story. I noticed that she was a strong swimmer and was clear about where she wanted to go, which was the next tree top. (This was how high the water was). As she inched her way along from tree to tree I began praying; please God send someone soon. At that point she had to be exhausted. She swam to a strong tree onto which she was tightly holding. She calmly waved to the helicopter. I was amazed at her strength and what seemed to be a peace in the face of what she was enduring.

Long story short, the rescuers eventually came. It was quite a sight to behold these big old firemen when they got her in the boat and onto dry land. As she stepped out and started walking unassisted by herself to the waiting helicopter, I was thinking to myself “What is this poor girl thinking right now?” Was she in shock or just on autopilot?

Why am I sharing this? I’m sharing it because I feel this is a story against all odds–a miracle. There was no way I could see or know what was important to this girl at that very moment. I’m sure she wasn’t thinking “Gee what is most important to me right now?” No, she was just acting on her instinct to survive. Just doing whatever it would take to get to the next tree. The current was increasing and I found myself saying to her, “Just stay there. Someone has got to be coming. Hold on, don’t do anything stupid.”

It was a real life drama being played out right in front of me while I was in the gym riding a silly bike trying to burn a few calories. How crazy is that? Even so, I was in it with her. And I had to think other people like myself who were watching along with me were stopping and praying. What if I was there just for that? Then that was my mission for that moment.

What we value most usually shows up in the midst of crisis. We either go into fight or flight mode. That’s just how we are designed when there is something that threatens us. We react in the moment. This is what is really important when it comes down to the end of the day.

I know we say we value certain things or even take things for granted but when we are put into a crisis situation our priorities sometimes become crystal clear pretty quick. No time to think, just do. But it’s what we do after the fact that will truly affect the way we move forward in life.

What are your goals or priorities at this very moment? Are they based on your circumstances or are you focused enough to continue to be clear on the next step you need to take to move forward in your goals or vision for your life?

Much like that young woman in the water today, we need to be clear about what it takes to get to the next tree. Just getting to the next tree is sometimes all we can handle. But it’s enough.

What about you this week?

Are you able to focus on the next step for you? Or do you get a little distracted sometimes, like me? That’s when you could use a partner to come along side and interrupt your thinking in the moment and say to you…..

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS. Until you say, “Okay, Okay I’m clear now!!”

I hope this story has inspired you to look differently today at whatever you are facing. • Be clear, • Focus • Make a plan and stick to it Follow through one step at a time until it becomes one of your stronger points of who you are and your character. Let me know how it goes this week.

Aloha for Now,

Coach Kathleen

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This is a subject that we may not visit until we are forced to do so.  What I mean is, life goes along and we are living it like we always do and then all of a sudden something traumatic happens.  Maybe not even necessarily traumatic but something unexpected happens that stops you in your tracks.

What do you do?

There are several things that are going on at this point. 

There’s shock to what has just taken place, and how you react to it.

Then reality sets in.

Now what?

How do we handle these times? Well everyone is different, of course.   Our way of dealing with whatever is happening in OUR lives is different than the next person.

But one thing I do know when these things happen to us is we either go into a fight or flight mode, experience grief, question our values and priorities, then choose to move on.  Of course it’s not that cut and dry, because life isn’t cut and dry.

BUT let’s take some time to visit this and see if anything rings true for you.  Let’s look at what we say have been our values up until now.

 What are a number of things going on right now in my life?

Is there a theme or a pattern developing that I can I learn from?

Can I learn to adapt my thinking?

What are areas in your life that you give yourself permission or excuse yourself from?

What’s stopping you today?

What’s getting in the way between you and where you want to be?

These are all great questions if you are willing to take a deeper look into what stops you and/or what drives you.

What are the values that drive your life right now?  What gets you excited about life?  What encourages you to have more faith in yourself and your desire to attain your goals?

 I don’t want to overwhelm you with questions.  My desire is to stimulate you to think past your problems and the issues at hand.  To be willing to open yourself up to the bigger picture of your life.

Does that sound crazy?  Of course not!  I just finished talking to my dear friend and Mentor who was also my first Coach and what did she do with me?!  She gave me a good swift kick!  Why?  Because I was whining and lamenting about life and the fears and concerns I have.  Now that wasn’t serving me was it?  She just flat out interrupted that conversation I was having and turned it around into a more resourceful conversation.  Does that make sense? She found a way to cause me to just get off it, with humor, no less!

Over the next few posts I want to revisit this conversation. I want to stir you to some action you’ve been avoiding.  I want to cause you to relate differently about some worry that you are having that is clouding up the bigger picture of your values and priorities.  Is that a deal?!  What do you think?

Aloha for now,

Coach Kathleen

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Okay this is how I see it:
When we meet each other for the first time, what we are bringing with us is our history and or cultural history as well. So think about it, YOU are YOUR history
how you were raised has a lot to do with the way you see things. You may have come from another country and now live somewhere else. YOU bring with you, your cultural history as well as the way your parents raised you, your value system.are ALWAYS, (I can’t empathize that enough!) always filtering everything that comes to us through these filters.

Did you come from a traditional background, or more maybe you were raised to be more of a free spirit?

In this day and age and in the US culture, conservative or liberal are big denominators for some folks.
All this contributes to who you are today, and how you see your world and the world.

I like to call these filters, historical and cultural filters. And we

Your filters help you to define what an experience is, and your filters cause you to experience what you think and feel at any given moment.

So what has this got to do with RELATIONSHIPS?!

Everything of course!! If we were to stop and think about that every time we met someone, just how I may be interpreting our conversation, based on how I am filtering that conversation through my histoy, I might listen a little differently, or at least I would hope I would.

This is huge when it comes to man/woman conversation. Oh don’t get me started…. Actually I find it very interesting and how differently my husband and I see things.

Can you see how that our history might play into how well we communicate? Let alone understand or try to understand the other person.

Hopefully this should give you some food for thought for a moment.

If it sparks some questions, please feel free to drop me a line and tell me what you think about what I’ve shared here.

AND if this is something that you would like to spend some time talking about, how it would be helpful to learn more about how to better your communication, let me know.

Till next time…
Aloha,
Coach Kathleen

Author, Kathleen Reece, (CPBA, CPVA) is known as the “Relationship Coach” by couples around the world. Founder of Relationship Coach for You™ where she helps couples in groups, teleclasses and private sessions. As a professionally certified behavior analyst, she gives couples the communication tools and proven strategies they need to create close and intimate relationships.

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