Recent Articles From EvanCarmichael.com http://www.evancarmichael.com/ http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Getting-to-Gratitude.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Getting-to-Gratitude.html In celebrating Thanksgiving we are reminded to be grateful and appreciative. Reminding ourselves is useful because it seems gratitude is an elusive state of being. Cultivating more of it would be hugely beneficial. Imagine what it would it be like to be consistently grateful? What would be possible for you? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Relationships-are-a-Brilliant-Place-to-Learn.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Relationships-are-a-Brilliant-Place-to-Learn.html Relationships are a Brilliant Place to Learn Ever notice how it’s the people we’re closest to who push our buttons. What if we considered them a mirror for our own growth and learning? What usually happens is we look at the other and judge: we don’t like what they’re doing. We think ‘They hurt me,’ or ‘I’m jealous’. We have judgments about how they handle money, or parenting. We don’t like how they deal with children, extended family, how they approach sexual intimacy, their work focus (or lack thereof). http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Improving-Our-Relationships.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Improving-Our-Relationships.html As we delve further into the realm of relationship it is apparent we can have wonderful intentions and clarity of how we prefer to be in relationship and still be challenged by situations that come up with our partner. When things are going well it’s much easier to express yourself in a loving way and be appreciative of your partner, however when conflict arises it’s challenging to love without conditions. Culturally, often by parents, we have been conditioned to withhold love toward someone who is exhibiting behaviors we don’t like. Often when someone does something we don’t like we let them know about it in the form of a verbal reprimand, nagging, or silent withdrawal of affection. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Relationship-Intentions.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Relationship-Intentions.html February is here and it's Valentines Day. On this auspicious day many of us buy our sweethearts a gift, do something special or go out for dinner. We celebrate the day treating our loved ones with special care. What about the rest of the year? How do you treat your loved one? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Intention---Is-Your-Life-Magical.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Intention---Is-Your-Life-Magical.html At the beginning of the New Year we are bombarded with the concept of making resolutions and goal setting to try and make the things happen that we have decided we want. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Resolving-Unmet-Needs-in-Relationships.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Resolving-Unmet-Needs-in-Relationships.html Relationships can be disappointing. Often we look for something from others and don't receive it. At work this might be having a job well done or consistently achieved business goals go unrecognized. In personal relationships it could be our partner is not expressing love in the way we want to receive it. When we deeply desire or need to receive recognition or love and it doesn't happen, we feel hurt and conflict arises. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/What-does-Personal-Development-have-to-do-with-Leadership.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/What-does-Personal-Development-have-to-do-with-Leadership.html I am reading a book by one of my former teachers Gail Gibson, founding faculty member of the Certified Executive Coaching Program and Masters in Leadership Program at Royal Roads University, entitled "Who You Are is How You Lead" In the book Gibson presents a model which identifies awareness, choice and personal responsibility as attributes of Conscious Leadership, and these attributes are supported by trust and courage. The results are support for people's growth and the development of effective organizations occurring simultaneously. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Who-Needs-Personal-Development-at-Work.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Who-Needs-Personal-Development-at-Work.html While trends in the past few years have advocated bringing your whole self to work, the prevailing culture in many industries still expects employees to leave their personal stuff at the door and stick to business when on the job. It seems the move toward openness has been brushed off the side of the desk in favour of leaner operations, especially with the current economy. This kind of ‘fluff’ just doesn’t impact the bottom line that much. Or does it? http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Taking-the-Mystery-Out-of-SelfImprovement.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Taking-the-Mystery-Out-of-SelfImprovement.html I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started doing personal development work in 2001 after leaving my corporate position. I wasn't even aware how important it was to ask myself the question "Am I happy?" I have come a long way since then and want to clear up some of the mysteries around personal development and self-improvement. In this two article series I will summarize what personal development is and the perspective from which we can best undertake this work. In the second article I will examine the benefits of personal development in the work place. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Are-Emotional-Hot-Buttons-Stopping-You-from-Taking-Vacation.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/2488/Are-Emotional-Hot-Buttons-Stopping-You-from-Taking-Vacation.html In August almost everything shuts down for most of us to take a vacation. How many of you are feeling guilty and anxious about taking time away from your work or business?