The Alignment of Coaching and The Law of Attraction

By Susan Maravetz

For the past six months, I have been observing how my coaching has shifted as a result of my increased understanding of The Law of Attraction, in particular – the teachings of Abraham-Hicks.  It has taken some time for me to figure out how to be an effective coach and a powerful teacher with my new understanding.

First it is important to understand what the basics of my coaching were, pre-Abraham:

1) The client is whole and perfect, and holds all the answers to their questions.  Check.  This one works perfectly and I totally adhere to this principle.

2) The client is always moving between being or doing.  Guide the client between these two states seamlessly and with intention.  Check.   This one also works perfectly, with the exception that I would specify that being is defined as Vibrational Offering and that doing is specified as Inspired Action.

Where I start to dissemble is in the practicalities of coaching.  Typically it starts with a premise – The client has a GOAL to do X.  This goal may be get a new job, find a relationship, create a new business.  There is an assumed end goal that ensures that the client’s work will be neatly tied up in a bow at the end of the finish line.

What I have come to realize is that coaching toward goals without incorporating Law of Attraction principles isn’t very satisfying for me. It is very much thinking and efforting and creating action steps and checklists in an effort to move toward a new reality that probably won’t be that different from past experience.

What I have found more effective is exploring more about “What Is Actually Wanted” from those goals.

• What are the feelings that will be supported when that goal is achieved?
• What are the feelings that the client wants to experience and where are they already experiencing those feelings?
• Is it possible to experience those kinds of feelings in their current situation?

By short cutting to the feeling of the goal versus all the action steps, now there can be some momentum created to achieving the goal.  If a client wants to feel free and empowered in her day-to-day experience, how can she feel that way now? Where in her life is she already free, perhaps decorating her home or landscaping her yard? What does it feel like to make her own choices, to be creative, to be productive?  By noticing where that feeling IS being experienced, she is reminded what it actually feels like and will allow more experiences like that to manifest, based on the Law that Like Attracts Like.

Observing momentum and letting it flow. One of my biggest tasks now as a coach is to provide a perspective on where my client is already experiencing momentum and ensuring that momentum is not neglected or discredited.  I have seen many clients getting a good head of steam in the direction of their dream and then it slows down because they are busy with family or work or other distractions.  Delay and disappointment follow.

And it is my job to remind them that there is no delay and disappointment, it is all serving a greater purpose of fine-tuning, because eventually that desire must be realized and enjoyed.  And all the work in the middle is what will ensure the success, and of course, the true adventure is in the journey anyway.

I suspect that these days, there is more enhancement to my coaching process than an actual need to dismantle my earlier methods of coaching, small tweaks to the process. Having goals is a fine thing, it is just remembering why we want the goal and realizing that we already have the essence in our experience.

My (Creative) Whiteboard Process

When I moved into my cute little apartment on the beach ten months ago, the previous tenant left me two gifts: a sleek, modern glass desk and a whiteboard on the wall between my office/bedroom and the rest of the apartment. Of the two items, even on the first day, I was more excited by the whiteboard.

Whiteboards have always been magical for me. When I worked in the corporate world, I used whiteboards as a way to process ideas, brainstorm, find clarity and communicate ideas to others. Being highly visual, I like to draw diagrams, timelines, mind maps and pictures to articulate my thoughts, especially to others.

The great thing about having a whiteboard within my home environment is that I never worry about losing a thought, idea or epiphany. The second an idea pops in my head, my immediate response is to move quickly to the board and capture it. It may sit there for a couple of days after the ping, or it may be utilized immediately. I always know when it is time to clear the board when nothing on the board is calling me, it has all been digested into knowing.

Of particular value now are my nocturnal musings. For years, I have kept a notepad by my bed to capture dreams, ideas, to do tasks and troublesome thoughts. It has always been necessary to get them out of my head ASAP and let the thoughts simmer down, allowing me to fall back to sleep. I learned this process when I traveled every week and was very focused/worried about logistics which would keep me up all night. What time was my taxi, my flight, did I have my credit card, my tickets, was dog care arranged? Writing down my worries and tasks reassured me that I would take care of them in the morning.

Now, I use my whiteboard instead of a notepad, with even better results and a sense of creativity that I fully enjoy. I will awaken from a dream, stumble toward the bathroom, stop at the whiteboard, write a jumbled mess without opening my eyes and fall back to slumber in minutes. The next morning, what should be unreadable scribble triggers the memory of the entire dream, the idea that was created or the task that needs to be done. A few additional notes on the board and I am ready to take on my day.

An added bonus of the whiteboard, in combination with my iPhone, is documentation of each whiteboard before it is cleared. Before I wipe it clear, I take a picture of the board, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. This provides me a lovely timeline of ideas and reminder of my thoughts and unfinished threads that deserve more focus.

While I am also a fanatical journal keeper, I find that this process keeps ideas front and center, relevant and available for the creative process to unfold.

The Path of Least Resistance

A friend that I often share Abraham-Hicks videos with asked me for clarification on the concept of “the path of least resistance” and was that simply defined as the easiest pathway to a solution?

After a bit of mulling the question around in my mind, I came to the resolution that the path of least resistance is actually the pathway in which I am (in my belief system) the least resistant. It really comes down to my personal beliefs and my confidence in my expected results.

Here is an example appropriate for the new year: losing weight.

It would probably be easiest to just eat less food or less of certain kinds of food. I could cut out the sugar, eliminate carbs, processed foods and let the weight roll off me. However, to me, this kind of diet equals deprivation and never lasts very long. I might pull off a week at best. However, my path of least resistance/my belief system dictates that I can lose weight quickly by running. So after a couple of weeks of running, the weight magically falls off me. Is it true? Yes, for me. For someone else, perhaps a different result. For another person, losing weight by reducing food intake makes sense, but for me it is never easy and it is definitely not my path of least resistance.

I am enjoying likening it to water running downstream. The water might find the pathway of a rock and become blocked for a bit, but once it finds a new pathway around the rock it flows easily and fluidly.

Where in your life could you focus your attention on maximizing your path of least resistance or perhaps we can rename it your path of most likely success?

When an obstacle becomes a barrier

I was reflecting tonight on why my to do list rarely seems to get shorter.  Self coaching is a hobby I tend to do as I am falling asleep at night. Probably not the best time to do it, but sometimes insights pop up.  A thought occurred to me that often I allow obstacles to become barriers.  The difference became clear immediately.  An obstacle is something you have to move around or over.  Or just move.  A barrier prevents you from moving forward.  Recently, I’ve been allowing myself to bump into more barriers than moving over obstacles.

The image of a four wheel truck comes to mind.  How can I stop being a Miata and instead become a Humvee, rolling right on up and over my obstacles? How will I prevent obstacles from taking on the proportions of a barrier?

Part is perspective, begin to ask which it is, a barrier or an obstacle? What is the difference. It is beginning to feel like mindset and attitude versus any reality of the situation itself.

To make it concrete: One obstacle I’ve been facing lately is finding time to walk my dog, Caro.  She loves walks and I need the exercise.  It has become a barrier of sorts lately, I am feeling that there are so many other things I need to focus on, that a short walk around the block has sufficed.    The barrier is my mindset. WIth some exercise, I sleep better, I make better food choices, I think more clearly and Caro stays healthy and fit.     The time I am walking Caro can be used wisely by practicing the Power of Now, enjoying the neighborhood and allowing my mind to be clear for creative thoughts.

A simple shift in perspective makes a chore into a spiritual journey.  And a barrier becomes a small ,completely surmountable obstacle.

What is your greatest barrier and how can it become simply an inconvenient obstacle?

What Do I Want?

I was asked that question today.  What do I want?

I want to be at peace.

I want to explore, learn and grow.

I want to help others and be of service.

I want to share my talents and strengths.

I want to be successful and productive.

I want to live in abundance.

I want to be courageous.

I want to love all spirit.

I want to laugh.

I want to make a difference.

I want to be healthy, balanced and present.

I want to be surrounded by people that are aware, caring and striving to live to their potential.

I want to live to my potential.

I want to serve my destiny.

I want to accept what is.

I want to guide and inspire.

I want now. Namaste.

With Intent,

Susan