Life Coach 101

Maybe I have needy friends. Maybe I pontificate way too much. Perhaps my vision is 20-20 when I'm butting in on what isn't my business. Or, frankly, I've been a boss a long time too long and I just am used to telling people what to do. And expecting them to do it.

Two different friends today told me I should be a Life Coach. Was this in the paper this morning, a "Living" section article on this topic? And...I didn't initiate either of these calls. They called me. Two separate hours spent on the most beautiful day of 2007 so far, pointing out strengths, offering alternative ways of looking at things, stating the obvious elephant location, brainstorming, firing up, listening, re-framing and redefining...then I spent 3 hours spinning my wheels on craigslist looking for a job. I even finally scanned the retail category, out of open-mindedness and not wanting to miss the perfect yarn store manager's job. My windows were opened wide, my neighbors were out working in their garden, the sun was feeding my tomato starts, and I'm inside flogging Craig for work. Because these two friends marvelled so at my happy demeanor to such an extent that they almost sounded concerned, that I wasn't worried about job-hunting.

Should I be? Is this my elephant? Should I not be happy? I'm a bit confused.

Finding a free on-demand movie I've never seen with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee is enough to make me happy. Walking into the Cup & Saucer and getting a booth makes me happy. I'm pretty easy that way. Having the time to write out a long multi-layered dream over coffee in the morning is true happiness. Perhaps I need a Life Coach. What elephant?

Craigslist has dozens of jobs that sound too much like the job I was relieved to be relieved of.
Out-of-box thinking has me looking at every sub-heading, just to be fair to the process, when even I know it is wasting a lot of time, I'm not a machinist. But look at the starting wage...

So I did this little game today, once I shut down the computer and went outside to pick more weeds, chat with neighbors, and breathe fresh, sun-charged breezes. If I was calling my friend Laura, to bounce ideas off her unemployed, coffee-nated head, what would she tell me?

Well, first, would she answer the phone? (Yes! Now she knows it's ME!)

She'd listen, to see if I was still stuck in the same exact place, or have I moved a smidge or a lot since the last time? How do I sound? Open to suggestions, or needing to vent and rant? Is this about working, or about finding meaning to my life from this point? Should we discuss money?
Any clear insights in the last week or so? Any shifts in priorities lately, like hours desired, days desired, prefered locations, bus or car, any whims to explore? How long before I absolutely have to have income? Am I enjoying my time off?

(She sounds like a great Life Coach. Wow, who knew?)

.......to be continued.........