Caroline Munroe Coaching

I remember hearing this early into my training to become a coach. It’s a phrase that has stuck with me since and it really helps me reflect- something I have been doing a lot of over the past two weeks.

Despite being a coach and coaching people around overstretch, perfectionism, meeting their own high standards, etc I found myself dropping back into old habits myself. I had embarked on a three month self development program and was nearing the end but wasn’t where I had expected myself to be at. I had fully immersed myself in the learning (which ticked all my love of learning boxes) but I had allowed my overthinking, high achieving default mode to override the balance that I needed to thrive.

I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, overloaded with things in my head and essentially stuck. Waking up thinking about everything and ultimately not getting very far forwards. I just kept doing more hoping that would get me somewhere. It wasn’t the program. It was me getting in my own way.

To start with I wasn’t noticing this tangibly but I was getting shoulder aches, a tense jaw and my mood was low. I forged on regardless and it was only when I started to actually feel tearful and emotional that I stopped to notice and pause.

I gave myself permission to stop. Breathe. Slow down. I had some coaching.

Hard as it was I took a break from all the reading and learning and doing.

I noticed what I was noticing.

And that’s when the learning on the inside really happened.

I realised that I had set myself an unrealistic goal. I equated it expecting myself to train for my first marathon over 3 months and expecting to run it in under 3 & 1/2 hrs rather than just to get round the course and enjoy the experience. In doing too much and expecting too much of myself I had picked up some injuries along the way. Injuries that wouldn’t stop me running ever again but were my body’s way of telling me to ease up. Rest. Recover. Re calibrate.

As soon as I reflected on this I felt calm, relaxed, free. I got some perspective. I felt grateful for the learning rather than frustrated at myself. Grateful for the headspace to be able to do this. Grateful for the coaching conversations. I felt restored and able to plan, focus, achieve but without overwhelm. Able to move forwards in a balanced, effective and enjoyable way. Able to embed the learning and re set my expectations to stretch but not overstretch.

Learning is everything. Learning about ourselves - becoming more aware- takes time and space.

Time and space that as a coach I absolutely love to provide for my clients. Time and space to notice what you notice and take action to recalibrate.

What are you going to notice about yourself today?

Welcome to my page and thank you for dropping by.

I am passionate about people being able to be listened to and empowered to use their strengths whether that be at work or play and to be able to flourish 🌱- be busy and productive but be energised in what they do and have the balance right so they can enjoy, create, inspire, lead and replenish that energy.🌈

We live in a busy world with many demands on our time. We have both external and internal expectations that push us to do more and more. Before we know it, we are being stretched in many directions but feeling we can't possibly slow down even though a voice inside knows we must.

Switching off and relaxing just feels a bit alien and uncomfortable. Taking time out to think about what matters to you is a luxury you don't feel you have.

If you don't keep doing more, then who else is going to do it? - the things that matter most?

You don't want to let anyone down, you have forgotten how to say 'no' to requests for your time.

You love being busy. Hate being bored. But right now it would be really really nice to be able to take your foot off the gas for just a smidge and get your head together.

The wonderful thing about being coached by me is that you get to do just that AND not just gain headspace BUT also productivity, clarity, direction, purpose, confidence to make proactive meaningful choices, motivation to take action, balance, perspective and a huge helping of self awareness.

You get to really find out how to create the future that works for you and those who matter to you most. How to think differently and come up with new ways to do things. How you can get in your own way without realising.
If you are curious about giving yourself permission to step off the gas for 30 mins and finding out more, just message me to arrange a chat- no pressure, no sales pitch, just me listening to you and seeing if what you need is what I can help you achieve.

[email protected]
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🌿Right plant, Right place…

Watching Gardeners World on TV last Friday ( not very rock n’ roll but great for mental health ) - I was reminded of this phrase and how it can be a metaphor for our own needs in order to flourish.

🌱Sometimes plants start healthy and then for various reasons don’t thrive. It may be the wrong sort of soil, not enough light or nutrients. Not enough water or too much.

🌱Some can get overcrowded by other plants who are pushing their way to the sky.

🌱Some love the shade and shelter of trees and other plants but if sat in a sunny exposed spot, will struggle.

🌱Some take time to get established. They bide their time laying down strong foundations for growth.

🌱However- when the conditions are right- the right amount of space, light, food, water and when the soil is teeming with all the mycelial connections that allow plants to communicate with each other, there is no stopping them. They flourish. It’s a total joy to watch plants grow.

🌻We are like plants. We have all that potential for growth inside and can become so much.

🌦BUT- We need the right conditions for our individual and collective growth- mentally, physically and spiritually.

💚We need that connectivity and communication network in place and functioning well - enabling us to adapt to changing environments.

💛We flourish when we get the right balance of those needs. Like a plant busy growing bigger, stronger and more established, if those conditions are out of balance, parts of us will struggle.

💙We need challenge and variety but not so much that it becomes a harmful level of stress.

Plants survive all sorts of changing conditions- sometimes when all looks lost, just a little bit of support and care can restore health and vitality and get them back on track again.

🧡Who do you know who could do with a little bit of support and care? Maybe it could be you?

💜What small step could you take to adjust the imbalance? A bit more water? A bit more space? A bit more sunlight?

You may even be thinking about a move to a different environment where you are more likely to flourish. If that feels too much of a change, start small and write down what is really important to you.

💓Then write down why.

During Stress Awareness Month, what are you going to become more aware of?

Life isn’t perfect- for many tragically, even survival is not a given.

For those of us fortunate enough to not have to worry about physical survival, we owe it to ourselves to be mindful of the conditions we need in which to thrive not just survive.

And remember, whenever you can, get outside for a 10 minute walk amongst something green and plant like. Plants know all about wellbeing. They give off wellbeing chemicals from their leaves for us to breathe in as we walk by.

💓🌈 Thank you nature.

Looking forward to the year ahead as I continue to help more teachers and school leaders find their 'why' again and enable them to stop, breathe, reflect in a safe psychological space. A space that through coaching allows them to choose change, come up with their own creative answers to the path ahead. Empowering them to thrive not just survive.

Thanks so much for a fabulous new haircut- sorry its been a long time! You have reminded me how important it is to give ourselves time. I had been using the ' I'm too busy to get a haircut' excuse and I feel so much better now I have 🤗. Thanks for the added bonus of a crash course in Instagram too 😂.

Spring is on it’s way😊

I love how bulbs start to poke their green shoots up at this time of year. It always makes me feel hope and the promise of beautiful flowers 💐.

A bulb holds everything inside it waiting to emerge when the conditions are right. Too wet or dry and it won’t do as well, it may even wither away. Not enough nutrients and light and it will emerge but struggle.

Provide the optimal environment and those bulbs will forge their way through snow, storms and other plants. Reaching up to the sky and flourishing.

It’s the same for all of us. Providing optimal conditions for growth and thriving enables the potential we all have within. We are like a bulb or a seed.

We have so much untapped potential. Ready to surface when it is free to do so.

In supporting leaders in school, with the challenges they face every day, I hope to enable through unlocking their potential, their ability to provide optimal conditions for our future generation to thrive and become all that they can be.

Happy leaders = happy staff = happy children = happy school community

Change doesn’t happen overnight but small steps can create big positive impact and lasting transformation. Just like planting a bulb in autumn and the joy that brings to so many in spring.

Ideas are easy, action is more of a challenge but tiny positive steps like taking a moment to consider what went well in your day before dwelling on what didn’t can start that shift in your thought patterns away from overwhelm, not enough time, resources, energy… towards hope and possibility.

Start the day with a quick win and notice the difference that makes 🙌

What we think, what we tell ourselves, creates a feeling. 🤔

That feeling creates an action. 💥

That action creates our reality. 😲

I was reminded of this a week or so ago after listening to the fabulous Shelley Bosworth on the subject of and the impact our thoughts have on everything that is our reality.

We have thousands and thousands of thoughts every day and each one of those is attached to a feeling. Often that feeling is an emotion. We act on the basis of that emotion.

The amazing thing to me is the fact that we can choose to change that thought once we notice it. We can choose to hold onto it and feel the same way or we can choose to let it go and think in a new way creating a new feeling, action and reality.

Changing the way we think doesn't have to be hard. It takes practice and conscious effort to become more aware of how we think and operate, but just starting with tiny steps of noticing how what we are thinking affects our mood, response, energy levels etc can really shift our ability to

Change our minds (literally re route nerve pathways)

And change our lives for the better.

Small steps
Big impact

Thank you Shelley for opening my mind further and for helping me stop and think.

Human beings are inherently curious by nature. It's how we learn.

To move forwards and change where we are at, curiosity is essential. An open mind ready to question, explore, search, learn. 🤔

Creativity is about the ability to generate your own original thoughts, ideas and solutions. 🎇

When we stop, reflect, breathe and allow time to get clear on what is important to us and those around us, we tap into our subconscious and unleash all sorts of freedom to think.

It always amazes me how many ideas are under the surface within us but these only make themselves known when we let ourselves have time and space.

A place of stress and overwhelm shuts down this part of the creative brain automatically as it enters flight, fight, freeze survival mode.

The value of giving yourself breathing space and permission to stop, think and reflect is immeasurable. 💝

Ideas are wonderful but how do we make them reality? Not enough time, money, freedom, the obstacles are there to shut us down.

But always remember..... We have choice.

A choice to stay the same

A choice to tell ourselves we can't.

A choice to tell ourselves we can.

It all starts with the tiniest of choices.

The smallest of quick wins.

A small win triggers a little hit of dopamine in the brain. This makes us feel better. We are motivated to want more.

What has your quick small win been today or this week so far?

What have you chosen to tell yourself and what could you have chosen instead?

Having a safe headspace to stop, think, reflect, breathe, is the first step away from overwhelm towards clarity, time, energy, flow, inspiration, creativity. 🤔.

When our wellbeing is an afterthought, maybe because we don't have time for all that, we are too stressed just getting through the workload and overwhelm of the day, our brain is in survival mode and cannot create. We end up being less productive, believing we haven't got time. Making an effort to even just get five minutes to stop and breathe can be so calming.