Are you a woman seeking more clarity, confidence and courage? Would you love to be comfortable in your own skin, anytime, anywhere so you could do, be, or have what you most want? Here I share tips, resources, and coaching to help you live life by your own design.
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Inspiring Image of the Week
By paulag | June 30, 2009
I got the whimsy to start including a weekly post with an inspiring image. After all being comfortable in your own skin is all about seeing the world through YOUR own unique lens. In this case, the photos are going to be predominantly from my own lenses, those of who I am and my camera.
This week’s image is a recent shot from this weekend’s bike ride on the Rail Trail from Frenchtown, NJ to Stockton, NJ (and we returned via Lumberville, PA). It was taken at Prallsville Mill on a glorious summer day.
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Topics: Inspiring Images | No Comments »
Paula G Interview at Freelance Picnic
By paulag | June 29, 2009
Just wanted to let you know that there is a most wonderful interview with me over at my colleague & friend, Lisa Beth Weber’s blog Freelance Picnic. She called the piece “From Corporate to Comfort” and it is an interesting play on my journey from being in Corporate America for 17+ years to going solo and creating Comfortable in Your Own Skin Coaching.
Here’s a brief snippet from the conversation:
I asked Paula about the philosophy behind being comfortable in your own skin. “If you’re listening only to your head or only to your heart, you’re potentially missing both. My coaching style, whether it’s life, or business, or both, is that you have to have the right relationship with yourself, so you can build your life plan, so you can build your business plan, in order to bring about what success means to you.”
Head on over to read the full article From Corporate to Comfort.
When you’re done reading, check out Lisa Beth’s main website to see ALL the great stuff she is up to … writer, musician, creative professional extraordinaire.
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
What You Can Learn from a Morning in the Fog
By paulag | June 26, 2009
Recently I was visiting one of my favorite coastal spots, Rehoboth Beach. I love to kayak in Rehoboth Bay and so early one Sunday we headed out to the put in shortly after sunrise. While it was sunny at the beach, by the time we reached the bay it was a thick sheet of fog. After debating for a bit whether we should still paddle or give it up, we decided that the fog was going to burn off very shortly so we launched our boats into the mist.
Visibility was very limited. We could see maybe 20-40 feet in front of us. We could hear motor boats roaring in the distance but knew that the tidal marsh area we would be paddling would be free of motor boats because of its very shallow waters. What transpired over the next several hours was truly magical.
Topics: Mindfulness | No Comments »
Join me on Blog Talk Radio Tonight Talking about Life Lessons
By paulag | June 24, 2009
Tonight I will be on Blog Talk Radio as a guest of Darlene G. Butts from Lessons from the Depression. We’ll be talking about some life lessons I’ve learned along the way and specific challenges people are facing right now (that recurring theme thing) and solutions for them.
You can listen to the recorded show at: Blog Talk Radio.
It was a GREAT show and I had a great time doing it…
Topics: General | No Comments »
Michelle Pfeiffer on Being Comfortable in Your Own Skin
By paulag | June 19, 2009
I love finding people talking about being comfortable in their own skin both online and off. Most recently I stumbled across some thoughts on the matter by Michelle Pfeiffer from the sites Michelle Pheiffer, The Face and OMG. While I am not much of a follower of celebrities, we all know that when celebrities have something to say people tend to lean in and listen a little closer. Not to mention many (not all of course) celebrities are simply successful people who happened to be successful in a field that gave them celebrity status. After all we all know celebrities from our own little niches of interest that no one else would have even heard of.
So, here’s what Michelle had to say about it in InStyle Magazine:
“I’m not saying I’m sexier to other people. But part of feeling sexy is feeling comfortable in your own skin, and less inhibited, and that goes along with getting older. Feeling more confident, dropping a lot of the BS.”
I have to say, though, that you don’t have to wait until you’re some magical age before feeling comfortable in your own skin. Heavens that would just set people up for more waiting until some “someday” or external circumstance to happen before feeling confident on the inside. So I disagree with it just being a part of getting older. There’s far more to it than that. I know plenty of “older” people who aren’t even close to feeling comfortable in their own skin. What I do agree with though is that confidence and dropping the BS is part of the recipe for success… When I work with clients we spend a lot of time building confidence and cutting through the crap to get at the real source of the matter.
In the past I would catch these little snippets from the news and just collect them…I finally decided I was insane — it was time to start sharing them on the blog. Great food for thought for all and isn’t it always fun to see what others are saying? Stay tuned for future news flashes when I find these snippets.
Topics: Quotes | No Comments »
Ever Wonder Why You Do the Things You Do? (Especially the Things that Hold You Back?)
By paulag | June 17, 2009
Anyone who has heard me speak knows how life-changing my discovery of Debbie Ford’s work was. Well, later this month you don’t even have to leave your home to have your own socks knocked off by the power of discovering and understanding your own shadow. The movie The Shadow Effect (release date June 26th) is a journey that will take you from your darkest thought to your greatest dream. Debbie Ford leads you on this journey and is joined by other luminary spiritual teachers Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, James Van Praagh, Mark Victor Hansen, and many other inspired teachers.
I can personally say that the biggest catalyst that created the life I live right now was discovering this work and being trained personally by Debbie Ford and her amazing staff not only on how to embrace my own shadows but how to lead other people just like you through a powerful transformational coaching process to do the same.
The movie trailer was just released to the public last night and I have been itching to share it with you. I invite you to take a deep breath, watch, and listen deeply. I promise you that you’ll be transfixed and perhaps at times even disturbed by the message (and this is a good thing I promise you).
I will be leading exclusive Shadow Salons which will include showing the movie at select locations within the Greater Philadelphia Area. If you want to learn more…or have a group that would like to host one, please contact me so we can chat.
To pre-order the DVD click here.
Topics: The Shadow | No Comments »
Comfortable in Your Own Skin Podcast with Elisa Camahort Page Co-Founder and COO BlogHer
By paulag | June 12, 2009
This month I am thrilled to share with you my interview with Elisa Camahort Page, Co-Founder and COO of BlogHer. About two years ago I was invited to write for BlogHer as a contributing editor in business, career, and personal finance. At the time I didn’t have a clue about just how much BlogHer and the fabulous women involved with it were up to. I may have been clueless but I certainly was and am grateful to be a part of it! As time went on, I wanted to learn more — what are the stories behind the scenes? What tidbits about success could I learn? So I took the plunge and asked Elisa if she’d do a podcast and I am blessed she said yes. Another reminder that when you want something — ask for it! (The answer is always no when you do not ask!)
In 2005, Elisa along with Jory Des Jardins and Lisa Stone co-founded BlogHer and they took their idea from a seed to a powerful online business venture. In fact in 2008, FastCompany named them one of the Most Influential Women in Web 2.0. Elisa is a blogging pioneer and marketing executive with 18 years of experience in Silicon Valley, and leads all events, marketing and public relations for BlogHer while working as COO. Among the seven blogs she writes are blogs with personal, professional and political focus areas. Elisa opened her own high-tech marketing consultancy, Worker Bees, after a successful career as a marketing executive in the cable broadband sector. You’ll learn more about the very multi-faceted, multi-talented Elisa in the podcast…
Our conversation covered a lot of ground in addition to the story of BlogHer. Elisa talks candidly about her own experience in this start-up venture as well as the fears that tend to hold people back from taking a risk. We even cover the topic of money and how its status of taboo in society acts as an elephant in the room so very often. If you value honesty, transparency, and want to know more about what it means to be a success online and off, you will definitely want to listen to our chat.
For the record, the Judy Garland quote I was attempting to paraphrase at the end of the interview is actually “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.“ Amen to that!
After listening you can read more about the BlogHer vision, founders, and check out Elisa’s many blog feeds.
Audio Running Time: 39 minutes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Topics: Podcast | 2 Comments »
How Well Do You Handle Difficult Situations?
By paulag | June 1, 2009
Let’s face it, we all have difficult situations to face. We meet people who hold different views, styles, or opinions than us. We experience unequal treatment or discrimination as a woman, a minority, an LGBT person, due to a disability, or simply because we view the world differently than someone else. How well do you handle these situations? Can you stand confidently in who you are and respond? Or, do you react impulsively and emotionally creating a trail of drama and destruction in your path ultimately sabotaging your best efforts?
Last week California Supreme Court Upheld Prop 8 which created untold complexities for many families. I can only imagine how confusing it is for kids of the affected families. Some good tips on helping kids cope with Prop 8 were shared on Mombian. Frankly the tips are pretty handy for people of any age.
Regardless of where you stand on the issue, the point is — it is one difficult and sticky situation. That means that tempers flare, emotions run high, and people need to determine their best response individually and collectively.
What I know from Comfortable in Your Own Skin Coaching is that when you fully embrace your own self and emotions, you are in a more empowered and charge-neutral place to respond. Note I said charge-neutral not lacking opinion, passion, or emotions. Rather, the ability to respond fully, compassionately, and in alignment with who you are in a way that can be heard. When arms are flailing and tempers are flaring, no one is listening. Ever seen two people adamant and steadfast in their opposing views argue? Who is listening to whom? No one…
So, today on the 4th Annual Blogging for LGBT Families Day, take a few moments to reflect upon how you handle difficult situations of all kinds and ask yourself — “How can I be more solid in who I am so that I am better able to relate and respond to those around me (those that share my views and those that don’t)?”
Topics: Lesbian Life, self-sabotage | No Comments »