Achieving Personal Fulfillment Ezine (sm)

"Positive Psychology to the Rescue" (sm)
   April 2007

Published by Maurine D. Patten, Ed.D., CMC
Founder & CEO, Patten Coaching & Consulting
www.pattencoaching.com

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In This Issue

1. Preview

2. Maximize Your Ability to Succeed

3. Getting into Action

4. Looking Ahead

1. Preview

Achieving Personal Fulfillment Ezine explores how to progress rapidly from dreams to action.  It is a free monthly email newsletter written by Maurine D. Patten, life/business coach and clinical psychologist.

Using Positive Psychology, topics are presented from the perspective of Maurine Patten and are provided to help you get the results you want.  It will help you manage change, improve your Emotional Intelligence and make better decisions with less effort.

One of my favorite stories I enjoy telling my clients is a brief version of a tale written by Tolstoy in 1903 named "Three Questions".

In this tale, a king believes he would never fail at anything if he knew the answers to three critical questions about life.  Wouldn't you like to maximize your chance of being successful?  How you answer these three questions directly relates to your success and well-being.

This issue focuses on each of the three questions and the answers that will maximize your success and sense of well-being.

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2. Maximize Your Ability to Succeed

Tolstoy's tale relates how a king searched his kingdom for the right answers to his three key life quesions:

  1. What is the right time to begin something?
  2. Who are the right people to listen to and to avoid?
  3. What is the most important thing to do?
Priests, prophets, lords, doctors, warriors, and counselors answered his questions differently.

Giving up, the king went looking for a wise hermit who never left the forest.  When he found the hermit, he asked his questions.  However, the frail hermit was busy preparing his garden for planting seeds and needed help.  So, the king decided to help him.

Late in the day, a wounded man came running toward them and collapsed.  The king and the hermit toook care of his wounds.  The king watched the wounded man through the night. 

In the morning, the man regained consciousness and told the king he had come to kill him to avenge his brother's death.  (The king had earlier sentenced his brother to die.)  While the man was looking for the king in the forest, one of the king's bodyguards had recognized him as an enemy of the king and had wounded him.  The king forgave the stranger and restored his brother's property to him.

Meanwhile, the hermit was sowing his seeds in the prepared ground.  The king went to the hermit and asked him to answer his questions.  The hermit replied that he had already been answered.  The king asked him to explain what he meant.

The hermit said that the most important time was when the king was helping him prepare the ground, and he was the most important man.  To do him good was his most important business.  Otherwise, hi might have been killed.

When the wounded man arrived, the most important time was when the king was helping him.  Otherwise, he would have died without having made peace with the king.  He also became the most important man.  Helping him was the king's most important business in order to resolve the conflict between them.

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3. Getting into Action

What can you learn from this tale that is as important today as it was over a hundred years ago?  Under most circumstances, according to the tale:

  • There is only one time that is important and that is Now.  It is the only time you have any power.
  • The most important person to be with is the one you are presently with because you do not know if you will be with anyone else.
  • The most important thing to do is to be the best person you can be for that person at that time.
Following these guidelines is a challenge as the pace of our lives becomes more demanding.  It is easy to fall into a pattern of multi-tasking as a way of life.  This asks you to be more focused yet flexible, so you can adapt to changing conditions.  It requires:

  • Self-awareness to identify and communicate your feelings in a thoughtful way
  • Using your strengths
  • Resilience to repeated challenges
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4. Looking Ahead

In the months ahead:

  • Choose to focus on what is happening during your day instead of stewing about the past or worrying about the future.
  • Be fully present with the person you are with instead of letting your mind wander to other things.
  • Be the best person you can be by living your values and using your strengths.
Let me know how I can help you be more self-aware and maximize your ability to succeed.  I look forward to hearing from you, mdpcoach@pattencoaching.com.

Maurine Patten
mdpcoach@pattencoaching.com

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Contact Information

Patten Coaching & Consulting

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Mission

Achieving Personal Fulfillment Ezine is dedicated to inspiring and expanding your perspective in order for you to move forward in your personal and professional life.

Achieving Personal Fulfillment Ezine is a publication of Patten Coaching & Consulting; CEO, Maurine D. Patten, Ed.D., CMC, mdpcoach@pattencoaching.com

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Archives

You can read previous issues of Achieving Personal Fulfillment Ezine in our archives on our archives page.

About Maurine D. Patten, Ed.D., CMC

Maurine Patten, is a clinical psychologist and certified life/business coach.  Her professional career includes: independent business owner (26 years), Assistant Professor at Chicago State University and consultant for education and business. She is a graduate of the MentorCoach program and a member of the International Coach Federation. She is experienced in training and management development for large national and international firms. She has a strong background in working with individuals and couples on clarifying and achieving goals.

Dr. Patten has training in coaching, Emotional Intelligence, retirement assessment and planning, cognitive therapy and health psychology. She has published articles, made presentations, and conducted workshops about:
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Creating a Fulfilling Retirement
  • Anxiety and Achievement
  • Stress Management
  • Setting and Achieving Goals
  • Self-Esteem
  • Communication Skills
  • Marital/relationship Enrichment
  • Wellness Issues
  • The Psychology of Happiness
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