It is Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Time for reflection.

Reflection on Dr. King and what I can do today to make a better world.

Reflect on his dream. How is that dream doing?

I am from Minnesota and recently, even though I have been living in Switzerland for over thirty years, Minnesota has been in my Heart and on my Mind.

Maybe it is on your mind, too. Are the people affected in your heart like mine, too?

Are your decisions fear-based? Based on fear of loss?

Fear like anger and sadness are normal parts of our humanity, so it is not at all wrong to feel any of them.

Fear can be good, as a motivator (i.e.:  the company will have to cut back if we don’t sell x amount of goods) but it can stop change.  When fear is a healthy motivation to get things done asap, that’s great. 

When fear stops you because you feel it threatens you (eg: “There will be violence” “There will be chaos”), it’s not good – and maybe not at all true or only partially true.

We need to sing more. I received a little bookmark to remember to “just read”, well, I am here to tell you to “just sing”.

Singing is  prayer for some of us. St. Augustine's famous quote on singing, often paraphrased as "To sing is to pray twice" or "He who sings, prays twice."

Singing uses all of us, not just our minds but our body, heart, soul and mind. It is wholistic and healthy. It is art, too, and anyone can sing. Claude Monet said, “I would like to paint the way a bird sings.” I interpret this to be at least partially that a bird sings because it is made to sing. We have lungs and vocal cords and so we are also made to sing.

Singing is good for you. It can reduce stress and enhance your cardiovascular system.

A year ago, I helped an elderly couple with their two teenage grandchildren. Today, I saw a kind Swiss woman assisting another refugee with her tram ticket.  Whether a visitor or an immigrant or… people are all just that, people.Refugees are human beings—people with rights, needs, fears, and tremendous bravery.  This I believe with all my heart. Some have said that Jesus Christ with his family were refugees in Egypt once, too. #IStandWithRefugees 

Also, for those who care for others first, remember to be kind to yourself in this season of giving.

What do you want?

Are you overwhelmed, especially with this question? Then, read on:

Are you overwhelmed, in general, then here is a tool for you. 

What is your H.I.T. list and what are your most important thing(s) you need to get done – today and this week and – before the holidays?

Back to Work – part 3 of 3, a bit late, but workth it!

TAKE ACTION! - A Walk and a PLAN

I had a walk and made a plan for this fall.  And I stuck to it, and then did not blog for a while.

What can I do in light of my new challenge as a full-time coach and supervisor?  This fall I will be doing most of these actions listed below.  Will you join me in some ACTION – what is your PLAN? How will you grow and invest in your community? Here are a few ideas (from my big “to do” list):

Being consciously grateful is one of the main ways to be happier, research says.  On our side of the equator, as the days darken, let us be grateful and we may find ourselves happier! Happier for you and me then means making better choices (also proven from research), which leads to success.  Therefore, let’s be grateful!

Networking IS very important, especially in Switzerland!!!

Everyone I know seems to get a little worried when they enter a room full of strangers, so do know there is someone feeling just like you somewhere in the room. But good networking is key for (business) success.  So, here are some tips:

Fear? It’s normal!

We all have fears, and fear is normal. We are made to have fear so we run away from imminent danger. 

But sometimes our fear goes “sideways” and comes out in the “wrong place. 

Sometimes we are afraid of the wrong things.

Sometimes fear overwhelms and gets us in a stuck place.

Let’s look at some of our wrong responses to fear and now start with my success story about fear that happened this month.

Returning to work can be emotionally or even physically difficult, especially if you have really had a mental and physical break from your every-day schedule.  It can feel like you are a deep-sea diver coming to the surface again, facing a foreign world from where you have recently been.  That is certainly my situation! I was far away, mentally, emotionally and physically from all my work.  I have attempted to create some space for continued rest and reflection in my weekly schedule so as not to become overcharge and move too quickly through work and life. Here are some tried and true suggestions for your resurfacing success.

BACK to work!!!

All good things come to an end, so the old saying goes.

My sabbatical is slowly coming to an end and I am getting ready to resurface in Switzerland/Europe. What I have learned and what is next are my topics for the next few blogs. Some things are not really new, though: I know that rest and reflection are key to growth and productivity and thus my sabbatical was a strategic part of the plan for my next chapter as a coach, supervisor, and spiritual director.

Self-reflection is key to almost any solution.

This is a summer 2025 update for Jehle Coaching and a list of summer questions for you (and me) to reflect on. Have a restful and recreative summer holidays!

Last week I wrote about learning and I mentioned about something I once learned and now use with my clients.

I learned something quite a while ago, now:  it’s called a pre-mortem or “prospective hindsight”.  The idea is to see something in the future, a project, a business idea, a transition, a new relationship, … and then think about think about two things. 

What are you learning?

Are you learning new skills? Thought processes? Or a different way of relating to the person you work with or for – or works for you? Are you trying new things at least weekly? Are you learning about yourself and your values?

Values are really what (should) drive us. What are your big values? Do you and I live them out? How? How can I do what I teach and “preach”?

As a coach and supervisor and as an educator with a Master’s Degree in teaching, I “know” a lot, and I know my big “Whys”. But do I practice what I know and how do I do it? What about you? Is there a disconnect between what you do and what you know (you should do)?

Mondays are often a day for me to reflect on the past week, especially when the weekend was somehow included and made it a package, not a bookend.  Today, this is one of my tasks: reflect on the past week and learn from it. There is a LOT to reflect on, believe me!

I am ending my time of teaching at the university (FHNW) and moving to being solely a coach and supervisor as I write. This, in itself, is a whole lot. Also, I will be taking a time out for a while this summer and need to reflect on what I choose to consider at that time. Reflection is key for learning and change.

Sometimes in a workday, especially for those who have the double-sided coin of flexible choices of what to do when, we are easily distracted by things that draw us from our “One Thing” or “Best thing”.

Do you know that we can change the way we act when we focus on our thoughts and emotions in a different way?

We can tame our thoughts and emotions and live a meaning-filled life that is values-driven.

Not driven by other things that we do not choose.

Choose to live your life not to let your live drive you into burnout or worse.

Coaching and Supervision are nothing, if it is not all about the individual, in the end. And the individual  life must be a sustainable life!

It is about personal sustainability and well-being

Sustainability isn’t just about external impact on our society and environment; it also applies to your and my personal well-being. As a coach, I help clients build resilience, manage stress, and create balanced lives that prevent burnout.

I have been thinking a lot about sustainability lately. Partially because I have been asked to join a task force of coaches, as well as other helping professions to consider what this means for us as porfessionals in our fields. The meeting is next week, now, but my brain has been percolating. I think sustainability affects all us, both personally and professionally. As a coach, I can help my clients (you?) to move forward and develop in more sustainable ways, both at work and in your personal lives.

I am thinking about sustainability. Partially because I have been asked to join a task force of coaches, supervisors, psycholigists and othrs in the psycho-social community who represent their orgaisation as we seek to updayte a climate agreement we have. I, of course, represent the EASC as a board member.

Sustainability is more than just concerning environmental issues, although, of course, that is what one first thinks of. It is a kind of glasses with lenses on the long-term view as it is looking with a long-term mindset that ensures growth, stability, and well-being for you and me as individuals, communities, countries, continents, and then the planet.

I have been writing about what you can do to find hope in such uncertain times and last week I wrote that you should make sure to work from your values and strengths to remain hopeful. Today, the fourth and final blog in the series, I will write about being grateful and staying in the moment as well as other thoughts.

10. Remember to enjoy every moment, if you can.  

Whether it’s a cup of coffee in the morning, a short walk outside, or time spent with loved ones, focusing on small pleasures can shift our mindset toward gratitude and hope. Maybe a gratitude journal or jar would be helpful for you. Write down a few things you’re grateful for each day. This practice helps remind you of the good around you, even if other parts of life feel unstable. It is AMAZING how this helps! This is also part of your PPFs (see the blog on March 6th).