Last week I had an opportunity to appraise myself of my progress on my journey of self acceptance in preparing for and then holding a telephone conversation with my coach.

Taking Stock of where I am in the present moment requires a fairly thorough investigation of how I am coping with the complexities of my life at the current time and what experiences can I find by looking back over the period of time since we last spoke which help me to explain both my progress and setbacks over that period.

I have been coached for just over two years and I have found myself being able to clearly articulate the improvement in how I explain myself in the world with much more clarity of self understanding and acceptance than I was able to at the start of this lifelong journey.

I wrote down three headings as follows:-

1. The Present
   • I am calmer
   • I am more settled in my marriage
   • I am more aware of the impact of my behaviour on others who are close to me
   • I feel happier towards my family
   • I am able to cope with challenging situations and the choices of others which previously caused me to react angrily
   • I am in touch with my coaching strategies so that they are becoming self-generating and sustainable in the situations that I find myself in
2. Coping Strategies
   • I have cultivated a family network of support which I fully engage in
   • I write my blog regularly which helps me to channel my journey into a shared experience with others
   • I have reduced my “news” intake – less intense over world events while remaining interested
   • I write a diary everyday which records my feelings
   • I spend a part of everyday in quiet space
   • I walk regularly with my wife
3. The Future
   • Holiday and Social Plans to look forward to

Having prepared for the call and sent this to my coach in advance, we have our call and I am able to focus on areas of particular improvement and those that remain challenging.

I benefit from having to speak out my current understanding of the issues which I am dealing with, and in return I benefit from her gentle guidance, which is not advice, rather it is speaking back to me what I have said, and probing the deeper meaning within it for me to continue to reflect upon, until the next time I come to the point of “Taking Stock”

My next blog will be: Bringing the Future into the Present

William Defoe