1. I am very excited to announce that I have been working on my first book.  The topic will be stress management and creating lifestyle change.  Upon completion I will distribute a free e-book version to all my subscribers, so keep posted!  In the meantime, my goal is to publish 6 new articles per month. While its fewer than what I've written in the past, I think that the ultimate outcome will be one which you will be pleased with.  
2. Reminder - I've opened up comments on all my blog articles and would love your ideas and thoughts! Feel free to comment with a link to your website or your contact information. I'll be working on a forum to add to the site around the turn of the year.
3. Would you like to be posted as a coaching/personal growth resource on my links page?  If so, my new link exchange feature allows you to easily request a link here.

New Articles!

Here's the latest articles posted on i-grow.net. Enjoy these free coaching, personal growth and development resources - and please provide your comments on the blog!

• The Who, What, When, Where and How’s of Wellness Coaching
• Why to Hire a Wellness Coach
• Growing a Blog Business - July 5, 2008
• Conquering Monkey Mind
• Who are you?
• I just need to do it… What do you really want?
• Book Review - Who Moved my Cheese?

Have you ever noticed that little voice inside your head that dissipates the excitement you've got when a new, refreshing, and promising idea enters your mind?  The voice may say - ahhh, that will never work.  Someone else more capable must have already thought of that and failed.  Maybe someone with more time could pull that off. Only people that are already healthy could do that.  I am too old to change.  You are going to hurt yourself.  etc., etc., etc....

Suddenly the great idea we had quickly vanishes as we rationalize (or tell rational lies) with ourselves.  All of the energy and excitement that accompanied the idea dissappear as we go back to our 'normal' routine.  

Great minds centuries ago recognized this tendency and coined the phenomenon - Monkey Mind.  What a fantastic term!  Its so easy to imagine the monkeys in our head running around chattering loudly half threatening - don't do it! Yak Yak Yak, you don't want to fail - Eek Eek - turn around, its safer where you are!  And we listen.  

If you've noticed that the voices in your head have held you back before, know that you are not alone.  Its perfectly normal, you are experiencing one of the beautiful challenges of being human.  With practice its possible to quiet the voices and to differentiate these from the calming guidance of your voice of wisdom.  Conquering monkey mind opens our world up to the excitement that existed only as a flicker of hope when our new idea was crushed so quickly by our own self doubt and worry.

If you are interested in learning more about how to conquer monkey mind, read the full article listed on my website at:  Conquering Monkey Mind

Be Well

Written by
Doug Nau; MBA, Certified Life Coach
www.coachforwellness.com, www.i-grow.net
Professional Life/Wellness Coach & Consultant,
Educational & Motivational Speaker