Reflections for people at pivotal points

How we can learn to deal with disruption

183:741374357 (Sandra Schmoldt) — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 17:44:10 GMT

Watch the interview for tips and tricks...

" Sandra talks about how she r esponded to her clients ' need s during the pandemic . She e xplains how self-reflection can offer guidance during these times, to help re-connect with ourselves and better withstand some of our current challenges. In that spirit, she shares some tips on how we ourselves can embark on that journey."

How to bust that negative self talk?

183:741374357 (Sandra Schmoldt) — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 23:24:48 GMT

In a poll I recently conducted in a webinar, over half of the participants said that they pay a very high or high price for their achievements in life. The currency: Negative emotions such as stress, pressure, frustration, self-doubt, anger, guilt or fear. From my corporate communications career and from my experience as a coach, I know many examples of how we get in our own way without being necessarily aware. We keep judging, commenting, belittling, nagging and beating up. Often that inner voice is directed against ourselves, but just as often against the people and circumstances around us.

The empowering news is: Once we have become aware of the harmful habits of our mind, we have the option to re-focus. So, whatever thought may be causing stress, anxiety or pressure, we use a little trick to shift perspective so we can label it as a self-sabotaging lie. For example, "I think I will screw this up!" becomes: "Here goes my Saboteur again – and he insists I will screw this up." Admittedly, this mental shift does not happen overnight. It needs to be practiced for several weeks until you feel a difference in your hard-wired reactions.

A few months ago I came across an app-supported program that offers a daily and structured training in order to weaken the harmful thoughts and behavioral patterns that involuntarily run inside us. The percentage of time our mind is acting as a friend rather than as an enemy can be measured. It results in the Positive Intelligence Quotient (PQ). By building your mental fitness you train to run your brain rather than allowing your Saboteur-hijacked brain run you.

A free online test quickly conveys the ranking of the nine inner saboteurs we all have, varying in characteristics and dominance. Saboteurs are the negative thought habits and patterns that live deep in our unconscious and derail our performance and happiness. And they greatly impact our relationships – at home and at work!

For example, let's say we are doing a project together, and between us we have strong Stickler, Controller, and Avoider saboteurs.

Here's what might happen…

My Stickler ignores the hundred good things you have done in the project, shows no appreciation whatsoever, and blames you for the one flaw that needs fixing.
This triggers your Avoider, leading you to feel demotivated, unwilling to share your resentment, and to procrastinate on the issues that need fixing.
Your procrastination then triggers my Controller to push you to fix things, and fix them my way, as I have further lost confidence in your abilities.

The result? Well, I bet you may have encountered similar situations...

For six weeks, the app-guided Mental Fitness program gives a short exercise of 2-3 minutes four times a day. Once I got my seat on the app, I joined more than half a million users who had trained their mental fitness to positively impact their performance, their relationships and their wellbeing in general. Thousands of top managers and their teams report on a deep transformation after they went through the app-based program together. Mental fitness helps to tackle and intercept conflicts directly at the root before you can deal with the issue at hand in a constructive way.

In the course of the program, I've learned to perceive my negative emotions for what they are: an alert signal. But instead of getting lost in anger, frustration or self-doubt, I interrupt these patterns so I can recover faster from setbacks. I focus on shifting into a nurturing mindset, using five powers I have trained to use more intentionally, e.g. empathy, curiosity and creativity. Not always easy but there is a learning curve, including amazing feedback...

Mental fitness allows to (re)act with a calm, clear and appreciative mind. This is relevant because constructive behaviour is just as “contagious” as destructive behaviour. The effects of the six-week program on the growing number of users in over 50 countries are therefore cause for hope. By the way, my clients love using the app, which effectively supports and accelerates our work towards creating the changes they crave for in their life.

If you are fed up with stress, pressure and negative feelings, explore more about the Mental Fitness app and do the Saboteur Assessment!

>>> You can also book a free call with me! https://equilidocoaching.as.me/freeconsultation

In search of control? Kitesurfing may help

183:741374357 (Sandra Schmoldt) — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 23:18:56 GMT

After months at home and many rounds through the park around the corner, we finally did it again: We went to the beach. North Sea, brownish spray, white sand and a wide sky with flying clouds to the horizon. And a strong wind, typical of this area. As so often, we started our walk on the beach against the wind to be pushed by the tailwind on the way back (yes, we have to manage our energy these days...).

From a distance we could already see that the sky was full of kites that danced and rattled in the wind. From the ground or from the water, they were steered by neoprene-masked figures with spray-wet hair – sometimes masterfully, sometimes not so much. Many made involuntary and somewhat awkward jumps in the air; like puppets on long threads that the wind made bounce across the beach. Others sank their kite vertically into the water and drifted in the waves while trying to launch again. Some worked in small groups on the ground and held the one in front from behind while struggling to gain control of the kite with gruff movements. I had to smile at the thought that I had dangled in such a harness a few years ago and was grateful for my teammates, who put in all their bodyweight into helping me to not loose grip. Heavy teamwork, literally speaking.

I noticed one kite surfer because we passed him so close that our eyes met: he was standing in the shallow water in his steering gear, the red kite standing calmly high in the air. We smiled at each other. He looked relaxed as if he was right in his equilibrium. Was he listening to the wind or maybe listening to himself? On our way back, we saw the red kite chasing across the water at great speed and the guy skillfully leaping through the air. A master in dealing with the elements, obviously, who moved effortlessly and in harmony with wind and water. All dimensions seemed to be in balance here...

We cannot control the direction of the waves and the wind. But we can learn how to be a good surfer...

As we have started to pick up our lives after Corona, I invite you to take a moment and ponder what mastery means for you:

What competences have emerged for you that will be useful in the future?
What gives you stability so you can weather sudden headwinds on your path?
How do you experience situations in which backing is necessary - for yourself, for others?
What becomes possible for you if you are in your inner equilibrium?

Taking a kite surfer's view is just one option to change perspective when we feel stuck or overwhelmed. You will be surprised what your inner resources can do for you if you start to unleash and train your mental power, one conversation at a time.

>>> To discover more, book a free consultation with me! https://equilidocoaching.as.me/freeconsultation

If this article has been useful to you, I invite you to sign up to my Equilido News (every once in a while)!

How to motivate others while working remotely

Fri, 01 May 2020 13:20:25 GMT

This feels like lockdown day No. 1000 to me and I realise I've seen a considerable number of dips in my MOTIVATION to keep going... �� Which reminds me of a call with a previous client a couple of days ago. I was actually surprised to reach her right away as she had been promoted recently. Just a few months after she had started her new job. And that new job has been her big vision of a future she barely dared to dream of when she came to work with me as a coach, more than a year ago. “It’s been absolutely crrrrazy, Sandrra”, she said with her lovely accent. “Here I am, in the job I LOVE, leading a team that is spread all over the world. The thing is: I don’t quite know yet how to lead a team REMOTELY and make sure they stay MOTIVATED in these crrrazy times…”

For a split second, I had to think of my own twisted learning curve and the decades of costly corporate training that had been invested in my growth as a leader. So, this could have been the perfect cue for me to hand out some good piece of advice. Instead, I paused and chose a different pathway, one that had been way more effective ever since I pivoted my career.

Instead of asking “have you tried to…? (INSERT ANY WELL-MEANT TIP ON ANY GREAT IMPROVEMENT), I asked:

“When you and I were working together, what have you noticed about HOW we did it?”

She responded:

“Well, you never talked about yourself. You were just curious about me.”

“And what else?”

“You listened to me and didn’t judge what I was saying.”

“And…?”

“You were always asking open questions, so I really had to come up with my own answers.”

“…” (SILENCE, admittedly with a big smile on my face…)

“And you always kept me focused on solutions and opportunities, not the problems.”

“…And with what effect?”

“Well, I felt empowered and super motivated by the space you had created for me to grow.”

And there she was.

Regardless if your team is big or small, spread all over the place or operating in isolation just across the street - or maybe even in the same HOUSEHOLD? Just pick the coaching skill you want to apply more with your people and see the effect it has on their motivation.

From the skills mentioned, what is your favourite? What else has worked well for you?

Just leave a comment!

Need help?

>>> Get on a free call with me to tell me more about it: https://equilidocoaching.as.me/introduction

If this article has been useful to you, I invite you to sign up to my news and impulses (every once in a while)!

How do you emerge even stronger from 2020?

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 14:52:14 GMT

Since the Corona crisis started to affect us, we are confronted with what really matters in our lives. However difficult the circumstances may be, our mindset determines how we deal with them. The more consciously we observe the quality of our thoughts, the more effectively we can shape our reality. And since we cannot plan far ahead at the moment, our reality takes place in the here and now, more than we ever knew... Despite the outer limitations we are facing, we always have the freedom to change perspective by moving ahead in time in our imagination.

With the current disruption of anything we used to call normal, a mental "time warp" could be very effective. So let's just imagine a situation, let's say Easter 2021. We're sitting in a café at the city center. Life is back on the street and it's already warm outside. People are happy to be able to move freely and seem to enjoy it. A lot is different now. You too have changed.

And as we sit there together in the café and look back on the memorable year 2020, I ask you:

What gave you inner strength back then?
What have you struggled with the most - and how did you get on with it?
What about you surprised you positively?
Compared to how you were before Corona, who have you become?
What was the biggest gift you got from the crisis?

It might be worthwhile to contemplate your answers and write them down. How would it affect you if you could already use some of these findings in your everyday life today? And how would people in your immediate environment notice that?

I would be happy to explore your thoughts together with you, because drinking coffee or tea together is also possible online. And should you feel stuck and struggle to find any answers these days, I want you to know that I'm here to support you. Just reach out and get on a free call with me.

>>> https://equilidocoaching.as.me/standingstrong <<<

If this article has been useful to you, I invite you to sign up to my news and impulses (every once in a while)!

To all the women with the enemy inside

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 13:35:00 GMT

Throughout my corporate career, I’ve spent most of my time in the future. That’s what can happen when you are in charge of people, projects, and numbers that you better make sure will stand for growth. As I put my attention on meeting deadlines and reaching milestones that formed part of yet another required success, I usually pushed myself through my days at a relentless pace.

But behind the scenes, the past also played a role, certainly when it came to failures and issues that were to be avoided. What a challenge to forgive myself the mistakes I had made! At times, I found my mind spinning with regrets and self-reproaches, resulting in worries and fears about the future. I could feel my confidence shrink in those moments, and yet I had to get my act together and play strong. Rarely did I allow myself to pause, interrupting the ever-present stream of activity of my mind, jumping back and forth in a constant inner struggle.

Well, that has changed. I have landed in the here and now. In my new life, the now provides a solid foundation to work with. So I can create positive change from within, one step at a time.

In every present moment you have the freedom to pay attention to what is helpful to you, and act upon it in a loving way, no matter how you may view the past. At any given moment, you have the choice to dump the enemy inside and deliberately focus on nourishing and constructive thoughts that help you to grow and truly thrive.

In the first place however, you will have to determine " if you are worth it ". For many women I have talked to in my life as a coach, this seems to be the hardest part, regardless of how successful they appear. This is why I have a little gift your future self may thank you for...

I invite you to ponder about a couple of questions:

Thinking of your life, what do you notice about your own role in determining your path?
As you move through your day, which perspective on time is pre-dominant in your mind - the past, the future or the present? And which emotions?
What are some experiences that made you feel that you deserve to be appreciated and loved by yourself, regardless of the circumstances? With what effect?
What are some competencies of yours that have supported you on your path, like an inner team of friends?
What are some ways to help you pause and savour the present moment?

I'd love to hear from you! If you want to explore more, schedule your free THRIVING AT LAST consultation with me.

You are also invited to sign up for EQUILIDO news and impulses (every once in a while, no spam!)

Which perspective rules your world?

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 18:54:57 GMT

Usually around the turn of the year, we go on a hike combined with a visit to an old friend. 1000 years old to be precise. And every time the effect on me is striking: as soon as we step out of the forest and approach the 1000-year-old oak tree, I experience the same process. The topics that just took up all the space in my mind suddenly seem to shrink and seem vain and small. Because there is this being - gnarled and furrowed, with a massive trunk, spreading crown and widely branched roots. Marked from an eventful history, yet upright and somehow dignified.

And every time a millennium passes by in my mind's eye, which puts me into a different perspective on the world. Time suddenly becomes relative. The deepest Middle Ages ruled a thousand years ago. Today's knowledge and achievements, but also challenges, were still in the distant future, unthinkable and intangible.

Every time, the sudden change of perspective hits me the other way around as well - directed towards the future. If only vaguely, because moving ahead a thousand years is beyond my imagination. So, it's more about feeling change and impermanence itself. What will remain? What legacy do we want to leave? Who will perceive this legacy, if any at all? Questions that are bigger than my little existence.

Touching the trunk helps. Using all my senses to listen to this ancient being that has been there for so long. I always immediately notice how I feel grounded in the here and now. Aligned with the deep roots and the high crown.

The here and now provides a foundation to work with. Because it is not the past that determines the present. Rather, the present determines how we deal with the past and also the future.

In every present moment I have the freedom to pay attention to what is helpful to me. And in my experience, it's most effective when I’m about to lose my head because of all the issues and worries that tend to keep me busy...

Here is my gift to you : A little experiment for your everyday life which is waiting for you on my website (time invest app. 5 minutes). >>> TO THE EXPERIMENT <<<

Let me know how this little exercise worked for you and what effect you are noticing. If you keep repeating it over time, how does it change your perception of reality?

I invite you to sign up to my news and impulses (every once in a while)!

6 questions for you to thrive in 2020

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 11:45:38 GMT

Since my certification as a coach, I've been helping accomplished professionals to bring the changes they desire to life. When working with my clients, it is of great importance to clarify their goals for our cooperation, and at the beginning of each session.

Now we are on the threshold of the New Year and even a new decade. I thought this may be a good opportunity for a few questions I'd like to ask you to help you make your year 2020 truly memorable, powerful and transformative . I recommend you take some time to ponder and write your answers down in a journal. It might be worthwhile to have a look at it in a year from now!

Here are the 6 powerful questions to help you thrive:

If you knew you cannot fail, what would you do differently in 2020?
What have you already tried to improve the situation - even without any guarantee?
How would it feel to you if you looked back in January 2021 on the year 2020 and everything would still be the same?
What does it cost you not to correct the course?
How committed are you to making a change? (It helps to use a scale of 1-10, with "10" being 100% committed and 1, well ... rather not)
Suppose you look back on the year 2020 and you have actually managed to bring about the change you desired. What will be the impact? On you, your loved ones, your surroundings?

If you like you can also travel further into the future – why not 2030, looking back at the most profound and fulfilling transformation you have ever experienced in your life...

With these vivid images and thoughts that may have come up for you, I wish you happy holidays and a truly fulfilling year 2020!

My 5 key findings on creating personal progress and growth

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 12:56:21 GMT

EQUILIDO turns 1 - this is what I've learned

It's been a year since I founded my company in October 2018 and I thought I'd seize this chance to reconnect and celebrate with you! It was a solemn moment for me when I officially started to offer support for people facing a pivotal challenge in life. Transformation Support, as I call it. And despite my intense training and certification as a professional coach, I'd rather not use this title. There is so much more that has shaped me: It's the exciting (and at times nerve-racking) experience of my own transformation in the last three decades!

This is what I've learned in the recent year:

The clients I accompanied have dealt with a broad variety of life situations and pivotal issues. All conversations (mostly online) moved me at the core of my heart. What really impressed me was that every individual had the courage and confidence to open up and take responsibility for their next step. And every unique step they committed to and shared with me fills me with joy and respect.

In my experience, every human being has the potential to change their life to the better. This can be achieved by following FIVE KEY INSIGHTS that have been scientifically proven:

Reality happens in the mind and is always subjective. Automatically and largely un-intentionally, we decide what to focus on. If we focus primarily on difficulties, obstacles and problems, it has an impact. Because our thinking is downright hypnotic.
You can train your thinking to construct your reality differently : Oriented to the desired result, to the question of „what for“? And always with appreciation of the inner needs, which more often than not exist merely undercover.
Cooperation with the un-intentional (that is the unconscious) is possible. First, we get to know the basic principles and then we learn the vocabulary to communicate effectively with our organism, in a mutual way. And then it‘s all about practicing, practicing, practicing...
Achieving a desired result in the external world may first require an empowerment inside. Well-intentioned advice or self-imposed pressure will not help. Instead, effective questions and deep conversations will help to promote the discovery of inner hurdles and truths.
Insights can be most effectively translated into action if there is a regular exchange about what works better. Because we tend to disregard small progress and to overlook patterns of success. So it helps to write them down and talk about them!

However, the difference between theory and practice is greater in practice than in theory... If you or someone you know are seeking progress with a challenge in life, I invite you to reach out to me for a free T HRIVING AT LAST consultation. It can be about any topic or problem you have on the mind.

I would love to see you grow and thrive, wherever you are in the world!

The search for happiness

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 16:57:48 GMT

Casual thoughts about a fleeting impression

While on a boat ride yesterday, I saw these golden letters floating by. They appeared fragile, fleeting, surrendered to the wave movement, and before I could catch them they had already passed...

 Since I left my corporate career, I focus on helping high-achieving individuals at various stages of life to deal with the challenges on their path. And thinking of the more than hundred conversations I’ve had, the search for happiness appears to be at the core of so many trials and what appears to be errors. Getting to the core with my clients is what I’m truly passionate about, acting as their personal progress partner. It is so inspiring to see that everyone has the resources to create positive change in their reality. And at any given time, it may even turn into happiness, fleeting, but notable at your core.

If you are looking for more of those moments, I invite you to schedule a free THRIVING AT LAST session with me!

Change overnight?

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

While coaching people all over the world, it is fascinating for me to see how quickly they create positive change in their reality. Sometimes from one day to the other.

Wherever you turn, people seem to struggle with inner dialogues going on in their mind, raging like battles. Usually we focus on the inner voice that is predominant while more subtle contributions go unheard: a hunch, a doubt, and feelings such as fear or even hurt. No matter if we are aware of them or not: They do affect the way in which we show up in life. These inner parts or voices that go unheard over time tend to be highly effective in interfering with the actions and reactions we initially had in mind. For example, as I’m writing this, my inner critic keeps telling me I should rather quote some scientific research here instead. As I ponder about it, I find my inner critic pretty dominant, causing a feeling of discomfort. So what do I do?

Over the years, I have become familiar with my unique inner space in which I can’t help but process the world as I experience it. And meanwhile, I’m also aware that I’m free to make changes to my inner space, that support me. It is all happening in my imagination anyways - so why not tweak it to my benefit?

To accommodate my critic’s point, I invite you to ponder this: As we are focusing our attention, our mind constantly constructs our world. We tend to strongly identify with our perceptions, which is why we call that mental construction of ours “reality”. Simply put: our perceived reality is built on subjective sensations, emotions and past episodes that inform our thoughts and conclusions. But what about undeniable facts then? As we take them in and process them in our inherently subjective system they become part of our unique reality as well. This is how we create behavioral patterns and beliefs we hold to be true. Our individual model of reality determines how we react to it, be it with regards to the present or the future. Our perception of the past appears to be built on episodes we activate in our memory, which can't but happen in the here and now. This is why German children books author Erich Kästner stated: „It’s never too late for a happy childhood.“

The plasticity of the brain has been evident in Neuroscience since the 1950s: According to Hebb’s rule, neurons that fire together, wire together, and vice versa. As we shift our attention and learn to focus on something new, we are building new neuro-connections and new neuronal networks gradually form in the brain. This is how we create change and invite new possibilities into our world. By repeatedly focusing our attention on solutions instead of the problem we face, we gradually build differences that nurture a shift of perception in a positive way.

The process I follow with my clients supports them in becoming aware of the shifts they want to experience in their reality. And this may lead to an exploration of their unique inner space. That space of inner dialogues and predominant voices that sometimes feel like raging battles... If that happens, the common reaction is that you want to get rid of all the inner noise. With usually limited success as people admit.

This is where the wisdom of our organism comes in. In the Western civilization, we tend to heavily rely on the potential of the Neocortex that is steering our analytical and visionary thinking. But visually speaking, it is just the tip of the iceberg. Under the water surface lies the realm of the emotional brain and the reptilian brain, which are millions of years older, 80% faster and much more effective (and therefore naturally much stronger in case of a battle). But those old parts of our brain don’t use words. They “speak” in images and metaphors. And images and metaphors don’t know negation (do NOT think of that pink elephant crossing your inner space right now…). ;o) So when striving for change in whatever way, there is a cooperation model that is truly impactful: Conscious thinking directed towards solutions and unconscious knowing revealed from the body to support the path.

As all our experiences are mirrored and located in the organism, there is a wealth of wisdom to be unveiled. It is a matter of allowing subtle sensory signals, metaphors and images to rise to the surface where they become visible, tangible and useful. And with a little help you can start to re-arrange and adjust them in a way that will turn your inner space into a safe and protected place that strengthens you from within. (My inner critic feels at peace at this point…).

As you decide to focus on possibilities and at the same time learn how to use the wisdom of your organism you start to create change. This will have effects for you to notice in your reality within and around you. And yes, my clients confirm it can happen over night.

Reach out to me for a free 30-minutes consult and explore your possibilities:

https://equilidocoaching.as.me/freeconsultation

contact@equilido.com

In constant search of equilibrium

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 19:46:34 GMT

Finding the right path in life is like walking on a thin rope up in the air with no safety net. To me at least, it felt like a balancing act. A constant search for equilibrium, connecting me with all that really really matters to me.

I realised at some point that walking on that rope holds the risk that it may be someone else’s. It was defined and fixed before, and once you get on it you cannot help but move forward. Following that path keeps your mind fixed on your next step, imposing contortion and strain to keep you on track. Until at some point you loose balance, forced by circumstances that appear beyond your control. Or you take the deliberate decision to jump.

As long as I can think I always felt drawn towards the big questions in life. Who am I and how can I get to know myself better? How can I be sure I’m taking the right decision? What if a decision and path I chose turns out to be wrong? Can I learn to not give up and stay confident? And how do I best deal with change? Is there a way for me to find my perfect equilibrium and align with a purpose that is truly mine?

Loosing control, gaining control

Creating my own path for me meant to be highly experimental. I needed to try out many different things, some of them being deeply disruptive. I soon realized that my thoughts formed an important if not dominant part of how I perceived myself and the world around me. And quite often, my thoughts got me into trouble while I kept hearing from others that I was “overthinking”. On top of that, there was the struggle with my emotions that erupted without warning and swept my prudent thoughts away. And then there were times where I felt hopeless, wading through a valley of darkness, apparently without any light visible at the horizon.

My transformation led me through a variety of stages which touched upon my entire being. While hitting rock bottom, I found myself jumping out of a plane at 4000 meters above ground, realizing that the air indeed carried me. Despite the fact that I was tied to the belly of my tandem skydiver, I felt I was in control again, right there up in the air. A stunning insight which boosted my energy for a while.

Conquest of new perspectives

Soon after, I acted as a client for training purposes with a befriended reincarnation therapist, exploring multiple episodes on earth at various stages in the past and what seemed to be the future. With no dogma or expectations attached, all it took was my openness and a breathing technique that induced a trance state in which I felt fully awake yet deeply relaxed. In the series of sessions, I was thrilled to vividly experience ever-changing settings from birth to death and what seemed even beyond. Stories that were strikingly real and could be felt in every cell of my body.

It was like at the movies, featuring an unrivaled director of all that was presented on screen: I called it my higher self. According to the therapy script, each “movie” ended with a concise retrospect, filled with a wealth of wisdom and love which I felt to be true in my heart. After each session, we spent time interpreting the symbolic language that had composed my inner script, mainly leaning on Carl Gustav Jung’s approach to archetypes and symbols of mankind.

As a result, I could not help but perceive myself very differently. The sessions had turned my life upside down and helped resolve limitations and obstacles on my path. My heart-felt truth was that beyond and within me, there must be a presence which appears to be timeless, full of wisdom, light and love.

Taking responsibility of defining the path

I started to experience my life as a series of choices I was fully responsible for. At any moment, there were other options I could have picked, with course corrections possible at any time. What if I had set out to learn something which propelled development and progress in a far bigger dimension than merely limited to a lifetime? There is still little we know about universal laws of growth but spiralled iterations seem to rule the big picture rather than linear processes. Eventually, I saw my reflections confirmed by the Spiral Dynamics model by Don Beck and Chris Cowan. In my reality, this approach to the world feels like an inner compass worth following. Applying this perspective naturally put my thoughts and myself into a new relation to all things around me.

Trust as a source of equilibrium

It helped me to take things easier, releasing the pressure and fear of failure when taking decisions. And it helped me to slowly build a foundation that would carry me in times of doubt: Trust. No matter what decision I took, it would support the ever expanding learning experience on my spiralling path. If it implied a stage where I felt stuck and got impatient or hopeless, my inner compass kicked in and restored my equilibrium.

In my day to day life however, I was still confronted with a lot of stuff that needed to be handled and resolved: Was there any resource other than rational thinking that would direct me towards the decision which was truly best for me at a given time? This is how eventually I got acquainted with my intuition. It used to speak with a tiny voice at first, mumbling cryptic advice so I simply didn’t get it. It seemed to be connected with my heart which I had sensed earlier from time to time, mostly in pain when it felt broken...

Decoding intuition

I had the notion that both intuition and heart energy could be of help to resolve issues and challenges. However, the language spoken in this realm appeared to be built on symbols and images, combined with sounds and scents, going back to archaic brain patterns, archetypal phenomena and the unconscious. An abyss...?

It was the literal use of images that helped me open the door to the intuitive world within me: Tarot cards. As I was taught, I used them only in exceptional situations when I felt stuck in my head. In the twenty years that have passed, I experienced that out of 78 hidden cards in front of me, I intuitively picked the ones that helped me to make progress with the topic or question at hand. Out of interest, I used a journal to document the exact Tarot cards I had first placed in certain positions before uncovering them, always following the same structure. Over time, I saw cards representing my topics shift position until they ended up in the spot which stands for the past. It was thrilling to see my rational thinking being backed up by a wisdom which follows intuitive patterns and unintentional processes.

Focus on solutions, not problems

Admittedly, I still worried at times and anticipated all thinkable scenarios, arming me for whatever situation to arise. Fortunately, my intuition became strong enough to guide me to an approach following Steve de Shazer and Milton Erickson which would deeply affect me: Solution-oriented coaching. It applies systemic theory and a constructivist model while acknowledging and activating personal resources in a holistic way.

Built on our thoughts and senses, we constantly construct an image of the world around us while creating the path ahead of us. Everything we perceive is filtered through our neuronal system and interpreted on the base of our cognitive patterns. This process tends to prefer everything that confirms our previous construction of the world. Therefore, what we call reality is inherently subjective.

Gaining choice by switching the filter

We can turn this neurophysiological fact into a strength: Observe the filter you apply to things that happen to you and around you. Do you tend to anticipate rather worst case scenarios, threats and negative outcomes? What happens if you choose to change your perception filter to a brighter color? What if you begin to construct your world in a nurturing way, focusing on benefits and solutions that support you?

I discovered that the impact of this choice can be liberating. It takes some training to switch filters and play with the effects. Myself and many others who were coached this way have experienced the immediate effects and benefits of it, with stunning results.

So at a given time, you may deliberately jump from that rope so you can spread your wings and fly.

Get in touch and share how you want your story to progress...

Seasonal insights

Sat, 15 Dec 2018 13:21:46 GMT

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a good start into a prosperous, healthy and happy New Year 2019!

The time is NOW to show up and shine

183:741374357 (Sandra Schmoldt) — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 16:46:03 GMT

I tend to be rather reluctant when it comes to putting myself into the spotlight so this is quite a challenge for me. But in the end, transformation is about mastering challenges. So here it goes:

As long as I can think, I was seeking for the big answers in life. Many years had passed until I had a notion of what my true purpose might be - let alone the unique gifts I may be able to share. One thing I can say is I always had the courage to immerse myself into life changing experiences.

Living a year in the US at the age of 17, founding a communications agency in my mid-twenties, moving into a corporate role and another country (Switzerland at the time), growing as a leader, choosing to move to the Netherlands and start all over... However, I also had to painfully learn I could not flee from my inner battle of feeling utterly lost at times - regardless to what heights my international career and professional development had taken me. Quite a number of dark nights without hope turned me into a seeker: For an inner equilibrium that would allow me to walk my path and show up holistically as the creator of my life - with all consequences. Thanks to the many twists and turns on that path, I had plenty of chances to train, connecting with my mind, heart, body and soul. Over time, I felt I was transforming into a change catalyst for people around me, inviting them to catch a glimpse of their potential to thrive. When my corporate career came to an end this year, it felt like a liberation. And yet a challenge for me to NOW show up and SHINE.

I'd love to hear something amazing about you in the comments below! Because I want you to know that no matter what is going on in the business world that there are people who will celebrate and acknowledge you when you have the courage to shine brightly.

This is why I became a Transformation Coach and the founder of my own company, EQUILIDO Transformation Support . Because I LOVE asking powerful questions to my clients, and see their unique knowing unfold in the space I create for them to let that happen. Space for their visionary answers and unique resources to take action and thrive.

I'm feeling called to help a whole wave of people. Will you hold this vision for me?

I'm offering free online EXPLORE EQUILIDO sneak sessions as my gift to you. I have room in my schedule for 5 sessions, so if you know someone who appears to be wanting to transform into a better version of themselves, their life, their project, or role - whatever it may be - will you share this post with them?

Thank you!

EQUILIDO TO GO - reflections on the move

Sat, 01 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

I have decided to take the plunge and add a blog to my site. I always wanted an easy way to share thoughts and transformational experiences from my practice with people who are not standing still. Seekers who are curious to invent their future, creating change to the better as they keep moving. This is why I call my blog EQUILIDO TO GO! Thank you for letting me be part of your journey and keep coming back to my site for updates right here on the blog.

Kind regards,
Sandra