Trust yourself

12 young people, two beautiful people by my side, miles of outdoor walking with heavy backpacks on, army food from aluminium bags, lots of fun and not so fun challenges. The programme I am being a team coach in is intense, being back home for the weekend I could only rest, rest and rest. My body is hurting and yet, it is worth it and I am truly energised from the inside!

I feel alive, because I get to do what I love: I get to be outdoors, I get to sing, I get to dance, I get to lead a group of fantastic and unique people and I get to help their unique qualities shine.

What does it take to do this? Patience, trust, assertiveness, believing in my strength and in every other person's humanness and whole being, deep breathing, humour, asking for help.

Trust and patience - I was tested during this week. You might not be surprised that young people are not always happy doing what you tell them to do. At one point I remember being close to tears. Not because I was physically hurt, but I felt rejected and I began to doubt myself. If this person is trying too wind me up, treating me with disrespect, I am probably not worth it, I deserve being treated like this, I want to run away, send someone else to sort it for me...

Deep breath up, deep exhale down, relax the muscles, becoming aware of the world around me again and slowly I gain access to my inner strength once more, my mind is no longer swamped with critical voices anihilating myself, I can make sense of it to a certain extend. I can invite other voices in that appreciate, that I am putting myself on the line in this job, that I am doing great in being patient and not lashing back and that it seems time to stop swallowing, move into action and set my boundaries in a conversation.

Conversation held, tides tamed, and I know they will start rising again, but I can trust myself.

I think trust is where it has to begin, if you don't trust, things are unsettled. Imagine if gravity was failing and we would all wobble walk and fall, trust is the gravity on your planet.
How can one build trust? Is a question I am gonna take away with me, but here are a few tips I'd like to share now:

1. Get curious: Where do I trust myself and other people? Where is there mistrust/where do I wobble? 
2. Acknowledge: When I am trusting, what is possible? E.g. I can let go, I can relax into what I am doing, I can ask for what I need.
3. Practice: Breath deeply, up from the earth along your spine past the top of your head into the sky, down along the axi softening your front rooting yourself on and in the ground. Notice the space around you, to your left, your right, above you, below you and inside you. Notice how gravity holds you and the centrifugal forces of our planet help you stay upright. Invite trust, and notice how your body responds to it. 

What are your ideas on trusting more? Any tips and tricks? Leave me a comment below!

Summer Challenge

The amount of sun shine in the UK is telling a different story, but in reality we are in the middle of summer and my summer always tends to have two elements: some version of a holiday and some reflection time. Reflection time in summer? You might think that's what you do at the turning of the years and that is exactly what it is, I am turning a year older :) Not a drama, but always a good reason to check in with myself.And holiday, yes, Germany you'll have me soon.

Double excitement! Serving young people's growth.

This summer has an exciting challenge in sore for me. I'll be out of office for the next three weeks to be a team coach in Future Foundation's National Citizen Service Programme. Where I'll have the honour to team lead a group of 16 year olds while they "Stand out this summer!" I won't be alone I'll have a couple of helpers by my side and yet, I have respect for this task.
The first week will be a survival week outdoors, so what if I have spoiled kids who hate it... Deep breath Laura, you might have a group of kids who love it. after week two it is all about them finding their strengths and what they want to do in life and with their summer time, because it is community project time. In week three the young people plan out the 30 hours community project time. Promises to be tiring and awesome a the same time.

I'll keep you posted, how I am getting on.

Hm, that is actually the real challenge for my summer. I love leading groups and I am truly thrilled to go. It will be a challenge, but one I can achieve.
So what's more challenging is to keep you posted and to do it with a similar thrill. I've already written a blogpost on failing to write blogposts, I can't pull that one again.
So herewith, I commit publicly: I will tell you about my summer, once a week, every week until I am back from Germany end of August. And I'll experiment with fun ways to do so!
Why am I doing this? For the purpose of making my voice heard, creating valuable content by sharing my learning with you and receiving yours in the comments. To make this a habit by practicing or if I don't find the flow by the end of it, to find other ways to connect with you lovely peeps out there. A conscious summer, that rings and resonantes with my heart. A SMART goal and challenge for my summer (Specific, Measurable, You hold my Accountability, Resonant and Thrilling)

Do you have a summer challenge? Let me hear it in the comments! Why not make it smart.