Category Archives: coach

Staying in the Present

Thoughts from Grant Coach, MaryEllen Bergh, on staying in the present:
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift; that is why they call it the present.” Eleanor Roosevelt.

I have been told quite frequently that the universe continues to put things in front of us until we master them. Being in the present moment is clearly something that I have to work on as that concept is quite often put in my path. I might find myself waking up in the middle of the night thinking “I should have done this…I should have done that…” on a grant that was just submitted (worrying about something that is past!) or plop myself right into the future about a recent proposal with a “What if the committee takes too long in review and we have to maintain the timeline?”…”What if we bid too high?…or too low?” (worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet!). When I catch myself wandering off with these thoughts, I take a few deep breaths and acknowledge that the present is perfect and express gratitude for the opportunity to write that grant or submit that proposal.

Being present protects us from being completely consumed by worry. It’s hard to worry when you are looking at all the amazing things surrounding you in the right here and the right now (key word: amazing). When we are fully present we may find a new discovery or a novel way to describe a concept – one that may have been hidden by past or future thoughts. In the present we can get some clarity around our work because we have the freedom to focus…and we get to choose. There is no choice in the past or the future.

You’ll find more wisdom from the Grant Coach in the Coach’s Corner area of the GrantGoddess.com member section.

Staying in the Present

Thoughts from Grant Coach, MaryEllen Bergh, on staying in the present:
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift; that is why they call it the present.” Eleanor Roosevelt.

I have been told quite frequently that the universe continues to put things in front of us until we master them. Being in the present moment is clearly something that I have to work on as that concept is quite often put in my path. I might find myself waking up in the middle of the night thinking “I should have done this…I should have done that…” on a grant that was just submitted (worrying about something that is past!) or plop myself right into the future about a recent proposal with a “What if the committee takes too long in review and we have to maintain the timeline?”…”What if we bid too high?…or too low?” (worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet!). When I catch myself wandering off with these thoughts, I take a few deep breaths and acknowledge that the present is perfect and express gratitude for the opportunity to write that grant or submit that proposal.

Being present protects us from being completely consumed by worry. It’s hard to worry when you are looking at all the amazing things surrounding you in the right here and the right now (key word: amazing). When we are fully present we may find a new discovery or a novel way to describe a concept – one that may have been hidden by past or future thoughts. In the present we can get some clarity around our work because we have the freedom to focus…and we get to choose. There is no choice in the past or the future.

You’ll find more wisdom from the Grant Coach in the Coach’s Corner area of the GrantGoddess.com member section.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Try a Change of Perspective

When faced with writer’s block or any challenge that gets us stuck, our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh, always has some suggestions for getting un-stuck. One of her suggestions focuses on changing perspective. Here’s what she has to say:

Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective. Try these 3 things to see things with new eyes:

1) Change your routines. It will very quickly open you to new perspectives. This can be as simple as changing the hand with which you hold your telephone or getting up on the opposite side of the bed.

2) Change your scenery. Take a few minutes to clean off your desk or bring in some fresh flowers.

3) Visualize yourself in someone else’s shoes. Step into the character of a mentor or someone you admire and see things for a moment through their eyes.

Become a member of grantgoddess.com to get more from the coach!

Try a Change of Perspective

When faced with writer’s block or any challenge that gets us stuck, our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh, always has some suggestions for getting un-stuck. One of her suggestions focuses on changing perspective. Here’s what she has to say:

Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective. Try these 3 things to see things with new eyes:

1) Change your routines. It will very quickly open you to new perspectives. This can be as simple as changing the hand with which you hold your telephone or getting up on the opposite side of the bed.

2) Change your scenery. Take a few minutes to clean off your desk or bring in some fresh flowers.

3) Visualize yourself in someone else’s shoes. Step into the character of a mentor or someone you admire and see things for a moment through their eyes.

Become a member of grantgoddess.com to get more from the coach!

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Nonverbal Communication Makes the Difference!

Some thoughts on communication from our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh:

Good communication skills can help you in both your personal and professional life. While verbal and written communication skills are important, research has shown that nonverbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication.

According to Albert Mehrabian’s research, 7% of what we communicate to others is the result of the words we say or the context of the communication; 38% of our communication to others is a result of verbal behavior which includes tone of voice, timbre, tempo and volume; 55% of our communication to others is a result of our nonverbal communication – our body posture, breathing, eye contact, facial expressions, and movement. The value of Mehrabian research relates to communications where emotional content is significant, and the need to understand it properly is high. This is often applicable in management and business, where motivation and attitude have a crucial effect on outcomes.

Try these three ways to improve communication:

1) Be aware of non verbal signals.Pay attention to body movements, gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These signals send important information not carried in the words said.
2) Pay attention if the words and nonverbal behaviors do not match. Research has shown that when words fail to match up with nonverbal signals, people tend to ignore what has been said and focus on nonverbal expressions of moods, thoughts, and emotions. For example, someone might tell you they are happy while frowning and staring at the ground. You are not likely to believe what was said!
3) Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you are confused by the words and signals.

Want more information and wisdom from the coach?  Become a member of grantgoddess.com!

Nonverbal Communication Makes the Difference!

Some thoughts on communication from our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh:

Good communication skills can help you in both your personal and professional life. While verbal and written communication skills are important, research has shown that nonverbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication.

According to Albert Mehrabian’s research, 7% of what we communicate to others is the result of the words we say or the context of the communication; 38% of our communication to others is a result of verbal behavior which includes tone of voice, timbre, tempo and volume; 55% of our communication to others is a result of our nonverbal communication – our body posture, breathing, eye contact, facial expressions, and movement. The value of Mehrabian research relates to communications where emotional content is significant, and the need to understand it properly is high. This is often applicable in management and business, where motivation and attitude have a crucial effect on outcomes.

Try these three ways to improve communication:

1) Be aware of non verbal signals.Pay attention to body movements, gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These signals send important information not carried in the words said.
2) Pay attention if the words and nonverbal behaviors do not match. Research has shown that when words fail to match up with nonverbal signals, people tend to ignore what has been said and focus on nonverbal expressions of moods, thoughts, and emotions. For example, someone might tell you they are happy while frowning and staring at the ground. You are not likely to believe what was said!
3) Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you are confused by the words and signals.

Want more information and wisdom from the coach?  Become a member of grantgoddess.com!

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

Some Thoughts on Change from the Grant Coach

“Just because we cannot see clearly the end of the road, that is no reason for not setting out on the essential journey. On the contrary, great change dominates the world and unless we move with change we will become its victims.”  (John F. Kennedy)

Try these 3 ways to embrace change:

1)      Be open to new experiences.

2)      Look for a way to use your words that lead to a more positive outlook on change. Instead of saying “if we don’t make these changes, we’ll be unable to compete in the new market,” try “when we make these changes, no competitor will be able to touch us.”

3)      Minimize the fear of change by limiting the routines in your daily life. The more routines you have, the harder it is to make grasp opportunities for change.
For more wisdom from our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh, become a member at grantgoddess.com.

Some Thoughts on Change from the Grant Coach

“Just because we cannot see clearly the end of the road, that is no reason for not setting out on the essential journey. On the contrary, great change dominates the world and unless we move with change we will become its victims.”  (John F. Kennedy)

Try these 3 ways to embrace change:

1)      Be open to new experiences.

2)      Look for a way to use your words that lead to a more positive outlook on change. Instead of saying “if we don’t make these changes, we’ll be unable to compete in the new market,” try “when we make these changes, no competitor will be able to touch us.”

3)      Minimize the fear of change by limiting the routines in your daily life. The more routines you have, the harder it is to make grasp opportunities for change.

For more wisdom from our certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh, become a member at grantgoddess.com.

Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com

A Few Words from the Coach About Focus

The Coach’s Corner section of the grantgoddess.com member site is full of inspiration and wisdom from certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh. She’ll also be sharing some of it here for everyone. If you want more, learn about becoming a member.

For now, here’s what the Grant Coach has to say about Focus:

In the movie “UP”, a pack of dogs are viciously approaching our heroes – teeth bared, eyes   focused and fixed on their goal. All of a sudden, there’s a shout, “Squirrel!” The dogs suddenly lose sight of our heroes and run excitedly in all directions, falling upon one another in their frenzy to find the squirrel.

How do you discriminate between distractions that contribute to your creative process or those that have you chasing squirrels?

Try these 3 ways to stay focused:

1)      Eliminate distractions. Turn off the phone, close the door, close email, stay away from squirrels.
2)      Quickly picture what you want to achieve. Stay with it for a couple of minutes to truly experience the feeling. The start your writing or other project.
3)      Take a short walk. Before you return, think of two things that you want to accomplish when you return.

A Few Words from the Coach About Focus

The Coach’s Corner section of the grantgoddess.com member site is full of inspiration and wisdom from certified coach, MaryEllen Bergh. She’ll also be sharing some of it here for everyone. If you want more, learn about becoming a member.

For now, here’s what the Grant Coach has to say about Focus:

In the movie “UP”, a pack of dogs are viciously approaching our heroes – teeth bared, eyes   focused and fixed on their goal. All of a sudden, there’s a shout, “Squirrel!” The dogs suddenly lose sight of our heroes and run excitedly in all directions, falling upon one another in their frenzy to find the squirrel.

How do you discriminate between distractions that contribute to your creative process or those that have you chasing squirrels?

Try these 3 ways to stay focused:

1)      Eliminate distractions. Turn off the phone, close the door, close email, stay away from squirrels.
2)      Quickly picture what you want to achieve. Stay with it for a couple of minutes to truly experience the feeling. The start your writing or other project.
3)      Take a short walk. Before you return, think of two things that you want to accomplish when you return.
Published by Creative Resources & Research http://grantgoddess.com