Conversations that can transform your life

One of the most masterful life coaches in North America was a guest on the first episode of my show Finding Your Bliss. Darlene Chrissley illuminated the program with her wisdom and her ability to help people connect to the power and possibility within.

She created an intention to write a book and have it finished by June, and that’s what she did. The book is called Conversations for Power and Possibility: Four Simple Conversations to Transform Your Life and Change the World (BPS Books). It shows what can happen when we create a powerful intention and turn our lives around in a way that is elevating, uplifting and very possible. And we all can do it! That’s the most incredible message in this book.

Chrissley writes, “This is a hopeful book, a book about finding new sources of power when you feel powerless and new possibilities when you feel boxed in.”

How exciting and motivating to know that all we need to do to begin is simply to ask ourselves these questions: “What do I want? And what don’t I want?”

Chrissley introduces us to four conversations that can change your life for the better. They are: “What’s bugging me? What can I control? What’s the bigger picture? And finally, what keeps me strong and centred?”

Chrissley talks about how she transformed her downward spiral at a time when work was scarce by joining some fellow coaches at the Adler International Learning in Toronto and brainstorming with them about how they could make a difference in the world.  They came up with the idea to team up with five Starbucks locations in Toronto to host Coffee House: Conversations for Power and Possibility. Members of the public responded to an invitation in the International Coaching Federation-GTA newsletter and were able to experience 30 minutes of coaching for only $5.

Chrissley says in her book, “The response was overwhelming. More than 70 Toronto-area coaches came forward to help,” and it was not only community building. Along with raising money for charity, they got press, raised their profiles as coaches and lifted their spirits, and the idea was picked up by others and similar events were held worldwide.

When you feel that downward spiral, Chrissley suggests that by engaging in one of the four conversations, you will be able to happily move forward.

Chrissley says, “You are more powerful than you know. The trick is to avoid being pulled into the downward spiral of bad news, negative people, and one thing after another… To stay focused on what you want, open yourself to hidden possibilities for action and connect to a reservoir of personal power.”

One of my favourite chapters is about what keeps you strong and centred. In it, Chrissley poses the questions: “What do I love? What are my strengths and resources? What keeps me strong and centred?”

A sought-after coach, Chrissley has used this technique to help move people beyond, “What’s wrong” and “How can we fix it?” to “What’s possible here?”

In changing the conversation, we don’t only change ourselves; we can also change the world. Chrissley is doing that beautifully every day, and this transformative book reminds us of the power and possibility that we all possess.

Judy Siblin-Librach is an Adler-trained coach. She can be reached at her website www.findingyourbliss.com or you can tune into Finding Your Bliss, Wednesdays nights at 7 p.m. on Rogers TV Cable, 10/63 in Toronto/Scarborough.