Hello and Good Morning. Every morning when I log onto my Blogger Dashboard to check if any comments have come in overnight, I usually find the odd spammer has been able to sneak into the 'Awaiting Moderation', list. At first glance they appear to be my best friend, they are hoping that I will not notice their comment squeezed in between the genuine blog readers. The foreign spammers are easy to spot by their broken English, and always sign as Anonymous. Their comments are usually rambling gobbldygook. These mainly go into the Spammer Box anyway, so one zap gets rid of those.
But there is a new breed, they have a Google profile which gives the impression that they are genuine fans of the blog, so they are able to hide behind that. If any of these come in and I don't recognize the name, I always click on it, which is often a link to their Google page or web site. I then make my judgement as to whether to allow it or not. If there is no sign of adverts and it appears to be a legitimate reader, I look for buzz words or phrases in the main text of the comment which look odd, and put them into Google search. Quite often it will come up with a web site which is promoting either goods or services for sale. Ha, gotcha, they are trying it on, advertising by the back door. You ain't coming in here matey.
I get requests for link swaps, from people who want to promote their blog or web site. Any requests are denied. I will publish a link only if it is relevant to the post I am writing and will provide additional information to the subject matter. The blog links I have on my sidebar are my own personal choice. If any of them have a few adverts but the content is interesting I will allow it. Any blogs with excessive advertising are a turn off for me.
Anyway, I digress. I zapped a spammy comment this morning, from a Life Coach. If you Google Life Coach you will find they are quite secretive about their fees, a course of sessions could set you back a few hundred pounds.
I've had this leaflet for a few years now. All looks interesting to me, have a read. Would you sign up to this Life Coach? A ten week course perhaps to help you get the most from your life? Would it be worth spending the money?
I don't know everything, I learnt as I went along, picked things up, watched, listened, and took it all in. I'm still learning. Which is exactly what you are doing now. Sometimes the path through life is not always straight forward, you have to look to the sides. Sometimes you go through a fog, sometimes a storm, you need to find your own way back into the sunshine.
You have the answers, not me, or any other life coach. If you need help read library books, read web sites, go to support groups, friendship groups, talk to your family, and talk to your best friends.
I'm off to take the dog out. Thanks for popping in on this cold but dry Sunday.
Toodle pip
PS, I never did Life Coaching. It was something I thought about and after much research I decided that it wasn't for me.
What a wonderful phrase "you need to find your own way back into the sunshine"! Says it all - thank you. Natalie
ReplyDeleteIn a way it' s a pity you don't do Life Coaching as you have had a full life and learnt a lot from it.
ReplyDeleteIIona you are such an inspiration with all your comments, and life skills. I enjoy following your blog as you write how you feel and are totally honest with everyone who reads it...so thankyou. sue x
ReplyDeleteI just get concerned about the range of alternative therapies out there that are costing people a lot of money. Years ago I went to see a hypnotist - he lived quite locally - but he was well known at the time; on TV and doing regressions. I didn't want to take BP tablets - he said he could lower it (of course he couldn't because mine was related to the hormone function in failing kidneys).
ReplyDeleteHe had a suit of armour in the hall and a lounge containing about four elderly ladies who constantly changed the TV channels - a sideline in caring?
He looked a bit like catweasel and the walls were covered in newspaper cuttings of him and the rich and famous.
Whilst 'under'... Mmmm... I listened to him slurping his coffee, his stomach rumbling - and workmen out in the street. I went about four times and had a devil of a job getting my money back for the rest of the course.
Currently, someone I know is seeing a kinseologist - almost £80 for first consultation and £50 per 55 minutes thereafter. She has been going for months now. She thinks it makes her feel better - and perhaps it does - but now she is scared to stop going.
Some therapies are actually available in hospitals. My husband had every anaesthetic possible to try and stop his gagging reflux whilst having back teeth dealt with - he still gagged, although he often couldn't remember the attempts due to the drugs. Eventually he was treated at Guy's dental unit using Acupuncture and gas.
Ilona is right - a dollop of common sense and a read of her blog does wonders
You are Common sense personified. JanF
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! At the end of the day, it's up to you to choose happiness, and only you can sort your own life out.
ReplyDeletePeople look to outside influences to make themselves feel better, when all they have to do is live a simple life, sit quietly....and breathe. Works for me lol
glad to hear it was dry for you - it isnt here. still I did go out and cycle a short distance. I was nearly blown off twice though but I have cycled every day this year. thank for your ever buoyant outlook on life.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Gillie, well done. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteStarted raining here again too; rivers and roads still flooding. We've been so lucky that our home hasn't been affected. My thoughts go out to all those who have suffered this week, some for the second time in a week.
ReplyDeleteI also click on google profiles to check out suspicious comments. Like you I had a life coaching comment left for one of my recent blog postings and I also declined it. It was probably the same one. I'm not easily taken in by a lot of the alternative therapies out there, but I'm glad I gave my chiropractor a chance because her treatment has made such a difference to my dodgy hip and my mobility. Yes, I have to pay, but the doctor only offered pain medication and regular prescriptions would have cost me almost as much as going to see her once every couple of months. As for life coaching...well, around here you can see a counsellor for 6 weeks for free on the NHS and basically they do the same job, trying to assist you in seeing what's not working in your life and to help you help yourself to make things better.
ReplyDeleteHi."You have the answers not me or any life coach"So very reasonable and honest,Ilona.Any life changes,goals,inner work can only be done by the person themselves.Guidance and a helping hand may be needed sometimes in certain situations in the ways you mention above.It is sad to see friends, family,and anyone spend earned money on what I think they could do for themselves if they put in the time,effort and commitment. From life coaches,personal trainers,financial planners,personal shoppers,psychics on and on.Pretty soon,with the way things are going in the "consulting" industry,people will be paying people for many things that they can do for themselves because they doubt they can manage it on their own.Just a disconnect and strange.Example:a family member is struggling with unemployment and debt.She is going to a psychic.She can't afford to do that but will put it on credit and dig herself deeper under the illusion that it may help her.There is no quick fix to such issues obviously.Facing reality and getting on to dealing rationally and practically with problems would benefit her much more than spending money on such nonsense will,imo.Each to their own,yes but common sense is sorely lacking here.Big sigh!Best wishes and cheering from this sideline to all you walkers/movers out there taking part!Bye for now,D.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if we got the support and guidance we need from our school counselors, family and friends, we would not need to turn to these "coaches" to sort out our lives. It is when folks are hurting and desperate that they turn to these coaches for help and get suckered into paying large sums of money to do what they could have done themselves if they had the self-confidence. No one else can tell you what is best for you, but YOU.
ReplyDeleteVery chilly here today but we had bright sun so was able to get out a bit...You are right. I find that getting outside clears my head. Thanks for your words.
ReplyDeleteYou would make a wonder life coach. But being a life coach now means something very different. Yootube is full of life coaches, and to be fair they are just making a living like the rest of us, but I wonder..don't they play on our vulnerabilities a bit too much for comfort? Debbie.
ReplyDeleteI had some free life coaching from the site Coachmefree.com. It was helpful. What I have discovered though from the experience of the person that coached me and another that went down the same career route was that it's quite a difficult business to break into and make enough money for it to be a standalone job! x
ReplyDeleteThis makes me think of all the times I have thought that some of these so-called experts are really raking in the money by getting people to buy their books about what ever they claim to have expertise in. One of my favourites was a woman fairly well known for her "extensive financial expertise." Supposedly she started out as a waitress and eventually got a job with a large financial management firm, and earned a fortune. Now she tells others how to do the same. Mostly she talks about paying down debt (which is good) and how to invest (a very subjective topic). She was supposed to be the authority on money and money management. Then came the big economic down turn in the economy in 2008. Shortly afterward, she was on T.V. and all the talk shows again, telling people about how to manage the new economic reality. I watched out of curiosity and guess what? Her new advice was hilarious. She told people to forget all that she told us before (as in "the year before") and instead, buy her NEW series of books which gave new advice for the new reality of the changing economy. Well I guess that she had her plans for keeping financially afloat...sell new advice. I wondered why her old advice hadn't worked, and if it did, why did it now need to be replaced? Hilarious! Mary Jane in Canada.
ReplyDeleteFighting my way back into the sunshine right now, I love that saying -thank you x
ReplyDeleteALERT********BULLSHIT COMMENT******SPAMMER
ReplyDeleteI will love to share my testimony to all the people in the forum cos i never thought i will have my boyfriend back and he means so much to me..The boy i want to get marry to left me 4 weeks to our wedding for another woman..,When i called him he never picked my calls,he deleted me on him facebook and he changed him facebook status from married to Single...when i went to he to him place of work he told him boss he never want to see me..I lost my job as a result of this cos i cant get myself anymore,my life was upside down and everything did not go smooth with my life...I tried all i could do to have him back to all did not work out until i met a Man when i Travel to Africa to execute some business have been developing some years back..I told him my problem and all have passed through in getting him back and how i lost my job...he told me he gonna help me...i don't believe that in the first place.but he swore he will help me out and he told me the reason why my boyfriend left me and also told me some hidden secrets.i was amazed when i heard that from him..he said he will cast a spell for me and i will see the results in the next 7 days..then i travel back to US the following day and i called him when i got home and he said he's busy casting those spells and he has bought all the materials needed for the spells,he said am gonna see positive results in the next 7 days...My boyfriend called me at exactly 12:35pm on Thursday and apologies for all he had done ..he said,he never knew what he's doing and him sudden behavior was not intentional and he promised not to do that again.it was like am dreaming when i heard that from him and when we ended the call,i called the man and told him my man called, and he said i haven't seen anything yet... he said i will also get my job back in 3 days time..and when its Sunday,they called me at my place of work that i should resume working on Monday and they gonna compensate me for the time limit have spent at home without working..My life is back into shape,i have my boyfriend back and we are happily married now with kids and i have my job back too.This man is really powerful..if we have up to 20 people like him in the world,the world would have been a better place..he has also helped many of my friends to solve many problems and they are all happy now..Am posting this to the forum for anybody that is interested in meeting the man for help.you can mail him to *****************I cant give out his number cos he told me he don't want to be disturbed by many people across the world..he said his email is okay and he' will replied to any emails asap**************hope he helped u out too
omg who are these people!! defo a B..S... commenter x
DeleteThere it is in all it's reeking glory...my B.S. meter reading has just skyrocketed.Just crazy,bye for now,D.
DeleteYou are your own best life coach and shouldn`t need help from anyone else. Anyone that charges for their advice should be seen as a money grabbing monster, not actually interested in furthering your knowledge. Best advice ever is to stay clear from such folk and follow your own instincts.
ReplyDeleteProbably someone in Nigeria....... I used to get these all the time... and fortune telling... They just make me laugh... Love your blog.. I am a very frugal 62 year old too...
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI can certainly understand what you are saying, but would like to give you my perspective as well.
I have started studying coaching myself, and the reason to do that is certainly not to make money from people, because I would never get paid as a Life Coach as I am paid in my current job. The reason why Life Coaches do what they do is, in almost all cases that I've known, a genuine desire to help people.
There is also a lot of confusion about what coaching is. Coaching is not therapy, it is not counseling, and all the other terms I've seen here.
Coaches do believe, like you say, that people know for themselves what is best for them. But in order to help people find out, they use scientifically proven techniques, always backed by research. So please don't compare coaches to hypnotists or homeopathists or whatever.
Another thing to keep in mind is that coaches help people who are normal and healthy, not people who have problems. They will refer people with psychological problems for example to a medical doctor.
Another point about coaches is tat they don't nromally give advise. They just help the client to figure out by himself what he needs.
Compare it to sports. Suppose you want to start running. Sure, you can do it by yourself. But what if you wanted to get into the olympics? You would certainly want to have professional help. If you accept that, then you should also accept that people who want to do other extraordinary things in their life could use professional help.
One problem with life coaches is that everyone can call himself a Life Coach, like you are adequately stating. The coaching profession is not legally protected, like many other professions. This is something that most coaches would like to see changed, and I don't believe that this will still be the case 10 years from now. So correct, today you can also say that because of your life experience, you can function as a life coach, even without having the scientific background that is needed or doing any exams (but you could not get certified).
So, why not just take a free life coaching session, and see for yourself what it is really about? I'm sure that you would change your mind if you did just that.