Well, today is an auspicious day for me--today marks the birth of my very first blog! Happy Birthday! I have been wondering about and contemplating a blog for sometime and for whatever reason--today felt like a great day to step out of, as Prochascka would say, the contemplation stage and into action. So, here goes! I want to take a minute or two to introduce myself to those who are reading this--I am a psychologist and life coach in San Antonio, TX (see my website www.drkimlifecoach.com). My family and I moved here from the Bay Area ("Go Bears") nearly 10 years ago and I have worked as a child and adolescent psychologist for 7 years and life coach for the past 2 years. I am a newbie in terms of comprehension of blogging, computer lingo, etc., but I am an avid learner and I am open to expanding my personal awareness about the latest happenings in cyberspace!

This blogging concept is such an amazing one for me--it boggles my mind that this is sent out to the googlesphere and you are reading my thoughts and ideas right now! I plan to use this forum of blogging as a way to inform others about coaching and how it can help folks clarify their life goals and move toward achieving the life they desire. So many times people get caught up in the day to day grind of moving through life in an unconscious manner, day in and day out. Who wants to look back at their life when they are 80 with regrets for the time lost and opportunities missed? Coaching helps people shift their minds into conscious thought and planning their life. I help people identify their dreams and then guide and cheer them on their way to realizing those dreams and becoming more satisfied with their lives.

Moving from a strict psychotherapy model to incorporating coaching into my own life has helped me move my life beyond the day to day unconscious thinking mode into looking forward to each day as an opportunity for personal growth and fulfillment. I feel I have grown and been stretched as an individual by what I have learned as a coach as well as by what my clients have taught me about stretching beyond one's comfort zone. Since hiring my own fantastic coach two years ago I have: started my own business, addressed my own fears of public speaking by appearing on radio and local tv talking about, you guessed it, coaching, am co-authoring a manaul on coaching/fitness/weight loss to be released in December, in the process of developing my own inspirational merchandise line for coaches and clients (more info to come as the date approaches!), confronted my fear of horses by taking up riding 2 months ago (yesterday I attempted the posting-trot without stirrups--OUCH!), immersing myself in self-development books and cds and in general, living a more vibrant life! Think about what coaching can do for you!

Okay, enough of my little infomercial for today. Here's some of my favorite books on creating the life you desire:

"Wishcraft" and "Live the Life You Love" by Barbara Sher
"The Success Principles" by Jack Canfield
"The Power of Intention" by Wayne Dyer

Please feel free to drop me a post or email with your comments or questions. Have a wonderful day making conscious choices!

Kimberly Smith-Martinez, Ph.D.
Career and Life Transitions Coach

--Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
--Goethe