A N EXT ACT C OAC H I N G WO R K B O O K
ONWARD
IM AG E C O URT E SY @U N S P LAS H
A little reflection guide to ease you into 2021
#onward2021
2020. A total cluster? —
How has your year been? Everything go to plan? Obviously, we had no idea what was coming. 2020 will define a time in the world when no-one really had much control. There have been tangible losses such as the loss of income, productivity, structure and human connection. But also, the quiet unravelling of future dreams. We’re hardwired for making plans and many of us had big goals for 2020 - goals that we had to put on ice or abandon entirely. Instead, we’ve had to navigate fear and change, a truck load of worry, negative information overload, the perils of unstructured time, decision paralysis, Zoom-fatigue and all the attending mental exhaustion that has overwhelmed so many of us. No shock then that 2020 has been universally written off as the most shit-year-ever.
BUT during a crisis, everything is amplified both difficulty AND opportunity. While it might be too soon process the enormity of it all, here’s a question to consider:
Has 2020 been a total loss? Is there a sliver of opportunity that comes with a disruptor of this magnitude? Covid has stopped us in our tracks, but it’s also given us time to make changes that might not have happened otherwise - discover things about ourselves we either didn’t know or had buried and shown us that we’re stronger than we may have ever imagined. 2020 has been like truth serum. Or an unflinchingly honest friend that tells you how it is, whether you like it or not. As we head towards the final stages of this cluster of a year, here’s a guide to help you move Onward.
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But first... —
Give yourself permission to grieve the ‘old normal’ It’s very human to miss what was ‘normal’, so experiencing a sense of loss and all the feelings that come with that – sadness, anger, frustration, regret is to be expected. Ironically the old normal might have been anything but - working 12 hours, blurred boundaries between work and ‘life’, feeling completely exhausted. It’s easy to glorify those days from the rear-view mirror of Covid.
Uncertainty is normal Even in regular times, life throws unexpected curveballs our way. Plans change, goals have to be adjusted. Shit happens. Life is always uncertain and unpredictable, even though 2020 might have created the illusion that you previously had certainty and direction that no longer applies.
Focus on what you can control We humans expend a lot of energy trying to fix or influence things that we cannot control. It’s exhausting. Try focusing on what you CAN control – your thoughts, actions, words, behaviour, habits. How can you manage your mind and expectations around the validity of your ideas for the future? Can you look at this period of time and ask yourself, “what now?”, “what’s realistic for me?”. Know that the answers to those questions will be different for us all (no comparing!). This shift to acceptance takes practice but is useful in helping us look for what’s possible, rather than mourn lost opportunities.
What are things you CAN change? What are things you CAN’T change? Remind yourself of your strengths Without even realising it, many of us have leveraged our personal advantages, our natural abilities of thought, feeling and behaving to get through shaky time. What personal strengths have you leaned on to get through this year? Courage, Determination, Compassion, Flexibility, Communication, Connector? The great thing about our strengths is that they’re always with us - in regular times or otherwise. (Click here to do the free Character Strengths profile at VIA Character Institute. It’s a great insight into what makes us tick as individuals and why we’re drawn to the people we’re drawn to, and the work that we do.)
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But first... —
Make fewer assumptions Will next year be better? Maybe. Or maybe not. This isn’t about predictions or abandoning hope for a brighter future but having a flexible mindset about what lies ahead and a willingness to adapt to circumstances as they change.
Set goals I hear you thinking ‘Seriously. What’s the point?’. Small, short term goals can help lay out a roadmap for next steps. Achieving even the tiniest goal has a positive impact on our wellbeing. If a goal seems impossible, think of it like this:
What’s the smallest change I can make that will have the greatest impact on my life? I hope this little reflection guide helps you get clear on what you’ve discovered about yourself in 2020 and what possibilities might lie ahead. What do you want to leave behind you? And what do you want to take forward as you move Onward? With love, Coach Viv XO
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Look back to look forward —
What did you learn about yourself in 2020??
What were your biggest challenges and what does this tell you that you need moving forward?
What positive changes did you make that you’d like to carry forward beyond 2020?
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Look back to look forward —
What do you need to unlearn in order to be ready to start fresh in 2021? Consider things like time-sucking behaviours and poor self-care as well as your emotional and mental mindsets.
What personal strengths did you lean on to get through 2020?
What is your COVID-19 legacy? What positive changes have you made that will outlast this pandemic?
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Before you think about goals for 2021 —
Work out your WHY. What’s actually at stake here? If you don’t sort this bit out, you will come up against some mighty resistance. Your WHY is your motivation. Without it, your goal is doomed. If you don’t figure out your why, your chances of success are pretty slim. Setting aside the Covid disruption, consider what’s gotten in the way of you reaching your goals before. Did you abandon your goal or was it never that important to you anyway? Or maybe the goal was too big or not clear enough? It’s definitely worth trying to figure out what happened so this time is different. Spending a bit of time on the WHY gets to the heart of your motivation - why should I give a shit about this goal and bother to make the change?
Why do I want to do this?
How does this goal align with my values?
Is it something I truly want, or something I feel I SHOULD want?
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Before you think about goals for 2021 —
Are other people influencing my plans?
Why is this goal worth my time and energy?
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Onward bound. Hello 2021 —
What are my goals for 2021? (Consider both personal and professional goals. Think small and medium goals).
Why are these goals so important to me?
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Looking ahead —
What, if anything, am I afraid of with this goal?
What time-sucking behaviours do I need to deal with before I can tackle this goal?
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Looking ahead —
What emotional and mental mindsets need a gear shift in order for me to tackle this goal?
What strengths, habits and processes do I need to put in place to support my goals? (Consider your personal strengths and new habits and also your assets such as your network, knowledge, experience and more).
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Looking ahead —
What do I need to do to bridge the gap from where I am to where I want to be?
In what ways will I take care of my personal wellbeing to maintain or boost my overall mojo in 2021? (Here’s a good opportunity to take time to reflect on your physical wellbeing as well as your mental and emotional wellbeing).
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Looking ahead —
Who or what do I need more of in 2021?
Who or what do I need less of?
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About me
—
I’m an accredited personal coach and recovering perfectionist with over 25 years in the Australian music industry. I specialise in helping people in the music world set boundaries and manage selfdoubt, self-care, perfectionism, procrastination and impostor syndrome. I help people uncover their strengths, skills and values and set realistic goals for life and work that are aligned with those values and strengths. I’m currently a Counsellor-in-training and plan to focus on helping people in the music industry manage their mental health. Photo by Kate Holmes
I offer a confidential coaching service with zero judgement, plenty of empathy and a lot of music industry insight. I use an array of coaching tools and exercises to help you understand yourself more deeply and identify limiting beliefs that aren’t serving you. I look forward to helping you ditch those.
Reach out Click here to set up a free 20-minute call to ask how I can help you. Select Option # 3 ‘More About My Offering’
I’ll tell you about my coaching programs which help people: — Who can’t disarm the voice of their inner critic. — Who spend endless time comparing and worrying about what others think. — Who have low self-confidence. — Who are besties with the evil twins – perfectionism and procrastination. — Who feel like an imposter in the music industry. — Who have zero boundaries and poor time-management. — Who have poor resilience (building this up will be more important than ever during and post COVID-19) — Who lack clarity on personal values and strengths. — Who need more self-care and self-compassion. And so on. This has been me over the years. If this sounds like you too, I’d love to hear from you. Visit my website and sign up to my monthly newsletter for tips and coaching offers and follow my Facebook page for regular blogs. Coach Viv XO
nextactcoaching.com.au
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Work with me —
Programs you can explore: Onward. What is next? Keen to explore what’s next for you? Join me for a 3-session coaching program (Zoom or in person in Byron Bay area) that will help you: 1. Check your values and strengths, and how to put them to the best possible use. 2. Tap into any underlying roadblocks and fears and set goals that matter and are achievable. 3. Sort clear and realistic steps for moving forward so you can dust off the ashes of 2020. Limited places available. Email me at viv@nextactcoaching.com.au
Tune into your inner critic Tired of self-doubt ruining your mojo and robbing you of confidence? Has your inner critic taken over? 1. Learn how the inner critic can seek to undermine and silence us and how it stops us taking risks because we fear failure. 2. Identify, manage and choose your response to what the inner critic is whispering into your ear. 3. Get tools for dealing with the evil triplets -perfectionism, procrastination and imposter syndrome. If you’re ready to deal with this noisy, unhelpful voice and want to kick procrastination, imposter syndrome and perfectionism to the curb, email me here for more info: viv@nextactcoaching.com.au This is a 3-session coaching program (Zoom or in person in Byron Bay area). Limited places available. Email me at viv@nextactcoaching.com.au
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Some very kind words —
“I highly recommend Viv Fantin to anyone seeking to understand & work better with the ins and outs of this crazy and exciting business. It’s like having a super smart big sister that understands exactly what you’re going through and what you need to do next to get to where you want to be.” Gregg Donovan, Co-owner & Director, Wonderlick Entertainment
“Viv is like a supportive and helpful stage mum for grown-ups. She has become the calm and wise voice in my head when it comes to employment decisions big and small. One who really gets what it means to be creative and also doesn’t mind the occasional swear. Through our chats Viv has helped me develop frameworks for analysing my job situation, and gently prodded me towards having the confidence to make some big, amazing and necessary changes” Jo Walker
“Viv’s warm approach and broad experience make her an incredible coach. In our sessions her expert guidance created space for reflection, self-discovery and breakthroughs. Working with her has lead to greater clarity and direction in my professional life. For all this I am very grateful! Thanks Viv!” Anna Jacobs
“Viv is an amazing human and coach. Our time together was so valuable and I feel like I’m leaving these coaching sessions with a friend and mentor whom I can call upon when I really need. It is so hard to find female role models in the Australian music industry, but I am so glad to say I can add Viv to that list! I was struggling with knowing how to align the value I was giving with financial return and after digging into the deeper reasons behind this with Viv, I feel more conviction in asking for what I deserve. I’m so appreciative of our time together and would highly recommend her services! Thanks so much Viv, you are incredible!” Leesa Snider, Achord Agency
“Running my own artist/tour management and booking agency in the Australian music industry for the past thirty years has left very little time to stop to reflect on and review my own journey and changing priorities. Under Viv’s expert care and guidance, I was able to explore aspects of myself in a safe environment. The experience was inspirational and potentially life changing.” Jill Shelton, Play On Presents PL
“Viv was so great to work with! A very supportive coach who helped me focus my goals and refine the way I work. Would highly recommend to anyone!” Jono Steer, Music Producer and Audio Engineer
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Some very kind words —
“If you are looking for an experienced, insightful and intuitive coach then Viv is for you! As a songwriter Viv’s music industry experience was so valuable. She truly understands the plight of the artist and the landscape in which we work. Viv openly offers her listening prowess and armory of tools to attack procrastination and fear of success. She’s gentle but firm in helping to establish personal values and how to apply them in your day to day. All the while she’s keeping track, pointing you back to you’re stated objectives and monitoring your goals. At a crucial point in the creation of my album, Viv acted as a guide for me, showing me how to stay on course by helping me maintain my connection to why I was creating this in the first place. I can’t thank her enough. My ‘music doula’!” Hayley
“Viv is amazing + I just love doing sessions with her. As a musician + creative who works in the music industry, Viv’s energy combined with her practical advice + huge knowledge + background of the industry makes sessions so rewarding + inspiring. I went to see Viv when I became conscious of being stuck in a few loops that I wanted to change + wanted to look at the industry realistically with someone who I respect + who knows it very well, who’d been out there on the frontline for more than 20years + worked with everyone + really knew their stuff. It’s so easy to become jaded + disillusioned or overwhelmed + confused as an artist or someone working in the creative industries + Viv has a wonderful way of offering support through ideas in a very grounded practical sense and personally in the space she provides. There’s also a lot of laughs in one of Viv’s sessions + she is genuinely a super lovely human! Melaine Knight, Neon Rebel
“Viv was fantastic at providing me with a better understanding of my behaviour through a series of exercises and discussions that gave me insights into myself that I hadn’t realised after 45 years! The importance of my values in decision making will now become a strong reference in both my work and family life. I started my time with Viv in search of a balance between life and work and while that’s something that will take some time to finesse, there have been some great suggestions that has refreshed my approach to my hectic life with 3 children. I see this coaching as an ongoing part of my wellbeing and look forward to checking again with Viv on a regular basis. Jana Gibson, Head of Member Services, APRA AMCOS
All images courtesy @UNSPLASH
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