Small steps A calm guide for between sessions A sample book from Coachlink

I'm glad you opened this little book.

You don't have to read it in one go. Take one chapter, try one tip, and notice what it does for you. Tomorrow is another day.

Everything in here is small on purpose. Big changes almost always start with something you can do today, in a f...

When your head is busy, your breath is the quickest thing you can change. You always have it with you.

The calm out breath

1. Breathe in gently through your nose and count to four.
2. Breathe out slowly through your mouth and count to six.
3. Do this five times.

A longer o...

A goal like "more calm" or "a new job" is too big to start on tomorrow. That isn't a lack of willpower. It's simply too big.

The smallest next step

Ask yourself one question:

What is the smallest step I can take today?

Small means: something that takes two minutes, and t...

You often only notice you're tired when it's already too late. If you write your energy down a few times a week, you see it coming sooner.

A number a day

At the end of the day, give your energy a number from 1 to 10. Add one word: what affected it most.

After two weeks you...

Saying no often feels unkind. But an honest no is kinder than a yes you regret later, or one you can't keep.

First, nothing at all

You don't have to answer straight away. A pause gives you time to feel what you actually want.

"Let me check my diary and get back to you tom...

Everyone has weeks when nothing seems to work. That's part of it. Change doesn't happen in a straight line.

Be your own good friend

What would you say to a friend who is struggling? Probably something kind. Say that to yourself too.

"This is hard right now. That's allowed...

A session is about you. The clearer you are about what you want to talk about, the more you get out of it.

Three questions

Take five minutes before your session and jot down:

1. What went well since last time? Small things too.
2. What did I run into?
3. What do I want to...

At the end of a programme you look back. Not to give it a score, but to see what has changed. That's often more than you think.

Look back

Where were you when you started?
Which small step made the biggest difference?
What do you do differently now, without thinking about...