Action Steps – Dr. Cynthia Chan

February 13, 2022

Harnessing Spring Energy

Spring!

Working with patients in my chiropractic practice I have noticed several seasonal trends with injuries, and patient behaviours. Notably in spring people come out of hibernation and are energized to be more active in their lives. In my practice that results in new ailments related to spring activities including strain from gardening, golf, gardening, and baseball etc.

If we can harness this fresh wave of spring energy, it can be a real boost to our creativity and productivity from a coaching perspective.

If you are feeling more inspired this time of year I encourage you to channel that energy towards your goals – we have to use it when we can!

In the last few days I’ve been inspired to begin creating a program specifically designed to address Work/Life Balance. Sharing it here with you will keep me accountable (!) and I’ve definitely felt more oomph in my step compared to the darker days of winter.

[originally published March 2021]

February 12, 2022February 13, 2022

Crossing Edges Towards Change

This diagram shows how we have to cross edges when we attempt to change our behaviour or our life – the ‘Edge’ is the necessary step towards reaching the end goal.

The ‘Primary’ is our original state and the ‘Secondary’ is where we want to be.

Change can be scary and so we sometimes get stuck on the Edge – we tiptoe over and then scamper back to our Primary.

We may teeter on the Edge for a long time and need support to be pulled towards the Secondary.

How does coaching fit in?

A coach can help you clearly define your Secondary and provide the support needed to cross your Edges.

Examples of Edges that I’m helping my current clients with:

starting a new business
creating quiet time for deep brain work
implementing new business systems
communicating with their personal + professional partners about important issues

My example of Edge crossing:
Around 10 years ago my clinic partner and I hired a team of chiropractic consultants to improve our clinic’s business systems.

It scared me shitless: I was afraid of judgment, that they would come in and say we were doing everything wrong, and that I would be forced to change everything.

Our Secondary was to create more streamlined systems and a more patient-friendly environment but there was a huge Edge for me to cross.

Two things helped me take the leap:

support from my clinic partner (knowing that we were in it together)
advice from another colleague who had hired the same consultants: “You only need to change one thing a month”

Do you have an Edge to cross? What is your desired Secondary?
Please contact me here if you would like explore coaching to cross your Edge.

[originally published February 2022]

February 12, 2022February 13, 2022

Fresh Start Effect

Recently I began listening to Maya Shankar’s podcast “A Slight Change of Plans” – she was interviewing Dr. Katy Milkman on her research on how to facilitate change.

I found Dr. Milkman’s research on the “fresh start effect” particularly interesting which posits that people are more likely to make a change in their life when it coincides with a temporal marker (i.e. new year, birthday etc.).

As a chiropractor I have observed this for years: one example is when patients return to treatment after Labour Day which coincides with the natural ‘back-to-school’ feeling many people have in early September.

How does this translate to coaching?
Since people often look to a coach to support them with small and big life changes, I can use this ‘fresh start theory’ to encourage clients to sync their changes with natural temporal markers, i.e. beginning of the month or new business quarter or summer/winter solstice.

[originally published January 2022]