Cheryl Richardson - Take Time for Your Life: A 7-Step Program for Creating the Life You Want

Throughout my life I have been blessed to have shared a connection with so many people who have supported me both personally and professionally. The love and wisdom Ive received has been channeled into this book. Because the list would fill a book itself, and because Im so afraid of forgetting a single soul, let me say up front that I am deeply grateful to each and every one of you for your support.

Every writer needs a guardian angel to silence the critics that sit on her shoulder while she writes. Marilyn Abraham has been that angel. Without her guidance, encouragement, sense of humor, and seasoned skill, this book would never have been written. Thank you, Marilyn, from the bottom of my heart. (And a special thanks to Maggie Lichtenberg, who brought us together and offered her support whenever I needed it.)

My dear friend and soul sister Max Dilley, who ate sushi with me whenever I craved it, reminded me to keep the faith, believed in me when I didnt believe in myself, and always knew the perfect thing to say. Thank you, Max, especially for the prayer in the airport.

Many thanks to my colleagues who have helped pioneer this profession including: my dear friend Stephen Cluney; fellow author Laura Berman Fortgang; members of the Coaches Council; Sandy Vilas, president of Coach University, and all the students I have been so lucky to learn from; Steve Shull, Vance Caesar, Ed Shea, Ellen Wingard, and Jeff Raim, who took over the leadership of the International Coach Federation which allowed me to write this book youve done an outstanding job! Id like to thank my first coach and mentor, Thomas Leonard, the man who put the coaching profession on the map, for his wisdom, support, and introduction to the concept of extreme self-care. His coaching concepts are not only reflected throughout this book, but have had a profound influence on the woman Ive become and the way I live my life.

A heartfelt thanks to Pat Rogers, whose unwavering love, support, and guidance has taught me to truly be myself; Niravi Payne, who challenged me to find my voice and step out fully into the world; and to my own coach, Shirley Anderson (Coach Miami), whose friendship and love held the vision of my work when I was blinded by fear (and deadlines).

A special thanks to Joan Oliver, editor of New Age magazine, whose friendship and support was there from the beginning; to Marguerite Rigoglioso, a terrific writer with passion and sensibility; to David Thorne, a mentor, friend, and true supporter of my work; to Lama Surya Das, a fellow writer and friend who helped me walk through the publishing machine with patience and open eyes.

I am lucky to have had Lauren Marino at Broadway Books as my editor. Lauren is one of the bestsmart, thorough, committed, and always available. Thank you for challenging me to find my voice on the page and for editing with the readers heart in mind.

To my publicist at Broadway, Debbie Stierwho, Im convinced, can move mountains with a touch of her hand. Shes the kind of person that you pray to have on your team. To my agent, Ashley Carroll, whose enthusiasm, guts, responsiveness, and sense of humor make it a joy to work together. To David Smith, president of D.H.S. Literary Agency, whose commitment and support of this project went above and beyond the call of duty. And thanks to Sally Jaskold for her fine copyediting skills.

My deep gratitude goes to my virtual assistant, partner, and dear friend, Stacy Brice, who takes care of my personal and professional life so completely. Finding you was like discovering the most perfect diamond in the worldI am eternally grateful.

To my family, all thirteen of them, who have given me the perfect gifts Ive needed to live a life that I love. A special thanks to my sisters, Lisa and Michelle, two terrific virtual assistants who helped compile the resource section of this book. A very special thanks to my mom, who continuously called my voice mail and sang little songs to encourage me as Ive built a successful career, and who validated my intuitive abilities at an early age, teaching me that intuition is not only an important tool for living a spiritually guided life but also for building a successful business. And to my dad, thank you so much for the life lessons that have shaped the woman Ive become including: Never forget where you came from, share your wealth, and always take the time to show you care. And to my new in-laws, Pat and Curt Gerrish, every bride should be so lucky to have new parents like you!

Thank you to Gay Schoene, Linda Novotny, Peter Valaskatgis, Ania OConnor, and Dr. Jonathan Bergall very gifted healers.

And a big thank-you to Kelly OBrien, whose unconditional love started me on my path of healing and growthshe was the first angel I recognized.

And to you, my clients, I am blessed beyond measure to have shared in your lives. Thank you for your patience while I wrote this book and for your trust, honesty, and willingness to take action. You have made my journey a true adventure. This book is a culmination of all I have learned from the thousands of private conversations that Ive been privileged to share over the last fifteen years.

And, finally, to my husband, Michael Gerrish who, while up against his own book deadline, supported me every step of the way. No woman has ever been more lucky. You give new meaning to the term soulmate.

Introduction: What
Coaching Can
Do for You

Would you like to change your life? Do you long for a sense of community? More time for yourself? Would you like to take better care of your health, reduce stress, and create more balance in your life? Well, youre not alone. More and more people are tired of the fast-paced, frenzied information age and are interested in higher-quality liveslives in which they have more time for themselves and their relationships, more energy to invest in their emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Whether youre a corporate executive working sixty hours a week, a single parent trying to raise a family, or someone whos tired of feeling stressed out and pressed for time, you have a choice about how to live your life. You can step back, reevaluate your priorities, and make a conscious decision about the future youd like to create. How do you make such a decision? Where do you turn when you decide to improve the quality of your life?

When your body is out of shape and you need help getting fit or losing weight, you hire a personal trainer. Wouldnt it be great if you could do this for all other parts of your life? Well, now you can. With the help of a personal coach, you can shape up your life and overcome the obstacles that get in the way of living a life that you love. In a sense, you can hire a personal trainer for your soul.