Coaching Corner: The art of agreements!
By Marilou Butcher Roth, Master Coach
For the past several years, I have written a buzz post for the Ohio Realtors weekly, which is an agreement that I have made with them. Are there times when writing is the furthest thing from my mind? Absolutely! Yet, as I mentioned earlier, this is an agreement that I have made, and I feel quite strongly about keeping my agreements.
Let’s look at agreements-- making, keeping, and consciously changing them are critical to living in integrity. If we are out of alignment with our agreements, we run the risk of feeling bad about ourselves, and whether it is conscious or not, it still impacts us.
Do not make agreements that are a “no” for you -- this is extremely important to remember and an honorable way to live. Now, I do understand that some agreements may not be in your “yes” category and still require your attention. The trick here is to choose. When you make a conscious choice based upon your values, you take yourself out of the victim role (look what’s happening to me) position, and into a place of empowerment (I am choosing to do this).
Once you make an agreement, KEEP IT! Please, please, do not say you plan to do something and then not do it! If something valid presents itself, and the agreement truly cannot be kept, communicate this change to the relevant parties. By the way, this also includes the agreements you make with yourself, which can easily go by the wayside. You know what I am talking about: the “I am going to work out three times a week” agreements; the “I am going to make space for my personal interests” agreements, and so on... When you don’t honor contracts with yourself, resentments form internally and externally, a sure-fire way to burnout quickly. It’s all about integrity and balance. Choose wisely.
Cheers to agreements!!
Today, make a list of the agreements you’ve made. Which ones bring joy and satisfaction? Which ones are draining? Next, make a list of the personal agreements with yourself that you need to re-establish and honor. How can you consciously choose to live a life of balance and integrity by aligning these agreements in the best way, serving both yourself, and those around you?
Marilou Butcher Roth
Marilou Butcher Roth is the owner of The MBR Group, a coaching and training company working primarily with REALTORS who have a desire to work and live from a more inspired place. She is also the Broker/Owner of Group REALTORS in Cincinnati.
Marilou is a member of the Ohio REALTORS Board of Directors and past chairman of the organization’s Communications Committee.
