Life Coaching-Pete Chapman Style
We all need a little advice from time to time. When we want more out of our golf game, we consult a golf pro. When we want to do more with our money, we hire a financial adviser. But when we know we need to make changes in ourselves and/ or our lifestyles for some reason, it is not so obvious where to turn for advice, guidance and motivation. Whether we have major personal problems, low vitality, feeling overwhelmed or have lost our direction in life, not many people would automatically identify a professional life coach as an option or resource.
The best exercise, nutrition, stress and time management programs in the world only work when the recipe is actually followed and completed. This is why I wrote the Pocket Life Coach as a workbook so that as you read and learn you also take time to digest, evaluate and reset.
This is my contribution to the world of self-help as it has been such a source for personal development myself. I believe we can and must find inspiration and motivation from many and varied sources. This is my idea of what it takes to be healthy and happy and make the best out of your life. I hope there are some ideas and tools that you can use to progress on your path to a satisfying personal evolution.
The story of how I lost my health, peace of mind and positive attitude is for another time (maybe after I'm gone will be about right). This book is a result of the recovery and re-creation I worked so hard to achieve. I decided that I was going to take control of my health and happiness and I immersed myself in the study and practice of well-being. The techniques I learned and the tools I developed are really what makes up the book. I wanted to share it with you, 'cos that's just the kind of guy I am.
I have been teaching my brand of personal development in many different forms to a lot of different people. I just wanted to produce something that could give anyone an idea of what constitutes a happy and vital life and make simple every day suggestions how to make those necessary changes.
Anyway don't just take my word for it, listen to what these guys have to say and then buy it and decide for yourself. Is this a relatively easy to understand recipe and can anyone "get it right?" I say yes to both of these I hope this book goes some way in contributing to some of those important life questions.
What they are saying about the Pocket Life Coach Typing this review into a word processor I become aware of the tension in my shoulders as I read Pete Chapman's advice on the importance of stretching.Stretches, sound sleep, restricting your alcohol intake and massage are all key elements in his suggestions for building up strength and flexibility.I like the emphasis Pete gives to taking time to prepare and enjoy food at regular meal how you eat is as important as what you eat. Son of a farmer, Pete has a background in bodybuilding, yoga and nutrition - as well as experience in dealing with drug dependency. This gives a valuable toughness to the text in which he emphasises the importance of mental strength as well as moral and spiritual commitment for taking on life's harder struggles. Vitality magazine January 2008 It’s a simple complete pocket guide to live a good life. In it, “balance” is the key word that helps connect Pete’s practical suggestions for your body, mind and spirit. Life is not a race, says Pete, if you are looking for wellbeing and longevity in life. Read this book and you will gain a general healthy way to look after yourself. Pete Chapman’s book is honest and will always find a way to give you good advice. For anyone who wants to make changes in their life, but doesn’t want to invest in a life coach, then this is the book to invest in. The Pocket Life Coach gives simple, down to earth and practical tips to change or improve areas of your life. There are suggestions on time management, health, food, fitness, drinking and shopping amongst many others. And included in this workbook are evaluation charts and fill-in sections to help you become more aware of how and where to make the improvements and changes easily. Pete Chapman has written a concise, yet thorough self-help book in which every person will find something that is beneficial to them. Terri Bodell FNACHP
The self-help genre is alive and well. Visit any bookstore and you'll find shelves filled with books that counsel, advise, and direct life's course. As a psychologist, I'm interested in the guidance these books provide. Do they actually bring about personal change? Can they be used in a therapeutic context? What inspires people purchasing the books? Pete Chapman, author of The Pocket Life Coach, is a former bodybuilding champion dedicated to physical fitness, athletic training, and wellness programs. At 137 pages, it is a slim book, comprised of 7 chapters, and many sections Chapman advertises "for guidance and instruction and some that are just intended to inspire and provoke reflection."
The initial chapters set the tone that is repeated throughout the book: wellbeing requires dedicated purpose, patient contemplation, acknowledging sources of distress, and adopting a "can do" attitude. Chapman consistently weaves a theme of finding a balance life through mindful attention toward work, family, health, recreation, and nutrition. There's little to debate here.
Beyond general encouragement, Chapman details many specific strategies to deal with life challenges. Goal setting, for example, is recommended as a way to motivate change, create happiness through achievement, and harness creative potential. Similarly, he discusses time management, activity planning, and selecting priorities to cope better with our fast-paced lifestyles. There are forms in the book readers can use to document their progress when implementing these and other suggestions.
The book contains a strong dose of "holistic counseling." Nutrition is covered with an overview of food choices, meal plans, caloric regulation, and even tips for supermarket shopping! In the section, "Getting Fitter," Chapman spends considerable time advising about aerobic exercise and other stress-reducing physical activities. A proper diet and regular exercise will contribute to sound sleep, which he also endorses as an essential ingredient for a peaceful existence.As might be expected, the book has a lot to say about "positive thinking." Much of the information is a watered-down version of cognitive therapy that deals with attitude adjustment, generating affirming thoughts, and countering negative (unrealistic) beliefs. Because cognitive control methods have a strong research base, it was good to see them represented accurately in the book.
Can The Pocket Life Coach serve as a self-help resource? Clearly, the book is not meant to be a self-directed procedural guide aimed at correcting a specific psychological problem. Rather, it may function best as a "check in" for people interested in improving facets of their life or simply searching for ideas to "pull things together." None of the information in the book is controversial or "new age," but seems born of the author's personal struggles and commitment to a life fully realized. On this note, I think the book could have benefited from examples of how the author employs some of the strategies he endorses so enthusiastically. This personal touch would resonate with readers when they entertain new ways of thinking and behaving they will find between the covers.
James K. Luiselli, Ed.D., ABPP, BCBA is a psychologist affiliated with May Institute and a private-practice clinician. Among his publications are 6 books and over 200 journal articles. He reviews books for The New England Psychologist.
A useful checklist on stress management provides positive suggestions that might otherwise be overlooked. Pete strikes a refreshing balance between bodily needs and inner needs contrasting water and oxygen, for instance, with our more spiritual requirements for appreciation as well as forgiveness.
Important emphasis is given to avoiding black and white thought and developing tolerance. He takes a contemporary look at the potential for conflict between humanism and fundamentalism and you don't have to agree with all that Chapman says to see that he raises useful questions.
Debora Conti, NLP Licensed Trainer, author and coach
The main tool is use are during coaching classes is either the Performance Planner or the Pocket Life Coach. The planner is useful as I feel that everyone benefits from being organized, on top of their schedules etc. The book goes more in depth into specific topics such as stress management, the psychological aspects of wellness and nutrition. Both publications have sections for evaluations, recaps and areas for charting progress or for making notes as you progress through the program. As exercise is a large part of the program I am beginning to utilize my new invention the Power Station for the all important fitness routines that have become a staple of my coaching style. I also use gyms, yoga studios or just a floor in a house or school or even the beach. Physical fitness is the foundation of my philosophy that's why I have been called the "Fitness Philosopher". I feel that when you are fitter and stronger, you are more confident, dynamic and well balanced as a result. I like to keep it simple so with the addition of yoga and pilates I use the 'Ab wheel', jump rope, broom handle and foam roll. In my opinion it is not necessary to have expensive gym equipment to get a good workout and achieve total fitness. But knowing what to do, how and how often is the key to success. Add to this the dietary aspects as well as learning to harness mental strengths and you get a fuller picture of my holistic methods of life coaching.
