Tim Stringer

Productivity Coaching & Consultant • Yoga Teacher

coaching

An Elephant Never Forgets

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ChainsBaby elephants living in captivity are often secured using a chain. Elephants like to roam around by nature, and the young elephant instinctively tugs and pulls at the chain in an attempt to gain its freedom. Eventually the small elephant grows tired and concedes defeat – it’s not yet strong enough to free itself from its shackles.

What’s interesting is that the same chain can be used to restrain the elephant even after it reaches its full size. At this point the elephant is strong enough to snap the chain and maybe even uproot the tree it’s attached to, but the powerful animal doesn’t even attempt an escape. It remembers its futile efforts in the past and believes it’s incapable of breaking free.

As humans we all define our own limitations, often in very subtle ways. Something happens in our life, usually during our formative adolescent years, and we make a decision about ourselves and the nature of life. These patterns become so engrained that they become part of our reality. It is only by realizing that these patterns exist that we can consciously choose to break free of our own self-created shackles.

Seeing our own patterns is not always easy as they become part of our identity. Even after coming face to face with our self-fabricated limitations, letting go of patterns that hold us back is often confronting to our ego. The tendency is to take the path of least resistance and accept the status quo. The cost is that our freedom, self expression and potential for happiness and fulfilment remains limited.

I’ve identified many of my own patterns over the years. In many cases the patterns are still there, but I’ve become more practiced at recognizing them and more adept at breaking free. I have been practicing meditation for many years and have found this ancient practice to be a valuable tool for bringing unconscious thought patterns into my conscious mind. I have also found coaching to be an effective tool in this realm. Working both one-on-one with a coach and in group contexts I’ve been able to identify many of my own “saboteurs” and have been called forth to set them aside and experience my own potential.

I invite you to expose your own self-limiting beliefs…and experience the exhilaration of boldly breaking free!

Finding Certainty in Uncertainty

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Tim Stringer in MauiOne of the exercises during my coaching training with the Coaches Training Institute (CTI) was to identify something that I couldn’t be with and then create opportunities to come face to face with this thing that I try to avoid at all costs. The idea is that, as a coach, we need to be able to be with those things that make us most uncomfortable in order to create a space where our clients can do the same.

We went around the circle and each person received some coaching from the group and course leaders to help them get crystal clear on that one thing they really couldn’t be with. Once identified, that most scary thing was written on a name tag that we wore for the rest of the day as we were challenged and called forth by the rest of the group. Sounds like fun, eh?

My name tag read “Uncertainty”. I discovered that I liked having assurance about how things were going to go in life and not knowing was a source of stress. It was quite a relief to take off my “Uncertainty” name tag at the end of the day. Little did I know that this lesson was far from complete.

Several months later I started to develop pain in my lower back and chest, which came and went in an unpredictable way. I saw four different doctors on five different occasions, but none seemed very certain about the cause of my grief. I had a number of sessions with a chiropractor who though that a spinal adjustment would help, but the pain continued to worsen and the uncertainty around my health continued to grow.

Eventually the pain got so intense that my wife, Christa took me into the emergency room of our local hospital. Despite having two teams of talented doctors assigned to my case the prognosis was far from clear – one was confident that it was a kidney stone and another mentioned the possibility of cancer. Many days and countless tests later it became increasingly evident that cancer was the source of my pain. Though, it wasn’t clear what kind of cancer it was and there was no sign of a tumour, which didn’t help. Eventually the doctors got to a point where they were reasonably certain they had an accurate diagnosis and recommended that I begin chemotherapy immediately so that the cancer didn’t have a chance to spread further.

The uncertainty continued. I didn’t know for sure if this was the right course of treatment, if I’d respond to the chemo and if I’d require surgery once the treatments were finished. There were even fleeting moments when I wondered if I’d live to see Christmas. Fortunately the year ended on a very positive note. After four intensive rounds of chemo and a major surgery I was given the gift of a clean bill of health, just in time for Christmas.

Through the process, I discovered that I could face major uncertainties in my life and live to tell the tale. Not knowing exactly how things were going to go created a state where I was very present and granted me a new appreciation for the gift of my life and for all the love that surrounds me. When faced with all this uncertainty my priorities in life became crystal clear – it’s amazing how certainty is born out of a state of uncertainty. But, I guess that’s how life works. Light can’t exist unless there’s darkness to be illuminated.

I welcomed in 2009 brimming with enthusiasm and gratitude. I still like having some certainty in my life, which must mean I’m human. At the same time I’ve come to see uncertainty as a gift. Deepak Chopra talks about uncertainty as the seed of creativity and ultimately it’s not knowing how things are going to go that makes life’s journey such a magical one. Uncertainty creates a space where anything is possible. I’m learning to trust myself and my intuition when the path ahead isn’t clear and know that whatever shows up there are always opportunities to learn and grow.

If you find you’re struggling when it comes to uncertainties in your life I invite you to try on a different perspective. Celebrate life’s uncertainty. Take it as a reminder that each moment in life is a sacred gift and bow to the teacher in all things.

Originally posted on CoachingLife.ca on February 4, 2009.

The Ride to Conquer Cancer Media Coverage

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ride-to-conquer-cancer-media-coverageOne of my motivations for participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer was to serve as an inspiration to others who are going through cancer treatments and to demonstrate that it is possible to not only survive, but thrive after coming face-to-face with cancer.

To help share my message with the largest possible audience I contacted media sources before setting out on my 262 km cycling trip from Vancouver to Seattle. The Friday before I left on my journey I had a phone interview with CBC, a portion of which was included in a story entitled Hundreds ride to conquer cancer that appeared on their website the next day.

CTV News also captured my triumphant arrival at the University of Washington, a moment I’ll never forget. Moments after disembarking from my bike my wife Christa and I were interviewed by Perry Solkowski. A portion of this interview was included in the Sunday evening CTV News broadcast. The news story can be viewed on a special Ride to Conquer Cancer page on CTV’s website. It’s the second link under the video player.

I welcome any other opportunities to share my story and am available to be interviewed and to write articles on a variety of topics:

  • Integrative Healing :: I attribute my healing to a combination of Western and Eastern treatments and practices and believe in the power of combining multiple approaches to healing. I was fortunate to have convenient access to InspireHealth, the only integrative cancer care centre of its kind in Canada and to have a wife who’s a talented holistic healer.
  • The Power of the Mind :: I have been practising and teaching yoga and meditation for 15 years and practising martial arts (Shotokan Karate) for 20 years and the mental discipline that I developed through these practices allowed me to maintain an overall positive outlook on life, even on my darkest days.
  • Life Coaching and Healing :: I worked with a life coach, Joni Mar throughout my treatment process to create a future in spite of my circumstances (i.e. being sick with cancer). Having ambitions and dreams gave me a strong motivation to live and helped carry me through the process. Working with a life coach also gave me an opportunity to learn the valuable lessons that going through a major life experience such as this provides. I have developed a workshop called It’s About Time™, that launched in Vancouver on May 30, based on these experiences.

Please forward my contact information along to anyone in the media who may be interested. I also look forward to presenting each of these areas in more detail in future blog posts and to sharing the many lessons that I’ve learned through my bout with cancer.

The Story of a Cancer “Thriver”

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A couple of weekends ago I was one of 1701 people who participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a 260 km cycling trip from Surrey to Seattle to raise funds for the BC Cancer Federation. Crossing the finish line marked a profound personal victory. Last year at this time I was in so much pain that I could barely walk a block. In July I was diagnosed with cancer and underwent aggressive chemotherapy treatments and a major surgery in the months that followed. I can remember wondering if Iʼd live to see 2009.
Just before Christmas I received the best present I could have asked for, a clean bill of health. I started training for the ride in January, motivated to give back to the medical system that had helped save my life and inspired to be a living example that cancer is something that can be overcome.
I attribute my own healing to more than just medicine. I received an outpouring of love, prayers and support from family and friends near and far and included Eastern approaches, including hours of Reiki from my beautiful wife Christa, in my healing regime. I also worked with my life coach, Joni throughout the experience to create an inspiring future in spite of my circumstances.
Today I feel a newfound gratitude for my life and for all the wonderful people with whom Iʼm privileged to share my human journey. One person in particular who was on my mind and in my heart as I rode was Dan Northcott. He was diagnosed with Leukaemia around the same time I received my diagnosis and passed away at age 29, minutes after I set out on my bike Saturday morning. Through his spirit and courage he demonstrated what it means to live life fully and, inspired by the example he set, Iʼm committed to a life that is fulfilling and of service to others.

Ride to Conquer Cancer - VictoryA couple of weekends ago I was one of 1701 people who participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a 260 km cycling trip from Surrey to Seattle to raise funds for the BC Cancer Federation. Crossing the finish line marked a profound personal victory. Last year at this time I was in so much pain that I could barely walk a block. In July I was diagnosed with cancer and underwent aggressive chemotherapy treatments and a major surgery in the months that followed. I can remember wondering if Iʼd live to see 2009.

Just before Christmas I received the best present I could have asked for, a clean bill of health. I started training for the ride in January, motivated to give back to the medical system that had helped save my life and inspired to be a living example that cancer is something that can be overcome.

I attribute my own healing to more than just medicine. I received an outpouring of love, prayers and support from family and friends near and far and included Eastern approaches, including hours of Reiki from my beautiful wife Christa, in my healing regime. I also worked with my life coach, Joni throughout the experience to create an inspiring future in spite of my circumstances.

Today I feel a newfound gratitude for my life and for all the wonderful people with whom Iʼm privileged to share my human journey. One person in particular who was on my mind and in my heart as I rode was Dan Northcott. He was diagnosed with Leukaemia around the same time I received my diagnosis and passed away at age 29, minutes after I set out on my bike Saturday morning. Through his spirit and courage he demonstrated what it means to live life fully and, inspired by the example he set, Iʼm committed to a life that is fulfilling and of service to others.