My ultimate happy place during this quarantine has definitely been my balcony. I live on the 40^th floor of a high-rise building right in the middle of the city fortunate enough with a view that allows the eye to see as far as it can see.

I have yet to encounter a person that walks into the condo who does NOT take a moment of stillness to have a look at the view (with the exception of someone with a fear of heights). I have observed how people are naturally curious and drawn to take a look, allow their eyes to see, their breath to slow down and their shoulders to drop. And, just for a moment, stand there and “take it all in”.

It’s glimpse of the much needed PAUSE we need in our life.

What makes reflection important?

Viktor Frankl has been attributed to have said: “ Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” It urges us to honor the pause as a time to REFLECT on our next choice, action, response.  

The word “Reflection” comes from the Latin: Reflectere, re-“back” and flectere, “to bend” – bending something back. Allowing ourselves to reflect means we are bending something back, something inwards, allowing our thoughts to bend back inwards.

American Educator and philosopher John Dewey said: “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” Reflection is an essential part in learning, growing and creating our desired future.

What is the beauty that unfolds in a reflective space?

As Haraya Coaches, we are trained to take our clients on a transformational coaching journey that is deeply rooted in creating and facilitating a reflective learning space for them. Beauty starts to unfold when our client is able to access their reflective thinking capacity and have a space to “think about their thinking”, to “see” their situation from a different perspective, to bring confused thoughts into clarity or to think about things they may never have thought about before. 

Reflection gives us a space to:

• Get in touch with what is most meaningful to us
• Helps bring our own learning to life
• Gain perspective
• Become clear on where we want to make a change and take action
• Appreciate and be grateful for our experiences

It is no secret that 2020 was a one crazy experience. Imagine all the gems of wisdom available to us because of the unprecedented year we have had. Now, is a beautiful time to “take it all in” – to integrate our learning and insights of the year into what is to come for 2021.  

To get you started…

The Haraya Team has pulled together some of the questions that we have been reflecting on the past few weeks:  

1. What is your biggest win and made you come alive during 2020?
2. What wisdom did you gain from the struggles of the past year?
3. What are you most grateful for?
4. If 2021 were to be your best year yet, what would you be doing?
5. What trait, strength or characteristic in yourself would you need to activate to achieve that?

Enjoy this time of pause, reflection and gratitude.

We will continue to hold the space and bring life coaching in the Philippines within your reach.

Merry Christmas everyone and a wishing you all a blessed 2021.

Stay curious,

Cecilia

The pandemic that took the entire world by storm has led many companies, including ourselves, to finally look into digital not just for our coaching sessions but in the ways we expanded our client base versus relying on traditional word-of-mouth. 

One such company that helped us on our journey to digital is iManila, a full service website development and digital marketing agency in the Philippines with over 24 years of helping once-traditional companies like Haraya to move online. 

Although it seems that iManila’s services are on point during the pandemic and even though they call themselves fortunate to have been able to move their operations online and work throughout the pandemic, it was inevitable for many employees, including the top management, to feel difficulties in adjusting to life at home as well as the struggles of managing work life and personal life in their own individual spaces. 

Given these challenges, the Haraya team proposed to conduct a Ka-Lingap Program that they felt would help give everyone from iManila gain confidence, self-purpose, empathy and to reach their full potential despite the pandemic. 

We at Haraya, take pride in designing and providing relevant programs best suited for a diverse set of people, at every phase of their transformation – from sustainable learning programs, robust leadership development practices to team and culture dynamics approaches. Let us walk you through what transpired during our Ka-Lingap Teambuilding session.

We asked Mr. Robert Deluria, President and CEO of iManila on his personal experience on the session he said that, “It was perfect timing, with all the positive impact on my personal life and that of the management team it was decided that we will also cascade the benefits of the Haraya “way” to the other people in iManila. This is where the Ka-Lingap program came into the picture. This program was meant to allow the other members of iManila to benefit and be able to not only survive the pandemic but to “grow” in the new normal. This is especially meaningful to me since this allowed me to personally connect with members of the team during the sessions. To hear them and share with them. To be “normal” again even for just a few hours. I just hope that everyone who joined was improved by the experience as I had been.

Personally, the coaching sessions with my Life Coaches Jackie and TJ helped me handle the stressful situation during the pandemic. The sessions allowed me to answer questions that were bothering me especially about the future of the company and how to plan for the uncertain future. I realized that although I may not be able to control what is happening around me and the future, I was still in control of myself and how I act towards the stressful environment. I was able to make “baby steps” in the right direction and eventually regain focus on moving forward. I was also able to challenge myself to have a healthy lifestyle and consistently nurture my mind, body and spirit to be strong and resilient. I was able to do a routine of prayer, exercise, learning, working and living life to the fullest every day.

In the end, I am very thankful to the Haraya team for all their patience and expertise in helping iManila through these uncertain times.”

The whole iManila team had an interesting time throughout all of the sessions. During each of the sessions, the team talked about their struggles and how each has been able to adapt to change. Members of the team shared their individual experiences and were able to connect to each other after months of being isolated at their own homes. 

“It’s a wonderful experience to know the habits for the agile brain. It’s also a revalidation of what area I should improve and work on. Also it’s a review for me on how I should face this pandemic period and also be on a right mindset and attitude towards it.”, shared by Mr. Arnold Del Mundo, Sr. Manager for Finance and Admin.

“Although we are in the same storm, our experiences vary. How we go through the storm depends on our inner strength – be it faith, mindset or our inner compass. We hear others’ struggles and realizations and somehow find a reason to thank God.”, added by Ms. Lea T. Recomite, the Chief Finance Officer of iManila.

Having to conduct coaching sessions and team building through online spaces may be different but regardless of the lack of face-to-face interaction, many have found it to still be as helpful and as life-changing. What started out as an opportunity to offer assistance evolved into a distinct approach and a clearer reflection for the whole team of iManila. 

We’re so happy to have been able to help a team that has patiently helped us understand and move our business online and to our very own digital space. 

Whether you are a team, an organization, or an individual person thinking of what might be the next best step in the right direction, our coaches have the heart, breadth and depth of experience to determine what it would take to reach not only your intended outcomes, but to go beyond what you thought is always possible!

Coaching at its heart is about inspiring people to reach their fullest potential and that is what Haraya aims to do with every session and every project. With Haraya, we believe you can. Learn more about us and visit our website at www.harayacoaching.com.

It has been months since our normal routine took a sudden change all because of an unseen enemy. Coronavirus has affected all the lives of everyone who are constantly striving themselves in their everyday work – that leads them to anxiety, confusion and negativity.

For someone who’s doing the same routine before the pandemic starts, it’s a lot to take in and accept the fact that we are now moving in slow phase and living the new normal as positively looking as possible.

Now that we are bringing the office problems at our homes, learn how to balance taking the stress of both work and home problems. Keep in mind that everyone has their different ways of coping up and we must respect them.

In this blog, we laid out some tips that you can apply. Might work on your but not on some. But it’s better to try than doing nothing.

Be dressed like going to work

Working in pajamas really makes your day comfy and less time to prepare but you should not take it in your way to work, or I should say on your way to your home desk. Try dressing up like you’re going to work – means that you’re signaling your mind and body that they need to shift to work mode. Who knows, it’s the opportunity to wear your clothes you haven’t worn for months’ time.

Reduce your distractions

Just like at the office set-up, have your phones set aside when working at home. As much as possible put your phone on airplane mode to avoid notifications from your apps. And speaking of apps, try removing some that took so much of your phone memory space.

Another way to reduce distractions is to avoid working in front of a television as this can be an essential part of reducing stress. A tip from us, you can listen to music while working as this will help your mind to focus on your daily tasks – but make sure those songs are suitable to your eardrums.

Provide scheduled breaks

Of course, you don’t have to face your screen for eight hours straight. For health reasons, your eyes should take a break once in a while. Setting an alarm for breaks would be best not only for your eyes but also for your body. Have some stretches and get some fresh air during your breaks.

You can plan from mini breaks to longer hours. Because you’re only at home, walking away from work actually increases productivity, as long as you don’t linger too much and back again.

Attend training sessions

Attending training sessions even in video set up can also enhance your skills and master your field in the long run. By working smarter, you get to refresh your memory and skills to be able to become an expert on what you want to be.

Just like our training sessions at Haraya Coaching, we provide full support and full knowledge to teach to become well aware and be an advocate of self-awareness. Cariz Peregrino says “Haraya sessions were a breath of fresh air. While the sessions comprise just a small percentage of our whole onboarding process, these were matters that gave value to the often-overlooked aspects of one’s self. These were essential in promoting the welfare of our volunteers.”

Prioritize sleep

No doubt, sleep is very important. You may be working from home and self-isolation and might stay up late for binge-watching, but proper sleep is a must. A good hygiene sleep consists of a minimum of eight hours per night. Part of time management if dedicating some time for sleep as it readies your mind and body to perform well the next day.

Don’t forget to reward yourself

Surviving this long in a time of pandemic is actually a reward in itself. You surpass all the stress and anxiety while keeping your distance and resisting temptations to enjoy the outside environment. In terms of working from home, you can have mini rewards for having a good job doing the tasks on time as it serves a big motivation to work harder and smarter.

You can also treat yourself to some sweets and watching your favorite show, but not binge-watching. At this time, you should adapt to your everyday routine and navigate your movements as easy as you can be. Reward yourself once in a while.

In this time of pandemic and endless what ifs, it’s difficult to turn to someone for frustrations and words of advice. We draw strength to someone who will listen and accept your flaws and all. We at Haraya Coaching, we are here to be leaned on for your setbacks and guide your bounce back feeling good, resilient, and healthy. We are here to cope up with your surroundings and our surroundings. Want your thoughts to be heard? Write to us at team@harayacoaching.com or visit us at http://harayacoaching.com/connect-with-us/. 

The COVID-19 pandemic created huge disturbance in our lives, it brought uncertainty in our work and family lives. Without a clear end in sight and with the daily changes, many are struggling to adjust to the new normal. From social distancing to practicing good hygiene these become part of our daily lives. A fast-changing environment has meant a greater need for us to be adaptive. This can be challenging, because we never experienced this degree of change in life before.

Here are some tips on how to adapt to the new normal.

Break it down

Don’t view the new normal as a rapid change, instead view this period as a small chapter in your life to make it less stressful and manageable. A chapter in your life is not your whole life, this will give you a sense of control on what you should do during this helpless situation. This pandemic situation can be difficult but we can adjust our expectations to cope up with the current chapter of our lives.

Respond instead of react

Accept the things that you can change during these new normal and avoid reacting to the situations that is beyond your control. Try to find positivity in life’s challenges and make the best of it. For instance, during this new normal you may not be able to operate your business in compliance with the government try to explore new things by making your business active online. This will give you the opportunity discover new things. Try to sweeten up sour situations by responding instead of reacting.

Choose Gratitude

You may find it difficult to adjust to the new normal, but always try to focus on the positive sides of your life, by focusing on the brighter side you can overcome the negativity that can destroy you. Make it a daily habit to practice compassionate heart that chooses gratitude. You can pray, meditate and speak your gratitude to your loved ones.

Practice self-care

If you feel down mentally and physically. You cannot avoid struggles in your life, but you can handle the struggle by engaging in self-care. You may try sleeping properly, mindful eating, exercise and meditating. Avoid negativity and separate yourself from anything that drains your energy. Don’t ignore your health because no one will look after you but yourself. Always try to be the best version of yourself every day.

These are some helpful tips to help you adjust this new normal, keep in mind that change is part of life whether you like or hate it you should accept change. Keep in mind that you are not alone in this situation. If you are having trouble adjusting to the new normal reach out for help.

Here at Haraya Coaching we are here to help you help yourself especially during this new normal. “Despite being limited to online training sessions nowadays, Haraya’s program effectively catered to the needs of our volunteers for the OVP Community Learning Hubs (OCLH)”- Cariz Peregrino. Reach us through http://harayacoaching.com/connect-with-us/ for us to help you keep going despite the ongoing situation. We partner closely with our clients in defining success, gaining a deeper awareness of what’s most important to them and co-creating a customized approach. We also believe that true collaboration entails seeing our clients through to execution of their plans by establishing a strong follow-up process.

When a business hits a roadblock and difficult decisions are required, one might think that the answers are found in levels of profitability, customer engagement, and rate of revenue. When Haraya Coaching works with business owners faced with some form of roadblock, the questions may yield different answers, and can possibly trace back to the individuals behind the business.

Haraya Coaching believes in empowering people through coaching, hence, establishing the individual’s awareness is vital to the coaching experience. Having touched 2410 lives and counting, the stories of empowerment, realized potential and awareness continue to unfold.

One such story comes from our partners, Pep Squad Events, whose owners sought out Haraya Coaching when their company hit a slump on the road. There were issues that led them to seriously think about closing the company after finishing off paying their loans.

Co-owner Marj, relates “I just had my second child and had challenges finding a reliable babysitter while my business partner took her masters in entrepreneurship. We were preoccupied with our own lives and just could not align for our company.”

Dead ended discussions had them seeking out Jackie (Haraya Coaching founder). Untypical of strategic business meetings, they met in what they referred to as “the most Tita of venues, Mary Grace in Greenbelt”. This time though, there was no dead end but a defining moment. “One meet-up and all Jackie said was, ‘I don’t see the conflict – you both want the same thing but saying so in different ways!”

After that defining meeting, they had more sessions with Haraya Coaches Lea and TJ. More realizations surfaced: “Haraya helped us prioritize what’s important for Pep Squad which also means letting go of opportunities that are not aligned with our goals” and “… that ego has no place in synergy”.

Pep Squad continues to create MICE activities and is one of the leading events companies that stages athletic activities and races. Their story is a testimony of what is possible with Haraya Coaching. Discover and unlock your potential, for you, your team, or organization. Take confident steps in the right direction. Experience coaching by Haraya. Learn how you can be your imaginable with Haraya Coaching.

Join Haraya Coaching founder, Jackie Caniza, as she breaks down the cohesive roles of leaders and team members in transitioning the workplace into a ‘better normal’.

We invite you to an interactive online session on September 25 (Friday)

#betternormal #team #coaching #leadership

Register now for only Php 500/ participant:
https://lnkd.in/gQ49Kxu