Michael McDonald is a transformational coach and dear friend of mine, and I’m thrilled for you to make his acquaintance. He’s funny, wise, possibly a wee bit nerdy, and one of my favorite resources for insight-provoking questions.
When I invited him to the podcast, he asked if I wanted to go more spiritual or practical. Well, this episode took a decidedly spiritual turn…between bouts of irrepressible giggles.
(I decided not to completely edit out the snickers and guffaws because it’s simply too fun to miss.)
Here’s a taste of our conversation:
- Putting things on the “God shelf”
- What it means to “be used for a mighty purpose”
- How to escape from the downward spiral of seriousness and overthinking
- Life without coping strategies as a good thing
- Why having routines and showing up in the moment don’t contradict each other
- The surprising path to authentic self-expression and being more attractive to others
- The benefits of having NO as your default response
- Dealing with social anxiety and self-consciousness
- How to get over feeling not okay (sadness, anxiety, angry)
Listen and download the podcast here:
“This is the true joy in life; being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” – George Bernard Shaw
Watch the video of our full chat, listen to the podcast, or grab some of my takeaways below.
A Transformational Coach Journey: Being Lived, Slow and Simple
Surrendering to being used for a “mighty purpose” means letting go of the shoulds and have tos. Michael finds himself getting even more chill (who knew that was possible?!?) and with nothing to do, the things that happen are surprising and easeful. After handing over the reins of his business, it booked up in two weeks!
Enjoying your life, no matter how big or small, is a mighty purpose. The positive impact of being you and loving life ripples out into the world, and there’s no need to compare with someone else’s accomplishments. As enlightened Scottish welder Sydney Banks has been quoted, “I can do more good for the world in my garden than giving a lecture.”
Saying NO opens up a powerful space of possibilities. Michael has set his default response to “No,” unless he gets a clear yes. It makes choosing classes, trainings or activities simple and easy.
Coherence and alignment with inspiration and wisdom creates change in the world. If you want world peace, it has to originate from within. This isn’t an excuse to do nothing, but rather a call to move from the source of all power by aligning with it.
When things look complicated, look in the direction of simple. It doesn’t help to be serious about something. Get suspicious when anything seems dramatic or heavy; look instead to the things in your life that are already working beautifully.
The exploration of the non-dual includes an appreciation of a separate experience. Embracing the experience of separation doesn’t mar the wholeness or mean losing yourself. It’s all the ocean, but there are also individual waves, allowing the rich experience of the universe knowing itself. You find yourself in losing yourself.
True authenticity is thinking about yourself less. There’s limited value to authenticity as “saying what’s on your mind.” Authenticity emerges when you’re less self-conscious. When you’re not on your own mind, there’s room to be fascinated by others, and coaching becomes easier. The less you think about yourself, the more people resonate and are drawn to you.
You can get good at being okay when you’re disturbed by sadness, fear or anger. Michael explains that you can feel bad without spiraling into the feelings and piling on more things in an effort to not feel bad. Then feeling “not okay” is no longer problematic.
Go into the feeling rather than resisting it, and watch it move. When Michael feels lethargic, he lets himself go with the feeling by slumping to the floor and relaxing. If he’s tense, he’ll tense up every muscle in his body even more. It always moves into a different form. The half-life of a feeling is very short when it’s not engaged.
People can use planning and perfection to create an existential crisis. The need to know all the pieces and put them together into a perfectly executed life plan isn’t a recipe for happiness. Allowing the not-knowing doesn’t mean chaos; structures, stability and resistance also come from wisdom.
You can create habits, routines and disciples while simultaneously being open to what’s happening in the moment. There isn’t an inherent contradiction between structure and spontaneity.
“Something awesome is trying to happen, and your job is to allow it.” – Michael McDonald
Meet Michael McDonald, Transformational Coach
Michael is a transformational coach for entrepreneurs and executives. He engages life as a gentle warrior-philosopher, devoted to bringing more consciousness, ease, and awesomeness into the world. He is the creator of Relational Alchemy and Masterpiece Days, and is well-known for his daily wisdom quotes.
In one-on-one coaching, Michael helps conscious “Quiet Giant” entrepreneurs and executives find and courageously pursue their true work in the world in a way that feels authentic and in integrity.
Connect with Michael
Website: http://authenticintegrity.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelek
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