Welcome to the Hallowe'en Edition
of 4Front's Newsletter

Each month, we share insightful information about trends, current topics, resources for building a sustainable business, and opportunities to enrol in programmes and community groups to support your next STEPS towards your goals.


A Personal Note from Rachel

It is Hallowe'en break and my three children are revving up the excitement as they prepare to go 'Trick or Treating.'  They are perfecting their costumes as vampire, witch and zombie.  When I asked them about their chosen characters, their answers got me thinking!  

  1. Vampires exist by feeding on the life essence (blood) of the living.  
  2. Witches use recipes to make potions, to help them get what they want.  Sometimes these potions have unintended consequences! 
  3. Zombies just exist, neither fully alive, nor fully dead.

As I reflect on their Hallowe'en characters, my mind has been metaphorically wandering. 

Those of you who know me well, know that one of my gifts is translating experience in one arena into another, seemingly unrelated arena.  To illustrate, let me give you an example....  

My children's Hallowe'en characters and costumes, inspired the concoction of the following CPD 'Pharmacist Potion!'

Beware!  Many of these questions, when answered honestly, have truly transformational powers!

VAMPIRE INSPIRED QUESTIONS

As a pharmacist / business owner / employee

  • Who and what feeds on your life essence, leaving you feeling depleted? 
  • How do you recognise energy vampires in your life? 
  • What makes you more vulnerable to their energy draining effects? 
  • How do you protect yourself from them? 
  • How do you build your personal and professional resilience, so you are no longer a vampire victim? 

WITCH INSPIRED QUESTIONS

As a pharmacist / business owner / employee

  • What is your recipe for success? 
  • Have you fully mastered the potion? 
  • If not, what have been the unintended consequences? 
  • What have you learned from these consequences that can help you master the potion? 

ZOMBIE INSPIRED QUESTIONS

As a pharmacist / business owner / employee

  • What makes you feel ALIVE and vibrant?
  • On a scale of 1-10, how ALIVE do you feel right now, where 1 = I am just about surviving and 10 = 100% consciously engaging with life
  • What impacts on where you are on the 1-10 scale? 
  • What could you do to move yourself from wherever you are, further up the scale?   

Hallowe'en and the Celtic Festival of Samhain traditionally mark the time of year when the veil between the spiritual and physical realm is at its thinnest.  It is a time of reflection, a time when the wisdom of our ancestors is remembered, a time that reminds us that everything is connected, even if we don't understand the connections yet! 

What kind of magic will you unleash to transform your impact this Hallowe'en?     


This Month's Article

How are YOUR Unchallenged, Limiting Beliefs Spooking You?

(This is an extract from the LEAD Alignment Topic 'Removing Barriers to Success') with a Hallowe'en flavour!

  • Have you ever realised that you aren’t doing what you love, but instead are doing a lot of what you don’t?
  • Have you ever wanted to achieve something you were passionate about, but were worried you would fail?
  • How about fretting over what others think of you?  Has that ever happened?
  • Have you ever resisted learning something new, thinking it would be too hard?

All of these are examples of your 'Inner Critic' trying to control your life.  The Critic wants to keep you safe, and its (misguided) strategy to achieve this is to keep you stuck in the 'devil you know is better than the devil you don't' mindset, which prevents you from moving toward your goals and dreams and reaching your fullest potential. 

Since we have so many thoughts in a day, most of us don’t pay specific attention to our thoughts, but instead automatically believe that if we have a thought then that thought must be from us, and therefore it must be true. We don’t take time to think that a thought is from the Critic.  

  Your 'Inner Critic' commonly uses five powerful tactics.  

  1. Tells you the 'Poor Me' Story

On a temporary basis, feeling sorry for yourself is consoling. This would be no different than the animal that licks its wounds to soothe its pain.  However, “poor me” doesn’t make us very hopeful.  Feeling sorry for yourself consumes a great deal of energy that could be used for positive action, which is why this is such a powerful tactic the Inner Critic uses to maintain the status quo.   (The 'poor me' story is an accomplished energy vampire) 

       2.“You’ll be better off if you quit”

This suggestion comes up when pursuing your goals and dreams is more difficult than expected.  The 'Inner Critic' makes quitting look desirable because giving up releases you from the burden of responsibility.  The  Inner Critic also helps make it appear acceptable to quit by rationalising your position.  But quitting exacts a steep price because over time you create a habit of quitting and you don't give yourself the opportunity to experience the value of persevering through problems and frustrations, and ultimately achieving success.  (This is a potion with unintended consequences)

      3. “Please others first”

Trying to please others stems from the feeling that making someone else happy is the ticket to being loved and accepted yourself.  And when you focus on others’ wants and needs, you often sacrifice your own.  As the saying goes, “You can’t live for others without losing yourself in the process.”  When you are lost, you don't have the drive, direction or purpose to achieve your goals and dreams and therefore stay stuck, which makes this another powerful tactic in the Critics Armoury.  (This is an amazing strategy to turn humans into Zombies, where they have given so much of themselves away, that they are barely able to survive.) 

       4. “You will get hurt”

The Inner Critic feeds on your fears and induces a sense of vulnerability.  It plants the suggestion that if you step out and try something new, you will subject yourself to judgement, criticism or rejection.   And that will result in pain.  And why would you want to do that?  Another powerful tactic! (The ultimate horror movie)

     5. “You’re not ready”

The Inner Critic will often tell you that you’re just not ready, compare you to others (negatively), and point to the tension, the queasiness, or the general feeling of uneasiness you are feeling as proof that you should back off.  It will plant seeds that say “You need more…

  • Experience
  • Education
  • Qualifications
  • Money
  • Evidence

… and then you will be ready.  But ‘ready’ never comes.” (Another incompletely formulated success potion.) 

ON REFLECTION

  • Which of these tactics does your Inner Critic most often use to haunt you?
  • Which of these tactics has influenced you to give up on your hopes and dreams?
  • What new insights did you gain about your Inner Critic? (Remember light dissipates even the most powerful shadows)

Food for Thought (and Fuel for Action)

 

 

4Front's Cycle of Confidence to Banish Self Doubt and Confidently Stand for what is Most Important


4Front's Antidote to Hallowe'en Gremlins 

Antidote to Self-Doubt 

LEAD Alignment Self Study Module comprises

  • FOUR self-study topics so you can immediately engage at a time and place convenient to your schedule
    1. Values-based decision making
    2. Visioning and goal setting
    3. Being True to Yourself
    4. Removing Barriers to Success 
  • FOUR audio-visual workshop recordings so you can learn from peers
  • QUICK ACTION BONUS for first 5 registrants (to make the antidote even more powerful!)
    • Two one-to-one coaching sessions to banish self-doubt and foster action to be used before 31 Dec

CLICK HERE for all the gory details

CLICK HERE to enrol for immediate access

Antidote to Energy Vampires and Zombies

LEAD Personal Leadership Self- Study Module comprises

  • FOUR self-study topics so you can immediately engage at a time and place convenient to your schedule
    1. Your Leadership Impact
    2. Manage Stress
    3. Restore Balance 
    4. Personal Motivation
  • FOUR audio-visual workshop recordings so you can learn from peers
  • QUICK ACTION BONUS for first 5 registrants (to make the antidote even more powerful!)
    • Two one-to-one coaching sessions to restore energy and foster action to be used before 31 Dec

CLICK HERE for all the gory details

CLICK HERE to enrol for immediate access

ANTIDOTE FOR PROFESSIONAL ISOLATION

The multi-disciplinary, international, Medical Coaching Learning Community is a powerful antidote to professional isolation and silo mentalities. 

By Joining ICF Ireland's Medical Coaching Learning Community (MCLC) , you will attend

  • 12-monthly 90-minute, LIVE, online masterclasses
  • from 730pm to 900pm London/Dublin time
  • typically on the 4th Wed of every month
  • with experts and thought leaders that will
  • enhance, broaden and provoke what you already know and
  • introduce you to their work, frameworks and methodologies. 
  • Your 12-month membership includes up to 18 hours of learning, ACCREDITED by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

CLICK HERE and join before Wed 15th November, to hear this month's speaker LIVE

Dr Pat Williams MCC, author of

'Getting NakedEmotional Transparency with the Right Person at the Right Time, in the Right Place',

speak on the topic of 

The Importance of Honest Self Disclosure in Medical Coaching Relationships

(Rachel is MCLC Programme Coordinator, on behalf of ICF Ireland Chapter's Medical Coaching Learning Circle).


Connect with Rachel

4Front Founder, Rachel Dungan is a Pharmacist, Trainer and Professional Medical Coach.  She has 20 years experience in hospital and community pharmacy.  Her passion is empowering pharmacy leaders and their teams to be and do their best.  You may recognise Rachel as an IPU Academy Tutor, IIOP Peer Support Pharmacist or Webinar Facilitator.

Click here to book your seat and join Rachel at ICF Ireland's Awards Gala on Sat 25th Nov in Malahide, Co Dublin

Contact Rachel at 086 602 5584 Email: rachel@racheldungan.com


Rachel Dungan
4Front Pharmacy Solutions Ltd