Hi friends!
It's great to be home for so many reasons, one of which is to share some really good Maui stories with you! So here goes with a little one of my faves:
On my recent beautiful Maui vacation, I seemed to naturally relax into a morning ritual that refreshed me enormously, and fuelled my spirit. I’d wake up to the sounds of the beautiful Hawaiian birds at sunrise, put on my sneakers and head out the door. I’d stop at this wonderful little Italian Coffee Shop for my morning decaf Americano, and then walk along the boardwalk to this special stretch of quiet beach. I’d walk the beach (and sometimes jog through the water), breathing in the fresh morning air and incredible sunrise views, feeling so alive and so grateful for what I knew were precious moments indeed.
During the 45 minutes or so it took to walk the beach, I’d say hello to maybe 3-4 others who, like me, seemed to be revelling in the spaciousness and quiet, yet mostly this stretch of beach was quiet and free of anything but the sounds of water, birds and a warm breeze. I felt so connected to the earth, and so free. Free to breathe very deeply, feel the wind on my skin, thank the Universe and drink all the beauty in.
After the first couple of mornings, I noticed some sandals and old running shoes that had been left at the start of this stretch of beach, near some bushes. Wonderful idea I thought! I could walk and run on the beach shoe-less and sock-less ... perfect. Given my preference to pretty much live bare-foot in the summer, I was surprised that I’d needed a cue like that to sink my feet into Maui sand. Ah well, now is the time!
So, I did kick off my sneakers but I heard this little voice warn me that they might go missing since they were pretty expensive and only a couple of months old – and in great condition. So, instead of leaving them there, I carried them with as I enjoyed my morning beach walk.
Then, 2-3 days later, eager to feel as light as possible, and thinking that I was perhaps being too concerned about the shoes, I decided to leave them at the start of the walk, by that bush. Yes! I’ll do it I thought! So I did. And, 45 minutes later...
You may have guessed it. They were gone. I’m smiling now as I remember the moment I noticed the space where they once were sitting, now empty ... because the memory is so fresh. I had surely left them there, lined up side by side, favourite socks stuffed inside, and when I realized they were gone I laughed! I recognized instantly that this would be a good story. I could picture myself walking barefoot a couple of miles back to the condo, wondering where my shoes had travelled to and what this new twist of events might lead to.
So after looking around a bit to be sure I had not mistakenly put them somewhere else, I started the walk back through town, giggling at the irony of the situation and noticing how much I was enjoying the barefoot walk home though the streets. I did sense a bit of disappointment at the same time because I had really liked those pretty new shoes and my favourite socks, for sure, but mostly I heard the voice of one of my mentors, Katie, tell me “Well, whoever took those shoes needed them more than you.” True, I thought. I had them for a while and they had served me well. Now, hopefully, someone who could really use a good pair of shoes would benefit from them.
And the funny thing is that I really didn’t miss them a lot. It was pretty easy to adapt by wearing other comfy shoes (of which I had plenty because I could definitely use help with "packing light") for that morning Maui walk. And more than once I switched things up and visited the pool earlier on in the day instead of going for that walk. This led to all sorts of great discoveries, like free beverages and copies of the Wall Street Journal and Maui News and how great it felt to fall asleep in the early morning sun and wake up to enjoy a chat with someone new in the lounger beside me. Not much to miss!
And there’s one more really ironic piece to this story. As I was sharing the story of the missing shoes with someone, I remembered that I had an identical pair sitting in a shoebox at home, brand new. I’d never done that before. I’d never bought two pairs of running shoes at once. But this time I had – thanks to a great Boxing Day Special and perhaps a hint from the Universe that I might need a second pair in March! That’s pretty fascinating to me. Clearly I didn’t need that first pair of sneakers as much as the person who is wearing them now. I had an identical pair waiting for me at home. Amazing.
So those sneakers remained in Maui when I traveled home and I felt good about that. I felt good that I’d been able to laugh and let them go pretty easily, I felt good those shoes would likely bring a smile to someone else’s face, and I felt pretty grateful that it was only a pair of shoes and favourite socks that I was leaving behind. The truth is that what I gained from my time in Maui (including the shoe adventure) had blessed me immeasurably and I was flying home, so very ready to enjoy my new shoes and being home, sweet home. That makes me pretty blessed, don't you agree?
Love and light,
Lee
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Evidence Journal – A Valuable Life Tool!
Hi everyone,
There’s a simple and powerful tool for calming the voice of the inner critic and I’d love to share it with you here. You know what I mean by the inner critic, right? Whatever we call it (i.e.: the gremlin, the committee, the ego, etc), it’s the job of the inner critic to do what it can to make us miserable.
It can work very hard to tell us we’re not smart enough, talented enough, or good enough; we’re too tall, too short, too big, too small; we never have enough money for the things we want, enough time to do the things we want to; the right house, car, partner, body, career, talents, etc. And then there’s the classic line that seems to act like a virus in the minds of so many of us in the western world ... the “you’re not getting enough done” line. Sound familiar?
At its worst the voice of our inner critic can feel strong enough to suck the wind right out of our sails and leave us feeling anxious, stressed, depressed and/or helpless. At best it can be a big drain on our precious energy and keep us playing small. And yet the truth is that the voice of the inner critic has no power at all unless we believe its messages!
A thought is simply a thought and carries no meaning other than what we give it. If we notice a thought and recognize it as false or inaccurate, it loses all hold on us and we relax into living our lives with joy and peace. We can simply notice the thought, just like a cloud in the sky, here and then gone ... we notice it and let it go.
So, how can we recognize a thought or message as true, false or not fully accurate? One simple, yet powerful, way to do this is to record evidence in a journal or on paper so that you can see it and re-read it. This is a little gem of a tool I first read about in Michael Losier’s book The Law of Attraction, and I’ve used this tool many times to calm the voice of my own inner critic.
It’s based on a simple concept really. It comes down to testing the validity of a thought or message by looking for evidence of its truth and evidence of its opposite – and recording the evidence. I’ll use an example from my own life right now.
At times over the last few months my inner critic has been very persistent in telling me that I’m not getting enough done – in fact it’s been bold enough to tell me I’m getting nothing done! Amazing! Thankfully I have evidence to the contrary. In fact I have a LOT of evidence to the contrary.
Every couple of weeks I list my most recent accomplishments in my journal. Since the voice likes to tell me that I’m getting little or nothing done, I record evidence of the opposite, which is “I’m accomplishing things”. I write a running record of my accomplishments, big, medium and small. And what do you know; the evidence proves that I’m getting a lot done.
It’s not possible to believe the inner critic when I can see so much proof that I’m getting things done. I read the evidence and it connects me to the truth. Instead of believing the voice that would tell me I need to get more done to be happy, I realize that the truth is that I am happy, and in fact I would likely be a little happier if I got less done. Yes, less. Can you imagine? I sigh and sink into the recognition that all is well.
So, if your inner critic is active and you notice a serious leakage of vital life energy, get out a pen and piece of paper and write. Start by writing down evidence of the opposite of the message that your critic is feeding you. If you think you don’t have enough money, write down evidence of where and when you do have enough money; if you think you’re not a good mother, look for and write down examples of how, where and when you are a good mother. Do you feed your children? Do you drive them places? Do you clean and cook for them? And if you feel led, write down any evidence that might support the inner critic’s message. You may not find any. Or you may find some and that’s good food for thought – it could give you a more balanced perspective. Either way you’ll have more of the truth; you’ll know what to believe and what to recognize as a very tired and old story.
And if you’re thinking that it would be a lot of work to do this for every negative message your critic feeds you, I’d like you to remember two things. One, because the inner critic doesn’t want you to relax it will tell you that it would be a lot of work to use the evidence journal (it can be sneaky).
And two, a little of something is better than a lot of nothing. The truth is that most of us think a tiny few of the same negative thoughts over and over every day. So start with one. I can assure you that you will feel noticeably better.
In short, the power of the evidence journal is that it brings you to the truth. And you know what they say about the truth ... it will set you free. Here’s to that!!
Love and light,
Lee
There’s a simple and powerful tool for calming the voice of the inner critic and I’d love to share it with you here. You know what I mean by the inner critic, right? Whatever we call it (i.e.: the gremlin, the committee, the ego, etc), it’s the job of the inner critic to do what it can to make us miserable.
It can work very hard to tell us we’re not smart enough, talented enough, or good enough; we’re too tall, too short, too big, too small; we never have enough money for the things we want, enough time to do the things we want to; the right house, car, partner, body, career, talents, etc. And then there’s the classic line that seems to act like a virus in the minds of so many of us in the western world ... the “you’re not getting enough done” line. Sound familiar?
At its worst the voice of our inner critic can feel strong enough to suck the wind right out of our sails and leave us feeling anxious, stressed, depressed and/or helpless. At best it can be a big drain on our precious energy and keep us playing small. And yet the truth is that the voice of the inner critic has no power at all unless we believe its messages!
A thought is simply a thought and carries no meaning other than what we give it. If we notice a thought and recognize it as false or inaccurate, it loses all hold on us and we relax into living our lives with joy and peace. We can simply notice the thought, just like a cloud in the sky, here and then gone ... we notice it and let it go.
So, how can we recognize a thought or message as true, false or not fully accurate? One simple, yet powerful, way to do this is to record evidence in a journal or on paper so that you can see it and re-read it. This is a little gem of a tool I first read about in Michael Losier’s book The Law of Attraction, and I’ve used this tool many times to calm the voice of my own inner critic.
It’s based on a simple concept really. It comes down to testing the validity of a thought or message by looking for evidence of its truth and evidence of its opposite – and recording the evidence. I’ll use an example from my own life right now.
At times over the last few months my inner critic has been very persistent in telling me that I’m not getting enough done – in fact it’s been bold enough to tell me I’m getting nothing done! Amazing! Thankfully I have evidence to the contrary. In fact I have a LOT of evidence to the contrary.
Every couple of weeks I list my most recent accomplishments in my journal. Since the voice likes to tell me that I’m getting little or nothing done, I record evidence of the opposite, which is “I’m accomplishing things”. I write a running record of my accomplishments, big, medium and small. And what do you know; the evidence proves that I’m getting a lot done.
It’s not possible to believe the inner critic when I can see so much proof that I’m getting things done. I read the evidence and it connects me to the truth. Instead of believing the voice that would tell me I need to get more done to be happy, I realize that the truth is that I am happy, and in fact I would likely be a little happier if I got less done. Yes, less. Can you imagine? I sigh and sink into the recognition that all is well.
So, if your inner critic is active and you notice a serious leakage of vital life energy, get out a pen and piece of paper and write. Start by writing down evidence of the opposite of the message that your critic is feeding you. If you think you don’t have enough money, write down evidence of where and when you do have enough money; if you think you’re not a good mother, look for and write down examples of how, where and when you are a good mother. Do you feed your children? Do you drive them places? Do you clean and cook for them? And if you feel led, write down any evidence that might support the inner critic’s message. You may not find any. Or you may find some and that’s good food for thought – it could give you a more balanced perspective. Either way you’ll have more of the truth; you’ll know what to believe and what to recognize as a very tired and old story.
And if you’re thinking that it would be a lot of work to do this for every negative message your critic feeds you, I’d like you to remember two things. One, because the inner critic doesn’t want you to relax it will tell you that it would be a lot of work to use the evidence journal (it can be sneaky).
And two, a little of something is better than a lot of nothing. The truth is that most of us think a tiny few of the same negative thoughts over and over every day. So start with one. I can assure you that you will feel noticeably better.
In short, the power of the evidence journal is that it brings you to the truth. And you know what they say about the truth ... it will set you free. Here’s to that!!
Love and light,
Lee
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Key Beliefs for a Life Well Lived
Hi friends,
Today I took some time to reflect on and record my core beliefs and values. The ideas I hold most dear and that I aim to shape my life around; how I see the world and what I think about a life well lived. I first felt prompted to do this in order to share more information about myself on my website and then I was reminded of how valuable it is to honor your deepest beliefs and values by taking time out for an honest check-in. To ask, am I living these beliefs and values? Where I am living aligned with these beliefs and values is cause for celebration, and seeing where I could be more aligned is powerful learning and an opportunity for shifting here and there. An opportunity to celebrate and shift to deeper happiness.
Doing this has felt very good to me and if you feel led, I invite you to do this for yourself. It will add meaning and richness to your life. I believe it will inspire you. It has sure inspired me.
My Core Beliefs:
We are designed to live with vibrant health and happiness – the body and mind have an amazing ability to rejuvenate, heal and thrive, even as we grow older.
My main job is to stay well, to take excellent care of my mind, body and spirit. It is from this place of health, happiness, relaxation and love that the gifts I have to offer the world shine the brightest. As Anne Lamott says, lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.
Health is a dynamic process of achieving your potential for a healthy mind, body and spirit. As we gain tools for maintaining a healthy mind, body and spirit, we steadily gain lasting health and happiness.
Happiness is an authentic feeling of wellbeing and contentment. And the path to lasting happiness lies in tuning into you and thinking and acting in ways that reveal your natural capacity for inner happiness.
Health and happiness are about living rather than fighting.
The mind, body and spirit are fully connected. A positive change in any area ignites a positive change in all other areas. For example, when you start to live with more passion and purpose, you’ll discover that you want to eat better and/or move your body more. I call this the Joy Diet.
We are all doing the best we can. When we have more resources, we do better. That is the human condition. When we understand this, we can feel compassion for others and compassion for ourselves; the world becomes a healthier place.
If you’re alive, you need help. We all need help to thrive and live our best lives and we all deserve it. Thankfully, we are designed to help each other.
My Core Values:
Service – Richly contributing to the health & happiness of those I connect with.
Compassion & Respect – Recognizing that we are all doing the best we can.
Holistic Health – Knowing that we are designed to live with a vibrant mind, body & spirit.
Happiness – Realizing an authentic feeling of well being & contentment.
Fun & Adventure – Living in wonder and joy - refreshing my spirit.
Personal Growth & Learning - Seizing new opportunities to grow and thrive.
Authenticity & Integrity - Being real and walking my talk.
Stay tuned everyone ... coming soon I'll share a powerful tool for quieting the voice of your inner critic.
Love and light,
Lee
Today I took some time to reflect on and record my core beliefs and values. The ideas I hold most dear and that I aim to shape my life around; how I see the world and what I think about a life well lived. I first felt prompted to do this in order to share more information about myself on my website and then I was reminded of how valuable it is to honor your deepest beliefs and values by taking time out for an honest check-in. To ask, am I living these beliefs and values? Where I am living aligned with these beliefs and values is cause for celebration, and seeing where I could be more aligned is powerful learning and an opportunity for shifting here and there. An opportunity to celebrate and shift to deeper happiness.
Doing this has felt very good to me and if you feel led, I invite you to do this for yourself. It will add meaning and richness to your life. I believe it will inspire you. It has sure inspired me.
My Core Beliefs:
We are designed to live with vibrant health and happiness – the body and mind have an amazing ability to rejuvenate, heal and thrive, even as we grow older.
My main job is to stay well, to take excellent care of my mind, body and spirit. It is from this place of health, happiness, relaxation and love that the gifts I have to offer the world shine the brightest. As Anne Lamott says, lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.
Health is a dynamic process of achieving your potential for a healthy mind, body and spirit. As we gain tools for maintaining a healthy mind, body and spirit, we steadily gain lasting health and happiness.
Happiness is an authentic feeling of wellbeing and contentment. And the path to lasting happiness lies in tuning into you and thinking and acting in ways that reveal your natural capacity for inner happiness.
Health and happiness are about living rather than fighting.
The mind, body and spirit are fully connected. A positive change in any area ignites a positive change in all other areas. For example, when you start to live with more passion and purpose, you’ll discover that you want to eat better and/or move your body more. I call this the Joy Diet.
We are all doing the best we can. When we have more resources, we do better. That is the human condition. When we understand this, we can feel compassion for others and compassion for ourselves; the world becomes a healthier place.
If you’re alive, you need help. We all need help to thrive and live our best lives and we all deserve it. Thankfully, we are designed to help each other.
My Core Values:
Service – Richly contributing to the health & happiness of those I connect with.
Compassion & Respect – Recognizing that we are all doing the best we can.
Holistic Health – Knowing that we are designed to live with a vibrant mind, body & spirit.
Happiness – Realizing an authentic feeling of well being & contentment.
Fun & Adventure – Living in wonder and joy - refreshing my spirit.
Personal Growth & Learning - Seizing new opportunities to grow and thrive.
Authenticity & Integrity - Being real and walking my talk.
Stay tuned everyone ... coming soon I'll share a powerful tool for quieting the voice of your inner critic.
Love and light,
Lee
Monday, January 11, 2010
Two Big Adventures (& Many Angels)
Happy 2010 Friends,
There’s no doubt that my favourite part of a good leap of faith is the surprising adventures that pop up along the way. I’m talking about the adventures that you didn’t see coming, yet are clearly part of the bigger plan – a plan perfectly designed to help you move forward to the next beautiful step in your life journey.
I want to share two adventures that have popped up and brightened my life lately. First, this winter I’ll be heading off to Maui for my first ever winter vacation. Yes! I’m thrilled by this opportunity and feel great things will come via this – they already have. If you’d told me several months ago that I’d be heading to Maui, I would have found it hard to believe – after all, my plan was to work, work, work and create to move my business forward – who had the time or money for a great winter vacation? Turns out, I did.
Thanks to one of many angels in my life that is. A precious relative of mine phoned out of the blue to say she’d like to treat me to this. She was generous enough to offer and I was wise enough to accept! I did notice the little ego voice in my head telling me I couldn’t afford the time and I thanked it for sharing, knowing that this was simply an old voice of fear and certainly not the voice of truth, possibilities and love. The voice of truth, possibilities and love knew that this trip would power me forward in life and the business ... for they really are one in the same.
In Maui I’ll be riding a bike 28 miles down the slopes of a Volcano, snorkelling for the first time, and meeting a lot of new people – new adventures in the making. I’ll also be coaching my clients via Phone or Skype (their pick) – all systems go, free of geographical boundaries. About half of my current clients prefer phone coaching as it is now, so we’ll simply continue on as usual, and those that prefer face to face connections have the choice to continue coaching on my return or connect via phone during this time. Pretty fabulous. Rack this up to another of the many things I love about coaching and speaking – great flexibility.
Then, shortly after this offer popped up, along came the perfect couple wanting to housesit for me during the trip – more angels. I was in awe at the ease of it all, and I still am.
The second big adventure began a couple of months ago when I had lunch with a woman I’d just met at a networking event. Over lunch she opened up and shared her strong desire for a new career or life path, and her deep frustration with not knowing exactly what it was she wanted. I felt led to coach her a little and so, with her permission, I did. By the end of our lunch she knew exactly what she wanted and felt fuelled with more energy than she’d felt in years.
She enthusiastically thanked me and then turned the tables by saying something that changed things for me and my business. She said “You’re not a normal Wellness Coach!" And because I tend to love most things that aren't normal (and sensed a real gift coming my way) I invited her to expand. And as I probed and she expanded, the words we needed to describe a key uniqueness in my coaching style came to life. Whala! The new Power of Wellness tagline was born: Tuning Into You – Mind * Body * Spirit.
I love it. It feels right. First, the “tuning into you” piece feels very much like what I do and what I help each client to do for themselves ... clearly tune into their dreams, their talents, their inner resources and wisdom, their heart’s calling, and their unique strengths and passions. Together we tune into the power that moves them forward with clarity, ease and joy.
And the Mind, Body, Spirit piece is important too because, so often, folks interpret “Wellness” to mean “body”only ... healthy eating and fitness that is. This Power of Wellness tagline makes it clear that we tune into all of you ... or rather any part of you that is calling for your attention, including your thoughts/beliefs, emotions, sense of purpose and your passions. As Dr. Wayne Dyer likes to say, “The Whole Enchilada”.
So now this wonderful new tagline is featured on the new POW business cards, the newly improved POW website and in the smile on my face. Yes, just when I was getting ready to go out and social network some more, the tagline angel showed up - not a moment too soon.
Thank you, thank you, and thank you I say. To the beautiful angels without whom these 2 big adventures wouldn’t be possible, to the Universe for helping me to recognize a good thing when it shows up, and to you for allowing me to share these adventures with you. After all, that’s what makes the ride meaningful, and that’s what makes it fun!
Here’s to all the adventures, yours and mine, that make our lives so rich.
Lee
There’s no doubt that my favourite part of a good leap of faith is the surprising adventures that pop up along the way. I’m talking about the adventures that you didn’t see coming, yet are clearly part of the bigger plan – a plan perfectly designed to help you move forward to the next beautiful step in your life journey.
I want to share two adventures that have popped up and brightened my life lately. First, this winter I’ll be heading off to Maui for my first ever winter vacation. Yes! I’m thrilled by this opportunity and feel great things will come via this – they already have. If you’d told me several months ago that I’d be heading to Maui, I would have found it hard to believe – after all, my plan was to work, work, work and create to move my business forward – who had the time or money for a great winter vacation? Turns out, I did.
Thanks to one of many angels in my life that is. A precious relative of mine phoned out of the blue to say she’d like to treat me to this. She was generous enough to offer and I was wise enough to accept! I did notice the little ego voice in my head telling me I couldn’t afford the time and I thanked it for sharing, knowing that this was simply an old voice of fear and certainly not the voice of truth, possibilities and love. The voice of truth, possibilities and love knew that this trip would power me forward in life and the business ... for they really are one in the same.
In Maui I’ll be riding a bike 28 miles down the slopes of a Volcano, snorkelling for the first time, and meeting a lot of new people – new adventures in the making. I’ll also be coaching my clients via Phone or Skype (their pick) – all systems go, free of geographical boundaries. About half of my current clients prefer phone coaching as it is now, so we’ll simply continue on as usual, and those that prefer face to face connections have the choice to continue coaching on my return or connect via phone during this time. Pretty fabulous. Rack this up to another of the many things I love about coaching and speaking – great flexibility.
Then, shortly after this offer popped up, along came the perfect couple wanting to housesit for me during the trip – more angels. I was in awe at the ease of it all, and I still am.
The second big adventure began a couple of months ago when I had lunch with a woman I’d just met at a networking event. Over lunch she opened up and shared her strong desire for a new career or life path, and her deep frustration with not knowing exactly what it was she wanted. I felt led to coach her a little and so, with her permission, I did. By the end of our lunch she knew exactly what she wanted and felt fuelled with more energy than she’d felt in years.
She enthusiastically thanked me and then turned the tables by saying something that changed things for me and my business. She said “You’re not a normal Wellness Coach!" And because I tend to love most things that aren't normal (and sensed a real gift coming my way) I invited her to expand. And as I probed and she expanded, the words we needed to describe a key uniqueness in my coaching style came to life. Whala! The new Power of Wellness tagline was born: Tuning Into You – Mind * Body * Spirit.
I love it. It feels right. First, the “tuning into you” piece feels very much like what I do and what I help each client to do for themselves ... clearly tune into their dreams, their talents, their inner resources and wisdom, their heart’s calling, and their unique strengths and passions. Together we tune into the power that moves them forward with clarity, ease and joy.
And the Mind, Body, Spirit piece is important too because, so often, folks interpret “Wellness” to mean “body”only ... healthy eating and fitness that is. This Power of Wellness tagline makes it clear that we tune into all of you ... or rather any part of you that is calling for your attention, including your thoughts/beliefs, emotions, sense of purpose and your passions. As Dr. Wayne Dyer likes to say, “The Whole Enchilada”.
So now this wonderful new tagline is featured on the new POW business cards, the newly improved POW website and in the smile on my face. Yes, just when I was getting ready to go out and social network some more, the tagline angel showed up - not a moment too soon.
Thank you, thank you, and thank you I say. To the beautiful angels without whom these 2 big adventures wouldn’t be possible, to the Universe for helping me to recognize a good thing when it shows up, and to you for allowing me to share these adventures with you. After all, that’s what makes the ride meaningful, and that’s what makes it fun!
Here’s to all the adventures, yours and mine, that make our lives so rich.
Lee
Friday, December 11, 2009
2010: An Opportunity to Re-Think "No time"
Hi everyone :)
I just wrote this piece for the newest edition of the Power of Wellness Newsletter and a little (yet very powerful) voice said "share it in your blog". So, here it is friends ...
Is there something you really want to do in 2010? It might even be the same thing you wanted to do in 2009 but just couldn’t find the time for. Do you want to exercise more, have more fun, make a healthy change in your diet, start a small business, give more, take regular time out for a passion or hobby, spend more quality time with family or friends ... or simply feel more awake to the beauty and joy around you? Recently I asked a new coaching client what she wanted most and she said “I want to know how to take the time to stop and smell the roses”. Sound familiar?
Whatever your desire, if you’ve told yourself “I don’t have the time for that”, I invite and challenge you to re-think it. 99% of the time, the thing that stops us is not a lack of time. The truth is that we all have the same 24 hours each day and we all get to choose how we use the time we have; we all choose how to spend our 1,440 minutes a day, 168 hours a week, and 365 days each year. We all set priorities and if we’re not doing something, it’s because we haven’t made it a priority.
In the words of Michael Neill, “the most important choice you make is what you make important”. If you notice yourself thinking “I don’t have time for that”, ask yourself “Is this a priority right now?” Maybe it’s not a top priority right now, and that’s just fine. I’ve discovered that I could easily fill 3-4 full days for every 1 that I have, all with things I’d truly like to do. So, to live my best life (and bust the big stress that would come with trying to actually do all that!), I consistently ask myself, “What’s most important in my life right now?” This is the only thing that helps me come back to my center, to my sense of peace and wellbeing. And believe me, I've made it into a bit of a daily prayer or mantra to help keep me on track. Without it, I can easily go overboard and lose that sense of wellbeing.
And if something does feel like a top priority to you and you still think you don’t have the time, consider asking yourself “The Million Dollar Question”: If you would be given a million dollars for the successful achievement of whatever it is you say you want in your life, what would you do differently to go about getting it? For example, if you knew you’d be paid a million dollars (or whatever would be inspirational for you) to find the time for a daily 30 minute dose of pure pleasure or fun, what would you do differently to make it happen? Would you say no to something? Maybe you’d delegate more. There are a lot of ideas and it’s amazing how creative we can be when the stakes are high.
Maybe you need help to figure out how to make this a priority. Go for it – ask for help. It’s a common thing to feel stuck and out of answers at some point in our lives and, as I say time and time again, if you’re alive, you need help. We all need help to live our best lives. And we all deserve it. We really are designed to help each other.
You might ask a good friend to brainstorm possible solutions with you, to encourage you and hold you accountable. It could be fun to do this for each other. Or get radical and hire a life coach – research shows that you’re 80% more likely to make the shift you want to, and make it stick. It’s pretty powerful teamwork indeed.
The bottom line is if you want to “move out of stuck and into possibility in 2010”, make it a priority to tune into your priorities. You’ll be so very grateful you did! In the words of Mary Oliver ... “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
I just wrote this piece for the newest edition of the Power of Wellness Newsletter and a little (yet very powerful) voice said "share it in your blog". So, here it is friends ...
Is there something you really want to do in 2010? It might even be the same thing you wanted to do in 2009 but just couldn’t find the time for. Do you want to exercise more, have more fun, make a healthy change in your diet, start a small business, give more, take regular time out for a passion or hobby, spend more quality time with family or friends ... or simply feel more awake to the beauty and joy around you? Recently I asked a new coaching client what she wanted most and she said “I want to know how to take the time to stop and smell the roses”. Sound familiar?
Whatever your desire, if you’ve told yourself “I don’t have the time for that”, I invite and challenge you to re-think it. 99% of the time, the thing that stops us is not a lack of time. The truth is that we all have the same 24 hours each day and we all get to choose how we use the time we have; we all choose how to spend our 1,440 minutes a day, 168 hours a week, and 365 days each year. We all set priorities and if we’re not doing something, it’s because we haven’t made it a priority.
In the words of Michael Neill, “the most important choice you make is what you make important”. If you notice yourself thinking “I don’t have time for that”, ask yourself “Is this a priority right now?” Maybe it’s not a top priority right now, and that’s just fine. I’ve discovered that I could easily fill 3-4 full days for every 1 that I have, all with things I’d truly like to do. So, to live my best life (and bust the big stress that would come with trying to actually do all that!), I consistently ask myself, “What’s most important in my life right now?” This is the only thing that helps me come back to my center, to my sense of peace and wellbeing. And believe me, I've made it into a bit of a daily prayer or mantra to help keep me on track. Without it, I can easily go overboard and lose that sense of wellbeing.
And if something does feel like a top priority to you and you still think you don’t have the time, consider asking yourself “The Million Dollar Question”: If you would be given a million dollars for the successful achievement of whatever it is you say you want in your life, what would you do differently to go about getting it? For example, if you knew you’d be paid a million dollars (or whatever would be inspirational for you) to find the time for a daily 30 minute dose of pure pleasure or fun, what would you do differently to make it happen? Would you say no to something? Maybe you’d delegate more. There are a lot of ideas and it’s amazing how creative we can be when the stakes are high.
Maybe you need help to figure out how to make this a priority. Go for it – ask for help. It’s a common thing to feel stuck and out of answers at some point in our lives and, as I say time and time again, if you’re alive, you need help. We all need help to live our best lives. And we all deserve it. We really are designed to help each other.
You might ask a good friend to brainstorm possible solutions with you, to encourage you and hold you accountable. It could be fun to do this for each other. Or get radical and hire a life coach – research shows that you’re 80% more likely to make the shift you want to, and make it stick. It’s pretty powerful teamwork indeed.
The bottom line is if you want to “move out of stuck and into possibility in 2010”, make it a priority to tune into your priorities. You’ll be so very grateful you did! In the words of Mary Oliver ... “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Wonder in a Day Full of Moments.
Hi Friends,
A few years ago I heard Byron Katie (author of Loving What Is) speak for the first time. And the thing I remember most is the moment when she faced the audience and said “You know, I’ve waited my whole life to meet you, and here you are! Isn’t it wonderful?” And she gazed at as many of us as she could take in, with such love and adoration.
That moment changed my life. That statement and her wonder and love blew me away with its beauty. It created such a new opening for me. In that moment I became so much more aware of the opportunity for wonder, beauty and love in each new moment. I became deeply aware that each of our lives is so full of moments like this. One moment you might be talking with a friend in a coffee shop and then you feel a light touch on your shoulder, turn around and notice someone new. Maybe you see another friend who has come to join you, or maybe someone you’ve never met smiles and asks if he can sit next to you - and it might even turn out that that stranger is the love of your life. Who knew?
Each day, one moment after another greets us and we can’t possibly know what each will hold. We plan and plan and sometimes what shows up looks and feels like our plan. And often it doesn’t. It’s such a mystery; such a beautiful, spectacular mystery if we’re able to see it and feel it that way. When I’m awake to this mystery, I feel what I imagine a baby or toddler might feel, wide eyed and in wonder at each new thing they encounter. They can’t predict what is next and they don’t even try. They’re just involved in each moment – that is, until the next one comes along.
Yesterday was full of magical moments I couldn’t have seen coming. I attended a Women’s Empowerment Conference that I’d received a ticket to via an unexpected turn of events. I remember entering the conference meeting room at the start of the day and noticing that many seats were occupied and many women were still on their way. Where would I sit? A simple choice that would shape my day and change my life, a little or a lot – how could I know? So I savoured the moment of not knowing, and then found myself greeting a women sitting alone and asking her if I could join her.
Lucky me. I waited my whole life to meet her and there she was, waiting for me! She was fabulous and the moment was perfect. And we discovered that we each had something of great value to offer the other and so we’ll likely meet again, that is if it turns out that way. How could either of us have known the fun and help we’d be blessed with simply by meeting at the right time? Not a moment too soon, or too late.
And today? Right now I’m writing a blog about an idea I didn’t see coming thirty minutes ago. I remember sitting down, tuning into my heart and asking “what do I want to say?” Ideas then popped into my mind, my fingers grasped the pen, and now those same fingers are tapping letters on a keyboard, and soon (if it works out this way) I’ll press the “post blog” key. And maybe tomorrow, one moment you’ll be surfing the net, and the next moment your eyes will notice the blog entry and you’ll read these words. Or maybe you’ll see the blog entry and think “I don’t have time to read this” and you won’t. That’s good too. Life is good, all is well.
Now I’m going to put on my raincoat and step out the door for a lovely walk on the beach all by myself. But really, how could I know? All I know is that I’m open to that, or something even better.
Love and all green lights,
Lee
A few years ago I heard Byron Katie (author of Loving What Is) speak for the first time. And the thing I remember most is the moment when she faced the audience and said “You know, I’ve waited my whole life to meet you, and here you are! Isn’t it wonderful?” And she gazed at as many of us as she could take in, with such love and adoration.
That moment changed my life. That statement and her wonder and love blew me away with its beauty. It created such a new opening for me. In that moment I became so much more aware of the opportunity for wonder, beauty and love in each new moment. I became deeply aware that each of our lives is so full of moments like this. One moment you might be talking with a friend in a coffee shop and then you feel a light touch on your shoulder, turn around and notice someone new. Maybe you see another friend who has come to join you, or maybe someone you’ve never met smiles and asks if he can sit next to you - and it might even turn out that that stranger is the love of your life. Who knew?
Each day, one moment after another greets us and we can’t possibly know what each will hold. We plan and plan and sometimes what shows up looks and feels like our plan. And often it doesn’t. It’s such a mystery; such a beautiful, spectacular mystery if we’re able to see it and feel it that way. When I’m awake to this mystery, I feel what I imagine a baby or toddler might feel, wide eyed and in wonder at each new thing they encounter. They can’t predict what is next and they don’t even try. They’re just involved in each moment – that is, until the next one comes along.
Yesterday was full of magical moments I couldn’t have seen coming. I attended a Women’s Empowerment Conference that I’d received a ticket to via an unexpected turn of events. I remember entering the conference meeting room at the start of the day and noticing that many seats were occupied and many women were still on their way. Where would I sit? A simple choice that would shape my day and change my life, a little or a lot – how could I know? So I savoured the moment of not knowing, and then found myself greeting a women sitting alone and asking her if I could join her.
Lucky me. I waited my whole life to meet her and there she was, waiting for me! She was fabulous and the moment was perfect. And we discovered that we each had something of great value to offer the other and so we’ll likely meet again, that is if it turns out that way. How could either of us have known the fun and help we’d be blessed with simply by meeting at the right time? Not a moment too soon, or too late.
And today? Right now I’m writing a blog about an idea I didn’t see coming thirty minutes ago. I remember sitting down, tuning into my heart and asking “what do I want to say?” Ideas then popped into my mind, my fingers grasped the pen, and now those same fingers are tapping letters on a keyboard, and soon (if it works out this way) I’ll press the “post blog” key. And maybe tomorrow, one moment you’ll be surfing the net, and the next moment your eyes will notice the blog entry and you’ll read these words. Or maybe you’ll see the blog entry and think “I don’t have time to read this” and you won’t. That’s good too. Life is good, all is well.
Now I’m going to put on my raincoat and step out the door for a lovely walk on the beach all by myself. But really, how could I know? All I know is that I’m open to that, or something even better.
Love and all green lights,
Lee
Friday, November 6, 2009
Best Practices - The Morning Questions
Hi Friends,
You know I just love it when a Divine idea just pops into your head or hands, freely delivered at just the right time. Do you know what I mean?
A few weeks ago my cousin introduced me to an author that was new to me, and now having read a couple of his books, I’m amazed that he’s new to me. His name is Robin Sharma and he’s a top leadership coach and speaker – he’s all about living his best life and inspiring others to do the same. I can relate! And I adore his writing, his work and his message.
If you want to take a look for yourself, I believe his first big bestseller was The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Great title. The two books I’ve read are The Saint, The Surfer and The CEO, and The Greatness Guide. Easy reads, chock full of inspiration, powerful stories and powerful ideas.
One of the many things that I’ve discovered that Robin Sharma and I are both very big on is the value of self-care in propelling us forward to live our best life (to be our best at work, to feel happy in our own skin). Big, big, big. And if you’ve been following my blog, you know that I’ve really boosted my own self-care practices significantly in the last few months.
Okay, here’s where the Divine idea comes in. Thanks to Robin Sharma, I’ve added morning writing or journaling to my daily best practices package. I’ve sure done a lot of journaling in my life, on and off, and now this new set of morning questions I answer is noticeably boosting my ability to shine , and my experience of feeling fully guided and fully alive. It’s a very good thing.
What I do is set aside at least 15-30 minutes in the morning, sit with a cup of my favourite tea, take a deep breath and write the answers to these questions (if you read Sharma’s book, you’ll notice that I’ve used most of his suggested questions yet replaced some of his with my own – always good to make it your own). Here are my morning questions:
1. What am I irritated about? This is my feelings piece and I just write without thinking – free flow writing, just letting it come onto the paper. Interesting what shows up. Feels great to release it.
2. What do I want? What are the greatest desires of my heart? Again, it’s good to write freely and notice that as days go by, I get a deeper sense of what I really want. This helps to set priorities and feel passionate.
3. What do I have to be grateful for in my life?
4. What one thing could I do today to make my life extraordinary? When I get the answer, I set that as my intention for the day.
5. What can I do to feel some fun today?
6. How can I help someone today?
7. What does the Universe want me to know today?
Those are the seven questions that feel good to me right now. I usually don’t answer every morning question, every day. I look at my list of questions (after I’ve had that first sip of tea and a nice deep breath) and notice which ones I feel attracted to at that moment. And those are the ones I answer. It’s fun to notice how they switch day to day. And it’s absolutely amazing to see what comes out of me onto the paper each day. There’s always something juicy in there (little or big “ah has”) and I always feel lighter and more optimistic when I finish. And the answers shape my day, and my life.
This is my newest self-care practice and I love it. My intention is to answer the questions as long as I feel guided to – as long as they help me to shine. My best practices prayer is “This or something better”.
On that note, I send my best wishes for a wonderful weekend and for all of us to feel guided to our own unique best life practices, more and more all the time.
Sending you love and all green lights,
Lee
PS: Question number 2 might just be my favourite (today it is anyhow) because the answers often surprise me. I’d done so much life visioning and didn’t expect to get new insights this often. Fun.
You know I just love it when a Divine idea just pops into your head or hands, freely delivered at just the right time. Do you know what I mean?
A few weeks ago my cousin introduced me to an author that was new to me, and now having read a couple of his books, I’m amazed that he’s new to me. His name is Robin Sharma and he’s a top leadership coach and speaker – he’s all about living his best life and inspiring others to do the same. I can relate! And I adore his writing, his work and his message.
If you want to take a look for yourself, I believe his first big bestseller was The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Great title. The two books I’ve read are The Saint, The Surfer and The CEO, and The Greatness Guide. Easy reads, chock full of inspiration, powerful stories and powerful ideas.
One of the many things that I’ve discovered that Robin Sharma and I are both very big on is the value of self-care in propelling us forward to live our best life (to be our best at work, to feel happy in our own skin). Big, big, big. And if you’ve been following my blog, you know that I’ve really boosted my own self-care practices significantly in the last few months.
Okay, here’s where the Divine idea comes in. Thanks to Robin Sharma, I’ve added morning writing or journaling to my daily best practices package. I’ve sure done a lot of journaling in my life, on and off, and now this new set of morning questions I answer is noticeably boosting my ability to shine , and my experience of feeling fully guided and fully alive. It’s a very good thing.
What I do is set aside at least 15-30 minutes in the morning, sit with a cup of my favourite tea, take a deep breath and write the answers to these questions (if you read Sharma’s book, you’ll notice that I’ve used most of his suggested questions yet replaced some of his with my own – always good to make it your own). Here are my morning questions:
1. What am I irritated about? This is my feelings piece and I just write without thinking – free flow writing, just letting it come onto the paper. Interesting what shows up. Feels great to release it.
2. What do I want? What are the greatest desires of my heart? Again, it’s good to write freely and notice that as days go by, I get a deeper sense of what I really want. This helps to set priorities and feel passionate.
3. What do I have to be grateful for in my life?
4. What one thing could I do today to make my life extraordinary? When I get the answer, I set that as my intention for the day.
5. What can I do to feel some fun today?
6. How can I help someone today?
7. What does the Universe want me to know today?
Those are the seven questions that feel good to me right now. I usually don’t answer every morning question, every day. I look at my list of questions (after I’ve had that first sip of tea and a nice deep breath) and notice which ones I feel attracted to at that moment. And those are the ones I answer. It’s fun to notice how they switch day to day. And it’s absolutely amazing to see what comes out of me onto the paper each day. There’s always something juicy in there (little or big “ah has”) and I always feel lighter and more optimistic when I finish. And the answers shape my day, and my life.
This is my newest self-care practice and I love it. My intention is to answer the questions as long as I feel guided to – as long as they help me to shine. My best practices prayer is “This or something better”.
On that note, I send my best wishes for a wonderful weekend and for all of us to feel guided to our own unique best life practices, more and more all the time.
Sending you love and all green lights,
Lee
PS: Question number 2 might just be my favourite (today it is anyhow) because the answers often surprise me. I’d done so much life visioning and didn’t expect to get new insights this often. Fun.
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