Hi everyone,
A few people have been asking about my plans for the summer and next year and so I thought I'd share them here :). A perfect forum. Starting tomorrow I intend to take the next six weeks of the summer off! Ahhh. Just the thought of it feels very, very good, and so well deserved. In fact, I'm going to sign off of the computer (email, facebook, blog, twitter, everything!) for most of July. I will still see my coaching clients yet, other than that, I intend to relax, socialize, spend some time with family, walk the beaches, meditate, have fun and be quiet. Not necessarily in that order but lots of each!
Then, come mid-August I'll be planning for a partial return to Douglas College in September, at 25% of a full load for the year. It's called a one year temporary workload reduction, and I'm grateful for it - you know I love teaching and Douglas TR Students! I'll be teaching one course in the fall, and one in the winter. That will give me more time to be there for my mom (who I think I mentioned has had some health setbacks & gains over the last year) and continue tuning in to see what adventures the Universe draws to me for this beautiful journey called life and the Power of Wellness.
In the fall I see myself actually recording the POWer Up Your Life Audio CD I thought would be complete by last fall! Yes, I've certainly learned this past year that my sense of what can be done with a block of time is very skewed indeed! I have great expectations and tremendous optimism (which I wouldn't trade for anything), and, like all of us, I made choices with the options given me. I wouldn't change a thing about the past year. There are no mistakes and I'm grateful for a year full of precious life opportunties - some of which I saw coming, and many of which I couldn't have imagined. In the words of the beautiful Louise Hay, all is well. Life is good.
Beyond that? Who knows. In fact, beyond this moment, who knows? Just guessing here. What else can we do?
All of that to say that I likely won't be blogging a lot for the next year - perhaps here and there if I feel there's something truly special I'm inspired to share and know that this is the best place for it. In the meantime though, I'll be back on Facebook regularly after mid August. I love connecting with friends there. And I invite you to be my facebook friend if you're not already. It's such a simple and great way to connect, isn't it?
Also, I'll continue sending the POW newsletter out. If you want to subscribe, email me at lee@powerofwellness.com with a "yes" in the subject line, and you'll start to receive issues right away (it comes out every two months). I'm happy to say that my readership continues to grow and I'm so grateful! It's such a blessing to share, connect and learn. And so exciting to hear feedback and stories about how folks pay it forward in their own way. There's nothing I like better than hearing about the good being done. And there's so much of it.
So, thank you a hundred times for listening and for supporting me with so much joy, heart and friendship. I couldn't do what I do without it. I've known that for years and yet I seem to know it more than ever now.
Wishing you delight, love, fun, tears and the comfort of loved ones ... this summer and beyond :). You light up my life!
Love and hugs,
Lee
PS: Hope to see you on Facebook :).
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Good to be back!
Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve done any blogging, and I’ve missed connecting with you! It feels good to be back.
What have I been up to? Well, two things come to mind. First, I’ve been extra busy slowing down! I was moving so fast this past spring, summer and fall – and then Maui and the Universe worked their magic on me. Since then I’ve been relaxing into spring and a pace and rhythm that feels much more balanced and peaceful. In short, I’ve been practicing extreme self-care. Every time a voice inside my head would say “you should write a blog”, I’d notice a deeper voice inside my heart say “not now”. And so I would ask “what now then?” and the answer has typically been something like “have a bubble bath” or “go for a walk on the beach” or “meditate again”. And I’ve listened, knowing that that is the voice of wisdom and feeling grateful that I am once again clearly connected to it! Let me tell you my friends, it’s felt like coming home, only to a home that feels better to me than ever.
The second thing that comes to mind when I think of what I’ve been up to is “where would I start?” So many unique, special and wonderful things have happened in the last few months of this year – along with a few things that really shook me to my core and broke me open! And of course, in most cases, they were one and the same thing. I’ve felt a lot of pain and a lot of love, healing and opening up. Love in doses I hadn’t experienced before – the kind of love that has frankly overwhelmed me and taken me by surprise. And I thought I was pretty great at taking the love in! It’s been a big learning curve indeed, and the learning continues.
So, in short, big things have been happening. And for those of you that know me well, you can just imagine how many stickies I have in my “Blog ideas” file. Are you smiling? I sure am (lol).
Thankfully my inner wisdom is perfectly designed to cut through all the stickies and stories and makes things simple. I tune inward and I hear it telling me to start with something fun, simple and fascinating. That I can do. So here goes ...
First, I want to tell you that my newest coaching client is lighting my life up in a big way. She is 89 years old and committed to feeling truly happy. She is willing to do whatever it takes to spend the last part of her life feeling better than she has in a long time. She inspires me in every sense of the word! She is so very bright, authentic and absolutely honest. When I heard her chuckle for the first time, my heart nearly burst with joy, gratefulness and adoration. She is so proud to have her own life coach and I am so grateful for our connection. Life is short and this is one of the many things that make it meaningful.
And speaking of meaningful, the other day my Postman knocked on my door and when I answered he let me know right away that he didn’t have any parcels for me, but he was wondering if I’d ever heard of Dr. Deepak Chopra. Yes, I said, feeling quite curious to see where this would lead. So, he said, I have an extra ticket to see him tonight at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre – it turns out that my friend can’t come and so I wonder if you would be interested in joining me.
Right away I heard that very wise voice inside of me say “Go”. So I did. I hadn’t seen Deepak Chopra for at least 3-4 years and he is one of my favourite teachers and speakers. I knew this would be a great opportunity to hear him again, a great opportunity to get to know my wonderful postman a little more, and a great opportunity to see what else showed up to make life special. So I patted myself on the back for being spontaneous, thanked the Universe for fun surprises and my postman for the fabulous offer and off I went.
I could share a lot about that special evening and its off-shoots, yet I’ll stick with this one little gem of research that Dr. Chopra shared with us all that night. The research was conducted by Dr. Nicholas Christakis of Harvard, who’s been researching social connections for decades. And what he has discovered is truly remarkable.
Dr. Christakis’ research reveals that if you have a friend who is happy, the probability that you will feel happy increases by 15%. And if that friend has a friend who is happy (someone you may not even know), the probability that you will feel happy increases by 10%. And if that friend’s friend has a friend who is happy, the likelihood that you will become happy increases by another 6%. In fact, it takes four degrees of separation (in other words, your friend’s, friend’s, friend’s friend) before there is no measurable difference in your happiness!
Happiness is so contagious that people we don’t even know have an impact on our happiness and vice versa. Think about it. We have the ability to really impact the happiness of the people we interact with every day by being happy ourselves - whenever we are spending time with our family members, friends, or colleagues we have an opportunity to lead with happiness (even though Dr. Christakis’ research didn’t directly address a family or work context, imagine the link). A simple act like giving someone a compliment, recognizing something they’ve done, or smiling as they pass by could make them happier, which according to this research, may in turn cause others well beyond your immediate social circle to feel happier.
If this fascinates you and you want to learn more, stay tuned for the summer edition of my newsletter, where I share more on this and provide valuable links to videos and happiness tools you can use to boost your happiness quotient.
That’s it for today my friends. Thanks for still being here when I connect, for listening and sharing any comments (here or via email) and for sharing this journey with me. You make it meaningful, for sure!
Here’s to our collective happiness,
Lee
What have I been up to? Well, two things come to mind. First, I’ve been extra busy slowing down! I was moving so fast this past spring, summer and fall – and then Maui and the Universe worked their magic on me. Since then I’ve been relaxing into spring and a pace and rhythm that feels much more balanced and peaceful. In short, I’ve been practicing extreme self-care. Every time a voice inside my head would say “you should write a blog”, I’d notice a deeper voice inside my heart say “not now”. And so I would ask “what now then?” and the answer has typically been something like “have a bubble bath” or “go for a walk on the beach” or “meditate again”. And I’ve listened, knowing that that is the voice of wisdom and feeling grateful that I am once again clearly connected to it! Let me tell you my friends, it’s felt like coming home, only to a home that feels better to me than ever.
The second thing that comes to mind when I think of what I’ve been up to is “where would I start?” So many unique, special and wonderful things have happened in the last few months of this year – along with a few things that really shook me to my core and broke me open! And of course, in most cases, they were one and the same thing. I’ve felt a lot of pain and a lot of love, healing and opening up. Love in doses I hadn’t experienced before – the kind of love that has frankly overwhelmed me and taken me by surprise. And I thought I was pretty great at taking the love in! It’s been a big learning curve indeed, and the learning continues.
So, in short, big things have been happening. And for those of you that know me well, you can just imagine how many stickies I have in my “Blog ideas” file. Are you smiling? I sure am (lol).
Thankfully my inner wisdom is perfectly designed to cut through all the stickies and stories and makes things simple. I tune inward and I hear it telling me to start with something fun, simple and fascinating. That I can do. So here goes ...
First, I want to tell you that my newest coaching client is lighting my life up in a big way. She is 89 years old and committed to feeling truly happy. She is willing to do whatever it takes to spend the last part of her life feeling better than she has in a long time. She inspires me in every sense of the word! She is so very bright, authentic and absolutely honest. When I heard her chuckle for the first time, my heart nearly burst with joy, gratefulness and adoration. She is so proud to have her own life coach and I am so grateful for our connection. Life is short and this is one of the many things that make it meaningful.
And speaking of meaningful, the other day my Postman knocked on my door and when I answered he let me know right away that he didn’t have any parcels for me, but he was wondering if I’d ever heard of Dr. Deepak Chopra. Yes, I said, feeling quite curious to see where this would lead. So, he said, I have an extra ticket to see him tonight at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre – it turns out that my friend can’t come and so I wonder if you would be interested in joining me.
Right away I heard that very wise voice inside of me say “Go”. So I did. I hadn’t seen Deepak Chopra for at least 3-4 years and he is one of my favourite teachers and speakers. I knew this would be a great opportunity to hear him again, a great opportunity to get to know my wonderful postman a little more, and a great opportunity to see what else showed up to make life special. So I patted myself on the back for being spontaneous, thanked the Universe for fun surprises and my postman for the fabulous offer and off I went.
I could share a lot about that special evening and its off-shoots, yet I’ll stick with this one little gem of research that Dr. Chopra shared with us all that night. The research was conducted by Dr. Nicholas Christakis of Harvard, who’s been researching social connections for decades. And what he has discovered is truly remarkable.
Dr. Christakis’ research reveals that if you have a friend who is happy, the probability that you will feel happy increases by 15%. And if that friend has a friend who is happy (someone you may not even know), the probability that you will feel happy increases by 10%. And if that friend’s friend has a friend who is happy, the likelihood that you will become happy increases by another 6%. In fact, it takes four degrees of separation (in other words, your friend’s, friend’s, friend’s friend) before there is no measurable difference in your happiness!
Happiness is so contagious that people we don’t even know have an impact on our happiness and vice versa. Think about it. We have the ability to really impact the happiness of the people we interact with every day by being happy ourselves - whenever we are spending time with our family members, friends, or colleagues we have an opportunity to lead with happiness (even though Dr. Christakis’ research didn’t directly address a family or work context, imagine the link). A simple act like giving someone a compliment, recognizing something they’ve done, or smiling as they pass by could make them happier, which according to this research, may in turn cause others well beyond your immediate social circle to feel happier.
If this fascinates you and you want to learn more, stay tuned for the summer edition of my newsletter, where I share more on this and provide valuable links to videos and happiness tools you can use to boost your happiness quotient.
That’s it for today my friends. Thanks for still being here when I connect, for listening and sharing any comments (here or via email) and for sharing this journey with me. You make it meaningful, for sure!
Here’s to our collective happiness,
Lee
Monday, April 12, 2010
If You're Alive, You Need Help!
Yes indeed. If you’re alive, you need help. In fact, I believe that giving and receiving help is at the very heart of what it means to be human! We are truly designed to help each other. And this is a very good thing because to be our best, we must have help, and lots of it!
Yes - it takes a lot of help to realize our unique potential. To prove the point, take a moment to think of someone you consider very successful. Now take another few moments to ponder how much help they have likely had on their journey to success. Take Oprah for example ... now we are talking about having some help! To be able to do the things she most wants to do, she is literally surrounded with help. The Oprah show alone employs 10 Producers and over 250 staff!
Most of us, however, are much better at giving help than we are at asking for it or freely allowing others to help us (without objecting). It can feel nearly impossible for some of us! Somewhere along the line many of us learned to take great pride in our independence and so we often wait until things are really falling apart before we ask for help or accept it.
And there are other reasons we don’t ask. Maybe we don’t want to appear weak or “needy”. We might not want to feel indebted. We might think there is something wrong with us if we ask for help. And yet, that couldn’t be more of an illusion!
The truth is that asking for help is a sure sign of strength, wisdom, and sound judgment! If Oprah phoned you and said she could really use your help, I’m guessing you wouldn’t think “Oh my gosh, poor Oprah has really lost it. She’s not who I thought she was ... she’s so needy!” You’d be more likely to think “Wow – I obviously have something special to offer because Oprah wants my help!” Am I right?
According to the law of giving, refusing to ask for help is refusing someone the chance to be helpful. Let me say that again. Refusing to ask for help is refusing someone the chance to be helpful. In other words, refusing is blocking the natural flow of abundance and love. To give is to receive and to receive is to give. Think about this. This is big, big, big. If you are serious about boosting the flow of abundance in your life, you must not only give help, but you must let it in too.
Another great thing about asking for help is that it leads to deeper connections with others (and with our inner self and the Universe). Each time we ask, we’re demonstrating our faith in others to want to help when they can, our faith that others have gifts to offer, our faith in ourselves to be strong enough to ask, and our faith that the Universe has more than enough resources to provide all the help we need to live our very best lives!
A great spiritual teacher, Marianne Williamson, boils it all down to this ... she says we were born with one purpose (from ACIM). We were born to love and be loved. In other words, we were born to help and be helped - to reach out and to let others reach in. If you’re alive, you need help.
Now, if you’re already really great at asking for help, congratulations! Thanks for being a model for the rest of us! If, however, you could use some “help with help”, read on.
You could start by asking for help in common ways. Ask someone to pray or send out positive thoughts for you or someone you love, ask to be driven to an appointment, ask for help carrying packages, ask for help taking care of your kids or parents, and/or ask your teacher for an extension on an assignment. These are all great ways to let help in.
Yet when it comes to asking for help, I highly encourage you to think out of the box too. What could help look like? What are the possibilities? I like to share a personal example. A few years ago, during the winter I would drive to work in another city - about an hour’s drive each way. During a particularly snowy stretch of weather, I noticed that many of my colleagues would get a call from a loved one to see if they were okay driving home. At the time I was single and living alone. I really missed getting a call! And one night, just when I was getting into a pretty good pity party, my inner wisdom nudged me and said “ask for help!” So I did. I called a good friend and asked her if she would be willing to call me on nights when the weather made the roads slippery – to check in and tell me she was thinking of me. I was grateful for the idea and she was thrilled to be asked. It made our bond even tighter. And it sure felt good to get those messages from her!
What would thinking out of the box look like for you? If you were really brave, what would you ask for, and who would you ask? Some of us are fine with asking for help from therapists, coaches or family members but not friends, colleagues or strangers. We’ve developed rules we’re not even aware of! So I invite you to ponder what out of the box would look like for you.
This spring, take one small or one giant step to invite some fresh help into your life, to open up that flow of abundance and to dance with new possibilities. You deserve it. The people you ask deserve it. We all deserve it. Because, if you’re alive ...
Thanks, love and blessings,
Lee
Yes - it takes a lot of help to realize our unique potential. To prove the point, take a moment to think of someone you consider very successful. Now take another few moments to ponder how much help they have likely had on their journey to success. Take Oprah for example ... now we are talking about having some help! To be able to do the things she most wants to do, she is literally surrounded with help. The Oprah show alone employs 10 Producers and over 250 staff!
Most of us, however, are much better at giving help than we are at asking for it or freely allowing others to help us (without objecting). It can feel nearly impossible for some of us! Somewhere along the line many of us learned to take great pride in our independence and so we often wait until things are really falling apart before we ask for help or accept it.
And there are other reasons we don’t ask. Maybe we don’t want to appear weak or “needy”. We might not want to feel indebted. We might think there is something wrong with us if we ask for help. And yet, that couldn’t be more of an illusion!
The truth is that asking for help is a sure sign of strength, wisdom, and sound judgment! If Oprah phoned you and said she could really use your help, I’m guessing you wouldn’t think “Oh my gosh, poor Oprah has really lost it. She’s not who I thought she was ... she’s so needy!” You’d be more likely to think “Wow – I obviously have something special to offer because Oprah wants my help!” Am I right?
According to the law of giving, refusing to ask for help is refusing someone the chance to be helpful. Let me say that again. Refusing to ask for help is refusing someone the chance to be helpful. In other words, refusing is blocking the natural flow of abundance and love. To give is to receive and to receive is to give. Think about this. This is big, big, big. If you are serious about boosting the flow of abundance in your life, you must not only give help, but you must let it in too.
Another great thing about asking for help is that it leads to deeper connections with others (and with our inner self and the Universe). Each time we ask, we’re demonstrating our faith in others to want to help when they can, our faith that others have gifts to offer, our faith in ourselves to be strong enough to ask, and our faith that the Universe has more than enough resources to provide all the help we need to live our very best lives!
A great spiritual teacher, Marianne Williamson, boils it all down to this ... she says we were born with one purpose (from ACIM). We were born to love and be loved. In other words, we were born to help and be helped - to reach out and to let others reach in. If you’re alive, you need help.
Now, if you’re already really great at asking for help, congratulations! Thanks for being a model for the rest of us! If, however, you could use some “help with help”, read on.
You could start by asking for help in common ways. Ask someone to pray or send out positive thoughts for you or someone you love, ask to be driven to an appointment, ask for help carrying packages, ask for help taking care of your kids or parents, and/or ask your teacher for an extension on an assignment. These are all great ways to let help in.
Yet when it comes to asking for help, I highly encourage you to think out of the box too. What could help look like? What are the possibilities? I like to share a personal example. A few years ago, during the winter I would drive to work in another city - about an hour’s drive each way. During a particularly snowy stretch of weather, I noticed that many of my colleagues would get a call from a loved one to see if they were okay driving home. At the time I was single and living alone. I really missed getting a call! And one night, just when I was getting into a pretty good pity party, my inner wisdom nudged me and said “ask for help!” So I did. I called a good friend and asked her if she would be willing to call me on nights when the weather made the roads slippery – to check in and tell me she was thinking of me. I was grateful for the idea and she was thrilled to be asked. It made our bond even tighter. And it sure felt good to get those messages from her!
What would thinking out of the box look like for you? If you were really brave, what would you ask for, and who would you ask? Some of us are fine with asking for help from therapists, coaches or family members but not friends, colleagues or strangers. We’ve developed rules we’re not even aware of! So I invite you to ponder what out of the box would look like for you.
This spring, take one small or one giant step to invite some fresh help into your life, to open up that flow of abundance and to dance with new possibilities. You deserve it. The people you ask deserve it. We all deserve it. Because, if you’re alive ...
Thanks, love and blessings,
Lee
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Sneakers that Found a New Home in Maui
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
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, 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
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