I have been thinking about this a lot lately - how we spend so much time in a 'daze' by being mechanical in our work, our chores, talking to others and just getting through the day. No wonder we get bored and uninspired. A great example is when you drive someplace and have no recollection of anything you saw or heard along the way - you just got there on auto-pilot.

Thinking back on today, how much time did you spend in this state of semi-consciousness? It is pretty scary when we add it up.  We miss out on so much - seeing someone smiling, a bird soaring overhead (although not recommend while driving), a mom hugging her child. Things that can bring us so much joy with minimum effort are right in front of us. I know that the world is also trying to connect with us by showing us little signs which give us perhaps a new idea or a better way of dealing with things – if we open our eyes and hearts and allow them in.  

Here is a great example – several years ago I had been in a lovely store in the little town next to where I lived, and was chatting a bit with the owner, a woman who made a great transition after 9/11 from Wall Street to owning this beautiful shop by the sea.  I was in my usual rush, but I happened to look on the wall and saw a framed newspaper article that talked about her move from finance to entrepreneur.  I read the whole article because it talked to me - there was a message there just for me on that wall.  She became the impetus for me to leave corporate work and start my own business, and had no idea she was my inspiration until years later when I mentioned this in a workshop that I was giving.  (Thank you, my friend, Kelly of Urban Details in Spring Lake NJ!) 

Here are my two big lessons from that little story – if I had been in my usual rush, I would not have read the article and it may have been many years later for me to get the courage to make the change.  And the second lesson for me was that you never know how you affect others  - kindness and support go a very long way. And I received the unexpected gift of a great friend as well!

So how about for the rest of the day be more aware of the world around you, and let it touch you inside.  There are many gifts reaching out to you – just turn off the auto-pilot and be ready to receive what is coming your way. 

For support and more ideas on how to create the story and future that you truly want, please go to our Program Options page.

 
New: Personal, customized coaching services are also available for individuals. Specializing in executive women looking for a life transition. Connect with me directly for a complimentary, one-on-one Discovery Call. 732 245-4931

With the promise of warmer weather, I decided to get myself moving – to get out of my office and out of my house.  Even though the chill and wind lingers on, I had to get back into my walking routine. The winter pounds are lingering on me as well.

I came across this tree that I had never seen before – it was old and twisted but the trunk was beautifully smooth and it still was alive and reaching for the sun. 

I thought that it surely took the long way around but it was exactly where it needed to be – and it is still thriving.  As strange as it looked, I also saw how  fascinating it was and wondered how it got all of its’ twists and turns. No one storm or hurricane could have done that.  It just followed its’ own path. 

And so it is the same with us. The road in our lives is never a straight line. Who of us can say that the path to where we are is exactly as we planned - with no detours or curves?  For almost all of us, the decisions we make lead us to unintended places, and things may happen to us that are far from what we had imagined.  There is something guiding us, wanting us to be where we are now.

When we push against the winds of daily living, we spend so much energy in fighting what needs to be.  We get worn out, stressed out and so unhappy. But when we allow our life to flow naturally, the result is a certain freedom and an openness to life.   So stop and get out of the drama and become aware of what is important.  In this stepping back, we allow life to come to us. We will get to our destination – even though it may not be the straight-forward journey we envisioned.  

Allow the world to come in and let your life unfold the way it is supposed to. You will not only survive, but you will somehow flourish.   

Be trusting of yourself and of the world, and you will find joy on your crooked path, and know that everything is as it should be in this moment. You will thrive throughout the storms of life on your ever-changing way, just like this tree. 


For support and more ideas on how to create the story and future that you truly want, please go to http://www.icwop.com/program-options.html

New: Personal, customized coaching services are also available for individuals. Specializing in executive women looking for a life transition. Connect with me directly for a complimentary, one-on-one Discovery Call. 732 245-4931