Quite simply, the act of doing something mundane puts us in action. Yes, maybe it’s not profoundly meaningful and contributing to our greater good, but at least it’s a place to start. For those of you sitting on some big ideas or dreams, just the act of moving and getting on with a simple task, however mindless and less creative, can potentially shift our mood or open us up to something a little more inspiring.

Parts of our work day can feel like “doing laundry” – necessary, easy, and efficient. Whereas, I would aim that a certain percentage of the day feels energizing, inspiring, and creative. That could take on all sorts of possibilities but I can almost for certain say that those percentages are magnified by connecting with people, sharing ideas, and generating outcomes. Granted some of those people may magnify the challenges but at least there is enough of an exchange where something is discovered, understood, or revealed.

“Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous.” – Bill Moyers

Last night I read something and it resonated with a conversation I had while coaching a client earlier in the day. Today I was able to share that with him and although it may be perceived differently by him, I simply felt better in the act of passing it along. After that I went back to another mundane chore but somehow I moved more rapidly into my next creative task – writing this piece. Early in the day I thought, “What will I write about?” Deep down knowing it will emerge as it should.

The dance between the mundane and spirit, is a dance we all do. To hold ourselves out to every exciting, thrilling, mind-busting, brilliant plan is exhausting and not very practical. Yes, practical – I said it.  It’s that dance between balancing the books and investing in a risky idea. It’s the timing of the dance, the connection of two moving bodies, the expansion of thought and expression, and the contrasting contraction that allows us to move sustainably though life and work.

“What can we do but keep on breathing in and out, modest and willing, and in our places?”  ~Mary Oliver

Two weeks back, I had the experience of being soulfully aware if only for a moment. I was totally overwhelmed with a profound sense of compassion and love that I cannot describe in words. Since that time, I have been more aware of my thoughts and actions that have the potential to attract what I want or don’t want.  I’ve also had long periods of time where I became unconscious, reactive, and absorbed by distractions. Staying “awake” feels mechanical, spotty, and momentary; like a voice saying “hey you, you have a choice here, what’s it going to be?” What a cool moment of inner power and then presto – gone.  I noticed myself yearning for that moment to stay and paradoxically, once I got to “heady” about it, the moments were less.

Some time ago I read Eckhart Tolle’s book The New Earth, and now I’m starting to recognize in myself that “presence” he and other transformed folk have experienced as being awake. I wonder for beginners like me does this feel like conscious effort, work, or training? I suppose I’m part of a spiritual boot camp – 50 push ups of affirming thoughts and five km of enduring patience. But that’s just it – it’s a form of self discipline and acknowledgment that the first 10 push ups and one km yields one moment of freedom where you are awake enough to experience pure possibility, choice and flow. I’m starting to understand the stories of enlightenment and just how one “chops wood, carries water” and patiently enters the “now” without effort.

So where am I going with this? Well the thought is this: how do we stay conscious when life just bumbles along and we get so caught up in what’s next? Here’s a thought, just for a moment suppose that we measure our days by minutes rather than hours. Imagine being so very clear, honest, and awake that in one minute how immediately you can choose and change. I imagine life becomes very vibrant and truly appreciative of the light that is within us and around us.

Have a minute? Send me a thought…

Susan

There is an uprising of awareness and vibration, in which the outcomes can be transformative, innovative, and totally limitless. The conversation has more juice and power when we speak from a place of emotion, heart and soul – yeah I know, we “don’t like” talking about that stuff, do we?  Just for a moment consider your experience listening to a speaker; How did it resonate with you? What did you notice? What made you walk away in a different way…possibly inspired? I can guarantee is wasn’t what they said so much as how they said it that you remember.  Did it come from a place of passion, wisdom, or simply the intellect?

This reminds me of my Grade 11 physics teacher. This guy was awesome, he tore across the black boards with an infinite array of equations most of which I could not follow; but what I remember the most was his passion for the subject and what he wanted us to understand.  His tempo, his brightness, his quick rhythm of wit, writing and thought. It encouraged me to somehow want to do better, to get it, and to show up! It almost didn’t matter that I didn’t get it, but  I understood his message. Isn’t that what most great speakers or iconic figures do?

Each time I share what I truly care about or for that matter what my dream is, I speak with emotion and heart, not from my head. When I flip to my thinking, judgment or doubt sneak in and relinquish the intuitive hit that may come my way. When I’m coaching someone inevitably when I start working too hard, then all that is creative, timely, and intuitive gets turned down.  The mind can work hard and generally, we’ve  been hard-wired to “think” our way through and analyse. And yes, we do know if we are locked in a pattern long enough, someone will move out of the box and come up with an innovative solution. However, that can be timely, frustrating, and costly. So why not, get to the heart of the matter and see what can emerge not just from our own individual capacity, but from the collective.

There are countless ways in which we are attempting to co-create a better way of life and society. One person can take action and make a positive change, however, just imagine what bubbles up between us that can lead to better, more effective means of creating positive societal change. A friend passed along this article “Buffett, Gates challenge fellow billionaires” to me and I share it not because of the their campaign and who they are, but simply to acknowledge the idea that what happens between us is much more powerful than we can infinitely imagine. Mr. Gates and Mr. Buffet stated, “those who take the pledge will come together to share ideas and learn from each other.”

I think they’re on to something…what about you?

Susan

The calls I make often get heard by those who are here to help me, help us. I also believe those calls are being heard by those who have something to learn from me as well. It’s so very cool that when I entered the coaching profession I learned in theory about co-creation and then noticed that’s my natural gig anyway – and I will say that’s true for all of us. We are co-creating everyday, whether we realize it or not. The best part for me; it allows me to reconnect, discover something to release, to give, and to receive. These “calls” or experiences are simply keys that allow me to turn the power on, ignite the essence of myself that is really me, and generate movement.

I have been so focused on the mounting piles of laundry, the work ahead, and the disruption that I’ve forgotten to focus on what I want – a highly effective, powerful, and happy me. So I need to make a request and state what I want! No being nice about it, no pretending it’s okay, it’s not. I don’t accept that my power is not on. I’d rather run full tilt and spin gleefully than sit like a mound of wrinkled and dirty clothes on the floor.

So today I’m making more calls, but specifically “I’m the one that calls the “I” into being” as I learned last night from Gordon Allen, Founder of the Aletheia Group. I have the capacity to create and come newly into the world in each moment. There’s something so invigorating and simple about that; like putting on freshly laundered clothes!

If you ever ask yourself: Why am I not moving? Why do I feel like I’m fumbling in the dark? Why isn’t “it” working? Take note: Let go and be. As my fellow coach and friend, Jeffrey Eisen, shared with me today, “Know the moment, and make it perfect. And trust that despite the chaos and noise all is in absolute harmony.” (Patricia Cori, Transition Now, 2010)

For this moment, I choose to show up shiny and new, while making a few calls to change my story with those who are here to do the same.

Take care,

Susan

I don’t care if you have a high profile, high stakes, “busy” and “stressful” job and life – I care that you listen to those urges for they will often create the space and time to offer a better solution, an interesting idea, a safe venting ground, and a balanced perspective.  Just imagine for a moment, a towering person over your shoulder making sure you didn’t move, stayed exactly focused on the task at hand without raising an eye to experience what’s around? Stifling isn’t it? That’s what we do when we ignore the feeling and urge to simply be; we stifle all that is creative and flowing within us.

I believe a competent leader understands the value of listening and allowing these moments to usurp the task at hand to allow for a fresh perspective, or better yet create an environment that serves to generate awareness, possibility, and outstanding results.

You can do this in your day to day life no matter what your role; solopreneur, parent, manager, CFO, CEO! Recently, I learned of a company (Life is Good) that has a Chief Operating Optimist-  now that’s impressive and guess what?  So is their success. To be effective and stay true to their brand, and likewise, ourselves; a recognition of that creative force and free expression is a worthwhile pause in the course of a day.

Quietly sitting, walking, moving, doodling, landing on the page to write whatever comes up are simple ways to connect with our feelings; an aspect of ourselves that can be held back, in order to “get on with it.” It is my experience that “getting on with it” comes from the towering figure within that gets in the way of truly experiencing life and creating all that is necessary for success and meaning.

What’s the feeling you get when creativity is calling your name?

Follow the urge…

Susan

It’s an odd almost indescribable experience, one that I find hard to put in words. I feel torn between two worlds; one that I’m familiar and confident within, and one that is pulling me with great anticipation and excitement. Being of ambitious nature I’m somewhat impatient (or rather excited) to move forward and get going BUT that’s not what life is proving to be right now. The experience suggests one of stuttering, wanting so desperately to move with ease and flow and yet still somewhat cocooned within a sticky web knowing that wings will appear when the time is right.  I have total admiration for nature’s beauty and grace and it’s imparting wisdom.

During my insight of being in this new life cycle, I opened Dan Millman’s book “The Life You Were Born to Live” to affirm this awareness. Sure enough, my experience since my last birthday revealed the blessings of year one in the nine year cycle. Indeed I have been sowing seeds and bringing forth creativity. All the seeds that I’ve begun to disperse are naturally unyielding at this time as they will require the nourishment of year two – the building and interaction of relationships that will naturally bring about their eventual emergence.

So with this time of transition I have felt rather vacant, like a vessel carrying the soul of my aspirations not manifested in outwardly form.  I have carried all that I know and all that I am and every so often there’s a glimmer of some unrecognizable truth that is profoundly awakening.

In times of transition, momentum is withheld as there is a deeper current running within that needs time to spring forth. And when it does, surely the power and energy will initiate bountiful growth and presence. So for now, the vacancy, stuttering, discomfort  are signs that the space within holds great creativity and learning.

In my own vacancy I’m prompted to ask: what space can be held within and between us to bring about positive change?

Susan

A light turned on this week after walking away from a conversation sharing a recent parental experience. At one moment I was open and heartfelt, the next closing the door. What came to light was the power of ego and the inner voice that gets in the way of authenticity.  We may let go a little in confidence, share a bit about our experience, and then look out, the emotions surface like a bubble of soap, just glistening enough to  sparkle and take shape, then pop goes the ego – the part of us that judges us for even being open enough to be real with our lives and experiences.

This is why asking for help is just so darn hard, or simply having relationships that compel us to open up and be who we are.  We just don’t want to lose control, it’s easier to suck it up and diminish the effect all this “stuff” is really having on us. But what’s the cost? HUGE. We lose out on opportunities for real growth, health, happiness, and authentic living.

There’s a great song by the Bodeans called “Naked,” it pretty much sums up, how we feel when were are true, loving, and accepting of what is.  So even if we can shed one layer, then we are starting to unravel and release…there is great freedom in that and that can be a very foreign feeling for those who like to know, have the road map, and predict the outcome.

With great freedom, comes great vulnerability, and that takes a whole lot of faith, self love, and a little kick in the pants! So as I move along my journey, there will be those times when my head says: “You’re foolish, how could you go there, you know better…blah, blah, blah.” I suppose it’s the heavy thoughts and if you can imagine a boss saying those things – well guess what – that’s you and your ego. What would you say to the boss? Would you be polite, walk away with your tail between your legs?

Stand up folks, it’s time. Time to take care of ourselves, time to honour who we are, and all that we can be. We can be healthy, whole, and creative. Imagine the power in that.

Get naked!

Susan

How do we let this happen?

What can we do to empower those or ourselves when this happens?

What can we learn when our voice gets lost?

I’ll venture to start with the last question first…as someone who listened and observed after the fact, I noticed the bewilderment, dis-empowerment, and general apathy resulting in their experience.  Having a few occasions and life events in which my own voice got lost, I could empathize. So for my question, I believe that the learning is huge and there are many ways in which we can approach it; primarily, first being the personal piece but also significantly what happens on a broader scope. Individually, we can learn the value in being honest, true, and accepting the consequences as a result of who we were being in the moment. On a broader scope, we might learn that it’s so necessary for all in the dynamic to raise their consciousness and not get lost in ego, agenda, and the familiar way of doing things.

Often it is in retrospect that we understand how we let this happen, but at the time it’s really easier to suggest it was the circumstances or other influences that made it happen.  Respectively, in every dynamic, there are exchanges that affect the experience, but ultimately we must go back to ourselves and begin to understand what really took place within us. It might be helpful to ask: is it possible that I got intimidated, lost connection to my true self, masked who/what I really am, or simply got swept up in the momentum?

So when I, you, or a collective lose our voice, there are ways we can reset the switch that turned us off. As a start, a little time to retreat, take stock, and sum up the experience is okay and often necessary. In process, rediscovering our true selves by quietly listening and letting our spirit guide us can be restorative. Allowing the words, feelings, and emotion unravel to eventually find the resonance and perspective in which to move forward or take some action, can be profoundly helpful.

Empowerment grows when we begin to reset, reignite, and acknowledge what has power and meaning for us.  This can be a very unique and individual experience and yet, so moving and compelling when reset among those who truly care and understand that when one voice sings, many more will join in harmony.

Start singing your song again, others will begin to listen, but remember to sit quietly on the bus!

Susan

Okay so that’s huge coming from someone who often speaks to the value of goals and plans. The issue is not the goals or plans themselves but rather the expectation or anticipation that come with those things.  Just recently my husband suggested I try a week of not planning dinner (I’m not terribly good at it anyway) so I said, why not, as when I do, dinner doesn’t turn out anyway!  I can look back on several experiences in life when I planned things out and low and behold, things didn’t turn out as expected.  Life just happens and our minds (well, at least mine) try to create what we think is best, only to discover life has it’s own plan.

These aren’t easy lessons, but if you think about it for a moment, when did things really work out magically? Did people, places, and things just line up when you stopped following some decided script and just got on with living?  More often than not, people have described to me their happiness or satisfaction when they have made a decision based on what was right at the time, put feelers out, and patiently got on with life as it were. I also believe those who listen to their hearts and intuition have access to something that transcends all logic and reason, and yet, infinitely works. Hey, I’m still working on that one…

So for now, I’m not planning dinner, I’m playing hockey, and writing when I can, and not trying too hard.

What will your experience be when you stop anticipating, expecting, or creating a plan?

Just be, even for a moment.

Susan

Often you don’t have to look or go far to access these elements, but rather, create the time and space to experience them.  This is really crucial when life and work just don’t let up – many of us have busy lifestyles and lots of so called “stress.”  It is with this season of renewal and new life it’s a little easier to notice a shift in energy and a natural desire to “take care.” So by simply noticing or allowing the experience to transpire then we are beginning to awaken ourselves enough to say “now what can I do.”

What is the support you are needing right now at this time in your life?

What key element will support you?

It may be focusing on your thoughts: being mindful of those day-to-day thoughts that creep in and either serve you well or backfire despite good intention.  It may be stopping to re-organize, clean up the mess, and create enough space (inwardly and outwardly) to move forward. It may be taking time to be in something so captivating that you lose all track of time – leisure and play. It may also be a time to do a “cleanse” removing toxins in the body and reintroducing the nutrition that your body so readily requires.  There are many options to entertain; however, how you take action is by making a choice – a choice to do something that truly takes care of you.

Taking action can be as simple as sitting outside, like I did today, being in an environment that supports my well-being. Taking action in these suggested “key elements” can come from learning with others, talking to someone, or asserting your needs, and creating the parameters in which you can be free to engage in all of it.  The “how” may be preceded with a “yes” and then look out to see what shows up!  In managing any type of change, we must remember to be responsible to ourselves and pay attention to those deeply rooted needs…for when we do, we’ll unfold with energy and a sense of well-being.

Experience this long weekend through those key elements and observe what may blossom.

May you be well.

Susan