Being Thankful

It's that time of year again. Family, food, festivities... crowded parking lots, long lines, dwindling bank accounts... Depending on how you look at it, or what you celebrate, this time of year can be wonderful, draining or both. The more we can be thankful for, the more likely we are to enjoy the next several weeks. Our family celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah and we have 2 birthdays in December (well, since mine is the day after Christmas, I am lucky (and grateful) to get a leftover dessert with a candle). My tradition is to make beautiful hand decorated cookies for all our friends and relatives as a gift. Last year, as I was up to 2:00am many, many nights in December decorating cookies, I was reminded that I was way off target. This year my holiday strategy is to keep it simple. I am still hand decorating cookies but I am (gasp) buying simple round sugar cookies instead of rolling and cutting out shapes. I am trying to plan ahead for a few really great gifts instead of being lead astray by all the cute novelties on display and distracted by items that are dramatically reduced. I'm also going to prioritize exercising and taking care of myself. So when I'm relaxing in the bath tub instead of decorating cookies, I can send good wishes to all those I'm so grateful to have in my life - and really mean it.

Choosing your clients

When I start to hear or see a message 3 or more times within a day or two, I know it's time to pay attention. Lately, I keep hearing about how important it is to choose your own clients. When we define what works best for us, we stop accepting the crumbs that just fall our way and start to attract what really makes us happy and fulfilled. In my case, I love working with clients who are not content to live life safely on the sidelines; I love working with people who are committed to making the world a better place and who do not shy away from challenges. By putting this message out there, I may turn away some clients, but I am also giving myself the opportunity to connect with people who energize and excite and inspire me. This certainly does not mean that someone who wants a life that is predictible and calm would not be someone I enjoy working with but there are coaches out there who would feel the same excitement about that client as I feel about working with passionate socially conscious entrepreneurs, for example. This lesson can be applied to other parts of our lives such as jobs, homes and relationships. Before I had my daughter, I always wanted a girl who was passionate and independent and strong willed. Well, I got that in spades! Her zest for life and passion for fair treatment of all creatures (she's been a vegetarian since she was 3) inspire me beyond measure. I am a great role model when I am happy and fulfilled and for me that means, in part, working with clients who share my passion to make a difference in the world. So go on, be choosy, you just might end up finding out more about yourself and what makes you tick!

The March of Time

Setting the clocks back an hour for Daylight Savings Time reminded me of the nature of time. To our bodies, what felt like 7:00 am was now actually 6:00am. Albert Einstein remarked, "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." We often view time as this huge external factor, mercilessly ticking away the moments and hours of our life. Time becomes an excuse for not living our dreams or passions when we tell ourselves things such as: "I'm too old" or "I'll get to that later, when I have more time." The reality is that all we have is the present and we might as well make the most of it which reminds me of a quote from the movie Kung Fu Panda: "The past is history, the future is a mystery and today is a gift, that's why we call it the present." I took my two children to see Kung Fu Panda last summer to a packed theater on a rainy day and since we were late we had to sit in the front row. My 3 year old son was a little restless by the end of the movie so he started doing his "kung fu" moves at the front of the theater to the delight of the entire audience which erupted in laughter. My little guy was just following his heart which was telling him he couldn't sit any longer and in so doing he gave the audience a gift (I'm not going to philosophize the "gifts" he's shared with everyone at the grocery store when he's feeling a little restless...) So, what did you do today to make the world a better place? How did you spend your precious gift of time and energy today? Sure, you may be older than you once were or you may have many responsibilities now that you hope not to have in the future but I encourage all of you to make this day matter in some way. Maybe you can carry a bag with you when you walk your dog to pick up any trash you find along the way or perhaps you can email a politician to communicate your views on an issue that is important to you. When you act in a way that comes from a place of being grateful to have the opportunity to make the world better (rather than making yourself angry that others have left trash or feeling superior to others because you are taking action), you will be able to best appreciate the joy of giving. You will be giving the gift that truly gives back: sharing your unique talents with the world to make it a better place and the happiness that comes from knowing that you did your part. Let's share in that joy together, today, tomorrow and every day.

I absolutely love Halloween. It fills me with delight to see the trick-or-treaters so excited about wearing their costumes, getting loads of candy, and spending great quality time with their families and friends. I have a few trick-or-treaters myself so the excitement gets sprinkled throughout the month of October from picking out costumes, to decorating, to buying candy (we wait to the very last minute for this one, to help us all avoid the temptation!). It reminds me that life can be like Halloween. What is stopping us from trying on a new costume and asking for candy? Sure, you might receive a trick instead of a treat, someone might not be home, or you might get candy you don't love, but in the end, it's not just the candy but the experience that makes it so much fun! Recently, I have been trick-or-treating myself. My costume as a coach is only about a year old, and my costume as a public speaker is even newer, and yet they feel really great. Narrowing my focus to work with people who are committed to giving back to the world in some meaningful way also feels great. As for the candy, I have started a blog where I get to communicate with a wider audience and I have attended several events where I have been able to come together with like minded people who share my passion to make the world a better place. I think of it as Karmic Candy. So, instead of thinking "you can't," put yourself in the mindset of a child who is trick-or-treating, not sure what each house will bring, but enjoying the experience and being in the moment. And remember, it's not just you who receives the "treats" but the person handing out the candy shares in the joy as well.

Living Consciously

When I am working with a client who feels that something is just "missing" from his or her life, I often ask about how connected they are to the world outside of work and family. Our lives can be so hectic and seemingly full with busyness that we often don't realize how disconnected we truly have become from the outside world and the universe as a whole. We are connecting all the time but it's often on a virtual or superficial level instead of a deeper or more spiritual level. As social and spiritual creatures, human beings crave a connection to something larger than themselves. When we choose to live consciously and share our unique gifts and talents with the world in a meaningful way, the "missing" piece often finds its place in the puzzle of life. So... that expensive sports car you've been eyeing may not be the answer if reading with youngsters is what your soul has been craving all along. Of course, if you show up in the sports car, the kids will think you're really cool, but we know it's the reading rather than the ride that makes you great.