Integrate!

What would you say if you met your past self for a coffee? Of course it would depend on which past self you chose to meet. Perhaps you would chat like old friends and perhaps the conversation would be a little guarded, a little judgemental. How do you feel about the connection you have to the person you were five years ago? This is me five years ago, reading one of the very first copies of the first printing of my first book. I was really excited. I thought that finally finishing a book would change everything. But it didn't seem to make much difference. The business didn't grow. A few people loved what I had written, but for the most part, life chugged along with the same ups and downs. Like any dream that doesn't quite live up to our hopes, this one stung a little. I kept meaning to go back and rewrite the book for publication and I kept putting it off. Reading it was hard and I had a lot to do that felt more forward-thinking and more productive. So I kept do...

One of the many things I love about my work is that I get to know great people who are as dedicated to learning and language as I am. One of those people is Sheri Andrunyk. Sheri and I connected over tea one day, and we have been supporting each other as teachers and writers ever since. I'm very proud to have trained Sheri in NLP, and it has been fun to cheer her on as she founded and has nurtured I C Publishing. Here's the short version of what Sheri has contributed to so many writers, entrepreneurs and coaches: "Sheri Andrunyk is the founder of I C Publishing (tour sponsor) and the I C Bookstore, entrepreneur expert, mentor, and author of Working From Home & Making It Work and Hearts Linked by Courage. She is writing two more books this year, and is extremely passionate about providing more choices, resources, and high level support to other writers, business professionals, wellness coaches, and spiritual mentors." In my contribution to this year...

Last night, on the anniversary of 9/11, we held a program called Purpose and Presence. It sounds like a suitably serious response to serious events. It was also a chance to play. We laughed, a lot. We took seriously the possibly that a dangerous world is nonetheless a world where we might focus on people we admire and qualities we want to have. It was safe, for that time at least, to open ourselves to the possibility that what we need might be available to us.  People met the interesting people in the room and the interesting people they talked about. They thought about what works. And what works is often fun. Fun is inherently practical. By starting with the faith that you already have what you need, you can begin to notice that you have more than you thought. More direction, more support, more motivation. Fun shines the light on the good things that sometimes get pushed into dark corners while we focus on important matters. It's Friday. Maybe you're looking forward to...

It's obvious to everyone that just before you drop, you should rest. Holidays are often seen as ways to ward off collapse from fatigue or burn out. When absolutely necessary, rest for a short time and then get back into the swing of things. This necessity arises at different times for different people in different kinds of work. For entrepreneurs, it arises just before they crash (if they're lucky). This isn't the best way to think productively. If we use the word "creative" lots of people feel they can sidestep the value of rest because they do not see themselves as "creative." For many years, I thought that having a research degree in a competitive field meant that I was an analytical thinker. I am, of course, an analytical thinker but it turns out that in no way also prevents me from being the kind of thinker who produces stuff: words and ideas and motivation and innovation. You might not be a creative person but it is likely that if you are readi...