Spring "Greening" is calling us all to Grow

The "Greening" has begun!  Look around and notice the yellow-greens of the leaves peaking through... the graceful willow branches let their yellow-greens dip to tickle the earth... the stands of poplar and birch look like splashes of yellow painting the distance ... even the yellowish-brown of the oak buds are decorating those bent and arching branches of the majestic king... bunches of red bug-like discarded buds catch my attention from amid the decomposing brown leaves of last Fall's shedding... in some places we can even see blossoms of softest white on fruit trees or sunny yellow daffodil messengers of springtime bursting from the now-soft ground... but what really gets to me, as a true Minnesotan, is the bright spring-green of grasses growing all over - in MARCH!


How does it FEEL? Don't get me wrong... I am loving the way the warm air caresses my cheek like the breath of God, and the opportunity for early hiking, and windows open to the fresh air that infuses the spirit with such energy, and the joy of wearing shorts already!  It's just a surprise, that's all. And I LOVE surprises!  No doubt Nature still has a few surprises yet to spring on us this season, but let's enjoy!

And coincidentally enough, I stumbled upon a great life-correlation! I think all this early greening is reminding us how effective it can truly be for us to approach life from a "growth mindset" instead of merely a "fixed mindset." In an article in the March issue of Lifetime Fitness' Experience magazine, this growth mindset is described as a frame of mind that revels in learning rather than the successful outcome down the road; in the journey as much as the destination; in making the absolute best of the present moment, rather than worrying always about the future.  I believe that this Growth Mindset can be incredibly freeing!

How might your outlook on life be different if you were able to:  - acknowledge each small right thing you do, rather than worry about ultimately succeeding, or failing? ...  - Rejoice in whatever you are doing or making happen in the present moment, and accept its inherent great, rather than delaying any sense of accomplishment until the final outcome? ....  - Face any low times with embracing learning, or challenge, or growth and re-focusing your energy there, rather than remaining stalled out in an emotional hole? ... Celebrate each moment, each happening, each accomplishment, each dream, embracing all the incredible potential within you and all the growth that is going on all the time, taking you somewhere fascinating and wonder-filled.   HAPPY  GREENING and GROWING!

What Do Heart Tracks Look Like?

One of the things I like best about winter is how it's so much easier to see the tracks of little critters in the snow.    It fascinates me.  

Tracks tell stories.    To watch the tracks of a deer bound over a fallen log that I have to scramble up and over, .... To see how the length between deer tracks can all of a sudden stretch way out, making me search for the next tracks, telling a story of a sudden surprise or threat to the deer, or maybe a leap just for the sheer joy of it, ...


Or noticing a set of dog paws on the trail brings to mind images of a lone coyote trotting along this trail in the moonlight, maybe calling to a mate or a pack across the distance, ... or a canine pet frolicking in its freedom, tongue lolling out of its mouth, aiming a goofy smiling "Thank You" at its owners, ...




And the bird tracks can be the most entertaining of all!    Maybe a stately pheasant sauntering down the trail until it is startled into the air by some unknown threatening noise, ....  or the fascinating and wonderful intricate design my husband and I saw another time, a criss-cross of tiny tics in the snow, this way and that, around in circular swirls, or surprising us with the occasional angled dart, ... my mind's eye imagines the dance and joy and appreciative awe bubble up.

So, what, I wonder, is the story that my own tracks tell?     

 I love that saying (whoever said it) "All the people we encounter in our lives leave tracks upon our hearts."

 I can see that.    Just think, first, about how the important people in your life make such an impact upon your life.   Parents, spouses, "significant others," siblings, friends, mentors, ... and so many more.   Those are the obvious ones.  Then how about the not-so-obvious people - co-workers, bosses or teachers that are role models or are particularly challenging, friends-of-friends we may meet, neighbors, people we meet through the services they do for us - mail delivery, car service and repair, grocers, hair stylists, .... random strangers who touch us somehow - they paid for your latte at the drive through window, they paid you a compliment, they asked you for help or information or advise and made you feel valued, ...  I could go on almost endlessly.  So I can't help but be a little intimidated by the knowledge that I am one of those persons for so many people!   That all of a sudden is a daunting responsibility.  

But it is also an exciting challenge and opportunity!    If each day I pay more attention to how I am affecting others, as well as to how others are touching my life, imagine how rich my life would be!   I am a sucker for stories, so maybe I could start collecting and learning from people's stories.  And I could be more intentional about how I am tracking on other people's hearts, creating the kind of story I want to leave on others hearts.

Fitting as we move toward Valentine's Day, don't you think?   People, Hearts, ...  Just what does LOVE look like? 

What and whose are the 'tracks' you notice left on your heart?     How have they formed you?      What kind of tracks would you like to leave on the hearts of people you love?    - of people you just encounter?      How can you become more aware of how you touch others' hearts?      What would you need to do to leave life-giving tracks on hearts?       

Deer's-Eye View of Life

Wow!  Today I figured out a way to maximize what mother nature has to offer this winter, what with not really recognizing this as a true winter and all, and I was offered a glimpse of the Deer's-eye view of the world and life.      So here's what I saw.... .  

Life's trail, for a deer, moves ever onward - over, through, under, around.  Not too much gets in the way of the deer, not enough to stop the deer.   No, the deer moves ever onward, despite what it finds in its path.

And the thing that I liked best about the deer's trail was that it was hardly ever straight!    It curved and meandered, criss-crossed and doubled back, leaped over, or ducked below...  Just the thing for a curious explorer, looking for new insight around every corner.

So, with weather that vacillates between being way too warm to keep snow around, or maybe even rainy, or frigid cold, creating icy conditions everywhere, I know it's enough to keep any true Minnesota outdoorsperson in a constant state of confusion, and at a loss for what to do - unable to cross-country ski or snowshoe.     So, rather than be frustrated or thwarted by this weather, though, I invite you to do as I did today, and look the fog in the proverbial eye, and challenged yourself to go out and find some peace and some fun, which I always look for in the beauty of Nature.  

That is how I discovered this new winter 2012-specific sport, that I choose to name "Deer Trekking."     Right away I found myself detouring from the regular trail, to follow the deer path that caught my eye.    That's what I like so much about Autumn/Winter - they give me a chance to see the world from a different perspective, through the trees and underbrush, across the semi-frozen marsh and river, exploring areas of my park that I can't usually get to.   For instance, this deer trail that my curiosity brought me onto today, is something I most likely would not even have seen during the rest of the green year, and would have a hard
negotiating the trail even if I did see it, due to dense underbrush.   So, you see, even the most challenging of conditions - even if it's just lack of decent, snowy winter weather - can draw you into a frame of mind that allows you to see things from a new perspective.    Just like the ordinary or extraordinary challenges we come up against in the course of our days are really just opportunities for us to see something we never noticed before, or respond to circumstances a bit differently.   I love the challenge of a fresh vantage point, no matter what brings that new perspective my way.

What could you do to pursue a path that would offer new perspective?       


What do you wish you had a new perspective on?     


How would that issue look to you from the perspective of some other person  or vantage point?                 
Enjoy the exploration!

Berries, Bugs, Homelessness - Unexpected Surprises

I have been trying of late to open myself up to what shows up for me when I pay attention.      I am coming to find that often the very best surprises can be rather tiny and inconspicuous, or partially hidden, or just unusual and perhaps even a bit out of place.    Take for instance this tiny, but vibrantly colored, startlingly red berries I happened to notice on one of my hikes this past Fall.     I almost stepped on them!     They were tucked away, just peeking out from under the blanket of autumn leaves in my path.     I was stopped my tracks, ..  I left of  kicking through the leaves, .. I was struck by how this tiny splash of cherry-red cheer, lying amid the autumn decay,  could just take my breath away.    It was like this berry wise bunch was shouting to me - "Watch out!  If you go too quickly or carelessly you could miss something - something important, something beautiful, something that could change your way of seeing life, if you let it."     For that tiny clump of drying red berries opened my eyes and my heart that day, to be more aware of the tiny surprises Life has in store for us at every turn, when we least expect it  ...  those hidden treasures, ... those joys, those things that need to be noticed.      

Like branches filled with berries and blossoms, in the desolation of late autumn.        Or a Praying Mantis right on the boardwalk trail in Maryland, ...   or the Deer Paths that become so visible, almost popping out at me, the only things dusted with snow in an unusually snowless winter landscape.     Like throwing dust in the air to see it settled on lustrous strands of spider silk, unveiling the intricate design of the spider's hard work .. art work,  I am so intrigued by these lacy white trails that are revealed in such a highlighted way by the winter's sparse snowfall        - evidence of a whole network of roads used by the quieter inhabitants of this wilderness park.    I feel honored and privileged to be witness to this discrete system, and wonder where it would take me if I explored.    It makes me think of the countless pathways that quietly offer themselves up to us, at various times in our lives.   How many such trails do we really notice?   Where might we be able to travel if we opened our eyes and hearts more to such avenues of possibility?   

And then I am reminded of how this paying attention shows up amidst interactions among people.    Just yesterday, while going about my day's particularly enjoyable work of hosting homeless families overnight for the week at our church,  I had just returned from a grocery run.    I put some dessert goodies for the guests to  include in the lunches they were packing, when one of the moms said, very sincerely and emphatically,  "Thank You."    A few minutes later she returned to again make sure I received her very heartfelt "Thank You. We really appreciate what you offer to us."    Now, that is just not something I expect to hear.     I know our guests are grateful for whatever kindness comes their way, but with their extremely stressful struggle for survival, I just don't expect them to be very expressive of these types of thoughts.    They are just too weary from trying to live and provide some semblance of normalcy for their families.     I was overwhelmed.    Then watching how incredibly compassionate my volunteer coordinator is in her interactions with our guests, always treating them with the utmost dignity, even to the point of affording them the respect inherent in expecting them to accomplish the small responsibilities involved with being a parent, a guest, a human being.    To watch her exuberant exclamation when describing her joy at her own son's enthusiastic anticipation of getting to come and play with the guests children, as he has sometimes reluctantly done in the past.    And  to hear one of the evening's dinner cooks remark to one of the guest mothers about how wonderfully her infant was developing, how well the infant's eyes tracked the movements of people around it -to have taken the time to notice and comment.    The way young high school boys play so rambunctiously with the boys staying with us for the night - boys being regular, ordinary boys, together.     Then there is the attention to detail of the very dedicated women organizing the fun activities for the children; the focused and welcoming chatter of volunteer hosts and our guests chattering companionably at dinner...    These are all the little things that I noticed just in one day at my job.   These are little things that need to be seen, that matter.     These are the little surprises and treasured moments that make a world of difference in the lives of people who are often made to feel that they do not matter.   These are the glimpses I get of the sacredness of life, the gift of human compassion, and the rightness of priorities lived out with commitment, making life and our world a better place.     This makes me smile.

What are the "Little Moments" - surprises, treasures, reminders about what really matters - that you see in your life?       How could paying attention to what shows up for you in your day to day living make a difference in your life?

   

The "20-Second Rule" - Why Not?

What was the 'Good" I found today?  Again, it came hidden within the dialogue of a movie - We Bought a Zoo - you know, the one with Matt Damon?    2 pearls of wisdom hit me in the gut.

The first was the sage advice that "It only takes 20 seconds of courage" .....   The suggestion was '20 seconds' is what's needed to overcome any fear of doing something that's outside of one's comfort zone.   In the movie it was about starting a conversation with someone you were attracted to, but didn't know well yet, or telling someone how you really feel.                               See, it IS sage advice, don't you agree?


I also envisioned another scenario where this advice would be tremendously helpful in my life.   Do you know what it's like when you are trying to accomplish something, like a goal or a dream or a challenge, and you sometimes (or often) get stuck, or stalled out?     Maybe it could be because of something you don't know how to do or are afraid to do, or  don't think you can do.    I think in those types of situations it also helps to tell yourself that it only takes 20 seconds of courage -  to just take that leap of faith, or make that fool out of yourself, take that risk, or try whatever it is you don't think you can do.   If you put enough of those '20 seconds' together, soon you find yourself an hour or day or year closer to that dream or goal,  or past that challenge or wall.   It can serve as sort of a Breakthrough moment, that gets you moving on toward what you really want, or past something you might fear.    That, for me, is a great, and fairly simple thing to remember.  It's kind of catchy - "I only need to get through this next 20 seconds."  That even sounds do-able!  I also like it because 20 seconds is so quick - it is what helps me to make decisions, small or large, in my life.   If I just do it fast, then it's over and done, and I don't have to stay in that uncomfortable place,  and I can't keep thinking about or analyzing or talking myself out of it.   I am going to practice this "20 second rule" this next week.
The other "Pearl of wisdom" from the movie's dialogue, was the very simple question, "Why not?"   For every "Why?" (and I can be very good at asking that question constantly)  there must be a "Why not?"   At least if we ask that question when we come to the "Why's?" in life, we are given the chance to reason through or explore the "Why Not?."   Sometimes that might take us to some real good reason "why," so that the "why not"  comes through loud and clear, and leads us to avoid some potential danger.    At other times, "why" is more of a questioning of our own intuition, our own abilities, or our own convictions,  and can become an "out" for us, so we do not have to go on.    At those times the "why not" reminds me to trust my inner voice and my abilities and convictions enough to risk and believe in myself, opening myself up to the 'potential' of a situation.     I remember that this became sort of a mantra for me the year I turned 50.     When I paid attention to the fact that I had that many years under my belt, and maybe not that same number of years ahead of me to live of my life, then it was really obvious to me - if not now, then when?    I must have let go of that a bit as time passed, thus making the phrase "why not?" shout so loudly at me from within this movie.  I want to live my life more from the place of "why not?."     I believe that will lead me to really live my life, with more gusto, more meaning, more enjoyment, more love.    After all, why not?     I ought to be able to trust myself, my convictions, my intuition and my abilities by now.    I've had more than 50 years of formation after all!     That's plenty of time to complete - or get far enough on to see the beauty - the masterpiece work of art that I am!    I hope you all can see that about yourselves.  We all deserve to live from a place of "Why Not?"!   It's time for me to get back to issuing life the challenge, "Why Not?"!

So,  ... 


What would you like to do in your life with just "20 seconds of courage?"                      How will you make yourself jump into those "20 seconds?"          What Difference   would it make to you in your life?         When  in your life might have you recently been faced with a "Why?"          What would happen if you were to answer with "Why Not?"             How  would it make you Feel?


I welcome any of your own stories, comments.....

Have You Ever Played with the Moon?

Last night I was playing with the moon!    It was almost full, and cast some funny, wild light on the scenery. I always thought that I was a Sun-worshiper, but I think maybe I am really more of a Light-worshiper.  

The past two nights I have gone Night Trekking.    Ever since I was a young girl at summer camp I have thrilled at the adventure of hiking in the dark of night... trying to find my way without the benefit of seeing clearly...  relying on my shadow senses to guide me without accident.    So at the end of two very busy and sometimes frustrating, jam-packed days, that left me with an anxiety level uncomfortably high, I somehow recognized that the air outside was unseasonably warm, calm and soft.   It seemed like this balmy night was whispering to me to come outdoors and let the brightly moonlit evening calm my nerves and refresh my spirit.   Once outside, as I walked toward the trail following the beckoning finger of brilliant moonlight,  I felt my anxiety slide off of me with every step I took.    Soon I could fill my lungs with deep, centering breaths, and I reveled in the new sense of peace and life that filled me.  This is my most cherished method of unwinding and revitalizing - to let nature bathe me in a new, more serene sense of life and my place in the world.

The first night I walked with the brightest of moons, skipping and dancing through its mock daylight.  I chased my shadow, sometimes behind me and other times leaping in front of me.   I followed the spotlight of moonshine, and allowed it to illuminate all the good in life again.   I was in no hurry.   I relished the opportunity to see the night all around me.   At one point the trail passes over a culvert formed by a metal drum catching the rushing water as it swirls through before flowing out the other side.   I was amazed by the idea that here in the middle of January, when the ground was mostly frozen despite the warm temperatures, energy can surge even from under the frozen surface.   Quite a comforting thought for when we may occasionally feel frozen in spirit, to remember that there is a strong current of energy always flowing underneath the icy surface, and we can tap into that hidden energy if we pay attention.   At that moment I actually physically felt my tension melt away, replaced by a wonderful resilience and appreciation for life bubbling up.

Last night was a bit different.   This time when I started out on my hike, the moon was still stuck resting on the horizon, low in the sky.    Because of that, the beginning of my walk was very dark.   I couldn't see anything, but resisted the urge to turn on my headlamp.  The moon was already working its magic on me, as I truly was transported back to the exhilaration I felt as a child, gleefully negotiating my way through the pitch black night, carefully feeling out each step for bumps and lumps and trips and traps.   There is something incredibly freeing about letting go of all assumptions and tuning in ever so closely to invisible clues and sensory guidance, to triumphantly find my way!  That night I was forced to focus - a skill I most certainly need to constantly work on.  I focused on the feel, on the sounds, of the heady aroma of the decaying grasses and leaves, on where the mud and ice were, on stepping over or around as my feet or senses guided me.   I am always amazed that I can come out of these hikes having stumbled and tripped  less  than on the hikes where I can use my eyes!   Even when the moon rose higher into the sky, it served to focus my attention.   I was aware how the moon played with my shadow, strobed as it danced in and out of the trees that usually form an insulating tunnel,  and pushed me onward.  Where the trail crosses a huge, open field, I stopped to take in the stars winking in the night sky, and scoured the sky for shooting stars.   To my astonishment I counted no less that eight airplanes, with red, green and white lights twinkling as they criss-crossed the bright night sky. I was tickled to join in this playful dancing in the darkness.    I was in my element, energized by the Lights - truly a Light-worshiper.

And both nights I returned in a wonderful mood, having reveled in the power of the brightly lit night, allowing it to soothe my spirit and fill me with life and goodness again.

I highly recommend Playing with the Moon and Stars as a mood enhancer, a life 're-set' switch.


What is it that refreshes your spirit?      What has the power to soothe you when anxiety builds up?        What have you found to work when your mood needs to be 're-set?' 

Winter "Walk and Talks" are Wonder-full!

So I discovered why I enjoy "Walk and Talks" so much...  yesterday I got to hike in the park with my husband - a rare treat!   And the whole time we were walking we were talking. We thoroughly enjoyed our natural surroundings, and the unearthly warm weather (in January!), but we also just rambled on about whatever entered our heads.   On this particular outing we spent only some of the time solving all the worlds' problems, or our own issues.    But instead, most of our ramblings not only took us through incredible 'Autumn  in the middle of Winter' scenery, but we randomly "wondered."    We wondered about frivolous things like where sayings like "Night Fall" came from - shouldn't it be more like 'Sun Fall,' or something?    This is especially fun with my very 'visual' husband, who never ceases to amaze me with the way he sees things ...  it is 'Night Fall' because it was like a 'Knight' falling off his horse, and having his lights got out (oh, that was just a joke, but a good one!), or a curtain of darkness closing in over the day could make it seem like Night Falling on top of you.  

We continued to muse in this amusing way, and wonder as we wandered.    So, I deduce, "Walking' amid the wonder of Nature, opens our minds to new thoughts, ideas, wonderings, questions, and even moves us toward unintentional insight or wisdom in ways that just sitting in one place, by ourselves, thinking, sometimes cannot.   And 'Talking' with someone else can be very entertaining, playful, quite supportive, or even amazingly helpful in figuring out 'problems.'    How often have you talked through a problem with someone else, and found that somehow you talked your way around to a solution or a better understanding - and not always because the person you are talking with is a genius, or wonderful counselor with all the answers, either.   Most often I find that the beauty of talking through my issues with another trusted person really is how that person's openness, and perhaps new perspective, opens my own mind to new possibilities, or to see things I had not seen before, so that I am astonished at how I have circled around to figuring a problem out ALL BY  MYSELF - sort of.   How often have you gone through this process, without the other person really saying much at all, but still you end up with a solution or understanding?   So you see, we need other people to help us wonder, muse, figure life out, but not to do it for us.

And all of this mind-wandering seems to work so much better when surrounding by the creative energy of Nature!   I will continue my 'walk and talks.'   Sometimes I will be Walking by myself, through Nature's bounty, listening for the new insights and perspectives of the Spirit or the Universe, as I Talk to myself.  Other times I will have the privilege of Walking with another person, listening for the wisdom of the Universe or Spirit to speak through that space to freely speak whatever's on our minds, or through the supportive silence of the other's encouragement, or through the fresh perspectives of this listener's responses.  

Do you see now how "Walk and Talks' are the perfect venue for Life Coaching?    I would love the opportunity to enjoy a 'Walk and Talk' life coaching session with you!    Please,  make sure you avail yourself of whatever "Walk and Talk'  opportunities show up for you, especially in the midst of God's grand creation.    What a positive energy we can tap into!