What decisions are you making now?

When late last year, on a whim, my husband and I planned a month-long winter stay in Paris, I expected to return home, rest up to adjust to the jet lag for a week, and then head out again for another trip (this time to Arizona), that had been booked nearly two years ago.  

And then the universe offered me another opportunity.

It turns out that my coach settled on dates for a winter retreat for the mastermind program I am in, that I’d thought I would have to miss this year. The dates she picked had the retreat starting 4 days after my return from Europe.

My first thought was to skip the retreat.

I figured all the travel (2000 miles west of home this time) would be too much — too much time on planes, too much time away from my home, too much time away from work (this retreat means being off the grid!), after having had too little time to fully catch my breath.

And then I thought some more.

Some things are worth reconsidering

I thought about why I had committed to being in the program, and I thought about all that it does to support me to stretch, to grow, to learn and expand.

I focused on how it supports me to let go of more and more limiting beliefs and to bring deeper levels of insight and awareness to my life. The weekly meetings I attend are great, but the retreat is an especially powerful part of the program.

Doing this work allows me to become more of the woman I know I can and want to be. And in turn, I am able to better lead my clients to become the biggest, best versions of themselves, and create the lives they truly desire.

I was clear: To reap all of those outcomes, I knew I needed to be at the retreat.

And so, rather than focusing on the fatigue and time away, I decided to focus on the gifts of attending the retreat.

The outcomes can amaze you

The gifts of being at the retreat were tremendous!

I shared the experience with the fabulous crew in our program, all wonderful people doing superb work in the world. Led through a carefully designed sequence of exploration that ranged from deeply emotional to expressively fun, we all inspired one another to face the shadows, dive deep, claim our unique gifts, and rise high. 

I have just left the retreat as I am writing this.

I have much to savor and reflect on, and I am filled with exciting new insights and ideas to bring to my clients.

Rather than feeling fatigue, I am fueled!

What lens are you looking through now?

When you consider the life you are living now, what do you see?

Maybe you have suffered a setback. Or you may be figuring out what’s next that will light you up every day. Perhaps you are at a crossroads, or there is a big dream you have tucked away in your heart. Maybe you are stressed and burnt out. Maybe you feel you are meant to do something bigger.

Whatever it is, do you see opportunity or challenge?

I invite you to consider your perspectives, as well as the ways you invest in yourself and the future you desire.

Something bigger is possible

I know it’s easy to settle. It’s easy to drift through life, and let life happen. And that is fine — if it feels satisfying.

I lived that way for a long time, until I discovered there was an opportunity to wake up in my life, and I learned to create what my heart really desired.

I learned about the tremendous power we all have to leverage our innate creativity, to bring more of our greatness into the world and live our biggest, best lives.

I am honored to support to great women who are clear that something better awaits them. I love bringing these accomplished women together and guiding them to experience live-changing expansion.

One client recently marveled that when she thinks back to herself a year ago, she would never have believed the woman she has become. She left a toxic job and is launching a big new venture with confidence and excitement. And what she loves the most is the joy and satisfaction she enjoys in her daily life, that had felt out of reach for years.

You can have support, too. You can be surrounded by people who inspire you and lift you up. You can honor yourself and devote time for your well-being and your growth.

If you feel the call to explore what it can look like for you to embark on a journey of meaningful self-discovery and growth — or if you know you are ready to dive in — let’s connect.

I always welcome a conversation. I invite you to email me, or book a call with me here.

Inspiration may be waiting for you in unexpected places

Have you ever lost track of time — not for hours, but for days?

That’s what happened to me this week. (And that is why this post is appearing later than usual.)

During COVID, when we were all endlessly confined within the same four walls, it was common to lose track of what day it was. 

On vacation we sometimes lose track of the days as we experience new places and have new experiences — or simply slow down to rest and reset.

And sometimes you have an experience that is so compelling that you are fully absorbed and stop paying attention to what day it is.

Great opportunities often come as a surprise

Last week I left Boston to fly to Nashville for the annual conference of the National Speakers Association, Influence. It was my first time at Influence, and to be honest, I was not all that excited about going.

I have had a busier-than-usual string of weeks, and the idea of getting on another plane, being away from my family, and facing the back-log that I knew would await me upon my return, had me wondering if I ought to skip it.

Having launched my speaking career when my book was published in early 2020, I have mostly spoken to virtual audiences (and was grateful to do so during the pandemic). When I’d registered for the conference, I had hopes that it would be informative and worthwhile. 

What I did not foresee as I packed and departed was the tremendous experience that awaited me. My experience at Influence was powerful right from the start.

People welcomed me as a newcomer, and were wonderfully generous. The speakers and topics were fantastic. Their styles and subjects included humor, inspiration, personal and moving stories, courage, creativity, provocative and erudite ideas, and practical wisdom.

The joy of being fully present

I found myself fully drawn to all of my experiences.

In addition to the stage presentations there were personal conversations with people I have never met, and with whom I am excited to remain connected. Some of the people I met are quite prominent and some were first-time attendees like me.

I soaked in the energy, enthusiasm and knowledge of brilliant people who are passionate about making this a better world, each time they have the privilege to address audiences from the stage.

Being fully present made time fly, and the days blurred. I allowed myself to feel and process it all, and was excited to envision how my future as a speaker can take shape.   

Where can you create possibilities for deep immersion this summer? 

We can always look for opportunities that will enrich and inspire us.

When you are curious and explore, you may not be fortunate enough to hit the jackpot every time, but you increase the odds of finding yourself in the midst of a heart- and mind- and eye-opening situation or event.

When that happens, allow yourself to be fully present — whether you feel refreshed or tired at the start. Let yourself be transported in exciting and unexpected ways.

I invite you to look for inspiration this summer, and share your experiences, too. Let’s all enrich one another and keep the vibrant energy expanding.

How to harness your attention and reap big rewards

Have you noticed — in yourself, and others around you — how often our attention is focused on things that happened in the past and things that have not yet happened?

We replay the past for so many reasons.

We recall disappointments and mistakes and rerun them in our minds. Sometimes we replay happy events and successes, but most of us are pulled to memories that related to failures, sadness, frustration, shame and regret.

We also have a tendency to focus our thinking on things in the future.

It certainly makes sense to plan ahead and keep future goals in mind, but there's a trap here. We often create assumptions and spin stories about things that we think are likely to happen, and get stuck focused on the imagined events and outcomes.

What we miss is the opportunity to be fully present. We miss now, and all the potential of the moment we are in.

Attention is a precious commodity

We all know there are only 24 hours in a day — that limit is clear.

What most people fail to consider is that our attention each day also has limits.

Our attention is precious. We help ourselves enormously when we allocate our attention with care.

Do you ever pause to ask yourself questions like these?

• Where am I directing my attention?

• What am I choosing to focus on?

• Am I present now, or am I thinking about the past?

• Am I present now, or am I focused on what may or may not happen down the road?

I invite you to appreciate the importance of asking questions like these to assess where your attention lies in a given moment.

I also invite you to appreciate the opportunities that are yours when you are fully present.

The gifts of living in the now

We miss so much opportunity when we fail to be fully present.

Rather than suffering when we rehash events of the past (instead of learning from them and moving on), when you focus on the present you can reap the insights and opportunities that are in front of you now.

Rather than imagining (and often fretting about) things that have not happened, and may never happen, when you focus on the present you can make the most of the moment you are in, think expansively, and actively take steps to shape the future.

Being present keeps you open and aware. You can be curious. You can listen to your intuition. You can spot opportunities, and tune in to events and people around you.

Most of all, when you live in the present, you are able to create each next best decision as you move through your day.

Being fully present enables you to make the most of your precious attention, so you can create your best life one moment at a time.

Why not give yourself that gift today, and bring that awareness into your life again tomorrow? Before long, you will be living in the present with ease, and reaping great rewards.

I’d love to hear about the impact this practice has for you.

Stay safe and well, and create your life with joy.