Ability to see past Mother Nature

Many times during the Spring we are all faced with the environment around us that includes clouds, cold, rain, snow and a number of other "Mother Nature" events.

We rarely get our perfect day and actually have it come true. Too hot, too cold, too cloudy, too rainy, too sunny...okay, maybe not too sunny, but you get the picture. Mother Nature gives us what comes NOT what we order.

This can also be the case in our personal lives. We feel at times there is a Mother Nature involved in our day to day personal issues and occurances and as with the weather sometimes it is too hot, cold, cloudy and so on.

Now I am a firm believer in a Higher Power as I know for me personally guidance and direction is necessary, but I also believe that no matter what I believe if I don't include action and attention in my day to day life I go crazy over the hot, cold, clouds, rain and personal weather.

The movement from waiting into action and attention is necessary, but not easy. It means you need to take accountablity for who you are and the life you live every day! Crazy, I know, but true! If you just let Mother Nature handle things - they of course will be handled, but you will have no say in the matter.

I like to think that I should be in control over my life. I have control over my actions and reactions. I have control over what I do and how I do it. Even when my personal Mother Nature acts up and out of control I know I control my actions and reactions.

Today, look at your day and everything that happened "to you" or "by you". What could have you changed? What could have you controled? What was your action and reaction to Mother Nature?

The sounds of Spring

It is easy to see the signs of Spring. Robin's in the yard, brown grass, melting snow and tree buds are everywhere the eye looks.
You can smell Spring as well. It smells like wet dirt from all the snow melting over the ground. It smells like new growth and there is a freshness in the air so when you open the windows to get a little 'fresh air' you can smell the difference.
The sounds of Spring are also there. Birds singing, kids playing, baseball bats clinking and as of today Harley's running.
I love the signs and smells of Springs, but I really love the sounds of Spring. There is something about hearing the 'ting' coming from a baseball bat that just makes me smile. There is something about the sound of loud Harley pipes starting up for the first time in 4 months that really makes me smile as well.

I know so many people just never stop to see, smell, and listen to Spring. It is an incredible energy from knowing the world around you is alive. It invigorates you and you feel like you can do anything.

Starting my Harley was just one Spring event that I got excited about today. Meeting up with old friends tonight also is making this Spring day even more special.

So, what are you doing today to get excited? Excited about Spring and excited about your future! Spring means growth and exploring a new. What is your personal sound, sight, smell or Spring Event?

April showers already?

As I sit looking out the window this morning I am watching the rain hit the deck in numbers. As long as winter seemed, it seems like spring rains are coming much earlier than I expected. Now I am not complaining, I love spring for so many reasons and it is my favorite four seasons coaching phase of growing and learning, but what do we do when it comes earlier than normal?

It reminded me of life. We sometimes don't have the opportunity to pick the exact day or time something will happen, sometimes the rains come when they want...not when we want. Many of us think or want to be in control of every step in our lives, but sometimes the rain comes early. Sometimes the growing comes early and sometimes late.

It is what we do with our personal time lines that makes or breaks us. If you are so set on one way and do not yield to the world around you and within you it will be frustrating and filled with fear. None of us know the exact time of growing, learning, feeling, or experiencing. What we know is that we will do each of these four things.

So, as you look out your world window today notice how it changes - with or without you. Take that vision and transform it to your life. What does your short term future look like? Does the timing matter or is it the event that matters? Planning for the event with a time frame is one thing..spring coming today is another.

Write down what events you need to complete in the next month as spring starts. What are you doing to grow, learn, feel and experience? Not tomorrow and not the next day, but within the growing phase. The rains will come on their terms, so control what you can. Control your plan.

Be a Personal Master to your Young Grasshopper!

One of my favorite shows growing up was Kung Fu. No, not the fighting but the lessons. There was aways a lesson at the end of each episode. The Master would say "Remember this Young Grasshopper" and then give some profound yet meaningful hint to life.

Some days I feel like the Master, but most days I feel like the Grasshopper and the Master is a Voice in my head!
I think to be able to hear a Master you must be willing to listen to your heart. See! That sounds just like something Kung Fu Master would say! Profound yet very meaningful. Sometimes I become my own Master's voice in my head. Here are a few examples.

This morning on my way to work I saw two cardinals sitting in a pine tree. I was sitting at a light so I had a little time to watch them. As I sat there watching my Master voice came and said "Sometimes you need to sit still to see all the beauty around."

Tonight as I was working out with my Personal Trainer I had a 30 second break between sets and with nothing to say or do my Master voice came and said "A 30 second recovery can make you stronger."

I wasn't sure what to write this week for the blog posts until one of you wrote me a quick note asking for more posts. As I read the words my Master voice came and said "Even in your silence your words speak loud."

It is like I have a fortune cookie mind! I love this about me and when I catch my Master voice speaking to me I listen.

As you go into your Friday remember to listen. Not to those around you or to the world around you, but to your personal Master Voice. It takes practice and it takes time to really appreciate the corniness that sometimes comes from it. Just do me a favor and stop and listen. What do you hear?

5 Minutes to Prepare

I have a hard time comprehending the devastation in Japan from the events the past few days. Towns washed away, people missing, continuous shaking, and no basic supplies. Hard to imagine how people can ever survive such an ordeal but many did.

As I listened to the news last night one reporter said that the hardest hit town had a 5 minute warning before the water rushed in. Five minutes to move to higher ground and get out of the way. Five minutes to determine what was most important and literally run.

It put life in perspective a bit. The rest of the world had hours to prepare for the smaller water waves to hit and still boats were washed out to sea and a person even lost his life. All day to prepare and still loss of life and property.

I think many of us take for granted that we are okay and will be okay. We would rather go down to the water and see the water, rather than prepare for the water.

It is like life. Most of us would rather see what happens rather than plan for what is going to happen. We wait around all day to see if things get worse or better rather than spending 5 minutes to assess and move.

Five minutes of warning. Five minutes that will change the life of millions. Five minutes that has changed the world. I dare say that maybe each of us should take 5 minutes today to prepare and plan. Be it a to-do list or a living will, 5 minutes to prepare. It could literally change your future!

Old Friends, New Support

It occurred to me, after the comment from Suzan on yesterday's post, that I haven't done a great job at asking for support from my readers. In fact I have been a little scattered in my writings - jumping from one topic to the next and back again in a week. It is how my mind works, but it isn't how others learn best.

Most of us like a plan. Well laid out and something to follow. My blog has been about events that have happened and not in any particular order or with much collective meaning. There are days I really reach someone and you are great at letting me know but after 330+ posts I have only around 30 comments.

This got me thinking this morning that I need to make sure the book has a flow, has a meaning, and follows a plan. Here is where I need your support.

If you have been a daily or weekly reader I need to hear how everything comes together for you. When you read a post that makes sense or hits a part of your soul, what was it about the post?

I can write the book how I think it should flow OR I can use my old friends in a new support way.

Feel free to send me an email on your thoughts: janice@fourseasonscoaching.com

Turning Something into Something Better!

No, not another recipe or meal. This time it is about the blog.

I started fulfilling a dream today that I would turn my blog into a book called "365 Days of Positive and Purposeful Living". Makes sense :o) Actually it will be a daily reading/devotional type of book that will have a number of activities strategically placed along the way. People who read and work through the book will be able to take the words and make action plans.

I am excited and yet nervous as after reading all my blog posts again, it is clear I will need to write more 'self help' type of posts. A large number of my posts were stories and insights, not really daily reading deals.

This excites me as I am really liking the idea of writing my thoughts down. Nervous because I am not sure what more I can find to write about, but then I never thought I could write 330 posts to date. So, I will keep writing and working.

It is good to take a dream and turn it into action. I like that and I will continue to do just that!

Here is to making one of your dreams come true....at least start!

Making something from nothing!

Have you ever noticed in life that sometimes the best plans are no plans? It really is amazing how things can just come together when you think you have absolutely nothing.

Tonight as I was thinking about what to make for dinner I decided to use up a few of the leftovers in the fridge. Red peppers, garlic, tomatoes, onions, chicken and asparagus. I wasn't sure what I was going to make but it all sounded interesting. I checked the online cookbooks for roasted peppers and found a recipe that called for nearly everything I just mentioned.

It is now cooking and it smells great in here. I actually made something from nothing.

There is a life story in here. Sometimes we are faced with having all sorts of activities and thoughts in our lives but we really have no idea how it will all come together. We struggle with it and most of the time (like much of the food in the fridge) parts of the recipe get pushed to the back or worse yet goes rotten.

The next time you don't know what to do, pull it all out! Everything in your life that doesn't seem to make sense - pull it out and write it all down! Look at it and put it in an order. Key ingredient, veggie to add later, a little oil here or garlic there....the pieces of our lives become ingredients to a wonderful meal.

Take the education and mix with a dream, add a pinch of motivation and a dash of passion and I guarantee you will make "something from nothing"!

Bon Appetit!

March Madness!

I know "what in the world does Positive and Purposeful Living have to do with March Madness", but hear me out!

We all know about March Madness, it is the last push for many sporting teams to make it to their ultimate goal - a championship! They work harder, they set their sites on only one thing - winning, they play as a team, they get the needed sleep to perform at a high level, they listen to their coach, they go out every day knowing that if they are the best they can be they will come out on top!

Okay, now ask the question I started with! "What in the world does Positive and Purposeful Living have to do with March Madness?" I think the answer is clear!

March is the end of the winter months where we have reflected and planned for what is to come. What we want to achieve. March is the beginning of spring and when we begin to put our plan into action! Just like the sports team!

We start working harder, we set our sites on our personal goals, we surround ourselves with positive people, we sleep better, we listen to our life coaches or those with influence around us, and we go out every day knowing that if we are the best we can be today we will achieve our goals!

Yes, it is March Madness time. Time to figure out what your ultimate goal is for this spring and summer! Working out, eating right, healthy living, quiting smoking, adopting a child, expanding your business, traveling, caring for a loved one, gaining patience, loving deeper, motivating others...the list of goals is yours to make!

You have thought about it and you have planned for it - It's March Madness time folks! Time to execute on your plan!

More Altitude and Less Attitude!

This is a saying they use on some phone commercial on TV. A mountain climbers is being snotty about his cell phone coverage at the top of a mountain and the guide says "Let's have a little more altitude and a lot less attitude!"

Have you ever wanted what would happen if everyone had a little less attitude and strive for a little more altitude in life?

I am a strong believer that a positive attitude will get you 98% of the way towards purposeful living as much as a negative attitude will hold you back and bring you down.

The word attitude means to have a position assumed for a specific purpose (Websters Dictionary). Usually you think of attitude as being cocky or stuck up or just plain difficult, but it really is assuming a purpose or position for a certain reason.

So, what if we assumed a purpose, aka attitude, of achieving altitude! What if working and living 'up' was our specific purpose? What if we strive for more altitude and less negative attitude?

It really gets to be simple to do as it all goes back to purpose. What is your purpose? What is your life's passion? What drives you? What is it that will bring you to purposeful living? What will give you more altitude?

If you really look at the answers to these questions there will be only one thing to really do! Have a little less attitude - at least attitude that will get in your way.

So, today during the first weekend in March make a personal statement! Make a statement that you will strive for more altitude with less attitude! Live with purpose and live positively!