I don’t know the exact year this happened so I am going to make up that it was 1991. My best friend Corinne and I loaded two of our kids into her car and took off for an ashram about 4 hours away. The guru at this ashram was recommended by a mutual friend. She was giving a New Years talk and it seemed like a great way to kick off the year.
I had never been to an ashram before. I had heard the Dali Lama speak once but that was my only experience with a real guru. I didn’t know what to expect.
I went because my intuition told me it was the right move. Have you noticed how intuition works that way? You get a nudge to do something. Or to NOT do something and with that nudge comes no further information!
It happened to me just last week. A nudge to attend a wine tasting mandala making class alone. My intuition was very clear on that. I ended up being recognized by one of the women there who heard me speak at her Unity Church. The woman right next to me then recognized me as having spoken at the local Center for Spiritual Living. She invited me to come back.
Now I don’t know where that will lead, if anywhere. I just know I followed my intuition and made a connection that felt good to me. The mandala I made … not so much!
Back to the guru story. She gave such an inspiring talk that day. The topic was Courage and Contentment. It was the lesson I most needed to hear at that time in my life. To go forward with courage. Do the scary things. Yes. I was up for that. The kicker for me was to also, at the same time, enjoy what I had.
As Buddha says, It is good to be content with what is.
I found that to be a wonderful new way of moving forward and I had no idea how much courage was going to be required in my life for the next decade as I started a whole new life and career as a coach.
Remembering to be content. To take the time to savor what I have, enjoy the small things. Give myself a break from DOING. While staying in motion and moving toward my dreams.
I encourage you to find your own version of this during these long summer days. Go forward with Courage and always make time to be content.
P.S. I later met TWO people who lived at that ashram at the time. They also became coaches and we shared the journey for a time.
The easiest way I know to create the kind of balance I wrote about above is to give your attention to both parts of the equation.
For me, this is often best accomplished by using my day planner or putting it on a calendar of some kind. It is easy to put the courage stuff in at times – where I need to step up or step out and DO something. Where the shift really comes for me is to include the contentment aspects at the same time. Not after I am done with something. While that something is happening I plan in open time so I can enjoy the journey.
It’s time for my summer retreat!
Every quarter I hold a half-day virtual retreat for my community and those coaches who are interested in joining in the fun. The summer retreat this year will be focused on Vision, Values and Message. It is a jump-start for anyone who will be attending the Group Coaching Masterclass beginning in August. There is no charge for this event if you are in my community or signed up for the Masterclass.
If you are in need of a community of the fierce-courage, open-hearted fun type I would love to have you join me. Drop me a note for more information or to sign up.
