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I See You

On January 24th I had the opportunity to see the movie Avatar. On the surface, like so many of these American blockbusters, the movie was about good and evil, peace and war, love and fear. Cutting through those threads you also see the secondary theme of stewardship versus greed, that human trait that leads us to destroy what is in our path when there are resources to be harvested, failing to consider the long term effects of our actions.

The movie is clear, humans have destroyed Mother Earth and now they are seeking the necessary resources elsewhere leaving, yet again, a path of destruction in their wake. I have to admit the message of the movie weighted me down. I had to sit with it overnight and re-consider the movie in the early morning hours.

When I did, and I allowed all the violence and destruction within the film to evaporate, I was able to remember the beauty of it, the magnificent creatures that inhabited this amazing planet, Pandora. This was my roadSIGN, the quiet themes that ran behind the scenes that had initially occupied my attention.

The indigenous peoples of Pandora, the Nabi, understood the interconnectedness of all life. They saw all life as sacred, whether that was a member of their own species, another animal, or plant form. Their greeting to one another was, “I see you”, a greeting stated without judgment and deigned to connect with the other person at the heart versus head level.

Did James Cameron intend for this to be the real message of the film. I can’t say. What I know for sure is that once I allowed for it, and reflected on the film rather than accepting it for face value, there was that deeper richer meaning. And it has affected me.

As I write this column it is raining, and although this is January, it all seems perfect. I once heard rain described as Mother Earth’s tears, and I am thinking that perhaps we need to cry, often, for that is what washes away the greed, and the fear, and the destruction and allows both the earth, and us, to heal.

I am not here to sell you on the movie – clearly that will be your choice if you have not already seen it. Whether you have or you haven’t, I simply want to ask you, are you choosing, everyday, to be a good steward or are you driven by fear, or greed or desire for more. Do you take the time to connect, with yourself, with your family and friends, with nature? Do you see yourself, not for all the things you think you should be, but for the beauty of who you really are? Do you understand that when you become a good steward of you, holding yourself in unconditional love and high regard, that this ripples into the world around you. Isn’t it time to shift our relationship with ourselves and others?

JOY!

At a meeting the other day, I heard someone saying that tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. I found this interesting for, as we know tomorrow never comes. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Today is the day when change begins. Today is the perfect time to change your conversation with you and shift from the inner-critic’s saboteur to your heart voice which speaks of respect and gratitude for who you are. Today is the time to begin blessing others rather than judging them, for everyone is in your life for a reason. Today is the day to begin to speak for Mother Earth, for she is as much a part of us as our own parents and children. Today is the day to begin a new journey and to step onto the path that you choose for you.

If not now, when?

I see you!

Until next time… Betty

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In Discovery

I have been writing about the Journey of Self-Discovery since 2002 in my monthly e-newsletter. It started as a way to test and develop my writing skills. Little did I know that 8 years later the result would also be 3 books.

Despite this, I recognize that I continue to be ‘in discovery’. And this is also the reason I love coaching others and facilitating ME FIRST Workshops and Retreats. Through my work I have the opportunity to witness, everyday, the discovery of others.

This past Saturday, Jan. 16th, I hosted a ME FIRST Renewal Day for those individuals who had previously participated in the ME FIRST Program. The purpose of the day was to remember and celebrate the key events of 2009, to review, and if necessary, revise the PGS (Personal Guidance System), and finally set intentions for 2010. The process was particularly powerful as it built upon each participants self-acknowledgements and the personal work they had previously completed.

The power of intention, which I have written about before in this blog, was evident. Different from goals and objectives, which are focused on a specific outcome and which can contract you, intentions expand you. They allow you to open to possibility. They ask you to trust and, once set, to understand that your life is on purpose. Finally intentions ask that you accept the offers which will appear down the line, even though the results which follow may be very different from what you thought it might be. Therein lies the expansion. It seems the Universe knows better than us what might be in our highest good.

Do intentions work? Yes, and once set, you also must pay attention, watch for the roadSIGNS. When the SIGNS appear, note them and express gratitude – this I have learned is key.

I am enormously privileged to be called to this work. The roadSIGNS Coach is my passion, working with individuals and teams to assist them in being clear on what it is they want, setting intentions and following how their life responds and unfolds.

In discovery, every moment of everyday. This might be the title of a new book!

Until next time….

Betty

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Am I a Twitter Twit?

I just tried to sign up for twitter. It assumed it would be easy yes and I want to use this social media tool intentionally. So before Christmas I signed up for a ‘Spiritual Twitter”‘ program with a colleague of mine. I just didn’t get around to doing the course through the holidays so today I decided was the day. My username and password had expired. Okay I thought, I’ll just go in and sign up anyway. First, I was told my password was weak. Second the roadSIGNS Coach was taken – really? Third I could not read the gobbly goop on the bottom of the screen, then I was kicked out as the “website expired”. Okay, I have to ask myself, am I really that much of a twit, do I really need to tweet, is this really an important social networking tool or is all that happened simply a roadSIGN for DON”T BOTHER!’ Anyone got any suggestions. I heard the other day that by the end of 2010 Twitter would have no relevance – maybe I should follow the advice of the unknown ‘they’ and just leave it alone.

Okay, that is my carp for today! I am sure I can spend my time on much more significant things including finishing the proposal I am writing and completing the new 2010 coaching offerings.

My intentions for this year:
1) To live in the abundance of each day and be grateful for all that is

Reminds me to Seize everyday with extraordinary gratitude!

2) To stay centered in my own authenticity and build my life and business from this place

Yep - This looks authentic to me!

3) To expand roadSIGNS, ME FIRST and the Tigh Shee Healing Center

2010 is time to dream and vision all that we want to manifest!

4) To be in perfect health

Great SIGN form California - Keep Me Healthy

Watch for your SIGNS – Until Next Time

Betty

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What’s in a name..

Holidays require travel for us as for most of you. As I watched the news from across North America and Europe I was grateful that our comings and goings involved only a car and not an airplane. Between storm delays and added security, the allure of  air travel has long since dissipated. Of course there was the small issue of freezing rain, and one 6 km stretch of country road that really was more of a skating rink. Ten white knuckles later, I celebrated the sight of clear pavement and began to breathe again. I am forever grateful for Jim’s ability to navigate these treacherous roads.

As we made our way to my brother’s place in Perth, ON yesterday, the Dixie Chicks causing our feet to tap and heads to nod with the rhythm this group is known for, I found myself noticing SIGNS I had not seen before, specifically street SIGNS and I began to wonder what’s in a name, does the name of the street you live one affect your life in any way. We, for example,  live on Beauchamp Drive, the english translation, Beautiful Field. Now I think this is an excellent name. I once saw a street named Little Hope Street. This was a truly curious name – did it mean that the street was short, or that the residents had little hope?

My favorite yesterday was Diversion Rd. just  east of Maxville. Does this road divert traffic around the community or if you live on this road, is life one great diversion? Could it be the road less travelled?

Then there was Precision Drive in Kemptville. I don’t think I’d like to live on this street, although I suspect it would be a good location for those who work in Finance or IT.

I kept thinking that I had seen a Transgression Avenue but I can’t decipher is this is my imagination or reality. Imagine the sinners that would live there?

Of course there are always those streets that bear a family name, inherited from those who originally settled in the area or because you were once the mayor or a famous athlete. And when all else fails there are the number systems. We once lives at 8711 19th Ave. in Edmonton, which meant we lived on 19th between 87th and 88th Street. The entire city was like this – a giant grid. It eliminated a lot of confusion but lacked imagination.

I look forward to more travels, more street signs and more ruminations. If nothing else it is entertaining and keeps my mind off the slippery roads.

My Favorite Xmas Present

I hope all of you experienced safe travels through the holidays and that you continue to as we approach New Year’s Eve. Here at Tigh Shee we have snuggled in with the Feline Clan, planning to entertain guests here.

As 2010 approaches, a new year, a new decade, place imagination in your grasp and begin to dream of what it is you want to manifest. Time to have a vision!

Until next time…

Betty

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What’s in a name..

Holidays require travel for us as for most of you. As I watched the news from across North America and Europe I was grateful that our comings and goings involved only a car and not an airplane. Between storm delays and added security, the allure of  air travel has long since dissipated. Of course there was the small issue of freezing rain, and one 6 km stretch of country road that really was more of a skating rink. Ten white knuckles later, I celebrated the sight of clear pavement and began to breathe again. I am forever grateful for Jim’s ability to navigate these treacherous roads.

As we made our way to my brother’s place in Perth, ON yesterday, the Dixie Chicks causing our feet to tap and heads to nod with the rhythm this group is known for, I found myself noticing SIGNS I had not seen before, specifically street SIGNS and I began to wonder what’s in a name, does the name of the street you live one affect your life in any way. We, for example,  live on Beauchamp Drive, the english translation, Beautiful Field. Now I think this is an excellent name. I once saw a street named Little Hope Street. This was a truly curious name – did it mean that the street was short, or that the residents had little hope?

My favorite yesterday was Diversion Rd. just  east of Maxville. Does this road divert traffic around the community or if you live on this road, is life one great diversion? Could it be the road less travelled?

Then there was Precision Drive in Kemptville. I don’t think I’d like to live on this street, although I suspect it would be a good location for those who work in Finance or IT.

I kept thinking that I had seen a Transgression Avenue but I can’t decipher is this is my imagination or reality. Imagine the sinners that would live there?

Of course there are always those streets that bear a family name, inherited from those who originally settled in the area or because you were once the mayor or a famous athlete. And when all else fails there are the number systems. We once lives at 8711 19th Ave. in Edmonton, which meant we lived on 19th between 87th and 88th Street. The entire city was like this – a giant grid. It eliminated a lot of confusion but lacked imagination.

I look forward to more travels, more street signs and more ruminations. If nothing else it is entertaining and keeps my mind off the slippery roads.

My Favorite Xmas Present

I hope all of you experienced safe travels through the holidays and that you continue to as we approach New Year’s Eve. Here at Tigh Shee we have snuggled in with the Feline Clan, planning to entertain guests here.

As 2010 approaches, a new year, a new decade, place imagination in your grasp and begin to dream of what it is you want to manifest. Time to have a vision!

Until next time…

Betty

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What has become clear…

Although this is the week before Christmas, the pace of life has not slowed. All of this is perfect yes and I have been neglecting my blog. I am committed to being intentional as this season approaches, and in that intention attracting all that is perfect for me. Now to put this into action.

This past Monday I had the pleasure of joining a Book Club, a group of six women who meet weekly and who are currently reading and discussing ME FIRST – If I Should Wake Before I Die. I first met this group in late September. They have not only been reading, they have also been doing the work suggested (the exercises) in the book. There were many questions of me, which both thrilled me and served as a roadSIGN as to the importance of what ME FIRST – If I Should Wake Before I Die represents.

What has become clear is:
– that stepping onto the ME FIRST Journey takes a great deal of courage
– how difficult it is for people to know what it is they want
– that wants are generally not for the material things in life, but for the quality of life issues – relationships, how I treat myself, meaning, and so on
– that boundaries, saying YES to oneself and NO to others, continues to be a significant challenge
– that FEAR continues to hold people back from living some of their dreams and that FEAR is different for everyone
– that the self-critic often rules and along with FEAR, spews off a number of self-limiting thoughts – the Old Story
– that acknowledging oneself is a challenge for many

I am sure there were other lessons that showed up during the discussion. I believe I have captured the essence however. I am enormously grateful to these courageous women for inviting me to join them and to dive into the important ME FIRST lessons. They allowed me to witness the ‘waking up process’ in their lives. I feel blessed and humbled to be called to do this work and to share the journeys of so many of you.

At the end of the meeting we all raced out of the house to head to the center of town to see the Olympic torch run. Several hundred Morrisburg residents lined the streets, enthusiastically greeting the entourage that preceded the torch bearer. As the flame approached, I held the Canadian flag, lent to me by Robin, high, feeling the emotion and pride of being a Canadian and for the first time, excitement for the upcoming winter Olympics.

A few minutes later as I negotiated my way through the clogged streets, I reflected on how blessed I am. I said a silent prayer for the Copenhagen Summit, for Mother Earth and her recovery,  and for Peace. And I was reminded that when each of us, you and I, find peace within and care for our own internal environment, we do the same for the world. In the end it begins with us and so it is!

Until next time….

Betty

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What has become clear…

Although this is the week before Christmas, the pace of life has not slowed. All of this is perfect yes and I have been neglecting my blog. I am committed to being intentional as this season approaches, and in that intention attracting all that is perfect for me. Now to put this into action.

This past Monday I had the pleasure of joining a Book Club, a group of six women who meet weekly and who are currently reading and discussing ME FIRST – If I Should Wake Before I Die. I first met this group in late September. They have not only been reading, they have also been doing the work suggested (the exercises) in the book. There were many questions of me, which both thrilled me and served as a roadSIGN as to the importance of what ME FIRST – If I Should Wake Before I Die represents.

What has become clear is:
– that stepping onto the ME FIRST Journey takes a great deal of courage
– how difficult it is for people to know what it is they want
– that wants are generally not for the material things in life, but for the quality of life issues – relationships, how I treat myself, meaning, and so on
– that boundaries, saying YES to oneself and NO to others, continues to be a significant challenge
– that FEAR continues to hold people back from living some of their dreams and that FEAR is different for everyone
– that the self-critic often rules and along with FEAR, spews off a number of self-limiting thoughts – the Old Story
– that acknowledging oneself is a challenge for many

I am sure there were other lessons that showed up during the discussion. I believe I have captured the essence however. I am enormously grateful to these courageous women for inviting me to join them and to dive into the important ME FIRST lessons. They allowed me to witness the ‘waking up process’ in their lives. I feel blessed and humbled to be called to do this work and to share the journeys of so many of you.

At the end of the meeting we all raced out of the house to head to the center of town to see the Olympic torch run. Several hundred Morrisburg residents lined the streets, enthusiastically greeting the entourage that preceded the torch bearer. As the flame approached, I held the Canadian flag, lent to me by Robin, high, feeling the emotion and pride of being a Canadian and for the first time, excitement for the upcoming winter Olympics.

A few minutes later as I negotiated my way through the clogged streets, I reflected on how blessed I am. I said a silent prayer for the Copenhagen Summit, for Mother Earth and her recovery,  and for Peace. And I was reminded that when each of us, you and I, find peace within and care for our own internal environment, we do the same for the world. In the end it begins with us and so it is!

Until next time….

Betty

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Attract Your Perfect Holiday Season

“Are you ready for Christmas?”

The question was asked of me just the other day, and it wasn’t even December yet. I know that as the holiday season approaches the question will be asked again, each time laden with more stress.

It seems to me that the JOY that the holiday season was meant to represent gets buried under the many expectations that this season holds.

Eight years ago I would have felt the same sense of panic that lies just under the skin of every other holiday shopper, but the Christmas of 2001 changed everything. Although having no children of my own, I have 15 nieces and nephews. It had been my habit to spend hours deliberating what to buy each child. Despite my intentions to enjoy every moment, too frequently the result was a sense of disappointment when I could not identify the perfect gift for one of the children. The turkey, stuffing, plum pudding and simple joy of the season faded.

The Christmas of 2001 was more hectic than usual. Twenty-five of us crowded into my mother and father-in law’s 900 sq. ft. home. The gift exchange began with a flurry of hands reaching for boxes under the tree. The ripping of paper crunched through the air. Gifts were hurled in all directions. In the aftermath, the place was a wasteland of gift and paper and human emotions. Somewhere deep inside me I felt a profound sense of disillusionment. This was the SIGN.

Not long after, we as a family decided to discontinue this tradition. It was no longer serving us or the children. As adults, we all had more than we needed. The children had lost their sense of appreciation for the gifts each of us had carefully chosen for them. We had created a holiday monster. We decided to stop giving gifts to one another and to divert our holiday spending to a worthy cause on behalf of our family.

The transition was remarkable. The squawks of dismay we expected from the kids never manifested and several Christmases later the expectation is simple, that we gather to simply ‘be’ with one another. The result for all of us has been breathing room, the frantic countdown of pre-Christmas shopping days no longer an issue.

I am sure that this experience is not unique to our family just as I know that our solution is not a palatable one for all families. From early November, every store window and TV commercial reinforces the notion that buying the perfect gift is essential, marrying Christmas to the latest toy, technological gizmo, or other ‘must have’ of the year.

In all of this, I believe we have lost a bit of ourselves not to mention the true meaning of Christmas. But what if the perfect gift was much simpler than the storekeepers and marketers would have you believe; the gift of simply being with another person, or of doing good deeds for others.

The goal in doing this is not to end Christmas buying or curtail holiday celebrations, but to create more realistic expectations for yourself as the holiday season approaches.

Here are a few suggestions to consider in managing holiday expectations and for attracting holiday bliss:
1. Be very clear on the holiday experience you want for yourself.
2. Have realistic expectations of yourself. What are the absolutes or must do’s and what are the nice to do’s before the holidays.
3. Avoid listening to the commercials and ads featuring the latest gizmos and ask yourself what gift would be truly appreciated.
4. Focus your energy on gratitude. This is not a time to keep up with the ‘Joneses’ but a time to remember all the wonderful aspects of your life.
5. Develop your ‘NO-How”. Understand that saying no is not only okay, but a necessity when the demands of the season begin to mount.

Be kind and gentle with yourself this holiday season. Find JOY and hang onto it. Give it to others – this is a far greater gift.

Until next time…

Betty

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Attract Your Perfect Holiday Season

“Are you ready for Christmas?”

The question was asked of me just the other day, and it wasn’t even December yet. I know that as the holiday season approaches the question will be asked again, each time laden with more stress.

It seems to me that the JOY that the holiday season was meant to represent gets buried under the many expectations that this season holds.

Eight years ago I would have felt the same sense of panic that lies just under the skin of every other holiday shopper, but the Christmas of 2001 changed everything. Although having no children of my own, I have 15 nieces and nephews. It had been my habit to spend hours deliberating what to buy each child. Despite my intentions to enjoy every moment, too frequently the result was a sense of disappointment when I could not identify the perfect gift for one of the children. The turkey, stuffing, plum pudding and simple joy of the season faded.

The Christmas of 2001 was more hectic than usual. Twenty-five of us crowded into my mother and father-in law’s 900 sq. ft. home. The gift exchange began with a flurry of hands reaching for boxes under the tree. The ripping of paper crunched through the air. Gifts were hurled in all directions. In the aftermath, the place was a wasteland of gift and paper and human emotions. Somewhere deep inside me I felt a profound sense of disillusionment. This was the SIGN.

Not long after, we as a family decided to discontinue this tradition. It was no longer serving us or the children. As adults, we all had more than we needed. The children had lost their sense of appreciation for the gifts each of us had carefully chosen for them. We had created a holiday monster. We decided to stop giving gifts to one another and to divert our holiday spending to a worthy cause on behalf of our family.

The transition was remarkable. The squawks of dismay we expected from the kids never manifested and several Christmases later the expectation is simple, that we gather to simply ‘be’ with one another. The result for all of us has been breathing room, the frantic countdown of pre-Christmas shopping days no longer an issue.

I am sure that this experience is not unique to our family just as I know that our solution is not a palatable one for all families. From early November, every store window and TV commercial reinforces the notion that buying the perfect gift is essential, marrying Christmas to the latest toy, technological gizmo, or other ‘must have’ of the year.

In all of this, I believe we have lost a bit of ourselves not to mention the true meaning of Christmas. But what if the perfect gift was much simpler than the storekeepers and marketers would have you believe; the gift of simply being with another person, or of doing good deeds for others.

The goal in doing this is not to end Christmas buying or curtail holiday celebrations, but to create more realistic expectations for yourself as the holiday season approaches.

Here are a few suggestions to consider in managing holiday expectations and for attracting holiday bliss:
1. Be very clear on the holiday experience you want for yourself.
2. Have realistic expectations of yourself. What are the absolutes or must do’s and what are the nice to do’s before the holidays.
3. Avoid listening to the commercials and ads featuring the latest gizmos and ask yourself what gift would be truly appreciated.
4. Focus your energy on gratitude. This is not a time to keep up with the ‘Joneses’ but a time to remember all the wonderful aspects of your life.
5. Develop your ‘NO-How”. Understand that saying no is not only okay, but a necessity when the demands of the season begin to mount.

Be kind and gentle with yourself this holiday season. Find JOY and hang onto it. Give it to others – this is a far greater gift.

Until next time…

Betty

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Moments

A day consists of 1400 minutes, and each minute is filled with many moments. Each moment contains the essence of a miracle. Most miracles go unnoticed.

As I joined Jim and my neighbours for our morning walk, I tuned in to the miracle of the frost lined surfaces of every element of nature, the crowning glory of the many dead flower heads, turning their browned edges to diamond studded tiaras. As the sun rose above the trees, the morning glittered. A train whistle blew in the distance, one of my roadSIGNS, reminding me of the trainloads of abundance that exist in my life. The chocolate colored llama, who usually greets us with a nasty hiss, stood placidly in his corral, his back glistening from the frost. I wondered, had he been outside all night taking in the star showers predicted in the news. Arriving home, I walked our garden labyrinth. Still in the shade, nothing had melted and I took delight in studying the geometric patterns created by the coolness of the night before. In all, it was a buffet of gourmet delights, stimulating my senses and waking me up to the miracles of the day. 

I find it is so easy to be complacent, to wake up haunted by the night’s dreams or the early morning worries that filter through my head. I remind myself that my thoughts and feelings are what I will attract, yet I seem unable, at times, to ‘flip’ them to a much more perfect place, that place of abundance and joy. I ask my higher power for help, and then, as if answering my prayer, there is the glory of this morning. When I return to the house, my own miracle has happened, my spirits have lifted and I feel renewed and awake and fully alive.

Moments – I am learning that I need only to be in them fully. Allowing myself to ‘BE’ with the miracles that surround me, lifts me, and once again I can fly. Inhabit you moments and witness your miracles.

Until next time…

Betty