Tabula Rasa

I had this goal of writing my blog first thing in the morning because I have 'things to do and people to see'. Guess what, my mind is a blank slate. I feel good inside, I'm actively engaging in stuff that brings me the most joy, I'm almost finished with my 3rd library book of the year and the 4th is at the ready which is Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert.

What I have been thinking of is to have some regular 'spots' on my blog. As I am moving in the direction of actively coaching and reaching out to people about who I am, how I think, and what I know, I want to start focusing on those bits (of which I have a good amount already posted in the past 2 years). So perhaps I'll have a Reading Roundup on Fridays, and Monday Musings, and Whack-a-doo Wednesdays, and of course my Gratitude on Sunday...and then I'll also continue my aimless musings when they come to me. These are just 'off the cuff' thoughts but it seems a plan is a brewing. I'm also ruminating about some teleclasses I might get started doing and the such. I'm just a bevvy of ideas and what January will be is about maybe, just maybe putting some into action. It feels as if the train is warming up, and the conductor is looking at her watch anticipating the telltale sign that it is time to start the journey...with a hearty call of "all aboard". I crack myself up with my ability to come up with a corny metaphor in a whim...maybe it should be Metaphor Mondays? hmmmm let me think about it!

Put your record on

Today is my day that I feel as though I am 'put back together' from the hub-bub of the holidays and my 10 days back east. The house is 'just so', laundry is one load away from done, kids are in a good routine, I have lists and I am checking items off as I go, I am sleeping on a more regular schedule (ish), and today I start back with my clients.

I am so excited to feel that energy again and work toward getting more of the same. The energy I like is encapsulated under the umbrella of what I call "meaningful connections". What makes me the best me is when I am communicating with people who "get it" and who want to engage at an energy level that is positive, forward focused, fun and engaging. That is my sweet spot and I want more and more of it. This can come in the form of a great conversation with a friend, a download of the workday with my husband, a chat with my child, an hour-long session supporting someone as a coach, a networking event where smart people are actively communicating and even reading smart, witty, concise but meaningful writing helps me to accesses my sweet spot of energy that I love. So YEAH ME...I have set my needle on the right groove of my 'record' (showing my age) and my song is playing beautifully...I suspect that at some point I'll hit a scratch in the record, but I'll know what to do...pick up the needle and move it slightly...and the song continues...OR sometimes it helps to just turn the record player off for a bit, quiet the mind and then restart at whatever point feels right. That is my plan for Jan (I'm a poet).

Observe

My word for 2010 started as witness, then moved to notice, however through a meaty conversation with my master mind group yesterday, I've settled on OBSERVE. My friend Dawn was encouraging me to change my perspective on how I make decisions and instead of going from a 'should do' perspective look for what makes me, me (inside) and look for more of "me" on the outside. She had a great phrase for it "More Me Now". As she was saying this I looked a my notebook I've been writing in daily and covering with words from magazines (kind of like a vision board). In the upper left corner I had three words patched together "My World Observed" (see picture)...it was a serendipitous moment where she was talking and I was looking at exactly the same concept...my heart started racing and I knew then that my word would be OBSERVE...and I will be actively observing my world both inside and out. LOVE IT.

Here is a quote to seal my word for the year:

"Self-observation brings man to the realization of the necessity of self-change. And in observing himself notices that self-observation itself brings about certain changes in his inner processes. He begins to understand that self-observation is an instrument of self-change, a means of awakening." George Gurdjieff (Armenian Philosopher)

BUT, I must also add this quote...because as my friend pointed out...I not only want to start noticing...I also want to start, doing too...so look out for electric fences with pee on them:

"There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves." Will Rogers

Size Matters

There must be some growth hormone in the rainwater here in the PNW. This morning my son's socks did not fit, my daughters "got to" tennis shoes did not fit and MY toes were banging into my running shoes this morning during my walk. Our family might be shopping in the 'clown shoe' department before we know it. Geeze!

Gratitude X 10

1. Home again home again jiggety jig


2. Sipping the bubbly with friends on New Year's eve


3. Kissing my love at the stroke of midnight


4. Sleepy morning hugs with my kids


5. Finishing 2 books this weekend (library)


6. Deciding that its ok to read all I want


7. Going to bed at a reasonable hour


8. Waking up early and having my own quiet time


9. Enjoying myself on my 4 mile walk all alone


10. Anticipation of a GREAT year and more clarity for ME.

Day 2 book One - Talent Code

I finished my first book of 2010 (which happens to also be a library book). The book is called the Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. Very fascinating look about how one becomes great at something. The book reads a lot like Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers and it argues that breakout 'greats' are not born they are grown through a concept called Deep practice. The coolest thing is that there is a brain component in this that is a more recent discovery of its role in skill building. When one does deep practice (which is the act of trying something, failing and trying again until you've hit the 'sweet spot') builds myelin around the neurons in our brain. The more you practice the more myelin you produce which insulates those neurons/synapses so that it is a stronger path within your brain. Along with the deep practice (or actually before the deep practice) you need what he calls "ignition" and that is the trigger with which drives you to do the deep practice in the first place. Ignition can take several forms such as losing a parent and needing to fill the void, or witnessing someone "like you" doing something and getting the sense that you can do it too, or the pure exposure to something that sparks a passion in you. A final component of what makes the greats "great" is master coaches which are those skilled leaders that guide the student through their deep practice through perceptiveness, directive commands, and motivation. Coyle researched 'hotbeds' of talent where more talent is produced from one area that most (eg Renaissance artists in Florence, Brazilian soccer greats, Russian tennis stars, South Korean women golfers). It turns out that the combination of ignition (eg watching someone like you succeeding), deep practice techniques (breaking skill down to is component parts), and master coaches are what seems to be the elixir for creating 'more greats' from one area than most. Besides looking at sports, art, music and the such, Coyle showed how this applies to education by highlighting the innovative teaching methods of KIPP (Knowledge is Power Programs) schools around the US.

This book was a great start to my year, it was educational, interesting, fascinating, thought provoking and "advanced"in its concept and helped to potentially 'debunk' the concept that you have to be 'born with it' to be great. For some reason this kind of book gets me excited. The good thing about it is that it takes what could be a complicated topic (the role of myelin in the brain) and makes it readable and applicable to 'lil ole me'. I recommend this book just to have a little wiggle room in how we perceive how talent is made. I will now question the 'tabloids' when they say "She came out of nowhere to become a great singer"...I call BS on that!

Just one on 1/1/10

I have but one resolution this year and it is this....I resolve to obtain all my 2010 reading material from the Public Library when possible.

Coming soon will be my word for the year. The words I've been toying with are Whimsy and Notice....but I will spend the first week of 2010 ruminating and "noticing" what feels right for me. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, I will reflect on the my word for 2009 which was ALLOW.

I don't have any huge insights as to how this word played out for me...but I have a strong sense that it was woven throughout all of my actions and thoughts and deeds this year. One thought comes to mind is that I feel that I learned to "let go" more this year and from that I've had some great things happen. I believe that letting go is the sweet spot for getting what you want and it is a tough one to pin down. Its one of those things that is like a feeling that I will recognize when I feel it but cannot make it happen an a whim...or at least not at the moment. To let go for me means I'm "allowing" the space for things to align which will be in my best interest and I could never MAKE what happens happen by being graspy and controlling over the outcome. So with that, I "allowed" a few things that I can think of:

• Change of schools for the kids


• Certification with Martha Beck


• Cleaning lady


• Photography clients


• Therapist who 'fits me'


• Amazing connections (coaching colleagues)


• Weight loss


• "Let go" of my expectations of others (still working on it)


• Clients


• Cool "almost magic" coincidences

Whatever word I decide, I will make sure that the concept of letting go/allowing is implied because I feel as though I would like to practice this more and witness what transpires...I predict some cool stuff coming my way...and guess what, it already happened...I got a present in the mail from American Express, it is a "cooler" shopping bag that affixes to your cart at the grocery store. It allows your cold/frozen goods to stay that way while on errands and such. I have been wanting one but it never made it to my list of things to buy...and Voila, it shows up at my doorstep in the form of a gift. MAGIC