Loving the Chaos

Have you seen the video about Christian the lion and his reunion with friends John Rendall and Ace Berg?

If you haven’t, it’s worth a couple of minutes of your time.

Seems though that there are some people who question whether or not this video is a fake.

My response?

Whatever.

Here’s a video that tugs on people’s hearts. You have to be a big lump of concrete to not be moved in some way when you watch this video. It stirs our deepest desires for connection, for love, for enduring friendship. 

Personally I choose to believe its the real deal.

Just the possibility is delightful. Isn’t it curious that some people would rather choose cynicism and turn away from a heart warming of our collective core.

Whether it’s a fake or not is hardly the point. People are feeling a rush of emotion and having conversations about love and possibility. Works for me.

Now go call someone you love.

One of my longtime friends sent these questions to a group of us who have known each other since childhood. It’s amazing what you might not know about people that you have actually known for a long time. I thought it was also an interesting list of things to share when you are getting to know someone new.

Here are my answers….at least for today:

Three jobs I have had: grocery store cashier, criminal court clerk, special education teacher

Three places I have lived: Brampton, Kingston, Morinville

Three TV shows that I watch: House, Criminal Minds, Grey’s Anatomy

Three places I have been: India, Italy, Costa Rica

Three of my favourite foods: New York Cheesecake, salad nicoise, scallops

Three places I’d like to be right now: right where I am, Tuscany, Machu Picchu

Three things I am looking forward to this year: book launch for Spontaneous Combustion, my 50th birthday, Thanksgiving

I hope you’ll post a comment and share three things about you.

And feel free to add to the list - what other three things would be fun to know?

Having just spent a week in New York City I found that that there is no shortage of life lessons highlighted in the Big Apple.

Here are a few of my favourites.

In the midst of noise there is always a quiet center.

Central Park sits as a quiet refuge in the middle of a bustling city.  There you will find 843 acres of walking paths, lakes, ponds and wide open spaces. A place for peaceful relaxation amid the birds and trees. An abundance of green in a concrete city.

You also have a quiet refuge at your core - a place of calm and restoration that you can access anytime, even when everything is swirling around you. The trick is knowing how to tap into it - perhaps through meditation or music or a quiet walk. Once you’ve figured out how to get to your own private central park, it’ll always be waiting for you.

People are only as invisible as you want them to be.

There are two kinds of people I encountered in NYC - those who looked at you and those who didn’t. Tourists and locals alike could be divided into those two groups. Some people could see the homeless man in the park who was as content with a smile as he was with some loose change. Some people acknowledged the doorman or the cop on the beat or the guy handing out leaflets. And some people didn’t have the time.

It’s easy for us to let other people become invisible. When life is hectic and we are wrapped up in our own to do lists, we tend to put our heads down and barrel through the day. At the end of the day though, we’re all looking for a little human contact. Take the time to see the people around you, smile, open a door, say thank you.

Be grateful for the things you take for granted.

I had the extreme privilege of spending a little time with the firefighters of Ladder Company 3. What a great bunch of guys! Thanks especially to Mike and Chris for taking the time to share their NYC stories. Did you know that a firefighter’s basic equipment weighs 110 pounds? Imagine wearing that in the sweltering summer heat while you battle a fire!

There are lots of things that we simply don’t think about. We just assume that they will be there when we need them. Things like clean water from the tap, lights on when we flip the switch, and brave men and women who risk their lives because its part of the job. Consider what you have been taking for granted and say a little prayer of thanks.

You know what they say about NYC - if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. It seems to me if you can get the life lessons there, they work anywhere.

What’s your favourite life lesson?

Ask Laurel…

What’s a vision board and how can it help me reach my goals?

A vision board is simply a collection of images and words that captures the essence of your goal.  It’s a concrete representation of what you or your life “looks like” when you have achieved your goal. You can make one using photos or pictures from a magazine. An 8 X 11 cardstock page works well although it can be any size you wish. Glue the pictures and words on in a collage format.

A vision board is helpful in two ways.

First it becomes a powerful reminder of the goal you are working toward. Hanging it in a prominent place lets you see your goal every day. It’s easy to lose sight of a goal when life gets hectic and other commitments crowd your schedule. A vision board provides constant reinforcement of where you are heading.

A vision board can also help with your planning process.

You can use it to plan looking forward by asking yourself, “What is the first step I need to take to get to that vision?” Sometimes it’s hard to see the steps you need to take to achieve a goal. Instead of beginning where you are, you can also use your vision board to plan backwards. Since it presents an image of your final result you can look at it and ask yourself, “What was I doing successfully just before achieving my goal?” Then ask yourself, “What was I doing just before that step?” and so on moving back to where you currently are.

Working with a vision board is just one of the many coaching tools I use with my clients to help them create their best lives.

What life coaching question would you like to ask Laurel?

 No it’s not an exotic plant or some new addition to your yogurt.

It’s a term that was first used by psychologist Eric Fromm to describe human beings’ attraction to all that is alive and vital and later expanded upon by American biologist Edward Wilson as a subconscious attraction towards nature and other living things.

So what does that mean for you?

People are naturally attracted to the outdoors and nature.  We’re hard wired to connect with other living things. That’s cool except when you consider that for many people the closest they get to nature is a breathtaking photo on their screen saver. Most people work indoors, often without a window and then they return home after a long day to spend time in front of the TV.

How much time do you spend outdoors?

We’re been having the most wonderful weather in Edmonton and coupled with a four day holiday weekend I’ve been puttering long hours in my garden. It is truly calming and re-energizing.

When I think about my most restorative places and experiences, they always involve nature and the outdoors…the sounds of the birds in the morning, walking the Tuscan countryside, sitting on the deck at the beach house watching the world float by or tending to the plants in the garden.

Being in tune with nature helps to be more in tune with yourself.

So here’s my challenge.

Go outside right now. Stop what you are doing and take five minutes to nurture your biophilia. Connect with other living things. Think about how you can bring more of nature back into your life.

Then when you come back inside post a comment about your outdoor adventure and we can all share in the natural delight.