"[The mind] doesn't care what we plant: Success or failure. A concrete, worthwhile goal or confusion. . . . But what we plant will return to us."
     —Earl Nightingale

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The Coach Approach, July 2007

This month's theme is Rejuvenation.

July is my month to restore and rejuvenate. The lazy hazy days of summer are upon us and sometimes the pace slows down for just awhile. If it doesn’t slow down then I find it necessary to force myself to slow down and take some time.

The wise men of Greece stated,“Students who study only practical matters don’t develop a broad enough vision to extend beyond themselves. They must be stretched and made uncomfortable to get out beyond their normal real of thinking.”

I am taking a course in Chinese culture and an introduction to the Mandarin language. Doing something completely foreign to me allows me the luxury of rewiring my brain. After I complete these rewires I find I am more creative and innovative. This puts me in an ideal state to look at the first half of the year and assess how I’ve done. It’s like seeing things with a new pair of eyes! It is wonderful.

In addition, I am operating from my values of adventure, discovery and learning. This revitalizes me, renews my energy levels and invites effortless living.

Happy Canada Day, July 1st
Happy Independence Day, July 4th, for my American readers

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Week Two: Rejuventation and Restoration

Rejuvenation and restoration.

Everyone is different. I rejuvenate by stretching my mind, generally doing an extroverted activity and restore by taking some time out in nature, generally an introverted activity.

How do you rejuvenate? How do you recognize success in this area?

How do you restore, revive your energy? How do you know when you’re finished?

A friend of mine who had just moved back to the Prairies (Saskatchewan) from South Africa shared with me his amazement that people would take their vacations in the summer. He stated that he always took his vacation in the winter to get away from the cold Saskatchewan winters and didn’t understand people wasting their vacation time when the weather was so beautiful. What a novel idea that was to me. I always took the majority of my vacation time when the weather was beautiful. I stay inside during the cold weather and love to be outdoors during our beautiful summers.

What’s your perspective on vacation time? Has it changed? Is it time for a change in vacation pattern?

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Week Three: Re-Sourcing

Dr. John Demartini in his book The Breakthrough Experience introduces the concept of re-source. (This is a lengthy quote but worth the read.)

“I’ve been giving a program for five years on economics and finance that teaches people how to unfold their wealth. Your worth in life is directly proportionate to how much love and gratitude you have, and the hierarchy of your values and magnitude of your cause determines much of your wealth. A lot of people unconsciously sabotage their wealth-building because their values and beliefs make them feel unworthy, while those who have great causes and value wealth receive great prosperity.

You can’t get beyond yourself without a cause greater than you. Every time you get clear about your mission and reduce your emotional static, your vision becomes clearer, your cause expands, and the magnitude of space and time within your innermost dominant thought grows and expands. As you expand yourself and your vision grows, your resources increase, and broader domains of space and time are yours to play in. You have a sphere of influence, and you also have a realm of resource; and as your influences increases, so does your resource. Re-source means to get back to the source. Stay with the inner heartfelt source and the resource is yours. Love and appreciation connect you to this true source of wealth.”

Visit Dr. Demartini’s website at www.drdemartini.com.

Lots of food for thought in this quote. I would love to hear your comments. What does this invite you to? Does this change any of your current thoughts on wealth? What does resource mean to you?

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Week Four: Reflection

This week we will consider reflection. I consider myself very fortunate to take a week off during the summer and go to the wilderness for some camping and kayaking. This is true restoration time for me. No cell phone or blackberry connections, no computer and very, very few people. In fact, most days are my partner Jim and I, the lakes and rivers, the birds and animals, the sun and the moon. Last year we literally paddled into the sunset each evening and returned before it was too dark to see—sometimes by flashlight but we always made it back. What an amazing way to end your day.

During these sunset paddles each evening, we had a beaver come out to play with us. At first he kept his distance but after a few days he was a lot friendlier. One evening he dove under by boat and for a minute I thought he might come up under my boat and tip me over. But he was a kind beaver and came up on the other side of my boat!

Here's my reflection question for this year’s wilderness trip:

“I’ve looked at life from both sides now, from win and lose, and still somehow, it’s life’s illusions I recall. I really don’t know life at all.”
Joni Mitchell

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