The Four Seasons of Change
Just like the creative process of Mother Nature, there are 4 seasons of change we go through as living beings when our comfortable, known environment changes. It does not mean that we go through them in a specific order or in a given time frame, or even that our personal seasons of change will follow the seasons that Mother Nature has so brilliantly formulated, however we will go through this natural process as a result of the natural stress response to any type of change.
Each stage has it's challenges as well as it's gifts. We can approach each stage in one of two ways, either from a place of resistance, or a place of acceptance. As you read through these four seasons, see if you can determine which "season" you find yourself in right now...
~ Fall ~
In the season of fall, things slow down, the transition of the old falling away to make room for the new. In resistance, it can be a time of sadness for the loss of summer and what was, all the good times that have passed. In acceptance, it can be a time of cleansing, cleaning up, making plans, goal setting and making improvements. It is also the time for harvest and thanksgiving for the abundance around us. There is peace in knowing that you can trust in the process of life and that you can plan ahead for summer to come again.
~ Winter ~
When in the season of winter, it can look like things have died, when simply their energy is in a different state. In resistance, this can be the most painful of times, for we cannot be anywhere else but here. It can be a time of confusion and denial, a time of being in "mystery" where you just don't know what is going on. This is usually the season when it is hard to understand the "Why" of everything ~ you are in the midst of change, and there is a sense of shock if the change has come suddenly and without warning...There is comfort in the saying..."This too shall pass..." Approaching the season of winter from acceptance we allow ourselves to fully experience the change and the range of emotions that comes with it, in acceptance Winter can also be a time of regeneration and rest.
~ Spring ~
The season of spring from a place of resistance, can be a dormant state, lethargic, unmotivated to do much of anything. Nothing seems to be happening...we don't plant any seeds, we create purely by default...
In acceptance, this can be a time of renewal and hope, planting the "creative seeds" of new growth, action, regeneration, a sign that healing has begun. It can be a beautiful co-creative stage.
~ Summer ~
Summer-time in resistance is a busy, busy time. It can be filled with a sense of overwhelm, exhaustion, too much doing, not enough Being. It is the experience of too much, too fast. In acceptance, you are enjoying the moment, soaking it all in. It is seeing the fruits of your labour, and although you sense the "non" permanence, you are able to live for the now, harvesting the growth, knowing that your life is always in a state of change, and you are focused fully on enjoying the moment while it is here.
For more insight into where you are in the Seasons of Change and how you can move through resistance, consider scheduling a 45 minute complimentary coaching session with Life Coach Lyndsay Blais. Simply email Lyndsay at lynblais@telus.net with Complimentary Coaching Session in the Subject line.
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 17/09/2007.
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The Power Of Now!
We've all heard the saying, perhaps we've even read up extensively on it. The reality is, whether you like it or not, whether you believe it or not, this moment is really all we have.
None of us really knows how much time we have and truly none of it matters anyway when we are focused in the moment.
To paraphrase my dear friend Robert Walsh in his song from the album No Time Like This Time "...in the flicker of a moment, in the blink of an eye, the wind can change direction before you realize... then all the planning will be over and all the waiting will have been in vain...what would you do if "some day" never came?"
It is abundantly clear in our society today that many people among us, maybe even you, are waiting for "some day."
If you have heard yourself speak the words "some day I'll..." you know as I do, that there is a feeling associated with those words. For me, it has been the get-me-off-the-hook-for-now pat answer to my dreams and desires that I have felt to be just out of reach.
We are not committed to "some day", in fact, there is almost a knowing that "some day" never comes, even kids know "some day" really means never.
It wasn't until I really internalized that "someday" was an excuse that simply making a decision could cure, that I realized the only thing standing in between me and my dreams was me and the choices I was making.
I challenge you to decide right now to do something different, just one little different thing to put your life on a trajectory towards what you truly want, then sit back and take in how good it feels!
So what is it that we are really waiting for? What I do know from working with individuals on change, is that wishing and hoping that things will get better in the future, or focusing on the good ole days from the past, is a recipe for discontentment in life.
There is power in the now. There is all the joy, happiness, peace and fulfillment right here, in this moment. Enough to carry you through the challenges you face in your life, if you will let it.
It is in this moment, that we are free to decide to do something different, take a new course of action, engage support, or let go of limiting beliefs and negative experiences from the past.
Focusing on the future simply leaves you tied to "if only", "what if", and stuck in "in-action" or analysis paralysis.
As Eckhart Tolle says in his book The Power Of Now “A great deal of what people say, think or do is actually motivated by fear which is…linked with having your focus on the future and being out of touch with the Now. As there are no problems in the Now, there is no fear either.”
So if that is true, would it be fair to say that it is in the thinking about our perceived problems, and in allowing the feelings we relate to those problems to surface that is causing the stress in our lives?
Is it even realistic to think we can remain in the present moment no matter what is going on around us?
Babies do it, young children do it too. Buddhist monks and those who meditate do it. Athletes do it...I suppose one could re-learn how to stay present-focused.
How wonderful would it be to allow ourselves to be swayed from worrying about the past or the future and fully engaged in the present moment. Seeing as stress impacts upwards of 90% of disease, I think our health would thank us for being in the only place we can really be...
Here, Now.
Lyndsay Blais of Lyndsay Blais Consulting, creator and facilitator of the Embracing Change Workshop. Contact Lyndsay in Penticton B.C. 250-809-5399 or via email lynblais@telus.net
Carpe Diem! ~ Seize the Day!
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 11/05/2007.
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THREE STEPS TOWARDS MOVING PAST RESISTANCE
Oftentimes we are faced with changes in our reality that we either weren’t expecting or aren’t too thrilled about, as in the sudden death of a loved one, divorce, job loss or health issues that leave us feeling victimized, angry and with little energy to move forward.
Alternatively we may also experience changes that we wanted to occur such as a move, job promotion, marriage or birth of a child, and then find ourselves in a state of unexplainable paralysis, feeling out of sorts and wondering why we aren’t feeling the same excitement we felt when we embarked on the journey to begin with! Does any of this resonate with you?
Well if it does, the good news is you are human...and as a human being, whenever change takes place we all go through stages associated with change, which ironically, are very similar to the stages of grieving. Even though we may have wanted certain changes to occur, we must still go through the process of letting go of what was - good, bad or indifferent. The other good news is that “this too shall pass”, the only variable is how long one remains stressed out by their circumstances.
True, some individuals seem to glide through this process, while others find themselves stuck and uncertain, and perhaps even scared that they are going to feel this way forever. This is what is called "resistance". Without awareness some people stay in resistance for what seems like a very long time...when we are in resistance we may feel angry, frustrated, sad, confused, unmotivated, and lethargic, to name just a few of these all too familiar emotions. Fortunately, with willingness and a bit of effort, we can learn to ride the wave that is the ebb and flow of our life.
Three Steps Towards Moving Past Resistance:
· Awareness
To get “unstuck” we must first become aware of what we are in resistance to. That’s easy enough to do, just check into what is going on around you when you are feeling those negative emotions listed above. Once you identify the cause, you are less likely to be on automatic pilot reacting to things that are outside of your control.
· Reality Check
The next step is to look at the situation for what it is, and determine what your real choices are. You may notice that fighting over finances for example is not really about money at all, it has more to do with opposing beliefs about the value of money and what to use it for. Having a closer look at what is really going on can take the laying of blame out of the equation and open up possibilities for honest communication.
· Choose
When you see the situation for what it is, you can then move to the next step which is to make a conscious choice, not one that is driven by old habitual patterns from the past. Choosing from your real choices instead of denying what is and wishing you didn’t have to make a choice in the first place is a huge step towards being a conscious co-creator in your own life.
With practice, moving through resistance becomes easier and easier with less time spent feeling stressed out and more time enjoying your life and manifesting your dreams!
To find out more about the habitual patterns that may be blocking your fulfillment, consider attending the Embracing Change Workshop. For more information, contact Lyndsay at (250) 809-5399 or by email lynblais@telus.net
Written by Lyndsay Blais – Embracing Change Workshop Facilitator and Personal Success Coach www.etribes.com/lyndsay
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 10/04/2007.
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Consciously Harnessing the Law of Attraction
The Embracing Change Update... Congratulations to all of the participants of Feb. 10 Embracing Change Workshop...it has been my privilege to work with you and I stand in awe and gratitude of the changes you have already made and the difference you are making in your lives! Being the change you wish to see in the world ~ you are inspiring!
What an amazing time we are living in…we have access to so much information at our fingertips, there are speakers, seminars, workshops, books, DVD’s, CD’s, teleconferences, and more that we can feed our brains with in terms of positive information and support to help us in becoming more conscious, co-creative human beings living in our world. It isn’t even necessary to spend a lot of money to access this information because it is available through libraries, internet cafés and through our friends and family…like all of the things we desire in our lives, it is out there, we just need to know how to allow it into our lives! Well, I have been talking about it for a while now, it’s being taught in seminars and workshops around the world…and now that more of the world’s population has become aware of the power of the law of attraction through the release of the DVD "The Secret"….you are likely seeing it at work everywhere in your life. That’s what happens when we put our focus on something, we draw more of it into our experience. What excites me about that is the affirmation of people saying “I see it here, and over here and here it is in my life over here too!…and he’s talking about it, and she’s writing about it and he’s saying it and so is that book/movie/CD etc." and even though they may all be explaining it in a slightly different way, it is all the same message….fundamental, universal truths…they’ve always been there, but as “they” say, when the student is ready the teacher appears. As I have come to learn, I have many teachers. Everyone we meet has something to teach us, if we are open and if we are ready.
The law of attraction works on many levels. To look at it intellectually though I believe it begins with our brains…we are taking in so much stimulus that in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed we simply block out the things that don’t have significant meaning in the moment. All of that same info is still there, but we only see what is significant to us at the time. Take a new car for example. As soon as you begin to research buying that certain type of car…for us it was a Toyota Sienna, what happened in short order was we started seeing Sienna’s everywhere… of course they were always there, the only thing that was different is that we were focused on it and our Reticular Activating System (RAS) the part of our brain that works like a secretary screening our calls, was busy filtering out other stimulus to seek out what we decide is important to us in that moment.
So you may be thinking “How can I use this to my advantage?” well since we know that what you focus on you attract more of…(Law of Attraction) and that when you focus on what it is that you want (or don't want for that matter), you bring it into your experience (RAS) you are now able to consciously choose where you are going to put your focus. So as we have been talking about in previous Embracing Change Updates, now that the reason behind why you have the results that you do is more clear to you, consciously choose to put your focus on what you would like to experience instead of what you don't want to experience.
The feedback I have received from the participants of the Embracing Change Workshop has been so overwhelming about the differences they have been able to create for themselves, in terms of reducing stress and worry, creating more energy for their goals and achieving the results they have been wanting to create for themselves among other things. This leads me to believe that although we may know these concepts on an intellectual level, and we can read and watch supportive information, there is nothing quite like diving in and experiencing the concepts in an experiential way. That's what makes participating in a workshop such as Embracing Change so impactful.
So what gets in the way of having the experiences that you want? You must learn to allow it. Leaders in the industry of personal and professional development, even quantum physicists are saying the same thing. Simply put, Esther Hicks of “Ask and It Is Given” states in her book and her contribution on the “Secret” professes that there are three steps to manifesting. 1. you ask 2. The answer is given 3. The answer which has been given, must be received or allowed (in other words you have to let it in).
She states that the first two steps happen automatically, it’s the third step that we tend to have challenges with.She gives us guidance around how to align ourselves with the receiving aspect of the three step process, and talks about using our feelings, or emotional guidance system as a barometer for where we are at. We are either in a state of allowing (feeling good) or we are not (feeling bad) and when we recognize that we then get to make a choice that can turn it around so that we think thoughts that feel good and put us in a state of allowing.
There is another aspect that I believe requires emphasis, and that is to take inspired action….it’s not just about feeling good and thinking positive thoughts, it is about taking those inspired actions when we are aligned (feeling good) and risking doing something different (if you do what you have always done, you will get what you always got). If you are asking yourself what is inspired action? It is different from “motivated action” which is that feeling that you should do something. Inspired action feels like an “aha” moment! It’s the feeling of “what a great idea!” ~ when you have those, act on that impulse. Unfortunately what typically happens to most of us, is we get inspired ideas, and then are immediately distracted with the busy-ness of our lives and we never get back to the idea, or the moment has passed and we are back to our long to-do list of shoulds!
So my challenge to you this week is to acknowledge those inspirational moments as you experience them, and then DO something about it! Take immediate action, even if it is a simple thing like picking up the phone and making the call, or making that note on your calendar that will commit you to doing what you say you want to do, or telling someone in your life what they truly mean to you, before the idea leaves you…you will be amazed at the results!
In an effort to support you in becoming a more conscious co-creator in your life, we are holding a movie night this Thursday to view the Secret and to discuss the law of attraction afterwards…if you haven’t received the invitation details, reply to this email with "The Secret” in the subject line and I will get them to you…Wishing you an amazing rest of the week and a beautiful weekend…here’s to living life more consciously!
~Embracing Change ~
Full Day Workshop Saturday, April 21st, 2007
To find out more attend the free, no obligation, introductory session that will outline the full day workshop in detail with the opportunity to win your Embracing Change Tuition absolutely free just for attending! Join us Tuesday, April 1oth, at 7:00 pm at the Leir House Cultural Centre 220 Manor Park Avenue, Penticton.
Kindly register in advance at 809-5399.
To register for or receive more information about the Embracing Change workshop or inquiries into personal coaching sessions please contact Lyndsay at the number or email address below.
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 21/02/2007.
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Are you ready to let go of what no longer serves you?
Here's to living more consciously!
~ Lyndsay
(250)809-5399
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 12/02/2007.
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Where`s Your Focus?
Embracing Change Update:
There are a few spots still available for the Upcoming Embracing Change Workshop, Saturday, February 10th at the Leir House in Penticton, call 250-809-5399 for more details!
Where’s Your Focus?
Good day to all! I trust you managed to feel a moment or two of gratitude in the past week~
For me one of the many things I was grateful for was the beautiful scenery in the mountain pass I drove through on the weekend AND I was very grateful that I arrived safe and sound at my destination.
What started out as a nice relaxing drive to Princeton quickly turned into a sudden snow storm on an unfamiliar stretch of road for me. As it was the first time I had driven that windy highway, I had given myself what I thought would be plenty of time to reach my destination in day light. Little did I know at the time, that was not to be the case. It had started snowing just as I was leaving and at times I literally could not see more than ten feet in front of me. Was I a bit scared? You bet!....but to expand on what I talked about last time, thankfully I was able to focus on the moment. I had a choice. I could have chosen to panic, worry, freak out, turn around and head back, cry, pray, pull over and wait, keep going, trust (just to name a few of my options...) and given my intention, which was to arrive at my daughter's first hockey tournament in one piece with two other kids in tow, I decided to drive carefully and continue on. So we took in the amazing landscape while it was still light enough to see, and we marveled at the huge snowflakes that were so pretty falling from the sky, then we oooed and aahhed at how the snow was coming so fast that it must look like that when Santa was in his sleigh being pulled by his reindeer on a snowy Christmas eve. It was truly mesmerizing; beautiful even.Now of course, that was one point of view!…then the traffic came to a halt, there was an accident up ahead and we were in a long line of other travelers...again, I reviewed my options, and once the truck was pulled out of the ditch, we continued on...the sun had set by this time and now I couldn’t see much except for the big semi truck lights ahead of me..."ok" I thought, "I am grateful that I have someone to follow so I know where the road turns." Not so scary now, boy was I grateful for the guy in front of me leading the way…! THEN, the truck pulled over....again, I reviewed my options...a few others in our little convoy continued on and I chose to as well, and at some point, the person I was following was so far ahead that I lost sight of those guiding lights...at this point I didn’t even know if I could pull over safely so I forged ahead.
Now the leader (feeling like the blind leading the blind) with my little ones in the back sit trusting that all was well, we chose to pray, and sing, anything to keep us focused in the moment and to prevent my mind from wandering to the land of "what if…?” I chose to focus on the few feet ahead of me that I could see, and the curve of oncoming traffic that clued me into a windy road up ahead and I focused on being grateful for the wide roads, the patient travelers behind me, and the cooperative children with angelic voices in the backseat singing away with me. We finally arrived, safe and sound, and although I missed my daughter’s 1st goal, I was glad we had made it in one piece!The lesson...
Out of all of the choices I could have made any number of them would have been fine also, no one forced me to drive in that weather. My point is, that in fact it often doesn't even matter what it is that we choose. What matters a lot is where we put our focus!Is it on the things that we don’t like? (the awful road conditions, the weather, the fast drivers...) or the lesser of two evils? (I don’t want to drive in this but I don’t want to miss the game either!), because when we make a choice from that stand point, the outcome can only be negative....
So how about, Yayy! I have a choice, and I get to freely make that choice! I told my daughter I would be at her game and I needed to attend to other things earlier that day. I made the choice to leave later, and unfortunately it started snowing (at the moment we don’t have any control over Mother Nature!) and I knew very well that feeling mad, frustrated or angry at my current situation would not have done me any good. At that point leaving earlier was no longer an option... and the weather was a neutral event that I had no control over. There was no point in playing the "If only..." game.
Here's the thing...We make the best decision we can in the moment that we make it....always! Of course the next moment may bring more information - and that is typically when we do the "coulda, shoulda, woulda" number. Yet when we use that new information to feel bad about the choice we made a moment ago or a day, week or month before...it does nothing but cause us grief. The only power we have is in the moment of NOW! Not wasting our precious time and energy feeling regret for making a choice that at the time it was made, was the best choice you could have made, given the information you had.
We attract the experience of what we focus on and think about the most. Had I focused on the bad roads, the accident that occurred up ahead, not knowing the road and being unable to see, I can pretty much guarantee my results would have been much different. Whenever I feel a little nervous behind the wheel, I remember someone once said if you are racing on a race track and feel yourself going into a spin, look where you want to go - not at the wall! And I think we can apply that to our lives...where do you want to go? Where do you want to be next week, next month, next year? Being present in the now, you can look towards what you want and let the past provide valuable lessons for you...what is it that you truly want to attract into your life? Where's your focus?
You can use your focus to harness the Law of Attraction in bringing you the experiences you want to have in your life.As the first Embracing Change workshop gets closer I have so much to share with you about the Law of Attraction that seems to be buzzing in the community these days, and I will share with you, next time!
If you have had the opportunity to view the DVD entitled “The Secret” you will know what I am talking about. If you feel drawn to check it out, visit Maria at Ok in Health where she has a wealth of resources to support you in your growth. Even Oprah will be talking about it tonight on her show! http://www.okinhealth.com/health_News/Natural-Health-Books.html| The Secret - The Movie is being featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show this coming Thursday February 8th. See our OK- In Store to get your copy of the Secret |
Here’s to living more consciously…
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 08/02/2007.
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Attitude of Gratitude
Hello Everyone!
First and foremost I want to thank those of you who attended the introductory session on Embracing Change last week, you truly inspire me to continue this work because of the difference you are making in your lives by applying what you learn ~ Congratulations to Eileen C. who won her registration to the upcoming Embracing Change Workshop February 10th and to all of you who have registered and who are choosing to be conscious creators in your own lives!
Many amazing synchronicities have transpired in my life since then and I am so grateful for the manifestations of support that have shown up to reaffirm to me that people are in fact constantly changing-beings that do well when given tools and support to help them to flow with those changes. The beauty is that those very same tools and support systems can be highly effective in instigating the changes people want to create in their lives as well.
One of the requests I have received has been "how do I start embracing change right now?" so for those of you who don’t want to wait until February 10th to start the wheels in motion...this is for you.
Begin by Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude ~~ You may have heard this little tip before, and if you apply it in your life on a regular basis - good for you! If you haven’t heard it or perhaps just dismissed it as fluff...take a closer look at the power in that statement. It doesn’t mean you must paste a smile on your face and say "Thanks...ALOT!" through gritted teeth. It is truly about finding a gem in your current situation that you can be grateful for - yes especially in the challenging times...so that you can remove any blocks of resistance and open yourself up to receiving more positive things to be grateful for, like the things that you want to experience in your life. When you can successfully shift your perception about the events of your life to find something to be grateful for, as in a lesson or an unforeseen positive outcome, then you literally become a magnet to what you desire. (More on that to come next time!)
So as Jeff Keller states in his book "Attitude is Everything", Attitude is a choice! Isn’t that great news? Now if you are saying to yourself "yah, right! You don’t have a clue what I have to deal with, and if it wasn’t for (XYZ) then I could be grateful for something but sometimes things just happen that set me off! I can’t control how I feel!" consider for a moment these different scenarios...perhaps you can even relate to one...
Have you ever been in the midst of a heated "discussion" with your partner, child or co-worker, feeling ready to tear a strip off of someone and then the phone rings or someone comes to your door? You manage to answer the caller with the sweetest of voices, and then as good as your favorite actor you say to the person "I’m doing great, thanks, how are you?"
How about a scenario such as this one...you are smack dab in the middle of your own little pity-me-party, mulling over the latest injustice you feel has been committed against you when a crisis erupts at work that only you, being the best qualified one available, can tackle. Or, your child gets hurt and needs your attention, or perhaps your neighbor or friend calls on you requesting your assistance. You find yourself so engrossed in helping someone else that you simply forget that you were feeling so down. If you have had this experience, or one similar to it, ask yourself how does that happen?
It is the power of choice over what you focus on in the moment...We do it so quickly in certain situations that we may forget that we are actually making a choice. If you have done it in other facets of your life, you can certainly learn to do it in the areas you are feeling controlled by or challenged in.
Embracing change is about learning to consciously choose a higher and more supportive thought when we are caught up and feeling angry, hurt, stuck, challenged, frustrated, unmotivated or simply empty and wondering - "Isn’t there more to life?"
You may be asking yourself, “Can it be that simple?” my answer to you is yes, once you are committed, and engaged in learning the tools and applying them in your life. Will it eventually happen automatically? It can become automatic for some. You probably witness people in your life right now that don't get their feathers ruffled about much, and with practice it does get easier, but for those times when you find yourself falling into old patterns, you will quickly become aware enough to pull yourself back on track should you so choose.
So your first task then is to look for what there is to be grateful for in the situations you experience regularly. If you are having difficulties in finding something good in a challenging situation, start with the good stuff that's going on, you can be grateful for simply having the capacity to live and breathe, see and hear, love and be loved...and we will talk about the next step, next time!
Until then,
Here’s to living life more consciously!
Carpe diem! ~ Seize the Day!
Lyndsay
To register for or receive more information about the Embracing Change workshop or inquiries into personal coaching sessions please contact Lyndsay at the number or email below.
If you feel this information to be of use to you or someone you know, kindly pass it on. In an effort to respect your privacy please know that I will never sell this list. If this is not of interest to you at this time, simply send me a reply with "remove from list" in the subject and I will ensure you will not receive further mailings regarding upcoming events. Thank you!
Lyndsay Blais Consulting
(250) 809-5399
Penticton, B.C.
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 30/01/2007.
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The Daffodil Principle
There are many beautiful lessons to be learned from the following story...even if you`ve heard it before.
Start today ~ Lyndsay
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead.
"I will come next Tuesday, " I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call. Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said, "Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see bad enough to drive another inch!"
My daughter smiled calmly and said," We drive in this all the time, Mother."
"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.
"I was hoping you'd take me over to the garage to pick up my car.
"How far will we have to drive?"
"Just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."
After several minutes, I had to ask, "Where are we going? This isn't the way to the garage!"
"We're going to my garage the long way," Carolyn smiled, "by way of the daffodils."
"Carolyn," I said sternly, "please turn around."
"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read, "Daffodil Garden".
We got out of the car and each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it down over the mountain peak and slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns - great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron, and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted as a group so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.
"But who has done this?" I asked Carolyn.
"It's just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house. On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking" was the headline.
The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read.
The second answer was, "one at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and very little brain."
The third answer was, "Began in 1958."
There it was. The Daffodil Principle. For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than thirty-five years before, had begun - one bulb at a time - to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top.
Just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.
The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time - often just one baby-step at a time - and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.
"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years. Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"
My daughter summed up the message of the day in her direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.
~ author Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards ~
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 30/01/2007.
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Embracing Change
Hello and Welcome to my LifeSite!
I am so excited to share with you news of my upcoming workshop entitled "Embracing Change" which has been designed using tried and true methods that will assist individuals to move forward in the direction of thier dreams.
Often times we are faced with changes in our reality that we either weren`t expecting or aren`t too thrilled about, as in the sudden death of a loved one, divorce, job loss or health issues that leave us feeling victimized, angry and with little energy to move forward. Alternatively we may also experience changes that we wanted to occur such as a move, job promotion, marriage or birth of a child, and find ourselves in a state of unexplainable paralysis, feeling out of sorts and wondering why we aren`t feeling the same excitement we felt when we embarked on the journey to begin with? We may even find ourselves asking that all too familiar question of "did I make the right choice?". Does any of this resonate with you?
Well if it does, the good news is you are human...and as a human being, whenever change takes place we all must go through the stages associated with change, which ironically for some, are the same as the stages of grieving. Even though we may have wanted certain changes to occur, we must still go through the process of letting go of what was, good, bad or even indifferent. True, some individuals seem to glide through this process, while others find themselves stuck and uncertain, and perhaps even scared that they are going to feel this way forever. This is what is called "resistance". Without awareness some stay in resistance for what seems like a very long time...when you are in resistance you may feel angry, frustrated, sad, confused, unmotivated, and lethargic, to name just a few of these all too familiar emotions. With support, we can learn to move through resistance in all areas of our lives which makes life seem more enjoyable and certainly puts us in a state of flow which is where manifestation of our goals and dreams takes place!
Enter the Embracing Change Workshop! By participating in this full day of experiential learning you will have the opportunity to identify where you are in the stages of change and then work through processes that bring you through any resistance which leads you towards acceptance and ultimately leaving you energized and empowered to move forward, experiencing joy, happiness and peace. Sound like a nice alternative to resistance? It absolutely is...and this process is also a powerful one for goal setting and manifestation.
If you are intrigued, you can dip your toe in and find out more by attending a free, no obligation, introductory session that will outline the full day workshop in detail with the opportunity to win your Embracing Change Tuition absolutely free just for attending! Join us Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007 at 7:00 pm at the Penticton Lakeside Resort, 21 W Lakeshore Drive in Penticton B.C.
Please note, this workshop is not considered to be counseling or therapeutic in nature, however it can greatly enhance that process. To confidentially discuss suitability and/or timing of your participation in the Embracing Change Workshop, please contact me directly.
To register for the free introductory session or for more information, feel free to contact me by email lynblais@telus.net or by phone in Penticton B.C. (250) 809-5399.
Here`s to living each day to the fullest no matter where you are...
Carpe diem!
Lyndsay
- Posted by Lyndsay Blais on 15/01/2007.
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