New Beginnings

New Beginnings

June 2, 2019
 

The focus of this week’s newsletter is twofold. First, it is a time for reflection – a time to introduce some poetry and inspiration for new beginnings and change. We are all on a journey. Secondly, it is a time to reflect on our journey together, since this newsletter, "Come Walk Your Path: Invest in Yourself and Grow," launched just over one year ago.

We have come a long way together. Thank you for your companionship and your camaraderie. It has been fun! 

Poetry is a language all its own – because it can speak to our hearts, ignite our imagination and bring new energy and motivation to our life. A good friend whose first passion is poetry brought this poem by John O’Donohue to my attention. I invite you to read “For A New Beginning” out loud because that is how poetry is meant to be felt – engaging our voice, heart, mind and body. 

For A New Beginning 

“In out-of-the way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you. 

Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life’s desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back. Learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.”
 

[Source: To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings, by John O’Donohue, Doubleday, NY, 2008, page 14.]  

Oh my! This poem captivates me because it captures the essence of the feelings of my life’s journey. The words that resonate with me in this beautiful poem are wander, emerge, safety, turmoil, delight, courage, trust, grace, adventure, risk …. and the awesome awakening when my “soul senses the world that awaits you.”  When I read this poem I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and joy. What are feelings that well up inside of you as you read "For A New Beginning?"  

This captures my life which I see as a series of new beginnings -- from when I went away to college to major in economics and philosophy, as my ambitions and talents took me to a high ranking job on Wall Street, as I regrouped on 9/11 when I watched the World Trade Towers burn and crash, when I pulled the rip-cord and then began anew (yet again), when I found a coach who helped me start to look deeply inside myself to find the real me, to moving from serving on corporate and nonprofit boards to finding my passion and purpose in coaching. 

WOW – what a journey it is – and continues to be. Every day, every moment is a new beginning -- an opportunity to grow and be our best, authentic self.

I trust you will see your journey in this amazing poem. I hope it inspires and invigorates you, as it does me. 

This is the stuff for motivational speeches at commencements. This poem is priceless to share with the recent high school and college graduates in your family and friends -- to open their hearts to feel the journey they are just beginning.

In coaching stress management, I emphasize that when we are stressed we are really not at our best -- and the action plan is all about moving from our Stress Mode, breathing to trigger the Relaxation Response and choosing how we will respond using our Best Mode.   

In coaching high performance habits I emphasize that performance is defined more by how you feel than by what you do. Some people have the impression that the Certified High Performance Coaching Program is all about achievement in a corporate setting or an athletic arena. I prefer to emphasize that performance is defined by the individual, wherever they are in their life's journey, and is more about the feeling  of joy and confidence when you are consistently living from your best self.    

Now let's move on to our second point of focus, the retrospective. When I first started writing, “Come Walk Your Path: Invest in Yourself and Grow”, this bi-monthly newsletter, the goal was to provide inspiration, insights and practical tips about managing stress, the habits of high performers and the story of my personal journey as told in my book, Be Happy NOW! Thank you for reading these notes, thank you for sending me comments. I have learned so much – and continue to learn.

My subscriber list has grown exponentially. I truly thank you for your support and your shares and referrals. And, because so many new readers have joined us on the journey, I wanted to share the Blogs that stand out as capturing the most hearts and minds – as I reviewed the Facebook post “likes,” shares and comments. These are the links, with the Blogs listed in chronological order from the most recent in 2019 and then back to our start in May 2018:  

• On Grief and Grieving
• Finding Your Courage 
• Just Breathe
• Hope
• I Am Alive with Gratitude
• ENERGY: Release and Be Free
• Hello, I Am a Role Model
• Courage to Continue
• Create Your New Morning Ritual
• Destressifying
• Let's Get Clarity

To be honest all 27 Blogs, available at  Join Now -Come Walk Your Path: Invest in Yourself and Grow ,  are my favorite. I invest a lot of time to research and then share my personal insights in each and every one of the Blogs I publish. And, I fully understand, this is not about me – it is about serving you.

This is where I ask for feedback – how may I serve you better? What changes would you suggest – topics, length, resources, etc.? This is an open invitation and I welcome your input.

And, if you value the inspiration and insights, please forward this email to your family and friends and/or sign them up!

Till next time, 

 May you be happy now and always, Alison