Running a business in the midst of the worst winter of the decade has had its challenges and I must credit leading the Awaken Creativity series and the synchronicity it stirs up as my saving grace. The 7 week series requires a commitment to daily journaling, a weekly “Artist Date” to indulge the inner creator and regular meetings with others who are creators. It’s like magic when you follow the formula – doors open, opportunities present themselves and life gets brighter.
The World of People, Dogs and Rewards
The first synchronicity was a connection with The Veteran’s Best Friend, a charity based just a few miles from my home. After learning about the incredible work they do helping Vets find and train their own therapy dog, it was effortless for my business to choose to support them. Through this organization I also found professional help for training my dog Gracie to be a suitable partner for therapy visits with me in the community. Gracie and I are both learning how positive words, practice time and delicious rewards reinforce desired behavior. It’s all about noticing the positive, which is also the way I choose to coach others. Once you are trained to pay attention to the good things, you have a constant supply of pleasant resources to keep your spirits lifted. It has been fascinating learning through the eyes of a devoted dog and these very savvy trainers.
An Audio Book Opens the Door
Another synchronicity came when my sister loaned me an audio book, Traveling with Pomegranates, written by the author of The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter Ann. Having great affection for Kidd because of that book and movie, and also because I will travel to Greece later this year, I looked forward to driving all over town, even in snow, so I could listen to this new book. It’s a mother-daughter travel memoir that includes historic sites in Athens, the Greek Isles and France along with open exploration of female roles and the complexities that each stage of womanhood brings to identity. I was touched to learn that Sue was going through writer’s block and Ann depression during these travels. Miraculously the goddesses and spiritual women of the past help both authors deepen their bond, as well as find clarity, creativity and joy. I was stunned to learn that Secret Life of Bees was Sue’s very first novel. The struggles, dreams, images and synchronicities from these travels were the seeds that brought this beloved book into reality.
A Seminar Takes Form
As I finished the audiobook, ideas were gathering nicely in my journal and my mind. I had been struggling to find a topic for a May 16 seminar to offer at Lakeside before the retreat. Suddenly, “Radiant Confidence for Conscious Leaders” emerged. From there the connection to strong women in history, goddesses and mythology moved it forward. Soon I had easily composed the description, knowing there was room to expand to meet the needs of the women called to attend. It feels right and women are enrolling, just as I had hoped. I can’t wait to be part of it.
A New Book Idea
Speaking of synchronicity, it wasn’t just this lousy weather that had me thinking about travel. The past week also included travel as the featured Indigo Connection breakfast networking topic, the arrival of my Rick Steves Tour Book for Greece and my upcoming trip to Amish Country with some special girlfriends. Then came a Facebook post caught my eye about a contest to win a writing sabbatical on a cross-country Amtrak train which I promptly shared as well as entered. My next book in the Energy Makeover Series will be about savoring the healing possibilities of travel. There are already several great travel opportunities you can take with me in the year ahead. Perhaps YOU too will be part of the next book!
