Inspiration

Stuck on a problem? Get outside!

We are living in complicated times and more than ever, leaders are expected to make countless, critical decisions on any given day. Without the proper resources to manage these expectations, leaders can leave the organization in a state of chaos and confusion.

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10/23 – Meditate Outdoors

Put the coffee on, wrap yourself in a blanket, and park yourself down for a few moments before the world wakes up. Close your eyes. Take it all in. Listen to the natural world around you. Offer gratitude to those you love. Feel the cool air on your face. Consider how wonderful it is to be alive.

Inspiration From Nature

One Stone at a Time

This past summer, one of my big goals was to build a stone path from our front door to the staircase that leads down to the lake. It started in May with breaking up the surface of the ground to build a channel. This meant cutting tree roots with an axe, digging out rocks, and carrying them away a wheelbarrow.

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09/23 – Daydream

“Stop daydreaming,” we’ve been told. But as we near the end of the year, it’s the perfect time to let your mind to wander. Lie back and watch the clouds float by. Erase all timelines and agendas. Allow one thought to drift into the next. What’s possible now? What is your biggest, boldest dream? Let your limits dissolve and see where you end up.

Inspiration From Nature

What you do makes a difference

As I’ve put in kilometers of training, I’ve become aware that this is unlike any other goal I’ve set. The distances melt away, and the aches and pains dissolve. Any time I get distracted by my own small discomfort, I think about the love for my family, how hard they are all working, and how much I want to contribute to their well-being.

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08/23 – Climb a rock face

Connect with your childlike spirit that craved the challenge of a climb. No matter how big or small, when you climb a rock, your heart rate accelerates, and danger becomes real. Bring your attention to your limbs and focus on what’s right in front of you, breathing into each moment and thinking through every move. You’ve got this.

Inspiration From Nature

07/23 – Arrange Wildflowers

Don’t doubt for a moment that you are an artist. Slip on your shoes, grab some shears and step outside. Open your eyes to the beauty that surrounds you. Collect colourful blooms, large green leaves, crooked branches and stems. Arrange them in a bouquet, noticing each little petal and leaf. This is one of nature’s greatest gifts.

Inspiration From Nature

An Adventure Inspired by Love

As I’ve put in kilometers of training, I’ve become aware that this is unlike any other goal I’ve set. The distances melt away, and the aches and pains dissolve. Any time I get distracted by my own small discomfort, I think about the love for my family, how hard they are all working, and how much I want to contribute to their well-being.

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06/23 – Go on a barefoot hike

Take off your shoes and socks and feel the air between your toes. Bring your attention to the many bones in your feet as they adjust to the uneven terrain beneath them. Explore slowly, one slow step at a time. Notice every sensation as you connect to Mother Earth. Let the power and groundedness flow through you.

Inspiration From Nature

05/23 – Pet a bumble bee

Did you know that if you are patient enough you can pet a bubble bee? I remember being a five-year-old in my grandma’s garden. Holding my breath, I ran my little fingers down the bee’s yellow fur. I knew that it would be only a short, magical moment until it would fly away, leaving nothing behind but pollen and wide-eyed wonder.

Inspiration From Nature

What happens when self-care fails?

In my last newsletter, I made a big pronouncement: I was going to start taking Friday afternoons off. I was freshly home from a vacation and felt renewed by the power of downtime and fresh air. I was planning to fully “walk the talk” and truly invest in self-care.

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04/23 – Splash in a puddle

When you pull on a pair of rubber boots, there’s no trail that you can’t explore, no puddle you can’t splash through. Meander at a river’s edge or at the cusp of a swamp, the muddier the better. Embrace the muck, and reflect back on the trails you made this year. The year is drawing to a close, where do you want to go next?

Inspiration From Nature

Experiencing mental clarity through nature.

These days, my mind has been circling a big question — what will I research for my final project of my master’s degree? This is basically the thesis of my program. I’ll spend months delving into whatever question I decide on. The problem is, when it comes to coaching and leadership, I’m curious about too many things.

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03/23 -Cold water plunge

Dive into a lake and in a single fearless moment, reality changes! There is no turning back. The stark difference from air to water leaves you feeling shocked, invigorated and wildly alive. You are a courageous, resilient creature who is capable of so much more than you know.

Inspiration From Nature

02/23 -Walking in a snowstorm

Bundle into your parka, grab your warmest hat and let’s take a walk through a snowstorm. Embracing the winter’s chilly weather will make you feel alive. This image reminds me of my mom, her rosy face looking at me through the fur of her hood, her eyes smiling. We hold to each other up and head out into the wintery blizzard, ready for anything.

Inspiration From Nature

Embrace your inner wild!

There’s something about the moment when we connect with a wild animal. Our eyes meet and our hearts skip a beat. We become aware of our safety but compelled by a deep sense of curiosity. Anything could happen. Time seems to stand still.

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01/23 -Embrace your inner wild inspiration

Find a large tree and gaze up at its magnificent structure. Imagine the strength of its roots, the elements that it has endured, the history it has witnessed. Close your eyes and focus inward. Consider your strengths, what you have endured and the possibilities that lie ahead. Let this space hold you for a while.

Inspiration From Nature

What is a Soul Day?

Wake up earlier. Get more done. Schedule more meetings. Release the need for time off. Unconsciously, that’s been my strategy for running this business for a long time. I talk about the value of time off and the power of nature, but when I’m busy, it gets harder and harder to practice.

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Making Space for Growth

Watching the leaves change from green to vibrant red, orange, and gold this fall, I’m reminded of how beautiful change can be. Without this shift in foliage, there would be no room for the growth that comes in the spring. 

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Inspirations of the month: November 2022

“October extinguished itself in a rush of howling winds and driving rain and November arrived, cold as frozen iron, with hard frosts every morning and icy draughts that bit at exposed hands and faces.” – J. K. Rowling. Image Credit: She Flies On by Gayle Dempsey www.artsinmuskoka.com/gayle-dempsey

Inspiration From Nature

It Takes a Team

I adore my niece Nicole. She is a 20-year-old university student and talented singer, but this has been a tough year for her. She has Cystic Fibrosis (CF) which is a fatal disease that affects her lungs and digestive system. Health complications and chronic pain have been an ongoing battle. I often feel helpless. Lately I’ve been asking myself, what can I do?

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Take a hike!

And I truly mean this in the most literal of ways! One of my favourite summer activities is spending time hiking in nature. There are so many benefits that come along with it. It can boost our mood, alleviate stress, promote better sleep, and it can help us to clear our head and think about things in a different way. 

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