A Spectacular Day

Today was a spectacular day.  In the morning, I was Personal Trainer, in the afternoon, Co-Active Coach, in the evening Flirty Girl Dance Instructor.  I am blessed in so many ways. The thing that strikes me at this late hour in the day, is how awe struck I am by the women I encountered and worked with today. My newest coaching client is 73 and she has a gorgeous resilience and vitality that sparkles in her eyes.  She sees others with the eyes of love; she sees past the messes and behaviours on the outside and sees the human inside the sometimes crusty exteriors. This is the highest form of being, loving the human, the namaste of relationship. As coach, I was moved to tears, because she lives the coaching model in her vision of others, that each person is of value and each person matters...everyone is naturally creative resourceful and whole.

Choosing Magnificent

Once a month for the six month duration of my certication course as a Co-Active Coach, I willingly submit a recording of a coaching session with a client (with the clients signed approval) to be reviewed by a CTI supervisor. I listened critically to a couple of recordings this morning deciding which seesion to submit and considering the possibility of completing one more before supervision, something a little more "polished".  In the listening to the recordings, I could hear where I had gone astray as coach and my inclination is self preservation or more accurately, I am inclined to look good and get compliments, rather than corrective feedback.  My struggle between ego and eargerness to learn held me captive for a moment and then I decided, the learning would be the prize for being vulnerable to another hearing my hits and misses in session. I am paying a huge sum of money to be taught a tried and true model, a model road tested for its worthy first place standing in the realm of coaching. I am always at choice to get every once from the experience to be an amazing coach, or chose the mediocracy of just ok or good enough by resisting the pertinent information that will help me grow into magnificent coach. When I hire a coach, I go for magnificent...if it's out there, I want it.

Doug Dakin

All healing is self healing, with facilitation, in community. This morning my dog and I headed out for a walk. It was a little chilly and I was slightly underdressed but I chose to walk away from the rising sun, knowing that I would walk toward it and the welcome heat at the end of my walk as I passed through the park. I asked God in the first few minutes of our outing to help me pray, to put the people he wanted me to pray for before me. My fear is always that I will forget someone, leave them out, but he reminded me that HE forgets not a one.  A man I love came to mind as I rounded a bend in the path in the park, he is dying.  The Son now shining on me in the park, nearing the end of my walk, the words "all healing is self healing" came to mind, followed by the offering, from the Great Physician to "come, follow me". He knows our need, He knows our pain, He knows what medicine will cure us.  My friend knows Him, and he is witness to the powerful healing and curative love of Christ, as he takes daily faithful steps Home. In dying, he lives. This is dedicated to my saintly friend, Doug Dakin.

Survivor

I love the show survivor.  What I love most about it is seeing the different personalities, and seeing who the participants are in snippets. The really intelligent ones model Co-Activity and the not so evolved souls display less than attractive behaviours, causing friction and dissection. The premise of the show is very base, pitting human against human, with greed for prize money being the driving force at the expense of many compromising their own values to possibly win. Only one winner means many losers, and this too is a heightened and base theme. The glorifying of money and winning at all costs is a sick game, but when I see people rise above the game, unwilling to compromise who they are, it is delightful.  This is the whole point of coaching, the willingness to be uncompromising in the belief that each human has a super human inside waiting to be noticed, acknowledged and invited out to play...games are fun, especially when the end result is in aid of growth, not tearing someone down.

My Pack

I have a newer friend, Janet Rouss~it is a budding friendship that feels comfortably familiar, hummmm, like I've done this before...I got an email from her recently and it sent me into happy puppy tail wagging mode. When I shared this with her she simply said, "that's your tribe". My son recently got a second tattoo, of a wolf, with blue eyes, feathers and beads.  Each selected item has significance.  He explained to me that the "lone wolf" idea is a myth and that wolves are pack animals, sharing a brotherhood of loyalty and when a wolf finds himself alone, he will howl to his brothers, calling out so that they can reunite. I have called myself a lone wolf as entrepreneur for many years.  It is in coaching that I have found my pack, my tribe, my people and I know them when I see them, when I hear their call, because it does something to my heart.  When my heart flips, skips a beat, I know I am not with my pack.  When I'm with my own, my heart fills to overflow and the joy seeps out unstoppable and they know who I am, and I know them too...to my pack, I call out a howllllllllll, and they appear, ready to be united.

My Super Hero

Today I got dirty!  My husband, girlfriend, her husband and I completed an Extreme Warrior Challenge in support of Jessie's Journey. It wasn't the hardest obstacle course event I have participated in but it was my first with my husband. We dressed up as Super Heroes, and wore capes and masks and matching T-shirts. We climbed over walls and up hills and under logs and crawled on our bellies under army netting through creamy delicious mud!  It was adult play and the atmosphere was amazing~fun was the name of the game.  Choosing to be big kids, 800 people decided this event with friends, co-workers, family and perfect strangers, was the place to be. I want more.  Fun is always a choice and a gift, to those who are willing to play and be playmate.  My husband is my perfect playmate, and my Super Hero. I love you Paul Byers.

The Son

As of 4:11 yesterday, that is to say, Friday September 20th, 2013, I felt done for the first time in a long time in my adult life.  I had a full productive week and my last call of the day was my own personal coaching and within the session, I sought and got, clarity. When I hung up, I had that great, it's Friday feeling and with it, some real satisfaction of a job well done, and by this I mean finished.  Nothing pending, no sense of doom with something left undone. This is a unique feeling for me and as I contemplate this sense of completion, I feel and know the freedom it extends to me. All in good time comes to mind and a clean simplicity that is shimmeringly pretty. I slept in, nothing pending, I savoured delicious coffee, no calls to make, I sat for hours writing my book, no emails to read, and I ate my lunch, no place to rush off to.  The ancient Israelites had their day of rest, their Sabbath, on Saturdays and I made a conscious decision and stated as much to my husband that Saturday is my Sabbath, my day to honour God and His command to rest.  Modern day Christianity takes Sunday as the day of rest and I can appreciate this, but it is Saturday for me and I like this more, as my choice.  Too busy means nothing, busy is a constant.  Choice, now that is where the power lives.  As I write, the sun is shining brightly, directly on my iPad.  How is it that in a sky full of big fluffy clouds, God has decided to shine His light directly on my words?  He sees all, knows all, and loves all that acknowledge Him, on their day of rest. The Son shines brighter than any star in the sky, and I feel His presence and bask in His light, I am blessed.

Glorify

The evolution of the soul can be excruciating, or delightful or sometimes surprisingly silent. The squeaky wheel gets the grease and so, whatever comes from the mouth is a clear indication of what is beneath the surface or as the bible says, what is in the heart. This simplifies the whole human experience, if it is permitted.  What?  Can it be this simple?  If it were, Co~Active coaching would not exist or be necessary.  When I was a U.W.O student, philosophy was my highest mark in first year and deeeeep thinking and brooding were painfully homey for me and so, I followed this easy fit and studied more philosophy. The homey feeling persisted until I encountered full on angry atheism, then brooding became dark and my existence and purpose in the world was something to be questioned and I fell into deep despair. My salvation from the dark night of the soul were the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, and his five proofs for the existence of God.  This saved me from a despair that threatened to swallow me whole. Atheism is based on ego, personal resonance, what the atheist makes true. Christianity is the hardest choice in this life, because I sub plant me to honour another, my God, and in so doing I humbly submit, and strangers become brothers and sisters, in the family of God~doing unto others as I would have them do unto me.  In knowing Him, my existence has meaning, purpose, and I go forth, to glorify Him.

Witness

Honesty is the best policy, but telling the truth is an awkward risky kind of business.  Coaching doesn't really permit less than the truth.  Today I was in activation mode, using the fiercely courageous voice of coach in aid of clarity for my clients. I could be wrong, say the wrong thing, this is possible.  Something cool happens when I know I'm right, when I say what is meant to be said for them to hear and know, for them to deepen their learning and forward their own action.  The world disappears, including my peripheral vision, and all I can see are eyes and soul. There is a slight buzzing in my ears and a moment of frozen time.  I sit transfixed, waiting, and all there is is presence. Whatever that is, I will name it Truth alive, Truth experienced, Truth known and Truth felt.  Waiting, I don't know what is next, but I do know I want more of this type of experience because the client is changed, transfixed and living in Truth. I get to witness, beautiful.

The Giving

Today makes 100 posts...and I am contemplative. My mind is...slow, my body is...still, my spirit is...unresolved.  I had my 3rd and last supervision today with someone I admire greatly. It makes me sad knowing it was our last, because in the learning, I have been exposed in so many ways.  Standing naked, soul exposed, for my betterment as coach, in aid of service for the other, the client who wants so much to live fully alive, embodying their values, living from choice, being on purpose. I am half way through certification and I have so much to learn, and so much to appreciate.  Being fiercely courageous in the noticing and sharing means being at risk, risking relationship break or hurting the other. My supervisor took risks today, feeding me back what he observed and teaching me kindly, but adamantly, where I could be stronger as coach so that ultimately, the client gets what they pay for in time, effort and money, more of the good stuff, more fulfillment, more.  As I received his expert guidance, he asked me, is this too much, may I go on?  I wanted all he had to say, trusting that he would give me what I need, without persona or ego or anything to prove~he was teacher, and I am grateful student.   His kindness in the giving has left it's mark, and what is possible is the lasting impression.  He made sure I heard him too, as he championed me and acknowledged how far I have travelled thus far as coach.  I am blessed and grateful. My mind is...sparking with possibilities, my body is...energized, my spirit is...full of the breath of life. Thank You Lorry Schneider, for the giving.

Alice Saddy

Tonight I had the pleasure of attending a 40th anniversary. The Alice Saddy association celebrated 40 years of supporting adults with development disabilities. I am a board member, and while I believed I could contribute in some way when I joined the board, what I learned is that I have grown in so many ways from being associated with such an exceptional organization.  Each and every supported adult is seen as naturally creative resourceful and whole by ALL of the staff and volunteers. Persona does not exist in this egoless mini society, this microcosm of loving, generous, genuine kindness and love, a bit of Heaven on earth.  I have been supported; I have learned self exceptance and non-judgment, from being in and amongst some of the most beautiful human beings I have ever met. Alice Saddy, a legacy exists because of your love for those who most needed empowerment, who most needed to be encouraged and given support to live independent and productive lives...you left too soon, as your daughter said during her speech tonight, but I know your view from Heaven is far prettier than the one from here. 

Flubs AND Laughter

Laughter is the best medicine, so I have heard. By God, it's true.  While my coaching skills are kicking in and I am beginning to gain mastery, I still make errors, ask leading questions, and catch myself problem solving. Thank goodness coaching isn't magic and transparency is the rule, because I get to tell on myself when and if these deviations occur.  I get to tell my clients what I want for them, hope for them, envision for their future.  I get to take coaching seriously AND laugh at the flubs without torturing myself for not being perfect,  performing robot like.  Coaching is the most humane way of being, for the COACH!  If the coach doesn't have to be perfect, neither does the client, what a relief.

Grocery Carts and Glory

The grocery store is a beautiful place to study humanity in its full range. If we are what we eat, then a quick look in an unattended grocery cart can give us a quick look into the life of the shopper.  If what we eat translates, or manifests physically, than what does it say about what we think of ourselves, the world, our place in it?  Groceries tell the story within, and the grocery store is a place of choice~each time we choose our food for the week, we choose how we will feel, look, act, interact etc.  When we part with our money in exchange for product, we are choosing our own health.  God created us in His image, it is our choice whether or not we distort that image. Today, I chose to glorify God with my body, the temple He created that houses my soul. I am choosing health, and my grocery cart reflected that each time I selected an item to exchange for my money.

Genteel Ways

One of my all time favourite clients and I were talking during a personal training session yesterday. Michelle is extremely insightful and able to dissect what is going on with others and at any given time, what is going on within her. She has a rare and keen ability to see situations from all angles and then zoom in for a clear focus, naming "it", whatever "it" may be, and proceeding with the truth nugget from there.  We spoke about what she calls mummy mode. Michelle was driving on the highway, solo, and was feeling a little nervous, until her first year university student son got into the car, and then there was a shift. Michelle went from nervous into mummy mode, instantly transforming into protector, strong one, calm for the sake of others, in control.  This begs the question of choice. The strong mother instinct started well before her sons were born, it started in the womb, and the same instinct is activated instantly each time she is in a position of taking care of those she committed to taking care of. Here's the cool thing, in her letting go of her son (he has chosen to go away to school), Michelle overcame her mothering instincts to guard and protect her boy, in favour of trusting and knowing that he is well equipped to face his own world, protect himself, be at choice with come what may.  In the letting go, gradually, subltely, elegantly, Michelle empowered her son, and she is aware that in the letting go, she too is impacted.  Michelle is a gorgeous human being, an example to me as mother.  I love you Michelle Young and your genteel ways-xo Linda.

Peaceful Internal Nattering

Choosing peace.  As I was driving today, I realized that I could choose the perspective of internal peace and that I could choose it ALL OF THE TIME!  What I mean by this is that the internal dialogue is a warring thing inside of me, and today, instead of combating the voice with opposites, trying to talk myself out of the fight, I had a rush, a pouring over me of this Truth, that I could choose peace, not nonviolence, but the soaring free, flying high and amongst the clouds and sun peace that transcends the personal experience of the mundane details of my usual boring warring internal  nattering.  Yeah, that's it, if I'm gonna natter in my head, I'm gonna be the United Nations, and take a stand for peace!

Wally

I have a great friend, someone who does things by the book, someone with the gifts of patience and integrity, and so many more. He sees past and through barriers, he sees whole people, inside and out, and he believes in them, invests in them, accepts them as is. Sometimes, his patience works against him and currently, his patience is being tested. Yesterday we met for coffee and as he shared some heavy personal experiences, I listened...and it hit me.  He honours himself in his patience, with integrity, and he has a sterling silver reputation, he has always been kind of perfect. In the past, when he has told me about challenging relationships, I have counciled him to extracate himself from the mess, and this can be and has been, excellent advice. Yesterday, I saw him as naturally creative, resourceful and whole, and I suggested~get messy, it's good for you, you are always so perfect.  There was something in his eyes that told me that's what he needed to hear, somehow, I saw a glimmer of appreciation and relief. I didn't try to steer him toward or away from anything, dispite the suggestion, and an old pattern broke, and I too, am relieved.  In the messes, we find out who we really are. Much love Wally, your not so secret admirer.

Kiss of Love

I want the language of the heart to be my native tongue. Not everyone speaks it, not everyone understands it and I have to say, it is one of the most difficult langauges to learn with lots of nuance and subtlety and very few rules. You can speak love with your eyes, your hands, your feet, your ears, a nod, a wink, a smile, a knowing glance, a clear eyed stare...you can even use words.  Sometimes I am tentative with my love, unsure about the reception it will meet, mostly, I want to give and get love in a free flowing back and forth wave.  I want to love like my Master, My King, to give without the expectation of return or receipt~to love this way would be the ultimate freedom from fear, doubt, containment, restriction.  All you need is love, da da da daaaa, all I need is to give love, da da da daa. Each day I step out in faith, trusting that my love is enough, that I speak my native tongue with fluidity, and that those who have ears to hear, hear, those who have eyes to see, see and those whose hearts speak my native language, answer me with a kiss, of love.

Laughter and Delicious Truth

Do it all again!  I wanna do my whole weekend all over again~that's how it feels every time I come back from a CTI coaching weekend.  My vision for the weekend was that everyone would play in my bouncy castle, and everyone did.  I got to play, laugh with, learn from, listen to, some seriously brilliant and crazy mad silly adults.  Serious?  Yes, coaching is serious work, we coaches are serious about living life on purpose, with purpose, in an all-in kinda-heart-thumping-joyful way. That's how I want to live, and I want everyone I lay my eyes on and think of to live their lives out loud, resonating with what is good, right and true.  Paying to take the courses, paying the expenses to volunteer at the courses,  it is a pittance compared to the return on my investment.  I want to capture the expressions on the faces, the wonder and delight I saw, and the knowing that I witnessed that somehow, they had returned home.  In the playground of the soul, serious work invites all aspects of the human being to show up, with a full range of expression.  Laughter, that is the prettiest sound to hear, and as I recall my weekend, I can hear the glorious laughter again...and it always followed on the heels of delicious Truth.

Committed To Balance

My volunteer weekend for the CTI course Balance was amazing.  I witnessed transformations that were astounding.  Before my eyes, I watched as students became skillful masters of the balance formula, but more than this, I witnessed a coming into their own greatness as they dug deep into what had them stuck, what perspective kept them there, and how they could see the world and themselves in new, mysteriously creative and wonderful ways, unlocking a plethora of sometimes peculiar but mostly spectacular possibilities.  Today, there was a commitment ceromony, a crossing the line from stuck to sky's the limit, a saying yes and no to all that moves us forward and respectively, all that keeps us back, down, less than. The declarations, the claiming, were powerful, moving and in one instance, made me weep because of its power.  Each participant claimed a part of themselves before inaccessible, and I shake my head as I realize again, the privilege of having witnessed.  I too, after a long weekend, am committed, and I am complete.

Joy~Today

Coaching, coaches, leaders, front of the room leaders, learning, absorbing, listening, language of the heart the soul, wrenched, twisted, contorted, spun, unspun, stretched, elongated, elastic, spring, bounce, boundless, effortless, hopefully gleefully fully embodied joy...today. 

Bouncy Castle

Today was my first day of volunteering in a CTI course, Balance. As I listened to the students and their life purposes, I added a word to my own, it reads like this:  I am the invitation to the Truth in the playground of the soul...this must be said  will a deep voice that resounds in the body of the listener, for dramatic affect. One of the other volunteers and I stood quietly talking early in the day and he asked me a great question, something along the lines of what my vision for the weekend was.  I told Carlo that I saw all the students in a bouncy castle, my bouncy castle, because I wanted them to have fun.  He added to the metaphor and said that some people jump right in and bounce around, others tentatively and gingerly take steps, some would enter, leave and re enter and some would never go in. At the beginning of the day, I had resolved to behave myself, not be as kooky and playful but after encouragement from my fellow volunteers, I threw this idea out the window and I decided to not play safe, to have fun, and be my full on self, and I did my own form of bouncing around in the playground of the soul, and I HAD FUN!

Power of Heaven

Asking powerful questions has helped me tap into the Power of Heaven. Socrates said "all I know is that I know nothing". I love this line because I too, know nothing, but not in a self depreciating and false humility kind of way, but in the sense that I have no clue what is going on in the heart or head of a client until I ask a question based on what they say...It feels like I was playing pin the tail on the donkey coaching before, as I searched around and tried to figure out what was going on over there, in there, with the other. Now, I get to be curious, ask questions and wait with baited breath to hear the answers!  How glorious, because the answers are more spectacular and powerful than I could have imagined or come up with~people really, truly, supremely and ultimately are, naturally creative, resourceful and whole....ahhhh, life is good and Heaven is really pretty. 

Process~I'm in Process to Become Masterful

I am in the midst of full on coaching certification and I grin as I type this because as I learn the art of self management, I also learn the art of masterful coaching. Self management is elusive, with ego rearing its bossy head to be acknowledged, petted, revered for its clever clarity and smartness. I am in the module called Process, one of my all time favourite deepening and forwarding coaching methodologies.  In Process the question is "what can't you be with".  When the client begins to answer this question, they get in touch with the very ideas or feelings that impact their daily lives, with or without their conscious acknowledgement. It's like the tail wagging the dog, whether we like it or not, what we don't want to deal with somehow always finds a way to be front and centre.  During process, clients can get emotional and as coach, I am responsible ONLY, to the client, and in this responsibility, I must hold them as naturally creative, resourceful and whole...this means that when they cry, express anguish, fear or even joy and happiness, it behooves  me to let them, encourage them, and know that in the end, they will have their own experience, survive and thrive, without my two cents worth.  The coach is the guide on the side, invited for the ride...ok, that is cheesy but its staying!

Energetically Speaking

What is mine and what is yours, energetically speaking?  Sometimes, I feel swept away, caught up in the current or whirl pool of someone else's energetic rapids. In coaching, it is almost disasterous when my energy matches my clients, making it hard to have clarity. It's sympathy instead of clarity as coach, kind of like when one baby cries and then suddenly, their twin begins to cry.  Sometimes I am the energetic maniac, jumping from high ledge to low ground to vine swinging in the jungle...this too, makes for a crazy par cor coaching trip.  Coaching is an exercise in refinement, in sensing and feeling subtle energies and choosing in each moment how to respond, not mechanically, not reactively, but honestly.  Being impeccable with my word, with my actions, means I have to chase down every thought and inclination and give it a good and thorough check, it has to go through customs and X-ray before clearance is granted. This is where I find myself, tested, hoping to be tried and true.

Falling On My Knees

When faced with adversity, choice stands, front and centre, demanding attention and direction and movement. Sometimes the choice is forward movement, sometimes it is status quo and sameness, and sometimes, for the believer, the choice is sometimes to fall, one knee at a time, in surrender, in submission, in humble and plaintive prayer. There is a point in every mans life, every woman's life where hopeless helplessness waits, like a thief, plotting to steal faith, fortitude, future. Today I learned again, the power that prayer delivers in the form of healing, restoration, and retrieval of what was threatened to be stolen. Each time I say yes to peace and each time I hear the yes from others, there is manifest all the Glory of God in the lives witnessed.  Saying yes to what is Life giving takes the threat and sting from adversity and the choice to fall on my knees becomes easier every time.

Truth

Truthing...a word you won't find in the dictionary but one that the ancient Greeks used to use, and it refers to the act of truth telling.  This is almost a foreign concept, because everyone's "truth" seems to be acceptable, despite its subjectivity.  I am reading a remarkable book that indicates otherwise, that the truth is undeniable and trust worthy and readily available and testable.  I like this, because I believe in truth, truth telling, truthfull living...it lends itself to authenticity, genuine caring relationships and strength of character.  The truth is sometimes hard to say, hard to hear, hard to see, but when someone speaks it, somehow it is a relief, balm for the soul, undeniable.  It opens the door to change opportunities, to personal growth, the evolution of the spirit, to higher ground.  Truth detectors are everywhere, in each of us, and when we sniff the whiff of falsehood, it sets off alarm bells and gets us wondering how we have to protect ourselves from the encroaching of falsehood.  Truth is beautiful and powerful when used to serve others, heal old wounds, ensure trust in relationship. Truth, may I always hold you near and dear.