Wednesday Time Out: Wholehearted Imperfection

I'd like to introduce you to Brené Brown. She calls herself a "researcher storyteller." I call her inspirational and can't wait to hear her speak at the Vancouver International Coach Federation (ICF) meeting in September. Here's a clip from TED talks, it's 20 minutes long. I encourage you to take time out to hear a little of her own story and how her research on vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame has led her to focus on the concept of wholeheartedness. While you're at it, check out her blog.

Wednesday Time Out

French Interlude

Images via Pinterest

Wednesday Time Out

 First stop, Paris. 

oh là là!

Romantic Paris: Elgar Boart

It's a perfect day for a stroll through the city

En Francais: Elgar Boart

and a ride on the Metro

Paris Metro: Elgar Boart

and Time Out for a snack and a café au lait

Via Pinterest

 before boarding a train to Lyon.

Photograph via Pinterest

Yes, I'm flying off to France this morning. While I'm away, there will be regularly scheduled postings to entertain you. Keepin' it simple until my return in two weeks.

Au revoir mes amis!

Wednesday Time Out

Check Point

There are a couple of things I want to cover today. The first is to follow-up on how you are doing with the work around defining your values (first posted here and here).

I'll be posting on the topic of vision in the next Artful Learning Lab. Being clear about your core values will make it easier for you to create your vision statement because you will be strengthening the connection between your inner and outer self.

Photograph via: Drops of Jupiter

The next thing I want to say is that this is a process. For some, it will be easy and super clear, and for others, it will be ambiguous, frustrating and may raise more questions than answers. The goal here is to allow yourself to tune-in to what ever is coming up and pay attention. I encourage you to write, draw, meditate, pray, dance, sing, play an instrument, go for a walk, ride your bike, anything that helps you to get out of a state of "busy-ness" so that you can listen to the wisdom within you.

Photograph via Pinterest

Thought challenge: Over the last ten days, what have you learned about the way your values influence you? Any surprises or a-ha! moments? What is being revealed to you that you may not have noticed before? How is this helping or hindering you? What are the new beliefs and values that you are taking with you as you step into your vision?

Wednesday Time Out

Time Keeps on Slippin'...into the Future

Janus, the Roman God of the Gate is represented by two heads, one facing west and the other facing east, simultaneously looking forward into the future and behind to the past. 

Janus often stands in a doorway as a symbol of change and transition, a bridge between endings and new beginnings, and this brings me to today's reflection on the concept of time.

This coming year I am focusing on the meaning of time and my relationship to it. Going beyond our modern day notions of time and time management, to something deeper. To stay present in the moment and to be neither future-oriented nor a dweller in the past.

When I travelled to Peru's Sacred Valley last summer I experienced time standing still. It was a profound feeling of peace. So now I'm on a mission to increase my awareness and understanding of how I measure, value and experience time and wondering if it is possible to recreate that state of timelessness here in my everyday life?

Thought Challenge: What is your relationship to time? When do you take time out to pause? What does staying present and in the moment look and feel like for you? What is possible when you become quiet?