Planting Seeds

January 20, 2012 By 2 Comments
the wise gardener plants seeds of opportunity even when there is snow on the ground

Photo Source

In life and in business, opportunities and possibilities are abundant. Laying the foundation for opportunity however, requires vision, discipline, commitment and often forgotten but very important, patience. A clear vision of what we want. A disciplined mind to keep us focused on achieving what we want. A commitment to strike a balance between taking action and pausing. And this is where patience comes into play. Often times when we are planting seeds for new possibilities, we need to take a pause.  The pause can be as important as the action. The pause is a time of reflection. It is a time for questions. It is a time for learning. The pause requires patience. And patience, as we’ve often heard, is a virtue. 

We are all gardeners. Gardeners in life and or in business. And as gardeners, we need to find that healthy balance so that we are planting seeds throughout the year rather than making it an annual event. If we have a vision for what we want to accomplish, we need only to plant the seeds. Take the time to create a plan, to determine the resources we have as well as the resources we need to acquire. We need to be open to questioning our plan and our motives as we continue. This only creates further clarity. Take a pause when needed. Take stock of the seeds. Do they align with our vision? How might they be even better aligned to support our overall goals?

And then watch. I invite you to sit in the bigscreen theatre of life. To believe. To watch as our seeds sprout. Our “ideas” and “hopes” and “dreams” come to fruition but first we must plant the seeds.

Best wishes for healthy sprouts!

Glo

(C) 2012 – True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Goals, Life Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Do you believe in miracles?

November 28, 2011 By 2 Comments

Photo Source

One could say that miracles are like magic. Some believe, some don’t, so what.  Well, the so what factor happens to be very telling. It is telling of who we are as individuals. What our personal values are. What brings meaning to our lives. It is telling of how we make decisions.

Life today is complex yet simple. Business today is chaotic yet inspiring. Tiny miracles pop up out of nowhere it seems and surprise us. These miracles create small change and massive change in both individuals and in organizations. These tiny miracles create insights often leading to wisdom.

The laws of nature … describe the ways in which the world—including, of course, human beings—works when left to itself, when not interfered with. A miracle occurs when the world is not left to itself, when something distinct from the natural order as a whole intrudes into it. (Mackie 1982: 19–20)

But alas, you must believe. You must believe in what is possible. You must accept that it’s ok not to know the how part of the equasion. A difficult task no doubt. You must get comfortable with not being right. Easier for some than for others. Not everything in this world is a result of cause and effect. For instance, you must believe that what you say and do truly matter. And it matters because at the heart of what we say and do is our personal integrity. But to believe that anything is possible, that miracles do occur and often when we least expect them, because a butterfly flapped it’s wings in another part of the world, this is to believe in miracles.

“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

Miracles are all around us. We just need to open our eyes and hearts in order to see and feel them.

Note: Many of the ideas from this post were generated through the work of Margaret J. Wheatley’s, Leadership and the New Science.

Cheers, Glo

C (2011) - True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: , , , , , ,

“Back to school” has new meaning…

September 25, 2011 By 4 Comments

The term back to school has different meanings for a few of my family members this year.  My niece Jenna (left) is a second year student at The University of Western Ontario commonly known as Western. (Can you tell I just copied the uni name directly from her facebook profile?) Jenna is doing a B.Sc. honours with a specialization in biology also known as she is a science brainiac. I will never forget how excited she was in high school to report dissecting some strange rodent. Gross! What is new for Jenna this year is that she is no longer in residence making university life a completely different experience for her. She is sharing a house with 4 other girls and lovin’ it. Now don’t get me wrong.  Jenna isn’t exactly “slumming” it in London! She and her roomies have created a pretty cool haven for living the good life with a little bit of room for studying. Jenna has been a continuous source of encouragement and inspiration for me during my academic journey. When I was taking Research Methods (insert I failed Grade 9 math), it was Jenna that I reached out to for support.

Next up is my niece Katie (right). Katie is a 30 something first year film loving student at York University in Toronto. She is enrolled in the four year honours program for film studies which also means she watches all of those movies that the general population has never heard of! This has been a big year of change for Katie and the changes aren’t finished. She went to New York and to Europe for the first time, moved in with her boyfriend and most recently gave up her job as an admin to go back to school and pursue her love of film. I secretly wonder if this photo of her looking up at the statue of Napolean in sheer awe is simply a precursor to her new journey with university life!  She too, has been an amazing sense of encouragement and support.  In fact, I believe Katie was the first one to say “you should do a PhD!”

Soooo…speaking of PhD…this is something that is on my mind these days. I must admit that it comes and goes though. Presently I’m doing a research paper towards completion of an M.A. Leadership degree at the University of Guelph. Yup! Even though I was scared to death and I REALLY was, I went back to school in my mid 40′s to pursue a university degree and to enhance my learning as an executive coach. I have never looked back. It has been a very challenging yet rewarding experience. 

Back to the flip flop…Because I am so passionate about my research topic (using executive coaching to increase employee engagement), there are days and fleeting moments when I don’t want it to end. I want to be able to take my topic and the “coaching for engagement” model that I have developed and take it to the next level. But hello! We’re talking about four years here and there are SO many things to consider! Fortunately for me, my amazing husband Marc, is 100% behind me.

While I am contemplating this massive decision and researching what it “truly” means, I also have a new view of back to school. I am a Teaching Assistant to the new cohort in my program for Leadership of Organizational Change. Teaching and the education system seem to run through the veins in my family.  My Mom was our elementary school secretary.  My Dad completed his university degree while working full-time in the military. My sister Anne, is a teacher who completed her teaching degree with two young children in tow.  My sister Deborah, is a teacher who has just experienced her last back to school and is retiring in June 2012 to pursue her love of travel and LEGO (not necessarily in that order!).  And my sister Linda is pursuing her Chefs diploma while juggling a very busy career and family life. 

Along with my sincere love for coaching and genuine desire to see people do what they love, I would be honoured to teach someday and to live a life of continuous learning. I have no idea if I will go further in my studies or if there is a doctor in this house but I do know this. If you have ever thought you might like to go back to school or try anything new for that matter, but were scared for fear of failure. You CAN do it!

If you think your life can’t change in the blink of an eye…think again. We, as humans, are powerful creatures filled with potential and possibilities. We just need to believe it!

Cheers to you and your journey whatever that means to you.

 Glo

Photo credit: Miles Bossons

2011 (C) – True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Goals, Life Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Who would you invite?

September 15, 2011 By 8 Comments

Photo Source

“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” – Oprah Winfrey

Oprah said it well.  Having supportive family, friends and colleagues in our lives can make a major difference in how we perceive our life to be.  Demonstrating support is possible in many ways however it often includes listening, empathy, creating a safe and non-judgemental environment where we feel that what we say is important, and that we are valued.  People who demonstrate these qualities show us that they care, that they are in for the long haul, and that they believe in us.  They are demonstrating leadership.  Limo or bus, it makes no difference because they are along for the journey, not just for the ride.  And life is certainly a journey…

One of the very best ways to gain the support of others is to first offer your support to them, genuinely.  Reach out to them.  This is the amazing thing about humanity.  We, as humans, have the ability to offer support to others through the expression of kind words often left unspoken.  To show gratitude for what they bring to our lives.  And the simplest gesture can change a persons entire outlook for an otherwise average day.  That new outlook can cause a shift leading to new insights and possibilities of what may be. 

This seems most applicable in our personal lives but this is true as well, in our professional lives.  We may be the type to rush around from call to call and meeting to meeting without stopping for a breath let alone to acknowledge who might ride the bus with us.  This holds true for family, friends and colleagues alike.  Who can we count on to be there when we really need them?  And more importantly what might we do or say to show them how very important they are to us?

Photo Source

You are important to me.  I’ll be waiting at the bus stop for you.  The cool IKEA one of course!  Will you join me?

Cheers, Glo

(C) 2011 – True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Leadership, Life Tagged With: , , ,

like daughter like mother

August 18, 2011 By 6 Comments

You may have thought at first glance that the title of this post was backwards.  In this case, it is definitely a “like daughter like mother” scenario and this is why.  My sister, Deborah (left), is an afol which stands for adult fan of LEGO.  She builds some really cool things out of LEGO like beautiful villas with roofs that are removable to display her LEGO designed furniture (see below).  Deborah belongs to an amazing global community of like minded LEGO loving peeps.  They support each other, bounce ideas off of one another and go to shows all over the place to strut their stuff! 

Deborah was always the most naturally creative one in our family in terms of the arts.  Although she loved playing with LEGO as a child, she really started to get into it as an adult.  I invite you to check more of her amazing work out here on her flickr site:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/buildingsblockd/

My Mom, Mary (right), is the new kid on the block.  Literally!  She is new to building with LEGO however, she is already a pro builder!  Deborah has recently awakened the passion within our Mom to build.  LEGO has these nifty box sets which provides the builder with an instruction booklet and 3 choices of designs.  This is a great way to get familiar with the blocks and create something cool.  An added bonus is that LEGO is an excellent way to keep your cognitive functioning in check. 

Our Mom says she was fascinated by LEGO when we were kids but never really played with it much.  Mom has now completed 3 box sets and is presently working on a Harry Potter bank to add to her collection.  The picture below is her just this past weekend showing off her most recent accomplishment, a lighthouse.  At 80 years of age, she is thoroughly enjoying her new hobby and the challenge of putting the pieces of the puzzle together.  Sidenote: I think she looks so pretty in pink! 

This is a great reminder that we’re never too old to try something new.  Your mind will love the challenge.  You may be nervous at first and you may be one to dive right in.  You may get frustrated when you hit a roadblock and there are sure to be some.  But do yourself a favour and believe.  Believe in all that you are and all that you can be, do and have.  I believe in YOU!

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” ~ Henry Ford

Cheers, Glo

(C) 2011- True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Life, Making Changes Tagged With: , , ,

The Courage to Act

April 29, 2011 By 2 Comments

In many aspects of our lives both personal and professional, we are faced with situations requiring courage.  Courage to act when needed.  Courage to move on when needed. Courage to step out of our comfort zone and take risks.  Courage to reach out to others.  Courage to say no when we mean no and yes when we mean yes.  Courage to dive in even when the water looks icy cold! 

Having courage isn’t only about taking action.  Depending on the circumstances, sometimes it requires courage to sit back, listen and reflect.  Acting with courage can appear lonely.  Sometimes it is lonely.  Sometimes others will join you.  Having courage does not necessarily make us heroes.  It can however, provide us with a deep and fulfilling sense of satisfaction.  Anyone can do the easy thing but it takes tremendous courage to do the right thing.  If the right thing includes instigating change, we can start by putting our big toe out there.  Everything we have ever learned, we started with taking a first step.  By moving forward, we are moving toward what we believe in.  We are acting with personal integrity.

If you want things to change, you must believe in yourself and your vision.  Ask questions that help to bring clarity.  Be open to learning and discovering.  Request the support of those who are close to you and who believe in you.  Consider working with a Professional Coach.  Discover your inner wisdom and new found strength.  I think you’ll find the water is pretty warm!

“Believe in yourself and all that you are.  Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle” ~ Christian D. Larson

Wishing you continued success in all that you do!

Glo

(c) 2011 – True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Coaching Services, Leadership, Life Tagged With: , , ,

Putting Your Best Foot Forward?

March 18, 2011 By 3 Comments

How often do you find yourself doing things without putting your best effort into it?  You’re tired, you’re busy, you and or someone you are close to may have health issues, you’re disinterested, you’ve got fear of failure, fear of success or you may even need to learn something new!  Obstacles in life, no real shortage of them it seems… 

It’s only once we begin to understand why we’re feeling a certain way, that we can actually deal with it.  Clearly, some things are within our span of control and some are not.  Feeling tired all the time?  What might you do to drive your energy levels up?  Got too much on your plate?  How much of it, if any, is self inflicted?  Health related issues?  Although not always enough, are you getting proper medical attention?  If someone you are close to has health issues, what do you need to do to ensure that you are in good health in order to support them in the best possible way?  Bored or disengaged?  What might you do to spice things up a little?  Got the failure or success jitters?  What new skills might you learn that will help to alleviate some of those nasty gremlins?        

You’re not alone!  At one time or another, it’s likely that we have all experienced variations of these and other obstacles.  It’s what you do about it that matters.  If you want to enjoy what you do and how you live your life, take a look at the things that prevent you from moving forward.  If they are within your control, start with small steps, but do start.  Create some goals for yourself.  Enlist the support of those close to you or perhaps even a Coach.  You can’t put your best foot forward if you’re not even sure which one that is.  Remember, you can’t control how others react or behave but you are in full control of both your attitude and yours actions.  According to Google, a wise but unknown soul coined the phrase “If you believe it, you will achieve it!”   

The best thing is that energy and positive emotions are contagious.  Not only will your move forward inspire you to go further but you may just inspire others along the way!

Which one will it be?  Right foot or left?

Cheers, Glo

(C) 2010 – True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Coaching Services Tagged With: , , , ,

Leveraging Your Strengths

February 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

How well do you know yourself?  Do you know what your strengths are?  Those qualities that are often innate.  They come naturally or easily to you.  When you do them, it feels like fireworks are going off.  You and those around you often benefit if you do and especially if you know how to leverage them.  Your passion drives your energy levels up! 

All too often we spend so much time focused on what we aren’t rather than what and who we are.  I’m not suggesting that you should be blind sided to your areas for improvement.  It’s just that we’ve all got strengths and weaknesses, it’s just part of being human.  And while being aware of areas we want to change or improve is important, studies show that focusing on our strengths produces more positive outcomes long term. 

Sadly, it seems that many people that I meet today are in the wrong career (according to them) or are caught living a life they aren’t really jazzed up about.  Imagine if you were to focus instead on what you’re naturally good at.  How would that make you feel?  How would that change the way you see your future?  Your future would be so bright, you would need shades!  Many of us have other people to consider but I wonder what value we bring to those we are close to if we are not happy ourselves.  If it’s not presently feasible to make  changes, ask yourself at what point will you?  What can you do to ensure that at some point you are leveraging those strengths and creating passion leading to those fireworks? 

Passion doesn’t always pay in terms of monetary reward but living and breathing our passions certainly provides intrinsic rewards which can be more sustainable.   Perhaps your passion comes from a hobby which is great.  Perhaps your hobby becomes a career.  It’s that “I want to go to bed just so that I can wake up and do it all over again feeling!” 

Be who you were meant to be and the world will thank you!

Cheers, Glo

(C) 2011 - True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

On a Mission…Look out World

January 10, 2011 By 2 Comments

One of the things that I used to do regularly and I’ve made a commitment to starting again is yoga and meditation.  I love the way I feel when I’m doing yoga and the greater level of flexibility I experience in general once I’m into a regular routine.  The state of mindfulness that meditation brings, stays with me long afterward as well, helping to reduce stress and making it easier to be fully present.  As for this picture on the beach, I could certainly handle some of that as well!  Maybe that is up next…

Remember those things that used to bring you such joy?  Perhaps it is a sport, a hobby or maybe it’s learning a new language or cooking better meals.  Perhaps it is looking for that new passion, something that you want to do and that is just for you and your pure pleasure.  Whatever it is, make the time.  You owe it to yourself and others to carve out that little piece of time that’s just for you.  If it seems too much, chunk it down but don’t chunk it out of your life.  Create a workable plan that includes “you” time.

When those things that you derive so much pleasure from seem to fall off your radar, it makes you wonder why.  How could something that makes you feel so good in the moment and long after, get left behind?  Fairly simple I guess.  Other things take priority…some are within our control and others are not.  There are so many demands on our time and energy that somedays it seems difficult to imagine cramming anything else into the schedule.  But as the saying goes if there is a will, there is a way!  My 2011 mission is to believe and to pave the way!   

An interesting exercise is to write down how you spend your time throughout an entire day for a full week and then have a look.  If you are truly honest with yourself, you may find that there are pockets of time which could be better spent on doing something you derive pleasure from.  Everything and everyone around you benefits when you’re making time for yourself and the things you love to do.

Want to join me on my mission?  I’m starting today so look out world…Namaste

Cheers,  Glo

(c) 2011 – True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

How Clear Is Your Vision for 2011?

December 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Well here we are…it’s the last day of the year and also the day when many people set and declare goals for the New Year!  Whether they are big or small, short or long term, personal, professional and or spiritual, what will you be doing to ensure that you are committed to achieving yours? It’s been my experience that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another.  We are unique and we all have different values systems and perspectives.  Learn what works for you and be like Nike and Just Do It!

One thing which I have done and I find works well for me especially if I’m setting significant goals is that I break them down into small steps which are more manageagable.  Another thing I find helps is to celebrate at every milestone or step by setting up a reward system.  Presently I’m at year 2 of a 3 year plan making this goal of a career change a fairly substancial one however when I chunk it down, it’s really just a series of smaller actions which are of benefit to my life in general and also to the big picture.  To help stay on track I created a map broken down by year and then month.  Pretty simple to follow and as you can see green is complete and red is yet to come…the rewards are also built right in!

The important thing to remember is not what it looks, feels or sounds like to me.  The important thing is what it means to you!  The goals that are truly yours should come from within, they should be on your agenda and not what someone else expects of you.  Be a part of creating your future and you will own it!  I encourage you to celebrate at every step you reach, big or small celebrate them all.  Hey, that rhymes!

And lastly stay the course…make sure your vision is crystal clear.  If times get tough or if circumstances beyond your control become obstacles, do whatever works for you to keep your vision in your mind, in your heart or wherever it means the most to you.  I’m a visual person so I have this picture of Arizona with me heart, mind and soul.  I love the big blue sky in Arizona and the magnificent red rock against it.  This particular photo with the reflection in the water is a reminder of my vision.  A change in careers for me has been truly life altering and yet, there is nothing special about what I’ve done.  I’ve created a long term goal and broken it down into small and manageable steps.  This is something we all have the ability to do.  Coaching is one of those professions where people ask all the time, what does a Coach do?  Coaching is about you, not me.  If you’re looking for advice, ask a family member or a friend.  They love giving advice!  If you’re looking for someone to challenge you to come up with your own reality and your own agenda from deep within, ask a Coach!

Wishing you a wonderful New Year filled with love and light and all things bright!

Cheers,  Glo

(c) 2010 – True Bliss Coach Gloria Higdon

Filed Under: Coaching Services, Goals, Life, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , ,
« Older Posts
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.