Remember to skip

This past weekend was uniquely profound to say the least. I was attending a wedding as an uncle for the first time. My niece was getting married! How quickly time flies. The ceremony was held on the shore of Cape Porpoise Maine. As I sat and watched the two at the alter, I began to think about when she was born. I was twelve at the time. Being the baby in my own family I was looking forward to being an older influence. 'Payback for all the torture I received from my six siblings', I thought! Actually, I can't complain. At the ripe age of six my parents were daring enough to leave me in the hands of my oldest brother at his fraternity on parents weekend. A pretty unique experience for a youngster.

The pastor's short sermon caught my attention. He talked about the transitions in life from childhood to adulthood. The metaphor he chose was learning to skip as a child. He explained how as children we have few expectations put upon us by the world other than to experience and experiment with anything and everything. Skipping is one of them. Footloose and fancy free, with no obstacles in our path. As life goes on, and we grow into adulthood the REAL WORLD crosses that path, and leaves behind a trail of decisions, expectations, and pitfalls. What's the first thing that occurs as a result of these? We forget to skip! Our strides become more cautious and directed, being careful to stay on trail. The question is who's trail?

All too often life's responsibilities overshadow our passions, interests, friends, and family. How are our adult lives honoring the enthusiastic and passionate individual inside each of us? Maybe if we take the time to skip, the overbearing realities of adult life can become more manageable. Better yet, maybe we find a way to step off the path, and skip down one of our own!

Mind Over Mountains

My wife Jeanie and I recently made the huge transition from Colorado to New Hampshire, where she will be attending Dartmouth medical college for the next four years. After fifteen years of calling the mountains my home, I was relocating to New England. In the weeks leading up to the move my mind was going haywire with questions, assumptions, and fears of the transition.

Transition represents the unknown, which is stressful to many of us. I immediately created negative presumptions about this new place. What the community wouldn't have, its limited career options, the limited social opportunities. You name it, I made an excuse for why I would yearn for my safe haven of Colorado.

We had a going away BBQ with close friends, colleagues, and my brother who is the main reason I relocated to the mountains in the first place. Saying goodbye to them made me emotional and afraid. The moving process and traveling in a huge rental truck across country didn't help. The change was REAL! Oh, we also had no place to live once we got there.

Upon arrival to the small ivy league college town, I had some significant occurrences that began to shed light at the end of the tunnel. We found an amazing new apartment right in town on the first day! My wife spoke with a local property manager the week before about a possible apartment, which for some reason she had no pictures of. It was skeptical to say the least. I thought we'd be camping the first few nights for sure. Low and behold, the place met all of our hopes and expectations, and we moved in that day.

The next morning we searched out the local coffee shop in town. As I waited in line I heard someone say my name. As I looked over my shoulder, there stood a good friend from Colorado. As it turned out, his brother is an attorney in town, who he visited annually. "Small world", I thought. My wife and I were invited to a BBQ at their house that evening, where I met several local contacts, one of which has a wife who is going to be a med student in Jeanie's class. Okay, really small world. He also may be looking for someone to fill a role in his local business. I meet with him next week! These are just a few of many fortunate occurrences in the days that followed.

My perspective of this unbearable change began to shift. My fear of the unknown began to fade, and was replaced by excited optimism. Funny how change unfolds, isn't it....

First Descents, living a dream!

I recently got to meet an individual who is a testament of living a dream, finding meaning in work, and serving the world. His name is Brad Ludden. He is a professional Kayaker who began a non-profit organization called First Descents. Think he smiles at the end of each day? check out his video.

Meaningful Career Change

I came across a story that really grabbed me this week. Clients often ask me how they can create more meaning in their work and make their daily profession about more than just a paycheck. This article answers that question perfectly! Check it out. Makes you wonder huh.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2010/may/206060.html

The Creative Class

I recently came across a great read called The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida. He states, "Creativity comes from people. And while people can be hired and fired, their creative capacity cannot be bought or sold, or turned on and off at will. Creativity must be motivated and nurtured in a multitude of ways, by employers, by people themselves, and the communities they live in."

InspiredShifts are possible now more than ever! Where will your unique creativity take you?