The Bright Side! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~
Vol. 2, Issue 49 March 6, 2002 www.BrightSideCoaching.com ISSN: 1530-4334 ~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome Spontaneous Living! Soul Restoration Tip Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~ Hi! Welcome to this issue of The Bright Side! We're glad you are here! I want to thank those who write in with kind words and encouragement. I hear from many people from all over the world and it's fascinating to live this charmed life I live on such a global scope. I so appreciate your generosity and your giving hearts! Truly, my clients and subscribers (and of course my family and friends too!) are blessings. Thank you! Spring is approaching -- a time for new beginnings. Think of something you would like to see BLOSSOM in this season of growth. What can you do now to plant the seed and nurture it to full maturity? With Love, Beth ~~~~~~~~~~~ Spontaneous Living! Statistics tell us that one of the most prevalent indicators of job satisfaction is the ability for an employee to use his/her creative skills on the job. That is, the opportunity to figure things out in one's own unique way and make a meaningful contribution. Sometimes a routine, even with all it's merits, takes away the spontaneity that is an integral part of that innovative process. How creative are you in your job? How about in other aspects of your life? Rosamund and Benjamin Zander have written an EXCELLENT book (BIG recommendation!) called The Art of Possibility. The authors are both highly influential people. Roz is a landscape painter, writer, and family therapist, while Ben is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, a professor and a motivational speaker. (WHEW!) Even with all those roles, they have discovered the joy of living fully in each moment. Just as the title indicates, seizing spontaneous opportunities opens the door for new and marvelous possibilities! My favorite chapter in the book, as those who know me well might expect, :-) is called Rule Number 6. What is Rule Number 6? It's just this: Don't take yourself so seriously. And I suppose you are wondering what the other rules are? There are none!!! :-) With that thought in mind, I'd like to invite you to step outside of your routine, and enter into the realm of possibility. The mode to transport you there is SPONTANEITY. It's time to break out of that office cubicle (or wherever you work and live) and jump-start yourself into "possibility thinking." Here are some suggestions to get you started: 1. Be a kid! They are the best teachers! Go barefoot in the grass; play in the rain; watch the clouds; swing as high as you can on a swingset; wear your pajamas all day; savor a lollipop; play with a dog; color a bright picture (and it's OK to go outside the lines!); play football, basketball, soccer and baseball; build a fort; paint a picture; sing at the top of your lungs; laugh aloud from your belly; and dance in front of the mirror! My son, the one who is 14 now, is teaching me to skateboard. I have to tell you that I am really baaaaaaaad at skateboarding. I have fallen on my you-know-what more times than I can count. But man, do we have fun and do we laugh when I am clinging to him and screaming for fear of busting my butt yet again! What can you do to be a kid again? 2. Create something exquisite and different. How about cooking a special concoction? Make it spicy, sweet, and bold! Let go of any expectations that it has to be perfect. Share it with someone wonderful. My very special guy prepared a decadent meal for me on Valentine's Day. Knowing the love that went into the meal far outweighed any value a restaurant could offer. He loves creating and sharing in this way (and he's darn good at it too, which really works out well for me!). ;-) 3. Call up someone for no reason at all other than to reconnect with them. Who cares how long it has been since you last spoke? It will be much longer, or maybe forever, unless you take the initiative. Share yourself! I love to call old friends or to get an unexpected letter in the mail. I have a friend who loves to drop by my house, and just come in on a whim. I love that about her -- she's quirky and fun! We have a glass of wine and get caught up. It's just great when she gets me out of "work" mode and into fully appreciating the moment. 4. Appreciate the miracles found in nature. Take a long walk outside at night time. Look at the moon and drench yourself in a glorious "moonbath." I have a friend who I call long distance whenever there is a full moon. I encourage him to step out and look at the brilliance and splendor of the moment. I am sure he thinks this is a strange thing to do (and perhaps it is!), but it makes me feel great to share the wonders of the universe. 5. Take a nap. No, not the kind where you guiltily steal 20 minutes and doze. I mean, take a NAP! Get naked under the covers, get cozy, unplug the phone and savor the peace. Yep, right in the middle of the day. Here's a secret ... you are ALLOWED to do this! This kind of nap produces some great dreams! I like naps in front of the fire too. Warmth is the fundamental element in a really awesome nap. Last summer my kids and I took a nap on the front porch of an old house down near the beach. It was fabulous to feel the breeze and the heat from the sun. What a nice memory -- what a way to rejuvenate the spirit! 6. Give some money away. Yep -- just give something for no apparent reason, other than to be of service to someone else and to trust that the money is being used in a way that is needed. It need not be a fortune, but it sure feels good to help someone else. From time to time, I will pick a name out of the phonebook. I will anonymously send the person money -- not a lot, but an amount I am comfortable with. I enclose a little note saying they don't know me but I was drawn to their name and I hope this money is of a special use for them. I also say that if they are blessed, perhaps they can pick a name out and send something on to another person, thus keeping the chain going. After I mail the letter, I never know what happens to the money or with the people, but I fully trust it is something terrific. The neat added benefit that I have discovered is I am always blessed with some type of financial reward myself when I do this. I encourage you to give it a try! Giving is a wonderful way to be spontaneous and keep one mindful of his/her blessings. These are some ideas to get you started in your quest for spontaneous living. What other ones can you think of? Keep in mind Rule Number 6 -- don't take yourself so seriously!!! Permit yourself to have fun because life is, indeed, short. Enjoy the richness of who you are and of all those you meet. Lighten up and go have some fun!!! ~~~~~~~~~~ Soul Restoration Tip "Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, and to be needed. " ~ Storm Jameson "Go a little crazy, go a little insane; come out and play with me, barefoot on the rain." ~ Anonymous ~~~~~~~~~~ Emily Dickinson wrote, "A little madness in the Spring is wholesome even for the King." Remember these words and that of the Zanders' Rule Number 6 -- don't take yourself so seriously! Spring is a time of new beginnings which create endless possibilities. What I want for you is to be free and allow yourself to see them. Wishing you a season of outrageous blossoming! Beth Coach / Writer / Human Being ~~~~~~~~~~ Beth Burns is a Professional Life Coach -- partnering with motivated people on their personal and professional goals. Her mission is to teach people to love themselves and to love the life they create. She offers two free email newsletters and can be visited on the web at www.BrightSideCoaching.com. She can also be reached by calling 678-938-0419 or by email at Beth@BrightSideCoaching.com ~~~~~~~~~~ Contact Information Copyright 2001 Beth Burns Attribution required for distribution/duplication. We appreciate you passing this message on with our full contact information provided. We encourage you to ask others to subscribe to The Bright Side or Growth, at www.BrightSideCoaching.com/subscribe.htm Your email address is secure and will not be sold or used unethically
