The First Day of School!

I love the first day of school! I love the kids trudging down the street with their new backpacks and cute outfits. I love new pens and pencils, and binders with that plastic-y new smell. I love the promise of cooler days, leaves crunching under my feet and the crispness that comes with my favourite season. (OK – my current favourite. I actually can’t decide!)

The thing I love most about the start of school is the return to more ordered days and routines, classes and activities starting up again and an end to TV reruns! It spurs me to get more focused on what I want to accomplish before the end of the year and to add more of the things that nurture and delight me. It’s another reminder that as the seasons pass, I need to focus on what I most want my life to be about. Some have called the start of the school year a “psychological new year” and for me, it is.

As I contemplate the fall, I look at a list of things I want to accomplish before the end of the year. But I wonder about taking a course just to enrich my life. I consider taking a class in art or acting, two things I’ve always wanted to do “some day.” Maybe now is the time. I’d also like to carve out more time for reading, and for spending time with my nieces and nephews, who are growing up WAY too fast.

What about you? What is the change in season calling you to do? A class, a new activity, more time for you? Allow that psychological new year to spur you on to creating something new and satisfying in your life.

It's So Easy to Make a Huge Difference

In 1976 Professor Muhammad Yunus met some entrepreneurs in rural Bangladesh. When he learned that only a few dollars could make the difference between constant struggling and supporting themselves and their families with ease, Professor Yunus founded the Grameen Bank, a micro-financing organization that made small loans to the impoverished without requiring collateral.

I heard about this initiative when Professor Yunus and the Bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, and I loved the idea. Giving people in developing nations the means to create better lives for themselves seemed to me to have so many positives. From the sustainable income and tangible assets these entrepreneurs create to the self-esteem and peer respect they enjoy, micro-financing is such a constructive way to make a lasting difference for distant members of our world community.

Needless to say, I was very excited when I learned about Kiva.org. It’s a web-based organization through which individuals can support entrepreneurs in the developing world. The website features profiles of entrepreneurs, describing their business and the purpose for which the loan is requested. Lenders can make loans for as little as $25US through Paypal and track their loans and the entrepreneurs they are supporting. The profiles are both inspiring and humbling – it’s amazing to see how a small amount of my money can have a life-changing impact on someone else’s life. I currently support three projects and plan to add more in the future.

Kiva.org is a beautiful demonstration of the power of giving people a “hand up” rather than a handout. It recognizes the ability and drive of entrepreneurs in developing countries and acknowledges that they have what they need to be successful, except for a small infusion of cash. Kiva also shrinks the world by allowing people who live in the world of internet access and on-line banking to touch the lives of individuals who live simpler but no less important lives.

Take a look at the Kiva.org website. You’ll be inspired by the initiative of the entrepreneurs and the commitment of the lenders to make a difference. It’s another example of how really connected we are on this planet, despite the distances and the vastly different financial situations.

Obituary for BlackPants

It is with style and panache that I announce the passing of BlackPants. A faithful companion for many years, BlackPants was my comfort and security, an unfailing supporter of a sadly limited opinion of myself.

BlackPants was much more than an article of clothing. It was a state of mind. It was a belief that, because I was carrying around some extra pounds on my body, I should use lacklustre clothing to camouflage them. After all, black has always been described as “slimming.” The BlackPants philosophy led me to invest heavily in garments that were various shades of, well, black! Jackets, sweaters, tops, shoes, socks – but mostly pants! I recently counted my collection and found that I had thirteen pairs of black pants – winter pants, summer pants, old mess-around-the-garden pants and new dress-up ones.

BlackPants had been steadily losing its power over the past year. The decline began when I replaced the boxy black purse with a stylish lime green bag and took the audacious step of buying a pair of white pants. The final death-knell for BlackPants was the purchase of turquoise shoes and the creation of a complete outfit free of solid neutral colours.

BlackPants is survived by many friends, including UglySweaters, OldSweats and MuMuDresses, all states of mind that plague women who dress to keep themselves unnoticed and their style unexpressed. Sadly, BlackPants will likely reincarnate in the life of a woman who doesn’t feel she’s good enough.

While I will always wear black pants because I like them and think they’re classy, I will no longer be guided by the philosophy of BlackPants. I love fashion and will wear clothes that reflect that. But the difference will be more than the way I dress – it will be the way I feel. BlackPants dressing reinforces a belief that I have nothing to offer; stylish dressing makes me want to step out and express myself.

What does your style say about you? What message are you conveying? Might it be time to look at the way you present yourself? The transformation may not happen overnight like it does on those makeover TV shows, but whenever you make a change that brings you closer to reflecting your true self, it’s a change worth making.

An Evening with Grandmother

I went to An Evening with Grandmother last Friday night. It is hosted by Lori Wilson, a social worker, medical intuitive and trainer, and founder of Inner Access 101, in which she trains practitioners in channelling, regression and medical intuition. Lori hosts monthly meetings at which she channels the wisdom of Grandmother, a Shoshone Indian woman who lived in the 14th century. Lori channelled an introductory message from the wise old woman, and then answered questions from the audience, first general questions and then some personal ones. While she may be from a different time and place, Grandmother is one hip ancient, who illustrated a point using the example of a Palm Pilot and included commentary on the latest Indiana Jones movie in her remarks.

I took away two strong messages from the meeting with Grandmother. The first is that we have recently entered a phase of accelerated transformation which will continue for the rest of 2008. She said basic things in our lives like our diet, sleeping patterns and routines will be in a shifting pattern as we move through this phase. Most of the people in the room acknowledged that they were feeling a shift and Grandmother verified that it is real and it is for the good. This was comforting for me because I had indeed been feeling very different – lighter, more relaxed – and it’s good to know it’s part of a large transition for humankind.

The second message is that we are not mere months away from the end of the world and that there is nothing to fear around this issue. She confirmed that changes are continuing but that our future is assured – as she put it, “You have already saved the world.” The shift that has been predicted for 2012 will be more like the end of a cycle – the settling in of changes that have already begun -- than a cataclysmic transformation.

How encouraging it is to be reminded that we are guided and supported by our ancestors and Spirit guides from the other side, and that we can always make contact with them.

Are You An All or Nothing Person?

It occurred to me last week that I’m not actually an all-or-nothing person. Some people have a constitution that allows them to work out every single day or to never, ever eat chocolate. I admire these people and I honour them in their dedication. But I’m not one of them.

This is not to say that anything goes in Margaret’s life. I have made a commitment to eliminate sugar from my daily eating plan – for the most part. If I’m at a birthday party or feeling like rewarding myself for completing a project, I will enjoy a sweet treat without guilt or remorse. Similarly, there are days I forget to take my vitamins or tell myself I’m too busy to spend time in prayer.

This flexibility around standards is not a lack of discipline but rather a compassionate honouring of who I am. It has eliminated the “one wrong move” syndrome that used to run life when a piece of chocolate or an exercise-free day after a long period of “being good” could send me into a downward spiral of futility and self-sabotage. Forgiving the chocolate and loving myself anyway works much better.

Maybe someday I will grow into an all-or-nothing kind of person but I doubt it. Honouring myself where I am works better for me.

How about you? Are you one of the steadfast people who can adhere to always and never? If so, you have my respect and I’d love to hear how you do it. If you’re like me, let me know what works for you.

Get Some Journey JuJu!

Imagine catching up on your e-mails on your laptop while you sip cappuccino in a piazza in Italy. Imagine continuing to work as you travel for an extended period. In this information age, this isn’t a crazy dream, it’s a doable intention. In my last blog, I mentioned the international buzz that has been created by Timothy Ferris and his book The 4-Hour Workweek. He encourages his readers to strip their lives of the things that don’t give them joy (endless e-mail queues, endless to-do lists) and create a stream of income that can support them while they travel.

My life coach, Cynthia Morris, took off on her own odyssey in May, with the intention of travelling around Europe for at least six months, and working about six hours a day as she goes. As a writer and coach, her laptop computer is all she needs to continue to work while visiting exotic places and meeting interesting people. Cynthia plans to visit Portugal, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands, to name a few. She’ll also be leading a tour in France in August. Her blog, Journey JuJu, is chronicling a trip that has already some unexpected but wonderful turns – she’s having a blast connecting with locals, thanks to networking websites, and seeing the world from their perspective, not as an outsider.

The idea of following the lead of Timothy and Cynthia definitely is appealing. Long before laptops were even invented, I travelled around Europe for two months. I loved the freedom of pulling everything I needed in a pack. I could go where I wanted and stay a few extra days if I liked the place. The thought of seeing new sights, trying different food, meeting local people, and spending time each day working in a comfy café – that’s appealing to me. When I was in Europe, I loved the Jungfrau region of Switzerland; the town of Rothenberg, Germany; Arles, France; and Florence, Italy.

Take some time to check out Cynthia’s blog, Journey JuJu. Then ask yourself where you would go. What would you do? I’d love to hear -- please post a comment.

Four Hour Workweek!

Do you dream of travelling the world? Wouldn’t you love to indulge your wanderlust and take off for an extended trip? In this information age, it is very possible to build into your life breaks away from the everyday.

In his bestselling book, The 4-Hour Workweek, Timothy Ferris advocates mini-retirements and streams of income that continue even when you’re off on safari. He encourages people to go on a low-information diet, and to have staff take care of administrative details while you do what you really want to do with your life. In a few short years, he has become a tango dancing champion in Argentina, been a breakdancer on MTV in Taiwan, and competed in the sport of hurling in Ireland, to name a few. Described as “the Indiana Jones of the information age,” Ferris makes the mobile lifestyle sound as doable as it is appealing.

Ferris’ book intrigued Don Giberson, a Law of Attraction coach and trainer. Don created an audio program called Ten Weeks to Freedom, which focuses on the principles described in Ferris’ book. Don challenges his clients to create a “Muse” – a stream of passive income that supports them in taking their first mini-retirement. Then he encourages them to enjoy the mobile lifestyle, even if just for a few weeks. Don reports that most of his clients are so enthused after their first time away that they make a commitment to having mini-retirements for the rest of their lives.

Isn’t your life supposed to be about more than earning a living so you can have a few years to do whatever you want? Think about building in mini-retirements now. Where would you go? What would you do?

Or, how about continuing to work while you travel? Read my next blog to hear about someone who is doing it for six months!

The Two Twenties, continued

What would you do if you found $40? Totally free money, found on the floor in a coffee shop.

I was faced with that dilemma the other day (for full details, see The Tale of the Two Twenties). Whenever I find money, I give thanks for it coming into my life, and then I put it in my Financial Freedom Fund. I have a jar in which I collect small change until it becomes enough to roll and take to the bank, where I deposit it into my Financial Freedom Fund (FFF) bank account.

I learned the concept of the FFF when I took the Millionaire Mind Intensive, a course offered by Peak Potentials. In this excellent three-day intensive, T. Harv Eker, presented a system of allocating income that includes personal expenses, long-term saving, education, giving, playing and investing for your future by creating a revenue-generating fund. In addition to adding a specified amount monthly, Eker encourages putting a small amount of money – pocket change – into the fund every day to create a substantial fund over time. While it may sound cumbersome, I have found that having a glass jar full of coins and taking it to the bank every once in a while is very rewarding – tangible evidence that I’m taking care of my financial future.

So, long story short, $20 of my donut shop windfall went directly to the glass jar that holds my FFF. Since I also believe in tithing, donating a tenth of the money I receive, I wanted to give some of it away. I ended up putting the other $20 bill in the clear Lucite box at the donut shop which collects money for the chain’s pet charity, a group of summer camps for disadvantaged children. If I’d taken more time to think about it, I probably could have chosen a charity closer to my heart, but it worked for me at the time and it has made for kind of a neat blog!!

The Tale of the Two Twenties

From time to time I find money on the ground. It’s usually a penny, sometimes a dime and if I’m really lucky, a looney – a $1 coin. I’ve always seen these discoveries as little messages from the Universe that I’m on the right track. For example, when I was in training for the 60-km walk for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer, I’d find a coin almost every time I was walking and viewed it as an affirmation that this walk and the training was a good thing for me to do.

Recently I’ve been struggling with eating -- the sugar and high-fat foods had been calling to me. One particular day I was having a difficult time resisting the call. For my hour-long trip home, would I stock up on chips? A package of candy? Or would I choose to nurture myself with a cup of tea and wait to have dinner until I got home? After a long conversation with myself, I pulled into Tim Horton’s to pick up a tea.

As I stood in line behind a teenaged girl, I noticed that there was a $20 bill at her feet. Was it hers? If I asked her, she would certainly claim it. I waited to see what she would do. She paid for her order with money from her purse and left, revealing that there had been a second $20 bill under her foot. The restaurant was full of people and I seemed to be the only one who had noticed these bills. If felt like I was on Candid Camera! As I moved up to the counter to order me tea, I stooped down and picked up one bill. Even though it felt somehow greedy to claim the other as well, after a minute or so I stooped again to take it.

If finding money is my sign that I’m on the right track, how do you think I felt as I sipped my tea? I had received clear validation from the Universe that a healthy choice was very right for me. The message was so clear it was astonishing!

What messages do you receive? For some, it’s finding a feather. For others, a nail. Maybe you’ve never seen a connection between finding something and the thoughts you were holding at that time. Be open to the possibility that there is and see what emerges. Let me know what you experience by responding to this blog.

Now we come back to the question of what I did with the two $20 bills. I could have spent them on a treat, invested them in my future, given them away or donated them to a worthy charity. What would you do? Really think about that and share your ideas by responding to this blog. I’m looking forward to reading your ideas and I’ll let you know what I did in my next blog.

Happy Earth Day!

This is the day on which we acknowledge the amazing gift we have in this beautiful planet and take time to think about our role as stewards of the environment and the earth. We’ll hear much today about the impact we have on the planet and the things we can do to contribute to a greener, healthier, less toxic world in the future. It’s a day about raising awareness and taking action. Earth Day Canada has identified the Top Ten things we can do to make a difference for the environment http://www.earthday.ca/pub/resources/top10.php. Most of them are relatively easy changes we can make that add up to a huge difference for the planet. You’ll probably look at the list and see that you already do several. I believe that the challenge of today is to find a way to do more, to add one more action to the list of things you do for the environment. Is there something on the list you could incorporate into your life?

On January 1, 2007, I stopped using drive-thrus. I decided that I wasn’t willing to continue releasing emissions from my car as it sat waiting to get my caffeine fix. Of course it’s inconvenient sometimes but it’s a tangible thing I can do that makes a small difference. I believe that as more people refuse to leave their car idling for more that ten seconds, a significant impact will be made on the planet.

This Earth Day, I am going to switch gas companies from the old traditional kind to a company that supplies carbon-free power from emissions-free sources such as wind power and low-impact water power. http://www.bullfrogpower.com/ I’m also going to schedule an energy audit to get suggestions from a professional on how we might make our home more energy efficient.

So, what are you going to do this Earth Day?

Musings in a Coffee Shop

So here I sit in the Second Cup at 3:00 on a Monday afternoon. It’s fairly quiet here – just a couple of retirees, some people having a business meeting, staff complaining loudly about their lot in life -- and me.

The familiar voice judges: “How does a responsible business person justify sitting here drinking cappuccino in the middle of the afternoon? Do I see anyone else here lolling away the day? No. What must these people think of you?”

And then I hear the other voice. “What if being at the Second Cup is the best thing for me to be doing right now?”

The fact is that I’ve sauntered off to the Second Cup many times when I’ve been feeling frustrated, distracted or wracked with self-doubt. Despite the caffeine, it has a way of calming me and centring me so that I fade into myself in the midst of the activity. I’ve actually done some of my best strategizing in the din. And, as you can see, I’ve even started blogging as I sip my favourite brew.

What the coffee pub reminds me is that I have to honour what works best for my unique and quirky self. The combination of the indulgence and the distraction that the Second Cup offers supports me in creating some pretty neat things, so I’ll keep coming back for a long time to come.

The Power of a Sunset

One of the highlights of my recent trip to the gulf coast of Florida was the day I walked the beach at sunset. My plan had been to walk away from the sun until it was about to set, and then to watch the gorgeous colours and drama of the sunset as I walked back. But things didn’t work out like that.

When the magic moment arrived, every single person on the beach stopped what they were doing and faced the sun. There wasn’t even much chatter – they were all transfixed by the show that was taking place before them. There were hundreds of people -- teenagers with Frisbees and surfboards, kids building sand castles, adults reading novels, people dining at beach-side restaurants, walkers like myself. We all stopped what they were doing and watched the spectacle. When the golden orb slipped below the horizon, leaving gorgeous pinks, peaches and crimsons in its place, everyone applauded and cheered the amazing show – proof of the successful completion of another day.

I was so moved by that simple experience of being among a diverse group of people joining together to celebrate one of the most primal of rhythms on our planet. Their lives stopped for a few minutes as they honoured the beauty of nature and the power it has in our lives. I felt a kinship with all of these people, seeing once again that the differences we demonstrate on the outside are insignificant compared to the human connection that unites us.

It made me optimistic to think that if we can unite together to admire the blessings of this earth, we can also unite to save it.

A Different Kind of New Year's Intention

Every January, the new year seems to stretch before me like a crisp sheet of paper waiting to be filled with my joys and setbacks, passions and pains, accomplishments and disappointments. And every January, I write down what I want to achieve in the year. This is not making resolutions but more about describing the direction I’d like to see my life go in all areas from career and finance to personal relationships and spiritual growth.

This year, I feel more anticipation than usual. I am really, REALLY excited about the course I’m setting and anxious to get started. But my enthusiasm isn’t just about what I’ve planned, it’s also about the way I’ve planned it. This year, I’ve written my vision so that it comes alive with emotion and enthusiasm and it’s a description that delights me at a very deep level.

I’m too modest to share the whole thing but here is the first paragraph: “I am so proud of all I’ve accomplished and the person I’ve become in 2008. This is the year I truly became a bright, shining light and I am so grateful for all the ways I have been blessed...”

It goes on to describe my vision for career, money, health, family, friends, family, spirituality, self-care and fun! My description expresses feelings of profound gratitude, delight, personal commitment and the pride I will feel when I manifest what is described. It touches me in a way that pulls me forward.

What I am learning is that by describing how I will feel when I accomplish the intentions on my list, I create a stronger impetus to work on them. Of course I want to feel proud of myself and delighted by my progress when 2008 concludes. Being aware of that desired outcome gives me another compelling reason to stay focused today.

What about you? What are the emotions you want to feel at the end of the year that will pull you forward as you begin 2008? How can you integrate them into the planning you’re doing now?

Best wishes for an awesome 2008.