The Importance of First Times
Welcome to September’s Connection newsletter! The theme this month is first times –and the power and joy of noticing them. We also have the Passion Test workshop coming up and if you are interested in The Passion Test for Business there is a networking event at the Metro Bank in Earls Court where we will be giving a presentation on the Importance of Engagement in Work. And as always – some Fun Stuff. Enjoy!
I was just watching a commercial on the TV for a washing powder – it was a load of kids taking the stabilizers off a bike and learning to ride without them. That moment when one of them balanced for the first time and shakily rode round the playground reminded me of ‘first times’.
It is so important that we experience first times in our lives, not just when we were exploring the world as a child. Remember that childlike wonder we used to feel (maybe the memory is only vague now but it is there if you let yourself go back in time) when you achieved or experienced something for the first time?
Funnily enough as children we revelled in that newness – nowadays many of us back off from it because it takes us outside of our comfort zone. Where did that comfort zone come from? That need for safety and ‘being serious’.
I can remember riding ponies as a child doing things that I’d think twice about now. And yet I never came to harm and simply loved the experience – it was a passion and I went for it. That first time I completed a cross-country course riding hell for leather around the countryside – the exhilaration that came with crossing the line for the first time. Sure it was fun the other times I did it, but there was something special about the first one.
Later on in my life I took up hang-gliding and I remember the first day I took off and soared up instead of floating down. That was an amazing feeling and when I landed on the top of the hill (no more carrying an eighty pound glider back up – Yes!) and my instructor came to me and said remember this – you’ll never do this for the first time again.
Now I am not advocating going off and doing lots of scary stuff just for the exhilaration of it – occasionally if you like that kind of thing. But no, there is another way to have a first time experience in our everyday life.
I learnt this when I lived in the ashram in the States. I used to go off for a particular walk when I needed to think and contemplate something. One day I walking in the snow through the woods when it suddenly came to me that although I had walked this path many times before it had never been exactly like it was on that day and it would never be exactly like it again.
Sure the path would be the same but the patches of snow would not, nor the placing of the winter leaves still hanging on the branches, nor the way the sunlight was hitting the icicles in the river.
Each and every moment can be a first and if we allow our childlike wonder to come to the surface we can still experience that great feeling of newness.
How often do you get so present in your life that it feels like a first? How often do you have the thought that I never sat here exactly like this or typed these words in exactly that order? If you are so caught up in doing your life that you never get a glimpse of being - being present to the firsts and experiencing the perfection of each day, then lets have a chat. Life is for the moment-to-moment ‘firsts’ and there are ways that you can become more present to them.
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or give me a call on +44 (0) 203 239 6155 and we can explore how you can bring back that childlike wonder into your everyday life.
News and Offers
It been a while since I mentioned TUT.com Totally Unique Thoughts by Mike Dooley but his Notes from The Universe that land your inbox every day are simply wonderful. Click here to sign up for yours
The last Passion Test workshop of the year is taking place on September 17th. We’ve had a few questions about it so I thought I’d share them with you and some answers too!
Q: I've got so many different work ideas and projects on the go at the moment . . .Which one do I focus on during the Passion Test?
A: The truth is, you will find out when you get here! That’s the whole power of the Passion test – it shows you which one is the most important to you so you can go out and truly make it happen. The idea isn't to know before you come because that's your MIND doing the talking for you. We prefer to work on a more intuitive level and let your answers come from your own inner wisdom, or higher self if you like. So if you are confused about which business direction to go in, The Passion Test workshop will help you focus and you will leave with a clear, determined direction.
Q: I've done 'goal setting' before. What's different about The Passion Test?
A: The Passion Test isn't goal setting. It's a unique exercise designed to tap into your higher self and elicit what YOU want to do. It's not based on external goal setting or anything like that. This is your wisdom talking . . . and sometimes the answers will surprise you!
Q: I have no idea what my passions are, is there any point me coming?
A:Definitely YES! You must come because it's not that you don't have passions, you're just currently not consciously aware of them. So many people have come with 'no passions' before and left absolutely amazed at the new exciting life which has just opened up for them.
Q: Can I bring a friend?
A: Yes, you can bring one, two or even three friends! It's a great event to do as a couple so you can understand each other even better or bring your mother, son or best friend. You could even bring your business partner if you want to get some clarity around the next step for your business growth. We also had people asking about how many people were coming.
And, we are pleased to say isn’t one of those workshops where there are hundreds of people and you never get to even speak to the trainer . . .we are are not like that. We are into small, intimate gatherings with lots of individual attention. Why? Because your growth is important to us. We want to get to know you and support you as much as we can.
So come join us for a life changing four hours on Sept 17th
Book your place here now
And for those of you who are interested in the role of Passion within Business Beatrice and I will be giving a 30 minute presentation on The Passion Test for Business for Companies at the Metro Bank Business Networking Event
247 Cromwell Road
Earls Courts on
Friday Sept 16th from 8.30am – 10.00am.
In this presentation we will be addressing the following questions:
How engaged are your employees?
Do they understand what your business is trying to achieve?
Do they share your vision?
Find out more about just how important it is to engage your employees in the right way and the benefits to your business of having a fully engaged team.
For more information and to book please contact
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Inspirational and Fun Stuff
This just shows the power of love
A Dog’s Purpose According To A 6 Year Old
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me.I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?”
The six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”
And Finally:
This just brought tears to my eyes, so beautiful