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I hope you had a chance to relax and catch up over the Memorial Day weekend. In Colorado the weather was soggy and chilly, so I imagine a lot of closets were cleaned out due to sun deprivation. Personally, I didn’t stick around.

We took another road trip and ended up in Moab, Utah where the sun was shining and the sunsets were stunning. It was sunny and warm most of the time. We had a chance to do some hiking on the incredible trails through the rocky landscape. There were lots of cyclists both on the road and off, and the campsites were full. It was a long weekend that reminded me why I love camping.

I had some time to think about why I love being outdoors in the mountains and I decided it’s because nature is alive. Even the rocks. You look at the water rushing in the stream, the wind in the tree tops and the clouds in the sky – they’re all moving and breathing, if you will. Each contributes to the replenishment of the earth and the replenishment of my soul. I feel part of the grand scheme when I’m part of nature.

Where and when are you most connected with your spirit? Please send me your stories and thoughts. I love to be in conversation with my readers. Make your subject line obvious so I don’t think it’s spam. I get a lot of that.

And by the way, thanks to the readers who sent me suggestions on buying a laptop. It is now ordered and I should have it in a couple of weeks. I finally went with Dell mostly because I had such a good experience with them when I bought my desktop.

And thank you, too, for the words of encouragement on returning to school. I still have not heard if I am accepted. My faculty interview lasted only 17 minutes, and she shared with me that the school only accepts about 5% of their Ph. D. applicants without a master’s degree. Gulp. I guess WHEN I’m accepted that will mean they realize how truly exceptional I am!

I love that quote. It embodies body, mind and spirit, and they are all one-syllable words. Phrases of two words, three words and four words. Masterful. In those nine words rest the wisdom of the ages.

Here’s how I see it:

Be well. There are a couple of levels of being well. There’s the self-care level that coaches are always directing our client's attention toward. Are you eating right, getting enough exercise, sleeping long enough? What addictions do you need to pay attention to and eliminate? Sugar, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, TV, work – what’s stopping you from being the most healthy person you can be? These are things you can DO to be well.

There are also ways to BE well. Your attitude is a huge contributor to this element. Studies have shown that angry people have more heart attacks and people who practice meditation and yoga, and are thus calm, live longer. The lens you live your life through is a powerful magnifier of your health. What do you need to pay attention to in order to BE well?

Do good work: I love this. He doesn’t say you have to be successful, just do good work. Good work has an element of quality to it as well as purpose.

The Cub Scout Motto is “Do Your Best.” (I know this from being a Den Mother for three months – but that’s a hilarious story for another time.) No matter what your occupation or task, putting your energy into a quality job has rewards beyond the task itself. It creates satisfaction. It gives you a reason to look at yourself in a positive light. And if someone else notices your efforts and compliments you, well, that can make you glow.

When your work has a purpose that is in alignment with your values, that’s doing good work. I think one of the reasons I loved my work as a job search trainer was because I could see people’s lives change. They came to my 3-day workshops beaten and rejected from an impersonal layoff from a job they may have held for 15 years, and at the end of the last day, they were again confident in their abilities. By the time (it could be weeks or months) they landed their next position, there was a sureness about them. If they were ever laid off again, they had the skills to cope and survive.

Observing and nurturing this transition is what makes my little light shine. I was doing good work then and I do good work now as a coach. Nothing – I mean NOTHING – can top doing work that is in alignment with who you are.

And keep in touch. Ahhh, here’s the most beautiful part. Connection.

So many people think it’s someone else’s job to keep in touch. When they’re contacted by that college buddy they appreciate it and have a good time, but somehow they never get around to reaching out and making that connection themselves. Here’s the gremlin talk: Life is just too fast. There’s too much else to do. They’ll never remember me. What’s the use?

Here’s what taking responsibility for keeping connected does for you:

Keeping in touch doesn’t have to mean getting on a plane and flying across the country to visit someone in person. It can be as simple as an e-mail, a phone call, or a funny card to remember a birthday. It can be as silly as mailing an old shoe back and forth for years and years, or as meaningful as a heartfelt sympathy card.

Keeping in touch also means that you have a way to share your emotions, be they joy or anger or frustration or excitement. When you vent your feelings with a safe person, you are physiologically allowing your body to process that emotion at a cellular level. Hmmm. Back to “be well.” Isn’t it interesting how deep connections can go?

Be well, do good work and keep in touch. Words to live – really live – by.

Upcoming Events:

For the full listing of workshops, visit http://www.forwardmomentum.com.

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"By Debra DeVilbiss, CPCC, of Forward Momentum, LLC. Please visit Debra's website at http://www.ForwardMomentum.com for additional articles and resources on creating your right livelihood."

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