Today’s Musical Monday inspiration was a no brainer. As the Continental U.S. is set to experience the first total solar eclipse in 38 years, I simply can’t get Bonnie Tyler’s smash hit out of my head...
Read moreTraveling Through Time
This week my friendship worlds collide. East meets West -- youthful enthusiasm meets soulful reflection, all with a backdrop of stunning mountains, rivers, wildlife and cowboys. There are not many things I value more than travel and friendship. I am indeed on my scenic route to happiness.
I traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to see friends visiting from Singapore. Well we met in Singapore, but they are from Australia and Taiwan originally. This adorable couple in their late 20’s shares my passion for travel. The last time we met on the scenic road was taking in the natural beauty of Myanmar. This visit included a Wild West Rodeo and a sunrise eco-wildlife tour. Seeing the American West through the eyes of my friends from Asia made The Grand Tetons seem even more majestic.
By the greatest of coincidences, one of my dearest childhood friends was also passing through Jackson with her husband on their RV Trip of a Lifetime. What are the odds? I hit the jackpot on spending quality time with inspirational friends in a glorious natural setting. Taking in magnificent scenery with a friend you’ve shared 45 years of experiences with is like coming home.
This brief trip was all about perspective, and great meals. While we experience things differently through stages in life, the beauty of nature transcends time. For me a trip to Jackson Hole is an easy five-hour drive. For my friends from Singapore it is the chance to rough it in the wilderness (limited internet) during their US tour. For my childhood friend, it is a special stop on the retirement adventure with her beloved husband. For all of us, Jackson Hole is awe-inspiring.
How does the beauty of nature affect you? How do you like to travel? With which friends would you like to hit the road? When is your next adventure?
Musical Monday -- When was the Last Time?
Former rock now country artist Darius Rucker has a new album with a lead single that could be a Life Coaching anthem. Darius (51) asks a provocative question that many mid-lifers are currently considering.,,
Read morePicture of a Life Coach
When I tell people I’m a Life Transition coach, I often get a myriad of questions about the process. I explain that my clients set the agenda for what we accomplish each session. My role is to ask thought provoking questions and use coaching tools to focus the discussion on outcomes. Here’s a taste…
One of my favorite coaching tools is a visualization exercise. I ask clients to describe their perfect day. What do they do from the minute they wake-up until they go to bed? Who doesn’t like permission to daydream? It’s a crowd pleaser. The exercise shares a great deal about a client’s values and priorities. This opens the door to creating a plan to achieving the client’s ideal life.
Today I decided to ask myself that question. I woke up in a Ralph Lauren inspired tent in Africa to the distant sounds of elephants…
What’s your perfect day? How do you spend your time? Would you be excited to tell a coach about your vision and work on making those feelings a reality?
Moving Mountains
“Where in the World is DeLisa?” is not only the name of my first travel blog back in 2005, but also a common question among my family and friends. This month marks another new location, Old Town, Park City, Utah. After living in cities like New York, London and Singapore, I’m settling into a picturesque mountain town.
While most people consider moving to be extremely stressful, changing physical locations always inspires me. I love a fresh start. Meeting new neighbors, learning new routes, even filling the kitchen with new local produce gives me a sense of excitement that is hard to create after years in one home. I would say that I see the glass half full, but I have no idea where to find a glass.
My 5 Tips for Fitting in Anywhere
1. Prioritize People Over Things
As the first box arrives, immediately introduce yourself to neighbors and ask for local recommendations. People like to be helpful and it opens the door for ongoing conversation. Invite neighbors in while things are in disarray. Don’t wait until everything is unpacked and perfect.
2. Become a Regular
Select a neighborhood bar or coffee shop, introduce yourself as new to town and once again ask for local advice. Remember servers’ names and visit everyday to establish a relationship. You’ll feel like a local in no time.
3. Keep Moving
Put yourself out there, literally. Take a walk, join a gym, garden in plain view. Get outside as often as possible to wave and talk to others. New friendships start somewhere and it’s usually by the mailbox.
4. Get a Haircut
Find a new stylist or barber who’s connected. You learn more about a community from one haircut than reading the paper.
5. Share Your Passion
Do you love golf, biking, cards, wine tasting, sailing, hiking or books? Find a local group to join. A new group of friends is waiting for you!
What feels fresh in your life? Where have you always dreamed of living? How can you reinvent yourself right where you are?
Musical Monday -- Search for Meaning
Today's Musical Monday is a salute to U2’s Joshua Tree Album 30th Anniversary tour hitting the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey this week. NYC is a buzz with anticipation for the celebration of an album released in 1987. That’s staying power!
“I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”
-- U2, May 1987
The Joshua Tree Album was a major departure for the Irish band after exposure to American roots rock. U2 showcased a gospel influence in I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, which ignited the world.
One of the beauties of this song is the way the fans have interpreted it. Born of lead singer Bono’s spiritual quest, it speaks to fans on many levels – those searching for love, religion or life’s purpose.
What are you looking for in life? How long have you been searching? How will you know when you find it?
Mindful in Manhattan
“If I can be mindful here, I can be mindful anywhere.” While not exactly what Frank Sinatra sang about in New York, New York, the analogy certainly works. There aren’t many more interruptive places on earth than New York City. So naturally this is where I decided to get serious about my meditation practice.
I’ve meditated in majestic temples across Asia, but have never committed to a regular practice. It’s inspiring to turn your thoughts inward while surrounded by magnificent golden Buddha’s or chanting Monks.
It gets a bit harder to focus on being present when surrounded by 8.5 million people and the musical sounds of Manhattan.
In search of the perfect place to get centered in New York City, I wondered into Inscape (www.inscape.life) and fell in love with myself. Trying all the different guided meditation techniques was as heady as tasting my way through an exotic cocktail menu. Today I’ll try mantra and mindfulness, tomorrow relaxation and vision…
Within two weeks I was in a state of bliss and committed to a mindfulness practice that can travel with me anywhere.
In case you don’t live near an inspiring meditation center, a guide is already in your pocket or purse. Healthline.com recently rated the top mediation apps of 2017 and inspired a great dialog on the subject. If you are interested in trying a new mediation app, I recommend you check out the article and comments for a great list of options.
http://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/top-meditation-iphone-android-apps#1
How do you get centered? Do you prefer group mediation or private reflection? If you have a meditation practice, how has it changed over time?
Edge of Genius
Today I stepped on the edge of genius…
The setting was a rainy day in New York’s beach paradise, The Hampton’s. My dear friend Jim Allman, former DEVRIES GLOBAL and Sotheby’s bigwig, took me out to Jackson Pollack’s home and studio near East Hampton.
The famous artist and his wife Lee Krasner moved out to this picturesque hamlet as newlyweds in 1945. They didn’t have a car or even heat, but what they did have was a shared passion for art.
Pollack created a studio in a barn out back and his wife took the upstairs of their home for her work. The result was a new perspective on art.
70 years later, I felt the raw passion of Pollack’s fluid movements flinging paint onto canvass, as I stood on his studio floor, even in the mandatory unattractive slippers. The planks of wood, covered with edges of countless masterpieces, made up their own Pollack original.
I still can’t believe they let me stand on this magical spot! I’ve stood inches from some of the world's greatest art, but this was a truly intimate artistic perspective.
When have you stood on the edge of greatness? How did it feel? How can you recreate that emotion to serve as an inspiration when needed?
Musical Monday -- Asking for HELP!
Music is one of life’s inspirations. The artists who motivate us to think, while we tap our toes, deserve to be recognized. I’m kicking off a Musical Monday blog theme with The Beatles’ Help!
“When I was younger so much younger than today
I never needed anybody’s help in any way
But now these days are gone, I’m not so self assured
Now I find I’ve changed my mind and opened up the doors”
-- The Beatles, Help!
In a 1971 Rolling Stone interview, John Lennon said that Help! was one of the few true songs he had ever written about himself. Lennon was only 25 in 1965 when he opened the door to ask for a little help. However, he had already undergone one of the biggest life transformations imaginable.
Life transition on any scale is often stressful. It’s easy to become “not so self assured.” The good news is that like John Lennon, we can always ask for Help!