From me to you
Hi, I'm Wendy and thank you for being there!
We all have a mountain
Look deep within nature and you will understand everything better.” Albert EinsteinOne early morning, I woke with excitement and wonder of the day’s adventure. The air was cold and crisp, the skies were bluest of blue, and a fresh layer of snow created a picture perfect post card of a place I had never been. With eleven others in my group we were standing at the base of a mountain in Colorado. “Go for a hike”, they said. “It will be a spiritual discovery”, they said. Initially I was excited and relished the new experience. Our instruction was you commit, or don’t commit, there is no ‘sitting on the fence’. As I gazed at the daunting incline to the top of the mountain, a mixture of dread, doubt and overwhelm settled started to grip my body. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was unprepared, unfit and I was bound to hold the group back. Self-doubt echoed in my mind, questioning my ability to make it to the summit. Everyone looked to me much fitter. “What was I thinking? How was I going to make it to the top of the mountain? Why didn’t I do more physical training, and get into the habit of walking every day?” Yet the time had come to make a decision. Am I in or am I out? With a slow deep breath in and out, I steeled myself and whispered “I’m here now, and it will be ok. Let’s do this.” I set out and took my first uncertain step, into nature, and journey and adventure that would alter my life path. My travel journal for that day had a quote by Miriam Beard:
Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights, it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent in the ideas of living.”It is true, if we are open to it. If we take the time to really journey, to be fully present, open, and curious, then new insights and ideas come to us more easily. We can grow and know ourselves and others better. And nature is a great teacher. Navigating the well-worn roads of conventional work/life I often found myself absorbed in the busyness of of corporate demands, aggressive deadlines and relentless pursuit of perfection. I relished the time I could switch off. I am a natural introvert, and only at this stage of my life, acclaim to be a sensitive soul – empathetic to the needs of people and organisations. The more I navigated these roads well worn by others, the more I sensed something vital was missing. I felt at times different and drained of energy. There is a society expectation of working and living in a certain way with a laundry list of what you should have, get, or achieve. And we do it, until it doesn’t work anymore. The traditional ‘work’ world at times seemed like the heart and soul were missing. Less crowded, more meaningful roads. I wanted breathing space and my heart and soul yearned for a work/life aligned more to my values, my eclectic preferences, and simpler, quieter yet impactful experience. My metaphor for change. What I discovered on the mountain, and the mountain itself become my metaphor for integrating purpose and passion into a more authentic, easeful and fulfilling work/life flow.
Meanwhile, back on the mountain…
The climb proved challenging early into the journey. Of course, I couldn’t keep up. My inner critic whispered doubts and the inclination to compare myself to others threatened to derail my progress. I could stop and just wait for every one on their way back down. It was a choice. But to do that, someone would have to wait with me for safety reasons in this wilderness. So I chose to go on. And I’m so thankful I did.
Because of our commitment, and no-one is left behind focus, the kindness and and inclusiveness of my fellow travellers and guides gifted me some valuable lessons.
1. Asking and receiving help and support. When I fell behind, a guide walked beside me and some of the group fell in behind me. They had my back, and the momentum from behind, kept me going, with solidarity and support, all of us moving towards a common goal, even though we were there for different reasons.
2. Simplify by making the goal smaller. One. Simple Step. At. A. Time.
“Can you make it to that group of trees ahead?” “Yes, I can.
“Let’s take a break at that rock ahead a bit”. Done.
Making something that seems daunting, do-able created hope and confidence.
3. Appreciating moments by being present.
I had to ask to stop occasionally to take a breath. Our guides would use this time to share stories of plant and animal life, rituals, the environment, elements, people, and spiritual contemplations, indigenous peoples. By being present it helped my energy, spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically.
Then finally, after a time, we all reached the top.
Until this moment, I had never been at this height on earth before. I sat at the rim looking out, and down at the tall trees below. An eagle circled below as if welcoming us.
Silence. Pe
There was a profound quiet, natural silence that enveloped us. It was awe-inspiring. It touched my soul with a peace I had never experienced before. The elements of earth, fire, water, air harmonized, revealing a profound truth for me. For in that moment, I discovered – felt- a clarity of purpose, connection and absolute peace and freedom in this beauty and energy of nature. Yes, I shed tears and realised all of life is supported by elements.
The power of silence and peace moved me to shed a tear of awe of the beauty of the moment.
New Purpose and Perspective
Returning home (at the time in Wellington New Zealand), my new purpose was clear; to make a difference in my life and the lives of others. I wanted to help leaders to experience a more natural work/life flow.
I delved into studying the mind, body, spirit, and heart with alignment of the elements. I combined this with how the elements are embraced by cultures around the world as something we all share, even those people who have not had the benefit of connecting to their roots for different reasons. The elements were revealed business and leadership practices, and were named different things.
My challenge was: How to remove the ‘busy’ clutter and create work/life flow with to simplicity, practicality and do-able, to people who need it most? And how to remember to have fun along the way? Or in my case fun making snow angels 🙂
Have fun on the journey, stop and smell the roses. Or in my case, have fun making snow angels.
Creating a pathway
This journey led me to create an elemental blueprint for a more inspiring and practical work/life experience. I discovered transformative ways to thrive with simple habits. Then using my background in mind and emotions, how to manage energy to enjoy the process and the journey.
The mountain was just the beginning of my ongoing journey. Challenges have come up and at various times I have felt overwhelmed. I know if I come back to the elements, simplicity of habit, energy management and honour boundaries, it guides me through rough patches.
Currently residing in Western Australia, I have had the privilege of travelling the world working with diverse individuals and organisations, witnessing personal and professional transformations. My mission is to help people consciously, holistically and successfully make a difference in their work/life.
What is your mountain?
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” – Lao-Tzu
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