Listen to Susan and Coach Meg here:
http://www.wellcoach.com/flash/cm110302_1.html
http://www.wellcoach.com/flash/cm110302_2.html
http://www.wellcoach.com/flash/cm110302_1.mp3
http://www.wellcoach.com/flash/cm110302_2.mp3
Susan is thriving with Stage 4 cancer and is on a journey to live her purpose.
The Chestnut Story
In our second coaching session, Susan shared a story that beautifully captures the shifts in her thinking over the last year. Soon after her second Stage IV cancer diagnosis, she was walking along the beach and decided to collect chestnuts along the way. Becoming frustrated by the challenge of finding them, Susan thought to herself, “God, I would love more chestnuts; I wish it was easier.” In an instant, dozens of chestnuts fell from a tree nearby. For Susan, this was a reminder of the importance of faith and hope. “If I ask for what I want, it will be received. You can dig and get a few beautiful chestnuts but, if you ask, you will receive abundance,” she reflected.
Going Counter-Culture
Continuing to honor the lessons learned through the chestnut trees on the beach, Susan is committed to simplifying her life. In the age of digital overload, and an emphasis on building one’s network, Susan is swimming against the cultural current. She has a goal of reducing the number of contacts in her database from 500 to 50, wanting to maintain relationships with only those with whom she has “an honest and heartfelt connection.” She is de-cluttering files, relationships, and old ways of thinking to make room for life “to happen” and to create silent space in her mind for listening to God.
Working from Within
Susan also recognizes that she had concentrated so fully on her outer presentation to the world that she had not taken care of her inner self. She was swept up in the appeal of doing (producing, working, moving, taking action), forgetting that she is a human being designed to savor, be still, linger, and love. Her journey to self-discovery now includes a desire to define what it is that brings her fulfillment. Rather than having “success” be defined by someone else, Susan wanted to create a picture depicting the components of fulfillment, according to her own life’s purpose. For this, she chose the image of a tree, with a solid trunk of “spirituality”, branching in many directions, and manifesting fruits of the spirit.
Stay tuned for ideas on creating your own picture of fulfillment…
Margaret Moore, also known as “Coach Meg,” is CEO and founder of Wellcoaches Corp. in Wellesley, MA and can be reached by email at:
coachmeg[at]wellcoaches.com
http://www.coachmeg.com
http://www.wellcoaches.com
http://www.harvardcoaching.org