Category Archives: Exploration

a slogan for an interesting life

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“‘Why not?’ is a slogan for an interesting life.”

-Mason Cooley, late American educator and aphorist

image of "Why Not? in a circle

Image from whynotdumaguete.com

Regret is a terrible thing. When questioned about their lives, virtually all elderly people indicate that they most regret the things they did not do, rather than what they did.

In my coaching, I encourage my clients to have a “Try it On” attitude, in which they intentionally explore ideas and strategies that may not exactly fit within their comfort zones. In some cases, these ideas fit better than they think, or need only a bit of tailoring.

EXERCISE:

Where and in what ways could you lead a more interesting and rewarding life by asking yourself, “Why Not?”

Give more experiences and ideas a try today and in the days ahead. Feel free to reply to this post and let me know what happens.

Guests see more in an hour

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“A guest sees more in an hour than the host in a year.”

-Polish Proverb

Image of Barry on the bridge overlooking the Sydney Opera House

Barry and the Sydney Opera House

For my 60th birthday, my wonderful wife Wendy surprised me with a “Bucket List” vacation to Australia and New Zealand. I take adventures such as this with my senses wide open, even though they can be exhausting.

The sights, sounds, tastes, and feelings make experiences like this magical!

Surprisingly, a good number of the people we met who live and work in Australia and New Zealand saw their worlds as “normal,” with only reasonable pleasure and satisfaction in what we, as tourists, experienced as amazingly beautiful and extra-special.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you more fully explore and take greater delight in the world right around you? You may wish to invite a guest, friend, or colleague to visit your home and express what they see and appreciate about your world.

Friday Review: Exploration

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FRIDAY REVIEW:  EXPLORATION

Are you willing to be an explorer in some aspect of your life? Here are a few Exploration-related posts you may have missed. Click on the link to read the full message.

Image of Double Helix

 

“We all have the extraordinary coded within us, waiting to be released.”

 

 

 

Image of a man on a mountain, taking a photo of the sunrise

 

“People don’t take trips. Trips take people.”

 

 

 

 

Image of Mr. Wizard's World

 

“Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside awakes.”

 

 

 

 

Who Looks Outside

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“Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside awakes.”

—Carl Gustav Jung, founder of analytic psychology

Image from zdnet.com

Image from zdnet.com

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of exploring new worlds. I was a fan of Mr. Wizard as a child, and dreamed of being an astronaut. The Discovery Channel is one of my favorites, and my first career was as a science teacher.

As I aged and pursued adventure, personal growth, and my current career in coaching, I found new excitement in taking frequent journeys into the land inside of my mind and heart – without the assistance of a rocket or a space suit.

EXERCISE:

Chose a practice such as meditation, prayer, journaling, or reading insightful, thought-provoking books and blogs to explore the worlds inside of you, and engage in new journeys of self-discovery.

“People don’t take trips. Trips take people.”

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“People don’t take trips. Trips take people.”

—John Steinbeck, American author

Photo from Flickr by EBImagery

Photo from Flickr by EBImagery

The calm riverboat cruise my wife Wendy and I took down the Danube was a trip of a lifetime, providing us lots of time to reflect on our lives. Of particular interest was how this journey took us back in time to visit the lives of people who lived hundreds and even thousands of years ago.

We were accompanied by 136 fellow passengers from around the world, who generously shared their friendship and bits of their lives with us as we toured a number of cities, sharing good food and conversation.

EXERCISE:

As you enter the summer months, how can you more fully embrace the places you visit? What can you do to look beyond the surface and experience these adventures more completely?

“Life is like a camera. Focus on…”

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“Life is like a camera. Focus on what’s important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, take another shot.”

—Author Unknown

Photo from Flickr by Martijn van Exel

Photo from Flickr by Martijn van Exel

I like this quote so much as it is that I’m going to skip right to the exercise!

EXERCISE:

  1. What is of such importance today that you will give it your fullest attention and focus?
  2. How can you pace yourself today to fully capture all the good you experience?
  3. How can you embrace the “lessons learned” from any negatives or setbacks that may occur during the day?
  4. Finally, should your picture of things not turn out as you wish, determine how you will refocus your life lenses, add the light of a positive attitude, and take another shot in the direction of your choosing?

“My life needs editing.”

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“My life needs editing.”

—Mort Sahl, Canadian-born American comedian and actor

Photo from Flickr by Matt Hampel

Photo from Flickr by Matt Hampel

Have you ever considered writing your autobiography?

If you did, how many people would lay down some cash to buy it? What if you handed out copies for free? How many people would spend the time to read it?

If your answers fall short of producing a best seller, perhaps your life—at least the life still ahead of you—could use a bit of editing.

EXERCISE:

Examine the lives of those you respect and admire as a place to begin writing and living the next chapter of your life. Make sure you use your most playful, adventurous, and creative thinking to build on and expand on the good things you see.

You can also do a bit of editing on the life you have already lived. One simple way to do this is to replace all setbacks and failures in the light of lessons learned.

Feel free to reply to the post with any thoughts and insights that come up for you.

“We all have the extraordinary …”

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“We all have the extraordinary coded within us, waiting to be released.”

—Jean Houston, Ph.D., scholar, philosopher and researcher

Photo from Mayo Clinic

Photo from Mayo Clinic

The process of coaching is like being a geneticist. It begins with the fundamental belief in what Dr. Houston states.  Guided by an extensive inquiry, it evolves into a supportive partnership to decipher each person’s special code, and helps them express it in the world.

Consider the discovery of DNA, and the work of scientists sequencing the entire genome with the intention of supporting each individual in living the most extraordinary life possible.

EXERCISE:

How can you be a coach for others and have coaching partnerships supporting you to release and realize the wonders of everyone in your professional and personal communities?

“The heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head.”

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“The heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head.”

– Noah Webster, lexicographer

Noah Webster registered the copyright on his American dictionary in the English language (A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language) over 185 years ago.

When I was young I was not such an avid reader. Words – especially words like assiduity – tripped me up, due to my lack of understanding and my impatience.

Both of my parents installed the discipline of taking time to learn the meaning of such words, much to my initial frustration. Today, I know it was the assiduity of their hearts that had me persist in this flagging effort, to help me learn and grow.

Exercise:

Imagine what life would be like if Webster had also created a dictionary of the heart. What other books and resources – such as the Bible, Torah, Koran, or works of literature – provide such heart-developing wisdom? Perhaps a dose of assiduity is called for here.