Following the Current

We’re Moving

Prior to our Alaska trip this past August, my husband Jess and I had taken one other cruise (in the Caribbean); but since that was many years ago, the details of what it’s like to be at sea had faded. As the ship departed from Vancouver, I was seated in a meeting room, attending a welcome event. It wasn’t until I glanced out the window that I noticed: We’re moving. No loud engines, no sudden starts, just the easy realization that the trip was underway. It was a feeling of both calm and excitement.

Davidson Glacier

Before drawing the curtains every night, I’d peek out the window to see small clusters of whitecaps bubbling on the surface of the dark sea and I’d think: Even as we sleep, we’re moving. The theme of movement was a constant throughout the trip: being at sea, traveling by motor coaches, boats, canoes, planes, and trains. The most fascinating of all was learning how glaciers move, especially the tidewater glaciers that ultimately reach all the way to the sea.

Toward the end of our trip, we took a scenic train ride from Denali National Park to Anchorage. (1) The train had a glass dome to maximize sight-seeing but Judy, our knowledgeable guide who clearly loves her home state, didn’t just point out the sights. She encouraged our own discovery by asking: What do you notice now? What has changed?

In this way, we observed that the spruce trees from the beginning of the train ride had turned to birch and cottonwood once we entered the river valley. We noticed that the fireweed along the train tracks had turned from pink to red, heralding autumn’s arrival. A little while later and utilizing the element of surprise, Judy had us look out the right side. It was the big reveal: a clear view of Mt. Denali.

Mt. Denali (quick snapshot through train window)

We learned that it’s very special to actually see Mt. Denali because 70% of the time, it’s shrouded in clouds. The train of adults became a busload of kids on a class trip, jumping out of their seats with excitement. Denali, meaning The High One (or The Great One) stood majestically in its white robe of snow, brilliant against a sunny sky and towering over the other mountains all dressed in their summer greens.

Moving at sea. Moving by train along the rivers. Noticing the changes. Alaska is a trip that awakens the senses.

Let’s return to Judy’s questions and discover what is coming into view in your life. As this year moves us along to another season, take a look around:

What do you notice now?
What has changed?

Creativity Leads the Way

This year I’ve become aware of a growing desire to spend more time on creative projects. One of these is the book I’m writing (that I’ve mentioned to you previously) about what I learned by my mother’s side in her final years when she had Alzheimer’s. I have a few personal projects going as well and so this November, I’ll be taking a six-month sabbatical, during which I’ll pause my coaching work and create room for these other endeavors.

Fireweed at the end of summer

The sabbatical is something I thought of doing two years ago, but I was busy with other things, including several very enjoyable coaching engagements. Even though that’s still the case, now the time feels right.

At the start of the year, I adopted the theme: Creativity Takes the Lead. As is always the case, this was both an intention as well as an invitation. While it means something literal and specific to me (i.e., my writing and creative work), there is a figurative meaning that applies to you as well.

Creativity is always part of your life. When I witness the changes and accomplishments in the lives of those I coach, it’s never just a left-brain exercise. Creativity always comes into play.

Creativity is:
the unexpected
your imagination and beyond
unable to be predicted.

Some would also say that creativity is divinely patterned. In whatever way fits for you, consciously invite Creativity into your process.

Whatever your goals, make sure that while you’re busy making plans and taking action, you are also incorporating quiet time to listen and reflect, so that you can decide what to let go of and what to make room for. Write down your inklings and share them with a trusted friend who will remind you of your clarity when you forget. Change the scenery now and then, and get some fresh air. That is how creativity comes in and how your inner guidance speaks to you.

Where is the Current Taking You?

View from the McKinley Explorer Dome Railcar

The current may bring you to a familiar and persistent desire that has been present for quite some time or to a new direction that you weren’t expecting. Sometimes it’s not until we look out the window that we realize: We’re moving.

Life is ever-changing and we are always seeking the current – to understand and to follow.

This Week’s Call To Action:

As you contemplate what’s on the horizon, ask:

• What do I notice now? What has changed on the outside, in my external world: (circumstances, events, opportunities)? What has changed inside of me (clarity, desire, readiness)?
• Where is Creativity leading me?
• What would I like to create?

“I would love to live like a river flows,
carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.”
– John O’Donohue

Notes:
(1) The train from Denali to Anchorage begins by following the edge of a cliff along the Nenana River canyon. Many of the river names end in “na” which is the Ahtna word for “river” or flowing water. Learn more about the Alaska Native Athabaskan people here.

(2) Photo credits go to Jess Kravitz who captured many beautiful nature scenes and moments from our trip.