Listening

We just finished a wonderful dinner of New Mexican red chile roasted veggie enchiladas. We were joined by some dear neighbors and before everyone headed home we gathered our four sweet children ages five to nine for a school year blessing (they all start tomorrow).

We asked the kids to close their eyes and reflect on what kind of school year they wanted to have-- what their theme would be for the next nine months. They giggled, paused and then shared (their words): blissfulness, flowingness and fun, creativity, happy sunshine and bouncy castle. Then they each got to pick a special stone or natural treasure from the bowl on our counter to take home as a reminder of their intention.

I think the reason I love setting intentions is they don’t require an action or a goal. They’re more about how I intend to be.

My intention for the fall is FREEDOM.

And after attending a wonderful creative intent workshop on Saturday, I got the confirmation again that this is not going to come from changing my schedule, moving into a new work space or getting a personal assistant. For me, freedom is an inside out job. (Read more.)

Lately, everyone I talk to seems to share their desire for something along this same line. They want a new way of being. Not just a tweak to their current system for how they manager their lives/careers/relationships, but an overhaul, a paradigm shift, a totally new way to approach how they experience daily life.

My husband says I’m hearing this from so many because I hang out with people in the human potential field, but I disagree. I think there is a growing number of us who are done with being overworked, overscheduled and overly busy. We have a strong hunger to experience a life that’s more spacious and simple.

This week, I’m leaving to take a spiritual retreat. I’ve spent a lot of time creating this summer and I’m clear that now it’s time to stop everything and just listen … quietly and deeply.

I believe my external landscape and world is a reflection of my inner landscape. And, right now, it’s in need of some weeding, pruning, tilling and watering. Essential work to clearing away internal clutter and creating the space to hear what most needs to be heard.

And possibly to receive guidance around what experiencing more freedom might look like in my business and life.

I’ll let you know how the week goes when I return to the office on August 29th. Thanks for sending me good thoughts.

P.S. I talk a lot about Living Inside Out. If you’re curious what this means, you might be interested in this short video Brianna, our communications assistant, made around what this message and movement. And, if this calling resonates with you, join our dialogue on the Live Inside Out Community.

Note: Each quarter I take a personal/business planning retreat to help me determine how best to use my energy/time to support my businesses in the coming 3-6 months. If you're self-employed and need a guided, structured opportunity to listen deeply to your inner wisdom, receive high level, strategic coaching support and to be reminded of why you do what you do this fall, consider joining me on Sept. 16 at Casa de Artistas in Austin. I love these visioning retreats and always leave with clear, grounded direction.

I love to hear from, connect with and meet The Journey readers at our events. I invite you to:

>Find Your Tribe: Join or become trained to lead Self- Renewal Groups
>Attend a retreat/event; join me Oct. 14-16 at Kripalu in the amazing cool Berkshire mountains for our Women's Self-Renewal Retreat.
>Join the Dialogue on our Live Inside Out Facebook Community
>Pick up The Mother's Guide to Self-Renewal from the library or buy it here
>Download FREE Live Inside Out Teleclasses, join us for our Sept. 8th class on Going with the Flow While Still Getting Things Done! and read past issues of my Life Balance newsletter
>Take Action: Contact one of our career or life balance coaches for 1-on-1 support; receive an initial complimentary consultation
>Empower Others: Schedule Renee Trudeau for a private workshop or retreat for your company or organization
>Subscribe to my life balance blog The Journey for weekly inspiration

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly.

Photo: From our recent family vacation to New Mexico. Full moon at Chaco Canyon National Historic Park. Some believe this ancient, mysical site built by the Anasazi people was a place of spiritual pilgrimage for many. A place people would gather to be still ... and listen.