Begin Anew

Yesterday (March 20th), marked the March equinox—a time when the sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal in all parts of the world.

It’s a time when light and dark come into balance. And while the dance of equilibrium and disequilibrium happens constantly in our lives and all around us, there is something special, almost mysterious about the equinox and its significance.

In Texas right now, we’re witnessing incredible growth in the natural world.

And as we watch all of this external expansion--small buds straining to come to full bloom and trees stretching and shooting bright green leaves--it makes me think about how many of us in this very moment are striving for internal balance and spiritual growth.(Read some of the recent comments on our Live Inside Out FB Community from amazing women who shared their stories last week around why they need a retreat.)

For many cultures, the March equinox represents an opportunity for re-birth. For me, it’s a reminder that every day is a new opportunity to start over.

To let the argument, sharp words, miscommunication, rushed encounter, lost moment or bad mood simply go. Poof!!

And to realize what a gift it is to be able to choose to begin each day with a fresh, more compassionate, kinder and loving approach to our relationships with ourselves, with our partner or kids, work, marriage, business partnerships, clients, etc.

I just got back from being out for a week on an amazing trip to Philadelphia with my 8-year old son. We visited my youngest brother who is in graduate school there.

When I've been gone for a while and work and family/home obligations have stacked up and are awaiting my attention, it’s so easy to see all the things that need to be done, have not been done or were done differently than I would have liked.

And so, today, I begin anew. With gratitude for the ability to choose how I see my world, how I respond to my environment and how much or little love I choose to give and receive in my life. Thank God for the gift of being able--at any time-- to start over. Halleluiah!

My father, a compassionate physician who cared deeply about those less fortunate, died suddenly in 1996 from a heart attack at age 55. He loved The Prayer of St. Francis (he used to sing it so loud in church, my siblings and I would crawl under the pews in utter embarrassment).

I heard a beautiful version of this sung today. Regardless of your spiritual path, I believe it's a powerful reminder for all of us to pause and ask, “How can I bring more compassion, more love and more understanding to the people I encounter in my every day life?" Especially timely right now.

The Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love,
Where there is injury let me sow pardon,
Where there is doubt let me sow faith,
Where there is despair let me give hope,
Where there is darkness let me give light,
Where there is sadness let me give joy.

Allow me to console, rather than to be consoled,
To understand, rather than to be understood,
To love, rather than be loved,
Because, it is in giving that we receive,
Because, it is in forgiving, that we are forgiven,
It is in dying, that we are born to eternal life.

JOIN US FOR A RETREAT: Interested in gaining clarity and focus on what's next for you? We have a few spots left for our 3/26 Refresh & Renew Mini Self-Care Retreat and our April 23-25 Refresh, Reclaim, Re-Balance: Women's Self-Renewal Retreat at The Crossings Spa & Resort in Austin, TX, but sign up today.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to register for our March 23rd FREE teleclass from 7:30-8:30 p.m. CST on Owning Your Personal Power. And sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Photo: Lotus flower--a symbol of light, life and re-birth.

When I Fill My Cup First

I spoke last week to a group of career coaches. Most of them were women. And, many of them came up to me after the presentation and wanted to talk about self-care.

I encouraged them to consider joining a Personal Renewal Group, attending one my spring retreats, or just taking some time each week for themselves. Most responded “I really need that, but I just don’t have the time …the money …the support from my family ….the space on my calendar.” And others simply said “Yes, I know it’s what I need but …..” and they looked down at their feet or across the room, as if I’d just suggested they climb Mount Everest.

Last month two of my girlfriends had extended breaks from their families/young children (their husbands were traveling with their kids). When I ran into them during this break, they were absolutely glowing. They had a sense of levity, aliveness and joy that I hadn’t witnessed in a while. It wasn’t that they had miserable lives or didn’t love being around their kids, but this break had helped them re-charge, reconnect with their essence and enjoy the incredible gift of being able to listen –and respond to—their needs.

Can you remember a time when you’ve had a break and felt the same way?

It’s been ten years since I first started focusing on my self-care. Sometimes I try and remember what it was like when I just pushed through my day, never pausing to check in with my needs. And, never believing that I was worthy of self-nurturance and self-compassion.

I know that my life now is not perfect and everyday is a learning experience, but my commitment to listening to and caring for my sweet self is so strong, I can’t imagine any other way. And, I know that I’m a radically different—and better---mother, sister, wife, employer and friend because of it.

If you’re in Texas (or have friends who are), I strongly encourage you to join me for a rare treat on Thursday, Feb. 18th in Austin for a FREE event. I’ll be facilitating an Evening of Self-Renewal and will be introducing this profound and sacred practice which has changed who I am. Bring a photo (see details) and come prepared to experience a shift in how you feel and think about yourself.

AN INVITATION: Interested in exploring and tapping into the power of self-care? Learn how you can join or become trained to lead a self-renewal circle for women. And, view all upcoming events--including March 26th and April 23-25 spring renewal retreats--here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to register for our Feb. 23rd FREE evening teleclass on Good is Good Enough: Releasing Perfection. And sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Photo: Flora in the Berkshire Mountains at Kripalu (where I'll be leading an August Self-Renewal Retreat Aug. 13-15).

Doing Mania

This is the time of year that many of us feel more like human doings than human beings.

Yesterday afternoon, my husband and seven-year old son went out to work on costumes for one of my husband’s upcoming Samba gigs.

I had been looking forward to this rare present all day: two to three hours of quiet time alone in my house!

After they left, I hopped online to take care of a few timely work-related items (rare for me as I try to stay offline on the weekends).

Forty-five-minutes later, I looked up and—irritated-- felt the sands of time sifting through my fingertips. My mind started racing as I thought of all the things I had wanted to do during this window—gardening, hiking, baking, cleaning out my closet, “pure fun” reading, biking (it was gorgeous and sunny in Austin yesterday). And as I noticed all of these distractions waving and running by with hopeful smiles like contestants on the Price is Right, I found my irritation subsiding and realized what I really needed to “do”—was nothing at all.

Finally, I grabbed a blanket and headed out into our backyard, found the warmest, sunniest spot I could and laid down on the grass (of course my notepad and pen were handy in case I got a sudden inspiration to write a novel!).

Can you relate?

I think there are three kinds of people:
1. Those who feel they have to “do” to be worthy (they’re constantly in motion; this was me up until about age 35)
2. Those who feel they need to “do their work” before they relax and play (I’m in this camp with millions of other Puritan work ethic devotees)
3. Those who have no guilt ever about relaxing and playing at any time! (My husband sleeps here—in his book “any time is the right time for relaxing!”)

The wonderful, wise author/mind-body expert Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. says, "Remember—your to-do list is immortal. It will live on long after you’re dead."

Being very skilled at the “doing dance,” I can honestly share that it’s quite seductive.

We’re rewarded –particularly in the U.S.—for output. You don’t hear anyone say, “Can you believe how often she says ‘no’ and how much she’s slowed down? Wow, what a role model!”

There are many dangers that come from over-doing, but I think one of the deadliest—and scariest for me when I go into over-drive-- is we forget who we are.

I’ve heard many of our Career Strategists clients share in the last ten years “Isn’t there more? I feel like I just go to work, take care of the kids, handle my endless work/home obligations, sleep on the weekends and then start all over again Monday morning.”

When we don’t balance “doing” with “being,” we begin to feel like human robots instead of the juicy, creative, vibrant, alive beings that we are.

And we forget that “Life is not a thing to be managed, it’s a mystery to be lived.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ll take meandering through a mystery over planning out a summer camp schedule and finding a new way to cook chicken breasts, any day.

AN INVITATION: Interested in playing with balancing doing vs. being and tapping into the power of self-care? Learn how you can join or become trained to lead a self-renewal circle for women. And, view all upcoming events--including March 26th and April 23-25 spring renewal retreats--here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to register for our Feb. 23rd FREE evening teleclass on Good is Good Enough: Releasing Perfection. And sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Robot painting: Lisa Beebe.

Dancing with the Devil

The “devil” –if he lives—is our own negative thought patterns dragging us through the dirt into a self-created hell. Whether we choose or refuse this dance is fortunately up to us. Anonymous

Have you ever had something really “bad” happen and then right on its heels, other “bad” things keep happening? And then, you find yourself just waiting--or maybe even seeking out--the next roadblock in your path?

This recently happened to me. I just permanently lost ten years of intellectual property including a book manuscript from a remote back-up hard drive (this was the only copy). From there, things seem to keep getting worse. At the same time I was engaged in this drama, I was also observing my own thinking. It was as if a part of me was saying “Come on Universe—is that all you’ve got?! You can do better than that! Bring it on!”

Can you relate?

This negative downward spiraling thinking can be quite seductive (just look at Van Gogh), but it’s the dance of despair. I remember being a young girl and watching my mom engage in this two-step quite often—it was truly like a watching a runaway train.

It’s quite easy to pull up a chair and feast at the all-you-can-eat negative thought buffet and focus on what is going wrong rather than what is going right. (Many psychologists will argue that this is our natural orientation.)

But it’s exhausting. And, it gets old really fast.

So this morning, after my slew of “bad luck,” I became tired of this game and challenged myself to come up with three things that are really going “right” in my life right now. Simple, but it works. (And usually I can easily come up with more than three!)

This exercise helped me gain perspective and remember, oh yeah, emotions are like clouds. If I'm feeling discomfort in the moment, hang tight. The weather forecast is due to change shortly!

So my dance with the devil has ended for now. He’ll have to go find another gullible partner. I’m moving on.

AN INVITATION: Interested in experiencing more balance in 2010 and tapping into the power of self-care? Learn how you can join or become trained to lead a self-renewal circle for women. And, view all upcoming events, including our highly popular, bi-annual Jan. 29th The Career Strategy Workshop here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to register for our Feb. 23rd FREE evening teleclass on Good is Good Enough: Releasing Perfection. And sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Photo: The merry-go-round in the Boston Commons. It's goes round and round, just like our negative thinking. Will you get off or stay on?

Going Inward (or Outward)?

I feel like the "push me pull you" animal from Dr. Doolittle's world today.

I have a deep desire to be introspective, reflective and go inward today as I review 2009, think about what I learned over the past year and begin to open up to 2010 and what's next.

But I also keep getting work emails, calls and requests for help that are tapping me on the shoulder for a response (I'm technically on vacation until Jan. 6th, but being self-employed requires me to flex work/play a lot).

Can you relate (even if you're at work today)?

I alwasy have to remind myself that winter and the period up until my Jan. 7th birthday has always personally been a ripe period for new insights. And these come only when I unplug, stop working and allow myself to really revel in reflecting, dreaming, creative play and pondering whatever has been stewing in my subconscious for the past 12 months.

I just re-read my blog post on Rythms from this time last year, where I share how difficult it can be to create space to go inward in January, when society is telling us to GEAR UP FOR THE NEW YEAR!!!!!

What are your rhythms telling you you need right now? If you were an animal today, what would you be? I'm going to put the "push me pull you" out to pasture and go work on my vision map for 2010 and then take a nap. Maybe you should do the same?

AN INVITATION: Interested in learning how to connect with your rhythms and tap into the power of self-care? Learn how you can join or become trained to lead a self-renewal circle for women. And, view all upcoming events here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to listen to past Live Inside Out teleclasses or to sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Balancing Feelings

I lost my mom suddenly and unexpectedly in 2000—thirty days before my wedding day. She was 60 when she died. If she were still alive, today would have been her 70th birthday.

For some reason, this year in particular feels especially tender.

I’ve noticed as I get older (I’ll be 44 in a few weeks), that aging seems to soften how we view people and places. Things that used to bother us, don’t seem so important any more. The places where we feel the sharp, jagged edges of painful memories we thought we’d never be able to release—are beginning to blur and fade. Our hearts feel more open, more ready to forgive. We have more clarity around what really matters.

I used to struggle with all the mixed feelings I have around my mom (an amazing artist, musician and medical professional who battled depression most of her life); all the unfinished business we never got to work through.

But as I move into the second half of my life, I am more at ease around all my feelings related to my mom. Both the incredible explosive light and the dark, scary shadow. And the polarity (read more) and range of emotions I feel around her, doesn’t bother me so much anymore. I'm able to just be with this spectrum of feelings.

I believe we’re all doing the best we can at any given moment. How do I know what it felt like to walk her path?

If my mom were alive today, I think—and hope—she would have moved into a place of being more forgiving and gentle with herself. And that she’d be proud of me and my passion for helping other women find this place within themselves, as well.

Happy Birthday Juliana. I love you and thank you for the many gifts you shared with me. I would not being doing the work I am doing today were it not for you.

AN INVITATION: Interested in learning how to be more forgiving with yourself and tapping into the power of self-care? Learn how you can join or become trained to lead a self-renewal circle for women. And, view all upcoming events here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to listen to past Live Inside Out teleclasses or to sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Photo: My mom and dad leaving the hospital right after my birth, Houston, TX, 1966.

Your Stillpoint

Last week, over the course of several days, we received a handful of emails and phone calls from entrepreneur clients and colleagues sharing the news that their start-up businesses were not where they needed to be financially at year-end and they would be seeking employment in 2010 to supplement their income until their small businesses grew legs.

While none of them were overjoyed about this decision, most had come to this place not from fear, but from the realization that this was what was necessary right now. They were accepting—rather than fighting—“what is,” (Byron Katie believes that the root of all suffering is caused by arguing with reality): too many expenses, not enough income.

As all my entrepreneur clients know, I’m also a big believer in focusing on what is possible—thinking big, expansively and opening yourself up to success and opportunities beyond your wildest dreams.

Sounds like two opposite ends of the spectrum, huh?

For over a week now, I’ve been playing with the concept of living in polarity.

Can you hold a big space for expansiveness/possibility/unbelievable abundance for your life, career or business AND be with “what is”—which for some may currently include incredible financial stress, mounting bills, navigating the unknown and dancing with your shadow?

Is it possible to really be with both of these experiences at the same time? Where is the “still point” for you—that quiet space in between the two extremes? And how do you get there?

Many believe the ability to hold both—to hang out in the stillpoint—is the key to accessing the wisdom and solutions we desire. You’ve heard the Einstein quote “problems are not solved on the level at which they are created?”

I’m going to keep playing with the concept of polarity this month and exploring this in all areas of my life-- relationships, money, parenting, health, my businesses—in all the places where dual realities exist.

Who knows, maybe I’ll find the stillpoint and access answers that just might blow my mind. Willing to play along with me?

AN INVITATION: Interested in slowing down, receiving ongoing emotional support and tapping into the power of self-care? Learn how you can join or become trained to lead a self-renewal circle for women. And, view all upcoming events here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to listen to past Live Inside Out teleclasses or to sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Photo: a painting I created during an Intuitive Arts Painting Class with www.FireTreeStudios.com.

Overwhelm

I define life balance as having enough time, energy and resources for those things that are most important to me.

So is feeling overwhelmed—the suitor currently knocking on my door asking for a dance-- what happens when this is not the case?

I’m sure many of you can relate: I just returned home from a full five-day conference to pressing work deadlines, staff transitions to support, hundreds of emails and phone calls, a house that looks like a tornado just blew through it and a husband and child who desperately need to reconnect with me (forget the stack of unaddressed holiday cards waiting to be sent out, my son’s repeated requests to put up a Christmas tree TODAY or the extended family email chain heatedly discussing “how to celebrate Christmas” that awaits my reply).

I was coached in the mid-nineties by a presence coach on the relationship between thought and mood (ex: feeling anxious or upset—what thoughts preceded these emotions? ...feeling sad or depressed, what is your dominant internal “mantra?”).

I get that I create stress or overwhelm based on my thinking and perception of a situation. It doesn’t happen to me. And I also understand that it’s easy for all of us to tap into a greater “collective overwhelm,” particularly this time of year (read more on this in my December life balance newsletter). And, I also believe that we’re simply all trying to do too much.

But the holidays can be particularly challenging (I’m remembering now how much my mom disliked the holidays and how stressed out she used to get this time of year. Think there is a connection there? Nahhh.)

As I move through my day and week and become more aware of my thinking (and firmly but respectfully asking Monsieur Overwhelm to go knock on our neighbor’s door, my dance card is full), I remember one of the most important teachings I learned from my presence coach.

When I felt like I was swimming in a sea of stress, she would remind me to just breathe. Slow down. Listen to my body’s internal rhythm. And know that the peace I desire is right here, right now. In the present moment. It’s been there all along.

"Unease, anxiety, tension, overwhelm, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence" Eckhart Tolle, author, The Power of Now

AN INVITATION: Interested in slowing down, being more present and tapping into the power of self-care? Learn how you can join or become trained to lead a self-renewal circle for women. And, view all upcoming events here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to listen to past Live Inside Out teleclasses or to sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Photo courtesy of istockphoto.com.

We're All Connected

“We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Growing up with my six siblings, the phrase we often heard from my mom as we navigated various life circumstances, was “How do you think that makes him (or her) feel?”

Whether it was extending kindness to the harried checker at the grocery store, stopping to share a friendly word with the overworked postman or offering food to the immigrant family of eleven we met through my father’s work—my parents were always challenging us to feel what it’s like to be in another person’s shoes, and ultimately to feel how connected we all are.

Last Saturday, I attended defensive driving for a speeding ticket. While sitting in a room with men and women of all ages from all walks of life, I challenged myself to find our sameness. I’m sure we shared many things, but in the moment, our strongest bond was that we all wanted to be somewhere else rather than sitting in this classroom on a Saturday (but we made the best of it!).

This past week my son and I volunteered at a local shelter preparing and serving a delicious meal to hundreds of homeless people. When we left at the end of our shift and walked through the long line of people still waiting for food, my son and I talked about what we all have in common: enjoyment and nourishment through lovingly prepared food.

On Thanksgiving morning, my husband son and I headed down to the Barton Creek Greenbelt and hiked along the banks of the rushing waters through the quiet green paths—nodding hello to the occasional fellow hiker and feeling our kinship through our obvious appreciation for nature.

And during this past holiday, as we gathered with my extended family for our holiday meal—acknowledging our various food and lifestyle preferences—it was clear what we all desired: meaningful connection with one another.

Having coached thousands of men and women from all life stages and socioeconomic backgrounds-- including the JC Penney salesman who made $8/hour and the 300K/year software executive—I have witnessed people’s collective and deepest longing: to be heard, to know they matter, to make a difference and to feel recognized for their contributions. (I've also seen this in our hundreds of Personal Renewal Groups.)

I know in every fiber of my being that we’re much more connected than any of us realize.

Have you heard the analogy that we’re all droplets in the ocean--we just don’t remember that collectively we are the ocean?

I’m going to keep challenging myself on a regular basis to seek out our sameness, our connectedness—even in the most bizarre, uncomfortable or unlikely circumstances.

And, I’m going to do my best to remember that even though our surfboards might look a little different, we’re all cresting and falling in the same sea.

AN INVITATION: Interested in experiencing meaningful connection with others and tapping into the power of self-care? Learn how you can join or become trained to lead a self-renewal circle for women. Our introductory offer for PRG Facilitator Training ends Dec. 1. And, view all upcoming events here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out to listen to our Nov. 17th Live Inside Out class on Building a Support System or sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally through our Live Inside Out Facebook Community.

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

Video: Renee Peterson Trudeau. The Gulf of Mexico, spring 2009.

Are You Connected to Your Needs?

This morning as I drove my seven-year old son to school, I mused out loud “Should I go to Yoga or Nia this morning?” I love both, but was juggling a really full day with a lot of deadlines, so I was pondering which might support a more flowing schedule.

While we waited in line at school to reach the drop off point, out of the blue, my son asked me, “Well mom, how do you feel after you go to Yoga?” “Hmmm, wise and calm,” I replied. “And how do you feel after you go to Nia?” he asked. “Alive and happy,” I said, enjoying this conversation and how engaged my child was in helping me. “So,” he continued, “what kind of day do you want to have—wise and calm or happy and alive?” “Oh, wise and calm!” I said after reflecting on what I most needed today. “Yes, it’s definitely a wise and calm day.”

I’m working with a wonderful speaker/teacher/advocate for mothers on a new publishing project on the topic of Courageous Parenting. The project visionary, Amy Tiemann, is author of Mojo Mom: Nurturing Your Self While Raising a Family. She believes, as I do, that one of the most powerful gifts we can give our children is the understanding of how essential it is to be connected to and nurture our needs, so that we can full present in our relationships.

I think my son got the memo.

Looking forward to sharing more about Amy’s Courageous Parenting anthology/project, stories from my fellow contributors and how it aligns with our Live Inside Out initiative.

P.S. Speaking of aligning with your needs, if you’re in career transition and hanging out in the gap between where you’ve been and where you want to go next, check out today’s story in the Austin American Statesman on tips for making a career change over your lunch hour. And, join us Oct. 22nd in Austin at Finding Your Career Mojo for support, encouragement and ongoing resources for finding work that is a fit for you inside and out.

AN INVITATION: Interested in how you can learn to connect to your needs and tap into the power of self-care? Consider starting/joining one of our women's self-renewal circlesor joining us Oct.29 for our FREE Live Inside Out class via telephone. Sign up here. View all upcoming events here.

Also, visit Live Inside Out and sign up to receive weekly tips on how to live more intentionally by becoming a fan on our Live Inside Out Facebook page.

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

Photo: Renee Peterson Trudeau. My son looks out into the Puget Sound hoping to see a whale as we travel on the ferry from Port Angeles to Seattle, WA.

Play

One of my favorite songs when I was a kid was The Marvelous Toy by Peter, Paul and Mary (the album Peter, Paul and Mommy was constanly playing in our house when I was growing up in the early seventies).

I loved the feeling of wonder and joy it evoked. My brothers and I would act out this song over and over again, trying to guess what this magical toy might be.

Listening to this song Saturday night at home with my family after a yummy dinner of grilled shrimp tacos with mango/avocado salsa, inspired an evening of silliness, dancing, pillow fights and brought back a flood of memories of how often a sense of playfulness was present in my home growing up (my mom a musician/artist, loved to laugh).

Beginning this week and throughout the month of July I have created lots of time to play.

I still have to get some essential work stuff handled (I am self-employed and work with a team), but knowing that I’m at a pivotal point in my life/business, I knew it was essential to carve out a chunk of time this summer to spend time hanging out in the right hemisphere of my brain.

That’s when my best ideas come and when I get the most clarity about what I want.

Some of my colleagues, I’m sure, are thinking I’m crazy to be taking time out for creativity and play this month when I have just put together a new six-person work team, am in the middle of growing our global Personal Renewal Group program and beginning a handful of new big initiatives. But, I know that this time will be invaluable to not only where I’m headed this fall, but how I get there.

Play is essential to not only experiencing a sense of balance/equilibrium in life, but to feeling whole and alive. It’s part of who we are (read more from Psychology Today on the Power of Play).

Anyone round my base is it! Ready or not, here I come!
Allee Allee In Free! (from It’s Raining, Peter Paul and Mommy, 1969)

P.S. Interested in meeting once a month in a women's self-renewal circle to enhance your ability to be more playful and present? Join or become trained to lead a Personal Renewal Group for mothers. Life coaching groups are meeting from Amsterdam to Akron. Join the self-care revolution.



Want to learn how to live more intentionally? Check out Live Inside Out (and become a fan on the Live Inside Out Facebook page).


The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly. Subscribe here. For more information on Renee’s upcoming events, click here.


Photo: my seven-year old playing in the fountains in downtown Dallas near the Dallas Museum of Art.

Thank You Jonah

My husband and I are taking a seven-week parenting class right now.

Most of us weren’t “born” to know how to consciously parent and many of us didn’t have healthy models for how to be in relationship, so getting support on how to do the hardest and most important job in the world is well worth the resource and time investment, in my book.

Although we’ve taken some classes here and there, this one in particular, has been quite enlightening. And, for me, it’s brought up deep feelings of gratitude for the opportunity to be a mother to this sweet, wonderful soul and to be his pupil. (Even when he challenges me to my limit!).

I was inspired this week to write a thank-you letter to my Zen Master. Here it is:

Dear Jonah:

Thank you for choosing me as your mother.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to accompany you on your journey on planet earth this go around.

You remind me daily of all the good that exists in each of us, in the world, how interconnected we all are and what really matters.

You’re the most profound teacher I’ve ever had (where did you go to school again?!).

I’ve learned so much in the last seven years about patience, kindness, compassion, openness, trusting, starting over, softening, releasing, letting go, stretching, expanding and slowing down.

And I love to hear you remind me, “Mom, things are better when they’re slow.”

You’ve taught me volumes about forgiveness—towards those closest to me, my parents and especially my self. And about love—its limitlessness, its power and its ability to heal everything--always.

You stop me daily in my tracks with your wise words and insightful perspective and I love it when you quote Byron Katie and ask, “Mom, is this your business, his/her business or God’s business?”

Nature—oh beautiful, healing, serene, awesome nature. Our favorite playground and the environment where I feel most connected to who you are and our innate divinity. Thank you for inspiring me to return to nature time and time again to replenish my well.

I am looking forward to all the lessons you have in store for me in the coming years. And, I appreciate your faith in me as your mother and your willingness to love me, warts and all.

Thank you for being such a source of inspiration for me to give birth to the best that is within me.

With deep gratitude. Love, Renee


P.S. Interested in meeting once a month in a women's self-renewal circle to enhance your ability to be more present and parent more consciously? Join or become trained to lead a Personal Renewal Group for mothers. Life coaching groups are meeting from Amsterdam to Akron. Nothing has had a more profound impact on my parenting than being in a PRG.

Learn more about how to Live Inside Out (and become a fan on the Live Inside Out Facebook page).

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly. Subscribe here. For more information on Renee’s upcoming events, click here.


Photo: My friend Susan Goodman took this picture of Jonah and I in 2003.

A Soft Place to Fall

“Your ordinary self is enough.” Carol Orsborn, author/speaker

I recently spoke at a national women’s conference and had a wonderful conversation with a woman from South Africa who leads groups for domestic violence survivors in PA. We really connected around how important it is that we all have a soft place to fall: a space or place or relationship where we can show up completely ourselves-- “warts and all!”

For me, my soft places to fall are when I’m connecting with my wonderful spiritual Master Mind group (I meet twice a month with four other wonderful coaches), when I’m walking with my dear friend/neighbor in the cool evenings after kids have gone to bed, when I spend time with my sweet mentor who holds a big, big space for me, when I go to my favorite Hatha yoga class on Monday morning, when I get to spend precious time one-on-one with close friends enjoying tea or hiking, and when my husband I carve out quiet time late in the evening to connect and *really* listen to one another.

Where are your soft places to fall? Who can you come to or where you can show up 100% you and share what's on your heart/mind, no matter how wacky or off-balance you feel? Where can you go where you know you’ll be accepted unconditionally? Where the listener has no agenda other than to support, love and hold a space for you to experience whatever you’re going through in the moment?

When I first became acquainted with the concept of self-care and learned that it’s much more than pedicures and massages, one of the most loving things I started to do for myself was to release self-criticism and judgment. And to allow myself to receive support, be less than perfect and show up authentically and very, very human.

This week, reflect on how you can be more kind to yourself (enjoy this self-kindness exercise) and where your soft places to fall are? Often the support is already present, we just have to let down our defenses to allow ourselves to really be seen—warts and all.

P.S. Join thousands of women every month who are meeting in small intentional self-renewal circles around the US and experiencing a soft place to fall. Interested in living more intentionally every day? Check out Live Inside Out or becoming a fan on the Live Inside Out Facebook page. Want to taste a self-renewal circle? Don’t forget to sign up for the free June 11th for our PRG “Sampler.”

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly. Subscribe here. For more information on Renee’s upcoming events, click here.

Photo: Renee Peterson Trudeau, lavender farm on the Olympic Peninsula, WA.

We Are All One

A couple of weeks ago, my son and I were out watering some new plants in our yard.

He called out to me in a very disturbed voice to come over to the sidewalk that runs along the side of our home. He had discovered a dead pigeon. It was beautiful and looked like it was sleeping.

My seven year-old is very sensitive and was deeply moved by the bird’s death.

This incident created opportunities to talk about topics related to death, spirituality and the cycle of life (he is deeply inquisitive/empathetic in nature). But his comment that stayed with me long past dinner and bedtime into the next day was, “Mom, the reason this upsets me so much is we are all the same. When the bird gets hurt, it’s like one of us getting hurt. We’re all connected, right?”

I do believe we’re all one. But most of the time, this feels like a mental concept for me.

It’s rare that I “feel” this connection, even though I do believe it is always present.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to lead a Self-Renewal Retreat at the beautiful Crossings Spa and Retreat Center for 30 women from around the world (their ages ranged from 31-66).

The women were all at different life stages—single, newly married, mothering young kids, making career changes, hitting milestone birthdays, contemplating divorce, beginning to unleash their creativity, starting the journey to heal from past wounds and waking up to the idea that they actually could course-correct and begin to create a life that deeply nourished them.

By the end of the weekend, even though our circumstances or life stages might “look” different, we could all sense how deeply our lives, fears, hopes and dreams were interwoven.

As we gathered that last day in the drizzly rain around the labyrinth, we could all feel this “human fabric” and that undeniably, there was much more that bonded us, than separated us.

I’m curious, what things in your life help you tap into the we are all one feeling?

For me, it’s when I am deeply connected to others in a women’s self-renewal circle, when I get the opportunity teach/speak to groups, when I hike on the greenbelt and see others out in nature, when I hear a mother’s pain as she cares for her sick child, when I coach a client who is crying because they are so ready to align who they are with what they do in the world or when I watch fear rise and fall in reaction to the Swine Flu.

And, it's when I get quiet, follow my intuition and tap into a universal need (Live Inside Out celebration launching this Friday which includes a free download of my book, is one way I hope to bring the “we are all one” theme into American households).

I’d love to hear when and how you feel this deep connection to humanity.

Resources: I stumbled across this video of Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu receiving an award from an organization called Humanity’s Team. He talks about how this concept is so relevant right now and a universal theme we all can’t help but explore.

LIVE INSIDE OUT Celebration May 8th-10th--Join us!Do you have a copy of our award-winning book The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal: How to Reclaim, Rejuvenate and Re-Balance Your Life? If not, sign up for my life balance newsletter at www.reneetrudeau.com today and receive a free download of the book in your inbox over Mother’s Day Weekend May 8th-10th (for 48 hours only). Feel free to share this amazing gift—a $20 value-- with your friends around the globe! For women of all ages, the book has received rave reviews.

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly. Subscribe here. For more information on Renee’s upcoming events, click here.

Mystery

Photo: I shot this photo in the Santa Elena Canyon on our last hike in Big Bend National Park before heading back to Austin. All week I kept telling my family how badly I wanted to see a snake on our trip. This guy poked his head of a stream that I was crossing as we headed across the sand, back to our car.

Life is not a thing to be managed, it’s a mystery to be lived. Anonymous

In my career coaching/consulting office in Central Austin, where I have been seeing clients for almost 10 years, sits a red heart-shaped box filled with some of my favorite inspirational and reflective quotes.

At the end of each coaching session, clients get to choose (blindly) a small folded piece of paper from this box to take home with them.

My clients really enjoy this little ritual. I think it’s because they love knowing that the box is filled with 250 quotes from teachers/authors from across the continents and centuries and that maybe, just maybe, they’ll receive just the perfect words of guidance needed to support them in taking that next step. And, almost always, this is the case. (In fact, I’ve had clients choose the same quote multiple times, even though there are 250 quotes that are being replenished each month!)

Similarly, while attending a wonderful Intuitive Arts retreat a few weeks ago, one of the most popular activities was the opportunity to draw a Medicine Card (a practice based on ancient Native American wisdom that teaches about the healing power animals bring us based on their specific qualities or abilities). This fun and insightful exercise—which may be perceived as “woo-woo” by some, was quite inspiring.

My seven-year old and I recently caught a radio interview with one of the foremost experts in the world on Nessie—the Loch Ness monster—and Big Foot. The interviewer, John St. Augustine, was musing on why people continue to be so captivated by these stories, even though many scientists believe these figures are simply folklore. (My son—like I was at his age—is completely mesmerized by the idea that Nessie and Big Foot are out there somewhere.)

I believe it’s because the mysteries, synchronicities, serendipities and the “unexplained,” are what make us feel alive and remind us that life is more than to-do lists.

Life’s mysteries help us to feel more connected to each other and to our humanity, to what is possible, to our unique and yet-to-be manifest potential.

When I speak to large groups about life balance and self-renewal, one of the things I hear over and over again is that people are craving more meaning in their life (many right now rank spiritual renewal as a top priority on their list), a greater sense of connection—to self and others—and they want community.

I’ve always looked for and reveled in the mysteries of life and believe this is what being human is all about. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Happy Easter-I’m off to hide and hunt for eggs for the third time this morning!

P.S. Needing some time to really reconnect with who you are and be reminded about the mysteries life offers us every day? A retreat is a wonderful way to do this. Join us at my Spring Self-Renewal Retreat for Women—we only have a few spots left. What an awesome Mother’s Day gift!

LIVE INSIDE OUT Celebration May 8th-10th--Join us!

Do you have a copy of our award-winning book The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal: How to Reclaim, Rejuvenate and Re-Balance Your Life? If not, sign up for my life balance newsletter at www.reneetrudeau.com today and receive a free download of the book in your inbox over Mother’s Day Weekend May 8th-10th (for 48 hours only). Feel free to share this amazing gift—a $20 value-- with your friends around the globe! For women of all ages, the book has received rave reviews.

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly. Subscribe here. For more information on Renee’s upcoming events, click here.