I stepped out into the fresh cold air from the warm womb of the yurt, breathing in deeply to the gratitude of a new day, I got moving!

Walking the path past the garden, stopping to pick some fresh and frozen broccoli, lettuce and cilantro to energize my movements.

I past the maples and said hello.

On down the path to the water, now diminished greatly - the water table is low this winter. Finding myself already at the north eastern slope I felt into the energy of moving quickly this morning, my legs itching for speed today and maybe my stomach pushing them on to breakfast back in the yurt.

Moving and moving fast feels great.

I stopped at the south end of the pond to look up breath in deeply again with gratitude for the new day.

What is your way to energize yourself in the morning?

I looked up and all I saw was grey - grey clouds moving across the dome of the yurt. I had been staring up for a while waiting for the sun. As the light of morning grew brighter I realized all I might see is grey today - and the occasional whisp of white cloud move across the sky. The sunshine we had enjoyed these last few days was not arriving this morning.

Often we look for strength outside ourselves. Maybe in the leaders we work with, a family member or friend. Then we must remember - it is within, always within. Maybe buried in thoughts and emotions and even a physiological response of overwhelm or stress or some other suppressing experience and still strength will meet us within when we seek remember and embrace with faith.

I looked up again to see a glimmer, the ring of the dome lit for just a moment with the golden light of the sunrise .

What is your way back to your golden light within?

I met Emmett on the path to the yurt. Frisky and playful and his furr filling out for the winter to come, he was happy to engage.An ever presence and always a surprise - we never know where he will come from. So many secret hiding placesOr how he’ll arrive - jumping out of the thick grass, a quiet meow more like a meh from the wood pile or a saunter on down from the garden along the pathNo matterIt’s all good and we are all happier for it

There are people in our lives that are like that. Maybe best friends or old friends. There are gifts of people like that whom we work with - they arrive with wisdom, or horsepower or open a door we didn’t see. And, we are grateful, elated and some times transformed in their presence

Who are you grateful for today?

We are in misty foggy times.

Last night as Emmett the Cat and I walked up to the yurt for the night, we walked through a dense fog. Unusual it hung through the high plateau of the garden and yurt and not just in the low lying fields and near the stream we cross over. Then again this morning - fog and mist were everywhere obscuring any ability to see at distance. Being we are in our own well known geography we needed not to worry so much about our foot steps and instead rely on our ears and intuition for any surprises.

Birds flittered from bush to bush and no insects were yet abuzz, too cold for their delicate wings. We all wait for the sun to burn off the mist. The ground is warmer than the air these days and so mist and fog are a regular occurrence.

An executive I coached yesterday has been going through a fair amount of turbulence in her organization. They have restructured a few times and the current economic and social political conditions seem like a fog to her of what might be and what might come. I ask her how she is doing, what she sees and her answer - “I’m not sure, I am being patient and observing while I carefully move projects and initiatives forward” She offers one of the leaders she supports, someone who typically is a ‘go-getter’ always driving things forward, asking tough questions in service of the greater good has moved into a stance of ‘I’m here if you need me, call me’ She characterizes it as ‘disengaged’ - certainly not his normal approach and noticeable.

A colleague wrote in her recent blog about the new moon and partial solar eclipse that we are moving into a time of great change that can be intense and transformative but that this might look more like inner work vs outward accomplishment. I reflect on that and my client’s answer - a pensive observant patient stance to what may come and her assessment of the organization as it is.

As we all walk through the fog that is our collective experience together what senses do you want to lean in to? How will you support the inner work that may want to shine through?

I walked the well worn path from the yurt, around the garden, past Max-dog and Foo-dog’s graves and around the pond. Today it is awash in mist and fog, the earth is warmer than the air. Yesterday it was bright sunny and warm and a dragon fly graced me with his presence. Remnants of summer are still here, some plants are still blooming.

The greenhouse - it’s own unique ecosystem - is a buzz with all manner of pollinators and the tomato plants still put out flowers though they are not likely to complete their cycle.

Many leaders I coach seek a daily practice to keep them focused and ensure they are able to approach each day with clarity and purpose. Some leaders use meditation, exercise, a mantra or revisit of their mission, vision and goals. The specifics matter less than the practice - this is their way of walking the path. The trick is to be mindful open and curious to what you might see today. How you can approach the same path with fresh eyes.

Today I came across paw prints in the sand, scratch marks telling me coyotes are present and happily taking advantage of Max-dog’s absence. This is their space now and they are clearly having a lot of fun with it. I feel their joy and take it with me for the day.

What can you see with fresh eyes?

I stood at the edge of the grass and the border of a field of Golden Rod. Feeling my feet on the ground, I reached out to ask Golden Rod for its healing power.

We’ve come back from a trip, and as travel can do, I am weary from the trip and enlightened in the experiences.

I stood at the edge asking golden rod for help. Will you offer me what you can? Will you offer me what is yours to give - healing for inflammation, cold-like symptoms, stomach and adrenal support. I asked and she offered.

Reaching out in the dark of the early morning I felt with intuition for those whisps and flowers that were willing.

Walking back to the yurt I place the gift of blossoms and leaves spent on the counter to let any creatures not wanted on the voyage be free while the water boiled. I picked up each leaf and examined it, letting go those spent or blemished with blight. I thanked the blossoms and placed them into the tea pot and inhaled deeply as I poured the hot water over top.

Intuition is powerful when we listen but we have to go slow, feel our feet on the ground and remember to love ourselves in order to accept the gifts that are here for us.

What gift is here for you today?

I reached my hand through the flames to place another log on the fire and found no burn, no heat and no fear.

What is bravery and courage? What is it to put our hand through the flame to do what is needed or what is right?

An up and coming leader at a highly bureaucratic organization was having several sleepless nights. He was faced with what felt like a serious dilemma. He had been asked to do a project he knew would have a negative consequence on the customer. While the intention of the project was good, the timing and method from his experience was completely off. The context of the situation is political - pressure from ‘on high’ is driving the need to execute on the project quickly - just get it done is the perspective.

What to do? Would he risk his stature, his potential growth and even his job by saying to his boss - hey I think this is wrong? Or there may be a better way. He decided he would talk to a mentor in the organization - someone who knows the political landscape well and the players. I also offered one of Dr Brene Brown’s simple frameworks (not sure if its hers or she got it from elsewhere) — will this matter in 1 month, 6 months or a year? When we can zoom out our perspective and consider what’s really at stake - the pressure of time the illusion - we can then determine what’s here for us.

For this leader - it was his integrity and ideals. The mission of the project was to create a joyful environment for children to play. The particulars would have a negative impact on that ideal. This leader was facing his value of integrity and courage.

Will you put your hand through the flame? Do you need to? And is it really as hot as you thought?

What is calling you to courage?

The moon hung low in the sky, just above the horizon. Shining through the trees like a Christmas ornament - I wondered what is that? Walking towards the light and looking from different angles I could finally discern the crescent moon - beautiful orange blue light of the night sky.

Perspective is a powerful tool of inquiry - at first glance I thought it might be a neighbour, with fervent energy having built Christmas lights wide enough and tall enough to see from so far away. No, this is nature - simple beautiful and subject to interpretation and perspective.

How is your perspective serving or not serving you?

... It keeps you from reaching out for the gun too quickly. It keeps you from destroying things too foolishly. It sort of keeps you alive. — Jeff Buckley

Two crows landed seemingly precariously on the top most tip of a nearby oak. I watched with appreciation their ability to land in such a way as to position themselves to perch and observe the traffic go by.

We are en route home. It’s been a good and hard trip as travel can be. Enlightening joyful, frustrating and at times infuriating

As I reflect I think of those crows landing with grace strength and ease. I pray for our own capacity and Our Father’s grace for our way back home

What do you pray for?

... Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child—our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh

We watched the cockle snails move along the beach towards the ocean at a slow and steady pace.

Sometimes we need to be ok with slow. Slow breathes spacioussness into choice, leaving room for curiosity and reflection. Steady is all about consistency and resilience. A consistent practice in a direction enables us to learn. It requires a strength and commitment that converts to resilience over time.

We watched the cockle snails in their wavy line move towards the ocean at a slow and steady pace

What is the gift when you can be slow and steady?