that shall explain and overlook the old.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Walking up the path towards the pond, I looked up at the beautiful maple. In Summer and Fall she is a glow. Emanating energy of strength resilience and beauty. And, I wondered on this warm Fall morning, did she shrink?

Of course she did not - more than likely she’s grown in indiscernible ways to my naked eye - and yet, I felt sad. This is my own view not hers. Standing underneath her she still exudes the same strength and beauty I know her to be.

Careful we must be, not to project onto others our own emotional state of being and truly see what is there.

An up and coming leader I am mentoring talked about what she saw. The CTO in her organization is known as a ‘gruf’ character. The arbitrator of ‘done’ and ‘good’ he carries a big wake. In a recent meeting to determine next steps on a project, she observed an interesting exchange between the CTO and one of his direct reports. She could see how hard the direct report was trying and how much she hung on the CTO’s every approving word, and wondered about the health of the exchange, so she offered her observations to the direct report. ‘I see you have really been stepping up, demonstrated ownership, innovative thinking, foresight and strength of character. And, I noticed in this meeting how anxious you seemed - you were speaking quickly, your shoulders were up by your ears, you did not smile until you received the approval of the CTO. After you got the ok, your demeanour completely changed, you smiled more brightly your shoulders dropped and your voice slowed. I offer this to you only in support of what you might notice yourself’.

A beautiful offer without judgement and in a stance of curiosity. For the direct report - it is a good question to ponder, how much you need ‘approval’ versus building confidence from within.

Maple tree needs no judge of confidence or not - she is. She will withstand all that nature gives her, until she does not. That is the way. And we get to observe this quiet strength, resilience and beauty and take from within ourselves the meaning it makes for us and from without the energy she offers us.

How are you building confidence from within?

I met Emmett the cat on the path to the yurt. Frisky and playful, his furr filling out for the winter, he was happy to engage.

An ever-presence and always a surprise - we never know where he will come from. So many secret hiding places

Or 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 path

No matter

It’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 with their presence

Who are you grateful for today?

..You pay attention to what you feed your mind, your body, and your life. Create a nourishing environment conducive to your growth and well-being today.” ― Steve Maraboli, The power of One

The sun shone through a tiny break in the clouds. It’s been raining for days. It is Fall after all and it’s coming in fast. After a summer of droughts and unbelievable consistent sunshine the earth sure needs the rain to nourish the ground and the plants before the winter slumber.

A small break in the clouds and the sunshine streaming through is all we need to remember Sun is here, and that is nourishing enough.

What do you want to remember that nourishes you?

We climbed the hill up and over following the coyote tracks. Coyote had killed a bird and left the feathers. They have staked their claim in this space and we are happy to be here with them. Remembering there is ‘wild’ and ‘free’ around us.

‘Can we keep going?’ Popped into my head and I wondered who do we ask permission from? How often? In what contexts?

In several of the scale-ups I’ve worked with they have the concept of ‘act and beg forgiveness later’ The premise being if we are acting within our wisdom and for the greater good the best that will happen is a great outcome and the worst that will happen is a lesson learned.

Coyote does not ask permission of the bird to take its life, the hillside to carry its meal to and eat, or the path to walk upon. Coyote may work within the constraints of this land but they do not likely think of it in constraints - rather it is and they are.

> Who are you asking permission from?

It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.” — Stephen King

It started with the geese flying over head. They are in constant motion. We are quickly transitioning to Fall, we may be even faster transitioning to Winter. The geese sure seem to know it and they are moving in large flocks to wherever they need to be

In the pre dawn sunrise the birds, wren, chickadee, brown bird, all manner and type are in a frenetic graceful state of gathering and preparing. What and how they prepare still a mystery as they flutter in the tall grasses and zoom across the sky into the thick of the forest, the energy they exude unmistakable chattering and singing all the while.

It’s a frenzy of activity and we are in the same pace on the farm. Harvesting preserving preparing moving as fast as we can

What does preparing look like to you?

The seagulls flew over our heads landing in varying spots: on the cliff’s, at the beach below, and in the fields above the ocean. I watched the seagull watch me as he flew by. Always on the hunt for food, and a safe place to rest or recoup. I wondered about their perspective - what do they see? How do they see us, the land, and the ocean?

An executive I’m working with, a founder and CEO is beginning to ‘freak out’ about the rapidly changing financial conditions. He’s losing contracts and facing shrinking budgets. So he’s starting to focus on the nickels and dimes. Now, it’s good to pay attention to cash flow and be wise in how you spend and invest - but careful the scarcity mindset. Scarcity keeps us in a fearful mode - afraid to lose what we have, focusing outwardly and in the ‘should’s’.

Wiser leaders have seen the financial downturn coming and prepared - they shored up contracts, restocked their cash stores, talked to customers and staff about what they saw coming and recommitted to their mission, vision values and each other. This is where there is wisdom - reminding people they matter and that we’re in it together and for the long term.

Another CEO/founder I coach offered his staff a realistic and positive update at a recent ‘all hands’ role modelling their core values of optimism and excellent customer service. He offered a realistic picture of the economy, his prediction for the impacts on their business and asked for their help - “Share what you’re seeing and hearing. You are on the front lines with our customers and so you may hear about things first, concerns or opportunities our customer’s have’.” He also reminded everyone they were hiring and to help fill the gaps.

Two contrasting perspectives. So when the seagull flew overhead - does he see all the food and opportunity we do? The rose hip bushes with plenty of buds for the eating, yarrow and plantain that line the pathways and are abundant in between the rocks on the beach. No doubt - Seagull is scanning for what is available and has the inner wisdom of the natural season to know how to best prepare.

How will you prepare for what is and may be? What perspective will you take?

Sunshine

No matter where we are or what the context to watch the sun rise brings instant calm and joy, connecting us to timelessness and the now within the same moment

It offers the humility and connection to our shared human condition.

An opportunity to let go and be with.

What do you want to let go?What does it then offer you to be with?

The moment i stepped onto the Fall leaves gathered in a shallow on the western slope i felt it. The sound got me first then the feeling. Unmistakeable . Like delicate hardy and song all in one. The rustling of fall leaves under foot.

Memories flood back of all the best Fall walks and piles and piles of leaves to play in and run through.

Vibrant red, orange, yellow, rusty brown. Single leafs to marvel at. How does this come to be? How are these colours created? All the questions of any number of rabbit holes to go down - better yet to let go the rational and enjoy the emotion of Fall leaves under foot.

What do you want to feel into?

Love like rain, can nourish from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy. But sometimes under the angry heat of life, love dries on the surface and must nourish from below, tending to its roots keeping itself alive.” ― Paulo Coelho

The rain started about 4 AM, and was a good solid flow until about 8AM. Instant gratitude.

While it caused some changes to our morning routine, we cannot but be happy having had days of unseasonable heat. We can all feel our plants, seedlings, trees, the ground and animals rejoice in the nourishing simplicity of water.

We hope for more

We are reminded how wonderful it feels.

Then we remember what too much of anything is, and pray for a good balance.

What is calling you to rejoice?

On the farm we have several indicators of risk and change. The weather being the primary teller of what to prepare for and then the birds that arrive and depart to indicate the consistent changes to come as well as the insects and colours of the leaves on varying plants.

Primrose in the flower beds has turned its rust orange and green to let us know Fall is here whereas the wild primrose in the fields is offering its last hoorah of late flowers and bright green leaves. The peas have reached a near maximum height, dwarf of their season’s start but still producing pea pods each day for Max-dog and us to enjoy.

I offered a CEO his HR/People team is the canary of the health of his organization. The entire team resigned over about 2 to 3 months early in the year. A major change and indication something was wrong? Or maybe something needed to change - it was not yet known at that time. So the CEO did as he should and hired a new team. Well that new team was fired and/or will resign within the 7 months of their start. The CEO still doesn’t see the canary, he has a rationale for the change - they weren’t a good culture fit, they were poor performers, etc. When does it become an opportunity for self reflection I wonder. When does it become the canary?

This is the time of year for rapid transformation on the farm and fast work. Each day must be as productive as we can all muster to bring in the harvest ahead of the frost. To watch the signs of change in the birds, the bugs and the earth and prepare as best we can for the inevitable winter that reminds us again of our resilience and strength.

Who is your canary?