Resources
Entering the New Year
An Illuminated Life
I have an annual tradition of creating a workbook to help you shed light on the past year, be present to what is here now, and cast a beam over the one to come. Setting good goals with intention for the new year.
If we could spend several days together on a coach retreat, these are the spaces I would invite you to enter. They centre around noticing where you’ve been, your gains, losses, lessons learned, where you’re at now, what you need, and aspirations for the new year.
Inspiration
There are so many wonderful and ridiculously wise people in this world. Here are a few links to talks, poems, articles, and books that have inspired and informed my work and people who still provide guiding lights on my journey as I develop as a coach, trainer, and human being.
Books & Podcasts
Brené Brown, especially her books Daring Greatly and the Gifts of Imperfection are so rich in learning about vulnerability, authenticity, and courage. You’ve probably already seen her TED talk, but you should probably watch it again.
Susan David’s book Emotional Agility. Ideas on taking the reigns and walking your why, instead of life 'living you'. Here's a podcast link to her discussing all that wisdom with Rob Bell.
Dr. Hillary McBride’s book The Wisdom of Your Body. A compassionate, healthy, and holistic perspective on embodied living, with questions and practices for greater embodied awareness.
Resmaa Menakem’s book My Grandmother's Hands. An incredible resource, examining a pathway to mending hearts and bodies from the racialised trauma in America, with both very practical tools for embodied healing work and incisive social commentary. Here he is being interviewed by Krista Tippett.
Kate Bowler’s podcast: Everything Happens. With episodes like this one with Rabbi Steve Lederer on how to show up for people in grief, or Margaret Renkl on the art of noticing.
Simon Sinek has some smart things to say about inspirational leadership and asking why? in this TED talk and book Start with Why.
Tara Mohr’s book Playing Big. This book has inspired many of the daring elements of my coaching: encouraging women to play big in their way. Here’s a podcast link to her discussing it with the Being Boss ladies.
James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. A very clear, practical book with strategies and principles to create an environment and systems that help build good habits.
Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way. For anyone who wants to feel encouraged in their creative journey. She uncovers areas that may be restricting your creative flow, offers techniques to free up the stuck places, and includes tons of exercises that will inspire self-discovery.
Krista Tippett, one of my favourites. Her On Being podcast and Becoming Wise book are filled with wisdom and inspiration on life and faith and all the things.
Poetry
Pádraig Ó Tuama. “The Facts of Life”. He also hosts the lovely Poetry Unbound podcast.
...That you will learn most from the situations
you did not choose.That there will be some things that move you
more than you can say.That you will live
that you must be loved.That you will avoid questions most urgently in need of
your attention…
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. “Hope” taken from James Crews’ gorgeous collection How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope
Hope has holes
in its pockets.
It leaves little
crumb trails
so that we,
when anxious,
can follow it.
Hope’s secret:
it doesn’t know
the destination–
it knows only
that all roads
begin with one
foot in front
of the other.
Wendell Berry’s “Wild Geese”. What we need is here…
…Geese appear high over us,
pass, and the sky closes. Abandon,
as in love or sleep, holds
them to their way, clear,
in the ancient faith: what we need
is here. And we pray, not
for new earth or heaven, but to be
quiet in heart, and in eye
clear. What we need is here.
Naomi Shehab Nye. “Kindness”. Here is a full interview with her at On Being.
…Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes…
