Many of you might have heard the saying that “camp is for the counselors” but I want to add another one to that which is “camp is for the parents” of the campers. This is the third year now that our daughters have attended a four-week away camp in northern Wisconsin. Fours weeks seemed like such a long time to have them away. I worried about them, but soon realized that I was just avoiding the feelings I was having about being alone for four weeks with my husband for the first time in over ten years! It soon became apparent how much we let the kids be a distraction for the two of us in the normal course of our days and weeks. We work on having dates and making time to be alone together, but having a long chunk like this of “just us” I see how much we divide and conquer on weekends and do a lot separately with the girls. These past weeks we have had so much fun and have really created our own “camp” experience – working and playing and talking and other fun couple activities! I have mixed feelings about them coming home. I am really excited to see them and be a full family again, but I am also sad to have the alone time with my husband end. It will be our job to consciously create the time together and make sure it happens even amidst the adventure of family life!
Posts Tagged ‘relationship’
Breathe Your Way to a Great Life!
Sunday, May 9th, 2010 by BerylI’ve always been interested in the role of emotions in our lives. Lots of recent research on the brain and neuroscience has revealed that emotions are a critical factor in our decision making, our physical health, and our mental health. In fact, an entire field of study – called Emotional Intelligence – has emerged out of this inquiry. Unfortunately, there are a lot of messages in our culture and many beliefs from our family upbringing about feelings that makes many people reluctant to explore them, for fear they would be seen as weak – especially men.
I know that for me, when I am aware of and expressing my emotions responsibly, I feel more powerful, more grounded, and more genuine. I am more connected to myself and more open to deeper connections with others, leaving me a more fulfilled human being. One tool that I use regularly as a coach to facilitate emotional release is called “breathwork”. It really helps my students tune into themselves and emotions that they have suppressed over the years and to begin to set themselves free again. I love working with clients during breathwork – watching them reclaim parts of themselves and release long-held burdens from the past. Many of my clients describe it as an experience that leaves them feeling more grounded, more alive and more present. Some even report that their chronic physical pain is gone or reduced greatly.
At the Wright Leadership Institute in the Year of MORE program, we have a whole curriculum on emotional intelligence that teaches people to be in better relationship with their emotions. If you would like a taste of this and to learn how to have a truly Great Life, check out the MORE Life training, at http://morelifetraining.com/.
Beryl
Not exactly the “light of the world”
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 by KateThis weekend my guy and I were driving in a suburb that shall remain nameless and saw a church that shall also remain nameless.It had an LED sign out front, attached to the sign that carried the church’s name. Something like this, only more monument-style, on the ground in stone, with orangey letters on black:
I had seen quite a few ugly corners of Chicagoland on the drive, and even though (or perhaps, because) the sign sat on a nicely manicured church lawn on a nice enough corner, it struck me as the ugliest thing I saw on the drive. A major violation of my standards for churchly beauty.
It bothered me so much so that I found my mind drifting to it in churchyesterday, as I contemplated the standard-issue black-and-silver hotel-conference-room-type table that doubles as the communion table at the new church I’m part of. Adorned as is with a dozen or more large pillar candles, a few goblets of juice, and some perfectly proportioned loaves of bread, I find it lacking.
I’m not asking for stained glass, aging fresco, or expensive altar vestments.
It’s just that I’ve learned, through experience and training, to care about creating beautiful spaces.
There are three moments in my life during which I remember being struck by something’s beauty. The first two were in church, and both were fairly simple scenes: a jauntily draped fabric and two simple flowers on an altar in Geneva (Switzerland, not a Wisconsin lake town), and a potted pink flower bringing some Easter vigil brightness to the chancel of my favorite Wrigleyville church. The third was witnessing a group of women on a Wright Leadership Institute weekend transform a beautiful but plain retreat center space into a winter wonderland with the light and warmth of angels, candles, holiday berries, and garland.
Transforming spaces with beauty is something we work on as a feminine value and a skill women have. I first noticed it was something I might have skills in when I’d invited a date over for lunch. I made simple sandwiches for us and festooned the plates with cherry tomatoes and colorful, cut vegetables. “There’s something different about this,” said the guy, who was in general more appreciative than I was of the fact that I am a woman.
I think of these three moments often as I’m trying to brighten up my space at home or work.
Beauty is easy to create and easy to destroy. What are the bright spots and big offenders you’ve seen lately?
Everyone has leadership potential: Are you using yours?
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 by BerylThis weekend I am attending our company’s Transformational Leadership Symposium (http://transformleadership.org). I am excited and scared. Seeing myself as a leader has been a journey for me over the last few years, particularly working through my negative beliefs about leadership and my association of leadership with power and control. I wasn’t taught to be a leader in my family of origin, and I very much resented having to lead the way in my relationship with my husband. However, through my work at the Wright Leadership Institute (http://www.wrightliving.com) I have come to see and embrace the personal rewards, fulfillment and growth that leadership has to offer.
If you would like to explore more about your own leadership potential and the rewards it has to offer you (and those around you), check out the websites above.
Stress Busters! Let go of your stress, and revitalize your productivity and creativity
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 by BerylCan you accept that you can’t control everything–especially with the current financial crisis and additional stressors around money? Most people try to knuckle through the stress, and end up frozen and unable to move forward. Choose specific strategies to keep yourself moving through the stress instead of going into a tailspin.
1) Research has shown that meditation is a stress buster. Calm your mind down by meditating for 10-20 minutes using a mantra. As your mind wanders, keep bringing yourself back to the mantra.
2) Call someone and express yourself! People who have a good relationship with their emotions get more done and are more productive!
3) Do something to get in your body. Endorphins are your friend!
So bottom line – letting stress get you down is a choice! Use these tools and bust loose!
Want to know more about living a great life? Visit www.judithwright.com
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