The Blog

Life Lessons from Nature: We Change When We Are Ready

11/02/2016 By Nancy Borg With 2 comments

blog-1OK, call me sappy but I’m a sucker for seasonal change.  I can never get enough of summer sunsets and I’m totally intoxicated by the fall foliage.  Truth be told that on more than one occasion, I have stopped my car on the shoulder of the road and have been ever so bold as to make a complete 360, just to capture yet another pic of the magnificant turn of color.

It never ceases to amaze me how unique each and every tree changes from year to year.  No two are ever sun-kissed in exactly the same way.

I’ve written many blogs about seasonal change as influencers for personal change. As we recall, the bloom of spring usually activates a welcomed change from the previous cold harsh winter.  With each day, our lawns got greener and wiry branches became fuller and festooned with colorful flowers.  As the season launched, there seemed to be a very natural eagerness to crank up our productivity.

For me, the fall change alerts me in a different way.  It’s a two-fold influencer. For anyone in the northeast, the first transition is hard to ignore.  The spectacular autumnal colors can take our breath away and nudges us to notice nature’s magical beauty.  When we pay attention, and in that one small second that we stop and pause, I believe we all can feel an internal change.  It’s a poke of sorts, a reminder that time does not stand still and that change is in the air.  For most, this imagery could mean nothing more than a great Instagram post but for some, this shift can be felt more deeply. The air is fresh, the leaves are crisp, and the temps are cool. A profound setting for change, indeed. I like to think about it as a wake-up call for the soul. Time to embrace change, new opportunities, maybe even new beginnings.

Physical changes around us can have a strong impact on our mental state and spark mindfullness. In fact, it is the seasonal change that is likely the trigger that wakes us up, and perhaps evokes a personal change. 

But there’s a second part to this transition. As slowly and organically as this beauty unfolds, with just a couple of forceful gusts on a blustery windy day, the brilliant colors will soon vanish leaving our landscape bare and barren.  Like no other season do we feel this exit and disparity so suddenly.  And just like that, it’s over.

Each season reveals its own distinguished beauty and can exude a different personal change within.  Our perpective is altered because each season feels different to us, don’t you think?  It’s a notable change.  And we sense this physical change, it is likely to elicit an emotional response in our day-to-day lives.  These changes can easily affect our moods, behaviors and productivity.

Apparently, fall is so strong an influencer for me as it has compelled me to blog after a long imposed pause. Blogging has always been a very personal cathartic practice. I don’t write just for the sake of writing, and I never force a blog.  I need to be inspired. Today I felt this powerful influence. I was ready.

What are your strongest influencers that call you to action?  What makes you ready for change?

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Are You Growing? How To Strengthen the Personal Change Muscle

06/10/2015 By Nancy Borg With 4 comments

spring flowers_optThis time of year nature is festooned with such spectacular color. Flowers embellish the landscape everywhere.  Ahh, nothing like a June bloom.  I’m captivated and still surprised with each day I notice yet another flower has bloomed.  My flower pots are thriving, the lawn is lush, and everything seems to be growing.  Outside.  I wonder if your insides feel the same way.  Pay attention.  Are you actively changing or do you feel stagnant?

Everyone has an inner voice, but not everyone listens to it.  It’s yours and personal.  You don’t have to ever share it, but you can certainly learn from it.  Possibly, the take-aways may even make you a better you.

Whether you’re in great place or in an overwhelming one, it’s still important to check in with yourself. Consider these steps as a helpful exercise to activate your listening skills and invite personal growth.

1. Stop.  Make the time to pause from the daily busy and step away.  Putting space between self and world can provide a fresh perspective.

2. Solitude.  Being alone can be very cathartic and necessary to feel what you need to feel and think.  Solitude doesn’t necessarily have to mean quiet time, just alone time.  So feel free to ramp up the music if that ignites deeper thinking.  Solitude is good for the soul, it works for me 🙂

3. Truth.  You know what you know.  Be honest with yourself.  Otherwise, who would you be fooling?  Think about what’s going right with your life and address what is not.  Identify and clarify the changes you feel.

4. The Whys.  This could be the piece that could give you more trouble, for sure.  We all have patterns that we may not be skilled in evaluating, and so repeating bad behaviors is often a common culprit.  Self analysis is neither easy or typically accurate.  Enlisting help from a friend or professional can often give you the objectivity you might need.  And if things are going great, acknowledge the whys too.  There are life lessons learned from both our failures and successes.

5. The Work.  What needs to change?  What will motivate you to change? Are you ready?  Life will inevitably change, but personal change won’t be actualized unless you’re part of the process.  You need to do the work.

6.  The Training.  Just like with fitness and exercise, some of us can work out on our own and routinely get to the gym.  But not everyone is self-disciplined.  Others need a one-on-one trainer to help maintain focus and do much better with more motivational support.  Pay close attention to which option suits you best.

The truth is that when you don’t know where to begin, it’s so difficult to take that first step.  Implementing change seems unfeasible.  And if it gets too hard, you are likely to give up entirely.  Hiring a trainer or coach/professional might be the ideal accountability partner you may need to sustain you.  Or perhaps it’s just the “push” that you’ll need to get started.

7.  The Reward.  Without question, listening to self is a very difficult skill to master. Practicing this step will help strengthen the personal change muscle.  It can be an eye-opening experience and a powerful motivator for personal growth.

Asking the right questions can open up opportunities for positive personal change.  Answering them will start the journey and make them a reality.

 

 

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Weather is a True Influencer: Has it Changed Your Perspective?

02/26/2015 By Nancy Borg With 6 comments

seasons_opt-3I think we’ve all had enough of this deep freeze, but the harsh reality is that this brutal winter is far from over. The good news is that time does not stand still.  It marches on and so shall we. Nothing lasts forever; neither the good nor the bad.

Life’s guaranteed forecast is abundantly clear.  Time fleets and change is inevitable. 

So whether or not we can even imagine the possibility of warmer days,  let us remind ourselves that this is not a hopeless situation.  One thing is certain, this too shall pass and Spring will eventually get here.

For those of us that live in parts of the country that have four seasons, we understand that seasonal changes in weather impact both our physical landscape and our psychological mindset.

The diverse seasons punctuate the cycle of a full year through the changes in our activities, the clothing we wear, the places we go, etc.  But those are not the only things that change. Our perspective is altered because each season feels different to us.  It’s a noteworthy change.  When we sense the physical change, it is likely to elicit an emotional response in our day-to-day lives.  These changes can easily affect our moods, behaviors and productivity.

This long frigid winter has been particularly challenging and isolating. The record-breaking big chill has kept more people indoors than ever before, as evident in fewer shoppers and less pedestrians on the street. As Northeasterners, one could even argue that we now have an even greater appreciation of nature’s changes. For us, warm sunny days and azure blue skies are not our typical year-round climate. Hence, our delight in spring’s bloom and the breathtaking autumnal changes of the fall are notable, and rarely taken for granted.

The extreme seasons, however,  tell a different story.  Our tolerance for severe cold winters and unbearably hot summers are increasingly low. Moreover, our memory is short.  Ironically, we not only have forgotten about whining over the steamy and humid days of summer, we actually yearn for them now.  And yet, as soon as summer’s heat wave escalates, we find ourselves itching for that first autumn day or the promise of an early snowfall.  We are indeed a fickle bunch.  Morphing from season to season very differently, our perspective is continually influenced by these changes.

The natural fleet of time urges us to propel forward.  We all move on, but not necessarily change.  But weather, undeniably, can be the powerful instigator.  In fact, it is the seasonal change that is the likely trigger that wakes us up, and perhaps evokes a personal change.

I wonder for those of you that live in a fixed climate where weather is not a strong influencer, what invites you to change?  I welcome you to share your perspective.  Come join in the conversation.

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The Key to Finding Your Groove in the New Year

01/06/2015 By Nancy Borg With 6 comments

runnerHello 2015. Time to resume. Back to work, back to school, or just back to day-to-day, and perhaps our old routines. I don’t know about you, but it’s been a very long break and it feels so much harder to get back into a groove.

This got me thinking; are we still inclined to return back to our OLD routines in a NEW year just because it’s comfortable?  Or have we thought about changing it up? Indeed it’s a perfect opportunity to do so.

I would say that if your old routines are still working for you, there’s no reason to fix what’s not broke. But if you are slipping back to the same old routines that no longer inspire you to do better or be better, perhaps it’s time to implement a change.

If you find yourself trudging through the days more robotically, rather than sprinting through 2015 as you thought you would, here’s some encouraging thoughts to chew on.

Time.  Give yourself some time to get your mojo back.  It’s only the first week of January. It takes time to acknowledge what’s no longer working for you.  Personal change happens very slowly, so let it.   If you pay close attention, you will know if you are correctly aligned.  You will feel this.

Organize.  Engage yourself.  To channel your cognitive self,  simply start with organizing anything.  Any space, any drawer, any counter.  When you ask yourself  “how will I organize this?” or “how do I feel about that?” it invites self-discovery.  I always say that the process of organizing teaches you so much about yourself.  It can be very clarifying and eye-opening.

Shift.   Even one small realization can shift your thinking. No need to re-invent yourself.  Open yourself up and you will evolve naturally. Make small shifts, not monumental changes. Walk in those new shoes for awhile and find your rhythm.

There’s lots of pressure to live up to the “New Year, New You” campaign.  And while it is a highly motivating concept, there are those that suggest this implies there’s something wrong with the old you. To that I say with implicit conviction, just be “better,” not newer.

 

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Do You Listen to Your Inner Voice?

07/09/2014 By Nancy Borg With no comments yet

thinker_optEveryone has an inner voice, but not everyone pays attention to it. It’s yours and personal. You don’t have to even share it, but you can certainly learn from it. Possibly, the take-aways may even make you a better YOU.

Whether you’re in great place or in an overwhelming one, it’s still important to check in with yourself.  Consider these steps as a helpful exercise to activate your listening skills.

1. Stop. Make the time to pause from the daily busy and step away. Putting space between self and world can provide a fresh perspective.

2. Solitude. Being alone can be very cathartic and necessary to feel what you need to feel and think.  Solitude doesn’t necessarily have to mean quiet time, just alone time.  So feel free to ramp up the music if that ignites deeper thinking. Solitude is good for the soul, at least for me.

3. Truth. You know what you know. Be honest with yourself. Otherwise, who would you be fooling? Think about what’s going right with your life and address what is not. Identify and clarify.

4. The Whys. This could be the piece that could give you more trouble, for sure. We all have patterns that we may not be skilled in evaluating and repeating bad behaviors is often a common culprit. Self analysis is not so easy nor is it typically accurate.  Enlisting help from a friend or professional can often give you the objectivity you might need.  And if things are going great, acknowledge the whys too.  There are life lessons learned from both our failures and successes.

5. The Work. How can you make it better? What will motivate you to change? Are you ready? Life will inevitably change, but personal change won’t be actualized unless you’re part of the process. You need to do the work.

6.  The Reward.  Without question, listening to self is a very difficult skill to master. Practicing these steps is a very doable exercise and can help strengthen this muscle. It can be an eye-opening experience and a powerful motivator.

Asking the right questions can open up opportunities for positive personal change. Answering them will start the journey and make them a reality.

No need to share your inner voice with me,  just listen. Hope these tips help you hear yourself loud and clear.

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A New Season Gives Reason to… Change?

03/19/2014 By Nancy Borg With 4 comments

Spring flowerAfter a brutal Winter, most of us are all too happy to embrace the Spring. We are ready to climb out of our ruts and spring forward into a new rhythm. As this warmer cycle unfolds, I think a revealing positive energy sprouts too. The days are longer and brighter and we sense the excitement of the warmer season yet ahead of us. Change is in the air.  Do you feel it?

I write frequently about seasonal change as a natural motivator for personal change because I’m continually struck with its powerful impression.  It wakes us up in a very organic way and pokes us to take another look at where we are.  For those who are “self-reflect-ers,” we feel this very deeply.

Spring is my favorite time of year because along with its glorious bloom, it is filled with hope and promise and opportunities not yet realized.  Every season has its unique beauty, but the contrast from bare naked trees to lush green lawns is as drastic as black and white is to color.  The delightful fragrances of spring flowers like lilacs, hyacinth, and freesia are intoxicating. It simply cannot go unnoticed.

In just a matter of weeks, we will open the windows again and allow the fresh air to revitalize our homes. Our senses will be heightened with the scent of freshly mowed lawns and the cacophony of children’s laughter playing outside once again. Outdoor activities will surge and we will notice more and more people biking, jogging as if it were an ordinary day.

But before you fail to notice these change any longer, and before we take it for granted, take that small window of time to stop. Acknowledge that a new season can open up new possibilities.

Spring cleaning can mean so much more than the “physical” clearing out of our dusty and cluttered spaces.

It can be a great opportunity to re-align ourselves once again.  With so many positive physical changes in the air, it may cause you to feel very different too.  Spring signifies a time of beauty, freshness, bloom, change, and growth. It is the ideal backdrop for inspiration to cultivate and perhaps instigate a shift in thinking about our own personal growth.

In general, any kind of change is hard, and changing bad habits even harder. But if there are but a few things you would care to change, consider the NOW.  The smallest change can make a significant difference;

    • Appearance:  You might think about changing your appearance; a new haircut or change of hair color.  Men have the opportunity to noticeably change their look by growing facial hair or shaving it off.  Modifying appearances can make a huge impact on how a person feels.  Changing up your wardrobe by buying something new can spruce up your look and boost your spirits.
    • Time-management & Productivity:  Adjust your routines and schedules and take advantage of the longer days and warmer nights. Consider the time-wasters. Energy is up and so it’s likely to impact your productivity as well.  In fact, you will probably notice you’ll want to do more.
    • Self-care: Spring may spike your health and fitness goals that may have been otherwise dormant. This is a great time to get fit and eat healthy.  Inspire to look good and feel good.
    • Spring Clean: Give your home a new make-over too. Assess the NOW.   Let go of those things that no longer provide value, any longer.  Start fresh.
    • Try Something “new”: Perhaps this spring will ignite a new passion.  Let it.  Try something new. Plant a garden or take a hike…the possibilities are endless. Challenging yourself promotes self-growth.
    • Gratitude:  Maximize your outdoor activity and embrace the splendor of Spring.  Unfortunately, it is short-lived. Enjoy the NOW. Time fleets from Memorial Day to Labor Day in a blink of the eye.

     

Ought we not “latch on” to this sense of spring awakening and “catch” the fever?

Will spring fever infuse a personal change in you? What kind of changes are you ready for?

 

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Personal Change and the Zebra Within

10/16/2013 By Nancy Borg With 2 comments

IMG_1619_opt

Visiting the San Diego Zoo this past August was one of my favorite memories of the summer. While strolling and enjoying the spectacular animal kingdoms, I was particularly drawn to the zebras. I was struck by both their likeness as well their differences. Although at first glance, they appeared the same, up close and personal, they were in fact, unique. I since learned that while their general patterns are similar, there are no two sets of zebra stripes exactly alike.

It got me thinking about people. We too, are truly unique.  No two blueprints alike. If given the same task, we would all probably approach it differently, even if it yielded the same results. Each of us have our own core competencies, values, and personalities that navigate us through our lives.  That’s what makes the world go ’round.

Unfortunately, the Zebra’s markings are fixed. Like the expression suggests, “a zebra never changes its stripes.” They are stuck with them, forever branded. This reference suggests the “inability to change,”  and implies that a person’s personality flaws are not likely to shift. Of course, a contrary belief is that all of us have the ability to surrender an unfavorable trait or two, and change. And I’m a believer.  No one is born with bad habits, they are learned. Therefore, they can be unlearned through change and with the passage of time. At least, it is possible.

In this regard, let’s talk about two kinds of change; willful and passive.

The willful aspect of change is acknowledging the need and aligning it up with intent to pursue. When our life isn’t working, we generally feel the warning signs (pre-contemplation). There is a moment of clarity (contemplation). We react with a deliberate consciousness to act on these instincts (w/preparation and action plan) as we change something, anything.  It can simply be empowering enough to recognize that we can.  

And yet, even if  we are happy with the status quo, we still continue to evolve in a very organic way. Some of us may not even realize that we have changed our “stripes” until we look back from where we came.  As we mature, we “grow” into change. This is a more passive and natural process of change, but change, nonetheless.

However change emerges, one thing is quite clear;  Making a lasting change in behavior is rarely a simple process, and usually involves a substantial commitment of time, effort and emotion.

So when we consider the possibilities for personal change, let’s think about the Zebra. Appreciate that we have options to change our “stripes,”  because we can.  Anytime. It’s a choice.  The real question is…do we want to?

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