A New York Perspective

I'm blogging from one of my favorite cities, although I haven't really been here (except at the airport) in many, many years. My ideas of New York were culled from early Woody Allen movies (BC -- before the catastrophe) and other romantic comedies. New York is always so beautiful, so clean, so..., well, New York. (This, of course, is not counting Al Pacino or Robert DeNiro bloodbaths in the Big Apple).

So, my husband and I were walking around yesterday afternoon (what else do you do here?), when I spotted mounds of garbage bags on the sidewalks. "Why are those here?" I naively asked my better half. "They pick up garbage every day here," he replied. Now, I don't remember seeing bags and bags of trash gracing the sidewalk in "You've Got Mail, " or any other movie with Meg Ryan looking perky in it. Then, it was like, "Oh, of course, what did I think they did with all their garbage from their multitudinous skyscrapers?" I didn't think about it. I didn't think about a lot of things -- like what it would feel like to ride 12 blocks in a cab that was about 1/4" from the next closest vehicle. Or that I would get to speak French every day because this is the summer and Manhattan is filled with tourists and Paris is deserted....I didn't realize how happy I would be to see a few dogs, and how "normal" everyone looked. People in shorts and t-shirts and flip-flops, just like where I live. And then I realized, this is Real New York -- where people live, work, go to Starbuck's, get their mail, and even are interred eventually. (We did walk by the first NY cemetery). And, people were friendly! Of course, most of the people with whom I spoke were tourists, foreigners, actually, but still....In other words, I got a good lesson in "Perspectives in Reality" as I enjoyed all the sights and sounds NY has to offer. I believe in real NY -- and that's a great perspective! Ciao! Paula

Life Coaching 101, Again

There seems to be a sector of Life Coaching, not mine, that is proponent of a "get-rich-quick" mentality. Although I have read about it, seen it, been around it for over thirty years, it is not my metier. I recently received a "free gift" from another life coach. It was a pdf file about something --- but the first sentence was, "Why aren't you rich yet?" I thought this was pretty presumptuous. How does this coach know how much money I have or don't have? And why was she presuming that no one on her mailing list was "rich?" Is she rich? (She didn't say, and she didn't define rich). This is where I part ways with this type of thinking, philosophically. Are you safe, warm enough, food in the frig? A job to go to? Paying your bills? Have a family? Friends? Good Health? A pet? Someone to love? If the answer to any of the above is yes, then in my book, you are rich. In my spiritual tradition (paraphrased) "Successful is the man who is happy with his lot in life." This is not to say that you shouldn't make an effort to further your education, job skills, investing or other means of generating income. But you don't have to be "rich" to be happy, successful or fulfilled. As a Life Coach, I hear many things that people want to do to change their lives. But so far, no one has said they want to be rich. If you truly want to be financially well-off, that is a whole different Oprah. Don't let anyone shame you when it comes to money. Your money is between you, God and the IRS. And let it stand at that for now. My best to you all.

By Design

How would it be to "do" life through the perspective of living "By Design?" Living by design is simply designing and creating a life -- consciously, one decision at a time. Designing a life is similar to designing a logo, designing a new living room, designing a swimming pool. Designing involves conceiving, conceptualizing, sketching out, creating a plan, trying out different swatches of color, until the right combination of factors coalesces into a finished product, into a realized dream. Designing, like life, is often a process of trial and error. But designing involves conscious decision, thinking and acting. Designing your life can be creating something that you want, using the resources and resourcefulness that you have. One kind word, one brave deed, one thoughtful action can change a world. Design your world.