Archive for 2009

On love.

Saturday, June 6th, 2009

“They contain, in every touch and sigh, the information you need, the miraculous power to alchemize your weaknesses and turn them into strengths, to dry your tears and turn them into genius, to release your chains and set you free to be your passionate self at last.”

- Marianne Williamson, on the gift of love and the lover.

I was talking with someone this week about how all of life, all of our actions are either a movement toward love or toward fear. Upon realizing that, we have a compass to guide us in our decisions.

On confidence

Monday, May 18th, 2009

“It’s not a question of the way I look or move, it’s a question of being outstanding. So when I come back, I’m going to be unforgettable.”

- Veruschka

She originally arrived in New York in 1961: “I was Vera and I was totally boring to people. I went there, like everybody, with my book and the photographers looked and said, “Hmm, pretty, bye.” And I thought, I understand how that works. It’s not a question of the way I look or move, it’s a question of being outstanding. So when I come back, I’m going to be unforgettable. Wherever they go, they will remember me. And it was so wonderful to have that idea, because it was my secret.”

- Iconic fashion model, Veruschka, in an interview with Another Magazine

What I love about this story is that she speaks to the nature of confidence. It’s not so much what we have, it’s what we do with it and how we own it. She decided to own it and her life became magnificent. When we believe in ourselves, others believe in us as well.

bamboo-path

Excelsior!

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

“You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.”

- Johnny Cash

bamboo-path

When I’m asked about the difference between coaching and therapy, the way I most often describe it is that therapy tends to focus on how and why you are where you are. Coaching accepts that you are where you are, and asks ‘Where would you like to go now?’

I’ve been thinking of this lately in terms of some of my own life decisions where I’m tempted to go back in regret. I read this quote and realized how that drains energy – energy that could be better spent moving forward and recreating the future.