Harmony from the Inside Out book launch Nov. 23

Media Release   November 13, 2009

Vancouver Coach Jan Carley releases new book, HARMONY FROM THE INSIDE OUT . 

click for the full details:   Media Release Harmony from the Inside Out

Welcome to the Happy Bathroom

I was recently traveling home to Vancouver from the Delta Airlines South Terminal at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport after a blistering high-paced and stunning two weeks of personal and group successes.

 

As I went into the bathroom before passing through security, feeling rather spent, and with my mind preoccupied with the amount of work I had to do when I got home and the long flight looming ahead of me, I was unexpectedly greeted with a huge grin by the bathroom attendant and an effusive “Welcome to the Happy Bathroom”.  She went on to cheerily say in her sing-songy voice: “This is the Happy Bathroom. Happy when you come in. Happy when you leave. Happy on your flight”. 

 

I couldn’t help but chuckle – and as I went about my business, I heard her address every single person who came into the bathroom in a similar way. She wasn’t asking for tips, she wasn’t asking for anything. She simply was giving of herself to make people’s days brighter. 

 

As I washed my hands I observed how the attendant changed, one by one, the outward presence of every single person who entered the bathroom. I marvelled at her joy-filled countenance which she maintained while doing what might possibly be considered one of the worst jobs at the airport. I was blown away by the way she consistently and so very simply was spreading joy. 

 

I wondered ” How do I show up in this world”?  ”How do I walk down the street?”  “How did I walk into the airport bathroom?”  Life is a matter of attitude, and the attitude we adopt daily is our choice.   I started thinking about what attitude I could consistently adopt to have a similar positive impact.

Weeks later, I am still thinking about that woman and about the many lives she touched and turned around in one day by her simple, joyous, heartfelt greeting, “Welcome to the happy bathroom”. 

 

Thank you to my happy bathroom attendant.  Not only did you set up my positive mood to embrace my 7 hour flight, but you also reminded me of a very simple life lesson:

 

“Life is an echo: What you send out, you get back. What you give, you receive. When you bring out the best in others, you bring out the best in yourself. “ – Anonymous

IT’S HARVEST TIME!

The book is ready! Harvested! On sale!   It seems like it was a long growing season and it is now time for celebration.

You can pick up the book at www.harmonyfromtheinsideout.com  

Harmony from the Inside Out on sale now

Click here to check out the article in my latest ezine on the

4 steps to Successful Harvesting.

What are you harvesting this fall? 

Comment here!

Fall Renewal

September is a perfect time for new beginnings and renewal of commitments made.  Rather than focusing on a specific “goal” this fall, I plan to renew commitment to my 2009 theme of “Relentless Self-Care”  (my 2009 theme I sadly forgot about in the busyness of my year to date).  Part of that  renewed commitment to my theme will be to buy myself a new journal and rolling ball fine marker (I am a stationary supply addict after all) and then get journalling  about what “Relentless Self-Care” really means to me. I am imagining it has a lot to do with figuring out some ways to give myself time to think, and to simply “BE”, in the context of my overcommitted schedule. 

How will you renew yourself this fall?  What will that renewal bring you? Comment here!

What gives you energy?

Many of my clients are feeling an unusual “energy drain” as we head into summer. I say “unusual”, because generally when the sun finally shines here in rainy Vancouver, we switch  into high-energy holiday mode.  Upon examination, I discovered that my clients energy “In-flow” valves were tightly closed and no energy was flowing to them, nothing was “feeding” them energy.  Their energy ”Out-flow” was very active and they were giving plenty of energy out to other people and other activities, but not enough was “in-flowing” to adequately replenish their reserves.  Result:  Energy Drain

It is critical to keep your “Energy In-flow”  valve wide open and ensuring your energy reserves are replenished with regular frequency.  Choose people and activities that can give you an injection of energy.  That might mean 15 minutes a day in quiet meditation , a frolic in the park with Fido, a bike ride on the seawall with a good friend or perhaps curling up with an inspirational book in the shade of the old oak tree. 

For me, watering my new vegetable garden and marvelling at the beautiful new green shoots that are springing up daily injects a zap of energy into my “in-flow” bank in an instant.  What feeds you?   Comment here!

Download your ENERGY AWARENESS GRID here and find out how your energy “In-flows” and “out-flows”  balance each other.

Read the full article from my July ezine  “Energy Drained? Adjust your “in-flow”   (click here)

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Changing seasons…changing lives…”Turn and face the strain” as David Bowie sang in his brilliant hit song “Changes”  (click the following link to listen)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl3vxEudif8

How do you “turn and face the strain”?  How do you feel about change?  Do you embrace it?  Fear it? 

Your comments welcome!

“If you don’t create change, change will create you” -  anonymous

Where’s Your Focus?

Our theme for April is all about creating possibilities for our lives.  My latest ezine’s feature article talks about how you can shift from scarcity to possibility by a simple shift in where you place your focus.

Where do you place your focus?  On what you DON’T HAVE/DON’T WANT or what you DO HAVE/DO WANT?

What happens for you when you switch your focus to the DO HAVE/DO WANT place of possibility?

Download your free Focus “awareness grid” to find out where you place the focus in the different areas of your life.

  click here:   wheresyourfocusawarenessgrid

Getting Rid of Stuff

Time to clear some space for some new seeds to grow. I am ready to get rid of a lot of stuff that has been cluttering up my winter mind.
First I am going to attack my garden, then my file cabinet. I WILL cull my file folders and try to believe that I really do not need to have a paper copy of every electronic file! I WILL finally get rid of my favourite jeans from 10 years ago that I will never fit into again! And I WILL clear my calendar of all work and emails for at least one day per week!
What are you going to get rid of?
What are you going to plant this spring?

Things I love about February

I am not sure what it is about February…it has always seemed like a short, insignificant month that one  just has to “get through” in order to get to Spring.   I was blasting random songs on my ipod as I pounded away on the elliptical cycle at the gym today and Great Big Sea’s ORDINARY DAY came on.   “Hey Hey Hey it’s just an ordinary day and it’s all your state of mind…at the end of the day you just got  to say “It’s Allright”.   click here to hear

It suddenly occurred to me that I would love February a lot more if I stopped and treasured each of it’s ordinary days.   So I am starting a list  “Things I love about February”…please feel free to add!

Things I love about February:

-Groundhog Day :  No one can ever tell me if it is good or bad that the Groundhog sees his shadow but I love the fact that we all ask what happened when he emerged from his hole anyway

-Valentine’s Day:  I am a hopeless romantic. Even though no one is buying me flowers this year (awwww) I plan to treat myself! Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to indulge.

-it is staying light later in the day

-there are always great sales on air travel in Feb.

-it is a short month!?

What is your 2009 Theme?

Rather than goals, let’s all create a yearly “theme” for ourselves.  Your “theme” will be your guiding light, your North Star, your compass… (Click here to read the whole article)

My theme for 2009 “RELENTLESS SELF-CARE”… I would love to hear yours! 

Here are some THEMES gathered from friends and clients so far:

“Letting go and Moving On”

“I am an Explorer”

“Laughter, Learning, Living”

Post your Theme here!

Happy New Year!

-Jan