"You are, at this moment, standing, right in the middle of your own acres of diamonds." - Earl Nightingale

As I mature, whatever that means, my wisdom and life lessons sometimes take me from teaching and coaching to remembering to take a look in the mirror with the question: How does this apply to me?

I was stuck. I lacked the focus and motivation to bring what I do to another level where I was achieving more fully the dreams I had for myself.

Then it came to me, looking in that mirror! All I've ever wanted to do is share my wisdom and teach what I have learned over the years. And that is in fact what I have been doing. So, in order to help myself get to that new level, why help others get unstuck!

I am known for helping others at a drop of a hat. I certainly have the training and desire to do what I love. It was the motivation to do what I do with more focus and ultimately make more money at it. It was getting past the talking about it stage, the great ideas stage and doing something concrete.

It came down to 'Just Do It' as Nike would tell you.

It's taking that first step. It wasn't about gathering yet more information or more training. It simply was making the decision to take that first step, any step. Sometimes getting out of our head is harder than doing something. Staying in our heads is safer somehow yet it is a strong avoidant technique we usually don't recognize. It certainly has been true for me.

Each one of us has a gift, a reason for being on this planet. What most of us fail to recognize is what it is. And we really don't have to look far to find it. What is it you are most comfortable doing? What do you give away just because? What comes easy to you? Given the opportunity, what would you do even if you didn't get paid? The answers may surprise you. They are also likely the course you might consider for your life. It will depend on what you believe - you - not someone else - that is most important.

So I ask you today - what do you want to do? If you aren't doing it, what stops you? What are you most afraid of? Can you face the fear? Walk through it? Do you have someone you can talk to, to help you, to guide you? If not, who do you trust? Ask them to help. There is nothing more that most people love more than being asked to help.

If you're not stuck, what motivates you to DO? How can you share that with others? Is it something you can share with them? Maybe simply encourage them?

I would love to hear from you. Tell me your story. What has worked for you? What gets in your way? What would you tell a friend to do if it was them? How do you take care of your Self?

"Lost time is never found again." - Benjamin Franklin

I am so blessed (as most of us are) and each time I am reminded of it, it is a surprise.

Yesterday, late afternoon sitting at the kitchen table I look again at the backyard. It's been a strange day. Sunshine, pelting rain, more sunshine, light showers. But at this moment there are dark clouds shading the left side of the yard where the leaves are magnificient shades of yellow, red, orange and decreasing shades of green. Over the pond on the right, the sunshine squeezes through from the west. The lighting is so incredibly beautiful - as if a special spotlight is shining just for us to see the beauty it brings out on the brilliant red leaves of the sumac bush bending over the pond, and shades of orange, gold, rust and changing greens of the trees behind. And look, he says, look up - a brilliant rainbow! My heart swells with so much emotion. This is what joy is!

And it gets better. Looking through our glass front doors the light of the setting sun shines through. Stepping out into the wind and cool air we see again, light on the autumn leaves as it brings out the depth and beauty only that time of day can bring. The sky has the most unusual cloud formations I have rarely, if ever seen. This is Russ's favourite time of day on a day like this. And it's something we enjoyed and appreciated, in the moment, together. Another gift. It is another moment for giving thanks.

Every day has something wonderful to offer if we only take the time to notice. Usually all we need to do is get out of our heads and see the beauty that surrounds us. It's always there...