by Lori DeBoer, Author & Writing Coach
One of the reasons I love working as a writing coach is the opportunity I have to get to know so many talented individuals. The relationship I forge with each and every one of you is unique, and it is truly reciprocal. My life has been enlarged and blessed by this work.
I was reminded of this fact a few weeks ago, when our family suffered an unexpected economic change.
Thank goodness I have been working with my good friend Susan Osborn, who is a life purpose coach and the founder of Empowered for Life. For the past two years, we have been working on her blogs and books; one of her talking points is finding the gift in uninvited change.
This change caused upheaval. I was afraid that I would lose my footing. And this was a time when I had to keep my wits about me and step up my entrepreneurial game.
Right away, I turned to the blog posts that I had worked on with Susan. One post in particular spoke to me: “Emotional Weather Patterns, Creating an Awareness of What Fuels and Drains Us.” She writes about how emotional patterns come in and out like the weather, and how working with those changing conditions allows us to be better prepared for whatever comes along.
She uses an analogy of taking a hike in the Colorado Rockies when a storm comes in. If we are prepared, we have a raincoat, know where to take shelter, and have planned the quickest route down. If we aren’t prepared, she writes, “you are terrified by the experience, so either freeze frame, or scramble back down to your car, slipping and sliding, creating mayhem and terror.”
I took a deep breath and spent an afternoon purposely putting on my raincoat, looking for shelter and plotting a course down the hill. I took measure of my network and realized that, not only was I prepared, but had been given an opportunity and a challenge. My freelance magazine clients have been doing extraordinarily well and I had been hankering to return to returning to that type of writing. The change gave me a little push. I took the time to submit some workshop proposals for some regional writing conferences. I took on a ghost writing project that I had previously turned down.
Even more surprising, after I took a deep breath and told myself I wasn’t going to let a little rain spoil my own personal sunshine, I was able to maintain my positive attitude. The change that had, at first, seemed like the storm of the century, had turned out to be a nourishing rain.
I might not have taken the conscious steps to reframe this unexpected loss and see the blessings and joys, had I not worked with Susan, so I thank her for her profound influence on my life.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Susan, you are in luck . . . . she is going to be hosting the Boulder Writers’ Workshop Literary Salon this coming Sunday.
She will be reading from her book of essays-in-progress, Dharma Dog and Other Essays on Loss, Love and Growth, as well as talk about her own path to writing. Her essays mine the geography of life’s evolution from the perspective of personal growth and exploration. A geologist, entrepreneur, consultant, coach, speaker and minister, she blends the intuitive with the practical with wit and compassion. She believes that life is more interesting than anything you can make up. Her essays explore evergreen topics, ranging from the death of her husband three minutes into their first wedding anniversary, the struggle to embrace Buddhist beliefs while dealing with a dying dog, the insights she learned in a self-imposed retreat on the remote Mediterranean Island of Santorini, the surprises of living with wildlife on the edge of Colorado open space and the beliefs of aging and how they led to a humorous, shoe-related incident.
She will facilitate a discussion on growth studies for writers, including how to create the conditions for success. The event is beneficial for published writers and beginners alike, because they will have a chance to share their own successes, offer advice, ask questions and exchange ideas.
The event is free and open to the public. It will be held on April 13, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., at the George Reynolds Branch of the Boulder Public Library, 3595 Table Mesa Drive, in the downstairs meeting room. Please preregister under “events” at www.boulderwritersworkshop.org, so I know how many chairs to set up.
To learn more about Susan and read her inspiring blog, please visit www.empoweredforlife.net. If you need to reach Susan, you may drop her a line at susan (at) empoweredforlife (dot) net.
