Author Archives: Bob Speck

About Bob Speck

Bob enjoys living an adventurous life that is filled with learning and new experiences, connecting with others in nature, and exploring more sustainable ways to live better and healthier. He has explored many career opportunities, but has always found himself back at home in the mountains skiing, snowboarding, hiking and biking… and sharing the experiences with others.

A Heavenly Life

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“The best thing we can do for our health is to have an intimate relationship with Nature.” –Eion Finn, Blissology Yoga

 

There has always been something magical for me when I’m high in the mountains where the sky is huge and the perspective is clear. I feel like I am in Heaven on Earth when I notice the sparkles of freshly fallen powder, when I take in the sweet aromas of pine forests, or when I listen to the trickle of clear mountain streams. I feel connected to the Universe. I am intimately part of something inconceivably huge. I am filled with wonder and with awe.

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Likewise, there has always been something magical for me when I’m on the shore of the ocean where the sky and the sea each appear infinite. I feel like I am in Heaven on Earth when I notice the sparkles of the gently rolling waves, when I take in the salty scents of the ocean breeze, or when I listen to the rhythmic flow of the water as it moves in and out on the shore. I feel connected to the Universe. I am intimately part of something inconceivable huge. I am filled with wonder and awe.

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Being mindful in the present moment and paying attention to what is going on around us allows us to see beauty, even if we are in a bustling city or on a crowded highway. Mindfulness slows us down. Yoga slows us down. Being in Nature slows us down. We become more aware of the world around us than we are when we are busy.

People often think that the health benefits of yoga are fitness, flexibility, and stress reduction. To me, the real gift is that it puts me in a state of mind where I stop and notice beauty, and in a state of grace where I feel moments of infinite gratitude and compassion.

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People often think that the health benefits of mountain sports and outdoor activity are fitness, adventure, and accomplishment. To me, the real gift is that they put me in a state of being where I am intimately connected to Nature.

Cultivating this relationship with Nature makes my Spirit soar. Sharing this cultivation process with others feeds my Soul.

Tetons- Bob Cooking, Jo and Riley

Tetons- Bob Cooking, Jo and Riley

Sustaining these practices on a day-in and day-out basis is my ultimate worldly challenge, but also the key to my health and happiness… and the door which opens me up to a Heavenly Life.

I live in a valley village (and I have just taken a job in a mountain community) where there are endless opportunities for me to share this perspective, this passion. As I set out on this new path, I wonder how I will fare in a business environment that is inherently busy, extremely reactive to change, and ultimately focused on economical accomplishment.

I will set out with this intention: that by cultivating intimate relationships with Nature, by taking the time to mindfully slow things down and notice beauty, by remembering with grace that everyone around me is connected to this Natural path, and by continually practicing a Way of Being that sustains this Heavenly Life, I will Live On.

Life Transitions and My Dad

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It seems like life is about going through one transition to another. After all, we all are going through one big individual and interconnected cycle as we transition from the energy of the Universe through life as we know it here on Earth and back to the Universe. But each day brings change, new opportunities, new challenges, new transitions. We apply what we learn today as we improve our life (and the lives of others) for tomorrow.

Recently, I returned from a celebration of life through yoga and music on the island of Oahu. The power and beauty of nature coupled with the love and compassion of hundreds of like-minded souls was inspiring and fulfilling. As I returned home, I realized that my father’s life was going through some rather dramatic transitions. The wonderful power of the interconnectness of family and of loving friends has become so evident to me. Life is delicate. Life is beautiful. Life is a miracle. The life we share with others is indeed a gift to be cherished each and every day. Life is about sharing love.

My parents filled my life with love. I am so thankful to be full of the feeling of unconditional love that my parents gave me. I honor that love with a couple quotes sent to me today from others:

8889_528435250541552_1385488192_n157073_460910943981187_819361164_nMy father has taught me many things… honor, integrity, hard work, loyalty and dedication. He gave me a poster once that said, “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.” That’s basically the model by which he lived his life. Through his life as a small-town dairy farmer in his youth, as a WWII veteran of the US Army Air Corps, as a nuclear engineer working for GE (for 36 years) as a contractor to the US Navy, as a 36-year volunteer of a local school board, as a husband of 63 years (and counting), he was of a generation that was dedicated to make life better for his family and his community and his country. He focused his life on building the new.

2013-03-20 DadI honor my dad with this post. I honor everything he taught me. I honor everything he gave me. I am who I am because of him. He is my mentor. He will always walk with me. I will always walk with him… with a life full of love… with my feet firmly planted on this beautiful Earth, and my hands reaching for a vision of life that is full of light, full of love, full of the Universe… and always together with him.

577990_10201069946617800_852437192_nFrom Oahu to Vermont, from Rockport to Burnt Hills, we walk together with love.

 

Creating Routine… Watching with Wise Eyes… Adapting to Change

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I think it’s pretty common to want things to be a certain way in our lives… we create ideas of how we think things should be, we become attached to these ideas, we worry about whether things will happen the way we think, and we get all stressed out as we plan our futures. We want some level of control over our futures, especially when we’ve experienced hardship and don’t want more hardship.

Of course, we can’t control the future. We can’t control what happens to us and around us. Life is hard… and hardship happens. All we can do is live each day and be ready for what happens, as it happens… and be aware as it happens… so we can act with intention, take responsibility for our actions, and learn from our actions… so we are better adapted to live through whatever happens next.

For me, I try to be prepared for things that may happen by being in my best possible physical, emotional, and mental state-of-being each day. I try to create some routine in my daily life that enhances my presence-of-mind and feelings of well-being so that I am always moving forward in ways I can control while being prepared for change and chaos that will happen and that I can’t control.

Here are some examples of my daily routine, things that I can control:

I try to get 8-9 hours of sleep each night. I make lifestyle choices based on this desire.

I get up every morning and exercise for at least 45 minutes before I begin other daily activities. This way, the unexpected happenings of the day don’t get in the way.

I practice some form of yoga or meditation at the end of my workout to set intention for the day, express gratitude for myself and loved ones, feel connectedness, and just “be” for a few moments.

I practice a fairly strict routine of eating and drinking. I pay attention to when I eat, what I eat, and how I feel afterwards. I try to keep it simple with foods I eat almost everyday. I drink only water and tea and sometimes coconut water. I try to avoid breathing air that isn’t clean. I do not drink coffee or alcohol; I do not smoke or take non-prescribed drugs. In fact, I usually avoid prescribed drugs. I do take food supplements, like fish oils and green super-foods. And I am learning more about avoiding toxins that I might be putting on my skin for sun protection or cleansing…

I try to avoid negativity and people who don’t help me bring out the best in myself.

I try to act with feelings of compassion for all things, and watch with wise eyes as things happen around me. This is difficult, but it helps me deal with the chaos, challenges, and hardships of life… and adapt to whatever happens next.

Wolf Eyes… Wise Eyes…

An Experiential Learning Event with Wounded Warriors

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I’ve used this forum to write and share my thoughts about living experiences. I’ve hoped that my thoughts might help someone who reads them. I’ve learned to conduct myself in life as a role model whenever I can, a mentor if you will, each day, each step along my personal journey. And, I’ve learned that through personal reflection I learn to take my next steps from a place of mindful intention.

It is from this perspective that I feel so fortunate to have shared a few days last week with the wounded veterans who participated in Wild Mountain U’s first program at Stratton Mountain. Organized and supported by the Wounded Warrior Project, the event was intended to provide a short health and wellness retreat for wounded warriors who live in the Northeast. Similar to other events we have conducted for other organizations, the program was unique, special, and life-changing. Thank you to Stratton Mountain. Thank you to Bill Hannigan of WWP.

Here are some of my reflections…

We continue to see through our real-life experience that the practice of yoga and mindful-learning can be life-changing for people battling through the symptoms of trauma and PTSD. The practice of developing awareness of thoughts through focused attention on the body and breath helps re-establish healthy internal byways that might previously have been stuck or frozen as a result of the trauma. The mind-body-spirit connections are powerful, and yoga can be a powerful healing tool. We were fortunate to spend time morning and afternoon as a group in Stratton’s new Living Room yoga studio practicing yoga, breathing, and meditation.

The opportunity to be a part of a supportive community where each individual can feel safe and at ease is the basis for any successful program. This happens through intentional design and process; it also depends on positive attitudes of mutual acceptance and dignity. Each individual is important. Each individual affects what happens. The opportunity for warriors to meet with other warriors of similar experience is so vital… and part of a successful program is facilitating this process than letting positive things happen. We spent casual group time at the resort, in the Inn at Stratton Mountain, at Bentley’s, at the Living Room and Sports Center, and in Hearthstone condos. It was an honor to meet and get to know each warrior.

Being outside in a natural setting doing physical activity supports natural healthy, relaxed, and authentic behavior. We were fortunate to spend time walking from location to location on dirt roads and pathways, and to spend time at the top of the mountain walking around and playing in the snow.

Being aware of healthy options and practices provides alternatives for comprehensive paths of healing. We spent time learning about fitness, nutrition, food shopping and preparation, and even spent some time making our own juice! Stratton is fortunate to have a fitness center with a gym and indoor swimming pool. Our hope is that these wellness tools will inspire further inquiry and a sense of empowerment. After all, our minds and bodies are a product of what we digest, how we exercise, how we rest, etc… things we can control.

As much as I like to think of myself as a mentor, in reality each person who attended this event was my mentor. Learning to live through the challenges in life these warriors are faced with gives them perspectives in life that are unique, insightful, and inspiring to others, including me. Sometimes, it seems that we have a hard time letting go of the way we think things or people should be like, and just accepting (and being grateful for) the way things are. It is especially hard when your body and mind are stuck in the past as a result of the trauma and you are struggling against comparisons and judgment about the future and just trying to survive in your present daily existence. When we let ourselves be as we are, and focus on small positive steps, sometimes things fall into place better. It was nice to be around a supportive group of warriors, a group of warriors whose nature is based on dedicated work, honor, service, integrity, and mutual support, in an environment where we could just be ourselves and learn together. I give thanks to each of the warriors for being exactly who they are, and for bringing themselves to Stratton and Wild Mountain U… and being a part of my life.

For me, this event indeed inspired me to keep walking the walk I’m walking, with clear and mindful intention that this is my way.

Twelve-Twenty / Twenty-Twelve

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Is this the end? Or, is this just the beginning?

Yes, if our days are like they have been in the past, the sun will start rising sooner and the sun will start setting later, each day bringing more and more light.

Perhaps, though, it is time for a bigger shift. A shift in energy…  A shift in consciousness… A shift in how we treat one another. A shift towards enduring light and feelings of love and compassion… Aren’t we ready for a new era in our towns and cities?

It’s the end of the world as we know it… (and I feel fine…)

Here is how I see the new era, as if it were happening now:

It is commonplace for each of us to see the unique and special qualities inherent in each other. We now scoff at the days when our relationships were based on comparison, competition and judgment.

We relate to one another with a natural attitude of acceptance, presence, dignity, and gratitude. We’ve let go of the need to always win and be better and take advantage of others.

We make one another feel safe and understood just by the way we are. We’ve come to realize that put-downs and bullying were just expressions of personal insecurities… and only bred a society of dis-ease.

We’ve come to live with nature in a way that we can sustain life. Our former habits of irresponsive consumption just vanished one day when we realized we’re all living on a finite Earth together… and everything is connected.

We’ve learned that everyone can thrive when we are each allowed to express our own personal goodness from a place of heartfelt positive feelings and intuitive decision-making. The era during which rational thinking and analytic comparison ruled our actions ended just as easily as it started.

We’ve accepted that miracles and wonderment are normal and limitless when we pay attention in the present moment to what is actually going on around us. It seemed so easy for humans to let go of events of the past and attachments to how the future should be like, once we realized that our lives are only happening in the present moment.

The idea of blaming someone else or something else for one’s own behavior or actions seems so antiquated now. Our good health, how we act, and our common survival is now up to each of us to positively affect and be responsible for… the days of a society that relied to doctors, lawyers, elected officials, and insurance providers to take care of us are long gone.

Young people are now the leaders of the world. One day, after a school shooting in an old town called Newtown, young people rose up in protest against the society their parents created… and began a new world, a new era where human relationships are based on mutual respect, interdependence, and common ground. The old governing leadership that promoted political in-fighting and self-promotion, judgment and divisiveness, and independent thinking was abolished. People realized that individual positive actions each day, each moment, actually do affect the world and everything else that happens. And only the young people of the world, unclouded by the perceptions and attachments of the old world, were able to see clearly that a new reality was indeed happening… in that present moment of twelve-twenty / twenty-twelve.

A Blessing from a Warrior

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God has blessed me with countless blessings in my life. Some I take for granted like my ability to talk; I have 10 fingers and toes and good health. The main thing I would never forget is the 3 days I was in Love with this Angel. Some may never understand why I’m thankful but you and I know.

To hold you in my arms on the beach of a tropical island, while the sun was setting was amazing. Gazing in your eyes and both of us wishing to hold back the hand of time so this moment would never end. Crazy huh, having a struggle with time. Facing the fact that the only way I can have this beautiful scenery would be in my mind. I’ll never forget the colors of the horizon and above lit up colors never before seen, a new chemistry of love intoxicated the skies in Heaven. In fact the essence of this new Love created Heaven on Earth. The reflection of the sky on the ocean surface, and rainbow colored clouds intertwine creating breathe taking images. The sand was soft as if I was sinking; in fact yes, indeed i was deeper and deeper in Love. To experience Love was amazing. To keep Love and embrace it will be a blessing. So I want to say Thank You God for that experience of Love.

 Submitted by Joel Ettiene, St. Croix, USVI, 2011

Setting Goals. Getting a Coach. For Me.

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It’s getting near the end of the year and I’ll turn 55 this month. So many exciting opportunities have come my way this year. I have so much to be grateful for; I have so much to look forward to. I feel like I am in a good place- healthy, happy, and supported by love and loved ones. I feel like I have much to offer- experience, compassion, and the ability to support others in the pursuit of their dreams.

But it is also time for me to check in with who I am and who I want to be. My quest to be my authentic self and to be a positive influence in this world continues. It’s time to write the next chapter of my life.

April 2012 Escalante

Perched between the past and the future… this is where I am. Now, as always, it’s time to take my next step.

I have decided that I want to be a better coach, a better leader, a better mentor. I have taken strides during the last year to learn as much as I could from as many people and from as many experiences as I could… and to be as open as I could to new discoveries and new opportunities. I have learned to trust my intuition and to feel Divine love.

April in Utah

Looking Upward and Forward… And Doing What I Love

Today, I have decided to set some clear intentions for my next chapter. And today, I will hire a coach to help guide me. A fitness coach. A nutrition coach. A wellness coach. A teacher. Maybe this will be one person. I will share my experiences. I will use these experiences to be a better coach myself. I see myself as a health and wellness coach, a motivator, a spiritual leader. But everyone needs a coach… a teacher… a mentor… themselves. I want to be an awesome athlete… a connected body and mind and spirit. I want to be able to ski and ride with power and style and speed for many years. And be able to share that same exhilaration, passion, happiness, and zest for life with others. I want to live young… and live learning… and be there for those I love. I want to shape a new world.

This is me today… time to write my next chapter. Stay tuned, as I morph my physical self, challenge my mental and emotional self, and explore my spiritual self. Smile, it will be an adventure for sure! I accept impermanence with open arms!

Fall 2011

Pressing Onward and Upward

Positivity and Avoiding Negativity

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I am very fortunate to have always been able to see the positive side of things. Not always, but usually. Certainly, part of this comes from a safe upbringing that allowed me to explore who I was, who I wanted to be, and feel loved and supported in the process. But I believe it also comes from practice, a practice of seeing things for their beauty, yes, but also a practice of avoiding people and places that don’t support positiveness. In other words, I avoid negativity.

For me, negativity follows:

Judgment- when we accept things for the way they are, rather than place some sort of value judgment or engage in critical thinking, we are more likely to see the positive and avoid the negative;

Sarcasm- in my view, sarcasm is usually a put-down, an attempt to disguise in humor what you don’t have the courage to say directly and compassionately;

Lack of personal responsibility- when you accept that you have the power to choose, you learn to accept that you are largely responsible for your life and your own actions; you learn that the negative behavior of others isn’t an excuse for your own negative behavior;

Divisiveness- when we seek common ground, connections, and similarities, rather than focus on differences, we all win and there aren’t losers;

Unsupportive behavior- simply put, if someone or something doesn’t bring out the best in you, move on!

Resistance to change- when we let go of our attachment to the way we think things should be like, we open our eyes, our hearts, and our future to endless positive possibilities.

Positivity follows: Acceptance, understanding, personal responsibility, common dignity, mutual support, connectedness, non-attachment, and a general attitude of compassion for others and a sense of worthiness for one’s self.

Positivity usually comes from thinking from your heart-space. Negativity usually comes from thinking from your head-space.

Positivity leads ultimately to the realization that each of us is made from the matter of the Universe, connected to and dependent on all things, and with that, the deep sense of spiritual belonging and importance.

A positive person brings out the best in others, allowing everyone to be authentic and inspired.

A negative person casts shadows over others.

Positivity starts with feelings of love; love of self; love for all others.

A mentor inspires positivity and helps others avoid negativity.

A mentor casts light onto others and provides support for the wings of others to fly.

December 2011

Random Acts of Inspiration

 

 

Reflections on My Miraculous Life

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About 18 years ago I took a sabbatical from my position as a partner in a leading Upstate New York consulting engineering firm. I went on a NOLS trip. I decided to spend more time in Vermont where I taught skiing and guided mountain biking on weekends. I was always inspired in the mountains. I went there. I stayed there. Since that time, my world has continually been an exciting exploration of life, one discovery after another.

I met Jo and her two kids, Alex (8) and Natalie (4). Jo and I talked about living sustainably, about simplifying our lives, about living and sharing in a healthy manner. We traveled. We explored. We got married. We raised two wonderful kids. We took care of our homestead. I got involved in the ski business and was a resort leader in a new strengths-based teaching program. I got involved in adventure-based programming and team-building activities. I learned about timber framing and sustainable home design. I even taught math and health courses at a private middle-high school one year where both kids were students. I became more and more accustomed to change as the priorities of our kids became our priorities, and as I lived the Vermont can-do independent and interdependent lifestyle.

When the kids were in high school, we endured some very dark years. The effects of tragedy that had occurred in my wife’s previous life, before I met her, began to show their ugliness. For me, day-to-day life was more about survival and working hard to get through each day, focusing on my survival and the survival of my wife and my step-kids. I learned about post-traumatic stress through direct experience, both as a caregiver and also as an indirect sufferer of its ugly symptoms. Our years of learning, practicing, and teaching yoga became instrumental in our day-to-day practice of coping and just existing.

I became more and more spiritual as I grasped for meaning. I was alone from a human perspective, but as we reached out for spiritual support, I felt more and more connected. Things started to turn around. From this suffering came learning. Although I didn’t know it at the time, I was being prepared for my life’s work.

When the economy was hurting and my timber-frame design work was slow, I received a call to help facilitate a new program in New York for veterans with post-traumatic stress (PTSD). The person calling me had no idea of our past experiences other than that I could do team-building activities well. One program (and one person named Joel) led to 3 years of work with veterans with PTSD and other disabilities, and work with amazing civilians, some with disabilities and some without. I met some inspiring veterans. Joel. Mike. Michael. Michael. Ed. Peter. Jeanette. Joan. Will. Brian. Linda. Matt. Jonah. Bill. Leslie. The list goes on. I have met some inspiring disabled athletes and volunteer coaches. John. TC.  Andrew. Ty. Andrew. Carson. Robin. Betsy. Paul. Hannah. We have become friends. We have dreamed about life, connecting with others, being in nature, learning to accept ourselves and practice living on a day-by-day basis. No judging. No attaching ourselves to outcomes. Just being compassionate and well-intended human beings.

Winter 2012

Skiing and Riding with Friends.

One of the veterans Jo and I shared much time with was Eva, who came to some of our events as both a therapist and as a participant. We had some amazing experiences in New York, at our home in Vermont, and then travelling abroad. We talked about our sufferings. We talked about our paths of healing. We shared heart-felt experiences of spiritual connection and miracles and healing. We shared our lives and practiced healthy daily living…local organic food, meditation, yoga, exercise, discussion…

Since the time of our experiences with Eva one year ago, more and more magical experiences have unfolded… and at what seems to be an accelerating pace! We have learned to trust our intuitions. The heartfelt, spiritual, and healing experiences we shared together have become the guiding lights in each of our lives.

The three of us have struggled with the thought of building something together in one location. Eva’s home is on the West Coast. Our home is in the East. We learned to let things unfold. We knew that simple daily practices of healthy living would be at the core of any comprehensive program we initiated to help others heal and live better.

And unfold they have! All in the last year! A new nonprofit organization has been birthed by Eva on the West Coast- Warriors Live On, Inc. A new nonprofit organization has been birthed by Jo and me on the East Coast- Wild Mountain U, Inc.  Eva continues to expand her work in the areas of mindfulness-based therapies in the San Diego area as she works to launch WLO programming. Jo and I have had door after door open for us at Stratton Mountain, Vermont, through our work to provide mindfulness-based yoga programs, outdoor education experiences, and health and wellness education and leadership at Stratton and with WMU. Stratton and WMU will partner for veteran-supporting and other programs. We will enlist the support of our many friends, many of whom have been our guiding lights. WLO and WMU will do some joint programs together or in support of one another. I plan to be intimately involved in the WLO mentoring programming. Jo and I are excited in the meantime as new and exciting opportunities unfold at Stratton Mountain.

And yes, I am a ski school manager again… at Stratton… my 40th season as a ski instructor / clinician or ski school manager / director.

I have also recently started this blog. It has been a way for me to reflect. It has been a way for me to share. It has been a way for me to move on from an identity as an architectural engineer to a health and wellness mentor. It has been a vehicle for me to share what I learn as I experience new things each day in my life and as I look back at how my path has brought me to this place… with new understanding… and with new perspectives. It has helped me realize my role at my age as a mentor.

So, 2012, to me, has been a year of miracles.

Summer 2011

This path started when I met one special person.

In my last decade and a half in Vermont, I have learned much. I have learned to let go of things I can’t control and to accept responsibility for things I can impact. I have learned to keep my eyes open to new discoveries and miracles. I have learned to keep my heart open to all… and accept all people as they are with dignity. Or at least try. I have learned what it feels like to love deeply, to be spiritual, and to trust my intuition. I have learned that even in tragedy, there are opportunities to learn and to see light. I have learned that it is through experiences with others that new insights are possible. I have learned the challenges of parenthood; I have experienced the magic and beauty of parenthood. I have learned that my path in life is sharing what I have learned with others, and learning to live in a manner that is to the benefit of all others. I have learned that we will all thrive in our collective lives and in our individual lives when we support each other, learn from each other, and work from a place of common ground. For me, that place of common ground starts with feelings of love and compassion for all, and a deep sense of belonging and connection.

Rockport 2011

My Family. Where my feelings of love and support begin.

One Step at a Time

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The thing about walking, it happens one step at a time. Life happens one step at a time, one moment after another. Learning happens one lesson at a time, often times one life lesson after another.

The thing about life is that you can have goals and set your path to reach your goals, but things happen, change occurs, and each day your path changes. Each day begins a new path. Did you notice that? It’s one transition after another, yes?

Today, I walked up a mountain on a path. I entered a Summit Challenge race at Stratton Mountain, VT. My destination was clear: the summit. On this day, as is often the case, many other people shared this path with me. Yet each step was unique. With each step, I had to decide whether to step on a loose stone, in a wet patch of grass, or on some solid gravel. I had to avoid ditches and other people. Each step took effort; each step took practice; each step was uncertain. But with step, I made decisions, chose which path within the path to take, and stepped forward, one step after another, trusting that I would find my way.

This summer, I resigned from a job, a job I loved, working with people I loved. It was just time for me to take my next step. Did I have intention? Yes… I had goals and a vision. Did I know where my next step would land? No… as always, each step is uncertain. But, I resigned anyway, and stepped forward, trusting that I would find my way.

I find it remarkable sometimes that when you have clear intention, when you take definite steps forward, trusting yourself and your intuition, new paths become visible… What it looks like at the summit, what you experience when you reach your “goal” is never clear until you get there. What is clear is that I just need to take the next step… and the next step becomes clear… one step after another.

Is it our tendency to want to know what it looks like at the top, to be assured of things being a certain way at the end of our path? Yes… it is our tendency, isn’t it? But, I believe, that with practice, we can focus on each step, trust in ourselves as we take the next step, and with clear intention and awareness, we will find our way… to the “summit.” This way requires a balance between holding on to what is comfortable, safe and familiar, and letting go and being open to the discovery of a new path. Each step becomes an adventure, an adventure guided with a manageable level of risk, an adventure guided by who you are and who you want to be with your next step, and the decisions you make.

Sometimes, it is hard for us to let go of previous steps. Sometimes, we still live in the moments of previous steps… the steps that led us to here, where we are now. Should we even try to let go? I think letting go is possible and desirable. But, we will continue to remember our previous steps, yes? The trick is finding a way to appreciate all of our previous steps, good and bad, realizing that we are where we are now because of those steps and outside influences, and we have the opportunity to decide with that awareness, what steps to take next. For me, this is where having an attitude of gratitude for all that has come before me, each previous step, each deviation, each changed path, makes it easier for me to take the next step with clarity. Learn from previous steps… and adapt as I take my next step.

It’s not about taking the right step and avoiding wrong steps, it’s about taking steps, walking your walk, with understanding and awareness of the present step, with clear intention and faith in future steps, and with gratitude and appreciation for all previous steps or experiences in your life.

In my opinion, if we can each take our own individual steps in this manner, supporting those around us as they take theirs and receiving support from those who offer to help us in ours, our journeys will be in a place of goodness and take us to a place that we desire to be, a place that we see in our mind’s eye as we step forward, one step at a time.

For me, this summer’s step was huge… and I’m still taking a bunch of mini-steps, some positive, some painful. Today, however, I was reminded that I need to keep stepping forward with my eyes toward the summit. The view from the top will be worth the climb. And the next summit will be clearer!

Thanks to Stratton Mountain for supporting me on the steps I am taking in my life today… and will be taking tomorrow.