Powerful Life Lessons: Learning how to relish
I’m excited to share a guest blog from the wise and wonderful Nancy Kalsow! You know how sometimes you meet someone and you feel an instant connection? That was how I felt when I first met Nancy and am so grateful for her and our friendship. She has a beautiful heart and asks great questions. You would think she is a coach. Oh, wait, she is! You can learn more about relishing in Acre 16 of her new book, Acres of Life.
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I believe experience is the best teacher in life. Those experiences shape our future. We may not like everything about our pasts. But we can learn from it. So slow down for just a minute and think about your past. What’s a powerful lesson you have learned and how have you put it to use today?
One of my most powerful life lessons came from my Aunt Jeanette, who was also my Godmother. Relish in the moment, for the moments become your memories.
My Aunt Jeanette taught me how to “relish”. It was her version of what today we call “mindfulness”. She would stand in my closet and ooo and ahhh over my simple church dresses – relishing in the fact that this was something she did not get to do raising four boys. We would take long slow walks and look at the detail of the landscape and the homes. We’d picture how it would look with a splash of purple here or some shutters on that house. We slowly cooked meals together, first selecting just the right produce, then preparing the food in various stages, smelling the steam waffling through the air. We’d pour a glass of wine halfway through our preparation and share a toast. And finally, after hours of putting it all together, we’d sit at her dining room table to share what we had prepared.
I didn’t always enjoy relishing. It often felt like a waste of time. Yet, the experience shaped me. Today, I practice relishing in a variety of ways that bring me peace and contentment. From journaling to walking my family farm acreage. I take time to inspect a flower or snowflake up close, to notice how the sun feels on my face, to use the passing time as I sit on the back of my husband’s motorcycle to reflect on who I am, and as Tina shared in her last blog, I’ve become really good at using the words “I get to..”
“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.”
– Alice Morse Earle
At this time tomorrow, Today will be in the past. It will be history. Think of life as an experiment. Experiment with today. So often we are busy wondering what will come of tomorrow that we forget about this moment in time. Today, as you experiment with your beliefs, values, skills, talents, knowledge, relationships, travels, and lifestyle…. What lesson will you take to shape your future?
Nancy Kalsow is a Certified Professional Life and Career Coach (CLC, CPC, ACC) and has been facilitating, coaching and mentoring individuals and teams for over 30 years. Nancy believes everyone needs someone in their corner. Her goal is to be that person for her clients. Learn more at KalsowCoaching.com and learn more about her new book, Acres of Life.
