Introducing Peace Journeys

I have begun a journey to bring together several of my passions: spirituality, hiking, teaching, and coaching. I have now officially started Peace Journeys, LLC. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, I'd like to share some details.

For people who want to feel more comfortable in the woods or more confident taking their children (or other people's children) into the woods, I am teaching introductory backpacking for adults. The courses will be held on the Appalachian Trail in NC, TN, VA, and MD. There's no explicit spiritual program included, though many hikers find renewal just by immersing themselves in nature, living simply, and walking along a trail.

For people who want to feel more inner peace or more aligned with their core selves, I am offering a spiritual program to help people clarify their personal spiritual belief systems, that they may more consciously live those beliefs in everyday life. (I use the adjective "spiritual," because it works across religions--the idea is to get really clear on your personal belief system, whatever that is.)

This spiritual program, which I call A Seeker's Journey, can be done anywhere, but from my experience, the more a person immerses himself in nature, the more profound the connection with What Truly Matters to him. So, I am siting several programs on the A.T. for people comfortable with being in the woods; these I have called "Hiking Trips for Seekers." But I am also interested in facilitating Seekers' Journeys for churches, spiritual groups, and community groups at their chosen locations (limited to the southeast and mid-Atlantic states for now).

Finally, for people who are on a journey of peace and contentment, I am focusing my coaching in the realm of spiritual integrity. This is where the rubber meets the road... So, you are really clear on your spiritual belief system; in fact, you have language for it that you can access at a moment's notice. Great! Next step: consider how your spiritual belief system matches up with your daily-life belief system, and intentionally shift the latter to be more aligned with the former. This is not a multi-hour workshop, but a multi-month process. Although focused on the individual, several people can engage the process as a group, to increase the support and decrease the individual cost.

Just like when a person starts a thru-hike, I'm both nervous and excited. But also just like thru-hiking, as long as I maintain a clear vision, I only have to focus on walking each day's 10 miles and the long distance will take care of itself. (See my hiking blog for details.)

I would be delighted for you to check out my website at peacejourneys.com. If as you've read this, a friend, family member, or church group comes to mind, please share my website with them.

If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, please leave a comment here.

Wishing you happy trails, in peace and light!
-Em

Does Alone Have to Be Lonely?

As I work on my big ideas for 2009, I am finding that starting something new can be a lonely venture.

The good news is that there are not a lot of other people doing what I want to do. The bad news is that there are not a lot of other people doing what I want to do. That means no pro forma model to follow, and few obvious people with whom I might partner.

The good news is that I get to make all the decisions, and manifest my vision. The bad news is that I get to make all the decisions, and manifest my vision. One person's view is monocular, which makes depth perception quite challenging.

In my last post, I shared the idea that there is a continuum between Making It Happen and Allowing It to Unfold. My intention is to maintain a balance along this continuum.

So far in 2009, I have been more on the Allowing side, especially when it comes to involving other people. I believe that to be appropriate, as I am not interested in making anyone do anything.

But, I am starting to think that I need to be more proactive in meeting people, making friends, and creating a system of professional alliances--in the same way that I am proactive in meeting people, making friends, and maintaining my social relationships.

Maybe this is the most significant challenge for me in shifting from working for someone else to working for myself--the need to intentionally and consciously find the people who will complement and support my work. And, to build good relationships with them.

The good news is that my success as an employee has often come as a result of building solid collegial relationships. And that gives me hope.

Making It Happen or Allowing It to Unfold?

As I work on my big ideas for 2009, I often find myself caught in a tug of war between making something happen and allowing it to unfold.

Throughout my life, I have often been rewarded for making things happen. I completed schoolwork, joined committees, held leadership roles. I was busy, busy, busy. And the emotional and financial rewards followed.

What I am realizing now is that those well-rewarded actions were always contained within a fairly tight set of parameters. Even the leadership roles were within organizations that had missions, precedents, and traditions. Now that I am seeking to fulfill a mission of my own, the parameters are less defined. And precedents and traditions only exist within the models set by others.

Also true of my past achievements was that the other people involved were in place before I got there. I would step into a role and take action with or for those people. Now that I am setting my own course, the other people have yet to appear, which they will do only at my invitation.

As I walk this path of following my heart and creating my destiny, it often feels like I am pushing on a string. I no longer have the luxury of a predictable outcome when taking an action. There are too many unknowns to set parameters, and other people may or may not accept my invitation.

Thus, I find myself in a position of allowing things to unfold--not easy for an over-achiever, but perfect nonetheless.

Consider that there is a continuum between Making It Happen and Allowing It to Unfold. What if I seek a balance, sometimes taking action on the make-it-happen side, and sometimes sitting still on the allow-it-to-unfold side. As a continuum, there can be more or less acting, or more or less stillness in any given moment.

Accepting this balance, I needn't be pushing on a string or feeling the resulting frustration. Rather, that time and energy can be spent listening, meditating, or thinking--intentional, receptive activities. Within such moments, perhaps the parameters and the people have a chance to show up. And maybe some inspiration, light, and joy, too.

What a concept!

In Pursuit of Big

So I've got some Big Plans for 2009. Maybe you do, too.

As I stated in my previous post, I believe that big is subjective. In other words, only I get to decide what's big for me. But by definition, something is big for me if it's bigger than anything I've done before.

And that means to pursue the big thing, I must step into the Unknown. And that step generates Fear of the Unknown. Which means that some loud voice in my head says, "Don't go there! Stay here where it's familiar and safe!"

To counter the fears and respond to that loud voice, I bring to mind something in my past that was big to me at the time. And I consider what I did to successfully achieve that big thing, seeking guidance or a blueprint that I might apply to this one.

For me, today, I look to my recent hike of the Appalachian Trail for inspiration. (See my hiking blog for details.) The hiking itself wasn't the big part for me, as I'd hiked 1000 miles previously; not much Unknown there. But, considering the whole of quitting my job, selling my house, living homefree, hiking, and starting a new chapter in life, there was plenty of Unknown to be found.

Despite the fears of that Unknown, I took steps to make it happen, or more accurately, to allow it to unfold. And now I am an A.T. 2000-Miler and well into the brilliant new chapter in my life.

May I follow in those footsteps to allow the unfolding of my Big Plans for 2009!

The Subjectivity of Big

This quote came across my desk today:

"Set a goal to achieve something that is so big, so exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at the same time. It must be a goal that is so appealing, so much in line with your spiritual core, that you can't get it out of your mind. If you do not get chills when you set a goal, you're not setting big enough goals." - Bob Proctor

When I read this, some part of me shouts, "Amen, Brother!" But it must be the voice of my Highest Self--that part of me that resides closest to Spirit, farthest from the Real World. The part of me closest to the Real World says, "Well, I might as well give up now, cuz that big a goal is too overwhelming to even consider."

That's not to take anything from Bob Proctor. His words flow from the wisdom of his experience, and I am not saying that I don't agree with him. In fact, I know for myself that if I don't have some amount of fear in the attempt of something new, then I'm not challenging myself.

The good news for me is that "big" is subjective. I get to decide what is big for me, which may or may not be something that gives me chills. At the same time, I reserve the right to let my own personal big get bigger with each big goal I achieve.

So, on this New Year's Eve, a good question for My Self--all of my parts--is: How big am I willing to be in 2009?

Why Another Blog?

In this blog I will post comments and ideas about becoming self-employed. Given the current economy and my desire for career transition, self-employment seems the obvious route. But there are such hurdles to overcome in becoming successfully self-employed. Here I will share the sights and sounds of my journey as I walk this path.