Many of us are so conditioned to the stress and striving and vigilant nature of working toward a goal, that we don’t know what to do with it when we get there. The tendency might be to doubt our accomplishments or to jump right ahead to “What’s Next?”- which leads us to feel empty and directionless. 

So, even though you’ve reached the promised land, as it were, you may need a little practice at being in this phase.

Here’s a couple practices to remember: 

…you have a vision of where you’d like to go, and you have even developed a plan for getting there… Then, seemingly from the outset of your journey, as Winston Churchill would say “It’s just one damn thing after another.”

Realizing you’ve entered Phase Three of the Change Cycle can be a useful shift in perspective to keep you going.

It is a time to follow the urge to experiment and try new things but don’t rush the full-time commitment just yet…

when change feels cataclysmic, it sends our nervous system into overdrive - into a flight, fight, freeze or fawn state - in which it’s nearly impossible to see a clear path forward. 

So how do we ride this wave of change when it feels so big and dangerous? 

Does a Catalytic event need to be Cataclysmic?!

When something comes along that inspires or pushes you to change, how do we ride this wave the best?

As soon as we can acknowledge change is happening, we’re in stage one of the change cycle…

Stage one calls us to look inward - it’s a time to go into a cocoon, or like a tree shedding it’s leaves going into Fall it's a time to acknowledge what we're leaving behind. 

The thing that seems most true for our times is that change is constant. From the advances in technology, to shifting political landscapes, to how our jobs are performed, to the climate of the earth… It can be really disorienting to figure out how to navigate in a constantly changing world. 

     "We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Notice with the actions you take, are you being kind to your body?

Stability is the ability to remain still or in control despite contervailing forces. But in reality, nothing is ever perfectly still or in control…

This is Part 3 to a series where I am exploring the relationships between language, culture, and individual identity. In Particular, I am pondering how the inherent violence contained in many of the words of our language is shaping how we interact with the world, and I am considering how to find another way…

Today I would like to explore how to take a deeper look inside our own programming in order to change the course of our individual lives…

This is Part 2 to a series where I am exploring the relationships between language, culture, and individual identity. In Particular, I am pondering how the inherent violence contained in many of the words of our language is shaping how we interact with the world, and I am considering how to find another way…

Sometimes it's cold and raining and it's so easy to give in to the inertia justifying "the conditions aren't right. Not today. I'll do it later." But most often, if I show up anyway, I find that even the cold and rain and ice are magical experiences. ⁠

It's not the external conditions that matter (most often) but the internal experience that guides the outcome…

“It’s not what you do but why you do it.”
I believe understanding that statement can help put you into flow and alignment with the life you desire as well.

Do we pay more attention to images of struggle and pain than of ease and enjoyment?
Are struggle and pain actually more valuable than playfulness and joy?
I propose we acknowledge another way….

I’m a little embarrassed to say this… but I pushed too far… Twice.
I gave myself frostbite. A mild case. You may call it “frost nip”. I don’t even think I knew I did it at the time, but a week or two later, the skin peeled off a few of my toes…
How did this happen?
What are the limits?
What I know for sure…
and the process for action that I’m currently developing…

So, I’ve been leading classes and coaching for a while now.
I figure it would be helpful to introduce myself and my journey up to now, for those who may not know me that well:

Hello. I am Patrick Hogan…