The Power of Love In Creating What Matters

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"SIMPLY SUCCESS" --January 30, 200
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>Helping You Create What Matters MOST in Life and Work
Bruce Elkin: Life/Work Renewal Coach
Personal - Professional - Organizational
http://www.BruceElkin.com
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Hi {!firstname},
Wacky weather here in Victoria. Rain, sun, wind, hail, snow, and
bright blue skies, all in the same day.

Still it remains pleasantly mild and the flowers are beginning to
bloom. Spring is on its way! And spring is a great time to talk
about love in the creative process.

In the creative process, love (or passion) is a source of power.
Focusing on what you love and want to create helps you embrace and
transcend the messy complexity of daily life and work. It helps
you work you way above the mess to what I call the simplicity on
the other side of complexity.

This is not as complex as it sounds. Here are some examples of
transcending messiness by focusing on what you love.

Chronically overweight people who have trouble exercising and
eating right suddenly find they do both easily when they fall in
love with something such as road running or mountain hiking or
cross-country skiing.

When business folks struggle to make a buck doing things they don't
care about shift their focus, skills and energy to something that
they truly love and want to create, they often find themselves in
both emotional and financial flow.

A client of mine, for example, recently gave up on a coffee shop
venture he was doing more for his partner than himself, and is now
happily working on the thriving dance business that supports his
love of all things dance.

Couples, too, can tap into the power of love to co-create wonderful
relationships. With coaching help, for example, Celia and Al
transcended what they called "an ugly mess" and shifted their
relationship into a simple, elegant order. “

We were in the middle of a bitter argument,” Celia told me. “Al
accused me of things, and I accused him of worse. At one point, it
got so complex we forgot what we were arguing about. We dredged up
ridiculous stuff from the past and through it at each other. It was
a real mess. I didn’t think we’d ever get out of it.

“Then, during one of the on-going versions of this fight, Al
suddenly stopped arguing, and looked at me with compassion in his
eyes.“ I’m sorry Cee,” he said. “I love you. I don’t want to
fight anymore.”

“In an instant, all my defenses fell away. I felt the power of his
love. I knew in my heart that love was much more important than
winning the argument.

"My own love came surging back to the surface. I threw my arms
around Al and kissed him. I knew we’d made it through the mess and
were headed for the simplicity on the other side.”

Celia admitted that this moment didn’t magically solve all their
problems. However, it did help them reconnect with what mattered
most--on the other things they loved, and wanted to create, alone
and together.

Focusing on what they loved caused many of their problems to
dissolve, to simply fade away in the face of the powerful higher
force of love.

“What we thought were HUGE problems between us just melted away,”
Celia said. “What was left were the core issues. Buoyed by our
loving feelings, we focused on those issues from a creative stance.

"By agreeing about what we really wanted, we accepted the
differences in how we each created our part. We experimented with
new ways that let us both get what we wanted. And it worked.
We're creating the life we want, and our relationship is working
wonderfully.”

Love truly is a powerful simplifying and success-creating force.
It pulls divergent thoughts and behaviors into a, simple,
easy-to-use way of rising above difficult and messy situations.
Moreover, love is the primary driving force behind all successful
creating.

“The creation of something new,” said Carl Jung, “is not
accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from
inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it
loves.”

Creators so love the idea of their envisioned creations that they
do whatever is takes to bring them into being.

Acting in harmony with the force of love, individuals and couples
can co-create what matters. Indeed, as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
said about love in his book, Wind, Sand, and Stars, “love does not
consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in
the same direction.”

As Celia’s and Al’s love became more complex, fuller, and deeper,
their relationship became simpler, richer, and more fulfilling.
They created, as Celia said, their own form of the simplicity on
the other side of complexity.

Focus on what you love, accept reality as it is, and take action to
bring what you love into being. Yes, it will take work and
practice, but it's worth it, doncha think?
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> ARE YOU DOING WHAT YOU LOVE WITH YOUR LIFE?
Would you like to create what truly matters to you in life/work?
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I work with capable people who are stuck, stalled, or struggling
with complicated life/work challenges.

I help them develop the SKILLS, STRUCTURE, and SUPPORT to make the
complex simple, and get going on what matters. I also encourage
and support practice as they turn visions into reality!

I can help you find what you love-and create a life that shows it!

> NOW is is a great time to re-assess purpose, direction, and
action. It is a great time to enter into a coaching relationship.
It can help you make this year, your best year ever!

My practice is full at the moment, but I'm taking a waiting list,
and spaces will come open in February and March.

>If you would like my fr.ee 7-page info package, e-mail me with
"Coaching Info" as the subject at Bruce@BruceElkin.com
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FEEDBACK FROM A READER DOING WHAT SHE LOVES
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I wanted to share this note with you because I thought Linda's
story about saying "yes" to what truly matters was most impressive,
and instructive. Enjoy!

Hi, Bruce --

I just wanted to let you know once again how much I am inspired and
encouraged by your newsletters! I hope you have an absolutely
WONDERFUL 2008, with much success and joy coming your way.

At the ripe old age of 57, with a husband who just retired, I've
just taken what I consider MY "dream job" as the program
coordinator for the 130+ Extension Master Gardeners here in
Guilford County, North Carolina.

It's only a part-time position, not what most would consider a
"career move," but it suits me to a "t" . . . and it never would
have come about if I hadn't decided to "go for it" and pursue a
long-held dream of becoming a Master Gardener last year.

I live 20 miles from the Ag Center, the Master Gardeners have to
commit to 50+ hours of education and volunteer service each year,
AND we have to pay for the privilege, so it's not what I'd call a
convenient thing to do.

However, as I've seen time after time after time in my life, the
things that either scared me the most or were least "practical"
ultimately proved to be the most richly rewarding, soul-nourishing,
and satisfying undertakings of all.

I've learned that saying "yes" is perhaps the most life-changing
and life-affirming choice anyone can ever make.

May you encourage thousands more to dream . . . and to go after
those dreams! All good wishes to you.

Linda
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QUOTABLE QUOTES:
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"Go to the truth beyond the mind. Love is the bridge."
-- Stephen Levine

"You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take
risks, jump over the hurdles and break though the brick walls that
are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don't have
that kind of feeling for what it is you are doing, you'll stop at
the first giant hurdle."
-- George Lucas

"It is not how much you do, but how much Love you put into the
doing that matters."
-- Mother Teresa

"We should not feel that close relationships are infeasible, but
they are demanding. Through experience, we come to realize that in
love nothing comes as easily as we expected. Everything beautiful
has to be worked for."
-- Eknath Easwaran

"Love is the force that ignites the spirit and binds teams together."
-- Phil Jackson

"You've got to get up every morning with a smile on your
face, and show the world all the love in your heart."
-- Carole King
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If you want help learning to practice, master, and create what MOST
matters to you, let me know. I'm happy to send you my coaching
info package. Just email me with "Coaching Info: as subject at
Bruce@BruceElkin.com
Cheers!
Bruce
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> BRUCE ELKIN:
Personal, Professional, and Organization Renewal Coach
>Call: 250.388.7210 www.BruceElkin.com Or Skype Me!
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> View the current issue of my full newsletter at
http://createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.com/
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