Are you finding life an uphill struggle?

This post has moved to my new website - see more on how to get back on track when life feels like an uphill struggle here.

Can't see the Wood for the Trees - overview

Can't see the wood for the trees uses nature as our coach, and nature's landscapes as metaphors for our lives.

The book chapters tackle sayings we use when stuck that also refer to nature as shown below:

In the book, I suggest that if you can relate to the saying then the saying will also have the potential to provide you with some insight to the situation. Which means, if you can't see the wood for the trees, the wood will have the answers - more below.

The book launch took place outside in nature four landscapes in Fife where the book was written. With engagement too from people in Australia, America, Wales, England and closer to home here in Scotland via LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

It was a very blustery day which means much of the insight gained was either about:

• Finding safe harbour until the winds have settled
• Connecting with our own wildness/power  

That's how nature works - ever changing and yet with constant patterns we understand and can relate to. Patterns that help us make sense of the problems we encounter in our lives.

Here's a few thoughts about the insight gained on the day, and a few of the live videos posted on Facebook and LinkedIn on the day to engage with those unable to be there.

Let's start with a reminder of why nature is such a great coach.

One of the tools in the book asks us to consider what we'd do if we were in the situation described by the saying. Which means solutions when we can't see the wood for the trees would include those shown below.

The action then is to take these potential solutions and translate them into options in the situation you're wanting more clarity on. See more here on this saying.

Another LYL tool described in the book involves going for a walk. This video is the culmination of a 30 minute walk as we moved from a landscape that depicted the current situation, through a midway stopping point, to this very very very blustery headland which provided huge shifts in everyone's thinking - you'll find more about the process here on the Facebook post.

The final chapter in the book, the antidote if you will, is going with the flow. Not a reactive going wherever the flow takes you but a proactive type. (I've written a little more about this over on my Purchasing Coach site)

Whilst it is supposed to be a metaphorical flow I couldn't help but get my wetsuit on and do it in reality to round off a great day ;-).

I love this image of headed for the ocean which is the question I suggest you need to ask yourself if you're ever unsure which direction to go in life ie "Am I headed for the ocean?"

If you're interested in learning more about Landscaping Your Life coaching or workshops, or even a facilitated strategy day such as this team do get in touch alison@alisonsmith.eu.

Anyone wanting to participate in the book launch raffle, with a prize of a free coaching session with me, have until Monday the 8th October to get over to my JustGiving page for the RNLI - 1 raffle ticket for every £1 donated. Because just like the RNLI I support people who are stuck to get back on track.

Alison Smith
Speaker, coach, trainer, author  - more on services offered here 
Landscaping your life to get back on track 

Stockist of the book can be found here.

Connect to Nature for Mental Health

Many of our holidays, weekends, lunch breaks and even the odd meeting are spent in nature. I'd suggest, because unconsciously we know it brings us back into balance, and provides peace of mind.

For Mental Health Awareness Week I'd therefore like to invite you to consider what landscape gives you peace of mind? 

For me it's this beach - a beach I moved home to be near, and a beach that has certainly kept me saner over the 14 years I've lived here. 

A beach with a view of Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth that I fell in love with.

A beach I can see from my bedroom and office windows:

A beach that is less than 5 minutes walk away from those very windows:

The beach - with its many seasons - busy in the summer and deserted except for the hardy dog walkers in the winter.

A beach I've regularly eaten breakfast, dinner and tea on:

A beach I've exercised on:

A beach I've declared my love for my profession on:

A beach that has inspired many a Landscaping Your Life video blog (you may want to turn your sound down first):

And many a blog too (this on standing in other people's shoes):

A beach I've gone to when I've had my head in the sand - mostly metaphorically it has to be said!

A beach to help me turn a corner:

A beach I've paddled all year round on:

And now a beach to swim from!

Last year, I realised the sea really wasn't all that cold (only 5 in winter and up to a toasty 15 in the summer), and have now added the benefit of cold water swimming to my mental health prescription.

This was taken for sunrise at 0730 in November when Frost was on the ground and water was still at a warmish 8/9 degrees. 

Another 0730 swim much more recently when the water was still 5/6 degrees and air temperature about the same.

A beach that keeps my mind, body and soul in health, and is somewhere I go to when struggling to mind the mental and physical balance I need to get up every day and do what I need to do.

Thank you mother nature for giving me this beach, and allowing me to connect daily to your nurturing presence through it's beauty - whatever the season and what ever the weather.

Where is your place in nature that brings you peace of mind? When will you commit to going there next? 

Alison Smith

Landscaping your Life

Using nature as a metaphor to find balance in your life

Toxic leadership

Earlier this week I wrote about toxic leadership over on my more logical purchasing coach site.

The challenge around using the term 'toxic' is everyone can identify others who are toxic, and no one self identifies themselves as toxic. In the following blog 'is your head in the sand' I encouraged everyone to explore the hidden and unknown character traits that, even if not toxic, might be negatively impacting others in their life.

I then got to wondering - if metaphor is such a powerful tool - what would happen if we explored toxic leadership in terms of toxicity in nature. 

If you're unclear of the hows and whys of metaphors you might want to first read my blog on the topic. 

I'm not a professional environmentalist nor botanist, so just a reminder it's only going to be my personal observations about what we could learn from toxic plants. Who knows, there may be some nuggets in here.

I'm struck by the fact that there's two types of toxicity in nature - the natural, and the man made. I suspect we'll find insight in both. In this post I'm going to concentrate on natural toxins. 

Here's my observations about toxic plants (we'll draw analogies later - it's always best to stick with the metaphor for as long as possible) :

• The first question to ask is toxic to whom or what? For example what's toxic to humans may not be to birds, in the same way that certain plants are toxic to our cats and dogs, but not to us.
• Toxicity also comes as a continuum - with some plants simply causing mild irritation, and other's death. Or some only causing a reaction after contact with, or ingestion of, a large quantity of the plant. 
• Toxicity may also only be of certain parts of a plant - for example we can eat a rhubarb's stem but not their leaves.
• Many toxic plants are very colourful as if warning others of their potential for harm, or on contact or ingestion provide advance warning that further contact might not be advisable. 
• Toxic plants are predominately toxic to protect themselves. As they couldn't run away they had to come up with a strategy to stop animals eating them.
• Apparently toxicity can increase due to location, age and other environmental factors! 
• Toxicity can also reduce over time, with repeated contact or ingestion.
• Some plants are toxic until cooked after which they're harmless.
• Some toxic plants have an antidote near by - think nettles and dock leaves.
• Many toxins are the basis for medicines - conventional or alternative.

What conclusions does that mean I think we can make - still keeping with the metaphor ish:

• Toxic plants need to be reminded that the environment in which they're operating in means there's now an increasing number of people negatively impacted - perhaps inviting them to tone back their toxicity or warn others before ingestion.
• Toxic plants should be congratulated on succeeding at finding ways to personally stay alive - the key here has to be to expand the number of plants they're taking responsibility for and are wanting to survive. For them to notice that it's not just personal survival that's important, even the air and water they rely on needs to be sustained over the long term.
• Toxic plants are a problem when planted in the wrong environment - they don't suddenly become toxic - they are toxic when in known conditions, and in a response to known stimuli. The criteria for selection of plants needs to include checking for toxicity. 
• Putting toxic plants under pressure (ie cooking them) can reduce their toxicity - we just need to know the type of stress that reduces toxicity rather than increases it. 
• In the right environment a toxic plant causes no harm to others, and may even be of medical use.
• Not quite accurate, due to the length of time needed to let go of the toxic DNA, but if the toxic plant doesn't feel threatened it may not need its toxicity.
• Ensure others around the plant are available to reduce the impact. 
• Be very clear on the reason and benefits to be generated by planting a toxic plant - Ie undertake a risk/cost/benefit analysis.
• Don't keep touching or eating a toxic plant if you've had an adverse reaction to them in the past - leave them be - walk away and work in another garden. 

Nothing too profound although it's as if it's taken the sting out of my views of toxic leaders. Instead of feeling irritated and angry by them, I just feel like I need to put my protective gloves on, and handle them with a little more care. 

Did you notice anything as you read the post? Do please share your personal insights in comments below.

The beauty about metaphors is they're very personal - someone who's spent time in hospital due to eating a toxic plant would view the metaphor differently than someone who's just seen its toxic impact on others. The aim is to move how you're relating to the situation at the current time (Ie negatively or unable to see solutions or options) to something different, a 'different' that includes the possibility of positive change. 

Remembering of course that we can't change other people, only change our reaction to them, even if that in turn inspires a change in behaviour from them. 

Alison Smith

Landscaping Your Life

Using nature to inspire change inside and out 

Follow hypertext links to other blogs I've written on the subject highlighted. 

Tortoise and the Hare

A short story from the archives originally published in 2013.

A friend asked to share this story as part of a relaxation session she's doing at a hospice later today. I wondered, therefore, if others may also find it speaks to them. So I share it here with an open mind and heart. 

The tortoise and the hare

I've always been a hare sort of girl. 

For me hares aren't just speedy but the first, the best and getting better every day. In a morning hares are wide awake and just want to get up and straight out into the world. They are prone to trying to do too much and as such sometimes need 'an all nighter' to get things done. Hares are prone to eating on the run and often get to the end of the day and realise they've forgotten to eat anything at all. Always with time and energy for others, always on the go and head buzzing with new ideas.

Tortoises are slow, everything is done just right and in its own time. Tortoises like to awake to the sound to nature not the alarm clock with time to contemplate the day ahead and plan what will be done when. Tortoises eat regularly and at a pace that allows their body to take in the nutrients of the food. Tortoises love others and yet know to put themselves first in order to be there for others for the duration. Which often means quiet time for themselves alone in some hidden corner away from others.

Each has their own way of being and doing that works for them so long as mind, body, heart and soul continue to be aligned. 

But what happens when a hare's body wants to go at tortoise pace and the mind is still a hare? What happens when a tortoise's soul starts to open and the need to be seen by others means hiding in a quiet corner is no longer something they can afford to do?

Whether we're a hare or a tortoise guilt, frustration and attachment are common themes when change starts to take place. Guilt of not being able to stick at the previous way of being, frustration at the slow pace of learning new skills or being forced out of our comfort zones and attachment to how things 'ought to be'.

The biggest error is buying into the collective consciousness of how things ought to be. Speed isn't right every time nor is a steady pace. As we learn from both these creatures we learn our body relishes the tortoises care and attention, our mind enjoys the hare's passion for creativity, the heart appreciates the way tortoise expresses love and our soul embraces the joy of hare. Each part of the whole asking us to accept their different needs and knowing alignment can be achieved, and yes without a dual personality. 

"A leopard can't change its spots" "Once a hare always a hare" no longer holds true.

As we personally evolve and emerge we must learn to listen to what our inner wisdom guides us to do, we must remember that, just like the butterfly, we can emerge more beautiful, graceful and at the other side of a transformation ready and able to handle what ever life has to offer.

Alison Smith

Landscaping Your Life 

Using nature to inspire change inside and out

Nettles and Dock leaves

One way of interpreting this combination of plants is - that an opportunity to solve a problem is never that far away. 

To explore this more fully I thought I'd use the Frameworks for change Coaching Process to see what other insights might be available.  

Insight: You express honesty and truthfulness in each moment. 
When ever I look at nature I am always reminded that each flower and plant offers it's own uniqueness and ask myself why we constantly try to be like other people rather than accept we are who we are in all our uniqueness. Of course this is also true in reverse why do we so often try to get everyone to be like us and not not accept and embrace their uniqueness? 

Potential Setback: You are setback by ARROGANCE in the present situation 
I wonder whether this a continuation of the last point i.e. it's easy to believe we're a Dock Leaf providing healing balm to those stung rather than accept that we might just be the nettle. Isn't it useful to be reminded that sometimes we're the ones capable of stinging others too? We may have other virtues but we all come with beliefs, skills or behaviours some might perceive as negative and unhelpful. To move forward it's about us all releasing the setback of believing we're better than others and accepting and embracing ours and their uniqueness. 

Insight: You value and express the quality of SUPPORT in the current situation 
You might see that the Dock Leaf supports the Nettle and perhaps that's the point - that we each need others around us who can support us and point out our less positive traits so that we may learn and grown. This of course is infinitely more possible if we've let the arrogance go. Who are you supporting today? 

Mentor: Transformation If we took on the beliefs and behaviours of our role model for transformation what difference would that make - what would we be thinking, what would we be saying and what would we be doing differently? One question - What's stopping us? 

I hope you found this helpful. If so you may find the notes from the session entitled 'Keeping on track in a downturn' helpful too. I love that the final mentor in that session was Authenticity. It's certainly a great process for use in groups as well as in coaching sessions. 

The process, the insight, setback and mentor cards used here are from the 
Frameworks for Change © Innerlinks - www.innerlinks.com.