Connection and Blackberries

On Monday I went for a long walk. This is something that I love to do. Since the weather was great it made it all the better.

Recently, I have run a couple of walkshops that have had a very natural theme to them. I asked "What do you love about nature to my fellow Walk Innovators. The results were eye-opening, to say the least.

Our group started to notice all of the wonderfully kept gardens in St Albans, we paddled in the stream, listened to Crickets, connected with nature and ate blackberries. Most surprisingly of all we noticed a tree that towers over the buildings near St Albans Town Centre. I had never noticed it before.

Despite the size of the tree and obvious longevity of it and my numerous hours spent in St Albans, over numerous years, I had not seen this magnificent tower of nature that stood above the buildings. What else have I not seen that has been standing right in front of me was the consideration that I had afterwards. The answer is - many things.

This simple metaphor has exploded a range of interventions that I had not noticed before, despite them being right in front of my face.

Nature can be a powerful metaphor for life when you walk your talk. It has certainly given me much food for thought - and much food to eat on Sunday - I do love freshly picked blackberries!

Happiness is Contagious - Are you Ready to Infect Someone With It?

  Last Saturday saw another Walk Innovation event held in Shenley. Twelve people turned out to find their respective paths and walk their talk. As this method is being pioneered by the attendees of each event - there is a sense of excitement as suggestions reign in to enhance the process and add to each event.

  It never ceases to amaze me how the path we walk bears so many synchronicities to the way we talk. I observed one group on Saturday as the issue unfolded. This led us into the middle of a muddy field. However, as the questioning process led towards solutions - the path improved - as did the awareness of where we were for our leader on the walk.

  It pleases me greatly to see how people's issues can shift in just a short time. 

  I was asked during one of my events whether I felt it was self-indulgent for people to spend an hour and a half talking about themselves. It is my opinion that we owe it to ourselves - and the people we love - to talk about ourselves. When we talk about the things that cause us problems to someone who doesn't know us - we get a unique insight on the issue(s). This leads to us being happier within ourselves. Research has proved that being happy not only effects us and our family - it spreads to our friends, the friends' of our friends and the friends' of our friends' friends.

  In short - happiness is contagious.