Welcome to The Seasoned Path

Welcome to The Seasoned Path. In each newsletter I will share some of my musings along the path as well as inspirations gained from those who have traveled this way before me. My hope is to tickle your curiosity, heighten your awareness, and encourage you to become an environmentalist for your soul.

In this Issue:

Quote of the Month 
5 Ways to Broaden Your Horizon
Nature's Coaching Tips
Going Green Tip of the Month
Readings for the Journey
Upcoming events

Quote of the Month

“If I have been of service,
if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good,
if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action,
if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day.”
Alex Noble

Adventuresome women on retreat in the Virgin Islands

5 Ways to Broaden Your Horizon

There is a saying that if your life isn’t expanding, it's contracting. So if you’re feeling stuck in a rut or find yourself being narrow-minded, it’s time to broaden your horizon and become open to all the wonderful possibilities in life. This isn’t a difficult task, in fact it’s fun! It isn’t overwhelming either; it’s really very freeing. Here are five easy ways to expand your horizon:

1) Get outdoors! I just returned from leading a women’s retreat in the Virgin Islands. We met each morning in an opened air pavilion, looking out over the Caribbean Sea and the surrounding islands. The expansive view alone was healing, calming, and illuminating. 
So step outside, walk in an open field, climb a mountain, sit in a garden, or walk on the beach. Literally expand your visual horizon. Feel the wind and sun on your face and let nature widen your view on life.

2) Do something new, just for the fun of it! There is a fun new movie out called “The Bucket List” about two ailing old men setting out to complete a list of all the things they wanted to do before they die. Why wait until your sick!
What is something you’ve always enjoyed doing but haven’t done for years? Set a date with yourself and do it! Revisit the childlike joy of doing something just because it makes you happy.

3) Be curious, learn something new! What is something that you’ve always wanted to know more about? How would you answer the question, “I’ve always wondered…?” Set out to discover something new in the world around you. Is there a book you’ve always wanted to read or a class you want to take? About what topic or issue do would you like to increase your understanding? Expand your mind!

4) Make space in your life! De-clutter your day of endless errands. Stop wasting your energy on things that aren’t really important to you. Find the space to breath and the time to be quite. The vastest, most unexplored universe is the one within your own heart. Take the time to listen to your inner voice.

5) Be of service! Give of yourself to others. Walk in another person’s shoes, see the world through their eyes, and rediscover gratitude, forgiveness, and generosity. Opening your heart will most definitely widen your perspective of life.

Over the few months, see if you can accomplish one goal in each of these five areas. Spring is approaching, the days are lengthening, and it is the perfect time to step outside the box, to be adventuresome, and to witness all the new growth around you. Go for it! Embrace the possibilities and broaden your horizon

Nature’s Coaching Tips

During my annual women’s retreat to the US Virgin Islands, we stay at the Maho Bay Eco-Resort www.MahoBay.org.  For all who go there, it is such a rare treat to be exposed 24/7 to the sounds, rhythms, and beauty of nature. We stay in tent cabins and go to sleep with the sounds of tree frogs and the pounding surf. We are frequently woken in the night by the wind and the rain and relentlessly aroused in early morning by a wild rooster. (Granted even though I’m a vegetarian, I was ready to send out a hunting party for that darn rooster!) But still not to live by an alarm clock and to have absolutely no media infiltrating our day is truly a blessing. We even dine and have our workshop in opened air pavilions looking out on one of the best views in the Caribbean. For our entire time there, we are never confined by four solid walls.
This is the greatest gift of retreating in nature: to leave behind our controlled environments and to once again feel interconnected with our natural surroundings. Next time instead of staying at a deluxe hotel with all the “conveniences” of home, seek out an eco-lodge or a national park. Step outside the box!
To find a retreat near you go to:

Going Green Tip of the Month

Americans are spending less and less time outdoors. According to a study by the University of Illinois overall participation in outdoor activities has declined 18 to 25%.
For years it has been obvious that children have far more daily interaction with games and gadgets than they do with nature. Now there is even a name for it - Videophilia: the new human tendency to focus on sedentary activities involving electronic media. www.videaphilia.com 
It is also becoming clear that there is a strong correlation as to whether people enjoy nature growing up and whether as adults they are concerned about policies that affect nature. Unfortunately, there seems to be a definite graying of environmental action groups.
So, one way to insure the continued greening of America is to support your local programs and environmental centers that get kids outdoors. Two I know of are the program “No Children Left Indoors” and the “Mountain Park Environmental Center” in Beulah, CO. run by a friend of mine, Dave Van Manen. www.hikeandlearn.com. 

Readings for the Journey

 "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" by Michael Pollan

"Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer" by Lynne Cox

"Grayson" by Lynne Cox

Upcoming Events

BAYSIDE REFLECTIONS: A WEEKEND TO RECLAIM YOUR LIFE
Friday, May 2 – Sunday, May 4, 2008



Join us for a conference call March 19th at 7 pm EST
to learn more about this wonderful retreat.
Call in Number: 1-712-775-7000 Access Code 901847#

Come nourish your mind, body and spirit at a weekend gathering of Wise Women by the Chesapeake Bay. For 2 nights and 3 days Life Coaches Patt Osborne and Karin Marcus will provide you with the opportunity to combine outdoor adventures with personal growth activities. You are sure to find both inspiration and laughter while enjoying peaceful country walks, kayaking along the shore, sharing ideas with like-minded women, and savoring quiet time for self-reflection. Now is the time to spring forward, reconnect with your life’s passions, and reclaim your true purpose!

Where: Ransome’s Chesapeake Retreats, Fishing Creek, Maryland
(only 2 hours, 30 minutes from the Philadelphia/South Jersey area) www.chesapeakeretreats.com

Your investment: $495 if you register by March 1st, 2008 ($595 after March 1st)
Includes: Group programs facilitated by 2 certified Life Coaches and Retreat Leaders (Patt and Karin) and all materials,workbooks, accommodations, and outdoor activities.
Deposit: $100 (non-refundable)
Balance due 30 days prior (April 2, 2008)
Payment can be made by check or credit card
How to register: Call or email Patt to register
Phone: 609-953-0027 / Email: patt.adventurecoach@verizon.net

Visit my website to learn more about the agenda. www.SteppingOutCoaching.com.

The Small Print

To schedule a complimentary 30 minute coaching phone session, email me at Karin@SteppingOutCoaching.com or call 610-667-5247

Visit my website for more coaching info www.SteppingOutCoaching.com

A Note About My Recommendations
I provide links in this newsletter to products and services I am offering or I have personally found valuable. If you are ever disappointed with one of these recommendations, please let them and me know. If they don't make it right, I will.

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