Dear Friends,

I’d like to spotlight some exciting new work. My colleague Kevin Kreitman has developed a fantastic, results-oriented process called Want-ology™: The study of what you really want. If you think you know what you want, but can’t seem to get it – her work is for you! Check out more information in the Useful Resources section or, even better, go directly to Kevin’s website – http://www.theorganizationzone.com/products/wantology/.

My best to you!
Claudette

Feel the Joy

My grandmother died on January 1, 2007. She was my last living grandparent. Her name was Joy. She was 86.

The funeral was in a small Wisconsin town about two hours from Milwaukee. I debated about going – I live near Boston and it felt like a long flight and long drive. I’d miss being with my son for the weekend. Traveling to the funeral would jam up my work week. I knew I didn’t need to go for my own closure.

There was one reason to head to the airport: It would mean a lot to my Dad. So I booked my flight, rearranged schedules with my son’s father, told the people who needed to be told, located the appropriate clothing and packed my bag.

I expected the visitation and funeral would a sad and uncomfortable experience to simply endure. Yet instead I discovered moments of unexpected beauty. Her community of children, friends and grandchildren gathered to mourn and celebrate her life. The flowers perfectly reflected my grandmother’s love of the natural world. The minister’s eulogy captured my grandmother’s essence; her spirit pervaded the room. I felt like I could almost reach out and touch it. The poignancy seemed to bring all of us into the present moment. My grandmother would have loved it.

There were other moments of unexpected beauty:

• My uncle and his friend went out of their way to pick me up at the airport. This saved me from having to rent a car and drive two hours after a tiring day. Theirs was an extraordinary kindness.
• I connected with extended family I hadn’t seen in six years. I felt reconnected to the family spirit; a feeling of “these are my people.”
• My parents, sisters and I spent quality time together, away from the distractions of our children.
• The family - aunts, uncles and cousins - gathered for three meals – a rare tradition in this day and age.

My grandmother’s life was not perfect; she was not perfect. She experienced hard times, she suffered and was, in many ways, trapped in her times. And she was human with the usual host of faults and frailties.

But she saw the best in people. She searched for beauty and noted it as much as she could. She was unfailingly optimistic. She embraced unconventional thinking and she took risks. She was passionate about her causes and she stood up for them.

My grandmother nursed a lifelong passion for animals, especially dogs. She was the co-founder of an animal shelter that serves three counties. She also loved people – she participated as an elected member of both the town council and historical society. When a family member or friend needed a place to stay, they knew her door was always open. She was a longtime advocate of healthy eating and worked for several years in the local health food store.

It’s the essence of Joy that strikes me now – the full force living, the optimistic viewpoint, the passion and zeal, and the ability to embrace the best in people. People liked having her around. What bigger compliment can there be?

After the funeral, my immediate family went to help clean out her room in the nursing home. At the bottom of a box, my aunt found one of my grandmother’s rings. This one was classic Joy: a southwestern style silver ring set with an inch long turquoise stone. I remember her wearing this ring and others like it. I remember from childhood visits to her house – long before I knew what was important to remember, important to file away for future reference.

I wear this ring now. I like its boldness and color. I like that it’s a bit too big for my hand. I like that it’s not “proper.”

True to form, my grandmother died on the first day of a new year instead of the last day of the old. I think she chose this day in her usual optimistic way. The beginning of a new year, fresh and unblemished.

While I believe that my grandmother was in many ways a complicated person, her optimism, compassion and ability to see the best were not complicated. They were simply expressed for the rest of us to enjoy and experience. This is her legacy.

What’s your legacy?
What calls to you?
When you’re 86 years old, what will people remember about you?

We each have a purpose. Find yours. Live it!

return to top

Products & Services

• Coaching Services. Does your career need a tune up? Your business a realignment? How about your passion and purpose – could they stand to be reignited? I’d love to offer you a complimentary coaching consultation. Please contact me directly at 781-316-1923 or write to claudette@metavoice.org to book your 30 minutes with me.
   
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. If you’d like an easy way to get more information about your innate personality preferences and how they effect your career, this is the assessment for you! For more information, please visit http://www.metavoice.org/mbriggs
   
• A Guide to Getting It: A Clear, Compelling Vision. I co-authored this book and I’m so pleased to share it with you. This book is a great resource for the new year – tune up your vision and reignite your life! To purchase, please go to http://www.metavoice.org/store

return to top

Useful Resources

• Want-ology™: The study of what you really want. http://www.theorganizationzone.com/products/wantology/ One reason we don't get what we want is that we don't ask for what we want. We ask for some solution that we think will get us what we want. And often, that solution--a new job, a better relationship, more money--doesn't really get us the satisfaction we thought it would. Want-ology™ is a fun, enlightening, energizing process that will help keep you out of that trap--and create focus, opportunities and progress.
   
• The Joy Diet by Martha Beck. Beck is a very funny writer, which only adds to her book’s sense of joy and serenity. The Joy Diet outlines ten steps designed to bring great fulfillment and happiness into your life. A beautiful diet for the soul.
   

return to top