Hello Dear Ones,

I trust my words find you well. If not... I trust you are doing the best you can with what you have. To be honest, I hesitated a very long time in crafting this email to you. The world's recent upheaval in the Middle East struck me personally in a way I don't have words for. It's possible you feel the same.

I sat with my thoughts for weeks hoping I'd have wisdom and inspiration to share but I just don't. Sometimes there's just a feeling of loss.

Violence has no place in peace. We must create another way to manage our differences. We need a new story, one greater to live into.

To craft a new story though... we must be willing to let go of our old stories that cause unnecessary suffering, and become aware of the ones that do. That's REALLY hard when cultures pass on beliefs that include limiting others.

Have you ever considered why we think the way we do? Who taught ideas past down generation to generation? Is what we've been taught and "know" actually useful? If not... are we willing and brave to change it? Who are we without our labels and beliefs? Who are we willing to become untethered to the past?

I want to believe we have choices. And trust we all will act like we do.

Please choose peace. In your words, your actions, your stories you tell today and the ones you craft for generations to carry forward. What is useful and kind to share? Tell that story.

If you're new to my newsletters-- welcome! I'm grateful for you and our dance we'll share together. I've just celebrated Conduit for Change, LLC's 15th year in business. It's not been easy and each day is its own challenge. As an introvert, it takes an extra effort to reach out, ask for the business, network and develop and deepen relationships.

If you're struggling through this season of change, reach out please. I'm here to help. I love sharing my gifts of transformation with you and those you lead.

Know you are tucked into my heart's pocket. Let me know what's new with you. May peace find you reflecting back its light.

Love and light, Annelies

Inspiring Nuggets Newsletter comes five times a year and is written to help you build resiliency in the face of change. Teachings come through both my personal and professional experiences and the Chinese Five Elements philosophy of Wu Xing (wŭ ching) and Tao, among other philosophies and sciences which highlight and explore unique nature-based ways to understand the processes of change.

The five seasons/element model of Chinese Medicine is at the core of my transformative leadership training and masters's degree in Integrative Coaching. My goal is to help YOU better cope and create through change. Nature is an excellent lens to see life differently.

Find this newsletter useful? Be the gift that keeps giving, share it with a friend! Want to hear more? Invite me to speak at your next conference, place of business, networking or civic groups. Love it? Be a Conduit Angel! Funds go to support free or discounted coaching for under-served populations and to spread the value of coaching to help us all manage change. Thank you in advance! Keep reading!

We are nature and nature is us. We cannot separate our human condition from our work life. They're inseparable. When we try to separate our humanity from the tasks, lists and linear roles of the work-world we harden ourselves and become hard towards others. As life gives us a variety of challenges, exploring problem-solving through nature is an interesting and inspiring lens in which to see life differently!

According to Eastern tradition of Tao, there are five elements expressed through five seasons each represented by an element, color, varied qualities and an emotional characteristic. Here's a simplified explanation.

• Winter : Water : Blue : Stillness : Fear
• Spring : Wood : Green : Creativity : Anger
• Summer : Fire : Red : Connectivity : Joy
• Late Summer : Earth : Yellow : Transformation : Empathy
• Autumn : Metal : White : Acknowledgement : Grief

Autumn is related to element of METAL which represents the emotion of grief and informs a sense of awe, inspiration, loss, acknowledgement and letting go. Through the season of autumn, we are invited to honor the inherent qualities of change and reflect upon the aspects of life which are deeply sacred and transforming. It's impossible to move forward unless we acknowledge where we are in the first place.

THINK: Metal can cut or unify. Metal is sharp, cold, blunt and can release, cut or prune away. Metal can also, like a nail, create clarity by binding things or ideas together.

During Autumn, nature is practicing metal by letting go. She sends tree sap deep within to protect and maintain stability. For us, the element of metal reminds us to acknowledge what is, secure what you can for survival and get straight to the point with your words and actions.

The metaphor of metal is an invitation to be bluntly honest, to slice through the formalities and drama, right to the heart of what needs to be said, felt and released. It's a very powerful metaphor to acknowledge what needs to be known, inside and out. This leads to clarity for you and others. Say what needs to be said. Be impeccable with your word. Do what needs to be done. Release what needs to go. Capish?

That said, here's a truth bomb. We are all grieving to a certain extent. The world is always changing. Much of the change is outside our control. When it's not the world we intend, not the one we can control directly, there's a gap. And there's grief. Lots of hidden grief. That's a truth. Except not all of us recognize we might be grieving. That's a problem.

If you feel sad-- feel sad. Sit with what you are feeling. Don't distract. Find or create a safe place to be heard and to share your vulnerability. Don't let it fester. Don't tuck it away for another day. It'll layer up and bite you later.

The season of Autumn with its Metal Element is a reminder to be honest with our feelings and with each other. Everything is connected.

To integrate the element of METAL and season of AUTUMN in your life and work, I invite you to explore these questions.

• What TRUTH needs to be acknowledged in life or work right now? Think: Truth telling on a deep level.
  

• What are you willing to let go?
  
• When was the last time you were inspired, what were you doing? Do that, if you can. If not, make a plan for pockets of inspiration to occur with more frequency.

Coach with Annelies

If you're wrestling change and want spirit-guided counsel consider coaching with me one-on-one. View Coaching packages here.

Invite Annelies to Speak

If you want a transformative motivational speaker, invite me to speak and/or facilitate a workshop or custom retreat. My expertise topics are resilience, wellness, transformative leadership through mindfulness and creative process. View Speaker page here.

Email: annelies@conduitforchange.com
Website: www.conduitforchange.com
Phone: 919-345-8396

Find this newsletter useful? Be the gift that keeps giving, share it with a friend! Want to hear more? Invite me to speak at your next conference, place of business, networking or civic groups. Love it? Be a Conduit Angel! Funds go to support free or discounted coaching for under-served populations and to spread the value of coaching to help us all manage change. Thank you in advance!