Annelies M. Gentile, MA, PCC
Integrative Life & Leadership Coach
Consultant | Facilitator | Process Artist | Author | Speaker
Hello Dear Ones,
I trust my words find you well. How are you? I think of you often and am here to listen. To help you through the thresholds of change with mindfulness, creativity and grace, as you need when you want.
I also respect your time and space available in your head and heart-- so I'm mindful about frequency and content of my emails to you. I'd rather send one juicy content-filled seasonal email you can revisit than fill your brain and box with short snippits that become more noise. I value your time and sanity. Are you?
Special thank you to my Angel Sponsors who help support content creation and the ministry arm of my coaching business. Thank you!
If you are new here... Welcome! Inspiring Nuggets newsletter is published five times a year and based on the five seasons of Chinese medicine. You'll find this teaching below my personal message. The last publication was in March. You have made it to SUMMER and its element of FIRE!
What brings you joy?
[Addendum]... Since last we connected, I'd say it's been a remarkable Q-2. However, I cannot continue without noting the recent attempt to take out our former president. I'm an independent, taking no side. However, this happening sits very heavily in my heart, as it might yours for various reasons. I want to remind you that no matter what belief or allegiance you hold, we-- collectively have choices.
Every moment is an opportunity to show up as what's missing. If compassion is missing, provide compassion to the best of your ability. If listening is missing, provide listening to the best of your ability. If understanding is missing, provide as much opportunity for understanding to occur. We can disagree peacefully. Do your best. Persistence not perfection.
With this said, I'll continue with my newsletter as written. Thank you.
Practicing what I preach is an on-going process, not always easy and... that is the good work. Wouldn't you agree? The daily moment to moment check-in of mindset and manner. The buzz and busy needn't toss the ship asunder. Staying calm in the storm is a practice of sailing many many seas with eyes wide open, again and again. Persistence versus perfection.
What are you paying attention to?
Since March, I've attended several conferences from executive leadership to faith and science to improv. Everything is connected!
I've spoken on consciousness, creative process, wellness and coached leaders from C-suite roles to soloprenuers and community leaders. Helping leaders contribute compassionately without getting lost themselves is worthy work. I know they make a great impact that affects many people. They often come to me MIA (missing in action), and they don't even know it. I help them center, focus and forge through change mindfully and creatively.
What is your blindspot?
Helping people cross thresholds of change is like a birth. For some, this is a long journey crossing many layers developing inner confidence, navigating grief, seeding and fueling ideation... and letting go. It is a life-long practice whether it's years of coaching or just one session. Fresh perspective is life-changing.
How do you know when you are off center?
Since last we connected, I've also helped a few good friends through tough health challenges, and even had to say goodbye to a client who passed away. I'm still tender about this. My clients stay tucked into my heart's pocket, truly forever. I never forget a spirit.
Who/what are you holding onto so tenderly it hurts?
The heat of June and July here in Raleigh for me... (don't hate me for saying this) is a solace. I struggle about 8 months of the year with the cooler temps and season change. Summer is my happy place. The hotter the better.
What's your favorite season?
I appreciate the torrential rains though like a blessing when they finally come. Interesting how we can witness such swings of abundance in nature.
What feels parched for you right now? Less abundant?
Where might you be drowning otherwise?
Here's a tip to remember. With enough heat of change... we can create a new shape. Without enough heat of change we experience resistance. With too much heat of change we can loose integrity. That can be a tough place to be... and yet, nature always emerges again with another surprise. Everything is connected. I learned this 3 Pillars of Resilience formula while blacksmithing, after I quit Broadway in 2020. Go figure.
Can you notice the swings of the abundance pattern in your own body, life and work?
How does this feel?
Some super celebrations I can share are both personal and professional. On a day I was already scheduled to offer outreach for our astronomy club to feature viewing of the sun, there was the largest geomagnetic solar storm possible! A G-5!! Which caused the Northern Lights to be seen as far south as Cuba! Bucket-list checked! And it only cost me a half-night sleep. ;)
Where have you recently captured surprises right in front of you that are awe-inspiring?
I'm also proud to announce that my largest painting TWEED was sold in a juried show in NYC this month! If you coach with me in-person... you may see lots of open space here in our home for a while!
How does knowing "what's enough" affect your understanding of the world around you, your speaking, doing, and your leadership? Any changes needed?
Don't underestimate the value of blank space! It's imperative to the creative process, health, wellness, wealth and leadership. Nothing can grow in a vacuum. Everything is connected.
How do you carve open space in your life and work to reflect, create and freedom to fine-tune?
You and all your gifts matter! Shine and share. Enjoy your summer and thank you for your presence!
Love and light, Annelies ✨ Schedule with me now
G-5 Solar storm captured in my telescope Friday May 10th. This geomagnetic storm caused the Northern Lights to be seen as far south as Cuba!
Northern Lights captured with my iphone in Raleigh, NC at Falls Lake at 3:30AM. Very rare phenomena!
SUMMER :: Element of FIRE :: Connectivity
Since 2010, each season I provide Inspiring Nuggets of wisdom through this newsletter which sometimes includes invitations to upcoming events. My goal is to help YOU better navigate, cope and create through change. Seasonal 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. In addition, each newsletter aims to help you master mindset and provide resources to build resiliency in the face of personal, professional and cultural change. Find this newsletter useful? Be the gift that keeps giving, share it with a friend!
One of the ways I help professionals become better leaders in life and at work is to help them cope and create through change. We cannot separate the 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. What's more useful is understanding how to integrate our humanity into all expressions of life, even at work.
Whether you are exploring creative retirement, on a path to improve wellbeing and/or fine tuning your leadership, life gives us a variety of challenges to create with. Exploring problem-solving through nature is not only interesting and inspiring, it's also a unique way to better understand our own nature!
Here's how the 5 Elements approach works...
According to Eastern tradition of Tao, there are five elements expressed through five seasons each represented by an element, color and emotional characteristics. Here's a simplified explanation.
• Winter : Water : Blue : Stillness : Fear
• Spring : Wood : Green : Creativity : Anger
• Summer : Fire : Red : Connectivity : Joy
• Late Summer : Earth : Yellow : Integrity : Gratitude
• Autumn : Metal : White : Acknowledgement : Grief
The season of summer is related to the element of FIRE which feeds and inspires laughter, joy, passion, playfulness, connectedness, maturation and expansiveness, and is represented by the color red and the sound of laughing.
Think of fire as a metaphor. Qualities of popping, expanding, bursting forth, the element of fire in the season of summer has the potential to connect to and affect other things. Think of it as an opportunity to bridge separate parts together.
Let's explore just one fire/summer quality; connectivity. Summer if often a time to reconnect to ourselves as we might rest on vacation or sleep in longer (when possible) or connect with others at summer parties, celebrations, family gatherings. Think of this experience as you might feel this in your body and in your actions. Reaching out to shake hands in short bursts, high-fives, potluck gatherings of small plate dishes, laughing with coworkers and new friends.
Connections require showing up to make the effort to meet the other side. The value of the element of FIRE and the season of SUMMER is the invitation to possibly make any attempts to reach out in hopes of something catching, something being enriched.
Consider what needs to be fueled. Also... and just as important... note what's fired up that might need some quenching. What might you be too connected?
The value of the 5 Elements teaching lies in getting really clear where you might be, where others might be and to adapt as needed. Use this wisdom as a lens and tool for resilience.
If this knowledge is a game changer for you and you want to know more, let's talk. I can bring this to your work for a team building event and for executive leadership coaching and for personal development.
Contact Annelies
Empowering people, fostering ideas and changing lives.
Conduit for Change, LLC
Email: annelies@conduitforchange.com
Website: www.conduitforchange.com
Phone: 919-345-8396