From the category archives:

Coaching

Leaves as Moons, Moving Boldly into the Future – Picture to Ponder – vol 6 – issue 32

by Sheila Finkelstein on August 11, 2010

Usually the photograph dictates the writing in Picture to Ponder. It’s somewhat reversed today as you’ll see below. I invite you to simply experience the photo and then check the “story” of it and how it came to be
Today’s Featured Photo -

Kaitlyn's Moons“Kaitlyn’s Moons”

Today’s Photo Story -
Today’s picture is symbolic of the nostalgia I’m feeling. Given it’s the start of a new school year, or approaching it, and/or for others nearing the end of Summer vacations (if you are in the United States) I suspect you, too, might be experiencing some emotional ups and downs.

My granddaughter Kaitlyn, a little over two years of age in the above photo, is now 18 and leaving for college this weekend. A very talented and special young woman, I’ve been reflecting and writing on some of her precious attributes to include in a card for her when she departs.

In the process of writing I went back through some old photos to trigger and reinforce memories. The above photo is on the cover of a book she asked me to create for her, when she was 3. I’ve always loved the photo and it seemed to call out to be featured today to represent the walking boldy into the future that so many of us and/or our children or other associates are doing.

The title “Kaitlyn’s Moons” evolved from the fact that Kaitlyn called the leaves “moons.” Those of you into astrology may have fun adding an interpretation to the moon shapes showing in the photo.

Note: If you do, please share this with us in the comments below.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
In addition to Kaitlyn’s starting college, her brother is starting high school next week. My older grandson in Georgia started last week. His younger brother started 5th grade, the end of his elementary school years.

A lot of movement and changes are taking place. I invite you to now reflect on your own life. Where are the changes happening? They may not be major ones and I’m sure you can find some?

What is your response to changes? Are you enlivened? Fearful? Do you go forward confidently or waver and perhaps withdraw? Are there patterns that you can identify?
I am still querying these myself, noticing the spaces where I allow myself to be held back?

Rather than attempt to put forth any answers here today, I’ll leave you with the queries and invite you to post in this issue’s COMMENTS section below.

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Obstacles as Gifts as seen in Phalaenopsis Orchids – Picture to Ponder – v6 – issue 28

by Sheila Finkelstein on July 14, 2010

I’ve been busy organizing and planning today’s call for moms in deepening connections and communication with their young children. I was once again moved to tears and smiles when Tracy, one of the interviewees, responded to an email mentioning the “STRONG heart connection” with her and her daughter.

Also, though the call is not about using the camera, I asked Tracy if she and her daughter are still using the camera. She replied:

“I would definitely bring up the camera thing because we do it all the time. We also look at your Pictures to Ponder and we each share what we see and feel from the pictures…..she also takes pictures when we are out and she will say every other day….”I need the camera…I need to get a picture……”

Tracy’s comments led me to wondering, “Are there people in your life whom you engage in interaction with your experiences to the photos and/or queries here in Picture to Ponder?”

If you are interested in being on the call, today, Wednesday, July 14th at 2:30 PM PDT/5:30 PD EDT we will be “meeting” by phone (Skype is possible also). If you can’t make the call, it will be recorded and you can get the MP3 download later. See Child Connections to request information.

Lastly, my good friend, Julie Gabrielli, Mom and Architect, www.goforchange.com, will also be joining Tracy and me. You may recall I wrote about Julie and her son, featuring his tulip photos a couple of months ago.

Today’s Photos -
Phalaenopsis orchids at the American Orchid Society Gardens. The middle and lower photograph are obviously the same. The lower one had a minor adjustment. See (Today’s Photo Story below.)

White phalaenopsis at American Orchid Society

phalaenopsis darker background
phalaenopsis - background lightened

Today’s Photos Story -
When I opened these downloaded photos the first photo I saw was the middle/bottom one. Though the flowers were beautiful, I felt confronted and briefly thought of this as a theme for an upcoming Picture to Ponder. Then I let it go.

A couple of days later the top photo “spoke” to me, the flowers presenting almost a wall, keeping me out. Then I noticed the single flower in the lower right protected by its own wall, the root.

Is it protection or is it a barrier? There is also the one flower on the far left that we could put the interpretation of “look-out guard” or might it be protector in the whole scene?

As I mentioned above the middle and bottom photos are the same, with a simple “fix” or Photoshop Elements enhancement on the bottom that lightened the background, softened and lighted the white of the flowers and now has a slightly more “welcoming” feeling. Just that one very minor click, made, for me, a huge shift in the response the photo evokes.

Now, scrolling back up to the first photo, the small flower on the lower right brings a smile to my face. I could continue to make up all kinds of “stories” about her – the hugs she might want or the “gift” she might be.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
As you might have guessed, today’s “stories” to the photos are partially a reflection of “stuff” I was going through. They even look different today, less “threatening.”

Once again, I realize, I’m demonstrating life and the “stories” we often make up about things. Sometimes they help. More often than not they exacerbate, for us, a situation we “think” we might be in, or a “challenge” we may be facing. It could be “real” or our “interpretation.”

Looking into your life right now are there situations for which you are making up “stories”, possibly even living into those stories, sharing them with others, making them more “real” for you. If so, I invite you to step back and bring new eyes to the situation. As in the third photo above, is there a simple adjustment you can make to the “story” to shed a different light on it?

And, sometimes, no matter what we “do” certain things may not change, at least not so long as we have an attachment to their being “different.” The peace is in the “letting go.” Is there anything going on for you right now that you are willing to release?

Yesterday, in the Mastermind Group with Molly Gordon in which I’m a participant, we spoke of “problems/challenges” often getting stored as baggage. One participant said she’ll often take a problem she may have and metaphorically puts it in a small box, wraps the latter, ties it up with a pretty ribbon and places it in a drawer. When the problem comes up again in the future (don’t they always?), she’ll take the box out of the drawer to open up and find the GIFT within!

I had a further conversation with my friend Marifran Korb who is BRILLIANT in finding the “gift” in anything. She has a new BlogTalkRadio show where she’s had, and will have shows, including the “Gift of Having ADHD”, the “Gift of Depression” and her own book in the works, “Breaking through Concrete: The Gift of Having Mentally-Ill Parents. All sound “heavy” and how much easier our lives are when we find the openings.

I invite you to again look in your life. What are the gifts in it? Make note of them for reminders. Be sure to include on it the gift of yourself and what you bring to yourself and the others.

I’m going save the singular flower in the top photo! She’s full of wonder and the desire for discovery.

As always have fun with these queries and looking/seeing. Also, please post your responses in the COMMENTS section below.

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Roseate Spoonbills in Green Cay and Intentionality – Picture to Ponder – v6 – issue 27

by Sheila Finkelstein on July 7, 2010

Last week I mentioned having spent time looking for Roseate Spoonbill photos for you and then went with a different subject. The result of my delaying is that I’ve every time I’ve gone for a sunset walk at Green Cay Wetlands this week I had the pleasure of enjoying the Spoonbills even more. I now have new photos for you.

Last week, I also mentioned my expanding into coaching moms in deepening connections and communication with their young children while having the same freedom of “play” with them that the grandparents have. The date has been set for an introductory open phone call with two moms with whom I’ve worked. We will be “meeting” by phone (Skype is possible also) next Wednesday, July 14th at 2:30 PM PDT/5:30 PD EDT. I will be interviewing Sus and Tracy and there will be time for spot coaching with a few people on the call. For more details and place to get a reminder, plus the call recording, see Child Connections.

Lastly, for the artists among you interested in Proven Strategies To Set up A No-Stress, Successful Social Media Act for selling your art, Ariane Goodwin, creator and facilitator of smARTist Telesummit has a special offer, ending tomorrow night, for 50% off a social media bundle. See Using Social Media. The material is actually good for anyone here in business who wants to know more about using Social Media to expand.

On to Today’s Photos -

Roseate Spoonbills in a tree in Green Cay Wetlands

Roseate spoonbill shoveling

The top photo is of two Roseate Spoonbills, at dusk, on a tree skeleton in Green Cay Wetlands. I’ve included the photo below it to show the brilliance of the pink plumage and also give a sense of the rapid movement in the blur of its head.

Because the Spoonbills do not stay still, I decided to also share them with you in video format.

If you pay close attention to the above video, at approximately 15 seconds you’ll see a feather fly off to the left. Toward the end a Black-necked Stilt walks across the Spoonbill’s reflection.


Near the beginning of the above video you will see a couple of Spoonbills spread their wings showing their brilliant pink color. To see Spoonbills parading, click on Spoonbill Parade to bring you to my YouTube page. Sorting by “date added”, on the right, will show you the four most recent Spoonbill videos I did.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
I’m somewhat at a loss for “queries” as I start to write this section, so I’m thinking, “What lessons are we getting from the Spoonbills?” As I look up at the first photo, I see peace and quiet. Then I reflect on the almost, always-in motion, constantly sweeping bill, behavior of the Spoonbills.

I, thus, invite you to look in your life. Are there places where you are in constant motion? Is there a part of you that’s still while other parts of you are rapidly “moving”? What does it look like when you rest? How does it feel?

Then, thinking about the Spoonbills and how they went suddenly from a random group to an intentional line-up, moving in parade style, to an adjacent location, I’m moved to ask the following. Is there any place in your life now where you can line up parts of yourself, and perhaps, others to move with the same focused, single-minded determination that the Spoonbills had? Note, they did come right back, presumably with “mission accomplished.”

As always have fun with these queries and looking/seeing. Also, please post your responses in the COMMENTS section below.

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Commonalities – Regal Faces in Clouds and on Boardwalk – Picture to Ponder – V6 – Issue 24

by Sheila Finkelstein on June 16, 2010

It is my intention for today’s message to be brief. When you scroll down and look at the two different photos you may wonder at their relevance to one another. Usually I look for a theme and, using art principles, I always attempt having them hold together and relate both visually and aesthetically to one another

Not wanting to intrude on your individual responses, I’ll expand further in my notes below the photos.

Today’s Photos -

profile in the clouds at sunset from a balcony in Boynton Beach

Princess or angel in a wood knot

To give reference to the perspective from which it was shot, the top sunset photo was taken from the balcony of a penthouse apartment in Boynton Beach, FL.

Although she looks somewhat pained, I love the regal, queenly appearance of the woman in the clouds whom we see in profile facing to our right. If you enjoy exploring further, you might see the second much smaller profile face in her “neck.” It, too, faces to the right. Then there is the one on our left at the top of her full hat, facing skyward. I suspect you will find more.

The image in the lower wood knot photo brought a quick smile to my face when I almost stepped on it on the boardwalk at Green Cay Wetlands in Boynton Beach. She looks like she is winking at us with the eye on our right. She has the feel of a “Greek Goddess and also an angel, though the wing we see is misplaced. It wouldn’t be attached to her cheek.
RE Art and Composition:
To complete on my thoughts from the introduction, what’s holding together the space that these two photos are occupying is that:

1. The subject of both is women, albeit imaginary ones, and

2. There is a bit of burnt orange in the wood that picks up on the orange in the sunset. Colors in the wood are also repeated throughout the sky and clouds in the top photo.

There is a similar linear pattern in both, though horizontal in the top and vertical on the bottom.

Today’s Photo Story -
No story today beyond what I’ve shared above in the photos and, as I see it, there is plenty of “juice” for many stories. Why not have fun and make up some of your own.

If you have children, or know any, I invite you to share these photos with them and listen to their observations and stories. And, certainly don’t neglect the “children” within the adults in your world. Please invite them to have fun with you also.

No more words on either. I invite you to BE with each, fully for a moment or two, less or more, and simply experience the images.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
Today, I also invite you to reflect on your responses, or reactions, to today’s photos. Did you see the faces I saw? Did you have judgments on my observations on the photos, or other things I might have said?

If so, was your response, or judgments, part of a pattern that you can identify and match to other situations in your life? If so, is there anything you can take from it, remind yourself of, and/or acknowledge yourself for, to further empower yourself in those areas or others?

And, as I stated last week, and at other times, it’s all made up. What stories are you making up in your life today? Are they serving you? providing fun? openings for interactions with others?

Thanks for “playing.” As always have fun with these queries and looking/seeing. Also, please post your responses in the COMMENTS section below.

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Shadows and Light – Nuts and Bolts – Anchors in Life – Picture to Ponder: v6 – Issue19

by Sheila Finkelstein on May 11, 2010

Today’s Picture to Ponder photos are a little different from our usual flowers, birds and/or reflections and may not be considered by you as “pretty” pictures. They are the result of “ponderings” I’ve been in for the past week. See “Story” below.

The bottom line is my often times repeated observations, “where there are shadows, there is light” had surfaced. “In order to have shadows we MUST have light.” This thus was the underlying observation, as I glanced toward the front door at the end of my foyer yesterday. The pattern below below popped out at me. Sunlight was coming in the sidelight windows casting shadows of the plant in its path. The second, railing and exposed screw photo, suggests, to me, noticing the anchors in our lives.

Also, the shadows and light theme, seems to be fitting to acknowledge the official launch of CHECK MATES, today, with several bonuses for those who purchase it today.

“Despite the growing awareness of such conditions, stereotypes persist…and an inspiring (and inspired) group of writers have boldly decided to do something about that. Together, they have compiled a groundbreaking new book – a collection of Fiction, Poetry and Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder by People with OCD. See Check Mates for Bonuses and Purchasing information.”

Today’s Photos -

light and shadows on front foyer floor

exposed screw on railing in Green Cay drill into wood knot

The top photo is of Light and Plant shadows on my foyer floor.

The lower photo is an exposed screw anchoring the top of the boardwalk railing in Green Cay Wetlands. Though there is not much in shadows here, I do love the coloring and the rhythm of the patterns in the wood.

Today’s Photos’ Story -

At random times the light and shadows observation “hits” me. Last week, on one of the Awakened Wisdom bonus calls, I asked Patrick Ryan a question in relation to the “meaning” of something someone had told me. It related to something Patrick had said. Not knowing me, he said he couldn’t answer the question.

What he suggested was that I take a walk in Nature with that question in mind and pay attention to whatever showed up. (Almost sounded like I was speaking.) He said I could find the answers in that.

I don’t know that I found the “exact answer” AND the first observation that hit me, before even going out for a walk, were the shadows of outside plants, dancing on my patio in the midst of large blocks of light. The shadows danced; the light stayed bright and stable!

Later on in the day, when I went for a walk on the boardwalk at Green Cay Wetlands, the first thing I saw was a collapsed spider web still holding firmly on to the top and bottom of upper and lower boards. So now a reminder of the “stabililty” in my life came into my consciousness. After that, in addition to my usual noticing of wood knots, screws and nuts and bolts started surfacing into my field of perception.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
Bottom line query today:

In your life do you spend most of your time looking at the shadows, or do you focus on the light, allowing the shadows to simply help define the light that’s there?

If you are intrigued with the thought of shadows, my friend Renee Barnow wrote on Groundhog Day, here in the US, “Seeing Your Shadow” on her blog. In it she put forth two queries:

“• Ask what is good about your shadow, for those of us who are uncomfortable seeing our shadow and

• Move into even more sunlight with your shadow, which will be with you anyway as, “You take yourself with you wherever you go,” and see what shows up in the brilliance of the sun” See Right-Line Blog.”

Lastly, since I did bring up discovering “screws and bolts” as anchors in life, I invite you to look at those components which lock the components of your life together and support you.

If you find yourself in occasional states of fear, as have a few people I’ve coached recently, I invite you to pay particular attention to the latter.

I suggest that you also use self-acknowledgment, a daily diary of at least five things for which you can acknowledge yourself. This is one way of setting up, or adding to your “tool box.”

As always have fun with this and please post your responses in the COMMENTS section below.

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Not Paying Attention – Missing Out on Purple Tulips, Wild Irises and Life – Picture to Ponder – v6 – issue 17

by Sheila Finkelstein on April 28, 2010

Today’s Photos -

Purple Tulip #1

With tilted head, querying “What do you see?
Where will you be taking me?”

purple tulip 2

“Nestled in; comfy and cozy, safe
and protected before I emerge.”

wild iris in Wakodahatchee wetlands

“Bright light; rhythmic petals, curve and dance,
reflecting many aspects of life.”

Today’s Photos’ Stories -
I purchased the above tulips for my annual tulip photographing, acknowledging the APDA annual fundraiser walk for Parkinson’s Research (see Vol 6 – Issue 13). I was really excited with both the richness of color of the tulips and the variety of stages they were in… the potential for so many great photos. I did one photos “session” and then, although they were on a table in my living room for my enjoyment, I TOTALLY forgot about watering them! A week after I purchased them they had wilted and were beyond resurrection. Evidently I hadn’t been paying much attention to them. On my living room table, they had even been in visible range any time I walked through that central location and were there for sidewise glances whenever I watched TV.

Then, last week, when I was organizing photos to share after the Events and Adventures Saturday photo walk I led, I came across the wild iris photographs I had taken at Wakodahatchee Wetlands last year. I glanced at the dates – February and March 2009 – and was aghast. I had TOTALLY missed them this year! Though I have not been walking at Wakodahatchee as much this year as in the past, I certainly had to have passed the Iris location there at least two or three times, and probably more, during this 2010 bloom period.

Granted there may have been fewer this year as a result of the unusual cold spell we had here in Florida, they were still there. This was confirmed by one of the participants in Saturday’s workshop who lives near me and had seen them.

In both cases it will be a full year before I can resurrect the experiences, AND they will never be the same.

As an aside, for those who live in the tri-state, NJ/NY/PA, area and love irises, Presby Memorial Gardens in Montclair, NJ has a WONDERFUL collection. According to their website their irises will be in full bloom from May 15th to June 6th. It’s a not-to-be-missed “show” for Iris lovers. Several years ago I did my photo/drawing process on several of the photos I took. See Iris Photo/Drawings.

Self-Reflecting Queries -
Given my “stories” above, the obvious queries for today include my invitation to look in to your life and see:

Are there places where you “know” you are not paying attention? – Listening to your children, spouse, friends, strangers? Being human qualifies you for a “yes” answer here!

Now looking at one or more of those situations, can you identify a pattern of when those inattentive times might occur? You may make a request, assuming an answer; ask for a name and already be posing the next question, without fully paying attention to an answer.

How many times have you been driving someplace and suddenly look out and noticed you’ve “suddenly” gotten to your destination,

or not? Placed your keys, mail, or important papers down someplace and then can’t find them. There are a myriad of other situations, I’m sure, that you can uncover.

For me, I am setting a goal to be more cognizant of some of the patterns I might pick up on for myself, set the intention to be more mindful and assume that the “training” will put be in a future place where I won’t miss the seeing the irises and watering the plants. Perhaps, I’ll end up putting some easy and fun, new structures in place.

I invite you to also start paying more attention, at least for the next few days, to your own inattentions.

As always, have fun with this and please post your comments below.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES -
Conscious Business Marketing Panel – Between May 3rd and June 9th, 30 experts share:

• Getting Top Name Sponsorship for Your Online and Offline Events
• Stop Selling and Start Sharing: How Your Marketing Changes the World
• How to Use a Book as a Business Card
• Attracting and Nurturing Your List with Newsletters and Done for You Products
• and so much more . . .
on a telephone conference call bridge line. Replay available for listening to at no charge for 24 hours and full packet of MP3 recordings can be purchased, at a low investment, to have for your listening and reference anytime in the future. Click on Marketing Summit for more information and to register for call details.

OCD Book – Might you have OCD or do you know anyone who does? On May 11th the book Check Mates is being launched. See OCD Launch to register to be reminded of the day and the bonuses.

The book is a collection of fiction, poetry and artwork about obessive compulsive disorder by people with OCD. To learn more about OCD and the book, go to Check Mates. Even if you don’t think you know anyone for whom this fits, Vrinda’s (the author) story, and those of many others, is interesting to read about. And there is a 44-page preview of the book on Preview.
(Disclaimer Note: Should you make a purchase of this series, I do benefit as an affiliate.)

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Beauty and Transformation: Monarch Butterfly and Beyond – Picture to Ponder – v6 – Issue 16

April 21, 2010

Today’s Photos -

Monarch Butterfly in Chrysalis
(on right side occupying 3/4 of the vertical space)

Plant on which caterpillar had attached itself
(Look closely at upper left side of plant.)

Monarch Butterfly Emerged from Chrysalis – next day
Photo Courtesy of Sheldon Rosin
Today’s Photos’ Story -
This Saturday I am leading a Photography Walk and Workshop for a small group [...]

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Differing Perspectives – Is Close-Up Confrontation – Picture to Ponder – v6-issue 15

April 15, 2010

One thing I’ve neglected to mention in the past two postings,  in relation to Parkinson’s Awareness Month, all profits from sales off products with Tulip images in my Nature Art Gift Shop will be donated to the April Walk-A-Thon fund – 100% for research. See TULIPS The top three folders contain tulip products.
Today’s Photos -
Amaryllis [...]

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Listening Attentively – Boy, Wood Knots and Blue-Winged Teals – Picture to Ponder – v6 – Issue 11

March 16, 2010

If you are ever feeling stuck or in a funk and you’ve been around me for a while, you might hear my voice say, “Grab your camera. Pay attention to what catches your eye and take some pictures.” I’ve written about this in articles and you’ve most likely read my RX in the PDF file [...]

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Beauty Continues in Aged Rose – Picture to Ponder – vol 6 – Issue 8

February 23, 2010

As you most likely recall, roses were featured in the last issue of Picture to Ponder – “Perfections, Imperfections, Counting Blessings” (see post below this).
Although I had not intended a continuation of the theme or photos, I am in such awe of the beauty of several of the roses, now eight days older, that I [...]

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