Hey All

Welcome to my Portage Newsletter. 

I'm fresh back from our Life Transitions retreat in the Virgin Islands. What a wonderful group of adventurous individuals we had this year. My co-host, Patt Osborne, and I would like to thank all who attended. This one was the best ever. 

So, as you can imagine, I still had transitions in mind when I sat down to write this newsletter and thought I’d share some of the things we learned at the 2006 Rest of Your Life Retreat.

I'm a wandering soul with little attachment to planned destinations. For me, it's the discovery and insight along the way that is so much more important. So take what suits you from this newsletter and discard what does not. I won't mind a bit. As I've said before, my intent for this newsletter, if anything, is just to present the musings of a wandering woman. And I do appreciate your feedback. Keep it coming! 

"My aim is not to teach the method that everyone ought to follow in order to conduct his reason well, but solely to reveal how I have tried to conduct my own." ~~René Descartes

A special thanks to those of you who have passed this newsletter on to others.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, insights and understandings. deb@portagecoach.com

If you're anticipating a transition, personal or business, just give me a call at 231-879-4178 or 877-762-4178. 

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Transitions

I can't believe it! I've been a Transition Coach for 10 years this March. I love to help others through transitions. That and my love of backcountry canoeing are the reasons I named my business Portage. I've done more than a few retreats on the subject of life transitions. And yet, when I look back through past newsletters, I see that I've danced and played around the topic without actually writing what I know about transitions. We'll it's about time, don't you think? So in celebration of my 10th year of Transition Coaching...

"It's never too late to become what you might have been." ~~George Eliot

1. Transitions can be as soft as a whisper or as loud as an earthquake.

2. Sometimes a transition starts as an internal shift, as in a new way of looking at things. Sometimes, a transition is brought on by external forces like a job transfer or loss of someone near to you.

3. Every transition is accompanied by a shift in the way we identify ourselves. If we plan the transition, the identity shift is often a prelude to the actual, physical changes in our life. If the transition is driven by outside forces, our identity is often forced to catch up. Either way, a big part of every transition is reconciling our old beliefs with our new identity

4. Using our intuition is critical to a smooth transition. We can transition more deeply and more profoundly by paying very close attention to our intuitive insights, that inner voice of our authentic desires. 

5. When we allow our desires, and allow ourselves to become one who already has whatever it is we're wanting, we bring more of our authentic selves to the transition. These desires provide direction and clues to our path, a path where what we want includes who we are.

6. In that moment when we allow our desires to come from our authenticity, our transition ceases to come from us, but rather through us. We must then, be receptive to something greater. 

7. Often, in the process of “acting on” our transition, the creative option of “allowing” ourselves to be receptive to that greater force is missed. 

8. We merely must wait and be attentive to its arrival of that which we desire.

9. It is far more beautiful, graceful and gratifying to become attractive and receive than to chase things. 

10. Slow down, tune in, and heed the inner call. As you transition, be ready, willing, and able to accept your new identity.

"Any transition serious enough to alter your definition of self will require not just small adjustments in your way of living and thinking but a full-on metamorphosis." ~~Martha Beck

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Peace and much love
Deb
 

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A Note About My Recommendations
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