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Sharing Simple Pleasures and Extravagant Finds in New England & Beyond
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Magical moments of reward by Gail Jones creator of Support Matters ...Intuitive coach, insightful writer, and savvy PR consultant
“I celebrate myself, and what I assume you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease…observing a spear of summer grass.” –Walt Whitman
Every time you take actions out of your comfort zone, or spend considerable time working hard, I recommend you consciously reward yourself for your courage and effort.
Last Tuesday, I heeded my own counsel. After several weeks of extending my writing and marketing efforts in new ways, I indulged in a blissful afternoon of joy by playing hooky on Crane’s Beach in Ipswich, Mass. bubble
I could not have scripted a finer afternoon. As I let go and gave myself permission to just be, I relaxed into one delightful moment after another. Commencing with a brisk walk, I took in the gentle breezes and friendly faces of those who passed me by, before settling onto my beach towel with a picnic of homemade salad and fresh Asiago parmesan cheese bread (and yes, I helped baked that bread at the farm where I am learning new creative skills—see previous blog posts).
The downtime turned into “up” time as all around me I observed people highly engaged with life, amidst the sand and sea. Two beach towels over from where I was sitting, I was anonymously gifted a private concert by a man who was playing a guitar and singing a beautiful song to his girlfriend. Unsure if it was the passion for his music or his lover, or both, I witnessed a laid-back contentment on this man’s face that touched me at the core, where I increasingly value such simple surprises. Humming along with him in my own quiet way, I allowed the rhythm of his performance to set the slow-going pace for my day.
A couple hundred feet over in the other direction was a young professional, clearly communicating with his office via a cell phone. Smirking to myself, I wondered if anyone had any idea he was cleverly doing his work from a beach. Technical advances may have de-personalized some of our conversations, but they have certainly expanded our freedom—or in this case, the way we do business.
Other life perspectives emerged, too, as I realized mid-afternoon, off-season beach life seems more intriguing than summer mode when families and young children abound. The writer in me wanted to know the story behind each individual who was opting to spend a Tuesday afternoon by the sea instead of in daily routines. Was the woman walking with her head down grieving the loss of someone she cared about? Could the man who seemed to be ferociously reading be studying for an exam that may lead him to his dream job? Did the two people approaching one another from opposite directions find a reason to connect?
Pondering others’ lives instead of my own was fun, bringing me back to the creative energy of my imagination. Leaving the beach a few hours later, I returned home feeling renewed and grateful that by taking a few hours off in a different location, I granted myself a vacation.
When I immersed back into work to prepare a speech I was to deliver the following week, I knew I would plan another reward for putting myself on the line again. Maybe the next celebration will be a jaunt to Rockport some late afternoon for a few hours of picture-taking with a good friend.
Rewarding yourself with magical moments
With the tools of a coach, the soul of a writer, and the wisdom of a reflective life, Gail brings an innovative approach to helping her clients achieve personal, professional and financial success.
Three times an entrepreneur, she has first-hand experience at starting both product-based and service businesses. Specifically, Gail has created and owned a successful, high technology PR agency, an award-winning gourmet retail store and her current innovative and specialized business serving both coaching and entrepreneurial PR clients.
You can read more from Gail on her blog Support Matters
