by Debbie Lawrence – founder of Abundant Living Personal Coaching
Debbie Lawrence
I have this saying – you are who you do be with. It is a simple universal truth. In my case, I know I have been shaped by the intense relationship I have with the written word. I have always dedicated time to learning, whether it is through reading, researching, or applying what I have learned. An avid student, my lifelong love affair with learning began early with books. As a young girl, nothing held more appeal than the Nancy Drew series. I remember begging my mother to drive me to the neighboring community where our regional library was housed so I could feast on the newest releases.
Fast forward many years later and little has changed. I still have that love affair with books. I am surrounded by them all the time – in my office, lining my tote bag, tucked in the door of my car, on the bookshelves in my home office, sitting in piles by my bed, in a basket in the washroom, as part of my ever growing kitchen library, and on practically every surface in the living room.
The ideal outing for me is a trip to a bookstore, a great cup of coffee and that moment when you hear the distinctive cracking of the cover of a new book for the first time, the scent of freshly printed pages escaping from within.
What I know about learning is that integration is the key. It is only when we take what we have read or researched and lived it again and again that it becomes infused in the essence of who we are – body, mind and spirit. Otherwise, it is nothing more than trivial data.
My books also serve as the source I turn to for my creative endeavours. A writer and teacher, I know that I bring forth true creativity only when I draw from a cup that overflows. To guarantee that I have an abundance of knowledge from which to draw, I adhere to a daily practice of reading and researching as a way of depositing into my bank account of learning. That is why I always read several books at the same time. Inevitably, there’s a cookbook that I am working my way through recipe by recipe. I am currently reading a plethora of books related to collective consciousness. Then there are the business books that always peak my interest, especially those related to mastering communication in the workplace. I love a well written book of fiction that takes to me a different place and time; and there is sure to be a book in my current collection on experiencing other cultures through travel.
These are tools that enhance my conversational skills. I draw on them when I am teaching, I reference them in my coaching practice, and I love to share what I am learning with friends and family. Books bring me joy and comfort and assurance and get my creative juices flowing. They are who I do be with and, as a result, mirror who I have become as a person. That, for me, is the essence of learning to be.
The founder of Abundant Living Personal Coaching, Debbie Lawrence is a life, business & career coach and author of “Standing In Your Light: Women and Entrepreneurship” and “Dancing in Your Light: 6 Steps to Attracting A Life That Makes Your Heart Sing”.
The former Director of the Professional Ethics Review Committee for the International Association of Coaches, she has been an adult educator and business coach for the past two decades.
Check out her website at: www.abundantliving.ca or call 895-6987.
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