Write Your Story

Jordan Birch - Thursday, May 09, 2013

Guest blog by Katherine Warman 

Last spring, I landed in Vancouver BC, broke and broken. Despite my eagerness to start anew, the emotional and physical baggage that I had accumulated along my adventures was preventing me from moving forward.
  

Within days, I ran into Jordan Birch (whom I recognized from flyers in a local business) in three of my favourite places – a yoga studio, the library, and on the trails. I had finally slowed down enough to acknowledge life beyond coincidence. I was finally willing to accept help unpacking life’s lessons.

During each session with Jordan, nature trails and metaphors guided me to make discoveries about my own nature. In between sessions, I continued to marvel in metaphors and connect the “coincidences” and as I did, my story began to unravel. 

… a story interwoven with internal dialogue and conflict that I believed I had little control over. My hopes and my fears were written into my perceptions, creating the landscapes of my life. Instead of changing my point of view, I changed landscapes, from country to country until I had no place to go but in.

Jordan helped me realize that in order to determine a different direction, I first had to stop, look back and look in to see how I arrived in my present position.

Look in and you will discover that you are the author of your own story, not a character in somebody else’s. Look in and you will discover you are more than your storyline. Look in and you will discover you are your own healer. Look in and you will discover there is actually no such thing as disconnect; we are all connected. Look in and you will discover everything you need in order to align with your ultimate purpose and restore balance…

Growth for me meant digging deep and growing roots in order to stand strong and reach out. After six months of working with Jordan as my coach and eventually my editor, he assured me one way of reaching out would be to share my story with others.

In sharing this journey that finally led me home to heal, I hope I can help others find their ways back Home, where all healing begins. Though each individual’s story and interpretation is different, we are all the writers of our own reality.

I thought I wrote Enough! Rewriting Reality through Pieces of Poetry to rewrite the perceptions of my past.

…I worried a year would pass and I’d still be looking at an empty page, both figuratively and literally, with nothing to show for what I had been through and thought I knew. I intended to write meaning back into the hollowness of my words and take authorship over the story of my life.

What I had not realized, until after the After-word, is that I had actually rewritten my future through the magic of metaphors.

…Spring is approaching, and other than the seasons, there is little evidence of a change in conditions in the external environment. Internally, I don’t feel like an accomplished author or proud poet, nor do I (or will I) feel self-conscious and regret what I have lived and written. I don’t feel like I am a story or even a poem.

I am a blank page of an open book, perfect and promising.

Katherine Warman has a M.A. in multicultural and transnational literature and a certificate in nature writing. She is the author of the blog Sense & Spirit, and the ebook Enough! Rewriting Reality through Pieces of Poetry. After spending the three years teaching, studying, and traveling throughout Central America, she has returned to Port Moody, B.C. to deepen her roots. 

Jordan Birch is a Certified Professional Life Coach living and working in greater Vancouver. His passions drive him to empower you to eliminate self-destructive and limiting behaviours so you can breakthrough insanity—doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. In his private practice 'Get Out Of Doors' he fuses transformational Life Coaching and a partnership with nature as a metaphor and medium for change. 

For deeper roots and greater heights connect with Jordan:

getoutofdoors.com

LIKE on Facebook 

FOLLOW @getoutofdoors on Twitter

Jordan Birch | Life Coach in Nature | Proudly serving | Port Moody | Vancouver | Whistler | & every trail in between. 

Walk n' Talk

Jordan Birch - Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Guest Blog by Karen Nichol 

Who would have thought that an impromptu “walk n’ talk” along Rocky Point Trail last summer would completely transform my life within 6 months.  This is the story of how Royal City Physiotherapy came to be.  

 

My good friend and neighbor, Jordan Birch kept mentioning that we should hang out and catch up with each other.  We finally found a time that worked for us on a sunny Wednesday afternoon.  We met at our local coffee shop, grabbed two iced teas and went for a stroll along the trail.  Jordan asked me what was going on in my life these days and where I could see myself being career wise in the next few years.  I explained to Jordan my current situation, I had been contracting as a physiotherapist at a clinic in New West for almost 14 years and was really ready for a change.  I told him that I had always wanted to have my own sports clinic and had gone through the motions of looking into it a few times over the last 7 years but it had just never worked out.  The partners I had hoped to do it with, in the end, just weren’t ready to make the jump and take the risk. 

As I chatted more about it with him I explained to him where I thought some ideal locations would be, what I envisioned my clinic looking like, and how I wanted it to operate.  I really wanted my “virtual clinic” to be a community hub, a place of education and healing.  I wanted to be able to provide a venue for all of the organizations that I’d worked with in the New Westminster area to be able to come to and learn for free.  I said I would love to provide various free workshops to all the athletes, coaches, clients, teachers etc.  As well, I wanted it to be a place where children enjoyed coming to and weren’t nervous.  My key objective was to be able to educate the community on injury prevention as well as teach individuals how to properly rehabilitate their own injuries.  As we chatted more, I said to Jordan that maybe there was a way that I could just do this all on my own.  I started thinking out loud to myself as to how I could financially wrangle such an endeavor. 

Over the next few weeks I found myself looking at commercial properties in the Tri-Cities area, formatting business plans and talking to banks about business loans.  By August, I had set up to buy a new commercial space in the New Westminster area, to be ready August 2013.  I pulled out of this deal at the last minute as I realized the space was going to be much too small for what I had envisioned my clinic to be and parking was a concern.  I was definitely disappointed but now really motivated to find something as now, I could totally envision the end goal. 

There was a spot I had always thought would be a great location in the Sapperton area of New Westminster should a space ever come available.  It had a huge parking lot, tons of windows, easily accessible from all directions and close to my existing client base.  I noticed one day in November that an existing business in this building had ceased operations.  I immediately got a hold of the building owner and told him of my interest.  Within 2 weeks we had come up with a lease agreement and I took possession Jan 1st, 2013.  A crazy 6 weeks of renovations ensued.  But thanks to RMK Construction, we converted that restaurant into my dream sports clinic.  I opened for business Feb 11th.  Of course there were the usual opening week disasters, and more, but I couldn’t have been happier. As exhausted and broke as I was, my dream had come true! 

The funny thing about all of this was that I hadn’t really realized the impact of that walk n’ talk until a friend asked me in July what had suddenly motivated me to become so determined to open my own business.  I had to think about it for a bit and then realized how that trail walk had allowed me to open up and verbalize my dreams, goals and even action plans.  That walk set me in motion without my even realizing.  When I ran into Jordan in August I was so excited to tell him what had been happening since we met and thanked him for helping me realize and verbalize what I had always wanted to do.  Of course Jordan was as excited as I was and so happy that he had anything to do with me chasing my dreams down. 

When Jordan asked me recently if I would be interested in telling the story of how my dream came to be, I was of course thrilled to tell my story.  This whole process has been such an amazing learning experience for me but it has also made me realize that often the most important moments in life are not always obvious at the time.  Sometimes those ‘little’ moments with a friend on a nature walk are much larger than we even realize.  And I cannot thank my friend Jordan enough for asking me to go on a walk with him that day!  

By Karen Nichol

Karen Nichol graduated from The University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy in 1999.  She is a member of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association as well as the Physiotherapy Association of B.C.  Karen previously worked at New West Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Centre until 2013.  

Karen has always worked extensively with sports teams at various levels.  These include Premier Rugby, Jr A Football, Canadian Field Hockey, as well as Sr A and Canadian Lacrosse. She is currently the head therapist for Coquitlam Adanac Sr A's, the NLL's Washington Stealth and served as chief therapist for Team Canada's lacrosse team during both the 2007 & 2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships.  She served as a head therapist for several years with The On-Field Clinic, specializing in sports specific rehab of pro and amateur athletes.  Karen is consultant and head therapist for the Police Academy at The Justice Institute of B.C. since 2004. Karen enjoys staying active in her free time with running, hiking, biking, swimming and yoga.

Jordan Birch is a Certified Professional Life Coach living and working in greater Vancouver. His passions drive him to empower you to eliminate self-destructive and limiting behaviours so you can breakthrough insanity—doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. In his private practice 'Get Out Of Doors' he fuses transformational Life Coaching and a partnership with nature as a metaphor and medium for change. 

For deeper roots and greater heights connect with Jordan:

getoutofdoors.com

LIKE on Facebook 

FOLLOW @getoutofdoors on Twitter

Proudly serving | Port Moody | Vancouver | Whistler | & every trail in between. 

Don't wait for a breakthrough moment. Create one!

Jordan Birch - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Welcome. This is my office. 

My name is Jordan Birch. I am a nature connected Life Coach and founder of Get Out Of Doors Life Coaching. Your positive experiences in nature are a channel for self discovery and a platform that awaits you to create and live the life you truly want to live. 

Step outside. Walk beside me. Out here in nature you will heal, grow, and evolve. You will get unstuck. Now is the time to stop doing what you've always done and get what you've always gotten. Breakthrough with me.  

 

I have a tool designed to create breakthroughs that can transform your life, as they have mine. I have developed a unique, step-by-step life coaching program that empowers you to eliminate what’s not working in your life so you can uncover the best of who you truly are.

 

Are you ready to break free from what’s not working in your life? Do something different. choose a different path – one that will lead you to where you know you are meant to be.

 

Out here I deliver guided walks inspired by relevant, experiential activities in natural areas, to deepen your transformation. My life coach approach creates opportunities for you to harness the most positive and insightful experiences we all have in nature.

 

I invite you to step outside and take a walk with me. Now is the time.  

Jordan Birch is a Certified Professional Life Coach living and working in greater Vancouver. His passions drive him to empower you to eliminate self-destructive and limiting behaviours so you can breakthrough insanity—doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. In his private practice 'Get Out Of Doors' he fuses transformational Life Coaching and a partnership with nature as a metaphor and medium for change. 

For deeper roots and greater heights connect with Jordan:

getoutofdoors.com

LIKE on Facebook 

FOLLOW @getoutofdoors on Twitter

Proudly serving | Port Moody | Vancouver | Whistler | & every trail in between. 

Love is in the air

Jordan Birch - Thursday, February 14, 2013

Guest blog by Katherine Warman 

Valentine’s Day is a day of mixed emotions. Some couples plan to be sweet; some singles plan to be bitter; some people are pleasantly surprised, others deeply disappointed. “In love” or not, by the end of the day, many of us are wondering how a day that was supposed to be special could cause so many emotions other than love.

Society sells us love in the form of chocolate, candies and dinner reservations followed by a sweet and sexy dessert, but love needs to be redefined, not refined into anything impure, certainly not into sugar. We like to think we know that love is not a material object to be obtained, yet we search for it anyway. When we accumulate some, we want to share, so we give love away in various forms to those around us, but when the investment isn’t returned in the same form or acknowledged by a “thank you,” we feel without. Once we have touched and tasted it, we crave more, but how do we know which cravings are unhealthy habits and which are messages from our deepest needs? People are beginning to ask questions about the quality of food products: Where are they coming from and how are they manufactured and distributed before being purchased and consumed? How many of us have stopped to ask, where does love come from? By understanding where love comes from and how it is distributed, we can make healthier choices by experiencing it in the purest form possible.

Love comes from the self, but when the mind and body aren’t communicating properly, the relationship lacks the balance required to produce and express love. If one gets more attention than the other, one withdraws and one becomes overbearing; eventually they stop listening to each other. Typically, the mind produces more dominant dialogue which interferes with the quieter, but no less intelligent, voice of the body. The body can only stand being silenced for so long until it screams back in pain or looks for other ways for its needs to be met; the mind is distracted. Sure, the body can be given a massage, let’s say on a special day that comes every so often, and though maybe appreciative, the body can’t help but feel disappointed for all the other time it was ignored and unrecognized. Even getting along, if our mind and body are overly compartmentalized, it will deny the natural exchange of love. For example, the mind goes to work and the body goes to the gym – though functional, love will only occur when the two can find an activity they both enjoy and can partake in equally. When the mind and the body achieve balance, love emerges and is exchanged, freely, naturally, endlessly.

If we are looking outside of ourselves for love, it is because we are suffering from a disconnect in mind and body. As long as we are looking outside of ourselves for love, we are buying into the belief that there is something we need other than what we already have. As long as we are looking outside of ourselves for love, we are supporting the notion that there is someone we need to be other than who we already are. For as long as we look outside of ourselves for love, we deny ourselves the very love that we crave.

There is one exception. Because it is in our nature to love, we can look outside, in nature, for love. Nature knows the blissful balance and harmonious exchange that we call love, a love we can experience simply by being outside. Love is in the air. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Katherine Warman is a proud M.A. graduate in multicultural and transnational literature and is currently working toward certification in holistic health and ecoemotional writing. After spending the last three years teaching, studying, and traveling throughout Central America, she has returned to Port Moody to deepen her roots. 

3 Word Resolutions

Jordan Birch - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

What are your three words for this year?

The best thing I read about New Years Resolutions was an excerpt from Peter Legge's book 365 Days of Insights to inspire and develop the unique talents and abilities within you.

Legge introduced me to Chris Brogan 'who instead of making specific resolutions at the beginning of each year, Chris comes up with three words to be the guiding pillars that he will focus on in the 12 months ahead.' 

My three words are: Master. Tell. Give. 

Master the fusion of Life Coaching and Ecopsychology. Continue to deliver top notch one to one coaching packages, workshops, and retreats. Study books, tapes, films, and people. Meet with my personal advisory board weekly; the Mentors and Coaches who teach me to find my own best solutions and strategies. Attend seminars and conferences that enthuse my practice and build camaraderie among my peers. 

Tell my story. Share why I'm here and how I got here. Speak about how I rose from my own rock bottom state of mind to a happy, joyous, and free life. Tell the stories of others who I've coached, who've coached me, and whose message is an idea worth spreading. 

Give my ideas, time, and energy to my community. Donate and expect nothing in return. Create a charitable foundation and national fundraising campaign that serves unique causes that speak to my heart.

So, what are your three words for this year?

Jordan Birch | Life Coach | Port Moody | Vancouver | Whistler 

For deeper roots and greater heights connect with Jordan:

getoutofdoors.com

facebook.com/getoutofdoors

@getoutofdoors

Gift of Habit

Jordan Birch - Monday, December 31, 2012

Gift of Habit.  How the act of giving helped me make a change in 21 days. 

This holiday season I wanted to do one thing different—everything. I accomplished this by setting the intention to carry out random acts of giving for 21 straight days in December.

At the onset of December I wanted to think different, act different, and most of all get different results. Despite being surrounded by amazing family and friends, the holiday season among my inner circle was losing it’s meaning in my heart. I’ve grown away from passing and receiving physical gifts to the same people just for the sake of passing and receiving physical gifts to the same people. I’ve grown closer to providing or sharing experiences that endure longer through emotion and memory than anything material.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou.

 

To find more meaning and expedite this desired feeling I had to mix it up and partner up with like-minded people to make it a reality. My friend Chris Boyd (Registered Clinical Counselor) and I teamed up to brainstorm how we could create more meaning and give back.

As a duo, Chris and I have a rich and comical history in collaborating to serve our community. We co-founded the 12th Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party in Vancouver, a yearly benefit that raises money for various charitable causes. This year aside from producing an event on December 21st that unfolded over one evening we wanted to spread the fulfillment out to an audience beyond our guests. To turn our December 21st bash into a campaign we agreed to make the days of December leading up to the party as significant in giving as the event itself.

Typically, our nature is to show big spirit or go home. At first we budgeted a large sum of money to fund both planned and random actions we intended over 21 days. Realizing, that bigger wasn’t necessarily better as we’re so used to—we ditched the budget and just kept it simple. From December 1st to 21st we carried out random acts of kindness in our community. Our deeds were not extraordinary in comparison to others who give day in and day out. They were just deeds. 

Our deed like acts varied and included giving away a favorite pair of shoes, donating to a telethon, handing an umbrella to someone soaking in the rain, providing a hot meal to a man who held the door for us, donating tickets to a cancer benefit silent auction, contributing to a clothing drive and so forth. The acts were not monumental or front-page headliners; in fact they were just a sample of what some selflessly dedicated people do everyday.

The point here is they were acts. Regardless of their nature or magnitude they created waves of motivation to keep pursuing the end goal; to create more meaning during the holidays by doing something different. I found this 21 day endeavor to create a personal shift in my attitude. At times when it is easier to be selfish it forced me to be selfless. Some days I had to plan to make sure it happened but over time the ideas and opportunities to give manifested themselves right before me. The decision to give became ingrained in me and a new habit gradually took formation. The meaning of the holidays soon changed, as did I.

Peter Legge, an inspiring businessman, author, speaker, and philanthropist wrote:

“To unlcock your inner potential you must set very clear, challenging yet realistic goals and then make specific plans to accomplish them. You need to work, step by step, everyday, in the direction of your dominant aspirations. Often, that involves developing new, more productive habits. As you come up with new habits to replace old ones, write them down and practice them on a daily basis. Remember, it takes about three weeks for a new habit to take hold, so don’t get discouraged and don’t give up.” –  Peter Legge, The Runway of Life

As the days progressed closer to the 21st Chris and I talked about the feelings being unlocked in each of us. I shared that I felt more simplistic, grateful, and content. These were the direct the results of our actions. Whether we knew it at the beginning or not, we were walking down the path to create a new habit.

We talked about how in the psychology realm as Legge speaks of, 21 seems to be a key number and what a coincidence that the date of our event landed on the 21st of the month. Our opportunity to create change for ourselves was expressing itself brightly through the blink of a neon sign. Obvious or not the three week initiative was going against the programmed grain within me. To fulfill my aspiration of becoming increasingly selfless on a daily basis I learned that I had to break it down into simple acts one day at a time. Additionally, having an accountability partner like Chris was the difference in seeing it through to the end.

“Research has shown that it typically takes 21 days to create a new habit.  Research has also proven that if you want to increase your own wellbeing, you should actively try to increase someone else’s. Therefore, our giving campaign was significant in a lot of ways!  Although the idea seemed daunting at first, it definitely became the highlight of my holidays.  Whether it be picking up garbage, buying homeless people lunch, donating clothing, or hugging 21 people in one day, I found the experience extremely beneficial.”— Chris Boyd

Reflecting back on this experience I have such respect for those who seamlessly treat everyday as an opportunity to give. There is no reason why we can’t sustain this breakthrough and continue to develop the habit beyond December.

So, what aspiration are you longing for and what is the habit that drives it?

Start by looking at what you already do naturally and can improve on. Choose a habit you can adopt over 21 days to support you get there. Team up with someone who can expedite the process and aid in its application. Together you can break it down into small manageable steps and share in the joy of what it feels like to make it a reality.

By the 21st you’ll look at things differently. You’ll have stopped counting see that the things you were looking at have changed.

Jordan is a Certified Professional Coach living and working in greater Vancouver. His passions drive him to empower natural born leaders to eliminate self-limiting behaviors so they can breakthrough insanity—doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. In his private practice 'Get Out Of Doors Life Coaching' he fuses transformational Life Coaching and a partnership with nature as a catalyst for the true entrepreneurial spirit to soar.

For deeper roots and greater heights connect with Jordan:

www.getoutofdoors.com

www.facebook.com/getoutofdoors

@getoutofdoors

Head Upstream! Think like salmon do.

Jordan Birch - Friday, November 09, 2012

Head Upstream! Think like salmon do with their 5 tips to be more productive with your energy. 

It’s the Fall season and in the City of Port Moody that means the Coho and Chum salmon have migrated from the ocean to ‘run up’ Noons Creek where they spawn in gravel beds. It is here in their native spawning grounds where the salmon are in peak condition to battle the rapids and face obstacles so that they may have a successful spawn at the end of the run.

Observing these salmon over the last few weeks I have noted that they are powerful creatures with amazing capabilities. I encourage you to step outside and witness their annual migration as it is a true marvel of the natural world. How they even find their native stream is one feat but even more astounding is how they run up river in the harshest of conditions.

This observation comes at a time in my life where I find myself standing at the mouth of the river looking upstream only to see that my energy levels are dwindling to complete a film project I started nearly two years ago. In my head, the project has developed into something bigger than it actually is. As a result I’ve neglected to give it the energy it needs to see it through completion and hit the big screen. Fatigued and burnt out I’ve let the current wash me down river to an ocean where I’m drowning in procrastination and delay.

'The water is your friend.  You don't have to fight with water, just share the same spirit as the water, and it will help you move.'  

| Aleksandr Popov

Once again I’ve stepped outside and in just a short amount of time embraced the healing powers of nature. I feel energized, more productive than ever and I’m back on track with the task at hand. It is easily achievable only if I apply some fundamental principles inspired by the salmon run. If you’re driven with an end goal in sight but know deep down you are stuck, here are five tips to head upstream and deliver the goods.

5 Tips to be more productive with your energy:

1. Have a deadline. Set your intention to complete your task with a firm deadline and write it down. Salmon spawn during a specific window of time and distribute their energy around their body to make sure they get the deed down before it’s too late. Enhance your chances of meeting your deadline by sharing the specific date with someone else. Track your progress, even if you are not on track. Having a marked record is a great tool to set timely task completion dates when future goals are set too.

2. Break the task down into small manageable steps so you can track your progress. Noons Creek has a varied landscape that includes rushing waters, smooth flowing segments, calm deep pools, and turbulent shallow riffles. If you watch a salmon head upstream they take one step at a time. They choose their battles carefully, conserve their energy then make their move. Each step is a win, an opportunity to celebrate and reflect, then the cycle repeats itself.

3. Eat the frog first. That means doing the most challenging, daunting task first before pursuing anything else. If you do this everything else following will taste better. In the salmon’s case a big swallow would be actually getting to the mouth of their native creek before venturing any further upstream. This initial journey starting from the open ocean requires them to bulk up on nutrients, expose themselves to predators, and travel long distances to return to their spawning site.

4. Take breaks, your body deserves it. Your energy is precious and easily susceptible to distractions, excuses, and delay. To stay focused and on task take breaks to ensure your body is replenishing what it is expending energetically. You’ll notice salmon approach a step in the creek, pursue it, achieve it, then rest and repeat. 

5. Be accountable to someone else other than yourself. A successful spawning reproductive cycle takes two salmon to come together. One to deposit the eggs and a second to fertilize. Yep, that’s how it works and without the other it’s just swimming aimlessly alone. Pair up with a partner, mentor, or Coach to swim beside you. Together you will really go all the way. 

Life Coaching in Nature #1 Essential Skill is First Aid Training

Jordan Birch - Sunday, October 28, 2012

First Aid training specific to the elements of the natural environment is the #1 essential skill for any practicing Life Coach who meets with clients in nature. 

I'm committed to refreshing my National Ski Patrol first aid training course annually so I can provide a safe space to serve others outside. The Outdoor Emergency Care Technician Course is an industry standard course for those professionals who want to be confident responding to any traumatic or medical emergency in the backcountry. 


Here's a glimpse of the elements atop the Peak of Vancouver, Grouse Mountain, where I refreshed my OEC training. 

 

Jordan Birch | Life Coaching in Nature #1 Essential Skill is First Aid Training

The Nature of Change

Jordan Birch - Sunday, October 28, 2012

Guest blog by Katherine Warman

Fall, more so than any other change in nature, forces us to come to terms with the nature of change.

When the sun beams, it’s easy to smile back. Yet in fall, once the clouds and rain descend, green become a quickly vanishing memory and for every vibrant leaf glistening on a tree, there are dozens already decaying on the ground.  It’s too early to feel the warmth of holidays and spring is no where in sight.

Part of me is in awe of how bright leaves can become even brighter before the inevitable fall; the other part of me is tempted to retreat in doors before the last leaf falls and allow myself to be sold the ‘essence of fall’ in the form of a new wardrobe or spicy latte.

I understand the tendency to seek comfort during times of change, especially when change, throughout human history, has been associated with a fall from blissful innocence to descent, defilement, disobedience, decay, and death. Thanks a lot Eve, Milton, Lancelot, Iracus, among others, for destroying paradise, teaching us even the Creator is destructive, showing us that all who rise will fall, and warning us to be cautious and obedient. 

Anyone who has witnessed a single leaf floating down from above, felt the crisp crunch under foot, or inhaled a breath of brisk air knows fall is not a punishment to humanity or an annual reminder of loss and limitations. Nor can fall be wrapped in fashionable fabric or coated in sugar and spice and repackaged as endless entitlement.

So what is the essence of fall and how can these changes be fully embraced?

I spent many years trying not to fall and fell anyway. Afterwards, I gave myself the freedom to fall just to see if I could stand or even fly after. Recently, I fell in love with life again. Yet, here I was clinging like a leaf to a branch, wanting to illuminate before surrendering to the wind of change. Everything around me was already changing, but this time, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be part of it, not again, not yet…

Spring and summer were seasons of rebirth and healing, and now here I was trying to avoid the fall. I could admire my personal growth, just as I was admiring the effervescent leaves, and try to resist losing all I had gained…only to fall into a pile of decay and wait for another change in conditions to inspire growth. I went for a walk to see if I could find another option.

Sure enough, fall had not stopped or even slowed to accommodate my self-serving schedule or notions of when and how change occurs. From a distance, fall is shockingly sudden. Close up, fall is graceful and subtle in response to external changes, even in preparing for harsher times ahead. Maybe the same can be said for change.

And maybe instead of feeling like a desperately dangling leaf, I could be more like the tree that remains strong in the rain, yet flexible in the wind, even in having to let leaves, once glorified in green and gold, whirl away to shrivel and die. Sigh.

The leaves are not the essence of the tree, just as thoughts (or material possessions) are not the essence of who we are. Each leaf is a product, stemming from the tree. If we give the leaves (thinking and things) too much attention, we will soon be left standing in the cold rain, staring at an empty and unrecognizable tree (a seemingly incomplete version of our selves).  The tree itself is complete and constant, even during times of change; it knows when to grow, when to let go, and when to just be. It knows because it is connected, year round.

Fall is not about loss or gain. Fall is letting go of the parts that will no longer directly serve the future of the whole. Fall is a process in shedding the old to withstand new conditions and make space for new growth. Fall is about trusting that everything that falls already served a purpose and with patience, what needs to rise again will.

Fall is here. Stay outdoors and be part of the change.

Listen.  
With faint dry sound, 
Like steps of passing ghosts, 
The leaves, frost-crisp’d, break from the trees
And fall. 
- “November Night” by Adelaide Crapsey

Katherine Warman is a proud M.A. graduate in multicultural and transnational literature and is currently working toward certification in holistic health and ecoemotional writing. After spending the last three years teaching, studying, and traveling throughout Central America, she has returned to Port Moody to deepen her roots. 

Educating, Life Coaching, and Healing with Nature

Jordan Birch - Wednesday, October 24, 2012

As a graduate student with Project NatureConnect since 2010 I have creatively documented the application of my coursework learning outcomes with still photographs. In the project ‘Educating, Life Coaching and Healing with Nature’ various moments of my learning, teaching, facilitating and life coaching are captured. Across multiple landscapes and international borders this video slideshow showcases the lens I see the world through. This collection encapsulates my personal and professional experience as a result of immersing myself in the field of Ecopsychology. Through this medium I am able to describe concisely firsthand how I can partner with nature to promote personal breakthroughs with my Life Coaching clients, build healthy communities, and promote appreciation for the wisdom of the earth.  

For one year I engaged in an online Ecopsychology course with a diverse group of students from five different countries around the world. To reflect on my experience I complied a collection of photos I captured over the year to show how the course impacted my personal and professional life. 

This is what I learned. This is how I applied it in my work. 

Watch the video here: ECO 502 | Educating, Life Coaching, and Healing with Nature

Project NatureConnect 
Faculty of Applied Ecopsychology, Akamai University

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