Words of Advice. Setting Intention, Again.

A number of weeks ago, when my father was still able to share words of wisdom, he looked at me and saw that my smile was not natural. He said to me, “Don’t let your job get the best of you.” I understood what he meant immediately.

What I immediately understood was, when your work is a natural way for you to express who you naturally are, your work will naturally be a way for you to give your best; when your work forces you to act in a manner that is in conflict with who you naturally are, your work will not get the best you.

During my dad’s eulogy yesterday, I spoke about who I am and how much I was my father’s son. I ended my talk with the following:

“I am Bob Speck Jr, son of Bob Speck Sr. I come from the green hills of New England, the blue shores of the Atlantic, the golden fields of New York, and have found my spirit in the white peaks of the Wasatch. I serve my villages, and plant seeds of learning and joy, with wisdom and integrity, with humility and humor. I spend my days in this world of dreams; my father walks in the land of strawberries. And it is all SO BEAUTIFUL.”

I had referenced the Divine in my talk, God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Universe, Mother Earth, the Great Spirit. In my mind, I was also thinking, “I am Kokopelli. I am Hanuman. I am Bhudda.”

I believe in the Oneness of all. Everything is connected. We spend too much time living under a guise of separation and division, competition and comparison, self-promotion. I believe we are our best selves when we act for the betterment of all things.

In my future actions, I will set my intention to be who I naturally am. I will tune into the energy and memories of the mentors who have guided me (my father, my uncle, my wounded warrior friends, my yoga teachers, my coaches and teachers, my mother) and connect with them through daily rituals and practices.

I will set my daily intentions to be who I naturally am, in order that I am able to give my best to the work of my life. And I will take full responsibility for who I am.

I will live by my father’s example to be me (as best I can), to accept others for who they are, to do good work on the behalf of others, and to do it with a sense of humility, togetherness, dignity, and joy.

Just Be Me… Just Be You

“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.”

— Lao Tzu

It’s been fun during the last few months working with folks at Stratton Mountain developing initiatives centered around health and wellness. This past week, we settled on a logo and concept of what we’re all about, what we want to be. The concept is centered on the word, “Be.” Be fit. Be well. Be here. Be who you want to be. Be _______. (Fill in the blank.)

I try to keep a daily practice that helps me stay in touch with me, the real me, and who I am. At the center of my being, I do indeed know who I am. The challenge is staying in touch with who I am when I work in a world that judges me based on what I do. Sound familiar? I believe it’s a struggle that we all face, a struggle we are all meant to endure, and a struggle that gives us further insight about ourselves (as we let go of judgment).

When a co-worker approaches me and says with sense of urgency, “We need to do this,” or “You need to do that,” my skin curls. I need water, I need nutrients from Earth and the energy from the Sun, I don’t need to do what someone else says I need to do. What I understand immediately is that they desire something and that they view it with a certain sense of urgency. But, it is up to me to choose whether it is something that I desire to do, and whether it is important to me (and who I am) that I do it. Knowing who I am and who I want to be, I have the power to choose what I do. 

At the heart of the matter is a simple cultural challenge: If we each act in accordance with who we are really as individuals, it will require acceptance of each other’s unique individuality if we are going to act together effectively… and within the bounds of accepted behavior in our business environment and our free society. This is where common vision (personal, business, village, society) becomes the beacon of light that guides us.

Today, I read Eoin Finn’s Facebook post shared at the top of this article. Then, I picked up an angel card that reminded me, “as you make changes in your life and as you encounter challenges, you are safe and secure…. stay true to yourself during trying times… with courage… without fear…”

So, as I approach my new work and as we as a company strive to promote health and wellness and a branding centered around a concept of “Be,” I believe our success will be a  direct function of whether we can “walk the walk” as a business community, accept one another’s unique skills and strengths, and let one another thrive as we each strive to be who we each are and who we each want to be. Our collective success will be a result of how we do what we do and how we support (and serve) those around us as we pursue our “Be” vision.

Human beings… human doings. When what we do is a direct manifestation of who we are and who we want to be, we are naturally happy, healthy and well.

Be me. Be you. And that’s okay…

As long as we can find common ground in who we are, which I personally believe will be founded on feelings of goodness, kindness, personal responsibility, mutual understanding and respect (and of course at Stratton, in a common desire to be happy in our active mountain sports community), what we do together will be okay too!

A Heavenly Life

“The best thing we can do for our health is to have an intimate relationship with Nature. ”

— Eion Finn, Blissology Yoga

Sustaining these practices on a day-in and day-out basis is my ultimate worldly challenge, but also the key to my health and happiness… and the door which opens me up to a Heavenly Life.

I live in a valley village (and I have just taken a job in a mountain community) where there are endless opportunities for me to share this perspective, this passion. As I set out on this new path, I wonder how I will fare in a business environment that is inherently busy, extremely reactive to change, and ultimately focused on economical accomplishment.

I will set out with this intention: that by cultivating intimate relationships with Nature, by taking the time to mindfully slow things down and notice beauty, by remembering with grace that everyone around me is connected to this Natural path, and by continually practicing a Way of Being that sustains this Heavenly Life, I will Live On.

There has always been something magical for me when I’m high in the mountains where the sky is huge and the perspective is clear. I feel like I am in Heaven on Earth when I notice the sparkles of freshly fallen powder, when I take in the sweet aromas of pine forests, or when I listen to the trickle of clear mountain streams. I feel connected to the Universe. I am intimately part of something inconceivably huge. I am filled with wonder and with awe.

Likewise, there has always been something magical for me when I’m on the shore of the ocean where the sky and the sea each appear infinite. I feel like I am in Heaven on Earth when I notice the sparkles of the gently rolling waves, when I take in the salty scents of the ocean breeze, or when I listen to the rhythmic flow of the water as it moves in and out on the shore. I feel connected to the Universe. I am intimately part of something inconceivable huge. I am filled with wonder and awe.

Being mindful in the present moment and paying attention to what is going on around us allows us to see beauty, even if we are in a bustling city or on a crowded highway. Mindfulness slows us down. Yoga slows us down. Being in Nature slows us down. We become more aware of the world around us than we are when we are busy.

People often think that the health benefits of yoga are fitness, flexibility, and stress reduction. To me, the real gift is that it puts me in a state of mind where I stop and notice beauty, and in a state of grace where I feel moments of infinite gratitude and compassion.

People often think that the health benefits of mountain sports and outdoor activity are fitness, adventure, and accomplishment. To me, the real gift is that they put me in a state of being where I am intimately connected to Nature.

Cultivating this relationship with Nature makes my Spirit soar. Sharing this cultivation process with others feeds my Soul.

Creating Routine… Watching with Wise Eyes… Adapting to Change

I think it’s pretty common to want things to be a certain way in our lives… we create ideas of how we think things should be, we become attached to these ideas, we worry about whether things will happen the way we think, and we get all stressed out as we plan our futures. We want some level of control over our futures, especially when we’ve experienced hardship and don’t want more hardship.

Of course, we can’t control the future. We can’t control what happens to us and around us. Life is hard… and hardship happens. All we can do is live each day and be ready for what happens, as it happens… and be aware as it happens… so we can act with intention, take responsibility for our actions, and learn from our actions… so we are better adapted to live through whatever happens next.

For me, I try to be prepared for things that may happen by being in my best possible physical, emotional, and mental state-of-being each day. I try to create some routine in my daily life that enhances my presence-of-mind and feelings of well-being so that I am always moving forward in ways I can control while being prepared for change and chaos that will happen and that I can’t control.

Here are some examples of my daily routine, things that I can control:

I try to get 8-9 hours of sleep each night. I make lifestyle choices based on this desire.

I get up every morning and exercise for at least 45 minutes before I begin other daily activities. This way, the unexpected happenings of the day don’t get in the way.

I practice some form of yoga or meditation at the end of my workout to set intention for the day, express gratitude for myself and loved ones, feel connectedness, and just “be” for a few moments.

I practice a fairly strict routine of eating and drinking. I pay attention to when I eat, what I eat, and how I feel afterwards. I try to keep it simple with foods I eat almost everyday. I drink only water and tea and sometimes coconut water. I try to avoid breathing air that isn’t clean. I do not drink coffee or alcohol; I do not smoke or take non-prescribed drugs. In fact, I usually avoid prescribed drugs. I do take food supplements, like fish oils and green super-foods. And I am learning more about avoiding toxins that I might be putting on my skin for sun protection or cleansing…

I try to avoid negativity and people who don’t help me bring out the best in myself.

I try to act with feelings of compassion for all things, and watch with wise eyes as things happen around me. This is difficult, but it helps me deal with the chaos, challenges, and hardships of life… and adapt to whatever happens next.

An Experiential Learning Event with Wounded Warriors

For me, this event indeed inspired me to keep walking the walk I’m walking, with clear and mindful intention that this is my way.The opportunity to be a part of a supportive community where each individual can feel safe and at ease is the basis for any successful program. This happens through intentional design and process; it also depends on positive attitudes of mutual acceptance and dignity. Each individual is important. Each individual affects what happens. The opportunity for warriors to meet with other warriors of similar experience is so vital… and part of a successful program is facilitating this process than letting positive things happen. We spent casual group time at the resort, in the Inn at Stratton Mountain, at Bentley’s, at the Living Room and Sports Center, and in Hearthstone condos. It was an honor to meet and get to know each warrior.I’ve used this forum to write and share my thoughts about living experiences. I’ve hoped that my thoughts might help someone who reads them. I’ve learned to conduct myself in life as a role model whenever I can, a mentor if you will, each day, each step along my personal journey. And, I’ve learned that through personal reflection I learn to take my next steps from a place of mindful intention.

It is from this perspective that I feel so fortunate to have shared a few days last week with the wounded veterans who participated in Wild Mountain U’s first program at Stratton Mountain. Organized and supported by the Wounded Warrior Project, the event was intended to provide a short health and wellness retreat for wounded warriors who live in the Northeast. Similar to other events we have conducted for other organizations, the program was unique, special, and life-changing. Thank you to Stratton Mountain. Thank you to Bill Hannigan of WWP.

Here are some of my reflections…

We continue to see through our real-life experience that the practice of yoga and mindful-learning can be life-changing for people battling through the symptoms of trauma and PTSD. The practice of developing awareness of thoughts through focused attention on the body and breath helps re-establish healthy internal byways that might previously have been stuck or frozen as a result of the trauma. The mind-body-spirit connections are powerful, and yoga can be a powerful healing tool. We were fortunate to spend time morning and afternoon as a group in Stratton’s new Living Room yoga studio practicing yoga, breathing, and meditation.

Being outside in a natural setting doing physical activity supports natural healthy, relaxed, and authentic behavior. We were fortunate to spend time walking from location to location on dirt roads and pathways, and to spend time at the top of the mountain walking around and playing in the snow.

Being aware of healthy options and practices provides alternatives for comprehensive paths of healing. We spent time learning about fitness, nutrition, food shopping and preparation, and even spent some time making our own juice! Stratton is fortunate to have a fitness center with a gym and indoor swimming pool. Our hope is that these wellness tools will inspire further inquiry and a sense of empowerment. After all, our minds and bodies are a product of what we digest, how we exercise, how we rest, etc… things we can control.

As much as I like to think of myself as a mentor, in reality each person who attended this event was my mentor. Learning to live through the challenges in life these warriors are faced with gives them perspectives in life that are unique, insightful, and inspiring to others, including me. Sometimes, it seems that we have a hard time letting go of the way we think things or people should be like, and just accepting (and being grateful for) the way things are. It is especially hard when your body and mind are stuck in the past as a result of the trauma and you are struggling against comparisons and judgment about the future and just trying to survive in your present daily existence. When we let ourselves be as we are, and focus on small positive steps, sometimes things fall into place better. It was nice to be around a supportive group of warriors, a group of warriors whose nature is based on dedicated work, honor, service, integrity, and mutual support, in an environment where we could just be ourselves and learn together. I give thanks to each of the warriors for being exactly who they are, and for bringing themselves to Stratton and Wild Mountain U… and being a part of my life.