If you're on the treadmill of life and can't get off - if the hamster wheel of life keeps turning my Coping, Not Flourishing guide may be all that you need. During an interview * about the guide, aimed at helping you to realign your day, I was asked:
“If you were to give someone a magical object to help them flourish what would it be?”.

You know me – it had to be an object that had metaphorical meaning – to inspire change inside and out whenever you look at it – whatever the situation.

I pondered on:

• A seed – because flourishing starts by us sowing the seed – a reminder to take action perhaps
• An acorn – because it already has everything it needs to fulfil its potential and to become an oak tree – ie you are already enough and have everything you need within you (It’s why I use metaphor for you to more easily hear the whispers of your inner wisdom).

When I looked towards the acorns in my office, however, I spied a pinecone behind them and realised a pinecone was more appropriate because they open and close in response to the change in conditions.

Which is what the guide is inviting you to do as you realign your day – not to stop doing stuff – and instead to do an audit of what works and when it works - to set your inner compass to help align your actions to suit the conditions every day and therefore flourish rather than simply cope.

Additionally, as each pinecone contains multiple seeds, they offer the insight from the seed and acorn anyway – how cool is that (don’t you just love nature metaphors).

What item would you pick from nature to remind you to support your flourishing?

*the interview about the Coping, Not Flourishing guide

My name is Alison Smith and for 25 years I’ve used nature and metaphor to help you see the wood for the trees, get out of the rut, stop going round in circles, turn a corner and shift from not knowing to knowing what to do and yes get back on track.

There’s posts, poems, blogs, Landscaping Your Life YouTube channel, Landscaping Your Life with Alison smith podcast episodes (my own and as a guest), a Landscaping Your Life newsletter, ezine, pdfs (there’s even one on helping you see the wood for the trees), two books (Can't see the wood for the trees - landscaping your life to get back on track and Your Prescription for Wellbeing Journal) all sharing insight to help you find clarity and focus when you’re overwhelmed, confused, stuck or lost.

Do get in touch if you'd like to understand how a coaching session would be of help for you alison@alisonsmith.co (yes just .co).