Hi subscriber 

I was very, very fortunate to be able to visit my son in Canada for Christmas.

In amongst many magical moments (including hugging my son for the first time since the pandemic started), two really stand out. 

We'd had a very rocky 10 hour flight and everyone was tired and strung out as we approached Vancouver airport. When the plane hit another patch of really bad turbulence and the "fasten your seatbelts" sign clicked on yet again, the  tension in the cabin was high. Then something wonderful happened. The soft, relaxed drawl of the Air Canada pilot came over the public address system. He apologised for the rough flight, wished us all a Happy Christmas then recited  "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" all the way through, taking his time, making every word count and delighting everyone.

I'm not a nervous flyer but this was one of those moments that was so unexpected and so special I'm guessing it will stick with most of the passengers on that plane for a long time. When we landed and were asked "How was your flight?" it wasn't the ten hours of discomfort we remembered but those four magical minutes when a stranger changed the way hundreds of people felt.  

A much smaller plane took us on to our destination, a tiny ski town high up in the Rocky Mountains. On our first morning we woke up to every skier's dream - 10 inches of fresh snow so dry and light and powdery it was like tiny feathers. Walking around town I was reminded of why people live here. There were signs in shops and office windows saying "We're closed today - see you on the slopes!" People don't live in this town because its a good place to work, they live here because its a good place to live. 

As you can imagine, we enjoyed lots of other magical moments but these two stuck out because they're something we can all do. I don't know if the 
Canadian pilot had heard of Maya Angelou but he proved the sentiment "people may not remember your name but they never forget how you make them feel." Making people feel good just by choosing what we say and how we say it is something we can all do. 

I'm fortunate to spend a lot of my time with a tribe of people who all know what to say to support each other and take the time and trouble to do it often, making real connections that help each other through the toughest of days. If you don't have such a tribe, you're welcome to join us. 

The other thing we can all do more of is live in the moment, be more spontaneous, choose to work in a way that lets us enjoy living and not just live so that we can work.

I'd love to know what your "powder day" equivalent is? What would you drop everything to do? Could you do it more often? Hit reply and let me know! 

Not all goals are the same 

Lots of people have a resistance to planning and setting goals at the best of times and in all the uncertainty of the pandemic, when the ground keeps shifting, it can make sticking to a plan feel even less likely.   

However, aimlessly drifting and waiting to see what each day brings can lead to us feeling out of control with nothing to look forward to. The tribe I mentioned above has enthusiastically embraced the idea of doing something different, replacing traditional goal setting with a quest - an adventure with an aim. The aim could be to achieve a specific thing or to get better at something, conquer a fear, test yourself or pretty much anything that you'd like to do. 

We've got 30+ intrepid travellers ready to start their quests today when they'll choose their Sherpa guides that so far include Paul Simon, the Dalai Lama, Scooby Doo, Captain America, Desmond Tutu, George Harrison, Spock, and Lana Wachowski. They'll also choose their theme tunes, rally cries and much more. 

The big theme of the whole thing is "Why bother". There has to be a good reason to start or giving up will be too easy. If you've got something you're really bothered about doing and would like some great company, fun and adventure, come and join us. You're welcome to join this Monday's call before you commit to the whole thing. 

This made a lot of people laugh last month so I'm leaving it here for a bit longer

"A lot of issues in life can be straightened out if you properly identify who your dopamine dealer is."

It can sometimes be hard to remember that whatever's going on in the world, we are never powerless. Each of us can make a difference, based on our own choices and the situations we find ourselves in, and especially by choosing who we connect with and spend time with.

Thank you for being one of the people who makes a difference. 
Best wishes
Ann