“…to make an end is to make a beginning.”
— T.S. Eliot

As we face a new year, a new decade in fact, could there be anything more true? This quote from T.S. Eliot brings it home for me on two levels:

1. It is so important to really take the time to appreciate our past accomplishments and be grateful for where we have been and what we have done. This allows us to more effortlessly let go of the past to move forward.

2. It is equally important not to fear endings because ultimately they make room for new beginnings, which most often are even better.

I entered 2010 with the intention of exploring what I REALLY have to offer, to myself, and therefore to this world. I believe that by truly serving your inner being first, you will then automatically offer the best of you to others. Now this may not be news to you, but let me tell you that for me, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. I have this innate mechanism that is set to serving others first, which is only a problem when you forget yourself in the mix. A dear friend of mine calls it my “Virgo thing”. And maybe that’s true.

Exploring this intention means I have to let go of a lot of my everyday tasks and responsibilities to make room for this exploration to flourish. Some I have been more than overjoyed to let go of, others….not so easy. Really not, but I am persevering. And what I have to tell you, with not even the first month of 2010 over with, is that I am already beginning to feel the greatness that lies ahead. And the biggest lesson so far is once you open yourself up to the unknown, it instantly begins to become familiar.

Fully live. Appreciate the moment. Let go. Begin again. Experience the shift.

Here is the answer to Is Your First Impression Really Your Last Impression? Think Again!

If you did not find ‘The Hidden Tiger’, look closely at the tiger’s stripes.

Can you now see the ‘The Hidden Tiger’ in this illusion?. Most probably yes.

Wondering how you missed it in the first place?

Well you are not alone. It took me a while to find it because I was literally looking for another tiger…I had a preconceived visual of what I was looking for.  I was looking at the positive and negative space of the foliage, the sky, the ground…and then I started looking at it differently, I started to look for patterns and that’s when I saw the word “tiger” within the stripes…

Learning for me? To always lookout through different sets of lenses to allow me to see all the different angles and patterns that are there…but that I can’t see because of my own limitations.

If you did not find the “hidden tiger” you are far from alone and there is nothing to worry about. The majority of people looking at this illusion tend to see the “whole” of the big tiger, not The Hidden Tiger as the way we perceive something is based on matching the perception of the new stimuli and generalizing it to something familiar of which we have stored prior knowledge.

‘The Hidden Tiger’ demonstrates that first impressions are seldom true. They are more accurately based on past perceptions and not just current stimuli.

Thus the human mind/brain’s way of generalizing sensory information provides the source of illusion, tricks, and encourages us to take a closer look at what we see — and don’t see — in the world around us.

Leap of the Week: Look at your next stuck point or challenge through a different set of lens this week and see what comes out of it. You may be impressed with the outcome. It’s good to flip things upside down sometimes!

These 2 posts were inspired by Dr. Jim Sellner from www.subject2change.ca

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A visual journey through Sebastien Arlo’s first few days on earth from the eyes of Isabelle & Margarita (the proud aunties).

We have created this book to celebrate Sebastien Arlo’s first week on earth…and…to also assist Erin & Bobby (the proud parents) to raise a bit of money for Sebastien’s education fund (RESP). Teddy bears are great…but peace of mind for the future is priceless!

So, all close friends and family members…BUY THIS AMAZING BOOK!  It’s a great opportunity to see a beautiful snap shot of Sebastien, Erin and Bobby’s first week together and a chance to contribute to his future.

We have 15 copies at hand for family members…so…before ordering online, email me at: isabelle@leapzonestrategies.com to get your copy and save on shipping costs.

Thanks in advance for your generosity and cheers to helping make the future of this world a better place!

Buy & Flip Through The Book Here!.

MY FIRST WEEK

A visual journey t…

By Aunties Isabelle &…

Book Preview

An American businessman took a vacation to a small coastal Mexican village on doctor’s orders. Unable to sleep after an urgent phone call from the office the first morning, he walked out to the pier to clear his head. A small boat with just one fisherman had docked, and inside the boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

“How long did it take you to catch them?” the American asked. “Only a little while,” the Mexican replied in surprisingly good English.

“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the American then asked,

“I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends,”

The Mexican said as he unloaded them into a basket,

“But… What do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican looked up and smiled. “I sleep late, fish a. little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Julia, and stroll into the village each evening, where i sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor.”

The American laughed and stood tall. Sir, I’m a Harvard M.B.A. and can help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. In no time, you could buy several boats with the increased haul. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats.”

He continued, “Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village, of course, and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, and eventually New York City, where you could run your expanding enterprise with proper management.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, senor, how long will all this take?”

To which the American replied, “15-20 years.25 tops.”
“But what then, senor?”

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part .When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.”
“Millions, senor? Then what?”

“Then you would retire and move to a small coasting fishing village, where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos …”