Hard to believe we are in the dwindling days of 2021. The cooler weather, shorter days and festive lights glowing at night make me want to snuggle up with a good movie or book and indulge in some holiday treats. There may be a box of chocolates in our pantry that’s getting emptier and emptier by the day…
Our household has been buzzing with activity. We had a visit from my parents for 10 days - the first time we’ve been together in two years. We’re in the midst of holiday concerts and recitals, December birthday parties and preparing to host a student over the winter break. Oh, and preparing to enjoy some time off off work and school, too.
Like September, with its upswing in schedules and activities (especially if you have school-aged kids), and June, with it’s finishing-up-before-summer-energy, December seems to be a month of cramming it in. Over the years, I’ve chosen to do less in December in terms of holiday celebrations and extravagance, and still, the time seems to be full.
I closed out another round of Mortal Motivation this week, which has been so deeply delightful. My time on the local ICF Chapter board is coming to a close with our AGM this weekend. I’ve begun mentoring new coaches who are applying for their professional credentials, and continuing to work with several brilliant clients. And, I’ve been active in my community, helping rally our neighbours to influence development choices in our neighbourhood. It’s a lot. All good, but a lot!
So, I’m calling in more spaciousness for the remainder of the month…for me, and for you!
Announcing: New offerings for January
The Stoke Sessions
These three efficient coaching sessions in January get you stoked for your next best year! This coaching package is great for those of you who want to get in and get out and get going into 2022 quickly.
We’ll review 2021, envision 2022 and build an actionable plan to launch you into your new year. We’ll spend 30 minutes together during each call, and you’ll complete some prep and integration work between sessions to get the most out of this focused experience. And, you get three check-ins with me after as you implement your plan!
I offer a sliding scale for this package, with low-, mid- and top-range options. There are only 5 packages left, so if this calls you, let me know asap. (Hint: Makes a great gift, too!)
You can learn more at https://www.jillyhyndman.com/greatstuff/stoke-sessions
Embering
There's an instinctual longing to shift from the activity of Summer and the busy routine of Autumn to the season of slowing down, turning inward, getting cozy and finding stillness within.
Our bodies, minds and spirits are eager for the slower, quieter energy of Winter.
This dark and cold time of year in the Northern Hemisphere provides the perfect energy for introspection. For gathering our energetic resources, enjoying the bounty of harvests and finding quiet. For resting, replenishing and preparing for the the light to return.
Embering is a three-month/10-week self-guided or coach-supported experience to take full advantage of the season of Winter, designed to enable deep rest, quiet and renewal in your whole being, so that you can emerge refreshed, replenished and ready when the planet tilts again toward the light of Spring.
What is “embering”?
It’s a made-up word I’ve defined as:
to preserve and restore one's energy through deep rest, quiet contemplation and stillness, without unnecessary distraction
to take an intentional pause for the purpose of conserving energy for a time
to sustain a fire at a low level so as not to extinguish it; to keep a fire smouldering
Are you longing for a whole-being rest before the new energy of Spring bursts forth? Learn more about the experience at https://www.jillyhyndman.com/embering
There are options for moving through the program on your own (self-guided) or meeting regularly with me (coach-supported), and sliding scale options for both.
Imagine being held by the warmth of glowing embers, in the darkness of Winter, with permission for quiet, rest and to be still. Doesn’t that sound lovely right about now? I know it’s what I’m longing for during the Winter months. I’d love to have you join me around the fire.
Still looking for the perfect gift?
How about a Positively Chronic book or card deck for the special someone?
The book (soft cover, 5 by 8 inches, 124 pages) and the deck (90 full-colour 3-inch by 3-inch cards, a 10-page instructional guide and cloth pouch) contain 90 prompts under six themes to help shift your mood, change your perspective, soothe your body, and express your emotions when you’re having a tough time...with your chronic illness, or anything else!
The book is $27 CAD and the decks are $40 CAD (shipping and handling included). I’m offering a bundle option, too -- get both for $65 CAD (save a couple bucks on the s&h). And, with every purchase, you get access to my Soothe and Uplift playlists!
I’d love to get these into the hands of folks who could really use them…they don’t help anyone sitting in my office!
All the details are at https://www.jillyhyndman.com/pc-book-and-deck
And, be sure to follow me on IG and Facebook to get tips on using the prompts!
Looking ahead to the rest of 2022
I’ll be collaborating on some exciting projects next year.
Positively Chronic Support Group
I’ve been asked to continue supporting a community volunteer group by sharing tools, tips and practices to live well with chronic conditions. It’s been a lovely partnership in 2021, and I’m excited to see how we’ll evolve it for next year.
Spiral Leadership
I’ve been supporting Spiral this year with administrative and coaching support for the most recent Activating the Spiral course, and next September, I’ll be co-leading the Harvesting Together retreat, which is coming to Canada for the first time. If you want to spend some delicious time in the Okanagan in September, check it out!
If you want a taste of Spiral sooner, there’s a retreat focused on Attunement in the Heart of Winter on Lopez Island, WA in February, as well. Reach out if you have any questions. I’d love to welcome you to our growing and impactful Spiral community!
Deathwalker Creations
For the past several months, I’ve been collaborating with two other local deathwalkers (folks who work in the realm of death, dying, grief and loss) to create a perpetual calendar (one that you re-use year after year) to capture deathivesaries, or deathdays, of loved ones.
Our goal is to help folks normalize death conversations, remembering our loved ones and remove stigma around death, dying and grief, no matter the cause.
It’s been a moving experience to pull all the pieces together, to honour our own process and relationships with death and dying, and to find the right tone for the work. We’ve been lucky to engage local (amazing!) artist Iris L. Moore to feature her gorgeous and evocative art.
We’re in the final design stages, and hope to have the calendars ready for sale in early 2022. Let me know if you want to be put on the notice list!
Up With Women
And finally, I’ve joined the roster of professional coaches with Up With Women. This organization is “on a mission to help recently homeless and at-risk women build a sustainable pathway out of poverty,” and I’m honoured to soon be matched with a client for a year-long coaching relationship. I encourage you to learn more about this wonderful charity, and if you are so called, contribute financially or with your time, or refer a woman who may benefit from its work.
Happily, I continue to provide professional coaching to clients through the Humanitarian Coaching Network, as well. These two opportunities allow me to give back with my professional skills and fulfill my value of levelling the playing field for all.
As we close out this cycle of the planet around the sun, I wish you warmth, comfort, connection and good health. I hope you enjoy some quiet and/or connection time, time for reflection on the gifts in your life, and that you offer grace and generosity to others who may need it at this time.
Thank you for your support over the past year, and I look forward to what 2022 brings for all of us.
May you be in good company.
May you have ease.
May you have joy.
Take good care,
Jilly