The true harvest of my daily life is somewhat intangible..It is a little star-dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
There is no question that there is an unseen world. The problem is, how far is it from Midtown and how late is it open? ~ Woody Allen
Ah, the paradox between poetry and practicality, art and accounting, beauty and bottom line, meaning and metrics. Especially in the results-oriented, materially-focused, high-powered metropolis that is New York, it’s often challenging to communicate the value of things we are unable to touch, see or precisely measure.
I recently assigned some journaling to a client, and she seemed perplexed and not too happy about it. Her concern, she said, was that it would be difficult for her, an MIT graduate, not to have any sort of metrics or immediate tangible outcome to guide her or let her know she was doing it “correctly”, which her perfectionist self needed in order to be validated in the exercise. She was not the first to be challenged by or to question the effectiveness of the solution I offered, just the first to articulate it so well!
This type of scenario has been the bane of my existence. The world of the intangible has been my field of expertise and the “meat” of my work for most of my professional life – teaching or speaking, creating programs that promote intercultural understanding and women’s empowerment, individual and group coaching, even writing these little essays. Most everything I do is impactful on an internal level, enabling shifts in perception and healing to take place, so my challenge has always been how to grade, evaluate, measure or assure the merit of such things: How do you quantify understanding, inspiration, identity, and transformation?
With flowers and trees now blooming all around us, remember that they didn’t just magically appear overnight, as unseen forces were at work during the barren winter months. The result is tangible, but the process itself is something, too. Fertile soil, sunshine, water, time and Nature’s mysterious special sauce work consistently in harmony behind the scenes, making it all come together for us to once again enjoy the gorgeous potpourri of colors and shapes.
Feeling like your Spring needs to be sprung? You might just need a little professional tending to your garden, fertilizing it with process, presence and patience – along with some Xray vision – so give me a buzz, I’ll help bring on the blossom and have Everything Coming Up Roses for you again!
(Today’s PGG was originally posted on April 26, 2011 )
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If you like what I write, you’ll love what I have to say in person! Click on above links for info about my coaching and speaking services and contact me today.
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FEELING STUCK IN YOUR CAREER? CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO!
Last November I was one of the career experts featured in a panel discussion hosted by The Muse. Here is the full length video where you can hear my thoughts on career transition, working with a coach, building confidence and handling emotions in the workplace.
KRISTINA LEONARDI 
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