Are you ready to dive deeper?
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Greetings!
Scientists proclaim "Eureka!" Cartoonists draw a light bulb. The author James Joyce called it an epiphany. It's that sudden flash of perception, when we sing out, "Yes, that's it!" It's the resounding "Aha!" we feel in our souls when we have a piercing insight.
I had a one of those moments when I knew to my core that my quest was helping women become queens of their own realm. And in early April 2008, it happened again as I read the following in the 181st issue of one of my favorite e-newsletters, Valerie Young's Changing Course:
"How often has your first impulse been 'Yes!' only to have fear yank you back to the safety of non-action? Janet Riben has learned a lot about what can happen when you trust your gut.
She writes: 'I have always been impulsive and that is a way to make a lot of mistakes but also a way to find out a lot about yourself, about others and about the feasibility of ideas. At 59 I took off to Prague for a month course on teaching English as a foreign language (TELF). From there I easily got offers on jobs for teaching English around the globe. Gates were opening and at my ripe age. . . Before I am 64 I will have my dream house (in Italy). All because I followed my impulses.'"
Aha! In that moment, I felt a deep recognition - this is what happens when we claim our own realm.
I felt electrified because gates were opening for me, too, every time my impulse pulled me toward "Yes!" Each step I took brought me closer to this bedrock belief: that the "ripe age" is the right age to create a life that you love to live every single day. Janet's journey was the personification of Your Next Quest.
In the interview that follows, Janet talks about the power of diving deeper into what you love. When that happens, one action leads to the next action and then to the next action. You become so immersed in what you love that the "safety of non-action," as Valerie calls it, doesn't stand a chance.
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Interview with Quest Maker Janet Riben
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Born in Maine, Janet Riben enjoys dual citizenship in the US and Sweden, having been married for 37 years to a Swedish citizen. Together, they traveled widely and lived around the world. Janet is fluent in English and Swedish, conversational in Spanish and Italian, with an understanding of French, Danish, Norwegian and some Russian. At 59 she set off to Prague to learn how to teach business English and along the way she fell in love with Italy and discovered her quest - to own a home there by the time she was 64.
At what point in your life did you decide to embark on your quest?
It was after I had taken a month-long course in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TELF) and getting a teaching job in Mantova, that I began dreaming about having a house in Italy.
In 2005 on a flight from Boston to Frankfurt, I happened to sit by a fellow from Rome, who got me excited about Rome and Puglia where he and his family had a country house. After meeting him, I changed my preferred country for teaching English from France to Italy.
When my husband took me on a surprise 3-day weekend to Rome for my 60th birthday, I found Rome absolutely fantastic and then I decided "This is it. I have got to work in Italy." It is no problem for me to work in Europe because of my Swedish passport.
I taught in Mantova in northern Italy, southwest of Verona in the Po Valley. I was there for seven months teaching business English. Mantova is an incredible town with an exciting history. I just loved it. I rented my own car, a little FIAT Panda, and drove all over the area exploring all the wonderful sights in that part of Italy. I noticed many houses for sale and started thinking of ways to buy one.
How did you make time for your dream?
When my husband and I came back from our years living in South America, I was out of work so I had all the time in the world. Too much time. Our daughter was away at university so I started looking for interesting things to do. You have to follow different leads. The more you talk to people, the more you investigate things, the more ideas come to you.
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January's Journal Sparker
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With
its questions and exercises, think of a Journal Sparker as a spark for
reflection or action that can help you take the next step on your
journey to where you want to be.
(now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened) e.e. cummings
In his poem "now the eyes of my eyes are opened," e.e. cummings speaks of "everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes." When we experience that "yes" it is an invitation to fully realize our potential. In this
month's Journal Sparker you'll find suggestions for diving deeper into what you love. We've also created a cover
sheet if you would like to begin a binder for your Journal Sparkers.
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| Do you know a Quest Maker, a woman who has realized her dream?
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Do you know a woman in her 40s or beyond who declared "now it's my
time," and realized her dream, just like Hilary Cooper-Kenny has done? Perhaps she's a friend, a family member, an
acquaintance. Perhaps it's you! If she or you would like to considered for an upcoming Quest Maker column in the Chronicles, please send me an email with a brief description and the best way to reach her.
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| Need an idea spark to ignite your own quest?
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Have you decided that now it's your time to claim your own realm and undertake your own voyage of discovery? Except you're not exactly sure how (or even where) to start?You may need an Idea Sparker to ignite your quest.
Learn more about me at www.yournextquest.com.Take the next step with a free 15-minute consultation with me. We'll talk about where you are now and where you want to be and how I can help you get there. Learn more about how I can help you at www.yournextquest.com. Start your journey now by contacting me at info@yournextquest.com or by calling me at 781.583.7185.Together, we can start you on the journey to where you want to be!
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