OK, before you delete this e-mail thinking that I've totally lost it or I'm just trying to offend people for no particular reason, all will be explained momentarily.
Working with my own coach recently, I committed to re-evaluating, and reconnecting with my top few values. I'm not talking about my morals or the rules that I live my life by, but those qualities that I need to be present in order for my life to be the one that I want to live moment by moment.
What really made the exercise stimulating and exciting for me though was the directive I was given to come up with a metaphor, something that held a positive charge for me for each value, rather than just a noun such as peace, connection or health.
I started with the value of fun and playfulness, which has always been important to me, but I easily and frequently lose sight of.
I just happened to read an article in one of the daily papers, while doing this exercise, about something called a Mondegreen. A mondegreen is the mishearing (usually unintentional) of a phrase in such a way that it acquires a new meaning.
The phrase was originally coined by the American writer Sylvia Wright in an essay "The Death of Lady Mondegreen". Sylvia wrote that in her childhood she believed a line of a poem she knew went "They hae slain the Earl Amurray, and Lady Mondegreen". Only much later did Sylvia discover that the last part of the line was actually "And laid him on the green".
As this appealed greatly to my own infantile sense of humour, I researched mondegreens further and came up with my favourite so far, the one that is the title of this article. For those of you familiar with The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", the title is the misheard line "The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes".
Now, I apologise profusely if the above does not appeal to your sense of humour, but for me I find it extremely hard to explain it without laughing out loud, even now.
For me this phrase represents
fun, laughter, music, playfulness, creativity and the pure joy of opening up my face and my entire being with lightness and full self-expression. Quite a lot just from six words I know, but so much more powerful than just giving a list of nouns.
So, what are your key values?
Can you come up with a metaphor for one of your values that really brings it to life for you?
I'd love to hear if you have any favourite mondegreens of your own. I'll publish any that make me laugh, anonymously if you wish.
a period of rediscovery and expansion at the moment in terms of my coaching, my business and my life. I've recently started an intensive coach certification programme, taken on a new coach of my own and am having weekly conversations with a group of 9 other coaches in the USA, Israel, Denmark and Turkey. It's all very exciting, challenging and a whole lot of fun.
For those of you who have values around fun, laughter, playfulness, creativity or artistry, follow this link for a real treat. One of my favourite comedy acts performing one of my favourite of their sketches, although they have many superb ones.