Horsing Around

Posted on July 2, 2019 by Laurie Buchanan

I just returned from the Soulful Prairies Peaceful Retreat in Woodstock, Illinois. This equestrian-intensive location is incredible!

In addition to enjoying time with the horses, we used this window of opportunity to discuss the business of being and living fully.

After our mind-mapping session, we created vision boards to help us close the gap between where we are and where we want to be.

Some of the internal inventory questions we grappled with were:
What does it mean to be human?
What is peace?
What does it mean to BE peace?
How do I show up?
What is it like to be on the receiving end of me?
Is there a difference between being nice and being kind? If yes, what is the difference?
Am I nice or kind?

This was the first of many retreats that I’ll host at Soulful Prairies. I hope to see YOU there next year.

What question are you grappling with?

Soulful Prairies

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Laurie Buchanan

Some of you may already aware of this exciting news, but for those of you who aren’t…

We are fine-tuning the details for our 1st Annual Retreat at SOULFUL PRAIRIES in Woodstock, Illinois. This venue is amazing! You’ll be enlightened just visiting this magical farm.

Please navigate to the SOULFUL PRAIRIES website at SoulfulPrairies.com to feel the transformative energy that you’ll experience with us this summer.

Have you experienced the joyful energy of horses?
Gong in the barn?
Networking with like-minded, passionate people that create a collective, positive impact on our world?

Brief overview, subject to change:

1) Friday, June 28th – Peace Education Workshop 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. This offering includes lunch

2) Friday, June 28th – Overnight accommodations at Soulful Prairies — limited to 11 overnight participants. This offering includes dinner, evening group session, and Saturday breakfast.

3) Saturday, June 29th – Business of Being / Living Fully Workshop 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. This offering includes lunch.

Saturday will offer additional options for one-on-one sessions of Reiki, Equine Therapy, and Reflexology.

When registration opens, you can sign up for 1, 2, or all 3 options. It’s up to you!!

SAVE THE DATE(S) — more details to follow

For Planning Purposes
If you’re interested in the 2018 Build-a-Retreat (or a retreat on Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas in January of 2020), please send me an email (laurie buchanan at me dot com) with “I’m interested” in the subject line, and which retreat(s) you’re interested in. Your response does not imply obligation.

Where was the last retreat you attended?

This photo was taken at Soulful Prairies this past summer when I was in Crystal Lake, IL for the picnic-style book launch party for The Business of Being: Soul Purpose In and Out of the Workplace. I can tell you experientially that Soulful Prairies is amazing!

Official Pub Day

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Laurie Buchanan

Today is the official Pub day for my second book, The Business of Being: Soul Purpose In and Out of the Workplace. I’m pleased to say that it’s a 2018 International Book Awards Finalist in the Self-Help/Motivation category.

The Business of Being is available wherever books are sold, but if it’s not currently in stock at your favorite bookstore, they can order it for you.

If you’re not able to attend one of the following author events, but you’d like a signed copy, please call my local bookstore (Rediscovered Books, details below); and they’ll ship it to you within 24-hours.

July 11 — San Diego, CA
The Book Catapult
She Writes Press author panel
7:00 pm

July 27 — Boise, ID
Rediscovered Books
Book launch party with French Hors d’Oeuvres and wine
7:00 pm

August 12 — Crystal Lake, IL
Veteran Acres Park
Picnic and book signing at the Rotary Shelter
Noon-2:00pm

If you read The Business of Being and enjoy it, I hope you’ll post a brief review on both Amazon and GoodReads. Reviews are the lifeblood for authors.

What book are you currently reading?

Ontology

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Laurie Buchanan

Rather than make New Year’s resolutions, each year I select a single word to focus on in the upcoming year. In 2018 my focus word is ontology—the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality. I was first introduced to this word while reading Madeleine L’Engle’s nonfiction series, The Crosswicks Journals, and have been fascinated ever since.

Why ontology, you ask?

On July 10th of this year, my next book, The Business of Being: Soul Purpose In and Out of the Workplace hits the shelves.

This book isn’t just about being in business; it’s about the business of being. But when you stop to think about it, each us is like a small business.

Blending business and spirituality, The Business of Being demonstrates how to stand in alignment with your core values; it explores how to thrive, soul-side out, in and out of the workplace.

Here’s what two advance readers had to say:

“This gem of a book is really three books in one: a savvy guide to building a business, an engaging story of a boutique restaurant, and a coaching guide to living an intentional life. Chock full of quotes, stories, and examples, The Business of Being will help you be the person (and the business) you want to be. And in doing so, it shows you how to change the world—and have fun doing so. Bravo!” —RITA SEVER, author of Supervision Matters:100 Bite-Sized Ideas to Change You and Your Team

“Complete with recipes, the imaginative highlight of The Business of Being is the vibrant account of the founding and running of a French restaurant called La Mandarine Bleue. This book is a lucid, step-by-step guide to personal and professional success—with vichyssoise mixed in.” — KIRKUS REVIEWS

Do you have a focus word this year?

Reading and Writing – NOT Arithmetic

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Laurie Buchanan

During my three month sabbatical (Jan-Mar) to finish writing The Business of Being, my schedule was simple:

WRITE during the day
READ in the evening

Some of the books I read were serious; others were laugh-out-loud funny!

When I finish reading a book, if I can give it three or more stars, I write a brief review/recommendation and post it on Goodreads and Amazon. These are the books I read and enjoyed during my sabbatical:

Some people hesitate to write book reviews because they feel they have to be long and involved, but many of the best reviews are short. Here’s one of my favorites:

Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth is “as good for you as kale, but reads like chocolate—smooth, rich, and fun.” —Leanne Dyck

When you enjoy a book, do you typically write a brief review/recommendation?

The Winner!

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Laurie Buchanan

The first person to type the accurate location of my sabbatical — Darby, Montana — into the comments section of March 28th post was bodojanbo. Congratulations! She has won a signed copy of Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth.

Wintering in Darby, Montana was a great experience. Not only was it breathtakingly gorgeous, it was productive. I completed what I set out to do—finish The Business of Being: Soul Purpose In and Out of the Workplace.

Often mistaken for an extrovert, I’m an introvert who functions as an extrovert. So this opportunity—three months of solitude—was like a decadent slice (or three) of crème brûlée.

Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?

Life in a Bubble

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Laurie Buchanan

For three months (Jan-Mar) I enjoyed the gift of life in a bubble; the opportunity to live where I didn’t know anyone and no one knew me.

Life in a bubble afforded me the opportunity to finish my next book—The Business of Being.

Life in a Bubble by Laurie Buchanan at TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

On April 20th I turn the manuscript over to my editor for her to knead. Then she’ll return it to me for a final polish, and shortly after that it’ll go to my publisher. We’re looking toward a spring 2018 publication.

On January 10th in the Looking for Laurie post, I provided the latitude (according to Bing) of my sabbatical location, with the promise of providing the longitude (according to Bing) today: -114.173143.

With those coordinates, the first person to type the correct name of the city and state of my sabbatical location into this post’s comments (not previous posts) will receive a signed copy of Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth for themselves or as a gift to someone else.

Next week’s post will reveal the winner!

Intentional or otherwise, have you ever lived in a bubble?

Note: Today I’m traveling back to Boise and will respond to comments tomorrow.

Murder Mystery

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Laurie Buchanan

I enjoy writing nonfiction, but I also have fun writing fiction. I currently have a murder mystery simmering on the back burner that I’ll jump back into—with gusto!—once The Business of Being is complete.

The game of Clue offers several options as murder weapons—wrench, rope, candlestick, revolver, lead pipe, and knife.

Hint #7 — A portion of the state where I’m enjoying my sabbatical is considered a paradise for geologists.

Now that I’ve been in my sabbatical location for a while, and my mind’s had ample opportunity to wander, I think death by icicle would make a good way in a murder mystery to eliminate someone (picture me rubbing my hands together with a diabolical glint in my eyes). Unlike a knife used to stab someone, once a spike of ice has melted, there’d be no murder weapon as evidence.

Who is your favorite mystery writer?

Reminder, the caveat of the Looking for Laurie game stipulates: “The first person to type the accurate city and state of my sabbatical location into the comments section of the Mar 28 post will receive a personalized copy of Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth for themselves or as a gift to someone else.”

Looking for Laurie

Posted on January 10, 2017 by Laurie Buchanan

Somewhat like “Where’s Waldo?” I’m currently in hiding. Well, not hiding exactly, but on a three month sabbatical to finish writing my next book—The Business of Being.

I’ll be in this U.S. location—where I don’t know anyone, and no one knows me—until the last week of March. Social media visits will be rare as I plan to laser-focus on completing the manuscript. However, I’ve reserved Tuesdays to come up for air and visit with online friends here and on your blogs as well.

Hint #1 — I’m not in Palm Springs.

The latitude of my hideaway is 46.021587. Hang onto it because my final post from this location (Mar 28) will contain the longitude. Each post between now and then will include a different hint in the photo caption. The first person to type the accurate city and state of my sabbatical location into the comments section of the Mar 28 post will receive a personalized copy of Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth for themselves or as a gift to someone else.

Sometimes people say, “I’m going away to find myself.” I know exactly where I am, but do you?

Day of the Dead

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Laurie Buchanan

Saludos—greetings—from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where preparations are excitedly underway for Dia de los Muertos—Day of the Dead—in which the many of the local people remember and honor their deceased loved ones.

Though it may sound somber or macabre, it’s not!

The view from my room in the hacienda where I’m staying

Between Oct 31 and Nov 2 it’s a festivo—festive holiday—with eye-popping, colores vivos—vivid colors—everywhere to welcome departed loved ones, believing that their espíritu—spirits—return to earth for a single day each year to spend time with familia—family.

Day of the Dead is celebrado—celebrated—differently all over the world. In Mexico many of the cemetery lápidas—headstones—have elaborate decorations because it’s thought that the spirits stop there first on their way home. The casas—homes—have intricately decorated ofrendas—altars—to welcome departed loved ones.

Stairwell in hacienda – my room’s at the top

It’s believed that the spirits of bebés y niños—babies and children—arrive at midnight on Oct 31 to spend a full day with their families then leave, and the spirits of adultos—adults—arrive the following day.

Bedroom Ceiling in Hacienda by Laurie Buchanan

¿Alguna vez se celebra el día de los muertos
Have you ever celebrated Day of the Dead?

Escuchar con el corazón—listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Lo que no va a cambiar, está eligiendo.”
“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Discovering the Seven Selves Life Harmony Facebook

Tuesdays with Laurie

"Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing." —Laurie Buchanan

Tag Archives: the business of being