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A story of new and old friends

What’s your story?

In December, I met this groups of folks. I’ve known them for just over a week and I think & feel I can call them my ‘new’ friends.

I also met another groups of folks the following weekend that I’ve know for more than 30 years. I think & feel I can call them my ‘old’ friends.

During the week I spent a beautiful time with both groups.

One of my ‘old’ friends asked me ”I often see your LI posts with photos of you eating cake. How much work are you actually doing..?”

So I thought I’d find a different ‘no cake’ angle for this blog. :-))

Cheers!

Anyway, during my time in London I was thinking and feeling a lot about time.

I turned 54, which is a VERY COOL age by the way! The next day my Dad turned 80, and I gave him a surprise visit, and I gave / received, not 1, but THREE BIG HUGS in a row from him. I can still feel them. :-))

AND,

I was in the process of meeting a group of new friends, on a BRILLIANT training program about Emergent Team Coaching from the Team Coaching Studio, which is about the here and now, and what is emerging for Teams. It was the MOST AMAZING experience!

So, I was looking back 80 years and 54 years and being in the now, and of course, looking forwards to what next,,,, what is emerging and sometimes looking / feeling back into what may have influenced me / us in the past and is showing up now in the present. & choosing what to do with that?

Oeefff, it was from time to time, some deep work AND some very, very beautiful work. We opened up and we shared our present and past in honour of learning about ourselves and shaping what is emerging in our own stories.

My group of ‘new’ friends got to know me and got to know some of my (life) story. And they shared their stories too. 54 and meeting / making new & dear friends, a younger me, could never really have imagined this!

My group of old friends, ‘know’ my story as they travelled with me along the way, some have helped me create my story, and our stories have been interwoven, the good times full of joyful memories and the tough times where we didn’t give up and leant on each other for support.

At the end of the training program, I felt that my learning edge going forwards is to go deep. I still feel it.

So when my ‘old’ friends turned up for the weekend, I / we went deep.

In the past I could have spent a weekend talking football and music and travel and plans for Christmas etc. I did this, but I / we also went deep.

How are you really feeling?
What are you doing that gives you joy?
What are you learning about yourself?
How are you taking care of yourself?
What’s next for you?

Time-less questions, but questions I’ve never really asked my ‘old’ friends. Until now.

Time-less questions, that I’ve already looked into with my ‘new’ friends.

Questions about.

What’s your story?
&
What story are you writing?

Make some time for these type of questions, with your colleagues / teams / friends.

You’ll be amazed what may emerge. :-))

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Nick Regan

Nick is an ICF-certified Leadership Coach, experienced Systemic Team Coach, and Accredited Professional Dialogue Practitioner.

Nick is from the UK, but has lived and worked in the Netherlands since 2001. He draws on over 25 years of corporate leadership experience, spanning product development, engineering management, and global learning & development. His real passion is teams and team work, he knows that teams are the real force in delivering value and growth. He supports teams and leaders in creating stronger connections, deeper collaboration, and delivering on their stakeholder expectations.

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