I had a compelling topic for this week, which will have to wait. My first week in Colorado has been so full of life experiences that I didn’t find the time to do that topic justice.

While New Mexico still holds my heart, Colorado is a close second. In this first week, I’ve connected deeply with nature, people, and animals, and it’s easy to understand why so many are drawn to this state.

My neighborhood runs took me through a prairie dog colony. They are adorable, especially when they bark. I paused there every time I passed and marveled at them.

One local friend suggested we precede our planned dinner with a bike ride up Waterton Canyon. It was such a brilliant idea. We caught up while taking in majestic scenery. Bighorn sheep are common there, but I didn’t see any on my ride. Another time, perhaps.

I spent a day hiking with a friend from college. She grew up in Colorado, and being in nature is her meditation. My love of nature and hiking is still emergent, and it was a joy to hike with someone who has embraced hiking and being in nature as their way of being for years. We discovered many early blooming wildflowers, deer, and an occasional chipmunk. We both enjoyed seeing the hike through the other’s eyes – me benefiting from her knowledge of the trail, knowing what to look for, and she benefitting from the fresh eyes of a first-time visitor. This was my first hike with another person since starting my Walkabout.

Knowing a local colleague was training for a half marathon, I offered to join him for a long run Saturday. While I often talk to others when I run, this was my first in-person run with another person since starting my Walkabout. We enjoyed eight miles together and a post-run conversation at a local brewery, gazing at the Rocky Mountains. The miles fly by when you have company.

The entire week was in flow. On my way to dinner with a friend, I stopped at a local bookstore and found myself with twenty minutes to spare before dinner. I stopped to pet a cat outside, and they quickly climbed onto my lap, happily filling my extra time. I forget how much I love cats until one enters my orbit. Time clearly slowed during dinner because it felt like my friend and I were chatting twice as long as our watches suggested.

Yesterday, we capped the week with wild turkey and bison.

An unexpected bonus was meeting a woman of extraordinarily high consciousness. I took every opportunity to learn from her life experiences during the week and have more reinforcement to continue to walk the path I am walking.

I’m grateful to have more time in Colorado for the week ahead.

I’m also happy to share an innovation. A friend reached out this week and told me I needed a better way to search the blog archives, as he struggled to track down my Council of Joshes post. I’ve had one; I just hadn’t thought to make it publicly available. And so I present The Aretist, an AI-enabled search of the Arete Pursuits Blog. I’d love your feedback.

That’s all for this week. May you spend your week in flow.

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I am an executive coach and life coach with software executive roots in higher education and EdTech. I coach because I love to help others accelerate their growth as leaders and humans. I frequently write about #management, #leadership, #coaching, #neuroscience, and #arete. For an AI-powered search of the blog archives, please visit The Aretist.

If you would like to learn more, schedule time with me.

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