My dear friend Susan, and fellow GAIA friend as well, is seeking mentors in her sustainable community development studies. I know there are lots of you out there that might be able to help her out, so I offered to spread the word a bit. She's a very amazing, passionate and intelligent womyn...if you chose to mentor her I am positive you would receive many benefits as well. One of the characteristics of  Whole Health, as I see it, is environment, meaning the physical environment we find ourselves in most often. Sustainable community is the most viable way to create a healthy environment from this perspective, that I can see. Susan's studies, and future work that will be born from that, is important and valuable.

This is her "seeking mentors" statement.

I am an environmental studies student in the distance learning program of Prescott College looking for course mentors.  My area of focus is sustainable community development, and community organizing.  I specifically need mentors for courses based on ecology, environmental ethics, eco-psychology, eco-economics, and sustainability.  Also of interest is anyone with a background in community development, assessing the needs of a community in regards to sustainability, and environmental policy making.

    Basically, the program I am in involves designing my own coursework with a mentor and is a very experiential based learning model.   A mentor would be required to meet with me via phone or in person at least once per week for 3 or 4 months per course, would evaluate the work I do, and help in advising me throughout my course with feedback and support.

    Why be a mentor?  If you are passionate about your area of expertise and enjoy sharing knowledge, this is an ideal situation for you.  If you are involved in community projects that are connected to my coursework, I can help you as part of my study contract. This is an opportunity for you to serve your local and intellectual communities.  Mentors are also considered adjunct faculty to Prescott College, and are paid an honorarium for their time.

    Mentor requirements:  Teaching experience and knowledge of academic resources in the course subject area.  A graduate degree is helpful, or some depth of expertise in your field.  You have a small amount of time to commit to up to 4 months of once per week meetings.  You know how to apply knowledge to action and real life situations.

    If you are interested in being a mentor, please contact me. For more information about the mentor program, or if you are interested in becoming a mentor in general for Prescott College, go to www.prescott.edu, click on “current students”, then click on the ADP link  (adult degree program)  and you will find links about both mentoring and the program.

    If you don't have the requirements, but do have knowledge to share, I am also interviewing people with backgrounds in environmental studies, community organizing, sustainability and sustainable development.  Feel free to contact me with any questions.

I wish Susan the best of luck in her studies and future. She continuously inspires me with her passion and  insights. She's a great friend to have.

Lately I have been pondering, and sitting with, the question of "How can I add value to your life?". Your being the collective your; all those around me, all those I touch, have contact with, and intersect with in various ways.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, a time when we naturally take stock of all the things we have to be joyfully grateful for, it's a bit of an interesting twist. As I list my mountains of abundance that I am so thankful for, I also get to consider all the ways that I might be able to positively impact another's life.

How can I add value to your life? Depending on who I ask will certainly influence the answer. Actually, it is not even imperative that I really ask the other person, it is a question I can ask of myself about another person. "How can I add value to so&so's life?".

It occurs to me, that unless those I am asking really know who I am, they may not be aware of how I may add value to their life. If, for instance, the person I asked did not know that I am a Life Coach, they wouldn't know that I might support them in gaining clarity or in creating balance in their lives. If they know I am a Life Coach, they may not understand that my focus is on Whole Health and Wellness, and that my passion is in helping others to gain a sense of complete healthiness in all aspects of their life. If they are needing respite and renewal, and didn't know I facilitate custom designed retreats for individuals and groups, they wouldn't know I could help them step out of their usual lives and into a safe place of stillness where their authentic voice could really be heard. Likewise, if one was unaware of my community building experience, or organizational skills, networking prowess, or love for collaborative ventures, how would they know to ask?

As we consider the possibility of adding value to lives of others, in ways that they will be thankful for, while we count our own blessings, it seems important that we let others know who we are!!

But first, we must ask ourselves...how do I value myself? In what ways can I add value to my own life? What aspects of myself do I believe adds value to the lives of others? Believing in ourselves and trusting that we have something of value to contribute to the world at large, and knowing what that is, is as important as wanting to make a positive impact.

Sometimes we are not always able to connect to our intrinsic value and positive contribution to the world. Hopefully, this is when our friends and loved ones take notice, and ask us how they can add value to our lives! And then, we get to count our blessings and have give thanks and the circle continues.

Today, I am grateful for many, many things, and I ask: how can I add value to your life?