Walt, Author at Walt Hampton, J.D.

212

by Walt | Jan 4, 2024 | Success | 2 Comments

At 211º F, water is just water.

At 212º F, it will power a locomotive.

Just a 1º shift.

It’s the New Year. It’s snazzy to talk about everything you’re going to do be and have. Your BHAGs. Your Big Hairy Audacious Goals.

I like BHAGs. I like audacious.

And yet, as a distance runner and high-altitude mountaineer, I know that races are won one stride at a time; mountains are climbed one step at a time.

You’ll write your book one page at a time; create your program one block at a time; train for your first 10k one day at a time; craft your resume one line at a time.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “You don’t need to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step in faith.”

Oh sure, create a BHAG if you want to.

But never forget the power of just 1º. That can be enough.

Listening To Your Heart

by Walt | Dec 28, 2023 | Success | 3 Comments

What Is Your Heart’s Desire

January 12, 2023

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12

How are you today?

I hope you’re rested, refreshed, and satisfied after your holiday celebrations.

But if, instead, you’re feeling dazed and depleted and maybe a little bit empty, you are not alone.

The holidays are a huge source of stress; a seemingly never-ending torrent of buying and wrapping and eating and drinking and binging and networking and connecting and partying; with concomitant unceasing demands and obligations and expectations.

Likely you’ve spent the last month (or more) hustling around fulfilling everyone else’s wants. Tending to the needs of others.

Maybe you think you’re done.

Except that you’re not.

It’s today. Another day. And while you can, perhaps, distract yourself for a little while longer, as you ring in the New Year, the day is coming soon when you will face the expanse – or the abyss – of the year ahead.

So today’s question is not about all those other folks you’ve been attending to. It’s about you.

What do you want?

What do you really want?

Not what you think you should want; or what you think you’re expected to want. Not what your father wanted; or what you’re mother thought would be right. Not what your partner or boyfriend or girlfriend or neighbors want. Not what your clients want. Not what some well-intentioned teacher or guidance counselor wanted for you.

Rather, what is it you want? For yourself. Right here. Right now.

The folks who read this blog are, by their very nature, givers. The challenge for givers is receiving. The challenge for givers is getting quiet enough to listen to the still small voice that speaks to us of our heart’s desires. The challenge for givers is giving to ourselves what it is we really, really want.

Because, we presume that what we want is bad. Or selfish. Or self-centered.

Or more frequently, we forget what we wanted. We become numb to our heart’s desire.

So before you start the new year, I have a challenge for you: Set aside some time just for you; and spend some time asking yourself (and perhaps journaling about) these questions:

If I could make my life any way I wanted it, what would my ‘perfect’ day look like? My ‘perfect’ week? What time would I get up? What would I wear? Who would I spend my time with? What work would I do? What projects would I pursue? What travels would I take? What would my ‘perfect’ life look like?
If this were my very last year on earth, what would I do? Would I stay in the same relationship; would I keep the same job; would I hang out with the same people; would I go the same places; would I do things the way I’m doing them right now?
If money were no object, if I won the $30 million dollar Powerball, what would I do? After I bought all the toys I wanted, where would I go; who would I go with; where would I spend my time; what experiences would I want to create; what legacy would I want to leave?

Because here’s what’s true: Those whispers that are in your heart, those dreams that you have, those projects you want to create, those places you want to go, the empires you want to build, the impact you want to make… they’re not random musings; they’re not accidents. They are the call of your Spirit, the Divine within you, showing you – telling you – the way.

So think. Write. Draw. Free flow. Tear down the boundaries. No limitations. Let your imagination run wild.

And then get busy. Because, that’s what you want. That’s what you really want.

That’s your heart’s desire.

______________________________________________________

When you’re ready; when you’re ready to respond to that call deep within; let’s talk. Email me: walt@walthampton.com.

To Turn Again

by Walt | Dec 21, 2023 | Success | 0 Comments

Because I know that time is always time
And place is always and only place
And what is actual is actual only for one time
And only for one place
I rejoice that things are as they are and
I renounce the blessed face
And renounce the voice
Because I cannot hope to turn again
Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something
Upon which to rejoice.

— T.S. Eliot

It’s dark. Really dark. And cold.

The sun, even when it comes up, skitters across the southern horizon. And then disappears.

Yet, next week, on December 21st, we celebrate the light.

It is the turning point.

From the very earliest of times, before tribe or tradition, we have confronted the darkness with trepidation – the darkness of the night, the darkness of our souls – and railed against it. Through liturgy ritual and celebration, we connected with the ancient rhythms of the earth to welcome light – and hope – back into the world.

For a fraction of a moment next week, the earth will stop – and shift on its axis – and turn again toward the sun.

It is the turning point.

In the busyness of your frantic, constantly connected, and over-stimulated lives, you can miss this moment. It is easy to forget why you run around, string lights, light candles, wrap presents, and gather together – and in the process end up empty, depleted, and sad.

It is easy to forget why we celebrate.

We celebrate the light. We celebrate in the deep knowing that the light always returns. We celebrate that the light always triumphs over the darkness.

Take a moment to stop this week. Reconnect with the ground – and with the Ground of All Being. Feel the earth turn back to the sun, back to the light.

It is the turning point.

Then decide.

What will you turn toward in the days and months ahead? What light will you discover in your life? What light will you shine in the lives of others?

Be that light.

And celebrate.

It is the turning point.

Cancel It

by Walt | Dec 14, 2023 | Success | 0 Comments

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Just because it’s on your calendar doesn’t mean it has to stay there.

Become even more rigorous with your boundaries in this holiday season.

So that you can stay resourceful and resilient.

So that you can feel the joy.

How Do You Want It To Be

by Walt | Dec 7, 2023 | Success | 2 Comments

Planning is important.

We encourage our coaching clients and authors to do it. Getting clear on goals and objectives makes a huge difference. And raises the likelihood that you’ll achieve those goals and objectives.

But life is not one thing.

It’s the whole thing: Yes, your work, of course. But also your health, wellness, finances, relationships, spiritual life, and fun. (Don’t forget the fun.)

In our hustle culture, though, it’s easy to get tunnel-visioned. Caught up in the siren call of more, bigger, better, different, more. 2x. 10x.

Before you know it, you’ve lost your way.

So here’s a question that I know will help: