Savoring the Sojourn

Each of us has masterpieces within us. They may be tangible in form, such as traditional art—a painting, an invention, or a novel, or they could be the glimmers of a concept, ideas entertained but as of yet not embraced, skills waiting to be honed and put into practice, wondering if we will find the courage to share them with the world—a business brainchild, a leadership role, parenting skills, even attaining with proficiency a new language or skills to design artisan furniture, a cottage garden or an inviting website. The list is infinite, and no masterpiece is too small or unconventional when it comes to what a masterpiece can be, so long as it fits two criteria: intrinsic to our true self, and our willingness to set it free beyond our control upon completion. After all, we each have many masterpieces patiently waiting in the queue, hoping that we will muster up the courage to bring them to fruition.

Frequently, fear stops us from finishing, even starting the process to bring our ideas to life. What we are considering is a leap into the unknown, a journey without a map (or so we think), stepping onto an unfamiliar path, a challenge we have yet to complete successfully. While others may have done something similar, we have not yet done it for ourselves.

With the wisdom of Mother Nature’s four seasons, paired with the expertise from researchers of positive psychology, professional musicians, business educators, psychologists, and philosophers, Shannon Ables teaches the four-part cycle of bringing a masterpiece to completion, all while savoring the entire journey, each sojourn.

When we learn how to savor each season on the calendar—a sojourn, temporary in its duration, yet a place we reside for three months of the year—our ability to understand the four-part cycle of creation: acquisition of new skills, assessing, adjusting, and then finally, releasing, eases our mind so we can commit fully to creating. This understanding becomes something we savor as well.