If you've ever driven across Kansas, you know it's an excellent place to do some great thinking. You barely need to turn the steering wheel for 500 miles and 99% of what you see is the road ahead and corn and wheat fields to the side. My best friend calls it ponder time. Now I call it "Kansas Time."



Recently I from North Carolina, where I had lived for 11 years, to Fort Collins, Colorado. As you can imagine, there was a great deal of time packing and unpacking (those cardboard recyclers loved me!). But between North Carolina and Colorado, I had some amazing "Kansas Time." It's easy to do some great thinking with this scenery. Gently rolling, wide open space. The landscape encourages you to be with yourself. (For some great photos, visit http://www.accesskansas.org/tourism/photo_gallery.html )

What came to me in my Kansas Time was remembering in a powerful way that we are not alone and that the universe is out to help us. There are signs all the time helping us and guiding us.

As a coach, a lot of my focus is on helping clients get into action. Lack of action is a huge problem for many people. Fear, procrastination, hesitation'we all have our pet excuses for not moving forward. However, sometimes action is not the best choice. A lot of people are busy all the time, yet not sure if they are really doing the right things. This can show a lack of good Kansas Time - taking the time to ponder and let the answers come to us.

If there's one thing we're chronically short on in this culture, it's quality thinking time. This is what we can get on a good vacation, time to just be and to think. Or, you can get it by moving across country, like I have just done (!).

It's vitally important to figure out a way to get regular Kansas Time into your life. It could be on the banks of a nearby river where you sit in silence and let your mind wander with the currents. It could be on your exercise bike or treadmill. It could be on a regular walk through your neighborhood. It could be on a long ride on your bike or other energy efficient vehicle.

Whenever you are feeling confused and frazzled, carve out some Kansas Time and you may be rewarded with a burst of total clarity.