Noticing
- diane terry
- 11 minutes ago
- 7 min read
August 2026: Be Good Soil
Dear Readers,
Another month has zipped by and somehow we are about to begin the month of August, my birthday month.
It makes me wonder, do YOU have certain birthday rituals for your special day?I have friends who get their annual physical, mammogram and teeth cleaning. Good for them but not how I want to spend my day!
I personally try to find some solitude and always find time to thumb through a very worn copy of Notes to Myself by Hugh Prather. This book sustained me when I moved to the U.S.A. as a Junior in high school. I thought my world as I knew it was ending. It was. Having arrived at the beginning of summer, I had little chance to meet people my own age until school began in the fall. It was a huge transition of lifestyle for me and I was not a happy camper. My first copy of this book was highlighted, dog-eared with notes all up and down the margins and falling apart. Even at a young age, I was searching for deeper meanings through self-reflection. This book has always felt like my lifeline to a new chapter, one that was waiting for me as soon as I could be independent.
Additionally I find time annually to thumb through some very old journals from the 70’s & 80’s when I was much more diligent about journaling. I was remarking to my Circle of Six (COS) journaling group, that my old journals from college very much have a similar look and cadence to this Noticing blog. Some serious, intimate thoughts, followed by food, flowers, table settings, menus, music and lists of books & movies I want to get to.
So as I finish out the last days before I turn 67, I want to report that it feels great nearing Level 6.7. Even in all my moments of reflection and nostalgia, I feel more solidly into this version of myself, of what my cohorts and I call a Modern Elder. Nothing left to prove. Permission to coast if the desire ever rises. But so far, not. I still love the industry and all the many challenges and opportunities. I don’t feel burdened by carrying past versions of myself and feel fully grounded where my feet are planted today. I am not wistfully looking back with regret for anything, nothing to prove and not afraid of what’s to come and preparing for it. Being a part of Modern Elder Academy (MEA) has shown me countless examples of vibrant humans, decades older than I, who are thriving and still contributing in such meaningful and impressive ways to their world at large.
Chip Conley who co-founded MEA and is a prolific writer posted a quote by Notre Dame philosopher, Tom Morris who said, “Be good soil. What matters is what we cultivate in the lives around us.”. That hit me as being SO spot on for where I am at in my life. Any desire to impress, leftover from my 50s, has left the room for me. Now, impact is something I am far more interested in. Like any good coach, I hope my impact is felt by being good soil and giving the people I care about the nutrients and nurture they need to thrive. I do not need nor want the stage unless it is in service of others. There is so much reward in watching my clients have that light bulb moment or be able to solve their own problem by shining light on something they may not be noticing.
So while some at this stage feel: Learn/Earn/Yearn, constantly yearning for purpose and fulfillment. I am definitely feeling more like: Learn/Earn/Return. I am fulfilled by returning my energy into others and being good soil for those around me.
One of the easiest ways I put energy back into the people around me is simply by noticing them. Barb Betts who is a wonderful speaker in our industry said you can easily decipher an Impress vs Impact person by whether they are screaming “here I am” versus “there you are”. Noticing and encouraging people is still a daily ritual that I complete by 0800. I still encourage 5 people by 8 a.m. no matter what. I started that practice around the same time I started this blog. It is not a coincidence that both of these practices have given me deeper purpose and connection.
Take time to notice and encourage the people in your world. If you know someone is going through a tough time, be sure to reach out and let them know that someone who cares about them notices. Cheer your people on. Give them an atta girl/boy. Be quick to praise them and cheer them on. Most of all, be tuned into yourself so you can notice what is on your own heart and can encourage yourself.
A lovely ritual when with a circle of friends is instead of asking what’s new or what’s on your mind, take it deeper. Ask instead, "what’s on your heart”? Is it sitting there lightly or weighing down heavily?
One of my favorite Aussie writers is Megan Della-Camina. I subscribe to her regular email Notes of Encouragement that I specifically saved to share with you this month. There is so much wisdom in her words.
Notes of Encouragement:
Live as though you believe in yourself.
One of the things I've been reflecting on lately is how much of life changes when we begin to trust ourselves. Not in grand, dramatic ways, but in the small decisions we make every day. The conversations we choose to have. The opportunities we pursue. The boundaries we honour. The moments when we stop looking outside ourselves for permission and begin listening more closely to what we already know.
Over the years, I've come to believe that most women possess far more wisdom than they give themselves credit for. We often know when something is right for us and when it isn't. We sense when a chapter is ending, when a relationship has changed, or when a longing is asking for our attention. Yet many of us have been conditioned to question that knowing. We look for certainty where none exists. We seek reassurance from others. We wait until we feel completely ready before taking a step forward.
Perhaps this is why remembering is only part of the journey. Recognising what is true matters, but there comes a point when we are invited to do something more. We are invited to trust it. To allow what we know to influence the way we live, rather than simply remaining an insight we carry quietly within us.
I've found that self-trust is rarely built through a single courageous act. More often, it develops slowly through a series of small choices. We begin listening more closely to ourselves. We stop dismissing what we feel. We learn that our inner knowing is not something to fear, but something we can rely upon. Over time, those choices create a different relationship with ourselves, one rooted less in doubt and more in trust.
As this month comes to a close, perhaps the invitation is simply to notice where you already know. Not to force an answer or rush a decision, but to pay attention to what feels true. There is wisdom in that place. And perhaps there is also a next step waiting patiently for your trust.
With love
Megan
Megan’s comments around trusting yourself rang so deeply true for me. People often remark how disciplined I am, and I have to smile. I do it because I don’t want to make half hearted excuses to the person who matters most and that is me. Discipline helps me to trust myself. If I don’t trust myself, how can I possibly expect someone else to? Extrapolate that out and it affects what I commit to. I won’t say yes unless I know I can truly devote the time and show up in a way that is worthy of what the ask is. The best thing about being almost Level 6.7 is truly understanding the importance of boundaries and enforcing them. Boundaries that are not held firm slip into unspoken permission. Learning to say no firmly is something we can all benefit from.
As always, I like to also leave you with the little things that have caught my eye from recipes to books to music.
DRINKS:
Summer Sips that caught my eye that I wanted to share:
GARDENING:
Monrovia Plants YouTube always bring me joy! I have always been an armchair gardener. I love learning about new, to me, plants and combos. It is an art & a science.
MUSIC:
Meet Elizabeth (Lizzie) Steiner. I have known Lizzie since she played with American dolls. Her father was my mortgage lender and her mother an accomplished chef who owned a store front in Madrona called Villa Victoria. Lizzie went to Garfield High School here in Seattle which is the home of Quincy Jones and other notable musicians.
Lizzie debuted her first recording a few days ago and I want to share this with you!
Here are some other play lists that I enjoy. Elsie Green is a favorite site that I like to shop from as well as two others you might enjoy. Elsie Green Playlists
SNAIL MAIL
Snail Mail ♥️ers!
Continuing with my love for Snail Mail and Encouragement, I found this company (Becouraged) that I will be trying soon.
I want to share the joy of journaling and self-reflection, and what better way to do that than with exquisite stationary. If you enjoyed this post, leave me a comment on my post for this month's blog on Instagram or my Diane Terry Coach FB page. You will be entered in a drawing for a beautiful journal from Wilde House Paper. The same one my C.O.S. group will be using the rest of this year.
XOXO,
Coach Diane
Subscribe to the blog here!
All artwork for 2026 is by Seattle artist, Anna Brones.
Comments