A little bit of heaven I discovered on West 97th Street

I’ll admit that this has not been a great week for me. I’ve been anxious about a few things lately, both personal and business-related. It hasn’t felt good. However, yesterday I discovered that sometimes a new perspective can literally change your perspective!

I spent an hour  yesterday morning in the Lotus Garden, a hidden community garden, tucked away above a garage on West 97th Street in Manhattan. Deborah Roth of Spirited Living, introduced me to this hidden gem, where she tends her very own urban garden plot. The lush green space is abundant with a variety of plants, flowers, couple of ponds and even a peach tree! All this on the Upper West Side – who knew?

Deborah is a Life Transition Coach, Certified Relationship Coach, and Interfaith Minister. Deborah and I met in a women’s networking group that we both belong to, Powerful You Women’s Network. Our meeting this morning was to get to know each other better and I definitely left, not only knowing more about Deborah and the unique perspective she brings to her coaching business, but I think I also gained a new friend as well. Deborah has a calm, easy demeanor and is easy to talk to… she’s a good listener. I can see what a great coach she must be.

That hour spent talking with Deborah in her garden made me realize that things are not always as they appear to be.  You can look up to see a garden atop a garage on a city street, or you can keep your eyes down and only see the concrete pavement below. It’s how you choose to look that can change your perception. Our visit in the garden came to an end. Deborah was off to a yoga class and I left to tackle the challenges that waited for me back home. We all find balance in different ways, and I find that those ways change daily. Yesterday it was discovering a beautiful garden and a new friend – and a yoga class later that evening didn’t hurt either!

Deborah Roth in the Lotus Garden wearing a Life is Balance® Yoga t-shirt.