Today is National Bird Day and as I sit watching the birds in the garden fight over the nuts and seeds in the bird feeder I’m reminded of my grandfather, my Pappa, as I used to call him.

Pappa loved watching the birds in his garden and on his home-made bird table and instilled a love of wildlife in me from an early age.  I have fond memories of feeding the birds, helping him on the garden and on his vegetable patch and of going for long walks with him, often past fields of horses when he would miraculously produce a sugar-cube, carrot or apple from his pocket so that my sister and I could feed the horses who would come to the gate for us to stroke them.

On National Bird Day though I’m reminded of him towards the end of his life.  He was quite a quiet man and absolutely adored my Nan and if he was being teased, in the way we often tease our loved ones about little quirks they have, he would smile and laugh and say “it’s difficult to soar like an Eagle when you’re surrounded by Turkeys!”

One year when he was in his late eighties, I spotted a mug with that phrase on it and bought it for him for his birthday.  I remember the smile on his face and his chuckle as he exclaimed that “at least one person in this family understands my predicament”.  I was always very, very close to my Pappa and to this day I miss him terribly. That memory always brings a smile to my face.

But the phrase has stayed with me.  I have no idea where he first heard it, undoubtedly it was in a documentary or a comedy he’d seen on TV or in a book or newspaper.  The internet hadn’t been invented back then!

It reminds me of all the personal development and coaching books I’ve read, seminars I’ve attended and mentors I’ve worked with who recommend we ‘find our tribe’ in today’s parlance.

But what does that mean?  For me, it means surrounding myself with like-minded people, people who support me and encourage me to be the absolute best ‘me’ I can be. Those who support and encourage me through my lows and celebrate and trumpet my wins.  Those who challenge me and stretch me, who provide a steadying arm when I’m fearful and who help to shine a bright light on me when I’m front and centre doing the things I absolutely love and was born to do. And when it comes to reclaiming your life you need to be surrounded by people who can help you to soar like an Eagle.

Who do you have in your team who enables you to soar like an Eagle?  Who are the turkeys you want to spend less time with?

Only you know the answer to those questions and only you can do something to change it.

As you ponder that thought, I’m going to leave you and get back to watching the birds in the garden and thinking about my Pappa whilst I enjoy my morning coffee.  If I sit for long enough I can almost smell his pipe tobacco!