Breaking through…

February 7, 2013 By

At times, our lives just stream by and we fail to pause and reflect on whether or not we are where we want to be.  We quite simply are where our lives have brought us.  The idea of taking back the reins of our lives seems like one of those ideal images of the future rather than what we can have right now.  Responsibilities, obligations, commitments or any other tag we put on the “stuff” that fills our calendars and days have become more like strictures rather than structure.

When I need to re-center and bring my best self back into focus so that I can function with the highest levels of creativity and purpose, I look to these ten principals to guide me:

  1. The only rules that apply are those that I have accepted.  By accepting (or not accepting) any guidelines, I am also accepting responsibility for my choices.
  2. Fear is not a bad thing.  Fear is a healthy thing.  Because it means I respect what I am undertaking:  Respect of consequences and acceptance of responsibility.  Taking action with accountability makes fear a friend, a guidepost for where I need to pay attention.
  3. Fun is a good thing.  I aspire always to have more fun in everything I do.
  4. My vision for the future is my decision touchstone. I recognize that what I do today is forming my tomorrow.  I do not think about what might have been.  I act on what will be.
  5. My surroundings reflect my values and appreciation for beauty.
  6. A curious nature is my most valuable resource.  My most powerful tool is the right question.
  7. I do not think in terms of success or failure.  I think in terms of action and effort.
  8. A change of scenery is often the absolute best way to achieve a change of perspective.
  9. I invest time as a resource. I do not try to manage my time.  My priorities are how I determine how my time is spent.
  10. Creating value for others is the most important contribution I bring to the world.  I understand that I must focus on their need vs. just what I want to do to have significance.

When things seem a bit out of kilter, by going through these principals I can always find the one that brings everything else back into focus.

What would you put in your manifesto?

Filed Under: Inspiration & Creativity, Personal thoughts & insights, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Where are you on the changescape?

February 4, 2013 By

The rules have changed.  In fact, just about everything has changed.  More importantly, everything is going to continue to change and at an accelerated rate.  That’s why it’s important for us to examine our perspective about change overall and see where we’re at on this new changescape.

Where would you rank yourself in this progression:

 

Level 1: ____I fear change.

Level 2: ____I tolerate change.

Level 3: ____I welcome change.

Level 4: ____I create change.

 

To be successful today, we must be creators. That means that innovation is a integral part of how we approach everything.  That includes not only WHAT we do, but also HOW we do it.  Let’s start by replacing the word change in our minds with the word growth or progress.

If this is a challenge for you, you may be wondering why are some so adept at change while others struggle.  Why do some people really win as creators while some of us are always hearing something and saying we could have done that?  It’s because sometimes we confuse creative thought with innovative action.  While creativity is part of the process, it is not what makes us a creator.  That requires us to act on our ideas. We can think of many new things and ways to do things.  It is only innovation when we apply that creativity to what or how something happens.

Those ideas can spark from seeing a problem and coming up with a solution or it can be the result of simply seeing a better way to do something already being done.  Think about yourself and the use of technology.  Isn’t it easier to adopt new technologies that make it simpler to do something you are already doing?  If we can anticipate need, create innovative answers, and develop an intuitive application we will bring significant value to all key audiences.  Then we are truly creators.  Think of five things you do today that you do differently than you did a year ago.  Did you fight that change?  Can you even imagine going back to the “old” way of doing things now?

We can all begin to transform ourselves into level 4 creators on the changescape scale just by finding one thing that we can improve through change.  Remember – not necessarily changing what we do, changing how we do it.  Then before we know it, we will be inspired to deepen that change and do more.

One more thought on change.  Sometimes change is as much about stopping as it is starting.  Be open about how to view what generates change.  In most cases, a small adjustment can deliver a significant difference.

These 3 questions are a great starting point:

What one thing could you STOP right now that would bring about change?

What one thing could you START right now that would bring about change?

What one thing could you DO DIFFERENTLY right now that would bring about change?

Select a specific area of your life where you would like to achieve a greater sense of satisfaction and significance and begin there.  Choose one question and get started today!  Put yourself in the lead on your own changescape.  Become the creator you were meant to be.

Thoughtful remarks about change (think growth!)….

“There’s a way to do it better –find it.” (Thomas Edison)

“It’s easy to come up with new ideas; the hard part is letting go of what worked for you two years ago but will soon be out of date.” (Roger von Oech)

“Do something everyday that scares you.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

 

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Possibilities & Perspective, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Would Eleanor Roosevelt be on Twitter?

January 29, 2013 By

eleanor_roosevelt“One thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else.  The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear. I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

One of my favorite “mentors” from history is Eleanor Roosevelt.  An important note about her role is that she was one of the first public “officials” to use mass media to talk about important issues such as civil rights; the rights of children and women; and the value of public service.  Because of that, there are many quotes attributed to her that remain relevant today.   She continues to inspire me and her words often find their way into my own writing and teachings.

I am drawn to her in part because even as she supported the rights of others, she never lost her passion for lifting up the importance of personal responsibility.  This is ultimately the game changer for anyone that aspires to live a life of significance.  Her innate curiosity also helps me see a kindred spirit in her.

If she lived today, there can be no doubt that she would be delighted with the power of Social Media and would be leveraging it to make meaningful and powerful change in the world.  I can well imagine I would be following her and re-tweeting everyday!

Here are ten pieces of “Eleanor” wisdom that are among my favorites that could be called “Eleanor’s Tweets”….

  1. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
  2. You can often change your circumstances by changing your attitude.
  3. With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
  4. What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail?
  5. Never allow a person to tell you no; who doesn’t have the power to say yes.
  6. Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.
  7. A stumbling block to the pessimist is a stepping-stone to the optimist.
  8. When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.
  9. Do one thing every day that scares you.
  10. Courage is exhilarating.

 

Hmmmm…. I may just have to send them out for her myself.

 

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Possibilities & Perspective, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are you the next or the first?

July 8, 2012 By

Yesterday was all about my newest granddaughter, Keira.  Today was about my first granddaughter, Skylar.  I love the fact that I have the privilege of passing on the wisdom of all the generations before me to these young bright minds.  We have the most interesting conversations!  Since we live some distance from each other, I spend time with her each summer.  We have a list of questions we go through when we reunite that brings us up to date on where we are now and share together how we’ve grown.

Here are three of my favorites from the list:

1)  What was the most interesting new person to come into your life this past year?

For Skylar, sometimes this has been a teacher, sometimes a new friend or neighbor.  But what she shared with me this year is that the most interesting person to come into her life over the past year was in fact someone who had been there before but she felt like she was getting to know all over again – her Mom.  She said that she discovered her Mom is a really interesting person and very talented!  What a delightful and precious thing to hear from your granddaughter about your daughter.  And how nice to know that at nearly 12, she is already discovering the person behind the role.

2)  What was the most interesting book you read this past year?

This one we love because we’re both avid readers.  There is usually a debate as we go over several possibilities and make final choices.  And some years, we simply cannot choose and we allow each other to name two.  But we often share our response to almost a dozen books in the process.  I marvel at how our minds work and how different people can read the same words and be affected in vastly different ways.  And where we are in our life stage can make such a difference.  One year she chose The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis) and it brought back such great memories for me of when I read that as a young girl.  So I made it a point to read it again myself and was able to see it anew from the perspective of those young eyes of the past and the fresher (albeit older!) eyes of now.

3)  What was the most interesting thing that you learned this past year?

This is often the most difficult to answer because the idea of new knowledge is so vast.  But we are usually able to pinpoint it to some area of interest.  Skylar is particularly interested in animals and so in many cases it will be intriguing facts about the latest part of the animal kingdom that has caught her attention.  But sometimes it is something we learn about ourselves, too.  Other years it has been tied to travel.  My daughter’s family takes an RV trip every year to a national park and hike the trails.  They have climbed mountains and go down into craters.  Amazing places!  There are always some interesting facts that she picks up along the way on those journeys.  I love this one most because it means I can share what I have learned which re-enforces the idea of lifelong learners.

As we have gone through the questions this year I thought about the fact that this ritual I have with Skylar binds us together even beyond our familial ties because it keeps us engaged in each other’s lives.  It re-enforces the fact that we not only accept change and diversity in each other, we welcome it and celebrate it.  What a wonderful gift to give each other and something that we would all do well to incorporate into all of our relationships.

For our time today she chose to see the recently released documentary of Katy Perry’s 2011 tour.  I wasn’t sure what to expect but it turned out to be entertaining and insightful.  It gave us more things to talk about.  We both agreed on one thing – our favorite line of the film.  It is where Katy Perry is talking about the time in her career when everyone was trying to find a “spot” for her and figure out what other pop star she should emulate.  You should be the next “??” or the next “??”… She said that she knew that it wasn’t going to work because she wasn’t interested in being the next anyone.. she wanted to be the first Katy Perry.  Bravo!  I loved the lesson not only for Skylar but for me as well!

Brings to mind the words of Oscar Wilde:  “Be yourself.  Everyone else is already taken.”

I am the first and only me.  How amazing!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , ,

A note from Nana…

July 7, 2012 By

Today my daughter and son-in-law  welcomed their second child into the world and I will soon meet my next grandchild. My first granddaughter, now 12 kept vigil with me – her Nana. Precious times.

Lois Wyse has been credited as stating that “..grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation.” Since becoming a grandmother myself, I can only say that truer words have never been spoken. Her book, “Funny, You Don’t Look Like a Grandmother”, remains one of my favorites.

So today’s musing is going to be brief and quite personal but I can’t think of anything more symbolic of possibilities than a new life.  In honor of my grandchildren, I offer these words from Ms. Wyse’s book on inheritance:

China cupboards filled with cups of memories,

A piano’s tune that sang its tune before me,

Secret drawers that hold my parents past,

All these are here for me to see

And so piece together what has gone before

To understand the people who once walked these halls.

For in the home my grandmother created,

I find the beginnings of the love I have inherited.

 Hurry home, Miss Keira! My halls (and love) await!

Filed Under: Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , ,

A funny thing happened on my way home from Portland…

July 6, 2012 By

It was around 4:00 AM as I left the hotel in downtown Portland, Oregon.  Kathleen Gage’s (mentor extraordinaire!) Connection Experience was phenomenal and I was definitely still on an energy high.  Great people, transformational (yet practical!) information and just an  incredibly positive weekend.  The driver of the shuttle bus was upbeat and pleasant, handling all of his passengers with care.  My pilots for the flight back to Houston were also on my shuttle run.  The day was off to a good start.

And then it happened.  I approached the security desk and reached for my iPhone to present the boarding pass with my ID and there was no iPhone.  Because my iPhone is basically an extension of my brain (at times I’m convinced it might even be stealing my brain!) that caused a moment of panic unlike any I’ve had recently.  To fully appreciate that moment you might also need to know that my daughter (in Tulsa, Oklahoma) who is 8 months pregnant was at the doctor that morning and quite possibly going into the hospital to bring my next granddaughter into our lives and would be calling me.  My first granddaughter was staying with my sister in Dallas while I was in Portland and I was picking her up on my return.  I was to call them from the airport with arrival information.  Can you feel the panic yet? Can you imagine the whirlwind of maternal emotion going on? I do not know when I have ever felt quite that disconnected from my little corner of the universe.

As I stood there at the gate waiting to board the plane, my mind was going in more directions than I could follow.  And then it happened.  I found peace.  How?  Because I blessed that moment and that situation.  Kathleen spoke to us that weekend about the power of blessing our challenges and those words came to mind.  Bless it.  And I did.  I prayed that the situation would be used for good and expressed gratitude that it had happened.  I asked for guidance and wisdom to know what to do and how to do it.  But most of all, I blessed the situation and found myself able to find a place of peace and gratitude.  I was ready to see how the blessing would unfold.

Once I boarded the plane, I realized that I did have a means of communication after all – my net book.  So out it came at around 30,000 feet. Something I had never done before.  I knew the phone had to have been left on the shuttle bus because I used it to check the time.  By using the card so graciously supplied by my shuttle bus driver, I was able to quickly go to their website and send a message to them detailing the situation.  I got a confirming e-mail from them they had received my message.  I forwarded the e-mail to my sister and then posted a message to her on Facebook (when all else fails.. FB to the rescue!).  I was able to communicate with my daughter and let her know what was going on as well.  There was no stress – only peace.

By the time I landed, my sister had spoken with the dispatcher who was in contact with the driver.  He had my phone and was returning it to their dispatch office.  They in turn sent it to me via Federal Express and at 08:00 the next morning, the Federal Express driver was handing me back my iPhone.  Wow!  All from 30,000 feet!

This was a powerful lesson for me in real life about what had been talked about in more abstract terms during the event.  When we have those moments where the principle becomes so crystal clear it stays with us.  When we are faced with challenges we need to be able to deal with them from a place of gratitude.  To spark that emotion, the simple act of blessing the situation can be effective.  For me it was a prayer expressing gratitude for the situation and the opportunity to learn from it.  A prayer asking for guidance and then just following the path laid out for me.  I had opportunities to express gratitude to real people as well.  My sister, the dispatcher, the driver – everyone that stepped out of their normal routine to provide help.

I am grateful for Kathleen’s generous sharing of her own life lessons.   So now it is my turn to pass it on to you.  The next time you face a moment of challenge, give this a try.  I’m convinced that like us, you will be forever grateful that you did.  Bless it.  Whatever it is.  Bless it.  Amazing things will happen.

P.S.  As a footnote, if you are ever in Portland, Oregon and need local transportation, I highly recommend Blue Star Transportation.  One good turn deserves another…

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , ,
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