Open Your Eyes

My son recently had an eye infection. Wore his contacts too long and was feeling substantial burning. We were driving to the doctors for a visit and there was the cutesy puppy in the window. I asked him to look at it....'funny Mom', he said. 'I can barely see in front of me, you want me to see the puppy in the window across the street'. Of course, I laughed. But then I got to thinking about it.


We do take a lot of things for granted...like seeing what is really important....what is right in front of us. We should take each day as it comes. Use all of our senses to enjoy what we have and be grateful that we can.

Oh yes..and his eyes are fine.

Stones into Schools

There is a wonderful book out there, Stones into Schools, by Greg Mortensen. His first book, Three Cups of Tea, teaches us how he learned to build relationships in the Middle East. The Stones Into Schools shows us how he took up the challenge ( self imposed) to build schools for girls in Afghanistan. While there are many lessons and eye opening experiences, the one that impressed me most was his ability to overcome odds that were extraordinary and he did it with his heart and his mind. It is an incredible book.

It also reminded me of a saying that I heard when I was much younger, and it seemed to stick too....

Sticks and Stones will break your bones, but words will mess you up forever....and it's true. Mortensen used words and people to get work done. Even though stones were flying all around him, it was his use of words, honor, respect and love that made his mission possible.

Thank goodness for Greg!

 

One Good Thing

Your day is not headed in the right direction. In fact, it feels like you are walking uphill in the snow, barefoot and waist-deep. There is no end in sight. How do you get through?

Here is a suggestion:

Look for the one good thing. There has to be one, always.

In the case of the snowy adventure, think about the beautiful peace you are experiencing on your trek. That you have time to think about anything you like. It's one good thing about being out there.

In the case of the day going in the wrong direction, think about the fact that you are learning how to cope with the situation. Or that it will be over quickly. Or that you will not backtrack that way again.

Remember, one good thing. You will find it. It will make the not-so-good things a little less painful.

The Answer to Life's Question

There are only three answers to the questions in life...ever.

Accept it

Change it

Leave it

The rest of the answers are predicated on the 3 above.

Look at your questions and ask yourself how you will answer it.

Then...move on. To action. To peace. To personal power.

Anything IS Possible

The anything is possible mentality is great for all parts of our lives. Whether personal or professional, this positive open-mindedness creates an aspirational atmosphere that is engaging and can be all encompassing. 

How do you get an anything is possible mentality?


Listen, take action, expect results....be open to what is happening around you. Pay attention to words and act on instinct. Always expect a result...don't try to control the result, but use the path as a marker for more learning.

Build trust...relationships need trust to flourish. Trust allows for open-mindedness and possibility thinking. Build trust with others, earn trust from others.

Empower. Yourself and empower others. This is a form of trust...giving others an opportunity to do and try and learn is how we grow in our relationships. Empowering others opens up the mind, the eye and the heart to possibilities.

Tell stories...and lots of them. Stories show others what you know, what lessons you value, how you operate, your authenticity. Variety in knowledge and lessons shows your possibility thinking, your anything is possible attitude that will get you where your path will take you.

Root Causes

To find the root cause of any problem, ask the question why five times.

Surface does not usually give the detail.

Close your eyes and picture a tree.

What did you see?

Trunk, branches, leaves, maybe some fruit?

Did you see the roots? Not usually. It is hard to see the roots because they lie under the ground, covered in dirt or grass.

When we have a problem, we see the situation. We see the branches and the leaves, perhaps even the trunk. You may not be able to see the roots until you clear away some of the dirt surrounding the trunk.

Looking at a problem, we can see the surface. What can we do to see below the surface or the roots? If we can take care of the problem at the root it will not spread to branches, leaves or even the entire trunk.

How can we do that?
Ask questions. Determine the chain of events that took place to get to this point.
What are the decisions that could have happened to create this situation?
What was the desired outcome and how close did we get to it?
Why was that particular outcome required?
Could there have been another possibility?
Was this path the best path or just the path of least resistance?

Finding the root cause of a problem or situation can help you to stop it from happening again. You can even gather learning that will help you anticipate future instances so that you are prepared and can bring a proactive resolution to the issue.

Just remember, when you only see the leaves and branches...start digging to find the rest.

2011

Best Wishes for a Super 2011!!

from Solstice Life