Your answer to this question is your best barometer to how the crisis will affect you.
Whilst some of us will certainly feel a change from before the crisis - jobs and revenue mainly, there's also a major opportunity for us all right now.
Firstly, now we can easily review what we need versus what we want. How much of what we have do we really need? Give the difference away - better than selling it.
Secondly, how else can we make our life simpler? What do we do, habitually, that makes our life more complex than it needs to be? Once we've got a habit, we don't consider whether it's helpful or not anymore. Check your habits and improve them.
Thirdly, in the light of today's world, what would you love doing everyday, that's of value to others. Would you love it enough to become an expert at it? Now there's a new positive direction you could consider.
Until next time!
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Friday, 6 March 2009
A Game That Will Change Your Life
This game will cost you nothing - nada - zip!
The name of the game is Better Thoughts.
Just look at this question and notice your thoughts - "What are the best things to think about right now?"
Notice your answer.
Do it again. Notice your answer.
Yep, do it again now...go on.. Notice your answer.
Now notice your feelings right now. Do you feel different - better?
Now play the game again with the aim of generating better feelings too.
See what happens.
Here's my challenge for you. If you were to play this game all the time, I bet your life would be better.
I'm looking for 20 people to play this game for six weeks and tell me what they noticed about their life.
I'll post their feedback here as I get them and you all will vote the winner. The winner gets a prize that I'm still working on, but I assure you you'll enjoy it!
Until next time,
The name of the game is Better Thoughts.
Just look at this question and notice your thoughts - "What are the best things to think about right now?"
Notice your answer.
Do it again. Notice your answer.
Yep, do it again now...go on.. Notice your answer.
Now notice your feelings right now. Do you feel different - better?
Now play the game again with the aim of generating better feelings too.
See what happens.
Here's my challenge for you. If you were to play this game all the time, I bet your life would be better.
I'm looking for 20 people to play this game for six weeks and tell me what they noticed about their life.
I'll post their feedback here as I get them and you all will vote the winner. The winner gets a prize that I'm still working on, but I assure you you'll enjoy it!
Until next time,
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Nature: Nurturer of Great Attitude
On Thursday just gone I was driving Wendy, my partner, home from her work. I admit I was slightly stressed with my own workload and uncharacteristically grumpy.
We turned from Rokeby Road Subiaco, into Thomas Street, right in front of the entrance to the majestic Kings Park.
As I was turning I spotted five black cockatoos about to land in the huge eucalyptus tree that dominates the entrance. Nothing new about that - the Park is full of black cockatoos, the white tailed variety.
Just as they flared their wings and tails to land, they flashed brilliant fire red tail feathers at me. Red tailed black cockatoos!
Now I haven't seen them in the metro area for many years now. What a delight. I excitedly pointed them out to Wendy. I was gushing with enthusiasm and delight for what I'd just seen.
My grumpy attitude altered immediately to joy and gratefulness - they made my day!
Later I pondered the event and realised that I made my day, because it wasn't the cockatoos that did it, it was my thoughts and feelings about having seen the cockatoos.
I could just as easily have altered my grumpiness by being joyful and grateful for simply being alive and healthy.
Thank you Nature for being there for me!
Until next time.
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
When?
I am of mixed blood.
I look white.
Many (possibly most) members of my family look different.
I have always been mistaken as white.
It did not stop me from falling down.
It did not stop me from standing up again – and my blood has nothing to do with it.
All of us can fall down, anytime we think less of ourselves.
All of us can stand up again, provided we do with love and perseverance, not bitterness and giving up.
When will we all stop using deep memories of lack, for they are past?
When will the myth of lack stop?
When will all people adapt to what’s happening now?
When will we work together with integrity?
When will we who are all unique, yet similar, do what works?
When will we learn to lead instead of plead?
When will we let go of the past that didn’t work?
When will we love what works for us all?
When will we learn to value the best of the past and the present?
When will we leaders stop betraying ourselves and our people?
When will we see we are the Human family, regardless of colour, religion or geography?
When will we have the courage to face our personal responsibility for every thought feeling word and action and their consequences?
When will we admit, no matter who we are, that we are responsible for our destiny, apart from material accidents?
When will we recognise that people of all differences – age, gender, colour, religion, geography, physical and material circumstance, have stood up and shown us how?
When will we learn?
I look white.
Many (possibly most) members of my family look different.
I have always been mistaken as white.
It did not stop me from falling down.
It did not stop me from standing up again – and my blood has nothing to do with it.
All of us can fall down, anytime we think less of ourselves.
All of us can stand up again, provided we do with love and perseverance, not bitterness and giving up.
When will we all stop using deep memories of lack, for they are past?
When will the myth of lack stop?
When will all people adapt to what’s happening now?
When will we work together with integrity?
When will we who are all unique, yet similar, do what works?
When will we learn to lead instead of plead?
When will we let go of the past that didn’t work?
When will we love what works for us all?
When will we learn to value the best of the past and the present?
When will we leaders stop betraying ourselves and our people?
When will we see we are the Human family, regardless of colour, religion or geography?
When will we have the courage to face our personal responsibility for every thought feeling word and action and their consequences?
When will we admit, no matter who we are, that we are responsible for our destiny, apart from material accidents?
When will we recognise that people of all differences – age, gender, colour, religion, geography, physical and material circumstance, have stood up and shown us how?
When will we learn?
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
How to Rapidly Change Your Attitude
Let’s say that right now your attitude is negative. Imagine that something or someone has upset you and you are now feeling either angry or hurt, or both.
You can’t seem to let go of it – you keep wondering “Why?” or “What if?” or “If only..”
You might even be re-running the incident over and over in your mind.
In this state, it’s like being a rabbit or kangaroo caught in headlights – you can’t seem to move from where you are. It affects your body, not only your mind. It stops you from being effective at whatever else you’d rather be doing.
OK, we’ve set the scene; you can relate to this, can't you?
Now choose an event in your life that is like this. Got it? So let’s make the rapid change.
Step One – Ask yourself this question: -
Exactly what facts happened to cause this?
Make sure you answer in terms of the facts only, not your assumptions and presumptions or opinion.
Step Two – Ask yourself this question: -
Regarding those facts, what is the best possible truthful meaning available from them, which still fits the facts?
Allow yourself to imagine the best possibility.
Step Three – Ask yourself this question: -
In a year from now, will this event still matter?
Imagine you are looking at the event a year from now.
Step Four - Ask yourself this question: -
Regardless of this event, what do I have in my life that I’m extremely grateful for?
Choose 3 different and most important aspects of your life that you’re glad are present in your life, and then answer this “Why are you glad/grateful for them being in your life?”
Step Five – Finally, take three deep breaths and answer this question: -
What’s the most positive and useful thought I can have right now?
See that your attitude has changed to being positive and useful, and that now you can take action that is much more useful to you.
Until next time.
You can’t seem to let go of it – you keep wondering “Why?” or “What if?” or “If only..”
You might even be re-running the incident over and over in your mind.
In this state, it’s like being a rabbit or kangaroo caught in headlights – you can’t seem to move from where you are. It affects your body, not only your mind. It stops you from being effective at whatever else you’d rather be doing.
OK, we’ve set the scene; you can relate to this, can't you?
Now choose an event in your life that is like this. Got it? So let’s make the rapid change.
Step One – Ask yourself this question: -
Exactly what facts happened to cause this?
Make sure you answer in terms of the facts only, not your assumptions and presumptions or opinion.
Step Two – Ask yourself this question: -
Regarding those facts, what is the best possible truthful meaning available from them, which still fits the facts?
Allow yourself to imagine the best possibility.
Step Three – Ask yourself this question: -
In a year from now, will this event still matter?
Imagine you are looking at the event a year from now.
Step Four - Ask yourself this question: -
Regardless of this event, what do I have in my life that I’m extremely grateful for?
Choose 3 different and most important aspects of your life that you’re glad are present in your life, and then answer this “Why are you glad/grateful for them being in your life?”
Step Five – Finally, take three deep breaths and answer this question: -
What’s the most positive and useful thought I can have right now?
See that your attitude has changed to being positive and useful, and that now you can take action that is much more useful to you.
Until next time.
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
The Global Dilemma - Effective Collaboration is the Only Solution
Financial crisis, climate change, loss of diversity of life forms, population pressure, food shortages, disease, war/terrorism, global dysfunction in health, justice and education systems, religious-political cultural conflicts – all relentlessly driven into our psyche by the media.
We fixate on these issues and try, piece by piece, to solve them, usually after the ‘eleventh hour’. Just like other ‘ailments’ we focus on relieving symptoms, not curing the cause.
The cause is, very bluntly, unsustainable population growth and unsustainable pursuit of profit growth. They feed one another and threaten life on and of the planet.
Our various religious-political cultures are in denial of the cause. Instead we argue and posture, always believing our ideas are the superior, whilst secretly plotting to gain an advantage over others, hidden in diplomatic double-talk.
Our differing staunch cultural views hinder our ability to collaborate.
Yet when we share a common threat we are capable of accepting our differences and collaborate to focus on the threat. History has demonstrated this capacity.
When we effectively collaborate, we always achieve amazing results. We network our skills and knowledge and innovate to create solutions.
What history hasn’t demonstrated is how we can collaborate on the newer issues of unsustainable population growth and unsustainable pursuit of profit growth – the cause of our environmental threats and financial crisis. These two pressures have not occurred in recorded history at their current levels.
Never before have we needed to collaborate more.
The media do not know how to communicate this possibility. They are obsessed with reporting the gory immediate past and ‘who’s to blame’. They do not investigate and report on the value of collaboration.
Yet there exists pockets of splendid collaboration, aided recently by the capability of the internet, but stemming from like-minded communities of people from all cultures..
Effective collaborators display four dominant characteristics – shared goals, outstanding attitudes, outstanding leadership, and the resulting outstanding teamwork.
Imagine if we could generate outstanding attitudes, unimpeded by powerful limiting beliefs, feeling and thoughts; and knew how to deliver outstanding leadership behaviour; and could work together to be an outstanding team of all humanity.
Effective collaboration requires each collaborator to share an intention and put aside fears, habits and ignorance, accept our differences and authentically work together in a spirit of honour and equity.
We all wish this could happen, but our fears, habits and ignorance deny us the courage to act accordingly, until after the eleventh hour is well past. However, this time there is a point of no return. It will be upon us sooner than we think.
So, will we effectively collaborate? When?
Until (I trust) next time!
We fixate on these issues and try, piece by piece, to solve them, usually after the ‘eleventh hour’. Just like other ‘ailments’ we focus on relieving symptoms, not curing the cause.
The cause is, very bluntly, unsustainable population growth and unsustainable pursuit of profit growth. They feed one another and threaten life on and of the planet.
Our various religious-political cultures are in denial of the cause. Instead we argue and posture, always believing our ideas are the superior, whilst secretly plotting to gain an advantage over others, hidden in diplomatic double-talk.
Our differing staunch cultural views hinder our ability to collaborate.
Yet when we share a common threat we are capable of accepting our differences and collaborate to focus on the threat. History has demonstrated this capacity.
When we effectively collaborate, we always achieve amazing results. We network our skills and knowledge and innovate to create solutions.
What history hasn’t demonstrated is how we can collaborate on the newer issues of unsustainable population growth and unsustainable pursuit of profit growth – the cause of our environmental threats and financial crisis. These two pressures have not occurred in recorded history at their current levels.
Never before have we needed to collaborate more.
The media do not know how to communicate this possibility. They are obsessed with reporting the gory immediate past and ‘who’s to blame’. They do not investigate and report on the value of collaboration.
Yet there exists pockets of splendid collaboration, aided recently by the capability of the internet, but stemming from like-minded communities of people from all cultures..
Effective collaborators display four dominant characteristics – shared goals, outstanding attitudes, outstanding leadership, and the resulting outstanding teamwork.
Imagine if we could generate outstanding attitudes, unimpeded by powerful limiting beliefs, feeling and thoughts; and knew how to deliver outstanding leadership behaviour; and could work together to be an outstanding team of all humanity.
Effective collaboration requires each collaborator to share an intention and put aside fears, habits and ignorance, accept our differences and authentically work together in a spirit of honour and equity.
We all wish this could happen, but our fears, habits and ignorance deny us the courage to act accordingly, until after the eleventh hour is well past. However, this time there is a point of no return. It will be upon us sooner than we think.
So, will we effectively collaborate? When?
Until (I trust) next time!
Monday, 30 June 2008
Choose Now!
As you read this blog, please get out your best pen and a fine blank piece of paper or open a new page in your journal.
Right now, write down your most desirable goal to achieve by the end of this month. Be very clear and very precise.
Write down how you'll feel when you've accomplished it.
Go to Google Images and get a picture of the goal achieved., and past it on the page.
Write down what will be said by a person whom you respect, when they realise you've accomplished your goal.
Every day, first thing in the morning, look at this page and decide the best action you'll do today towards that goal, diarise it and do it.
Every day, last thing at night, reflect on what you've achieved today towards your goal and feel grateful that the goal is being achieved.
On 1st August 2008, tell me what happened.
Until next time.
Right now, write down your most desirable goal to achieve by the end of this month. Be very clear and very precise.
Write down how you'll feel when you've accomplished it.
Go to Google Images and get a picture of the goal achieved., and past it on the page.
Write down what will be said by a person whom you respect, when they realise you've accomplished your goal.
Every day, first thing in the morning, look at this page and decide the best action you'll do today towards that goal, diarise it and do it.
Every day, last thing at night, reflect on what you've achieved today towards your goal and feel grateful that the goal is being achieved.
On 1st August 2008, tell me what happened.
Until next time.
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