My Life isn't Perfect, but It's still Beautiful!

2011-03-11T07:16:00.001-08:00

1. What is your favorite subject in school besides recess and lunch?

2. If you had three wishes, what would they be?

3. What’s your favorite color?

4. If you ruled the world, what would be two things you would change right away?

5. What’s your favorite television program?

6. What makes you laugh?

7. What’s your favorite sport or activity?

8. Tell me something that makes you sad.

9. What’s your favorite animal?

10. Who is your favorite superhero/heroine?

Seven Powerful Questions

2008-12-01T05:09:00.001-08:00

What do you want?

What's holding you back?

What is it costing you to continue holding back?

How do you want to change your mind's programming on that topic?

What new habits will you put in place to fortify your new mindset?

What is the most meaningful action you could take now?

What new skills or support systems will ensure your success?

Rhonda Hess

PRINCIPLE-CENTERED LIFE

2008-10-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

CHARACTERISTICS OF PRINCIPLE-CENTERED LIFE
(Stephen Covey First Things First , p. 291)

People who live principle-centered lives are:

1. Flexible and spontaneous: not chained to plans and schedules.

2. Have richer, more rewarding relationships with other people: they don’t overreact to negative behaviors, criticism, or human weakness. They are quick to forgive. They refuse to label, stereotype, categorize, or prejudge. They are genuinely happy for and help facilitate the successes of others.

3. Synergistic: They find greater reward in working with others to achieve shared vision. They value the difference. They believe in synergy of third-alternative solution. They learn to build on their strength and work to complement their weaknesses with the strength of others.

4. Continually learning: they are humble and teachable, read widely, feast on the wisdom of ages, and listen to others. They are continually educated by their experience.

5. Contribution-focused: they channel their time and energy toward contributing more than consuming.

6. Produce extraordinary results: continually acquiring new skills. They grow in their ability to work with others.

7. Develop healthy psychological immune system: they can handle problems, and have the resources to come back.

8. Create their own limits: they use wisdom in creating their own limits to maximize their effectiveness.

9. Lead more balanced lives.

10. More confident and secure: their security comes from within.

11. Are better able to walk their talk: they increase their ability to make and keep commitments to themselves and others.

12. Focus on their Circle of Influence: they don’t waste time in their Circle of Concern.

13. Cultivate a rich inner life: they draw strength from regular spiritual renewal.

14. Radiate positive energy: they neutralize or sidestep strong negative energy forces.

15. Enjoy life more: they forgive themselves and others, develop a rich sense of humour. They live sensibly and joyfully in the present, carefully plan for the future, and flexibly adapt to changing circumstances.

The last of human freedoms

2008-07-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

…We who lived in concentration camps remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances… (Victor Frankl)

Paradoxical nature of the human self

2008-07-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

* We separate head from heart. Result: minds that do not know how to feel and hears that do not know how to think.

* We separate facts from feelings. Result: bloodless facts that make the world distant and remote and ignorant emotions that reduce truth to how one feels today.

* We separate theory from practice. Result: theories that have little to do with life and practice that is uninformed by understanding.

* We separate teaching from learning. Result: teachers who talk but do not listen and students who listen but do not talk.

Paradoxical thinking requires that we embrace a view of the world in which opposites are joined, so that we can see the world clearly and see it whole.

(Parker J.Palmer "The Courage to Teach")

Bliny

2008-05-29T08:59:00.000-07:00

You can overcome anything with the right attitude,
In little and big things, always show gratitude.
Just enjoy people, the good and the bad,
There's really no use in getting mad.
India is a most beautiful place,
You see it in each passing bucket-head face!

(Kate is great!:)

Why India is the Place To Be, or Baltiwalahs who enrich my life

2008-05-17T06:09:00.000-07:00