Without reflection, we go blindly on our way

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Barry

“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.”

—Margaret Wheatley, American writer, speaker, and management consultant

Image from Unsplash by Medienstürmer

When it comes to learning and personal growth, many of us often miss the important step of self-reflection.

Although many of us consider ourselves good listeners and open minded, we all tend to react instead of responding to the input we receive over the course of the day.

We’re just too busy springing into action based on our previous conditioning to consider the value of pausing to re-evaluate our default approaches to getting things done.

EXERCISE:

Where in your personal or professional communities would greater reflection open your eyes and guide your efforts to achieving even more useful results in your life?

Notice and embrace the complexity of your humanness

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Barry

Notice and embrace the complexity of your humanness. Let everything be as it is. It makes you interesting.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Joseph Malone

How often do you find yourself puzzled by the people in your life? Look over the spectrum of folks from young to old in your communities.

What makes each of them tick? Isn’t it interesting — once we think we know — when they surprise us by going in another direction?

Instead of trying to put these people puzzles together and have things fit into our own world view, perhaps we can simply be happy to have others in our life to keep us on our toes.

EXERCISE:

To what degree do you accept and embrace the complexities of the people around you?

How would doing so with curiosity and openness make the world a far more interesting place for everyone?

Friday Review: Habits

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Barry

Friday Review: HABITS

How are the habits you’ve developed supporting your growth? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“Before you try to increase your willpower, try decreasing the friction in your environment.”

“The pleasure of doing a thing in the same way at the same time every day and savoring it should be noted.”

“If you can go to bed late, you can also get up early.”

“It’s not differences that divide us. It’s our judgements about each other that do. “

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Barry

“It’s not differences that divide us. It’s our judgements about each other that do.”

—Margaret Wheatley, American writer, speaker, and management consultant

Image from Unsplash by Andre Ouellet

This past summer 10,500 athletes from 184 counties participated in the Paris Olympic games.

Following these games, the Paralympic games were held there, featuring 22 sports including blind football, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair basketball, fencing, rugby, and tennis.

The athletes that participated in these games are not only from different countries they also experience a diverse range of physical, visual, and cognitive disabilities that impact their performance.

EXERCISE:

What lessons can we all learn about accepting and celebrating our differences from the Olympic and Paralympic athletes?

How can an attitude of our oneness help eradicate the judgements that often divide us?

A man, though wise, should never be ashamed of learning more, and unbending his mind

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Barry

“A man, though wise, should never be ashamed of learning more, and unbending his mind.”

—Sophocles, ancient Greek tragedian

Image from Unsplash by Jay Mullings

Today’s quote has a message for all of us.

Although most people would consider themselves fairly wise and worldly, each of us blunders from time to time due to our unbending minds.

Far too many of us have shut the windows and doors of our minds to prevent fresh and new ideas to enter and clear the way for more informed and better choices.

EXERCISE:

Where have you and others in your communities closed the doors to learning more about the issues we all face?

How would greater flexibility and a more open-minded approach to living guide us all to a better future?

Relationship are all there is

Posted on October 15, 2024 by Barry

“Relationship are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else.”

—Margaret Wheatley, American writer, teacher, speaker, and management consultant

Image from Unsplash by Greg Rakozy

Margaret Wheatley’s work focuses on creating organizations and communities “worthy of human habitation” by drawing from various disciplines including organizational behavior, chaos theory, living systems science, and ancient spiritual traditions.

In recent years, she has been discussing civilization collapse and encouraging people to become “spiritual warriors” in response to current challenges.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you become a spiritual warrior along with Margaret Wheatley, to foster healthier and happier relationships in your various communities?

Where and when is it time to walk away from things not meant for you?

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Barry

Where and when is it time to walk away from things not meant for you?

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Kelli McClintock

When we’re young it seems like we have all the time in the world to do whatever we like. Wasting time was clearly for the older set and their efforts to be responsible and productive.

As we age, it appears that many of us get the message, and we begin examining how we spend our precious time becomes a much higher priority.

Just as you would not continue eating a buffet item you didn’t care for, walking — or even running — away from people and things that don’t suit your tastes seems a wise choice to feed and fuel us moving forward.

EXERCISE:

Where in your personal and professional life would it be wise to stop engaging with people and pursuits clearly not meant for you?