How often do you experience regular periods of silence? Here are a few silence-related posts you may have missed.
“Silence is one of the great arts of conversation.”
“Fools live to regret their words, wise men to regret their silence.”
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I am often asked by colleagues and clients for a list of my all-time favorite books. Many fellow bloggers create such lists and provide them readily on a yearly basis.
You are most welcome to review the past decade of The Quotable Coach posts to explore the books I reference, but on this occasion, I have an alternative suggestion:
Create your own list of books and other resources that have made the greatest impact in your life. Re-read and review these sources of wisdom and timely advice with your new eyes and greater life experience. If you are like me, you will find these deeper dives to be a treat and discover greater brilliance you missed on your previous readings.
Select one book each month this year and make the added effort to discuss and share its wisdom and relevancy with someone of a younger generation. Feel free to reply to this post with the books or resources you select.
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Science estimates that the human body is made up of about 30,000,000,000,000 cells. That string of digits looks far more impressive than saying 30 trillion. To grasp the magnitude: 30 trillion would be the number of miles light would travel over five years at the rate of 186,000 miles per second.
So much for the science lesson.
What is your perspective of the role humans play as part of the body of the world? Consider all the other plant and animal species who share our home.
Beyond slight differences in our genetic code, it is our passions and our purposes that make us distinct in our ability to shape our world.
EXERCISE:
How can and will you passionately pursue your purpose in 2021, to be an even healthier cell in the body of the wold?
What could we achieve together if all 7.8 billion of us did the same?
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Where are you experiencing conflict? Where are you observing battles at home and in your various communities?
Where do you see others trying to even the score by fighting fire with fire or hate with more hate?
Where may you be headed toward some mutually assured destruction? How would cooler heads and taking fingers off the red buttons of life secure the balance and peace you desire?
Imagine you have just received your own Nobel Peace Prize.
What efforts did you take to receive this honor?
Where will you begin today?
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How would you describe yourself? What is your personality, your temperament? What are your signature strengths?
What does your recent DISC or Meyers Briggs assessment say about you? How cemented are the stories you have about yourself?
What if you closed all the chapters of the book of your life and started fresh?
What if you took out a new journal or blank book and began writing the story of your life going forward?
Imagine the opportunities and possibilities of your life and how you will make them real throughout 2021.
Consider the idea of writing your story about tomorrow— and then living it. As you make this practice a habit, you can advance your efforts to weeks, months, and years.
What stories might you tell with your intentions and actions to live this way from this point forward?
How are the habits you’ve developed supporting your growth? Here are a few habit-related posts you may have missed.
“Habit is the daily battleground of character.”
“I’ll take good habits over good luck.”
Image from Unsplash by Benjamin Sharpe
When I was a young boy I was fortunate to go to Camp Indian Lake in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. My father was the camp Director and as one of his perks, the whole family had a two-month vacation each year.
On Saturday evenings, there was a movie and each camper was given five tickets to exchange for candy to eat during the film — and perhaps to keep us from talking! Deciding what treats were worth two or three tickets seemed monumental back then.
Time, in many ways, represents the tickets we are given to experience the sweet and sour patches of our lives. Not knowing just how many tickets we have left makes our life choices even more important and urgent.
EXERCISE:
How can recognizing your own mortality help coach you to make the best possible life choices with the precious tickets remaining?
Image from Unsplash by Christopher Lemercier
Winters in Michigan can be pretty cold and overcast. Not much is blooming these days, and it felt like we missed spring and summer altogether in 2020.
How has the past year treated you?
Where did things continue to bloom, and where did your world seem cloud-covered and cold?
Just as the earth continues to circle the sun, we must accept the seasons of life as they come, and do what we can to keep the seeds of the coming season ready for planting.
Where is greater patience with yourself and world most needed?
What steps can you take today to prepare for the flowers and fruits of the future?
Image from nationalgeographic.com
Who are Chip and Agnes Hailstone? What do they have in common with Sue Aikens, Andy Basic, Rico DeWild, and Jessie Holmes?
They’re the primary cast members of the National Geographic documentary series, Life Below Zero.
These hardy, hard-working people living in remote areas of Alaska find tremendous satisfaction through their challenging lifestyle, which often tests them to their limits.
How do you feel after a good day’s work or when you see the fruits of your labor after a job well done?
Alternatively, how do you feel when life includes too much down time and leisure?
EXERCISE:
Pick up a copy of Michael Bungay Stainer’s book, Do More Great Work.
Toward A Meaningful Life by Simon Jacobson includes much more wisdom from the Rebbe’s long, hard working life. Please check it out.
Image from Unsplash by Adam Hang
How much feedback do you receive on a regular basis from the people in your personal and professional communities?
What additional sources of feedback do you receive from your environment?
Are people clicking on your website, liking your social media posts, and returning your calls, texts, and emails? How do your pets respond to you when you walk in the door?
Outside sources of feedback can help us become more fully aware of our strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots.
Actively seeking such ways of experiencing yourself differently can significantly enhance your personal and professional growth efforts.
Listen to an audio or watch a video recording of yourself from a recent meeting. Schedule a performance review with your supervisor and compare your perceptions of yourself with theirs. Ask your significant other or members of your family how you are doing. Wait to have them fully express their thoughts and opinions. What do you plan to do with this information?