A Lie Can Travel Halfway Around the World

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“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”

—Charles Spurgeon, 19th Century English Preacher

Image of a hand holding a pair of shoes

Image from Unsplash by Kristian Egelund

Over the past year or so, most of us have become aware of the dramatic increase in “Fake News.” During the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, various news outlets went to considerable lengths to disentangle the outright lies and half truths, and get to the facts.

Unfortunately, on many occasions, the truth seems far less interesting than the fake news. Since all media outlets seek greater attention and higher ratings, the path to the truth can be slow and laborious.

EXERCISE:

Where and on what matters can and will you “lace up” the truth in your personal or professional communities, to bring far greater integrity to the world?

Always Keep Your Eyes Open

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“Always keep your eyes open. Keep watching because whatever you see can inspire you.”

—Grace Coddington, Vogue Magazine Creative Director

Image of two eyes next to each other

Image from Unsplash by Soroush Karimi

Over a three day holiday, I binged-watched a Netflix series titled “Natural Curiosities,” with one of my favorite narrators, David Attenborough. I love his accent, his passion for nature, and of course, his enthusiastic curiosity for the vast diversity and miraculous aspects of the animal world.

This series took a far deeper look into many creatures I thought I knew reasonably well, given the science-buff status I’ve given myself over the years.

Looking at many creatures with new eyes and Attenborough’s expanded view and insight inspired, entertained, and educated me for hours.

EXERCISE:

Where can you discover far greater inspiration in your life by widening your perspective, and looking more deeply and carefully at the world around you?

Friday Review: Renewal

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Friday Review: Renewal

We all need time to renew. Here are a few renewal-related posts you may have missed. Click the links to read the full message.

 

“The will to win … the will to achieve … goes dry and arid without continual renewal.”

 

 

 

 

“The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you are finished.”

 

 

 

“The answers you seek never come when the mind is busy. They come when the mind is still, when silence speaks loudest.”

 

 

 

 

A Point of View Can Be a Dangerous Luxury

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“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”

—Marshall McLuhan, 20th Century Canadian Professor

Image of a messy drawer

Image from Unsplash by Ashim D’Silva

Most people generally prefer order to chaos. We tend to like thing organized neatly, whether it be our closets, our files, and in the case of today’s quote, our minds.

When we take in information and experiences, we like to put them into neat piles based on previous knowledge. We categorize them by varying points of view on what is right or wrong, good or bad.

When you hear those around you – or maybe even yourself – saying, “I Know,” it often means they or you have stopped listening or closed their mind to alternative insights and perspectives.

EXERCISE:

With whom and on what issues have you developed a point of view that is holding you back in either your personal or professional communities?

Fools Live to Regret Their Words

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“Fools live to regret their words, wise men to regret their silence.”

—Will Henry, 20th Century American Screenwriter

Image of a boy screaming into a microphone

Image from Unsplash by Jason Rosewell

Through the process of coaching, most people become far more aware and mindful of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Too often, we see foolish individuals blurting out whatever comes to mind to make their point, exert power, diminish others, or just be “right” on whatever the subject.

Wise and perhaps more thoughtful individuals sometimes remain silent on matters of importance with the all-too-frequent statement, “I should have said something,” when their inner voices urged them to do so.

EXERCISE:

Where, when and on what subjects is speaking up or remaining silent the right and wise thing to do?

Shovel While the Piles are Small

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“Shovel while the piles are small.”

—Eric Allenbaugh, Leadership Consultant

Image of cars buried in snow

Image from The Star.com

Today’s quote reminded me of the last substantial snow storm here in Michigan. It was over a weekend, and my plan was simply to wait until it stopped (which it didn’t) to handle the 10-12 inches of wet, heavy stuff at one time. I thought that would be efficient.

Unfortunately, my snow blower didn’t take well to the blade-clogging mixture of snow and ice and refused to cooperate. The result was considerable heavy lifting to clear my driveway. I didn’t need to go to the gym for my regular workout after that!

EXERCISE:

What personal or professional priorities are piling up on you and creating stress?

Where would tackling these piles while they are small be the best approach to lightening your load?

I Will Love the Light

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“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.”

—Og Mandino, 20th Century American Author

Image of a starry sky

Image from Flickr by Kristopher Roller

Every summer when I was young my entire family headed to Camp Indian Lake in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.

Back then, our trusty flashlights were essential tools for nighttime navigation in finding our way back to our cabins.

On clear nights with virtually no ambient light for miles, we would often turn off our torches to enjoy the spectacle of the night sky, filled with what must have been millions of stars.

The flash lights were only helpful in seeing 50 or so feet ahead. The darkness allowed us to see the light of stars, and perhaps galaxies many light years away.

EXERCISE:

Where would a greater appreciation for both the light and the darkness of life reveal even greater insight into yourself and the world?

Friday Review Discipline

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Friday Review: Discipline

Where and what on matters do you exhibit the greatest self discipline? Here are a few discipline-related posts you may have missed. Click the link to read the full message.

 

“Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of.”

 

 

 

“The essence of self discipline is to do the important thing rather than the urgent thing.”

 

 

 

“All man’s gains are the fruit of venturing.”

 

 

 

 

 

You are the Universe

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“You are the universe, expressing itself as a human for a little while.”

—Eckart Tolle, American Motivational Author

Image of a nebula

Image from Unspash by NASA

I’ve had an insatiable desire to learn and discover how things work for as  long as I can remember. It led me into the field of science education, and an ongoing exploration of life and the mysteries of the universe.

I recently watched an episode of How the Universe Works on the topic of Space/Time.

More than 100 years ago, Albert Einstein postulated the idea of gravitational waves caused by any object exerting the force of gravity, including we humans! His theory, which has been recently confirmed, shows how all objects influence both space and time in the universal dance of the cosmos.

EXERCISE:

How can you more carefully examine your own physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual qualities as a miraculous human, to more fully realize how the universe within you works?

You Have Been Assigned This Mountain

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“You have been assigned this mountain to show others it can be moved.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a man on a boulder

Image from Unsplash by Tommy Lisbin

Over the years, I’ve posted many times about climbing to the top of one’s personal and professional mountains, to reach the pinnacle of success.

Moving a mountain is a considerable twist on the subject. It implies that an immovable object or enormous barrier must be shifted, not simply climbed.

EXERCISE:

Where and on what mountainous project or endeavor is it time to dig in, one shovelful at a time, to pass freely to the other side?

How can and will your efforts demonstrate for others what may be possible for them if they were to dig into their own mountainous barriers?

Here is another post about moving mountains.