What role does art play in your life? Here are a few art-related posts you may have missed. Click the links to read the messages.
“Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.”
“All the arts are apprenticeship. The big art is our life.”
Image from wordandspiritministries
What is it to live a good life?
How does one measure a life well lived?
What intrinsic and extrinsic factors are your gyroscopic guides on this great adventure?
Many people are giving more thought to this, particularly as they look in the mirror and see the aging process in effect, or pine on what they were once able to do years earlier.
Many experts, happiness gurus, and people who live “in the moment” encourage all of us to explore our emotions and feelings in order to tap into these trustworthy cornerstones of how to live.
Where and how can you more fully tap into your thoughts, emotions, and feelings to assure yourself that you are indeed on the right life path?
Image from Melissa Heisler
Shirley MacLaine is an American film, TV, and theatre actress, a singer, dancer, activist, and author who has achieved much and earned many awards in her 60+ year career.
Her well-know interest in New Age spirituality has even made its way into films, including Albert Brook’s romantic comedy, Defending Your Life, where we are introduced to the concept of past lives through the “Past Life Pavilion.”
Most of us would like a far larger helping of peace of mind and serenity, although they appear to be contrary to our high velocity, quick-fix world that generally over-promises and under-delivers.
In what ways can you slow down and take a deeper inner journey to realize greater serenity in your life?
Ask those you know and trust what they find helpful. Consider a bit of experimentation to see what works best for you.
In his 2007 book, Happier, Tal Ben Shahar, PhD, introduces us to different archetypes people commonly pursue in their “Happiness Journey.” They include:
The Hedonism Archetype, in which people pursue present pleasure and often experience future detriment.
The Rat Racer Archetype subordinates the present to the future, suffering now for the purpose of some anticipated future gain.
The Happiness Archetype finds enjoyment in their present efforts (i.e. the journey) while also knowing it will lead them to a fulfilling future.
What no-cost or low-cost activities, rituals, or daily behaviors provide you with enjoyment and pleasure, while serving you in realizing your personal and professional goals?
How can and will you insert more of these activities into every day, to lead a far happier life?
Image from hollywoodreporter
I happen to be a fan of the TV sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. In recent years they added a new character named Professor Proton, played by Bob Newhart.
Professor Proton had a significant influence on young Sheldon, which eventually led him to his career as a theoretical physicist.
Beyond the always humorous, engaging antics of the shows characters, I am always left with pleasant and positive perspective at the closing scene.
How can you shift your world from the negativity of an electron or the neutrality of a neutron, to be far more positive – like a proton – today and every day?
How youthful are you? What is your attitude toward aging? Here are a few age-related posts you may have missed. Click the links to read the full messages.
“We are always the same age inside.”
“Youth is eternal to those with a curious, loving, joyous spirit.”
Image from Flickr by Daniel R. Blume
If you are a student of leadership and management theory, I’m sure you are fully aware that the old school “Command and Control” Taskmaster, or in this case, “Drop the Hammer” approach to success is history.
With the intense competition for talent, organizations and their leaders must create collaborative and cooperative cultures wherein each employee can develop and contribute in a meaningful way to remain engaged. Without the side-by-side pursuit of individual and organizational achievement, many top people will seek their futures elsewhere.
Where would more of a “Pick up the Shovel,” team leader approach to people and results be just the ticket for you and your organization to thrive today, and well into the future?
Photo from Unsplash by Diego PH
I’ve done a bit of research on hope as a coping mechanism. Here are a few of my findings:
• Focus on progress
• Positive interpretations
• Selective attention
• Goal Setting
• Family responsibility
• A life with purpose and meaning
• Having quality relationships including a significant other
• Past experience
• Goal attainment
• Community support
How can you be a more hopeful resource for yourself and others, to better cope with the challenges and setbacks that come your way? Where could you use a bit more hope today?
Image from Unsplash by veertezy
How much do you care about the environment? What are your feelings about the pollution level in our waterways and air? How close to your home is the nearest landfill, toxic dump, treatment plant, or abandoned lot?
Negativity is a form of noise pollution. How bombarded do you feel by the incessant verbal, video, and other media messages spewing toxicity into your world?
What actions can you take to stop contributing literal and figurative pollution, to create a more positive and beautiful world? What additional actions can you take to clean up or help reduce the various forms of negativity/pollution caused by others?
Throughout the seven years I’ve been writing The Quotable Coach blog, I’ve posted numerous times about saying, “Yes” and “No” to requests made by others in our personal and professional communities.
To add a bit more bite to this subject, I’d like to add the words, “Oh,” “Heck,” and even “Hell” before the No’s and Yeses, to see if it creates a bigger shift in how you react and what you agree to do.
Where would saying, “Hell No!” to others and “Hell Yes!” to yourself a few more times make the biggest difference in your world?
You may consider using the concepts from the book, The Power of a Positive No by William Ury to find more polite ways to communicate your decision.