What does it mean when people are willing to kill and injure others in order to be the first to grab discounts on stuff?
Okay let’s acknowledge that economic times are tough and people are stressed. Yes AND there’s something bigger at work here.
It seems to me that people are impatient for all the wrong things…
the pizza delivery guy
traffic lights to change
elevators to arrive
the line to go faster
We get agitated when we have to wait for stuff that we want RIGHT NOW but we’re not impatient for things that are far more important.
We don’t tap our foot or look at our watch for….
fulfillment or health
dreams or relationships
love or adventure
peace or abundance.
For things like that we seem to have all the time in the world.
Most people will see that tragic news story and think “That wouldn’t be me.” Let’s hope not. It serves a a good reminder for us all to examine where we are impatient in our own lives.
Where do you cross the line and become irritated about something that’s not all that important?
As the inevitable chaos of the holiday season descends, when you might be feeling overwhelmed or overstretched or overcommitted, stop and ask yourself:
How important is this in the big picture of life?
Best guess is that most of the time you’ll answer, “Not so much.” Then give your head a little shake, take a deep breath and get back to what the holiday season is really about.
One of the highlights of my recent trip to Montreal to attend the International Coach Federation conference was the opportunity to hear in person Matthieu Ricardspeak on the subject of happiness. He’s a French scientist who became a Buddhist monk who now does research on the nature of happiness. Here’s one of the things he discovered:
You can learn to be more happy.
Matthieu asks if we spend so much of our time developing a wide variety of skills in life, why do we spend so little on developing our minds. His fascinating research on experienced meditators reveals that happiness is indeed a skill that can be cultivated.
He suggests that happiness is a result of our inner circumstances not a reflection of our outer circumstances. Sounds a lot like the wisdom my grandmother shared with me:
Happiness is not dependent on your circumstances but rather what you do with them.
I had the great fortune to chat with Matthieu briefly following his talk and shared my grandmother’s philosophy with him. In his characteristically charming way, he laughed and agreed that we all have wisdom not just Buddhist monks.
Treat yourself to a new perspective on happiness by watching this 20 minute video.
Post a comment and share your philosophy on happiness.
Laurel | Perspective | Sunday, November 16th, 2008
I just spent a few days in Montreal at the International Coach Federation conference where one of them themes was our ability to create negative or positive energy and their effects on others. It’s interesting how life provides real time illustrations to drive home the point.
On the taxi ride from the airport to the hotel, the driver definitely had a cranky outlook. My couple of attempts at conversation were unsuccessful as the driver impatiently weaved in and out of traffic - at one point coming close to driving on the sidewalk. I’ve been in lots of taxis but this was the first time that a driver rolled down the window and shouted insults at other drivers. Everything seemed to be an irritation for him. Definitely an unpleasant experience and I was glad to finally arrive at the hotel.
Fast forward several days to the return trip to the airport. Different driver, different taxi, different experience. This time the entire trip was filled with light-hearted chatter, laughter, smiles and a couple of jokes. The time just flew by but quite happily I could have spent lots of time stuck in traffic with this guy if that had been the circumstances. Two different drivers and two different outlooks on life.
On any given day, which taxi are you driving?
Do you take the time to connect with other people or do you put your head down and get through day?
Do you share conversation with others or do you mutter under your breath?
Do you make negative comments or do you smile and laugh?
Positive mental attitude
One of the sessions at the conference explored the idea that our negative thoughts actually physically deplete our energy and that of the people around us. Conversely, positive thoughts expand energy fields. Your positive mental attitude is not just yours - it is shared with all of us. It seems to me that it doesn’t matter whether you are skeptical of the science or not. Real life experiences show us all the time that being around negative people has an unsettling effect on us. Being around positive people uplifts us.
Here’s an interesting idea to consider.
You can decide how to respond to that negative energy. You can hold a positive thought for this person - a silent prayer of good wishes. In that simple act, you just might increase their positive energy. At the very least least you can decrease your own.
Sending all of you wherever you are happy thoughts for a wonderful day.
“Where were you when?” moments happen as part of our collective experience. They bring us together as we share joy and sorrow and history in the making.
Your own life has moments etched in time too.
They are the moments or experiences that cause you to stop and take notice, that perhaps change your life path, that also bring you joy and sorrow.
Sometimes we call them pivotal moments or peak experiences.
Things like:
birth
death
an accomplishment
a unique experience
an insight, AHA or revelation
Just like “where were you when” moments, these experiences connect you to something deeply important within yourself. They remind you of something or highlight its significance. They might show you a theme in your life.
Take some time to think about the peak experiences in your life.
Consider the ones that had the most impact on you. Try not to judge them. They may be big life events. And sometimes they are moments that on the surface seem quite trivial yet they packed an emotional punch for you.
What emotions did they create?
What core value did they reflect?
What reminder did they cause?
How did they impact on your life?
Please share a comment by clicking on the “Comments” like below.
I’d love to hear what moments are etched in your life time.
Laurel | Curiosity | Wednesday, November 5th, 2008
Last night as Barack Obama stood in front of a sea of people in Chicago as the new President Elect of the USA, millions of other people watched on the TV or internet.
This will become one of those “where were you when” moments in time.
We share a collective memory of certain events, often tragic, but sometimes like last night uplifting and energizing.
Where were you when….
JFK was shot
the space shuttle Challenger exploded
Canada beat Russia in hockey in 1972 (if you’re Canadian this was a biggy eh!)
man landed on the moon
John Lennon died
the Berlin Wall came down
9-11
or….
In these moments we share emotions and dreams, and sometimes the loss of dreams. We turn to each other for support or celebration. We come together in a common experience.
What is your strongest “where were you when” moment?
Laurel | Perspective | Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Today our American neighbours go to the polls in what will be an historic election on many fronts. No matter the outcome, a whole bunch of people will end up being disappointed.
Check out a great blog post from That Cool Broad in which she suggests that Monty Python’s philosophy of looking on the bright side of life is the way to handle it.
While we know that Monty Python often has a bit of a warped worldview, this time they get it just right.
From the serious to the mundane, election results to traffic jams, life brings to you lots of stuff you want and lots you’d rather not have. The key to success is always in choosing your perspective or attitude about what’s unfolding.
Looking on the bright side of life is a great mantra for election day and every other one.
With all of the gloom and doom news in the economic markets these days I find myself worrying more. What’s a good way to manage this uncertainty?
Worry is an unproductive activity. It uses up your time but doesn’t really change anything. You can decide instead to be proactive.
When the going gets tough, successful people get back to basics.
Now is a great time to take inventory on all levels - financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Are you clear on your priorities?
Do your current choices and behaviours reflect those priorities?
Is a small or large re-adjustment needed?
Course corrections, whether in financial markets or in life, are a time to step back, evaluate, plan and act wisely. Also remember that no matter the current challenge, there is also an opportunity waiting to be seized. It’s easy to get distracted by worry and miss an opening that might serve you well.
Take inventory.
If you are looking for a quick tool to take inventory, visit my website http://www.stonecirclecoaching.com and look for the Wheel of Life in the Free Stuff section.
Post a comment and ask Laurel your life coaching question.
As the inevitable chaos of the holiday season descends, when you might be feeling overwhelmed or overstretched or overcommitted, stop and ask yourself:
