During the holidays I spend time reading one of my favorite books and I like to share some of Pooh's wisdom with you .
The 'Tao of Pooh' is an inspiring little book by Benjamin Hoff in which he interprets the ancient Chinese principles of Taoism through the ways of Pooh, the bear and hero of Winnie the Pooh. It is one of the most fun and yet insightful books I have come across.
With the song below Pooh captures in his own, unique way how gaining clarity of Who we are is an important part of the overall vision for our life (‘know thyself’, to quote from an ancient Greek wisdom). Hoff explains it this way: ‘Being authentic starts with recognizing "Who we are, what we have got to work with and what works best for us.
’What do you think Pooh? How would you explain it?’
‘With a song’ says Pooh
‘Go ahead’
How can you get very far
If you don’t know Who you are?
How can you do what you ought,
If you don’t know what You’ve Got?
And if you don’t know Which To Do
Of all the things in front of you,
Then what you’ll have when you are through
Is just a mess without a clue
Of all the best that can come true
If you know What and Which and Who.
‘Thank you Pooh’.
So you may want to spend a bit of quiet time over the holidays and ponder on some of those questions Who you are - What you stand for and what your values are.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Why visions matter
A few days ago while relaxing with friends, someone in the group talked about how much he admired what I had done over the years, how I had followed my ideas and visions and made them reality. I thanked him and was almost ready to move on to the next subject when I suddenly stopped and returned to what he had said.
Does this not hold true for everyone? Doesn’t everyone create what they envision? I threw the question back into the circle of friends and received some puzzled looks. Then they came back at me, sharing different scenarios of where things could have been different and the reason why they didn’t get or achieve what they believed they really wanted.
Those reasons were usually related to outside circumstances, Family, Partners, Work, Society, Government – you name it. I accepted that outside circumstances certainly were a challenge, but still insisted that within that challenge, each had created and realised their vision of life. How? Because, I argued, our visions are connected to our beliefs, concepts and perceptions of ourselves, and life in general.
I took my own life as an example. What had my vision for life been when I was 18? What had my priorities been, my values? I wanted to work, earn good money and stand on my own two feet as fast as possible. I wanted this work to include irregular hours (not 9-5), give me the opportunity to help others and the option to work and live anywhere in the world. There were limiting circumstances (my grades, my lack of knowledge what I was good at and really liked) but within these limitations the vision became reality. At the same time I would have liked to be in love. I had no idea though want kind of relationship I was looking for and was scared to truly commit to someone. So my relationships reflected this vision and I ended up living with constant doubts about every relationship I was in for some years.
And over the years, as my visions changed, my life changed. The more I clarified what I really wanted, the more inspired my visions became, the more whole and satisfying were the outcomes.
At the same time, when my beliefs limited me the outcomes were also limited. Whenever I said “ I would really like, but……”, the desired outcome did not happen.
We all create what we feel is possible. So what about starting to create the impossible? What about starting with the ideal and then choosing to go for it? What about asking yourself what is it you really want, how do you want your life to be and feel? What do you value most? Where are you and where would you like to be?
Then just look at your answers and decide to take the first step towards turning your ideal into reality.
Does this not hold true for everyone? Doesn’t everyone create what they envision? I threw the question back into the circle of friends and received some puzzled looks. Then they came back at me, sharing different scenarios of where things could have been different and the reason why they didn’t get or achieve what they believed they really wanted.
Those reasons were usually related to outside circumstances, Family, Partners, Work, Society, Government – you name it. I accepted that outside circumstances certainly were a challenge, but still insisted that within that challenge, each had created and realised their vision of life. How? Because, I argued, our visions are connected to our beliefs, concepts and perceptions of ourselves, and life in general.
I took my own life as an example. What had my vision for life been when I was 18? What had my priorities been, my values? I wanted to work, earn good money and stand on my own two feet as fast as possible. I wanted this work to include irregular hours (not 9-5), give me the opportunity to help others and the option to work and live anywhere in the world. There were limiting circumstances (my grades, my lack of knowledge what I was good at and really liked) but within these limitations the vision became reality. At the same time I would have liked to be in love. I had no idea though want kind of relationship I was looking for and was scared to truly commit to someone. So my relationships reflected this vision and I ended up living with constant doubts about every relationship I was in for some years.
And over the years, as my visions changed, my life changed. The more I clarified what I really wanted, the more inspired my visions became, the more whole and satisfying were the outcomes.
At the same time, when my beliefs limited me the outcomes were also limited. Whenever I said “ I would really like, but……”, the desired outcome did not happen.
We all create what we feel is possible. So what about starting to create the impossible? What about starting with the ideal and then choosing to go for it? What about asking yourself what is it you really want, how do you want your life to be and feel? What do you value most? Where are you and where would you like to be?
Then just look at your answers and decide to take the first step towards turning your ideal into reality.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Seeing the bigger picture
I still marvel at the many different aspects of coaching, especially when speaking with people about their visions and dreams. It is when we invest some time to ask ourselves what is meaningful to us that we get a sense of how we would like to live and feel. Have you ever asked yourself “what moves me, what do I what to create, what kind of world do I want to live in, what do I want to contribute?”
In India they have a beautiful practice, it is called SEVA, an ancient Sanskrit word meaning selfless service or compassion in action for the common good. It is based on the understanding that what we do for others we do for ourselves and that what we fail to do for others, we also fail to do for ourselves. It is also based on the observation that giving to others or working for common goals is when people receive the most joy in their lives and the most meaning.
It is the sense of community that inspires people to act with compassion, working together, feeling part of a bigger vision, feeling connected.
If that holds true on an individual basis it also holds true on a collective basis. If, as a human race we would have a dream, a great vision of how to live our lives lighter, distribute our resources better, connect to our essence deeper we would create a different reality. Realizing that there is enough for everyone and that everything we think and do effects everything else we would act accordingly. Energy follows thought. The way we think and feel determines the way we act and behave.
In India they have a beautiful practice, it is called SEVA, an ancient Sanskrit word meaning selfless service or compassion in action for the common good. It is based on the understanding that what we do for others we do for ourselves and that what we fail to do for others, we also fail to do for ourselves. It is also based on the observation that giving to others or working for common goals is when people receive the most joy in their lives and the most meaning.
It is the sense of community that inspires people to act with compassion, working together, feeling part of a bigger vision, feeling connected.
If that holds true on an individual basis it also holds true on a collective basis. If, as a human race we would have a dream, a great vision of how to live our lives lighter, distribute our resources better, connect to our essence deeper we would create a different reality. Realizing that there is enough for everyone and that everything we think and do effects everything else we would act accordingly. Energy follows thought. The way we think and feel determines the way we act and behave.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Saving our Environment - NOW!
It was only a few months ago that I joined an Organization called Clean up Greece (www.cleanupgreece.org.gr), a branch of clean up the world, which has been working for years to educate individuals, schools, businesses, municipalities and governments how to better respect and protect our environment.
Growing up in a country with a "green" movement, I developed an awareness for using and promoting environmental friendly practices. From cosmetics to cleaning materials I buy "green". Now the time had come that I felt the urge to do something on a bigger scale, to work together with others for sharing information and finding solutions.
I started talking to people on the island where I live and found that everyone I spoke to was interested in exploring the possibilities of better rubbish management, re-cycling and a cleaner island. So we had some meetings, put a loose plan together and made some proposals. We spoke to the Municipality, head of Schools, parent associations and individuals. Some schools promised to contact Clean up Greece and organize educational workshops for the students. Some of the grown ups were game to participate in a clean up day.
So we decided to have a go and last Sunday a few of us went off and started to collect rubbish from the roadside. I have to say that I was blown away. We had planned to walk and cover a large area, but the amount of plastic bottles, tins, paper and cigarette butts we collected on a strip that was only a 100 m long and 3 meters wide on each side of the street was overwhelming. We filled 16 large bags and it seemed like we had done almost nothing at all. I was amazed.
Plastic bottles and hundreds of cigarette butts each taking between to 1 - 5 years to disintegrate while poisoning the ground and water in the process along with all the rest of the stuff and this was not even the tip of the iceberg.
I know that experts have been warning us for years to treat our environment with more care and collecting all that rubbish really brought it home to me. I ask myself "what is it that keeps us from taking the warnings seriously? What compels people to throw rubbish into the road, the sea, the forest and the beach like it doesn't matter? What keeps the rest of us from standing up and speaking out and doing all we can every day for the protection of the environment we live in?
Do we feel so disconnected from our surroundings that we fail to realize that it is our very source of live which we are damaging? What are we waiting for? Lets face it - together we can make a difference!
For more information on ways to act more environmental friendly consult http://www.cleanupgreece.org.gr
http://www.cleanuptheworld.org
Growing up in a country with a "green" movement, I developed an awareness for using and promoting environmental friendly practices. From cosmetics to cleaning materials I buy "green". Now the time had come that I felt the urge to do something on a bigger scale, to work together with others for sharing information and finding solutions.
I started talking to people on the island where I live and found that everyone I spoke to was interested in exploring the possibilities of better rubbish management, re-cycling and a cleaner island. So we had some meetings, put a loose plan together and made some proposals. We spoke to the Municipality, head of Schools, parent associations and individuals. Some schools promised to contact Clean up Greece and organize educational workshops for the students. Some of the grown ups were game to participate in a clean up day.
So we decided to have a go and last Sunday a few of us went off and started to collect rubbish from the roadside. I have to say that I was blown away. We had planned to walk and cover a large area, but the amount of plastic bottles, tins, paper and cigarette butts we collected on a strip that was only a 100 m long and 3 meters wide on each side of the street was overwhelming. We filled 16 large bags and it seemed like we had done almost nothing at all. I was amazed.
Plastic bottles and hundreds of cigarette butts each taking between to 1 - 5 years to disintegrate while poisoning the ground and water in the process along with all the rest of the stuff and this was not even the tip of the iceberg.
I know that experts have been warning us for years to treat our environment with more care and collecting all that rubbish really brought it home to me. I ask myself "what is it that keeps us from taking the warnings seriously? What compels people to throw rubbish into the road, the sea, the forest and the beach like it doesn't matter? What keeps the rest of us from standing up and speaking out and doing all we can every day for the protection of the environment we live in?
Do we feel so disconnected from our surroundings that we fail to realize that it is our very source of live which we are damaging? What are we waiting for? Lets face it - together we can make a difference!
For more information on ways to act more environmental friendly consult http://www.cleanupgreece.org.gr
http://www.cleanuptheworld.org
Sunday, September 23, 2007
After the summer or Kalo chimona (Greek for wishing you a good Winter)
It’s been some time since I have posted anything on the blog and I mainly blame the summer. After Easter everyone starts to get ready for the summer months and then between July and August you lose touch with people (unless you go on holidays with them) and finally re-unite in September.
So what have I been up too? I gave some workshops, coached old and new clients and re-designed my website. In August we (my husband Steven and I) decided to go camping with friends. It was great. It was only the second time that I camped and I just loved the feeling of being in the middle of so many people, listening to all the different conversations, discussions and of course music. No Greek fun time would be complete without music. It is strange how the things that may bother you at home (llike hearing noise from the neighbours) enchant you when you are on holiday. We ate lots of wonderful food, spend most of the day on the beach and played Beriba (Greek card game) at night. Eventually after a week of enjoying feeling totally Greek we returned home to our island and started to re-connect with our various projects.
Unfortunately we returned also to the news of many devastating fires, which was heartbreaking. As a result a lot of people started demanding better environmental policies and to think about what they can do to act more environmental friendly. We started a movement here on Spetses and I am going to write about our progress regularly and also publish suggestions of what we can do in my Newsletter.
In September a friend of mine came from Miami and invited me to give a talk there in November as well as a workshop. We decided to join our forces and create and run the workshop together. We both love coaching people and sharing our experiences, and we always have a lot of fun together, one inspiring the other.
That brings me up to date and I promise to keep on sharing and posting ideas, insights, knowledge and leads on a regular basis.
So what have I been up too? I gave some workshops, coached old and new clients and re-designed my website. In August we (my husband Steven and I) decided to go camping with friends. It was great. It was only the second time that I camped and I just loved the feeling of being in the middle of so many people, listening to all the different conversations, discussions and of course music. No Greek fun time would be complete without music. It is strange how the things that may bother you at home (llike hearing noise from the neighbours) enchant you when you are on holiday. We ate lots of wonderful food, spend most of the day on the beach and played Beriba (Greek card game) at night. Eventually after a week of enjoying feeling totally Greek we returned home to our island and started to re-connect with our various projects.
Unfortunately we returned also to the news of many devastating fires, which was heartbreaking. As a result a lot of people started demanding better environmental policies and to think about what they can do to act more environmental friendly. We started a movement here on Spetses and I am going to write about our progress regularly and also publish suggestions of what we can do in my Newsletter.
In September a friend of mine came from Miami and invited me to give a talk there in November as well as a workshop. We decided to join our forces and create and run the workshop together. We both love coaching people and sharing our experiences, and we always have a lot of fun together, one inspiring the other.
That brings me up to date and I promise to keep on sharing and posting ideas, insights, knowledge and leads on a regular basis.
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