Don't fool yourself!
Sticks and Stones may break your bones. BUT, words CAN hurt!
Humanity is created to be in community with others. As part of that, we are meant to sense how others are reacting to us so that we can be better parts of the community.
As such, we DO react to other people's interaction with us. So, when someone intentionally says or does things that are cruel and uncaring… it hurts.
Implicit in criticism is the idea that we did not meet the expectations of—even if it is just one person—our community. That leads to (insert long psychological discussion here) us feeling hurt.
There's no doubt. Words CAN hurt, so don't pretend they don't. Let people know when they are hurting you, and if they care about you, they will stop.
And DON'T use your words in a way that could hurt others!
Monday, August 31, 2020
Thursday, August 27, 2020
The Undesirable Path
Help! I'm lost!
Ever feel like you are on a path that might not be leading you to where you want to go? You don't have to stay there.
Just because you don't see any options ahead, doesn't mean there are none. It's possible that they are there, but you can't see them.
When you feel like you are stuck, don't panic. Take a moment and look around. Find someone who cares about you—a parent, teacher, coach, minister, aunt, uncle, friend—and ask for help.
It might be that they know of a different path you can take. A path you cannot see by yourself.
You don't have to go it alone. It's fine to ask for help.
Ever feel like you are on a path that might not be leading you to where you want to go? You don't have to stay there.
Just because you don't see any options ahead, doesn't mean there are none. It's possible that they are there, but you can't see them.
When you feel like you are stuck, don't panic. Take a moment and look around. Find someone who cares about you—a parent, teacher, coach, minister, aunt, uncle, friend—and ask for help.
It might be that they know of a different path you can take. A path you cannot see by yourself.
You don't have to go it alone. It's fine to ask for help.
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Control The Message
With your words and your actions, you—every day—proclaim a message to the world.
You can't always control who hears the message. Your circumstances put you in the presence of people, and usually, who they are depends on factors outside your influence.
But whoever you are around… coworkers, customers, students, teammates… Make sure you are living in ways and saying words that put out the message you want your life to have.
You may not be able to control who it is that "hears" you. But, you can control the message the hear.
Your life and words are yours to use. Use them to make the world better.
You can't always control who hears the message. Your circumstances put you in the presence of people, and usually, who they are depends on factors outside your influence.
But whoever you are around… coworkers, customers, students, teammates… Make sure you are living in ways and saying words that put out the message you want your life to have.
You may not be able to control who it is that "hears" you. But, you can control the message the hear.
Your life and words are yours to use. Use them to make the world better.
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
What Are They Doing?
Do you ever look at someone and wonder what they are doing? What are they thinking!
Out of nowhere, someone does something that you just don't understand. Surely, there must be something wrong with them!
But…
Is it possible that the person doing that unexplainable thing knows something you don't or has different priorities than you do? Perhaps the reason you don't understand what they are doing is because you don't understand things from their point of view!
Maybe you are just being judgmental!
Don't do that.
Out of nowhere, someone does something that you just don't understand. Surely, there must be something wrong with them!
But…
Is it possible that the person doing that unexplainable thing knows something you don't or has different priorities than you do? Perhaps the reason you don't understand what they are doing is because you don't understand things from their point of view!
Maybe you are just being judgmental!
Don't do that.
Monday, August 24, 2020
Using Your Platform
Do you want to live in a way that you are making things around you better?
Maybe you answer "yes" to this, but you don't think you have any way of doing this. Maybe you think you need to have some large social media audience if you want to make a difference.
You don't.
Everyone has the platform of being a human in the world. In that world are other humans. Your realm of influence might only be the people in your office or the customers who come to your cash register, but—THAT IS a platform you can use to touch the lives of THOSE people.
Use the opportunities you have to make a difference in the lives of people you meet.
You have a platform through which you can voice and act out your ideas. Are you using it?
Maybe you answer "yes" to this, but you don't think you have any way of doing this. Maybe you think you need to have some large social media audience if you want to make a difference.
You don't.
Everyone has the platform of being a human in the world. In that world are other humans. Your realm of influence might only be the people in your office or the customers who come to your cash register, but—THAT IS a platform you can use to touch the lives of THOSE people.
Use the opportunities you have to make a difference in the lives of people you meet.
You have a platform through which you can voice and act out your ideas. Are you using it?
Friday, August 21, 2020
Maturity Gets You Past NOW and On To The FUTURE
One part of being mature is having the ability to look into the future, identify what needs to be done, then staring in the present to see that it is. But it's hard.
It's easy to ignore the hard, unpleasant things now and just do what is fun and easy.
But mature thinkers know better. They think about things to come and set out to usher them in with preparation, no matter how unpleasant or undesirable the situation.
What SHOULD you be doing?
It's easy to ignore the hard, unpleasant things now and just do what is fun and easy.
But mature thinkers know better. They think about things to come and set out to usher them in with preparation, no matter how unpleasant or undesirable the situation.
What SHOULD you be doing?
Thursday, August 20, 2020
Success Sometimes Requires Tenacity
Do you ever look at something and think it's just too hard? Do you ever want to give up?
Sometimes, to be successful, you have to be tenacious. Tenacity is the practice of facing difficult circumstances and not giving up. It means working through the difficult situations without giving up.
The struggles are real. Sometimes you just have to try, try, try, until you overcome them.
The path is not always easy. Sometimes, it takes a lot of hard work to get to the end!
Can you push through?
Sometimes, to be successful, you have to be tenacious. Tenacity is the practice of facing difficult circumstances and not giving up. It means working through the difficult situations without giving up.
The struggles are real. Sometimes you just have to try, try, try, until you overcome them.
The path is not always easy. Sometimes, it takes a lot of hard work to get to the end!
Can you push through?
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Conducting Energy (Not Science!)
Do you energize other people?
In science, the property of conductivity relates to how a substance can transfer energy—heat or electricity. Some things conduct energy better than others.
But, what about as a trait of a person? What if there was some measure of how well one person can pass energy and enthusiasm to other?
Think about it! Do you know people who, by their very nature, make others want to do more? Want to be more? Want to live their lives better? What if we said these people are human conductors?
How about you! How does how you live affect others? Do you give energy? Do you lift people up?
Try to act in ways that help people do more, be more, live better!
In science, the property of conductivity relates to how a substance can transfer energy—heat or electricity. Some things conduct energy better than others.
But, what about as a trait of a person? What if there was some measure of how well one person can pass energy and enthusiasm to other?
Think about it! Do you know people who, by their very nature, make others want to do more? Want to be more? Want to live their lives better? What if we said these people are human conductors?
How about you! How does how you live affect others? Do you give energy? Do you lift people up?
Try to act in ways that help people do more, be more, live better!
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Flexibility: A Key Part Of Success
It's very possible that you, if you do anything, have found a process that works. You get what you want from the process.
But if the circumstances change, what then? How can you get the outcome you want if everything you have come to expect changes?
In physical science, the characteristic of flexibility is the ability of a substance to bend without breaking. A wire can alter its shape to fit the available space and course of a conduit, for instance.
Developing flexibility as a person—as a manager, teacher, or anyone working in a situation were changes have to be made—is vital. It is very difficult to be successful if you cannot adapt to a changing environment.
When the circumstances change, your process might have to change, too. Flexibility is key to getting the expected outcomes from the process under different conditions.
But if the circumstances change, what then? How can you get the outcome you want if everything you have come to expect changes?
In physical science, the characteristic of flexibility is the ability of a substance to bend without breaking. A wire can alter its shape to fit the available space and course of a conduit, for instance.
Developing flexibility as a person—as a manager, teacher, or anyone working in a situation were changes have to be made—is vital. It is very difficult to be successful if you cannot adapt to a changing environment.
When the circumstances change, your process might have to change, too. Flexibility is key to getting the expected outcomes from the process under different conditions.
Monday, August 17, 2020
Create Happiness
There are many, many people around us every day. Does it ever seem like everyone around you is unhappy? That they are discontent about everything?
People respond to their perception of the environment with various degrees of being happy and unhappy. Everyone is different, and reacts differently to what's going on.
However, if you are part of the environment, then you can play a part in their state of mind. How you live affects others. You can live in a way that changes the environment. Changes how people perceive the things going on around them.
If you want to be around happy people, create the environment wherein being happy is a possibility!
People respond to their perception of the environment with various degrees of being happy and unhappy. Everyone is different, and reacts differently to what's going on.
However, if you are part of the environment, then you can play a part in their state of mind. How you live affects others. You can live in a way that changes the environment. Changes how people perceive the things going on around them.
If you want to be around happy people, create the environment wherein being happy is a possibility!
Thursday, August 13, 2020
Cognitive Malleability - A vital skill in an ever-changing world
Malleability is a physical property related to how a substance changes due to pressure. Cognitive malleability is the capacity to change how you think about things, how you might operate, when facing external pressures of the world.
Being able to change how you think is a huge asset in a world where things are constantly changing. The every-shifting demands of the world must be dealt with by using different ways of thinking.
Being un-malleable in thinking results in being unable to respond when circumstances demand it.
When the pressure rises, do you bend or break?
Being able to change how you think is a huge asset in a world where things are constantly changing. The every-shifting demands of the world must be dealt with by using different ways of thinking.
Being un-malleable in thinking results in being unable to respond when circumstances demand it.
When the pressure rises, do you bend or break?
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Adaptability
Adaptability is a trait that allows a singer thing to operate effectively in multiple situations. Being addable means that something that works in one situation can ALSO work in other situations.
Everyone is foamier with different adapters for cords and things like that. If the charging cable doesn't fit, perhaps there is an adapter!
Adaptability is also a great trait for people.
An adaptable person can apply the skills and techniques that work in one situation in a different situation. Being adaptable is a trait that will help you become successful in a lot of different situations.
Adapt what works to places where it needs to work!
Everyone is foamier with different adapters for cords and things like that. If the charging cable doesn't fit, perhaps there is an adapter!
Adaptability is also a great trait for people.
An adaptable person can apply the skills and techniques that work in one situation in a different situation. Being adaptable is a trait that will help you become successful in a lot of different situations.
Adapt what works to places where it needs to work!
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Other People's Expectations and YOUR Success
Success is personal. Except when it isn't.
Your goals sometimes depend on other people's expectations. When you want something controlled by others, then meeting expectations becomes your goal.
If your goals and personal expectations include something like getting a paycheck, then in order to be successful at that, you have to meet the expectations of the person offering to pay you.
The same is true about grades, licenses, or credentials. When YOUR goals for yourself include things like that, then the demands and expectations of someone else becomes, de facto, part of your goal.
Very rare it is that someone can entirely ignore external expectations.
Your goals sometimes depend on other people's expectations. When you want something controlled by others, then meeting expectations becomes your goal.
If your goals and personal expectations include something like getting a paycheck, then in order to be successful at that, you have to meet the expectations of the person offering to pay you.
The same is true about grades, licenses, or credentials. When YOUR goals for yourself include things like that, then the demands and expectations of someone else becomes, de facto, part of your goal.
Very rare it is that someone can entirely ignore external expectations.
Monday, August 10, 2020
What Is Success?
If you are going to be happy, it is YOUR goals and expectations that need to be met. Success is personal. Except when it isn't.
Success is can be defined as having the outcome of whatever you are doing meet or exceed the goals and expectations. When you do this, then you can say you are successful.
However, sometimes, people will put expectations on you. People will set goals that you feel compelled to met.
What happens if you work really hard at meeting someone else's goal? There is a real possibility that doing so will not result in the kind of satisfaction expected. Meeting someone else's goals doesn't always lead to happiness.
Make sure you are working to meet YOUR goals and to fulfill YOUR expectations.
However, sometimes, people will put expectations on you. People will set goals that you feel compelled to met.
What happens if you work really hard at meeting someone else's goal? There is a real possibility that doing so will not result in the kind of satisfaction expected. Meeting someone else's goals doesn't always lead to happiness.
Make sure you are working to meet YOUR goals and to fulfill YOUR expectations.
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