Women in the LEAD

Our greatest teacher may be our body

“…Our greatest teacher may be our body.  If we have recurring problems with health or weight, the body may be communicating that we need to attend to our healing not only on a physical level, but also on emotional, mental, or spiritual levels.  For example, if we tend to push ourselves too hard, our bodies may get sick in order to force us to slow down, relax and take better care of ourselves.  If we learn the lesson our bodies are trying to teach us, and are able to integrate more rest, play, emotional expression, and spiritual renewal into our lives, perhaps our bodies won’t have to get sick in order to get our attention.”

Shakti Gawain   “Creating True Prosperity”

Our bodies can teach us more about ourselves than perhaps we realize, if we pay attention.  Too often our attention is external rather than internal.  The impulses our bodies send out can be subtle and easily go unnoticed but provide us with information about our health, emotions and overall well-being. 

It seems easier to ignore the minor annoyances of our bodies as we care for others in our families, our jobs and our communities.  Being in tune with our bodies allows us to feed ourselves self-respect.  When we value ourselves and listen to the quiet signs available to us daily we are more valuable to both others and ourselves.

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Creating the IMPOSSIBLE

I love the act of cleaning out closets and drawers. Not the work particularly, but what happens in the process. The feeling of newness is addictive. I actually find it even feels better. Another benefit is finding "treasures" you've not seen for a while. Over the weekend after a long, twisting path of writing my new book for a year --- and seeing and experiencing it being published, I spent the weekend cleaning out everything, releasing all piles of stuff, blessing the hard work, and rejoicing at the empty places I was creating, making room for new dreams to grow.

In the process, I came across a favorite book (again). Funny I find it at just the right moments. It is entitled The Tao of Personal Leadership by Diane Dreher. I opened to this familiar story with a different twist.

"The Tao Te Ching tells us that all nature follows the process of zanshin (Moving with zanshin means not becoming fixated on mistakes or doubts, not letting them break our connect to the here and now), moving from conception to creation one step at a time:

Journey of Thousand Miles
A tree that grows beyond your reach
Springs from a tiny seed.
A building more than nine stories high
Begins with a small mound of earth.
A journey of a thousand miles
Begins with a single step.

When I was in China ... I saw a vivid example of this lesson. All over Shanghai and Beijing, massive construction projects were going up. My companions on the journey were astounded to see the Chinese using bamboo scaffolding to build these towering skyscrapers. Bamboo seems so light and fragile, yet the Chinese have relied on it for thousands of years. I smiled and though of the strength of bamboo, the ability to build on what we know, the courage to reach beyond what we know to achieve what was once thought impossible."

With gratitude, I reflect on the last year with all its "stretching lessons" and miraculous twists and turns --- and series of small miracles that surrounded its 365 days. What seemed impossible, like the strength of the bamboo, seemed to flourish in the face of courage to reach beyond when it seemed very difficult.

What reflections do you have when you've drawn upon this strength inside you?

Debbe Kennedy
Author and founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead

My New Book! Putting Our Differences to Work (June 2008)
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership, and High Performance
Learn more: www.puttingourdifferencestowork.com

Join me for monthly online dialogues --- Next DATE August 12

Eternity Is Not The Hereafter

“Eternity is not the hereafter…this is it.  If you don’t get it here, you won’t get in anywhere.”

n       Joseph Campbell

Planet Earth is the ideal place to learn the Universal lessons that are fully available to us through each experience that we live.  On this planet we have the ability to look at our deepest fears, to break through them and to contribute at the highest level.  The choice is ours.  Your life is a choice.  What choices are you making daily?

 

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Leading Change in the Worst of Times

Leading change in the workplace, marketplace, the world or in our personal lives actually has a lot in common. I'm not sure I always realized this fact. Some years back in my book, Breakthrough!, I offered 10 Ways to Decrease the Impact of a Changing Workplace. As I review the list now with a more reflective eye, I realize they were valuable tools that helped me lead employees through sweeping changes as a leader in Corporate and business life.

Additionally, the same list helped me lead my family through unexpected changes, even some that were very sad and life-changing for everyone involved. I also now wonder how different our world would be if leaders everywhere used these simple practices? I share them with you...

1. Talk about it honestly.
2. Talk about it positively.
3. Talk about it often.
4. Look for the good in the change; help others see it too. Make it come to life.
5. Tap all available talents to create plans and a new direction.
6. Describe your vision of the future success. Look beyond the obvious or traditional view.
7. Celebrate progress regularly.
8. Reward contributors.
9. Re-evaluate direction together and recommit frequently.
10. Talk about the future every chance you get, illustrating the possibilities in a story helping everyone build a positive vision of the future. This gives meaning to life.

Leaders of all kinds set the tone by their actions and beliefs. Every day we have an opportunity to influence a positive outcome --- to give hope --- to take people to places they would never imagine they could go even in the most difficult of times.

Where could you put these practices to work?

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the LEAD

Author, Putting Our Differences to Work:
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership, and High Performance

How To Succeed

“Pavlov’s advice on how to succeed – ‘Passion and gradualness’.  Even in those areas where we have already developed a high degree of skill, it sometimes helps to drop back, lower our sights a bit, and practice with a feeling of ease.

This is especially true when one reaches a sticking point in progress, where effort for additional progress is unavailing.

Continually straining to go beyond the sticking point is likely to develop undesirable feeling, habits of strain, difficulty, and effort.”

Maxwell Maltz

Where in your life do you feel stuck?  Anywhere?  Are your work relationships and day to day life as you wish?  Does your life make a difference?  What is your contribution?  What is your destiny or legacy?  It is so important to live with awareness and to make choices that support an ideal life – a life well lived.

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Looking for WONDER?

With all our struggles, most of us search for wonder outside ourselves and where we are...

I ran across this message that seemed to confirm this TRUTH.

"People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long course of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and they pass themselves without wondering."   ---- St. Augustine

Where is your WONDER? Are you looking for it?

One realization I have is that there is wonder right here. I feel it every time I visit with all of you here.

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
author, Putting Our Differences to Work (Berrett-Koehler 2008)