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Archive for the ‘Inspiration prompt’ Category

Inspiration Prompt – Speak As Your Next Word Will Be Your Last

Monday, November 16th, 2009
Words
[Photo by: Andrew Storms]

Charles de Lint had suggested an interesting notion:

“Here’s a weird thought: What if everyone only has so many words inside of them? Then sooner or later you’d run out of words, wouldn’t you? And you’d never know when it was going to happen because everybody would have a different allotment, it would be different for everyone – the way hair colour varies, or fingerprints. I could be in the middle of a story, and then run out of words, and it’d never be finished.”

Play with this idea, what if your next word will by your last?

What if you only manage to insult but not to ask for forgiveness?
What if you only manage to receive but not to give thanks?
What if you only manage to think of an idea but not to share out loud?
What if you only manage to remember but not to tell?

“These are thought provoking questions but I will never overextend my word-quota”, you may think.

Well, think again.

Let me share a story with you.

A story about an independent woman who had survived major hardships in her life but kept moving forward. Had started a new family after her fiance perished in the holocaust. Had built a successful business. Had always made sure her hair is flawless, her lipstick is meticulously applied and her suit is perfectly ironed. Always a suit, even on a trip to the supermarket or when picking up her granddaughter from kindergarten.

This woman had a million stories to tell. Every day, at lunch time, after picking up her granddaughter and making sure she clears up her plate, she would open the big sofa bed in the guest room and tell her stories. Such wonderful stories. Books she had read. Adventures she had gone through and her granddaughter would listen with glistening eyes, asking: “please, grandma, tell me one more story”, and she did.

The years had passed and the granddaughter grew up. She didn’t need a babysitter anymore and forgot all the stories that had been told before and abandoned the stories that has not yet been told.

One day, in the spring time, the woman came by to visit her granddaughter and brought her some sweets. The granddaughter enjoyed the break and the sweets but quickly said her goodbyes, as she was busy studying for her finals.

An hour later the woman came back. Sweets in her pocket and the granddaughter thanked her and said goodbye again.

An hour later and she came back again. Sweets in her pocket again and the granddaughter started to worry and to understand.

Not long afterward Alzheimer disease was diagnosed.

Soon after that all the stories has been forgotten and lost forever.

The hasty granddaughter, if you haven’t realized by now – is me!

The word quota may be over extended and if it happens, it will take you by surprise.

So make sure you tell all the stories (and write them down). Articulate your idea in words and don’t shy away. Verbalize your gratitude. Speak with a positive note and always start with the compliment before moving on to a constructive criticism. Speak as your next word will be your last.

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Please share your thoughts about the idea of a finite word quota and leave a comment on this post. I love to hear your mental voice and to keep the discussion going whenever it’s possible.

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Inspiration Prompt – Believe In Your Rainbows

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

I have not lived long enough to become old and wise but I have noticed that whenever I truly believe in something, and do whatever I can to capture my dream, it comes true.

Sometimes it happens right away. Most times it takes a while to get there. But if you keep believing, there comes a time that IT happens and everything falls right into place.

When you lose hope you usually extinguish the ember, but as long as you believe you are keeping it burning until the fire is up.

It takes patience, belief, hard work and persistence. I didn’t say it just miraculously happens…
However, it does happen if you give it a chance.

I have stumbled upon this quote by Gerald G. Jampolsky, MD:

As a child I was told and believed that there was a treasure buried beneath every rainbow.
I believed it so much that I have been unsuccessfully chasing rainbows most of my life.
I wonder why no one ever told me that the rainbow and the treasure were both within me.

I love it!

Chasing rainbows is the underlying idea behind believing in your dreams and knowing that it is already within you to succeed, is the rudimentary understanding that will get you to the treasure.

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Are you a believer? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment. I always love to read your comments and replay almost each and every one!

Make Your Own Planner Workshop
Check out the new “Make Your Own Planner” workshop and you may solve this year’s holiday gift shopping problem. An affordable workshop that keeps on giving…

Inspiration Prompt – Love Yourself

Monday, November 2nd, 2009
Love Yourself
[Photo by: Meddygarnet]

American Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Hanukkah and Christmas are not far behind and craft stores are already stocking up Valentine’s Day collections. The holidays are here.

“The holidays” is a period in which we value being charitable, helpful and loving. We put our friends in the center. These are wonderful virtues that I value as well. Sadly during this festive albeit stressful period we tend to concentrate so much on others that we completely forget ourselves.

Loving thyself is okay.

Loving yourself isn’t vain nor egotistical, provided you are doing it for the right reasons and with the proper means. Loving yourself is appreciating your accomplishments. Loving yourself is keeping yourself strong and healthy – both physically and mentally – so you can be there for all the others. Loving yourself is OKAY.

I love you and I encourage you to love yourself.

To show my love and appreciation I dedicate a poem to you.
This poem is by E. E. Cummings and I absolutely love it:

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)
i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

Have you loved yourself enough today? Are you going to love yourself tomorrow? … and the day after?

Inspiration Prompt – The Value Of A Smile

Monday, October 26th, 2009
The Value Of A Smile
[Photo by: Jimmy Davao]

I am a strong advocate for the value of smiling. Smiling can get all the bad and the wrong and the sad go away – either momentarily or permanently.

Every time you get to the fork in the road where you must choose to either smile or frown, I encourage you to choose the smiley road.

No matter what would pop up along the road, it would look much better and much less scarier than if it was seen on the grumpy road.

This week I had the pleasure to come across a quote by Dale Carnegie, a person I much appreciate:

A smile is nature’s best antidote for discouragement.
It brings rest to the weary,
Sunshine to those who are frowning,
And hope to those who are hopeless and defeated.
A smile is so valuable that it can’t be bought,
Begged, borrowed, or taken away against your will.
You have to be willing to give a smile away
Before it can do anyone else any good.
So if someone is too tired or grumpy to flash you a smile,
Let him have one of yours anyway.
Nobody needs a smile as much
As the person who has none to give.

I love this quote. (Clearly) I couldn’t have said it better… So go ahead and smile!

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Do you feel you have the power to choose whether to smile or frown? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I’d love to hear what you are thinking – and I almost always reply 🙂

Inspiration Prompt – You Never Fail You Are Just Delayed

Monday, October 19th, 2009

I have recently watched an eye opening video on You Tube that I want to share with you.

This video shows how many of the greatest minds, most talented artists and most imaginative inventors had been deemed as failing at something at a certain point in time.

Every beginning is dotted with misguided steps and awkward hand strokes, those dots are accumulating over time until they render a perfect line.

Watch on You Tube

Don’t be distracted by the dots. In the end you will make a perfect line!

Have a great day!

Tomorrow I am celebrating my BIRTHDAY and I would like to send you some warm wishes 🙂

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Were you ever disappointed at not getting something right at the very first time, only to discover you are headed towards greater success? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment on this post.

Inspiration Prompt – Keri Smith’s 100 Ideas

Monday, October 12th, 2009

For this week’s inspiration prompt I want to share a different kind of inspiration – creative inspiration.

Sometimes no matter how hard we try we feel uninspired, blocked and cannot seem to come up with any new ideas or make anything that pleases us.

Our creativity needs refueling as much as our body needs food, as much as our car needs gasoline and as much as our cellphone needs battery…

Keri Smith, an amazing artist and author has compiled a list of 100 ideas that can help you rekindle an extinguished inspiration. 100 sparks of creativity, any of which can relight your fire.

Take a look. Try some of her brilliant ideas. Try each and every one of her ideas, an idea a day.

Fuel your creativity!

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Have you tried any of these ideas? How do you fuel up your creativity? share by leaving a comment on this post.

Inspiration Prompt – Hello Diversity, You Are Very Welcome!

Monday, October 5th, 2009
School of fish - Diversity
[Photo by: Jon Hanson]

Granted, sticking with the familiar is convenient and even comforting but it is the diversity that makes the world as special as it is.

How boring would it be if we all looked the same, wore the same clothes and lived in look-alike houses.

How horrible would it be if we all carried the same set of skills and came up with the same ideas?

How would the world evolve if we all conformed and banned disparity?

Aristotle had said long ago:

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

Welcoming diversity is all about that.

Welcoming diversity is about listening. Even when you don’t agree. Even if you do not understand. Even if you do not see the need. Even when you don’t believe in what is being said.

Welcoming diversity is about letting go. Letting go of prejudice. Letting go of pride. Letting go of the need to carve the world the way you believe it should be like.

Welcoming diversity is about accepting ideas without accepting an idea. It is about making place while keeping yours.

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How are you welcoming diversity? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment on this post.

Inspiration Prompt – The Day Of Atonement

Monday, September 28th, 2009
Atonement
[Photo by: Gregory Markchester]

Today is the Jewish people Day of Atonement. According to the Jewish religion, on this day each person is tried before god in the majestic court. The book is opened and all one’s rights are measured against one’s sins – determining whether one lives or dies.

The Jewish religion perceives god as a benevolent god. God forgives all sins made against him but god shall not forgive any sin made against another human being. Therefore the people must sincerely ask for forgiveness from anyone who might have been hurt by their deeds.

Although the Day of atonement is marked as a day of fasting, it is not a day of mourning but a festive holiday. A holiday in which people take time away from their material needs and ponder about their way in life – where are they going to and how are they getting there?

For the sake of this week’s inspiration prompt I want to leave all religious connotations aside and discuss the meaning of taking an annual Day of Atonement.

Taking 24 hours in which we won’t be running towards something. 24 hours in which we think about our endeavor, about the way we treat other people and the way we treat ourselves. 24 hours in which we observe our past ways and plan our future ones, and if necessary change routes.

Sometimes life’s pace is extremely fast and without taking the time to really think about life’s meaning and about what is really important in life, we may lose our way and perhaps lose ourselves in the race.

I believe the self examination done on the Day of Atonement can be meaningful and beneficial to both believers and atheists – everyone examines their ways at their own level.

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What do you think about the idea of a Day of Atonement (in a non-religious – but maybe spiritual – way)?

I am very interested to hear from my non Jewish readers whether your religion/tradition has a similar notion.

Please share your thoughts and insights by leaving a comment on this post.

Inspiration Prompt – Make Sure You Enjoy The Journey

Monday, September 21st, 2009
Enjoy The Journey
[Photo by: Nicholas]

I remember how I got so engrossed at work a couple years ago that I forgot what got me into law in the first place. All I saw was the lurking deadlines, the stress, the overwhelming responsibility and the two hands of the clock moving in a pace that seemed way faster than 60 seconds per minute.

I had to take a break. Go away from my desk, in the midst of chaos, take a walk and try to remember everything that I like about my job. In about 30 minutes I came back to my busy desk – psyched with enthusiasm and spiked with my reclaimed passion.

An hour later the pleadings I was working on were done. Maybe the best I have written throughout my career as a lawyer.

Not because I was better, smarter or my case was stronger – but because I concentrated on the process itself and enjoyed my journey. It shows!

For this week’s inspiration prompt I encourage you to take a moment and think about the process itself and to enjoy life’s journey as it wriggles in real time. Otherwise we may miss the whole point in life…

“Because of our routines we forget that life is an ongoing adventure. “
Maya Angelou

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Share your thoughts about life’s journey by leaving a comment on this post. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Inspiration Prompt – Make The Most Out Of Your Present

Monday, September 14th, 2009

TimeTime is illusive. It always slips away. Always on the move and always at the exact same pace.

We, however, treat time as a constant. We take time for granted and assume it will always be there for us.

This is how our mind tricks us… We know the facts but act oppositely.

We want to call our parents and tell them how much we love them. We want to meet a friend for coffee and laugh. We want to send a card to an old colleague of ours. We want to scrap all the photos from our last vacation. We want to go to the orchard and take photos of the citruses.

We want to do all these things when we will have some more time.

In the meantime, we flip through another magazine. Time passes by. We watch another episode. Time doesn’t stop. We go through Twitter again. Time keeps on running away.

Do we really need more time or do we just need to decide THIS IS THE TIME and make the most out of our present?

“There are many fine things which you mean to do some day,
under what you think will be more favorable circumstances.
But the only time that is surely yours is the present,
hence this is the time to speak the word of appreciation and sympathy, to do the generous deed,
to forgive the fault of a thoughtful friend, to sacrifice self a little more for others.

Today is the day in which to express your noblest qualities of mind and heart,
to do at least one worthy thing which you have long postponed, and to use your God-given abilities for the enrichment of some less fortunate fellow traveler”

Grenville Kleiser, 1868-1953

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How do you feel about the present of time? Share your thoughts and ideas by leaving a comment on this post.