5 Steps to Creating Healthy Workplace Relationships ~ Transforming the Workplace from the Inside Out
“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.” ~ William Shakespeare. We perceive our purpose at work as fulfilling duties such as administration, brainstorming new products, engaging clients, or problem solving. Work is where we achieve results, earn a living and hopefully gain a level of satisfaction. Inasmuch as these goals are important, our attention is often more drawn to, and distracted by, challenging relationships that cause us frustration, anger and powerlessness. Productivity and achievement are what I would call the small “p” or purpose of work life. Beneath this, however, there is a larger purpose or “P”: Realizing […]
The Spirit of Inclusion
Facilitating Belonging in those with Developmental “Disabilities” Inclusion begins with how we feel and see others I was sipping a cup of tea at the Prince George airport while awaiting my flight, and a memorable experience crossed my path. A TV was showing an exciting horse race which no one was paying attention to. I enjoy watching horse racing. As much as I struggle with the way the horses are treated, I find the call “down the stretch” to be one of the most exhilarating sporting spectacles. While it appeared everyone was more interested in their beverage and conversations, one young man was clearly intoxicated by the race. He ran to the TV, stood in front of it, jumping up and down, cheering the horses, completely […]
Flour Play ~ Creating Memories through Simple, Spontaneous Fun
“Please excuse the mess. Children are making memories.” ~ Anonymous What if play is less to do with obtaining new gadgets or traveling to new places, and more to do with creating fun with what’s right in front of us? And what if play is less dependent on time, and more dependent on our capacity to use the time we have spontaneously and joyfully? Then play is not so much about having or reaching what is “out there”, but rather our capacity to create from this very moment, see play possibilities everywhere, and be open, flexible and authentic in responding to the infinite opportunities always inviting us to “come out and play”! The picture you see above is of two children (daughters of two friends […]
Co-Creative Conversations
“Most people do not listen with the intent to learn and understand; they listen with the intent to reply. They’re either speaking or preparing to speak.” ~ Stephen Covey. When there is an important meeting coming up with someone, say a work colleague, we often prepare what to talk about in advance. We think about what key points we want to cover, and how/when to bring them up. While it is natural and useful to be prepared, planning can also be limiting if it blocks our capacity to be available for a co-created conversation. A co-created conversation means both parties are active in the dialogue. Each person contributes to the agenda by bringing their thoughts, feelings and desires to the table. Often when we come […]
Dreaming with Your Inner Child
“A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.” ~ J. R. R. Tolkien. When you begin clarifying goals, intentions and dreams, your inner child wants to actively participate in the creative process. Imagine that your inner child is taking you for a walk…yes, taking you, not you taking her. She is leading now, supporting your dreaming process. Picture her holding your hand as you walk side by side. She has much to say, much to guide you on, for her voice is the voice of possibility. Children dwell in an eternally abundant world. Their innocence is a gift of purity of mind, an openness of spirit, an attitude of Yes! Nothing is impossible in their reality until we tell them so, until we […]
Discovering Life Through Uncertainty
Yesterday I used to sing a song That carried me through the night The other day I seemed to have it all But now, I cannot seem to fight And when I try to hold on to it I seem to hardly let go It’s time to face my fears It’s time to show my soul In time I’ll lose myself In time I’ll cry my dreams away In time I’ll be myself again And fall away “When we are not sure, we are alive.” ~ Graham Greene In moments when we’ve lost our sense of certainty we can feel powerless, lost and confused. We lose faith in ourselves to direct our life. While these moments challenge us to the core, they are the fertile […]
Co-Creative Conversations #2
“We don’t need to think, we know. We don’t need to do, we are. We keep moving in the wisdom that this is our only prayer. Faith happens when my mind is in my feet and I am not thinking at all.” — Gabrielle Roth, founder of 5Rhythms. We are continuously offering expressions of ourselves in the form of energy, sound and movement. An energetic “offer”, as I like to call them, is our current emotional state that we are emanating such as joy, frustration or confusion. An offer of sound can be verbalizing a perspective, laughing or even sneezing. And movement can be gestures, facial expressions or a simple wave of the hand. Each offer is a signal that informs and has emotional impact. […]
The Gift of Curiosity ~ Creating a New World One Question at a Time
The Gift of Curiosity is one the great toys for us to play with in engaging others and ourselves. It opens the mind and heart, stimulates creative thinking, encourages sharing, clarifies needs and desires, illuminates values, activates intuition and much, much more. Curiosity is a doorway into the soul and soulful living. The power lies in the question, not the answer Our society still functions from the perspective that the power lies in the answer. We tell people what to think, what to do and where to go. Whether it is parents, teachers or employers, we engage others from the perspective of telling, fixing or managing versus asking. There is nothing wrong with these modes of engagement, yet when not balanced with the wisdom of […]
Sharing versus Telling ~ Communication for Staying Centered in the Self
It is natural for us to tell people what to do. It is part of the human condition to believe we know what is best for others. This may be true when we are with young children and, for example, we see a child approaching a moving car. In that moment it is probably wise to tell the child to stand back. But as children grow older, we know less and less what is best for them. We can assume, but chances are our ideas for others are simply that – our own ideas, not theirs. We can only speak on behalf ourselves, not on behalf of others. When we speak on behalf of ourselves we share instead of tell. We share from our own […]
Three Levels of Playful Mirroring
“Mirror your partner’s dreams; the relationship will grow.” ~ Unknown. I was walking down the street the other day and I saw a little girl pretending she was a soldier. She marched along, erect, focused, her arms swaying straight as an arrow and in perfect rhythm, painted with a stoic countenance. She was a soldier indeed! And walking right beside her was her father (I think it was her father), who mirrored her exactly. She marched along, and so did he, walking side by side in unison and intent, with a spirit of playing along. Mirroring is a great way to practice Yes And and honour the creative contributions of another. It invites what I call the Dance of Yes And where two or more […]