The Only Thing You Can Carry With You, And You Can Never Leave Behind
~ By Vince Gowmon It is not about what you have, don’t have, or the situations you find yourself in. It is not about your goals ambitions setbacks or milestones. These are all the little agendas in life that are transient and temporal. They are the gateways into the larger agenda- the agenda that really matters. This larger agenda lives in the present moment, and it holds the one thing, the only thing, that you can carry forward with you into 2015 and beyond; and the one thing that can never, ever be left behind. And that is your learning– the wisdom gained from your trials and triumphs, from your have’s and have-not’s. At the end of the day it is how you grow– who […]
4 Criteria for Teaching and Learning ~ Empowering Both Teacher and Student
In my playshops with teachers we have regular conversations about what structures support and limit education. We discuss how certain structures, that we think need to be put in place, may in fact get in the way of a child’s learning and development. Education is ongoing balance between structure and flow. Too much structure and we stifle the child’s creative spirit and capacity to make decisions for herself. Too much flow and there may not be a container, and enough guidance or safety. It is my personal opinion that for teaching and learning to thrive, any structure used should meet the following four criteria: Does it support the child’s safety? Does it support the child’s academic development? Does it support the child’s creativity and imagination? Does it support the child’s self-esteem and empowerment, including her capacity to be self-directed? […]
Intending with an Open Mind ~ Detaching from Form & Opening to Learning
You don’t always get what you want. But you always get what you need. When setting our goals or intentions for the year, we often get caught up in what we want instead of what we really need. Our purpose is to grow, or evolve as souls. This is the Big Agenda in life. Our career, relationships, health and finances are gateways – they are the little agendas (or forms). When we are attached to the form of what we want, we are not open to the larger plan of our life which invariably focuses on our evolutionary needs. Set your intentions, but do not be attached to the form in which they manifest. Instead, be committed to your inner growth – to learning through […]
Learning Everywhere
“The moment you judge something, you stop learning.” ~ Lynda Austin. There is no such thing as failure; only unexpected outcomes. What we call failure is an outcome that disagrees with our agenda. The more attached we are to our views, the harder it is to be adaptable in the face of the unexpected, and the more incapable we are of finding learning in every moment. And we are more inclined to react, than respond. As you go about your week, be conscious of where you are attached to a point a view, and how this attachment may impact your response, or block learning and creativity. Instead of resisting, be curious, and in the Spirit of Yes And. Be open […]
Playing Through Fear
“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” ~ Farrah Gray. The other day I did something that was a real stretch for me. It pushed all my buttons and had my monkey mind going pretty crazy leading up to it. I paid good money to get a two hour event in front of 200 people filmed by professional videographers. Oh how my mind fretted… What if the room layout isn’t right? What if the audience doesn’t want to participate? What if the lighting is bad? What if the film doesn’t turn out good? Maybe I should just cancel. Maybe I should just call it off. It’s probably not the right time and place. The fork in the road was laid out in […]
Unconventional Validation
“Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.” ~ Pema Chodron. When your inner critic speaks loudly, congratulate yourself! When we begin to consider leaving the status quo to step into the new and unfamiliar, fear will announce itself…and often loudly! Also known as the inner critic, ego, saboteur, or little self, the voice of fear loves comfort and familiarity. It continues to seek and reinforce ways of being/living that no longer serve you. So when you set sail for the uncharted, it will step up its repertoire of ceaseless and neurotic input, and offer all the “sound” reasons why you should listen to it instead of your intuition, dreams or true Self. When this voice takes center stage in your life, […]
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 […]
14 Play Values
Play Value #1 ~ Permission To truly enjoy the playground of life, the first place to start is giving yourself permission to be playful. Permission is an affirmation that it is safe for our inner child to come out and play. For many of us this was not the case growing up, and so the path of remembering to play may not be easy at first. Compounded with many years of being a serious adult with responsibilities, it’s no wonder play has lost its place in our heart. But it’s still there, and with our permission we can allow our inner child to have a voice once again. Play Value #2 ~ Presence Play is a practice of being present. Have you ever noticed how […]