Children Hear “No” a Lot! So How About Giving Them a “Yes Day”?!
“The moment I decided to follow instead of lead, I discovered the joys of becoming part of a small child’s world.” ~ Janet Gonzalez-Mena A friend of mine parents with a playful touch, and she does so, in part, by offering her kids a Yes Day! Read below and watch above for the details. This may inspire you to say No a little less and Yes a whole lot more! Here are the wise words of Juliette Woods: Today at our house was “Yes Day!” It’s a day once a year when I say Yes to everything my children ask for. (There are a few ground rules around legality, safety, cost, etc.) They get my full attention, there is always laughter and play, and extra snuggles; […]
Give People Something to Play With ~ Enrolling Others into the Spirit of Yes And
The more you give people things to play with, the more they can give back to you, and the world! When you practice the Spirit of Yes And, you discover how easy it is to make people smile in the simplest ways. Their smile opens them up to their heart, and more fully allows them to give back. I was standing at a grocery checkout line waiting to purchase a whole pie for a potluck, when an elderly lady in front of me turned around and said, “That looks like a yummy pie!” I was happy! She was inviting me to play! “Yes it is,” I replied. “I plan to eat it all myself!” Grin! I passed the ball back to her. And then she smiled and laughed. I […]
20 Questions to Enhance Conversations ~ Moving from Yes to Yes And
There are some people who Yes, and some who Yes And. When we share something about ourselves with others, some people respond just by saying, “Cool”, or “Great”, or “That’s interesting.” They offer some form of acknowledgement. That’s the Yes of Yes And. And then there are those who offer an acknowledgment, AND then ask a question that further explores what we shared. They say, for instance, “Wow, that’s fascinating (Yes). What was that like for you? (And)” We love it when people show genuine interest in us. Whether it is simply a check in to see how our doctor’s appointment went, or a series of questions, it feels good when people are genuinely interested in us. It feels like the person cares about us and our […]
Liberating Yourself and Others from the Need to Agree ~ Entering the Dance of Connection
One of the most beautiful things we can experience is a connection with another person. Being able to connect is a gift in that it gives each person the opportunity to safely open and share their authentic feelings, desires and concerns. However, often when one person meets another with an agenda, the connection is broken because he is no longer open to what the other has to say. He is not meeting her in her reality, but rather attempting to align her with his own. To align without agreement is to communicate, “I don’t agree with you, and I am still with you.” I am here for you and with you, and I am willing to open to your world even if I am not […]
Nobody Gets to Be Wrong ~ Designing a Safe Space for Creativity and Expression
“It was when I found out I could make mistakes that I knew I was on to something.” ~ Ornette Coleman Two things that block our self-expression and creativity is the fear of judgement, and the weight of expectations to do things the “right” way. We hold back in team meetings and other kinds of relationships, fearful that we will receive a disparaging response. A guiding principle for communication that can help mitigate negativity and fear, and create safety for creative self-expression is Nobody Gets to Be Wrong. Imagine conducting all future meetings and general dialogue with this principle in place. What would the implications be? All ideas are welcome Freedom to playfully experiment and get messy Less thinking and more spontaneity More ideas shared […]
Playing With Change
“Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.” ~ Raymond Lindquist. “But this is the way we have always done it!” Sound familiar? It is a common belief I hear in my playshops that keeps us entrenched in the past, close to what’s comfortable and familiar, and unavailable to the new. We like familiarity and certainty. It makes us feel safe and we don’t have to be creative. But our world is changing. Play is training for the unconventional. It teaches us to be present, open and flexible, holding our ourselves and our perspectives lightly. To thrive in today’s rapidly changing and uncertain world it helps to suspend belief and stay curious. We cannot hold on as tightly as we used to. We […]
And then…
“The world is but a canvas to the imagination.” ~ Henry David Thoreau. Nurturing imagination in children is an act of love. My friend had some children over and one of them suggested they build a bridge over her large pond to see the goldfish more easily. Instead of telling the child all the reasons why this cannot happen, my friend said, “Yes, and then we can stand on the bridge and see way more fish!” Then another child said, “And then we can lower a tube into the murky water so we can see the fish more easily!” And another said, “And then we could drop bits of food into the tube so we could feed them!” This went on for 30 minutes. Not once […]
The Answer to How is Yes
A friend of mine has struggled to earn a healthy living through her spiritual practice for a while now. Because of her low income, she has ignored many things that need fixing, including painting the house, re-paving the driveway and re-shingling the roof. She has spent many years frustrated and scared thinking How she is going to get this done, wondering How to work harder in order to make the money, and praying to the universe saying, “How can I earn enough money to pay for this.” She has been stuck in fear and focused on the problem instead of the solution. Old energy grants primary power to the problem New energy grants primary power to the solution One morning she woke up and decided […]
15 Ways to Say No
“There is a difference between being self-centred, and centred in the Self.” ~ Lynda Austin. For many, saying No is a challenging task. We have been brought up to believe that putting ourselves first is bad, selfish or wrong. Yet when the oxygen mask drops on the airplane, who do you put it on first, you or your child? Making onenself a priority is essential to healthy, happy and productive living. To do this, we may have to say No to certain people who could redirect us from listening to our own needs and practicing self-care. 15 simple ways to say No: That won’t work for me. That doesn’t resonate/feel right. I feel I need to take time for me right now. My body really […]
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 […]