Thursday, January 28, 2010

What Belief Have You Dismissed?

“Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul.”

Walt Whitman


Perhaps like many of you, as I’ve matured – a polite word for aging – I’ve become both more and less patient with myself. More patient with those people and circumstances that I cannot change (St. Francis of Assissi’s prayer comes to mind here!). Simultaneously, I’m less patient with my own self-limiting beliefs.

My work with people to become aware of their underlying belief systems reinforces the reality as expressed in my book (Living an Extraordinary Life available at http://www.ExtraordinaryBook.com) that 95% of the foundation for our daily decisions is unconscious. We were programmed at a very early age by our parents, other adults and our culture to “believe” some very important concepts that influence the rest of our lives.

By becoming more aware of those beliefs even years later, we can make better choices of what to believe, what to discard and what to amplify—and in so doing, exponentially increase our sense of personal power.

Once our awareness is awakened, I really like the poet Walt Whitman’s counsel here to “dismiss what insults your soul.” It offers a fresh and very deep perspective plus a call to positive action.

What have you dismissed recently? Let us know with your comments!

With love and respect,

Robert

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Are You Really Ready to Learn?

“Personally, I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught."

Winston Churchill

Ahhhh Sir Winnie, your wit and wisdom always seem to touch me at the heart level...and your words often make me a bit uncomfortable with their inherent truth.

I know it’s my ego, my identity as a “know-it-all” that gets in the way; yet that bit of self knowledge doesn’t seem adequate to disappear my resistance to “being taught.”

These times of rapidly accelerating changes in families, careers and the economy call for constant learning, for constant re-invention. What’s your take on why we sometimes resist being taught?

True confessions (and hopefully some insight) can be shared by commenting.

I look forward to the dialogue!

With love and respect,

Robert

Thursday, January 14, 2010

How's Your Quiet Time?

“Some of us need to discover that we will not begin to live more fully until we have the courage to do and see and taste and experience much less than usual ... And for a man who has let himself be drawn completely out of himself by his activity, nothing is more difficult than to sit still and rest, doing nothing at all. The very act of resting is the hardest and most courageous act he can perform.”

Thomas Merton

Subscribers has asked me how I choose these quotes and the answer is simple: I choose the ones that speak to me, my history, my experience, my current reality and my personal vision.

This is a good example. I know that one of my challenges is to “do and see and taste and experience much less than usual.” I teach and attempt to model an advanced state of noticing, a greater awareness of the people and experiences in my life. Where this is inadequate is pointed to by Thomas Merton. Sometimes the “noticing” needs to be what’s happening within, the quiet time our habits and culture seem to deny.

What are your practices for “going quiet?” Mine include long walks in nature. Share yours with us by commenting.

With love and respect,

Robert

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Freedom and Its Price



“All we have of freedom - all we see or know – this our fathers bought for us, long and long ago.”

Rudyard Kipling (1899)

Commenting on this quote could take us in many different directions. The one I’ll choose is to ask a simple and yet very challenging question:

What are you doing with the freedom purchased for you?

Answers welcome!

With love and respect,

Robert