Monday, September 17, 2007

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 17, 2007

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
~ Marcel Proust

DON'T FORGET TO PACK YOUR INSIGHT!
How wonderful it is to learn new things and see new places! How would we ever grow as individuals if we never experienced anything different from that which we see and do in our daily lives? Two different voyages come to mind, however, when considering the discovery of that which is "new" - an outward journey and one which turns inward.

Your outward "voyage of discovery" takes you to different places and new people. You begin to understand other things outside yourself. This can be as simple as discovering new-found beauty on a wilderness "adventure" or having an engaging conversation with someone from a completely different part of the country or the world. The goal here is not just looking at new things, but looking at things in a new way! A change of scenery can cause a change of mind.

But you can still experience a voyage of discovery even if you don't travel anywhere, even if you don't meet anyone new today. You don't have to change your surroundings, just the way you look at them - with "new eyes." Sometimes stepping back and looking again at the Big Picture can reveal things that you never saw before. The solution to an ongoing problem can suddenly manifest itself. You can finally discover a way to handle someone who has been "difficult."

This can often be the key to unlocking the door to your happiness - finding a way to change yourself instead of changing what surrounds you. For all those situations that seem to be out of your control, you have to realize that you are always in control of yourself. So much stress comes from frustration. Don't keep running up against that rock that represents your problems. Try to act like the water that simply flows around the rock as it continues its journey downstream. Your inward voyage of change can have dramatic results on how you see what's around you! Enjoy your new outlook!

(Originally published March 29, 2004)

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posted by The Office Grapevine at 5:55 PM 0 comments

Monday, June 25, 2007

Learning to Fly!

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
“Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but
the bumblebee doesn't know that, so it goes on flying anyway.”
~ Mary Kay Ash

FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE!

Virtually every success is built not upon a foundation of talent or genius, but rather on the notion of persistence and hard work. The idea that achievement comes easily is, for the most part, a myth.

Consider NASA’s modern bumblebee: the space shuttle. Aerodynamically, it flies about as well as a brick. Yet, it fit a design need and re-wrote space exploration history. As a re-usable vehicle, the shuttle always made heroic space flight look, well, easy. However, without the persistence of dedicated engineers, hardware manufacturers, software programmers, mission controllers and astronauts, the shuttle would be just another badly designed flop.

After past catastrophes, the administrators at NASA are now phasing out the shuttle. While the first launch occurred April 12, 1981 and lasted only 36 hours, the shuttle today visits the manned space station regularly and still carries payloads into space. It has carried experiments that have impacted medicine, physics, chemistry and agriculture.

Its 26-year history has been one of tenacity, even in the face of tragedy. The program persisted, and we know our world and ourselves the better for it. The shuttle has become a symbol of strength and achievement.

Those who do manage to experience success without much effort face a different realization: they’re not pushing themselves hard enough. Remember the shuttle program and look for the greater challenge of how you could change the world, or at least your little slice of it.

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posted by The Office Grapevine at 8:14 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Overload

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING MARCH 19, 2007

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"There's nothing as constant as change."
~ Unattributed

FEELING WIRED?
Feel on edge? Not sure what to expect next? Nerves frayed? Feeling overwhelmed by today's complex world situation? How is it that some people are calm, fearless, and content, while others are frightful, worried, overwhelmed, and uncertain about the future?

In the 1950's there were only three models of Chevrolet, about four dry cereals, two or three types of soap, etc. Mom went grocery shopping weekly. There were no malls, computers, cell phones, portable mp3 players, 401k's, Internet, or co-ed dorms. Life was simple and calm - and revolved around the family. Technology didn't dominate daily life.

Today, our choices have expanded exponentially. There are hundreds of vehicle models, 50 different cereals on the shelf, software for every job or diversion, hundreds of cable channels, and millions of pages on the World Wide Web. Could that clog your thinking just a little? Want to get back to simplicity, peace, and security?

Try a few of the following suggestions. Begin limiting your choices. Spend less than you earn. Limit trips to the store. Spend the evening at home - with your family - with the television OFF. Go directly home after work. Identify your principles - and live by them. Count your blessings daily by entering them in a journal. Read. Treat yourself to a hot bath.

Think of your life as an extension cord with too many appliances plugged-in. Each vies for the limited energy you have available until a short-circuit or fire occurs. Start unplugging those peripherals now, and you'll see your life-light begin to shine.

(Originally published March 24, 2003)

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posted by The Office Grapevine at 10:29 PM 0 comments