Aspiration as Intention

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."    ~ Louisa May Alcott Welcome to the unveiling of my 2017 intention! I know you have all been waiting patiently while I figured out what it would be. I was waiting patiently too, for the inspiration. Last night I came across this quote, and it just clicked.

So this year's intention is : ASPIRE. I hope to be able to:

Acknowledge my aspirations

Share my aspirations with others

Pursue a purposeful path in following my aspirations

Inspire others to aspire

Respect others' aspirations

Eliminate ego from my aspirations

I will be sharing my aspirations in future posts and writing about how this intention is being fulfilled as we travel through the year.  Here we go....

Difficult Times, Difficult Conversations

The world seems like a strange place to many of us right now. There's so much uncertainty, anger, sadness and anxiety. It's impossible for these emotions not to affect us as we go through our day and communicate with others. People are wrapped up in events outside of their direct control, and many times we're not paying enough attention to what's in front of us. We are not listening enough to each other! I believe that the work I and many of my colleagues and friends are doing is helping to protect and repair the world. And I believe if we are to accomplish this in these troubled times, we are going to have to work together more and listen to each other better.

While I was thinking this, I happened upon a recent blog by Joan Garry, one of my favorite nonprofit professionals. In  a podcast she did with Parisa Parsa, they discuss what's happening now in our country, and how we can communicate more effectively to make our work together easier and more meaningful. It's a great conversation, and so important for us to hear right now.

Take a listen here. Enjoy!

Be Present

"The most important person is the one you are with in this moment."               ~Leo Tolstoy How many times have you been sitting at the table or desk, trying to have a conversation about something, only to have the other person scrolling through their phone and not paying close (or any) attention to what you're saying? Or - even worse - how many times have you been the one not listening?

It's not just the pull of the smartphone that distracts us. There are too many opportunities for our focus to be drawn away from our colleagues and companions. I know I'm not alone in feeling disappointed and sometimes really irritated when it happens to me, and I regret the times I've made others feel that way with my behavior.

So this week, the post is about BEING PRESENT: giving others your undivided attention, listening, looking them in the eye and responding, and communicating directly with them.

A couple of suggestions on how to accomplish this:

• At work, encourage a "no devices" policy at meetings, except if needed for a presentation or note-taking.
• At home, reserve meals for conversation, without technology.
• When out with friends, try playing the game where the first person to reach for their phone during the meal pays for everyone.
• If you're the one trying to get someone's full attention, ask for it in an assertive way: "I have something I want to talk with you about. Can you put your phone away for a few minutes while we have this conversation?"

Now put down your phone and talk to someone! Good luck with being present!

Self Improvement

"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving - your own self."        ~Aldous Huxley What does "self improvement" mean to you? What are you thinking about doing in 2017 to improve yourself?

For me, I will be spending a (scheduled in advance, ideally) percentage of my time reading, participating in webinars, watching TED Talks and other videos, and connecting with my colleagues to widen my world.

I'll be learning new things from my clients, who always manage to teach me how to be a better person through my work.

I hope to travel to new places to expand my view of the world, meeting new people along the way.

And I'm looking forward to applying all that I see, do and learn to making my personal and professional life richer and more meaningful.

How about you?

Let me know what your plan is, at ewoolfe@intuitionconsult.com. I'd love to join you!

How to Approach the New Year in 5 Easy Steps

Welcome to 2017! I hope you enjoyed the holidaze and are preparing to face what the new year has to offer. While it is certainly tempting to close the book on 2016, you may still be  struggling to figure out what you'd like 2017 to be like. It's typical at this time of year to ask yourself questions: What is my purpose? What do I need to change? How can I let go of bad habits? Why aren't I happier/richer/more successful/whatever?

Instead of assaulting yourself with questions, here are some strategies for developing your ability to self-assess and start to create positive change:

• Process the past year: many of us would like to forget 2016 even happened, but reflecting on everything that happened in your life can put things in perspective. There were almost certainly some positives, and even the negatives can motivate you to do things differently in the coming year.
• Create time for yourself: a monthly or quarterly "retreat" can be really helpful in balancing all the things you're juggling. Get out of your regular routine and location- a change of scenery often stimulates introspection, and being out in nature can also be therapeutic.
• Spend time with people who are good for you: surround yourself with people who elevate and energize you, not those who suck the life from you. Figure out how to include these important people in your life, professionally and socially. Life is too short to spend it with people who bring you down.
• Express your gratitude: make sure to tell yourself every day what you are grateful for in your life- people, work, your health, things that bring you joy. Make a point of communicating to those people how much you appreciate them (they are probably the people you've chosen to spend more time with!).
• Be easy on yourself: instead of pushing to change yourself, try to practice self-acceptance. What are you proud of yourself for? What do others admire in you? How have you already succeeded? Accept where you are right now, and encourage the idea that you are already enough.

Let's all try to move into 2017 with a renewed purpose and hope for the best!