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How to Try—A Six Part Blog about Pushing Past Fears to Live a Bigger Life By Kerri Davidson (1,000 Ripples Video Link: https://youtu.be/_PIMkiEWCzs) (www.kerridavidson.com) Part 2: Turn Your World Upside Down I did my first headstand away from the wall in the middle of Times Square in New York City. Every summer solstice, thousands of people gather on brightly colored mats in the middle of Times Square in New York City to practice yoga together—a mass of quiet focus in the midst of chaos. I had been practicing yoga for almost a year when I decided to attend the event with a friend. We practiced on mats shadowed by skyscrapers and learned to find our center of peace in the noisiest of atmospheres. After the class, feeling calm and poised, we checked out the event vendors. We noticed a photographer taking pictures of people doing inversions in front of the building where the ball drops on New Year’s Eve. It was such an Instagram-worthy moment that I couldn’t pass it up; it would be the culmination of a year’s worth of time spent fighting my fear of inversions. I’d been afraid of going upside down ever since I was a kid and my friends had tried to help me into a handstand and my arms couldn’t keep me up. It was mortifying! I hadn’t tried it again until I started taking yoga in New York City. After about a month of classes, my yoga teacher told the class we were going to practice headstands. Completely freaked out at the suggestion, I started making scared faces at my friend across the room. The teacher saw me and asked me to demonstrate a headstand. I quickly protested, explaining that I’d never done a headstand before and couldn’t possibly try it. He saw through my fear and persisted, setting up my mat by the wall. I crouched next to him and whispered, “My arms are not strong enough to hold me up.” Undaunted, he gathered six purple blocks at my mat. He knew the only thing holding me back was fear. He told me that I could do it, that I was strong. For some reason I believed him. I rested my shoulders on the blocks and he guided my legs to the wall until all of a sudden I was doing it, I was in a headstand! Though I wanted to cheer I couldn’t, I was focused on not falling. My arms were tiring quickly and I tried to keep the building panic out of my voice when I asked, “How do I get down?” The teacher raced over and helped me down. I was elated and couldn’t thank him enough. I had done what I’d previously thought was impossible—I went upside down. The impossible was possible. I couldn’t wait to try it again. At the beginning of each class I’d lug six blocks into the studio so that I could do a headstand. I got tired of the annoyed looks of my fellow classmates who would have also appreciated the use of blocks and so I gradually tapered off until I could do a headstand at the wall unassisted. I was still doing them against the wall at the time of the summer solstice. Clouds were forming, rain was coming, and my friend cautioned against it. Still, I knew I could do it and I wanted to prove that to myself. I stood in line, nervously fidgeting until it was my turn. I went up the stairs to the platform. Crowds flowed by, skyscrapers glowed around me, but I was focused, I was ready. I set my arms in the triangle formation I’d done so many times in class, placed my head on the floor, and gradually lifted my legs to the sky. I didn’t quite make it to a perfect vertical line, but it was close enough for me, and if you tilt the picture, it looks just fine. I did the impossible that day and redefined what I was capable of. You can too! Three Things I Learned:
If you Turn this picture of me around, you will see I am in a perfect headstand  ================================================
Other Blogs Written by Kerri Davidson 1) Part I: Scuba Diving in a Volcano 2) Part 2: Turn Your World Upside Down 3) 4) 5) ================================================ 1000 Stories Creating 1000 Ripple Effects Across the World! ► Follow the 1000 Ripple Effects Journey: https://www.1000rippleeffects.com ► Subscribe To: 1000 Ripple Effects Youtube Channel Share this Blog. Spread the motivation. ================================================ FOLLOW US: Facebook: www.facebook.com/1000rippleeffects Twitter: www.twitter.com/1000rippleeffec Youtube: Link to Youtube Channel Website: https://www.1000rippleeffects.com ================================================
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What Should We Ask Ourselves When Considering Our Career Path?
Written By: Simone Glassom-Pick Obviously the first question to ask someone is: ‘What is your passion?” right? No! Most people find this question very difficult to answer and it causes a great deal of stress. Contrary to popular belief, trying to figure out what our passion is, in order to figure out our career direction, is not the answer. The concept of doing what you are passionate about for a job is well researched and the results are unable to prove that people are more successful doing jobs that they are interested in or like doing in their free time. If you know someone is creative and loves working on computers, ‘knowing’ that the most ‘obvious’ job for them to do is graphic design could well be completely inaccurate. Perhaps spending all day staring at a screen for a job with deadlines and pressure would destroy the creativity and love of working on computers forever. Perhaps working in this manner is the furthest thing from what is really right for them. Career direction must be considered in a holistically, with a big picture approach. One’s personality, values and preferred way of working need to be considered; as well as personal circumstances and priorities. Knowing what doesn’t work for you is just as important as knowing what does work for you. Consider the lives of the people in the jobs you are considering as opposed to only the success of, salary of or work of a person in a career. Consider the after-hours requirements, the study or internships required to be successful in a career path, working hours and so forth. A career must work for who you are, be aligned with your values, personality and lifestyle. For example: being a famous novel writer sounds very attractive, working from home, writing, being creative and earning a good income when books are published. On the down side, writers are dependent on being inspired and creative to produce good content and sometimes remaining inspired and avoiding writer’s block is tough especially when they first start out and receive countless negative responses from publishers. Writers have a solitary work environment which does not work for everyone. It is an extremely long road to becoming a successful writer. Again, consider the lives of the people in the jobs. Gaining work experience, doing volunteer work, an internship or similar is key to knowing what does and does not work for you. When young people who have never had a job before, suddenly have to move into the workforce it is a huge mindset shift for them. This is the reason why part-time or holiday jobs is so important for young adults, as it assists them to gain a working mindset which is invaluable both as an entrepreneur and employee. Be mindful of signing up for a four-year degree and a huge student loan when unsure of what it is you really want to do. Spend time gaining experience, skills and researching jobs before making such a commitment. It is time well spent and will likely avoid spending time and money on the wrong career path. In conclusion, gain experience, learn skills and do your research. Consider your career path with a big picture approach and if you are struggling to think things through get help as determining a career path that is right for you is a skill you will revisit many times in your life. The world is changing continuously and throughout your life, so will you. Get good at determining the career path that is right for you. ================================================ Other Blogs Written by Simone Glassom-Pick 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) ================================================ 1000 Stories Creating 1000 Ripple Effects Across the World! ► Follow the 1000 Ripple Effects Journey: https://www.1000rippleeffects.com ► Subscribe To: 1000 Ripple Effects Youtube Channel Share this Blog. Spread the motivation. ================================================ FOLLOW US: Facebook: www.facebook.com/1000rippleeffects Twitter: www.twitter.com/1000rippleeffec Youtube: Link to Youtube Channel Website: https://www.1000rippleeffects.com ================================================ Change
Written by: Robyn Mills Do you move away from change or towards it. Are you afraid of change and hold on to ‘the way things are’ for grim death. Do you fear change? Does change feel like you are going to lose something that you like? Or, does change feel exciting and you want to reach out and embrace it! Let me, let you into secret! Change occurs throughout life in every nanosecond of your life, within you and around you. Let’s look within you. When you were conceived, which by the way was a miracle, you began as a single cell and out of the millions of sperm looking for you, one beat all the others to find you and began your life. With in seconds one cell became two and two became four and four became eight and so on. At this point, change was imperative for life, not just any little change, but monumental changes. At one point in this massive growth cycle, a cell divided and started to vibrate. This cell is different to the other cells and knows it. When it has multiplied many times, they will vibrate in unison and eventually, will become the heart beat. Without these changes you would not exist. Changes don’t stop when we are born, our bodies continuously change until our last breath. Our minds continue to grow and change as we gather knowledge and wisdom, as we learn new things we become capable of doing more in our world. Our opinions change, our circumstances change, our friendships change, our jobs change, our dreams and visions change and our understanding of who we are changes. Have you ever held on tight to a friendship that is destructive in your life? Probably because you thought without that friend you would be alone? Perhaps holding onto that friend, created a block preventing the right kind of friend to step into your life? Sometimes you need to create a space for the new to enter. In that space, you get to feel who you are and what you want, in the silence of the space between things and people. Perhaps you have held onto a relationship that holds you back rather than supports you as you move forward. Afraid that if you let that relationship go, you will never find another one. Believing that the one you have is the best you can have because you don’t deserve any better. Moving away from change is like holding onto ‘what is’ so tightly that ‘what is to come’ has not room to enter. I love change! This doesn’t mean that I throw things away without thought or contemplation. It means that I look for ways to grow and develop and to be the best I can be. I see life as dynamic not static. That means that I embrace change, I honour it and I welcome it as I would welcome an old friend. I see change as opportunity. Like everything else in life I see that we can move towards something or away from it. Strengthen our growth or weaken it by being afraid. Of course, there are times when change should be avoided because it would be detrimental to our survival. But the change I am talking about is the change where you see an opportunity and you embrace it. Where you leave self-doubt at the door and reflect about the new possibilities that change can bring. Even when that heart beat stops, change occurs, whether you embrace it or not. Affirmation I embrace change. I value it, I honour it and I welcome change as an old friend. Change is everywhere. I am the embodiment of change. Bring it on! ================================================ Other Blogs Written by Robyn Mills 1) Change 2) Who You are Really Matters 3) Grandparenting: The gift the circle of life brings back to you. 4) What Does it Mean to Love? 5) Inspirational Mentor ================================================ 1000 Stories Creating 1000 Ripple Effects Across the World! ► Follow the 1000 Ripple Effects Journey: https://www.1000rippleeffects.com ► Subscribe To: 1000 Ripple Effects Youtube Channel Share this Blog. Spread the motivation. ================================================ FOLLOW US: Facebook: www.facebook.com/1000rippleeffects Twitter: www.twitter.com/1000rippleeffec Youtube: Link to Youtube Channel Website: https://www.1000rippleeffects.com ================================================ How to Try—A Six Part Blog about Pushing Past Fears to Live a Bigger Life By Kerri Davidson (1,000 Ripples Video Link: https://youtu.be/_PIMkiEWCzs) (www.kerridavidson.com) Part I: Scuba Diving in a Volcano I learned how to scuba dive because I didn’t want to throw up on a boat. I was on a five day yoga retreat in Santorini, Greece, staying in a crisp white villa perched on the edge of the caldera, overlooking water an impossibly bright blue. It was idyllic and peaceful…that is, until the final excursion. The whole group was scheduled to go on a dinner cruise. Great idea, right? Everyone was excited, except for me, after reenacting The Exorcist on a boat tour on a previous yoga retreat, I decided to stay behind. No amount of Dramamine could reverse the power the ocean’s current had on my stomach and I didn’t want to sully that blue water (or my fellow yogis) with my “reimagined” dinner. I felt a little left out and didn’t want them to return with great stories of their aquatic adventure and my only event to report was even tan lines, so I asked the concierge for ideas. She outlined a few options and, because I get snorkeling and scuba diving confused, I ended up loading into a van of strangers and riding down a cliff to the mouth of a dormant volcano ready to scuba dive. I love to swim and was even on a swim team growing up, but somehow being underwater for more than a breath seemed like a ridiculously rash thing to do. Still, I wanted an adventure, so I sucked it up (literally) and squeezed into the loaner wetsuit. After our short scuba lesson, I grilled everyone on the beach who had ever gone scuba diving. Each assured me it was a completely survivable activity. I was skeptical, but you know, once you’re in a wetsuit there’s no getting out (seriously, it’s impossible to get out of those things!). The instructor heaved an air tank on my back and I’m not even kidding I almost fell over backwards from its weight. He told me to lean forward a bit so I pitched myself until I was horizontal with the sand and trudged into the water. We did some practice drills with the breathing apparatus to prove to ourselves that the instructor was not full of crap—we would, in fact, be delivered air, and we could retrain our minds to believe we could breathe underwater. Then we were off, gliding through clear water with the power of our flippers, losing the immediacy breathing normally gives. I stuck to the instructor the entire time, it was disorienting underwater and easy to lose your bearings, but after awhile I was able to look around. He wanted us to see everything—he pointed out fish, little silvery schools slipping along beside us. We peeked at coral alive and waving, touched seaweed—there existed this whole underwater world I’d never experienced before. We explored our new landscape, laughing and amazed at what we’d been missing all our lives—what lay beneath the surface. When we emerged a half hour later I was elated. Not only was I happy to survive the adventure, but I also discovered I was much braver than I ever imagined. Three Things I Learned:
 Me and My Scuba Dive Instructor on the Caldera after our dive
5 Ways to Create A Ripple Effect
By Stacey Huish 3rd August 2018 Creating a Ripple Effect starts with understanding what you do or say is going to have an unintentional effect or influence on those around you. So I ask you the question: What do you want people to know? What message do you have for them? Once you have decided on what you want others to know, then the exciting part starts... How you get your message out there. This is the single most important part of creating a ripple effect: How do you communicate your message? Here are five ways to Create A Ripple Effect. Step 1: Generate Good Content. It always starts with good content. Providing advice and sharing valuable content in your field is one of the fastest ways to build a reputation as an expert among your niche, and there is a variety of ways to get your message out there: Newsletter: Publish a regular newsletter and invite customers to subscribe from your website. The newsletter content itself can range from helpful checklists, to a “Tip of the Week,” to a full-fledged monthly ezine. Whatever you create, be sure that it’s something of value (as far as your readers are concerned) and not just a promotional piece asking people to buy your product or service. If your newsletter content is honest, conversational, and helpful, it will allow your readers to get to know, like, and trust you — which is the key to building your reputation and your success. Once you’ve earned your readers’ trust, you won’t have to ask for a sale; they’ll want to buy from you. Blog: For those who are full of knowledge and just itching to share it.... then start a blog — it doesn’t have to be its own entity; rather, it can live within a dedicated section on your website. If that seems daunting, periodically offer up your services as a guest blogger to companies and websites relevant to your field. The fact that someone else is willing to share your content adds to your credibility. Start by researching blogs (like The Huffington Post, Business Insider, and Forbes Women) in your field of expertise and find out if they accept guest submissions. LinkedIn: LinkedIn, the professionally oriented social networking site, gives all members the opportunity to publish their own content, whether it’s original or repurposed. If your target market is active on LinkedIn, take advantage of this free resource. Step 2: Build a Presence on Social Media. 72 percent of all Internet users are active on social media; that likely includes your target demographic. But does it include you? Social media can be overwhelming, so start simple: Research or poll your customers to determine which social media outlet (think: Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, Pintrest) they are most active on and most frequently consult for product and service recommendations; then turn your attention there. Don’t try and tackle all social media platforms at one time. Just pick one and focus on it until you’ve built a following, then invite your followers to the next platform you explore. Once you’ve picked the initial social media outlet you’re going to focus on, begin to build out your page and your brand identity, and post regularly. Facebook now allows you to schedule your posts six months in advance, and social media tools like Hootsuite allow you to schedule in advance as well. To begin, feature customer testimonials and any press mentions you have received. Customers also love to see behind-the-scenes activity, so don’t be afraid to pull back the curtain a bit and share what a day in the life of your business is like. People want to know there’s an actual person behind that website of yours! If you’re not camera-shy, record a video on YouTube showing off your talents or, better yet, turn on your smartphone, and sign onto to live-broadcasting app Periscope, and share your expertise with the world in real time. YouTube and Periscope have both created overnight celebrities out of everyday people — Just look at Michelle Phan, the first woman to reach one billion views on YouTube (she recreates celebrity makeup looks), or YouTube’s Bethany Mota, who has more subscribers than Beyonce. And then there’s Periscope’s breakout star Amanda Oleander, a 25-year-old artist who became the medium’s “most-loved” user based on the number of “hearts” she’s earned from viewers. Step 3: Be a Source. Meet your new best friend: Source Bottle. Professional journalists to connect with the public to obtain expert advice and quotes for stories they cover. Sign up with Source Bottle to become an expert and get your name out: It’s free to subscribe, and each day you’ll receive story pitches from journalists looking for sources. There are a couple keys to maximizing your use of Source Bottle: When you see a post that you want to respond to, send the reporter everything he or she requested in the initial email. By the time you send the standard, “I’m interested and I fit the bill for your article” note, someone else will have already sent the journalist an email filled with print-worthy quotes ready for publishing. Once you provide the requested information, set up a Google Alert for your own name and company to track any press mentions. These journalists are focused on their stories and deadlines. In my own personal experience, there have been times when the reporters haven’t had time to circle back to let me know they used my content, and I simply came across it on my own. Step 4: Utilise the Stage. One of the best ways to Creating A Ripple Effect and getting your message out there is through speaking opportunities. To get started, volunteer to speak and share your message wherever you can, whether it’s at your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary or Lions Club or any professional club you are affiliated with. Ask to be a speaker at industry events. Once you’re comfortable in front of a crowd, you might even consider applying for a local TEDx Talks . Step 5: Interviews We still have more ways for you to get your message out there. Being interviewed on podcasts, radio shows and even TV shows. Utilise everything that is available to you. Or better yet, you can start your own show in a few easy steps and launch it. Whether you share your expertise through the written word, on stage, or behind a microphone, creating a Ripple Effect gives you the added cache you need to spread your message in no time. Planning for marketing success
Written for 1000 Ripple Effects by Rachel Allan, marketer, coach, author and mum. 27 March 2018 You can’t build a house without a plan, so why would you operate a business without one? Many people will jump into a business and just start, these people form the majority of the 70% of businesses who fail in their first 5 years. Imagine if you just started to build a house without a plan. What a mess – nothing would join, rooms would be odd sizes, windows wouldn’t fit. If you don’t have a plan for your business what is it making your business, look like? Failing to plan is planning to fail. This is true for your business and the marketing within your business. If you just start placing facebook ads and writing content all over the place – you are taking a scatter approach and probably reacting opposed to be proactive with your marketing. Where do you start. You start at the basics – your customer, your products or services and what makes you unique. Basically, who is your customer, what will they buy and why buy from you. Then you consider your strategy. Business & marketing goals, branding and resources are your consideration here. Simply, what do you want to achieve, how will it look, who will do it and how will you pay for it. Next is campaigns. Communication and promotion of your business and what content will you use. So, where will you be seen and what will you say. If you are creating campaigns, backed by strong strategy and supported by strong research – the result is your ideal client will find themselves in your sales funnel. Once in your funnel you can move them closer to making a sale with you. Using personalisation, customer service all while using automations. Regularly reviewing each step is important. Are you making enough sales, do you have enough people in your funnel at any one time? Are your campaigns reaching your audience? Is your strategy hitting the mark or do you need to teak it? Are your products or services desirable? Is the customer who buys of you your ideal client? For many people planning is a time consuming, arduous task. It doesn’t have to be. Find support, learn, outsource to others. Go for growth in your business. Achieve success. You deserve it. I Liventure
Written by: Simone Glassom- Pick It’s mayhem, choose your subjects, know your path, find a job your school career is ending and you MUST know what you are doing. Tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram, parents, teachers, peers, career expos, work experience opportunities aaaaaaaaaaahhhh. “It’s all too much” Charlie muttered “I have no clue what my PASSION is or what I want to do or study MY BRAIN IS EXPLODING!” The problem for Charlie was not only making the choices but the additional stresses that those created. Tertiary education meant a financial burden and the stress of getting it right, knowing that this was it, a chosen life path was just too much. Not knowing made Charlie feel lost, self-confidence a thing of the past. “I don’t know myself. Where is that upbeat happy, self-assured person, that used to be me?” Beep, Beep “Oh NO!! Now I am being bombarded by more terrifying information. To add to my issues the job I choose now may not even exist in a few years, it may be done by a robot, my job replaced by artificial intelligence. Now what?” Charlie groaned, as did the rest of the crowd of equally disillusioned school leavers. “Hey, what you all looking so downhearted for?” Sam said walking up to the group, relaxed and happy. “Why aren’t you feeling the pressure?” “Aren’t your parents asking you to decide on your future?” “Have you been in class lately?” the group exploded. “I am excited!!” Sam said. “Life is a huge adventure, the choice I make today is not going to be carved in stone, it is what is right for me now, in the world as it stands now. What I choose to learn or study now will always add to who I am and give me a knowledge base to work from. It will never be a waste. It’s a good start in the direction I am going right now. I cannot possibly know what my options are going to be in two years or five years’ time.” “The world is different now and you don’t have to think of your career choice as a life choice. In fact, you can’t. Think about it. How many times have you had to make alternate plans?” The group suddenly came alive and they all shared stories of different times in their lives where they have had to adjust or go with the flow. “Don’t you remember that time that we spend all week planning the weekend and wanted it to be just right and how disappointed we were when we couldn’t get a ride to the venue? We ended up going to another great event instead and all agreed it was for the best and were glad that we hadn’t let it get us down but just figured out a new plan.” “My Dad told me of his big OE and how they made all these plans to travel in a certain direction when suddenly other opportunities came up and the direction they were going actually wasn’t going to work out so they changed their plans and had an amazing time” Sam smiled at them. “Exactly! I am looking forward to seeing how my journey pans out. I have been learning a lot about myself, who I am and what my purpose is right now and I know I will be able to take that knowledge and repeat the process again and again. We will all have to do that. I have learnt so many new things on the side trip I took to help me figure out my career path have gained so much self-confidence and a new perspective of what is possible. I can breathe knowing that when the path I choose is no longer right I have the ability to reassess and seamlessly change careers. It’s just like learning to ride a bike, once you know how you can do it any time you like.” The penny dropped! The group was excited and the mood was electric and filled with enthusiasm; the ideas flowed freely. “Life is no longer the same, it is totally a big journey and an adventure.” “It’s actually pretty awesome!” “Wow I feel so much better like a weight is lifted off my shoulders when I think of it that way!” “Hey we can do this!” “Yup” Sam giggled “don’t let this process scare you, our ‘Liventure’ is just beginning. We just have to look at it differently” “We know that we have been able to change direction all our lives in different ways and challenged ourselves to learn to do new things all the time. So actually, this may seem a big deal but it’s actually no different” Charlie grinned. Sam smiled, sharing this information and giving them a new outlook had really helped the others. “So now you get it. Once you go through the process once and learn the tools to assess the right path for you right now, you will live your life as you should in our future world—seeing career choice and change as a normal part of life, just a part of an exciting ‘Liventure’. I Am Dying, Therefore I Speak Truthfully
by Robert Rabbin Cogito ergo sum is a Latin philosophical proposition written in the 17th century by René Descartes in his Principles of Philosophy. It is usually translated into English as I think, therefore I am. This proposition became a fundamental element of Western philosophy. I remember reading Descartes by flashlight, under the covers so as to not disturb my brother, in eleventh grade. I haven’t thought of him since then. Until now. For whatever reason, his proposition came to mind as I was searching for a title, and the spine, of this article. Thank you, M. Descartes, for catalyzing both the title and spine. Ego morior ergo ego loquor veroo. “I am dying, therefore I speak truthfully.” This has become my fundamental philosophical and existential proposition. This proposition has become embedded in me, everywhere, in every nook and cranny. It not only lives in me, it lives me. I am dying. Often, when we hear someone say this, we think they have maybe a few months, or weeks, or days — maybe even hours. Death, as an event, will soon be upon him or her who is dying. But death is not only an event, it is also a process, one which begins at the very moment of our conception. From the first spark of life, death is also born. Life and death go hand in hand as secret lovers, one more visible than the other, but both equally bright and real and playful. Most of us live only with death as an event, and we are usually shocked or saddened when this occurs. For me, death as a process has become stunningly vivid and present. With each breath I take, with each passing second, I feel death as a process surround me, enter me, flow through me. It announces itself, quietly, yes, but emphatically too. I live with this constant knowledge, or knowing, that I am dying. I don’t know when death as an event will occur, but living in death as a process tells me that my living now, my living today, my living in and at this moment, should be as if the event were at hand. Robert, you are dying. In a moment, you will be dead. Now what? What do you have to say, now, with your death upon you, with nothing to protect or acquire, with no more time to fulfill desires, to chase things or run from them? This is a time of reckoning. This is no time to bluff the house. The house always wins, doesn’t it? Now, what’s your play? This is what I hear, moment to moment. You are dying and now death is upon you. What’s your play? Speaking, to me, is more than what we say, verbally and non-verbally. Speaking Truthfully, the work I offer to others, is more than effective, inspiring stage skill and craft; it is more than being able to communicate to others in a truly rousing manner. Speaking, and Speaking Truthfully, are both the total sum of who we are, from the deepest unknown to the mundane to the cosmic, fully and authentically expressed. Yes, if there is something we can all agree on with respect to life, it would be that life is creative and expressive. Life creates and it does not hide its creations. They are spread out in numberless dimensions and are uncountable by any means. And we, my dear, are that life. Now, Robert, you are dying and death is upon you. What is your play? How big, how real, how magnificent, how stunningly present are you going to be? What kind of ambassador of life will you be now? The world primal means essential, fundamental. I want to speak the language of my primal self. I want something more essential, more fundamental, and closer to life than all the influences I’ve been shaped by, than all the words and ideas I’ve collected. I want another language now, to speak truthfully as I am dying. I want only what is wild and utterly free, dangerously so, that inhabits me, as life, now that I am dying and as I die. Freedom. From all the influences and suggestions and taboos and prohibitions. I want freedom. Life is free. No Buddhists, no Jews, no shamans, saints, or sages, no love and light, no be good, do good — none of that. No prescriptions, however sacred and ancient. That’s all made up. I don’t want that. I don’t want security or safety, not now. I don’t want to be liked or understood. I don’t care about a legacy of good deeds. I just want life — pure, unfiltered, galactic and gigantic and free and wild and so gorgeous. Oh my. I can’t even breathe, it’s too beautiful. I don’t want peace and silence and happiness. No. I am glad to know I am dying, that death is upon me. Without this certainly in my bones, my life would be just a hallucination. Let me speak truthfully, with life providing the dictionary, the grammar, the syntax. No one else. I am dying, and therefore I speak truthfully. I want to. I want to. What is your play now, Robert? How big? How small? How real? Tell me. Show me. This is life, asking you. Time for action
Written for 1000 Ripple Effects by Rachel Allan, marketer, coach, author and mum. 27 March 2018 There is no time like right now to get started. Imagine if you had started ‘that thing’ when you thought of it what your life would look like right now. What is stopping you from starting? A whole bunch of excuses. Have you ever really, really wanted something so badly that you couldn’t sleep. You had waves of excitement going through your body. Maybe you can’t tell anyone about it – it is a great big surprise. I get it when I know I am working on something that is so closely aligned with my why – I get shivers. It feels right. I am motivated through all the excuses. If you are putting off doing something, then your why is not big enough. If your why was big enough you would have already started it. You would have already put in heaps of action. Do you have a goal in business or life that you are looking at and wondering why you haven’t moved closer to achieving it? How aligned with your why is that goal. What do you have to do to achieve it that scares you, will stretch you out of your comfort zone. What barriers and excuses do you need to overcome. Try this. Break that goal down into steps. List everything you need to do to achieve it. Starting at the date you want to achieve the goal – work backwards putting deadline dates next to each goal. Now add those actions to your planner or calendar or task list or whatever you use to keep focused. Start today – do the first thing. Then the next and the next. Bit by bit working ever more closely to your end goal. If you put in effort every day before you know it you will have achieved it. Winning! If you struggle to keep n track – maybe you need find help. Join a mastermind or accountability group (or both). Even pull together other friends in business who will support you, help you grow and importantly call you on your excuses. The goals give you clarity. The action steps keep you focused. Your support keeps you accountable. Soon you will stop and bask in the enjoyment of goal achievement. Of how some effort and plenty of action has moved you to a different place in your world. A better place. A place where you are aligned with your why. ~ BIO ~ Rachel Allan has been a business owner for 13 years, and a mum for 6½ years. On her business-and-baby journey she has learned a lot about life, business and herself. While it has not always been an easy ride, it has been fulfilling. She feels a strong calling to share her discoveries (and the wisdom of other parents and experts) with you in this new book, When Business Meets Baby. Rachel’s inspiration is vibrant 6½-year-old daughter Sophie, who has her own busy little life with school, dancing and friendships. Rachel is honoured to be Sophie’s mum, and she is also an author, integrated marketer, entrepreneur, and property investor. From 2007 she has shared her journey with her business and life partner Craig. Be the strong, empowered woman who grew and birthed a baby. Be the brave woman who took a leap of faith and started a business. Allow balance into your life. Allow joy and happiness. See how success will follow. If you would like to discover more about Rachel and the services she offers, visit her at www.rachelallan.com.au. Mindfulness in Public Speaking
by Robert Rabbin If you are a public speaker — and we all are, because I define public speaking as speaking with anyone other than oneself — I wonder if you practice mindfulness while you speak. If you do, you are a rare species indeed. Let me explain. I first encountered mindfulness in 1968 when I began studying aikido and zazen. Mindfulness is basically paying attention to what is happening, as distinct from what you think is happening. This is a very useful skill in the dojo, so as to not get your bones broken during an aikido training session. Be present, or get hurt. I followed up this introduction to mindfulness in another way, during a month-long Vipassana retreat, in Madras, India, led by the renowned Burmese teacher Satya Narayan Goenka. The retreat was a 24/7 hell of paying attention to one’s breath and to every movement within one’s mind and body. We were discouraged from sleeping more than a couple hours a night. Are you kidding me? I managed to stick it out for the whole month, but I couldn’t get away fast enough. Then, barely a few weeks after surviving the hell of Goenka’s retreat, I walked into the ashram of one Swami Muktananda, a meditation master and living embodiment of mindfulness, of present-centered awareness. I ended up living with him for 11 years! I left Muktananda’s ashram in January 1985, but by then the practice of mindfulness had become my life. Mindfulness refers to our capacity to see, understand, and relate to what is actually happening, rather than what we think is happening. Essentially, the more mindful and aware we are, the more real and authentic we can be. How does this connect to our speaking? You’ll agree that every time we speak, we produce an effect in the minds and hearts of our listeners, our audience. They will think and feel something, and maybe even be inspired to do something, all as a result of our speaking. These are the effects we produce every time we speak. Now, I ask you: do you produce conscious, intentional, purposeful effects when you speak, or do you produce random, what-the-hell-did-I-just-say, hope-for-the-best effects? Mindfulness in public speaking refers to our capacity to produce conscious, intentional, purposeful effects when we speak. So, how do we do that? I had always been a good, effective speaker, though I was an unconscious competent. That is, I was not consciously aware of how and why I was a confident, competent, often inspirational, speaker. One day, I decided to become a consciously competent speaker, so I could help others become more authentic, effective speakers. I deconstructed my style of speaking. I looked closely and carefully at how I spoke. I made a few pages of notes. From that beginning was born Speaking Truthfully, the work I have done for the past 12 years. My approach to public speaking is unique, precisely because of my lifelong cultivation of mindfulness. I discovered that my prowess in speaking was largely due to the fact that I melded mindfulness with speaking in real time. I realized that most people are completely unconscious when they speak. They do not have conscious awareness of what they say and how they say it while they are speaking. Of course not, we’ve never learned how. Yes, we all have acquired language and learned how to use it in a rudimentary fashion. But we’ve never learned the science, art, and skill of authentic public speaking the way I do it and the way I teach it. What do we have to work with? Two things: what we say, and how we say it. What we say is called content, our message, the words and perhaps images we use to communicate information and our points of view. I’ll leave that alone for now, as that is in itself another article. Information is important, yes. However, information is giving out; communication is getting through. Often, it is how we say what we say that gets through. What, then, are the various elements we have at our disposal to use in a mindful way? We have our inner state of being; our psychological, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. Are we speaking our truth and showing others who we are? Does our presence alone, in and of itself, say something important? Are we spewing ideas and beliefs that do not reflect our inner truth, our heart, our authentic self? Are we suppressing our emotions so as to appear, well, emotionless? Are we selling some fabricated persona that we think might make a good impression? The speaking instrument also comprises our actual physical body and the many ways we can use it mindfully to support our speaking. We have our posture, our gestures, our facial expressions. We have our movement on a stage, or in front of a room. We have the strength with which we say our words, the volume and degree of projection. We have the rate and pace of our words. We have pauses and silence. We have a light in our eyes. We have our smile and laughter. We have our softness and tears. We have our shakti, our life force. We have the degree of our connection, to both our own self and to our audience. Are we hiding and pretending, or do we show up fully transparent and vulnerable? Do we make natural, sustained eye contact with people, so as to facilitate human connection? Are we speaking with confidence and self-assuredness, or are we speaking timidly, undercutting our credibility with self-doubt? And, where are we speaking from? From a rehearsed, prepared script that lives in our mind, or from a deeper and truer place within us? Are we simply venting or ranting, or are we speaking with awareness of each word as they arise from our creative source and center? These are some of the many elements a truly conscious, mindful speaker uses to produce conscious, intentional, purposeful effects. And the mindful use of our speaking instrument is also a means for us to tell the truth of who we are, to live authentically and fearlessly, to fill the space in which we are speaking with the depth and beauty of who we are, not who we think we should be or who others want us to be. Bottom line? Mindfulness in public speaking requires that we show up, plant our feet on the ground, look people in the eyes, and tell the truth. No hiding, posturing, pretending. No deception, half-truths, or statements we don’t believe. If we speak truthfully and mindfully, people will listen. Our life will glow. Our work will thrive. Our heart will sing. Our spirit will soar. We will be a blessing to ourselves and to others. |
Stacey Huish
I am going to blog and document the journey of creating 1000 Ripple Effects across the world. Archives
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