The values of a life long learner

Today, I honor my teacher/student part of me. I am grateful for this part of me particularly because it brings out all of my favorite “C’s” like courage, compassion, curiosity and creativity. These all work together to push me to grow and be motivated to strive for more for myself. I stand in my courage to try new things and stretch myself. I stand in my compassion and listen to my intuition; learning to listen to my instincts. I stand in my curiosity and explore new avenues of myself. I stand in my creativity and allow new ideas to take shape in different forms. What does your student/teacher part of you allow you to explore? What values does it bring out in you?

One of the greatest lessons I continue to learn from this part of myself is patience. Patience leads us to our needs as opposed to what we think we may want. It takes courage to give yourself space and time to listen to what your needs are and go after them. A lot of our wants comes from other people’s perceptions of where we should be. Patience teaches us to listen. It is a pipeline to our intuition. In this day and age of countless interruptions/distractions, we need patience. We need discipline in what, when and where we give attention and focus. The immediacy culture we are entrenched undermines priority target/focus points.

So how do you develop your curiosity, compassion, courage and patience? The best way to approach your life long learner is to be open. Open to what arrives in your life from day to day; open to the best way to respond to such. If you are strong in your values and priorities, the minor distractions will be just that; minor. Allow yourself to delve deeply into what grabs your full attention. Being open allows you to delve deeply into the essence of who you are.

Being open brings new things into our lives. It invites us to explore different parts of ourselves. What are some observations about yourself when you are open? I bet your legs are uncrossed and your body is in an open position. You probably have agreed in your mind to listen and take in new information. What do you do when you are defensive? Do you clutch up and feel tense? Does your mind try to hold on to certain beliefs and patterns? What does it feel like in your body to let go of such tight grips? What do you let into your life when you do so?

Oneness and nature

On this Earth Day, I would like to highlight two things, oneness and nature. Although oneness is not something that is often spoken about, the feeling of it lives out in the countless good timing moments we live out when we arrive right when the subway is pulling in or when we meet eyes with the person we are supposed to be meeting with upon arrival in a crowded area, or when we appreciate the breathe we take in from a lovely, warm day. Oneness could also be described by a day that goes gently by while you consistently feel good about yourself. You arrive at the end of the day in disbelief that the day is almost over and just remember how good the day felt; you felt.

There are so many views we can take on oneness. Oneness is about connecting with others, with yourself and what is around you. I have noticed that nature usually gets left out of the thought of oneness. A lot of our moments of oneness happen at and within nature. Who doesn’t like a great sunset? Have you notice the calmness and peace that sitting by a body of water brings? After a run/walk do you feel refreshed and relieved? I guess stepping out into the world can be seen as just that; not stepping out into nature.

Oneness is about being connected to all beings, for me that certainly includes the trees, birds, bodies of water, and so on...etc. Oneness is about respecting the natural rhythms of our bodies, minds, and hearts and nature is a great role model of natural rhythms and ways of being. How do you honor and recognize your natural rhythms and ways of being? When do you feel connected to the natural rhythms around you?

So this Earth Day, I invite you to take a moment to honor your connection with nature. Spring has arrived, have you sat on a park bench for a few moments? Have you taken in a walk/run? Have you looked at the trees blossoming? Earth Day is a great moment to be of service to the land by participating in a community service project. If you do not have that opportunity, certainly celebrate by just recognizing your connection with nature.

Lately, I know that it has been more difficult to connect with nature because of all the flooding, hurricanes, and other natural situations that a lot of us are still recovering from. This is all the more reason to be sure we include nature in our oneness connection. The more we work on embracing nature’s rhythms and patterns, the more we can join in harmony. There are always small practices that can be started like making a commitment to recycle and learning more about the recycling programs in the area. There are many easy ways to recycle electronics now too.

Earth Day is recognized today and we should celebrate everyday; watching the sunsets, taking in the air we breathe. Enjoy the wondrous and simple pleasures of the nature around you. Take pleasure in how nature heals and uplifts our spirits. You can look to and rely on your natural environment for so many positive elements if you take a moment and feel that connection; just take a moment and breathe.

Mindfulness: The Beautiful Struggle

For me, the beautiful struggle is at the center of holistic leadership. I write about this in the upcoming, The Empowered Woman out this August, 2014. The central struggle is between the inner thoughts we hold and the outside influences that surround us. No struggle should really exist. The choose is very clear and not easy to make; the inner response should be the only response. Too bad this is not as easy as you can imagine.

The service part of us allows for people pleasing to kick in. If you don’t have a strong foundation with your inner world, you can give in to outside messages that are not your own. This is why is it important to weed out the outside messages we receive constantly from every direction in life. One way to do so is to meditate. Some take a minute to check in with themselves during physical activity like going to the gym and/or going for a walk/run, writing in a journal, spending time doing a creative task... etc. How do you touch base within your inner world, daily?

Mindfulness is about developing the observer part of you. It takes practice to observe your thoughts and make decisions thereafter. With this practice, you will release the past and future and enjoy the experience of the present moment. Mindfulness is rooted in Buddhist philosophy and practices. It teaches focused intention and awareness, moving our thoughts in the most positive direction. Through the practice we can learn to move away from worries, difficult emotions and unwanted thoughts. Unlearning bad habits of the mind trains your mind to make better, positive choices.

All of the above activities enable us to distinguish between thoughts that are real and are not; Thoughts that originate from within and the others that do not. How do you embrace the thoughts that are nature to you? How do you let go of the thoughts that you no longer wish to hold on to? The thoughts that are not your own? You can not believe every thought that you have.

I believe strongly in performing a belief review. What are the principles and values you live by? This is another strong foundation you can look to when you are peeling away at your thoughts. Perform a values and beliefs review at least every three months. If there are messages that persist and continue to service you and others in a positive way, maintain such beliefs; If not release them. Everyone needs to update and reboot along the journey. Be sure to lift up the observer part of you, leading to decisions that sit best within your being. Mind + body + spirit alignment = a happy, balanced person.

Being of service

This week is National Volunteer Week. This only makes me think of how I am of service. I have enjoyed being on different non profit Board of Directors, volunteering for specific events, and currently I joined forces with the taproot foundation as a pro bono consultant. So many services and non profits grow and thrive because of their volunteers. In fact, volunteers are always needed in so many different capacities within many community based and non profit organizations.

The service part of our lives highlights our values and beliefs. Naturally, volunteering with an organization that you believe in is enough of an incentive for you to continue to participate in being of service. When you choose to volunteer, you usually do so free from expectations of whatever/whomever you are serving. Sometimes, your involvement may start off as an obligation and once you get introduced to the experience, your motivations may shift.

Volunteer work is a great way to continue to explore your passions and purpose. It is a great way to network and get to know a certain industry. It is also a great way to gain experience for your career and personal growth. The greatest benefit of all is that you feel good while you are giving back. It just feels nice to help others. Knowing that volunteers will step forward and promoting being a volunteer is why organizations like the Taproot Foundation and New York Cares exist and are hugely successful.

The first time I joined a non profit Board of Directors, it changed my life and how I looked at my career. As my leadership evolved, I took on more responsibility and eventually became the Board Chair. I started as a board member, then headed a committee, then planned a number of events. The benefits to being a volunteer are endless. Now, I am on the board of an organization in which I completed one program as a participant and initiated another program as a project manager. As a formal participant, I believe this is an opportunity to bring a unique perspective to the leadership of the organization.

Another incentive to volunteering can be to bring community together. Whether it is volunteering as a family and/or with a group of friends, it can be an occasion where you can spend time with loved ones and do something positive at the same time. We are actually wired for service. Whether you are a lawyer, nurse, and/or teacher, everyone is of service to a cause, group, person, and/or clients/customers. We function to serve. How are you of service? Being a volunteer usually gives us a break from the usual service we provide. Think about how you are of service to others. Be sure to volunteer when you are able and willing. And most of all, be sure that you are being of service to yourself, too.

The Artist in You

Exploring the creative sides of ourselves is so beneficial to our overall health. Today, innovative thinking and problem solving is a staple in leadership. I can’t think of any other way to build on these skills besides exploring the creative parts of your person. Creating can be done in so many ways like writing, painting, building, dancing, acting, designing, singing, photography, and all other areas of art. Creative expression has long been known to have an uplifting effect on people. It enhances communication, self expression, self esteem and confidence.

April is national poetry month. It just reminds me that we need to celebrate the artist in us all. Although, writing is something I am connected to now, dancing was the first art form I was apart of. It was probably the first fun that I learned from both of my parents. Their love of dancing salsa and merengue was infectious. I was put in dance classes at a young age and value to this day how it taught me so much about grace.

Last March, I had the opportunity to celebrate the dancer in me. I was invited by my sister friend and founder/director of Amor & Heritage to showcase the organization at a grantee and art grant conference. It was an honor and pleasure to dance side by side with someone I love and admire and it was great to celebrate her work and achievements. I love the way art brings people together. On that stage, I felt connected to her and the other dancers and responded to them in that instant. It was also amazing to bare witness to the dancers leaving their hearts on that stage. I am grateful for the dancer in me and how I was able to celebrate that part of me in community.

What is remarkable about Amor & Heritage is that not only does the organization invite others to join in multiculturalism through dance as an art form; it also passes along traditions and history with how the dances are taught and shared. The costumes are so authentic and maintain cultural tradition. It is a fun way to learn about history and get people of all ages dancing. There is just so many ways art can have an impact. Should you need to add a cultural performance to an event, Amor & Heritage is based out of Buffalo, New York and has performed throughout the state within reasonable budget and travel requirements; like them on facebook.

What is the first art form you became familiar with? What is the art form that excites you, now? How do you engage with the artist in you? How do you integrate these gifts with your day to day activities? How do you celebrate the artist in you? I admire the creative part of a person because I have found that it inspires, directs and motivates me in ways that are nurturing, and educational. Is there anything that does that for you? Honor your creative gifts and use them to help you problem solve and build community.