Author: Anne

This author has written 809 articles

AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE CHAPTERS

Molinaseca - on the Camino de Santiago

CHAPTER ONE

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.  

I fall in.

I am lost… I am helpless.

It isn’t my fault.

it take forever to find a way out.

CHAPTER TWO

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend I don’t see  it.

I fall in again.

I can’t believe I am in the same place.

But, it isn’t my fault.

It still takes me a long time to get out.

CHAPTER THREE


I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in… It’s a habit… but,

my eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

CHAPTER FOUR

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

CHAPTER FIVE

I walk down another street.

Portia Nelson, THERE’S A HOLE IN MY SIDEWALK: The Romance of Self- Discovery

REFLECTION:

  • How many times have you “walked down the same street”?
  • How many times have you fallen in the hole in the sidewalk?
  • Are you willing to take responsibility for falling in?
  • What “new street” can you walk down?

BE INTERESTED

Anyone can listen.  All you have to do is stop talking.  But to be a good listener, you have to stop talking and be interested.  Genuine curiosity is the precursor to understanding and a good listener helps the other person feel understood.

FROM:  Quote by James Clear from his book ATOMIC HABITS

To check out this book: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits

REFLECTION:

  • How well do you listen?
  • Think of a recent conversation, did you feel understood?  Did the other person feel understood?
  • Is there someone in your life that listens so well, you feel understood? Who is it?Thank them… let them know you appreciate being heard!
  • How can you become a better listener?

WHINING AND STATUS

Toddlers don’t get afforded a lot of respect.  They whine all the time about how unfair things are, and it’s difficult to take them seriously.  Lately, in our quest for victory, we’ve established that some winners get there via whining, and perhaps this is a useful strategy.  It seems as though working the refs, blaming the conditions and questioning the score is all good as long as it helps you come out on top. 

In fact, whining isn’t resilient or scalable.  People with confidence, power and reserves are able to admit when they are wrong, when things aren’t working and when it doesn’t turn out the way they hoped.  If you’re hoping to demonstrate power, confidence or status, taking responsibility is a better signal than whining. 

FROM: Seth Godin’s Daily Blog

REFLECTION:

  • Do you whine or complain how unfair things are?
  • Are you able to admit when you are wrong.  when things aren’t working?
  • Is there a situation in which you can take responsibility for things not going right?
  • Demonstrate your power … don’t whine!