Author: Anne

This author has written 803 articles

ANTIDOTE: CONVERSATION

“The greatest single antidote to violence is conversation, speaking our fears, listening to the fears of others, and in that sharing of vulnerabilities, discovering a genesis of hope.”

It extraordinary how a simple act of sitting around a table and speaking and listening can actually solve issues that have proven previously unsolvable.

Quote from:  Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks  – Rabbi Sacks was a British Orthodox rabbi, philosopher, theologian, author, and politician. He served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013.  He died November 7th, 2020 at the age of 72.

REFLECTION:

  • What is a conversation that is needing to be had?
  • How can you sit around the table (physically or metaphorically) to solve an issue that has alluded you?
  • As we approach the holidays, begin to give thought to the conversations you want to have with loved ones?
  • How can you speak to your fears and vulnerabilities?
  • How can you use this time for healing and mending relationships through conversation?

IF… WHEN

We all have them.

“If _______ happens, then I’ll do _______.”

If this emergency passes, then I’ll take a break.

If this customer closes, then I’ll invest in my education.

If we get this finished, then we’ll focus on that.

Too often, the ifthen is nothing but a stall.  As a result, we burn trust, and worse, postpone a future we’d like to spend time living in.

Take your ifthen’s seriously.  The future always happens sooner than we expect.

Source:  Seth Godin’s Daily Blog Post.   

REFLECTION:

  • What “ifthens” do you have?
  • Is it time to stop the stall?
  • What is a future you are postponing that you can begin living in now?

REALLY GREAT PEOPLE

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.  Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

Quote by Mark Twain

REFLECTION:

  • Who in your life makes you feel great?
  • Who belittles your ambitions in your life?
  • How can you ensure you tune out the small people and turn up the volume of people who make you feel great?