THE DAILY SPARK

There are three stages of conversation  as you move from VIP (very important person) to PIP (previously important person).The first vault is how we communicate the facts of our lives... so that's how we talk to each other at cocktail parties about who we are.  The second vault is in our heart and the stories we tell.  The stories can be liberating or they can be incarcerating.  Because we can get stuck in stories and our friends and families remind us of the stories... and the stories we tell about ourselves.  The third vault is speaking from the essence of who you are that soul, that unplanned way of communicating.  Comments shared by Aaron Taylor - two time Super Bowl winner for Green Bay Packers  - he shared this at Modern Elder Academy (MEA) with Chip Conley.REFLECTION:What stage of conversation to you engage in most of the time?Do your stories liberate or incarcerate you?How often do you speak from the essence of who you are?

Mourning dove sitting on her nest - incubation period is 14 days! You don't find out who someone really is when everything is going well.  You find out who they are when things get hard.  When the fun stops.  When you're not at your best.  When showing up for you requires effort, sacrifice, or simply being present through something uncomfortable.  Stop measuring people by how they treat you when it's easy.  Measure them by what they do when it costs them something.Quote by Emilio OrtizREFLECTION:Do you show up when it is easy and convenient?How often do you show up when it requires effort and sacrifice?Who are you willing to help/support when it costs you something and who do you show up for only when it is easy/convenient?Examine and reflect...

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy".Quote by Dr. Martin Luther King from his book Strength To Love.REFLECTION:Difficult moments are the true test of who we are and who our friends/family are.Do you show up when times are tough or only when they are easy and pleasant?Examine your actions... do you walk the talk or just talk the talk?