Many of you know that I write a
weekly eLetter, Thinking
for a Change (Subscribe here). On April
28th I wrote…Running the risk of falling into the same trap as
the Wizard of Oz, I’d like to take this edition to pull back the curtain and
reveal the Thinking for a
Change creative process. It’s actually pretty simple – 4 steps.
1.
Look for interesting quotes.
2.
Focus on one quote and think about its meaning within the context of change.
3.
Write a brief message that includes the quote and your conclusion.
4.
Send your finished musings to Miriam for editing and distribution (remembering
if you do not do this in a timely fashion, you will be hearing from her!).
So, to start a
new eLetter tradition, enjoy this, the 1st Annual Do-It-Yourself edition of Thinking for a Change. To
be nice, I’ve done Step One. The other 3 are up to you.
- We’re going to make it, we know
that we can. Sure, it’s a challenge and sure it feels strange, but we’re
going to try and we’re going to change. -From a song written for Weight
Watchers by Billy Barnes
- In life you always have a choice. Sometimes it’s easier
to believe you don’t. -A
line of dialogue from the BBC show Merlin
- To do good, you actually have to do
something. -Yvon
Chouinard founder of Patagonia
Many of my readers took the challenge.
In this first post, I’ll share two of them. Over the next few days, I’ll post
the rest. Come back.
My friend and fellow speaker Billy Arcement
MEd---The Leadership Strategist wrote
· To do good, you actually have to do something. -Yvon Chouinard founder of Patagonia
The greatest
“freedom” we all possess is our ability to make choices. We can choose a
decision that provides instant and/or far reaching effects on our life or
simply improve it a bit. Choosing always includes even a very low level of
risks. Hesitation to make a choice can cause us to miss a change that can have
dramatic impact on our life. Study life and choose freely to make it better.
It’s always a choice you have and most of the time it’s much easier than you
might believe.
Reader
from Mid-State Technical College, Pam
Knolinski wrote
- We’re going to
make it, we know that we can. Sure, it’s a challenge and sure it feels
strange, but we’re going to try and we’re going to change. -From a song
written for Weight Watchers by Billy Barnes
All of us have hobbies and interests.
Some are hobbies that you can do by yourself and some are group
activities. Think back to the first time you started your hobby. . . “it
was a challenge and it felt strange”. With time and the enjoyment you
experienced, it became easier and you became comfortable with the change.
I have tried a lot of hobbies in my day (wow, that made me sound old) – the
only one that isn’t challenging is reading or listening to audio books.
Learning to fly was a challenge and it felt strange – very strange at times –
but I did it and I changed my thinking and it became a joy. Community
theatre was definitely a challenge and felt strange, but I LOVE community
theatre. Scrapbooking, geocaching, same thing. We need to look at
our health challenges the same way. Saying no to second helpings,
exercising when we don’t feel like it, all are challenging. . . “but we are
going to try and we’re going to change!”
Reader
Jenna K. Kaczmarek, President/CEO of Community of Healthcare Employees Credit
Union wrote her version
As my husband and I begin training for
the October Army 10 miler in Washington DC, I struggle to manage being a
mother, wife, executive, and a blossoming athlete all at the same time.
I’m thinking I just may need to download to my training iPod the
song written for Weight Watchers by Billy Barnes, “We’re going to make it, we know that we can. Sure, it’s a
challenge and sure it feels strange, but we’re going to try and we’re going to
change.” – Because that is all I need to do – try, as with
some effort the change will come. What could we all accomplish if we just
try a little more in the areas we wish to see change, instead of overanalyzing
the challenge or focusing on how uncomfortable the process can be? Here’s
to crossing the finish line in October!
Thanks to all of you who put your pen
to paper. Come back to see the others – especially the Boy Scout Troop that
wrote an amazingly insightful version.
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