eRipples v3.35: Ripples of NO LABOR!

eRipples: Your Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration
from Paul & The Ripples Project
eRipples v3.35: Ripples of NO LABOR!

PEBBLE ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Burnout is not biting off more than you can chew...
...it is biting off more than you can savor.
-source unknown, submitted by Venus Campbell

BOULDER ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Every now and then go away,
have a little relaxation,
for when you come back to your work
your judgment will be surer.

Go some distance away because then
the work appears smaller and
more of it can be taken in at a glance and
a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen.
-Leonardo Da Vinci, submitted by Ezra A Adams

PONDER ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I spent a bit of time this week at Ursinus College in Pennsylvannia before
zooming to Central Michigan University and then over to University of
Nebraska. At each stop I hung out with people who are preparing to kick
off another year of helping college students.

It seems that the teams at all three schools are SUPER FIRED UP about
helping the students, but have not spent much time preparing for the
inevitable exhaustion that comes from "spending yourself up" in the
service of others.

I want THEM to provide good help by becoming self-care experts. I want
YOU to provide good help by becoming a self-care experts. I want ME to
provide good help to others by becoming a self-care expert! Let's all be
sure to spend some quality time this week (perhaps during the upcoming
Labor Day holiday weekend?) becoming self-care experts!

Peace,
Paul

eRipples v3.34: Ripples of DOING IT!

eRipples: Your Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration
from Paul & The Ripples Project
eRipples v3.34: Ripples of DOING IT!

PEBBLE ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Courage is being scared to death,
but saddling up anyway.
-John Wayne, submitted by Matt Mulder
(submitter's note: It has greater meaning when you consider John Wayne
hated horses. He actually preferred poodles.)


BOULDER ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.
I've lost almost 300 games.
Twenty-six times I've been trusted
to take the game-winning shot and missed.
I've failed over and over again in my life.
And that is why I succeed.
-Michael Jordan, submitted by Ezra A Adams

PONDER ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

We are not alone!

It turns out there are OTHER people out there making cool ripples too! I
received an email this week from Randy Sandknop whose website proves
that there are many people out there making waves! Visit Randy's ripples:
http://www.RipplesOfKindness.com/

Congrats to Randy and the many other people who make ripples every
day.... I hope YOU can think about a ripple to make this week. AND THEN
DO IT!

Peace,
Paul

eRipples v3.33: Ripples of FOLLOWING YOUR HEART!

eRipples: Your Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration
from Paul & The Ripples Project
eRipples v3.33: Ripples of FOLLOWING YOUR HEART!

PEBBLE ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

If my head can dream it, and my heart believes it, then I can achieve it.
- Muhammed Ali, submitted by Michael Cain

BOULDER ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It is only
with the heart
that one can
see rightly.

What is
essential
is invisible
to the eye.
-Antoine de St. Exupery, submitted by Dan Rippl & Nevada Smith

PONDER ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I was in the southeast this week, first making some new friends with
almost 2,000 attendees of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
Conference and then I returned to University of North Carolina at Asheville
for another opportunity to help them kick off the academic year.

Different challenges face both groups: visual language interpreters are
constantly learning the latest communication techniques while they try to
manage the inevitable burnout that faces professional helpers. New
students are taking some big steps toward independence and identity
development as they embark on their college experience.

While the challenges the two groups face are very different, the key to
success can be found in the same place: THE HEART! Interpreters seek
passion to continue their good works, and the students need courage to
embrace the many new opportunities they face. I know both groups are
up for the challenge, and I hope YOU can find in your heart whatever you
need to help make this week an AWESOME one!

Peace,
Paul

eRipples v3.32: Ripples of OPTIMISM!

eRipples: Your Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration
from Paul & The Ripples Project
eRipples v3.32: Ripples of OPTIMISM!

PEBBLE ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Spare me the grim litany of the "realist,"
give me the unrealistic aspirations of the optimist any day.
-Colin Powell, submitted by Vicki Verhasselt


BOULDER ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A pessimist
is one who makes
difficulties of opportunities
and an optimist
is one who makes
opportunities of difficulties.
-Harry Truman, submitted by Bev Petska


PONDER ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Here is my take on why pessimism is more popular and more prevalent
than optimism: in the short term it is EASIER to be pessimistic. There
are dozen of ways how something might NOT work out while there are
only a few ways that it WILL work. When pondering what could go wrong,
your mind swarms with possibilities...but then dries up when considering
what could go right. Ask a group why a certain option is a bad idea and
they can brainstorm for an hour, but ask them why it is a good idea and
often the ideas trickle only for a few minutes before complete silence sets
in.

In the long term, however, optimism triumphs over pessimism. Over time,
people who develop the skill of seeing the extraordinary possibilities, who
believe in the wild notions of success, who dare to imagine overcoming
tremendous obstacles, eventually train their bodies, minds, and spirits to
accept the challenges. And they very often WIN! And even when they don't
make it all the way, their journey is so much more adventurous and worth
experiencing!

I dare you to spend the extra effort this week seeing the positive side,
exploring the possibilities, and seeking the way it CAN work.

Peace,
Paul