Ripples v5.49: Ripples of LIFE'S WISDOM!

Ripples v5.49: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration
for over 10,000 Members (and their friends!)

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Upon every expressive horizon, life reveals her mystery and to live is a gift,
to feel is a blessing and to take part in her beauty is a miracle
renewed each day.
-Francisco, submitted by Ines P., South Sound YMCA

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Life is both more and less than we hoped for,
both more comic and tragic than we knew.
Comedy ends in happiness, while tragedy yields wisdom.
We want, I suppose, to be happily wise and wisely happy.
Only then can we know the full blessings of our imperfect lives.
-Philip Simmons

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

As we prepare to wrap up a phenomenal year of growth here at The
Ripples Project, I have spent time this week reading through our
archives (it is FUN; you should try it:
http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/eRipples ). Ironically, I was
looking through our past when I discovered that I often encourage
readers (and myself) to focus on the present. I think the end of the
year is a good time to spend a few minutes glancing backward at the
last twelve months and recalling the joy as well as the lessons we
learned from the difficult stuff. Grab your appointment book, PDA,
or calendar and a yummy warm cider or hot cocoa and treat yourself to
a quick visit down memory lane.

Enjoy your holidays and we will see you next year!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.48: Ripples of TOMORROWS!

Ripples v5.48: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration
for over 10,000 Members (and their friends!)

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Learn to wish that everything should come to pass exactly as it does.
-Epictetus, submitted by Tracy G.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Finish each day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities have crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.

Tomorrow is a new day;
you shall begin it serenely
and with too high a spirit
to be encumbered with your own nonsense.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, submitted by Jacquie M., Hazel Park, MI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

As we sail through these last few days of 2003, I dare you
to practice these simple (yet not so easy) tasks:

1. honor your yesterdays without regret,
3. enjoy your todays without worry
2. anticipate your tomorrows without fear.

And may peace gently cover your little spot of the world.

Ponderously,
Paul

Ripples v5.47: Ripples of YOUR PATH!

Ripples v5.47: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for over
10,000 Members (and their friends!)

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

In the path of our happiness shall we find
the learning for which we have chosen this lifetime.
-Donald Shimoda submitted by Kimberly D., Indiana
(Isnt' Donald Shimoda a Richard Bach character? -ed. note)

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Any path is only a path.

There is no affront to yourself or others in dropping it
if that is what your heart tells you to do.
But your decision to keep on the path or to leave it
must be free of fear and ambition.

I warn you: Look at every path closely and deliberately.

Try it as many times as you think necessary.
Then ask yourself and yourself alone one question.
It is this: Does the path have a heart?
Does the path have a heart is the only question.
If it does, then the path is good.
If it doesn't, it is of no use.
-Carlos Castaneda, submitted by Elizabeth R. Portland, OR

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

If you are feeling stressed out right now as the end of your _______
(semester, fiscal year, etc.) approaches, you are not the only one.
It seems every person I have spoken to lately has a path filled with
the craziness of deadlines, tasks, chores, and plans. I urge you to
take a moment today to let the above quotes sink in and then let some
of your stress drain out.

Two-minutes to tranquility: for the first minute, close your eyes,
take a few deep breaths and recall a peaceful walk you've taken in
nature recently; in the second minute, open your eyes and send a
quick postcard, email, or voicemail to someone who deserves a "thank
you" from you. Then jump back on your path, hopefully finding it a
little more manageable and a little less crazy.

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.46: Ripples of HEROISM!

Ripples v5.46: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 10,422 Members

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, submitted by Mike M., Portland, Oregon

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.
It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost,
but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.
-Arthur Ashe, submitted by Karen F., New Milford, Connecticut

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

A huge THANK YOU to the people who responded to our challenge of
supporting The Ripples Project through a purchase from our online
store. We raised over $1,000 that will help us do some REALLY cool
stuff in the new year!

We need a few more "shopping heroes" to visit our online store and
consider making a small purchase that will allow us to maintain our
FREE weekly splash of inspiration and add a few goodies for next
year. Peek here: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.46: THANKSGIVING RIPPLES!

Ripples v5.45: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 10,529 Members

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

It's not easy being grateful all the time. But it's when you feel
least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you.
-Oprah Winfrey, submitted by Sean D., Lubbock, Texas

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Truly rich is the person with a grateful heart.
Grateful individuals possess a treasure
that cannot be stolen or spent because it comes
from character and perspective, not circumstances.

The riches of gratitude can be ours
whenever we are willing to acknowledge
the goodness of God and the many ways
that others' lives influence and bless our own.
-source unknown, submitted by Liz, Salt Lake City, Utah

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Congratulations to Kim V. from Mt. Pleasant, Michiagn whose story,
"Kindness in the Cornfield" was selected as the most inspiring by our
panel of reviewers. You can read her story (and those of the other
finalists) at this website:
http://www.PaulWesselmann.com/h/Finalists.html.

Kim has chosen Sacred Heart Academy Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant
as the recipient of a $1,000 donation. We thank her and the 100
other members who shared their stories!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.45: Ripples of CREATING HOPE!

Ripples v5.45: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 10,529 Members

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Hope is like a road in the country; there wasn't ever a road,
but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.
- Lin Yutang, submitted by Judy A.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Hope is an orientation of the spirit,
an orientation of the heart.
It is not the conviction that something will turn out well,
but the certainty that something makes sense,
regardless of how it turns out.
-Vaclav Havel, submitted by Kirsti D., Sonora, CA

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Between visits with the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association and
the Evergreen Everwell Conference in Seattle, I spent time wrapping
up our "1,000 Ripples" contest. A panel of reviewers has selected a
winner from the finalists who will choose a charity to receive a
$1,000 donation! We will share the winning story next week, but in
the mean time take a peek at the finalists:
http://www.PaulWesselmann.com/h/Finalists.html.

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.44: Ripples of COURAGE!

Ripples v5.43: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 10,141 Members

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Courage is asking yourself the questions you've been afraid to ask
and being willing to let the answers change your life.
-Nan Gardetto

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Courage is not the towering oak
That sees storms come and go;
It is the fragile blossom
That opens in the snow.
-Alice Mackenzie Swaim, submitted by Lisa V., Lincoln Nebraska

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

What a wild week I've had! I spent some time with staff and student
leaders at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and then jetted
off for a brief visit with 500 women who work in Information
Technology for Procter & Gamble and Hewlitt-Packerd. I ended my crazy
week on Kiawah Island in South Carolina with the U.S. Tennis
Association. In all three of my stops I encountered people seeking
new strategies to face the many changes that are whirling around in
their jobs and in their lives. At first it seemed as though they
needed training in "managing change." By the end of my trip,
however, I was convinced that it wasn't information or skills they
needed; instead, I think they needed simply needed a big dose
en-COURAGE-ment! Fear is the major obstacle to facing and embracing
change, and courage is the antidote.

To my old and new friends from USTA; to my new friends at UWSP, P&G,
and HP; and to YOU as you read this now: you CAN handle this change
and it is going to be awesome and magical and difficult and WORTH IT!
Hang in there!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.43: Ripples of HARVEST SHARING!

Ripples v5.43: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 9,641 Members!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone--
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in our own.
-Adam L. Gordon, submitted by Linda V.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Remember to be gentle with yourself and others.
We are all children of chance,
and none can say why some fields will blossom
while others lay brown beneath the August sun.

Care for those around you.
Look past your differences.
Their dreams are no less than yours,
their choices in life no more easily made.
And give.

Give in any way you can, of whatever you possess.
To give is to love.
To withhold is to wither.
Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared,
and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace.
-Kent Nerburn, submitted by Sabrina R., Prescott, AZ

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I hope you can spend a minute right now brainstorming a way to share.
Someone you work with, live with, serve on a committee with, or share
a grocery check-out lane with would just love it if you shared!
Share your idea, your creativity, your patience, your scissors, or
simply share a smile. Share something, and notice how good it feels!

And speaking of sharing, over 80 members shared a cool story for the
"1,000 Ripples" contest that ended last week. We have turned over
the finalists' stories to a panel of "experts in kindness" who will
be selecting their favorite in the next few weeks. The author of the
winning story will choose a charity to receive $1,000, and we'll
announce the winner before Thanksgiving. We're also going to figure
out how to share some of these stories with you, because they are
AWESOME!! Stay tuned....

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.42: Ripples of GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY!

Ripples v5.42: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 9,653 Members!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from.
The ability to triumph begins with YOU. ALWAYS.
-Oprah Winfrey, submitted by Debby S., Colfax, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o


The golden opportunity
you are seeking
is in yourself.
It is not in your environment;
it is not in luck or chance,
or the help of others;
it is in yourself alone.
-Orison Swett Marden, submitted by Katie O., Des Moines, IA


=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Hey YOU. Go back to the top of this email and read it again. YOU
need to really to hear this message, and so does someone else in your
life. After you ponder it for a moment, forward it on to someone
else who needs a lift. It is that simple. This Golden Opportunity
will help her/him. And it will then help YOU even more!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.41: Ripples of OPTIONS!

Ripples v5.41: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 9,725 Members!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

It's better to keep your options open than your eyes closed.
-written and submitted by Jill Christine Lumpkin, Indianapolis, IN

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Some people make things happen,
Some watch while things happen, and
Some wonder "What happened?"
Which type of person are you?
-source unknown, submitted by Gloria L.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I spent Columbus Day with the University of Michigan Credit Union
staff as we enjoyed a fun day exploring leadership and customer
service. At one point we discussed the difficulties that arrive when
we feel forced to do something we don't want to do. I encouraged
them to be aware of the options they have in those situations. For
example, take some piece of your job one or your courses that you
dislike: you cannot change that it is in your life, but perhaps you
can focus on the options available. Maybe you can choose WHEN you
work on it, or WHERE you work on it. The people who "make things
happen" are not immune from doing unpleasant tasks; they simply find
ways to GET THROUGH the yucky stuff and move on to the adventures
they WANT to focus on!

Take a moment right now to ponder some OPTIONS you have in your life
and then empower yourself to make good choices and enjoy your week!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.40: Ripples of SAILING AWAY!

Ripples v5.40: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 9,703 Members!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.
-David Viscott, submitted by Mandy P., Oxford, OH

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Twenty years from now
you will be more disappointed
by the things you didn't do
than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines,
sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
EXPLORE, DREAM, DISCOVER!
-Mark Twain, submitted by Sue T.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The official purpose of my recent trip to Wisconsin Dells was to give
a few talks at the Wisconsin Bankers Association's Annual Consumer
Education Conference. Of course any trip to the Dells should include
a visit to one of the many indoor waterparks that can quickly take
you from a rainy fall Wisconsin weekend to a tropical paradise
complete with waterfalls, lazy rivers, and REALLY cool waterslides.
We were too tired to participate, but nonetheless enjoyed a relaxing
evening watching all the excitement.

Before some of the kids could enjoy the slides, they had to conquer
their fears and that sometimes took a big effort on the part of their
parents. I watched one child who, after much encouraging and
comforting, tackled a particularly wild slide and landed with a huge
splash. The gigantic grin on his face as he emerged was not in spite
of his fear; he enjoyed it because he conquered his fears and
triumphed!

Is there some way that you are letting fear hold you back? Perhaps
you need to "throw off your bowlines and sail away from the safe
harbor" this week and enjoy the adventure!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.39: Ripples of POWERFUL SIMPLICITY!

Ripples v5.39: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration for 9,651 Members!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

We are so distracted by our search for the extraordinary
that we don't even recognize the sacred when we encounter it.
-Barbara De Angelis, submitted by Linda H.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Our work-a-day lives are filled
with opportunities to bless others.
The power of a single glance,
or an encouraging smile
must never be underestimated.
-G. Richard Rieger, submitted by Sylvia H.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/ThousandRipples.html

Want to win $1,000 for your favorite charity? The deal is simple.
You send us a short email that tells a true story of how a stranger
made your day (or week or month or life) with some small unexpected
kindness. We will collect the responses and select our favorite and
the author will choose a charity to receive $1,000. Simple.
Powerful.

Tell everyone you know! (Details at the link above)

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.38: Ripples of FEATHERS IN YOUR SOUL!

Ripples v5.38: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o
Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all.
-Emily Dickinson, submitted by Michelle S., Green Bay, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

But hope isn't a choice, it's a moral obligation,
a human obligation, an obligation to the cells in your body.
Hope is a function of those cells, it's a bodily function
the same as breathing and eating and sleeping.
Hope is not naive, hope grapples endlessly with despair.
Real, vivid, powerful, thunderclap hope, like the soul,
is at home in darkness, is divided;
but lose your hope and you lose your soul,
and you don't want to do that, trust me,
even if you haven't got a soul, and who knows,
you shouldn't be careless about it.
-Tony Kushner, submitted by Lin H., Normal, IL

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

You know what hope is! It is that magical feeling that allows you
to survive all kinds of difficulties because somehow you just KNOW
that tomorrow or the next day or the day after that, things will get better.
The secret to finding hope? It is to CREATE hope for someone else!
Think of someone you know who is having a difficult time. Better yet,
keep your eyes open for an acquaintance or a complete stranger who
appears to be having a difficult day. Step in to help them in some
small way and that will remind them there is good in the world, which
will give them hope, which will in turn give YOU hope. Try it.
I dare you.

Oh, one more thing: keep your eyes and ears open for someone who
does something nice for you. One Ripple reader is going to win a
thousand bucks next month for reporting a ripple they received.
Details to follow....

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.37: Ripples of IDEAS THAT TICKLE!

Ripples v5.37: Paul's Free Weekly Splash of Inspiration

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Begin doing what you want to do now. We have only this moment,
sparkling like a star in our hand--and melting like a snowflake.
-Marie Beyon Ray

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Little ideas
that tickle
and nag
and refuse to go away
should never be ignored,
for in them lie the seeds of destiny.
-From the movie Babe, submitted by Michelle S.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

What ideas do you have lurking around in the back of your mind?
Do you have creative longings that your soul whispers at night as you
drift off or shouts to you in the morning just before your eyes open?
Your mission this week is to listen and then ACT on those ideas!
Take a baby step or a giant leap and then email us so we can
celebrate with you!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.36: Ripples over the Rocks!

Ripples v5.36: Paul's FREE Weekly Splash of Inspiration
(PLEASE forward if you like it!).

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

The brook would lose its song if we removed the rocks.
-source unknown

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Life is a series of problem-solving opportunities.
The problems you face will either
defeat you or develop you-
-depending on how you respond to them.
-Rick Warren, submitted by Nancy P., WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I love the mountains and I love fall; so hanging out with my
credit union friends in Utah with the first signs of autumn color
was an absolute treat. Getting there was another story.
(I have promised to keep Ripples to a 60-second read and the
story is a DOOZY!) Suffice it to say I arrived in Utah without my
 luggage after being badly mistreated. This threatened to ruin my
travels until I began my ascent into the Wasatch Mountains.

I seemed to enjoy the adventure even more than my last visit to Utah
and that initially surprised me. I gradually realized that it wasn't in
spite of the difficulties, but BECAUSE of those difficulties that I was
so determined to enjoy the magical mountains.

If you are facing challenges of any size this week, I hope they will
eventually allow you to enjoy the GOOD STUFF in your life even more.

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.35: Ripples of SWIMMING OUT TO IT!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.
-Jonathan Winters, submitted by Judith G.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

How we define success is important in shaping our lives. So, how should we define
success? Success is generally defined in terms of achievement, fame, recognition,
material possessions, and wealth. In a word: outcome.

Significance on the other hand, while less tangible, concerns the process. Significance is
importance, meaning, essence, relevance, and value.

Success drives us by a desire for tangible things; significance guides us by a desire for
something greater than just what is tangible.
-Larry S. Julian, submitted by Steve F.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This weekend here in Madison we hosted an Ironman Triathlon where almost 2000
athletes decided it would be a good idea to jump in Lake Monona at 7am on a Sunday
morning and swim 2.4 miles and THEN jump on a bike and ride 112 miles and THEN
jump off the bike and run a full marathon of 26.2 miles. Our friend Eric was excited to
participate (despite my observation that it would be much easier to simply DRIVE the
route), and until I observed the race I assumed that the participants' primary motivation
was the competition. Once I arrived at the event, however, it was obvious: the vast
majority of the athletes seemed much more focus on testing their limits and expanding
their potential than on how fast they finished or who won.

I don't plan on doing an Ironman anytime soon, but perhaps Eric and his compadres can
inspire us all to view our upcoming week as a challenge that we can conquer with sheer
determination!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.34: Ripples of WORTHY LABOR!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Those who remove mountains begin by carrying away small stones.
-Chinese Proverb, submitted by Mary R.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is
protected from the storm and hidden from the sun.
It's the one that stands in the open where it is
compelled to struggle for existence
against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.
-Napoleon Hill, submitted by Catharine S., Greensboro, NC

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I hope you are well-rested from a relaxing Labor Day weekend, and I
hope even more that you are ready to tackle some good work! As some
of you prepare to begin your fall semester of classes, others of us
have moved from summer mode into more serious work mode. This is a
great time of year to commit your time and energy to a worthwhile
task. Take some time this week to ponder your goals, choose a
specific objective to concentrate on, and then jump right in and GO!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.33: Ripples of NOT MISSING IT!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Life moves pretty fast,
if you don't stop to look around once in a while,
you could miss it.
-Ferris Bueller, submitted by Kelsey D.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Along our path of life we get a series of detours ...
and we all get frustrated and impatient
when we feel we have to leave the path we've chosen.

But what if the real path of life...
is really made up of all these detours ...
and instead of learning the real lessons of life,
we miss them because we were too busy being
frustrated and impatient!!
-Ziggy (the cartoon character), submitted by Paul T.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

A quick visit to Philadelphia this week allowed me to meet some
motivated student leaders at La Salle University. Besides discussing
some ideas to survive and thrive in their leadership positions, I
wanted them to ENJOY their year and all the craziness it will bring
them.

Could I convince you to just press PAUSE and for 30 seconds right now
think of as many pieces of your life that you like? Ponder the
people, places, objects, adventures, and activities that you
enjoy...okay...now jump back into your day hopefully feeling a bit
better!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.32: Ripples of POSITIVE PICTURES!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

The goal of life is to grow...forgetting why, remembering how.
-E.E. Cummings, submitted by Theresa R., Jefferson, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind
a mental picture of yourself as succeeding.
Hold this picture tenaciously.
Never permit it to fade.
Your mind will seek to develop the picture...
Do not build up obstacles in your imagination.
-Norman Vincent Peale, submitted by Nancy C.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week included a visit with the student facilitators of Central
Michigan University's Leadership Safari and then (after a CRAZY day
of travel through Detroit on Friday) I spent Saturday evening with
new students at University of North Carolina-Asheville. As I bip
around to all these institutions of higher learning this time of
year, I am reminded that ALL of us are creating a growth curriculum
at the University of Life! Sometimes we get stuck with the "required
course" of disappointment or frustration but hopefully there is also
time for an "elective course" of adventures with friends or hobby
development or a weekend seminar on sleeping in! Whatever
combination of coursework you have this fall, I hope you can picture
opportunities to learn and grow!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.31: Ripples of IGNITING PASSION!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Life is a gift; a gift to be opened and shared often,
don't let it collect dust or fall into the wrong hands.
-written and submitted by Rebecca Spindle

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

If you want to build a ship,
don't drum up people together to collect wood
and don't assign them tasks and work,
but rather teach them to long for the sea.
-Antoine de Saint-Exupery, submitted by Rosanne F.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week I was in amazing New York City at S.P. Richards' Advantage
Business Conference. My challenge for these participants from the
office supply industry was to excavate their passion by surrounding
themselves with positive, energetic, FUN people who are vital to an
enriching work environment. My challenge for YOU this week is to BE
one of those positive, energetic, fun people who help create
environments that encourage passion!

Wherever you go this week, to work, to school, to hang out with
family/friends, try to be the person that ADDS energy to the mix and
not the person who DRAINS energy!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.30: Ripples of GOOD COMPANY!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Perhaps the secret of living well is not in having all the answers
but in pursuing unanswerable questions in good company.
-Rachel Naomi Remen, submitted by Jodi C., Madison WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Life is short and we do not have too much time
to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us,
so be swift to love and make haste to be kind.
-Henri-Frederic Amiel, submitted by Jennifer G., San Antonio, TX

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

What "good company" have you surrounded yourself with lately that
makes it easier to travel through life? If there is some new face
that needs a real welcome, or perhaps a longtime friend that has been
there in great and small adventures, I hope you can take a moment
from your busy life to call, email, or drop a note and say THANK YOU!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.29: Ripples of SEEKING HAPPINESS!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLES =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Happiness comes through doors you didn't even know you left open.
-source unknown, submitted by Lori L.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

If you observe a really happy man, you will find him building a boat,
writing a symphony, educating his child, growing double dahlias or
looking for dinosaur eggs in the Gobi Desert. He will not be searching
for happiness as if it were a collar button that had rolled under the
radiator, striving for it as a goal in itself. He will have become aware
that he is happy in the course of living life twenty-four crowded hours
of each day.
-W. Beran Wolfe

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

In between speaking adventures in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa, I
have been finding myself pondering the notion of helping people find
happiness. I sometimes feel like people come to hear a motivational
speech to find the "happiness secret" and even though I believe there
to be no secret (or if there IS a secret we all know it but often
forget it) sometimes I feel pressure to provide that secret. This
week, Leslie came across the above boulder and I think it serves to
remind us that happiness does not work well as a goal, it is
something that happens in the midst of your crazy life!

So, however crazy your life is this week.....don't worry about
finding happiness.....let it find you!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.28: Ripples of UNCERTAINTY!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLES =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Uncertainty is hope for the strong and concern for the weak.
-source unknown, submitted by Joe R., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don't let them scare you
unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity.
-R.I. Fitzhenry, submitted by Julie B.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

About two years ago, a college student was handed a ripples card from
our original "Deck of Inspiration" that said "Never Give In. Never.
Never. Never. Never." He appreciated this quote from Winston
Churchill, as he had recently been diagnosed with cancer. He has
been carrying the card around in his wallet ever since as he bravely
faced a roller coast ride of diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy,
waiting, hoping, diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, hoping (oh, and
through it all he has been LIVING, LOVING AND BEING!).

Unfortunately the ride continues even though he was given a clean
bill of health just a few weeks ago; next week he begins radiation
treatment after being rushed into brain surgery last week.

His difficult journey serves to remind us that it can be difficult to
find hope amid the uncertainty. Let's send positive ripples out into
the world this week to help all of us who are facing uncertainty find
a big splash of hope.

Peace, and healing,
Paul

Ripples v5.27: Ripples of GROWTH & PROGRESS!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLES =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.
-Emily Dickinson, submitted by Judy A., Carbondale, Illinois

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Without continual growth and progress,
such words as improvement,
achievement, and success
have no meaning.
-Benjamin Franklin, submitted by Bev P.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week included some time with my friends at CUNA Mutual Group as
well as a return trip to Kettering University in Flint, Michigan to
help students explore strategies for a successful first year of
college. It is worth reminding them, and all of us, that success
arrives at our doorstep only with heaps of "growth and progress."
Some of us are finding bountiful amounts of growth and progress in
our lives so it is our job to simply hang on and enjoy the ride.
Others may want to jump start their lives by shaking things up with a
big change. Which camp are you in?

Whether you are hanging or shaking, I urge you to enjoy your week!

Paul

Ripples v5.26: Ripples of REMARKABLE YOU!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLES =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

The journey in who you once were
and who you are now becoming
is where the dance of life really takes place.
-Barbara D'Angelis, submitted by Dustin N.

Too many people overvalue what they are not
and undervalue what they are.
-Malcolm S. Forbes, submitted by Gerry M.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Accept everything about yourself-
-I mean everything.
You are you and that is the beginning and the end-
-no apologies, no regrets.
-Clark Moustakas, submitted by Gerry M.

To realize your true measure, you must wait for the right moment and the
right conditions. When the time comes, you are awakened as if from a
dream. You understand that what you've found is your own and doesn't
come form anywhere outside.
-Buddhist Sutra, submitted by Ryan W.


=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

No pondering this week...just a double helping of pebbles and
boulders and a wish for an awesome week!

Peace to you,
Paul

Ripples v5.25: Independence Ripples!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

The U.S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness--only the pursuit of it.
You have to catch up with it yourself.
-Benjamin Franklin, submitted by Anne D., Richmond VA

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid, more accessible,
to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance;
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom
and that which came to me as blossom, goes on as fruit.
-Dawna Markova, submitted by Jay E., Madison WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I hope you can celebrate the upcoming holiday by pursuing happiness
with zeal! Do something nice for someone else, and do something
extra nice for YOU! Happy Fourth!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.24: Ripples of MOVING!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

At times, a change of routine can be most healthful.
-Arnold Lobel, submitted by Katie O., Des Moines, IA

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated.
You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.
--David Lloyd George, submitted by Andy K., Grafton, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Except for a really fun visit with the Arthritis Foundation at a regional retreat in
Milwaukee, I have been up to my eyeballs in cardboard boxes as I prepare to move into
my new home. While the distance is less than two miles, this arduous endeavor has
been a reminder that change can be many things: thrilling and exhausting and exciting
and frustrating and liberating and scary.

If you are experiencing change at this time in your life, whether it is big or small, take a
moment today to breathe deeply and remember that incredible possibilities await us on
the other side of the chasm!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.23: Ripples of SIGNIFICANCE!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
-Carl Sagan, submitted by Cecile B.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

How we define success is important in shaping our lives. So, how should we define
success? Success is generally defined in terms of achievement, fame, recognition,
material possessions, and wealth. In a word: outcome.

Significance on the other hand, while less tangible, concerns the process. Significance is
importance, meaning, essence, relevance, and value.

Success drives us by a desire for tangible things; significance guides us by a desire for
something greater than just what is tangible.
-Larry S. Julian, submitted by Steve F.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week included a beautiful visit to Plymouth State College in New Hampshire where
we helped some new students and their parents prepare for the new chapter in their
lives. I also briefly visited the Wisconsin Leadership Seminar, where 200 high school
students from around the state had gathered to enhance their leadership skills. Success
was certainly on the minds of participants at both places, and I hope they (and you!) will
ponder the difference between the outcome-oriented focus of success and the process-
oriented focus of significance.

I wish for you success this week, and I hope you also encounter SIGNIFICANCE!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.22: Ripples of DETERMINATION!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Fall seven times, stand up eight.
- Japanese Proverb, submitted by Lin H., Normal, IL

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The longer I live, the more I am certain
that the difference between the great and insignificant
is energy - invincible determination - a purpose
once fixed and then death or victory.
-Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, submitted by Mia W., Greensboro, NC

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I was in St. Louis this week with marketing and training
professionals from credit unions across Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.
In addition to enjoying a fantastic view of the Arch and the mighty
Mississippi River, we explored the importance of DETERMINATION in
achieving our goals and maintaining a positive attitude. If we are
to enjoy a happy and successful life, we must remember that it will
not always be easy. That is OK! With a bit of determination we can
rise above the challenges and ultimately enjoy life more after
conquering these challenges! Go for it, my friend, GO FOR IT!


Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.21: Ripples of REKINDLING!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Have a trick to rekindle your passion for your venture.
-H. Schultz, CFO, Starbucks, [His trick: He plunges his hands into
vats of coffee beans and inhales!] submitted by Kristl M.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

People often say that motivation doesn't last.
Well, neither does bathing-
that's why we recommend it daily.
-Zig Ziglar, submitted by Judy A., Carbondale, Illinois

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I was back in Indianapolis this week for another visit with my
friends at Duke Realty. I challenged the participants to brainstorm
regular ways to maintain a positive attitude and I think we should
all tackle that this week! Is there some quick action you could take
right now that might renew your passion for work, school, life, or
some project you need to tackle? Perhaps you can think of a song
that will fire you up, or a quote to paste to your computer screen.
Or maybe you need a quick phone call to someone who always leaves
your soul smiling after you connect. Whatever, or whomever, it is,
I dare you to rekindle your passion and dive back in!

Peace,
Paul

©2003 The Ripples Project
eRipples & The Ripples Project are registered trademarks

Ripples v5.20: Ripples of RAPT ATTENTION!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

The greatest gift we can give one another
is rapt attention to one another's existence.
-Sue Atchley Ebaugh

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Today, see if you can stretch your heart
and expand your love so that it touches not only
those to whom you can give it easily,
but also those who need it so much.
-Daphne Rose Kingma, submitted by Beth S., Lincoln, Nebraska

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I hung out with some YMCA Professionals from the Pacific Northwest
recently, as well as a group of managers, supervisors and team leads
from Lutheren Social Services of Wisconsin. Both of these groups are
filled with compassionate helpers who are trained and gifted at
listening to the needs of their clients. I challenged them apply
their extraordinary listening talents to other interactions, whether
it be with a frustrated co-worker, controlling supervisor or whining
subordinate. Many of the challenges people are dealing with could be
more effectively faced after an opportunity to explore options or
simply to vent with an impartial listener.

Do you have someone in your life that you avoid because you don't
like them very much? Even if they deserve the low opinion you hold
of them, I dare you to test your compassion by finding a way to be
there for them--even if it means simply spending a few minutes
listening to them vent without judgment. In some cases, it could be
the most difficult task you accomplish this week . I suspect this
"rapt attention" could also be a most powerful opportunity to explore
patience, humility, and peace.

Give it a try!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.19: Ripples of GROWING!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

He who stops completely before taking the next step will spend a
lifetime standing on one leg.
Chinese Proverb, submitted by from Virginia M., Lincoln, Nebraska

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I've always been fascinated by the Japanese carp, otherwise known as
the koi. It's a fish with seemingly unlimited growth potential. If
you put the koi in a small fish bowl, it will only grow to be two or
three inches long. In a larger tank or a small pond, it will reach
six to ten inches. A bigger pond, and it gets to be a foot and a
half. But, if the koi is placed in a large lake, where it can really
stretch out, it can grow up to three feet long. The size of the fish
is proportional to the size of its home.  Well, it works that way with
people too. We grow according to the size of our world.
Not physically, of course, but mentally.
-Harvey Mackay, submitted by Patricia W.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

We need YOUR help this week in growing! The Ripples Project has
grown from our initial group of 60 people (most of whom are still
members 6 years later!) to over 8,500 members all over North America
and the world! We could be creating even MORE ripples if you choose
one quick action to help us grow:

A. Submit a profound quotation for a future issue:
Submissions@TheRipplesProject.org

B. Encourage a friend or co-worker to join. Tell them why you like
Ripples, tell them that it is FREE, and tell them to send a blank
email to Join@TheRipplesProject.org

C. Visit our goodie-filled online store and choose a graduation or
other gift for someone!
http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm

Peace,

Paul

©2003 The Ripples Project
eRipples & The Ripples Project are registered trademarks

Ripples v5.18: Ripples of THINKING & ACTING!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

It is easier to act your way into a new way of thinking,
then to think your way into a new way of acting.
-Lance Dublin, submitted by Pat R.


=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I care not
what others think of what I do,
but I care very much
about what I think of what I do.
That is character!
-Theodore Roosevelt, submitted by Marti W.


=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week created opportunities for me to hang out with some high
school students here in Wisconsin, first way up north in Rhinelander
and then on Friday in Waukesha. In both presentations I challenged
the participants to commit to DOING what they dreamed about.
Dreaming is a powerful first step in the goal setting process, and a
very necessary step. Dreaming alone, however, does not accomplish
those goals. And thinking about doing something does not get
something done. Getting STARTED does move you closer to getting
something accomplished!

QUICK ACTION: Choose a specific goal you have been putting off and
decide that this week, even TODAY, you are going to move on it, take
take action.
Peace,
Paul


Ripples: a FREE weekly splash from Paul & The Ripples Project
our archive: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/eRipples
our store: http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm
subscribe: blank email to Join@TheRipplesProject.org
unsubscribe: blank email to Leave@TheRipplesProject.org
submissions: send a quote to Submissions@TheRipplesProject.org

©2003 The Ripples Project
eRipples & The Ripples Project are registered trademarks

Ripples v5.17: Ripples for MOTHERS!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Sooner or later, we all quote our mothers.
-Bern Williams

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

When I stopped seeing my mother
with the eyes of a child,
I saw the woman
who helped me
give birth to myself.
-Nancy Friday

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I thought I would help us get a jump on Mother's Day with a few
quotes about moms. If you know of other good ones, please send them
to Submissions@TheRipplesProject.org and we'll save them up for next
year!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.16: Ripples of REACHING IN!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

I made my life easier, I stopped fighting myself.
-Cynthia Saint James, submitted by Erica H., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

To realize your true measure, you must wait for the right moment and
the right conditions. When the time comes, you are awakened as if
from a dream. You understand that what you have found is your own and
doesn't come from anywhere outside.
-Buddist Sutra, submitted by Linda L., Allen Park, Michigan

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Many of our weekly splashes encourage creating ripples for other
people, providing a gentle reminder that kindness towards others
usually helps YOU too. Ripples need to go directly inward also!
When we learn to honor our own needs and goals, we evolve as more
powerful individuals who can increase the quantity and quality of the
help we offer others. During this week, your challenge is to be
gentle with yourself: silent any self-defeating messages that pop
into your head and replace them with kind words of support. You will
notice the difference, and so will the people around you!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.15: Ripples of POSSIBLE!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

I dwell in possibility.
-Emily Dickinson

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

When we come to it
We must confess that we are the possible...
We are the miraculous, the true wonders of this world
Free to choose our ends, our new beginnings
That is when, and only when...
we come to it.
-Maya Angelou

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Are you ready for an INCREDIBLE adventure? For the rest of today,
every time someone asks you a question or needs your help, your job
is to explore a new possibility. If you have a particularly
challenging project or task that needs attention, jump in with a big
smile and a determination to find a new perspective or direction.
Perhaps you can imagine a famous person is ready to lend you some
support (What Would Oprah Do?)! However you decide to proceed, just
remember that for today, whatever you pursue is POSSIBLE!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.14: Ripples of CIRCLES!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, submitted by Stacy P., St. Cloud, MN

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

He drew a circle that shut me out
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win!
We drew a circle that took him in.
-Edwin Markham

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Quick Action: think of someone who has recently done something that
irritated, frustrated, angered or disappointed you. For the rest of
today, imagine that you totally forgive them. Any time you think of
her/him today, gently remind yourself that you have completely let go
of the hurt just for today. Then, when you wake up tomorrow, you can
decide whether you want to return to the anger or be done with it.
There are, of course, some BIG things that this won't work for. I am
guessing you are like me and sometimes carry SMALL things around much
longer than you need to. So, just try it out and see how it works!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.13: Ripples of FIRST!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Everyone wants to do something to help, but nobody wants to be first.
-Pearl Bailey, submitted by Sarah B., Shawano, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

It is not for me to change you.
The question is,
"How can I be of service to you
without diminishing your
degrees of freedom?"
-Buckminster Fuller

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week was another fun visit to Indianapolis to hang out with a
group of phenomenal support staff from IUPUI (and they are VERY proud
of their recent visit to the NCAA playoffs!). In our exploration of
ways to increase their effectiveness on the job, we talked about the
importance of "creating deposits" in work relationships. Remember
that every relationship is an emotional bank account, and when you do
something to expand the relationship it is like making a deposit.
There are of course times when withdrawals are made (someone drops
the ball on something, misses a meeting, etc.) but as long as there
have been enough deposits over time, the relationship continues to be
healthy.

Choose someone at work or school this week and create a deposit by
telling them how much you appreciate their efforts or finding a way
to help them with a challenge they face.

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.12: Ripples of CASTLES!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost;
that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
-Henry David Thoreau, submitted by Elizabeth C.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Only as high as I reach can I grow,
Only as far as I seek can I go,
Only as deep as I look can I see,
Only as much as I dream can I be.
-source unknown, submitted by Krys P.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Last week I connected with employees from several credit unions
around Michigan and in each of the six presentations we spent some
time trying to expand our possibilities with DREAMING. In the
process of setting goals, dreaming is the essential first step that
helps us move beyond the limitations we have set for ourselves.
Dreaming allows obstacles to drift away so that impossibilities
transform into inevitabilities, and NO becomes YES!

So, what is your simple task for this week? DREAM, my friend, and DREAM BIG!

Peace to you,

Paul

Ripples v5.11: Ripples of KINDNESS!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Small kindnesses make a community whole and lift up all of its members.
-Ann M. Bauer

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Kindness in word creates confidence,
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness,
Kindness in giving creates love.
-Lao-tzu

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week found me in Madison hanging with a group of fellow trainers
as we explored the topic of networking, as well as a brief visit to
the Madison Area Chapter of Credit Unions' Employee Appreciation
Night. In both presentations I challenged the audience to seek small
ways to spread kindness. Most of us accept the fact that when a
person receives kindness (even in the form of a tiny favor like
helping picking up stuff when we drop it in the parking lot) it feels
great. We need to also remember every act of kindness improves our
society. These acts remind us that we are all neighbors, that we
need each other, that our lives are made up of years which are made
up of weeks which are made up of days which are made up of moments.
And we need many bright moments so we can bear the bleak moments.

Keep your eyes and ears open today, seeking an opportunity to extend
kindness to someone. Then do us a quick favor: send us an email
describing what you did and how it felt!

Peace & kindness,
Paul

Ripples v5.10: Ripples of NEW PATHS!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

People are like tea bags.......
if you want to know what's inside them,
just drop them in hot water.
-source unknown, submitted by Linda R., Kingsland, GA

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Indian wisdom says our lives are rivers.

We are born somewhere small and quiet
and we move toward a place we cannot see, but only imagine.
Along our journey, people and events flow into us,
and we are created of everywhere and everyone we have passed.
Each event, each person, changes us in some way.
Even in times of drought we are still moving and growing,
but it is during seasons of rain that we expand the most--
when water flows from all directions, sweeping at terrifying speed,
chasing against rocks, spilling over boundaries.
These are painful times, but they enable us to carry burdens
we could never have thought possible.

Floods are painful, but they are necessary.
They keep us clear and strong.
They move our lives onto new paths.
-Lisa Wingate, submitted by Jakcie M., Billings, MT

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Was last week bad for you, too? Mine started off with a few "poopy"
days....I felt overwhelmed with tasks and underwhelmed with the
motivation to tackle them. By midweek I was cranky and before Friday
arrived I had angered a few people (whom I really care about) with
some careless comments.

Of course, bad times are always followed by good times and this
weekend found me visiting family in Atlanta where one of my sisters
was married (beautiful wedding, fun reception) and another sister
and I enjoyed the amazing new Cirque du Soleil touring show. As my
mood improved, I was able to squeeze in some "I'm sorry"
conversations and Sunday evening found me flying home relaxed,
refreshed, renewed.

I don't like "poopy" days, but they always pass and they often end up
providing valuable lessons and opportunities for growth. I hope you
can re-examine some recent frustrations in your life and perhaps find
in them a new path for yourself!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.09: Ripples of AN OPEN HEART!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Ultimately, your greatest teacher is to live with an open heart.
-Emmanuel

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The world is so empty if one thinks only
of mountains, rivers and cities.
But to know someone here and there
who thinks and feels with us and
who, though distant, is close to us in spirit,
makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.
Goethe, submitted by Virginia M., Lincoln, NE


=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

We found a new friend! The ever-fantastic Leslie, in addition to
quickly filling orders and helping people get signed up for Ripples,
has been searching high and low for websites and other resources to
share with The Ripples Project members. She recently came across an
ultra-cool company called "An Open Heart" and after connecting with
founder Gabriel Fiedler, we have added some of their remarkable
products to our online store!

If you want post-it notes that create ripples of joy or kindness or
love, you MUST see their nifty "giving notes." They also have some
"good thoughts" magnetic words of inspiration, and a "kindness
inspires kindness" button that you will wear every day! The best
part about all of these goodies is that they are inexpensive yet
allow The Ripples Project to recover the expenses related our website
and email list management. How cool is that?

I DARE you to peek at Gabriel's goodies:
http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm !

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.08: Ripples of MR. ROGERS!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

Won't you be my neighbor?
-Mr. Fred Rogers (1928-2003)

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDERS =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

One of the greatest gifts you can give anybody is the gift of your
honest self. I'm like you see me on the 'Neighborhood."
-Mr. Fred Rogers

If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those
you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream
of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting
with another person.
-Mr. Fred Rogers, submitted by Leslie M., Madison, Wisconsin

There is a universal truth that I have found in my work. Everybody
longs to be loved. And the greatest thing we can do is let somebody
know that they are loved and capable of loving.
-Mr. Fred Rogers, submitted by Leslie M., Madison, Wisconsin

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

This week I was in Brillion, Wisconsin at an inservice with over 300
teachers from five school districts and I also spent time in Lincoln
where Nebraska Wesleyan University hosted a fantastic leadership
workshop. It was astonishing to hear everyone from twentysomething
college students to fiftysomething teachers express grief over the
passing of Mr. Rogers, whose death impacted all of us who visited
"Mr. Roger's Neighboorhood" on public television.

I suggest we honor the remarkable Mr. Rogers by telling someone how
important they have been to us. Choose someone you live near, work
near, or study near on a regular basis. Take a minute from your
crazy life to write a note, make a call, or stop them briefly and
describe how your life is better because they are in it. They will
feel good, and YOU WILL TOO!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.07: Ripples of MISSING DROPS!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

If the world is cold, make it your business to build fires.
-Horace Traubel, submitted by Monica M., Waverly, IA

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

We ourselves feel that what we are doing
is just a drop in the ocean.
But if that drop was not in the ocean,
I think the ocean would be less
because of that missing drop.
-Mother Teresa, submitted by Andrea D., Superior, Wisconsin

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

What a crazy week it was for me! I began in Las Vegas with a team
from Novartis Animal Health and then bipped over to Indianapolis to
spend a day with Duke Realty's Diversity Council. My last stop was
Buffalo State College in New York. Whew! The most challenging
presentation of the week was on Friday evening to a group of students
who arrived at a mandatory meeting clearly dreading the idea of
sitting in a giant auditorium with a "motivational speaker." They
were tired, I was tired, even the sound equipment was tired (it
stopped working half way through the talk!). We all made it through,
but I wondered if it had been a complete waste of time.

On Saturday after a few more talks I returned to the Buffalo airport,
excited to be heading home and feeling mostly good about the
presentations. Well, except for that one. While standing in line to
grab some fast food before heading to the gate, I decided to "let it
go" and realize that I don't always get to have that "WOW!" feeling
after every presentation.

As I was ordering my food, one of the employees came up and said,
"Lunch is on us!" I looked at him to see if he was joking, and he
smiled and said "You were at my school giving a presentation last
night, right?" It turns out that at least one person in the group
thought it was a great use of his time. All I can say is that the
rest of my trip home was filled with that "WOW!" feeling!

I dare you this week to remember that you are a valuable drop of
water and we need your ripples!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.06: Ripples of HANGING IN THERE!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o==o=o

All things at first appear difficult.
-Chinese Proverb, submitted by Roberta B., Eden, UT

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I've read that I flew up the hills
and mountains of France.
But you don't fly up a hill.
You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill,
and maybe, if you work very hard,
you get to the top ahead of everybody else.
-Lance Armstrong, submitted by Ezra A., Land O'Lakes, W

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I journeyed this week to Nashville, Tennesse to spend a day with a
crew from TDS Telecom (and squeezed in lunch with my good friend
Alana!). We talked about the existence of good days, and the
inevitability of bad days. We will have many of each kind in the
time line of our lives and the trick is to get through the "poopy
days" (that is the technical term for bad days) by remembering that
they are only a temporary experience. As my grandma used to say to
me "This too shall pass, Paulie, this too shall pass." So whatever
difficulties face you this week, just imagine Lance Armstrong and my
grandma cheering you on!

Peace,

Paul
editor, Ripples

Ripples v5.05: Ripples of ENTHUSIASM!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Leadership is the ability to go from disaster to disaster with
unflagging enthusiasm.
-Winston Churchill, submitted by Leslie M., Madison, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Enthusiasm is the key not only to
the achievement of great things
but to the accomplishment of anything that is worthwhile.
-Samuel Goldwyn, submitted by Monica M., Waverly, IA

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I ventured back out on the road this week with trips to Minnesota to
hang out with a crew from US Link and then out to Salem, Oregon
(where it was 50 degrees and sunny!) to help out with an incredible
symposium for community organizers. With both groups we explored
personal empowerment techniques that could fuel our enthusiasm. I
think some people view enthusiasm as a personality trait that some
people have and some people lack. I believe enthusiasm is a
behavior, a skill that you can deepen with practice.

Do you need more enthusiasm in your life right now? Might having
more enthusiasm for a particular project make it easier to tackle? I
dare you to practice being enthusiastic toward that project today.
Even if you have to just pretend at first, I think you'll find that
enthusiasm is contagious even within yourself. GO FOR IT!

Enthusiastically Yours,

Paul
editor, Ripples

Ripples v5.04: Ripples of TOGETHER!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.
-Maya Angelou, submitted by Lin H., Normal, IL

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

We need each other,
whether we realize it or not,
whether we are willing to acknowledge it or not.

Another set of hands pulled you from your mother's womb at birth;
another set of hands changed your diapers, fed you, nourished you;
another set of hands taught you how to read and write.
Now another set of hands grows your food, delivers your mail,
collects your garbage, protects your city, defends your nation;
another set of hands will comfort and care for you when you become
sick and old;
in the end, another set of hands will lower you into the ground when you die.
-James C. Hunter, submitted by Jean S., Milwaukee, WI

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

If your soul is finding it difficult to grasp yet another tragedy in
these crazy times, I propose you focus on something that can create
hope. Take some time this week to strengthen your connections to
other people. Whether it is a seldom-seen family member, an
estranged friend (or a friend who is strange?), or a co-worker you
barely know, you can invigorate your heart by reminding yourself and
people around you that we are not alone. Coming together is one of
the most effective healing remedies for grief and you will find it
impacts you AND the people you reach out to!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.03: Ripples of INSPIRATION!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle.
-Albert Einstein, submitted by Paula G., Orlando, Florida

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Life is happening right now.
This is the real thing.
It's time to stop planning, postponing and hoping.
It's time to stop talking about a dream and start doing a dream.
-source unknown, submitted by Debbie R., Exeter, New Hampshire

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

To the 200 people who purchased goodies at The Ripples Project
website in 2002, Leslie & I say THANK YOU!

To the 7,800 other member of The Ripples Project: We need your help!
The Ripples Project has no need to make a profit, but we do need to
raise about $15,000 a year to cover expenses to maintain the website
and create products. If each of you just makes ONE purchase this
year, we will more than cover that amount!

Can you help us, please? At least take a peek and see if anything
interests you!
http://www.TheRipplesProject.org/store/browse.cfm

Thanks!

Paul
editor, Ripples

Ripples v5.02: Ripples of DR. KING!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

We must remember that intelligence is not enough.
Intellegence plus character, that is the goal of a true education.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., submitted by Erin C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Hatred and bitterness
can never cure the disease of fear;
only love can do that.

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.
Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.
Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., submitted by Carrie S.

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

As we dive into our fifth year of sending out Ripples, you should
know that Dr. King was an important influence as we formed this
experiment in encouraging kindness. Most of know about his dream of
a world where race had no role in who you lived next door to, where
you worked, and who you spent time with. He pursued his dream with
passion, and he believed that if we wanted Peace, we needed to
practice Peace!

Let us keep Dr. King's dream alive by finding a way to extend Peace
today. For you that may mean vocalizing your opinion about Iraq or
North Korea or the Middle East. Peace may involve forgiving a family
member or asking a co-worker to forgive you. Peace may simply mean
holding the door for someone at the grocery store or not honking your
horn at the car in front of you who just made a right hand turn
without signaling. However you choose to express it, remember that
by extending Peace to the world, you allow Peace into yourself!

I offer you always....Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.01: Ripples of HOPE!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

Until you do what you believe in,
you don't know whether you believe it or not.
-Leo Tolstoy, submitted by Charlene G., Pennsylvania

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The real struggle in the world may not be between good and evil but
rather between hope and evil. Hope seems more active and creative
than the somewhat nebulous good. Hope aspires; good has arrived.
Good, like God lives outside time; hope keeps people alive, moving
forward, inside time. As long as hope remains healthy, it is a match
for evil; about good, no one can be so sure.
-Lance Morrow, submitted by Tess B., Salt Lake City, Utah

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

It looks like the U.S. has a gigantic decision to make in the next
few weeks about whether to go to war with Iraq. While I have strong
feelings about promoting peace and avoiding war, I respect that some
folks may have different perspectives. My greatest fear is not that
we will have another war. My greatest fear is that individuals who
have given up hope will not voice their opinions. This forces our
leaders to make decisions without the input of the people they are
leading and that is DANGEROUS!

The White House has an opinion line open during business hours:
202-456-1111. After a few automated steps, a live operator will
thank you for saying "I oppose" or "I approve." You can also
contact your congressional representatives to let them know what you
think. Here is a website that searches your reps by state or zip
code: http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm

Whatever your opinions about this conflict and any other issue, I
urge you to retain your HOPE by acting on what you think/feel!

Peace,
Paul

Ripples v5.00: Ripples of TRAVELING!

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PEBBLE =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

If you let your spirit out, where would it go?
-source unknown, submitted by Annmarie H., Philadelphia, PA

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= BOULDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o

The world is a book,
and those who do not travel
read only one page.
-St. Augustine, submitted by Joshua F., New Zealand

=o=o=o=o=o=o=o= PONDER =o=o=o=o=o=o=o=o

I am home from a magnificent journey that allowed me to experience the remarkable
country of New Zealand. I cannot begin to describe the beauty I encountered, but I did
take a few snapshots for you to see: http://www.HappyFlying.com/pp/NZ.htm

My adventures included swimming with Dusky Dolphins; kayaking in the majestic
Fjordland where tree-covered mountains rise directly from the sea; and hiking through
rainforests that were dense with ferns, trees, and just so much green! If you've seen
either of the Lord of the Rings movies, you have seen a taste of New Zealand posing as
Middle Earth: I urge you to see it for yourself!

It feels good to be home, of course, after a month of suitcases and hotels and rental cars.
I think my adventure served to give me a peek of our great big world, and to remind me
how cozy my home is, how comfortable my bed is. I am glad I went, and I am glad I am
home again!

Peace,
Paul