=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
Monday, March 31, 2003
Monday, March 24, 2003
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
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
Monday, March 17, 2003
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
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
Monday, March 10, 2003
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
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
Monday, March 3, 2003
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
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
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