Ripples #749: Have Your Say.

Ripples #749:  Have Your Say.
For our tribe of 29,616 busy people who believe in
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness: uRock!
30 Sep 2013

PEBBLE:
You can have your say,
but you can’t always have your way.
-source unknown, shared by Liz in Madison, WI

BOULDER:
With the story of your life,
you don't get to
write the whole book,
just your character.
-Olivia Munn, shared by Tami in Madison, WI

PONDER:
Sometimes when I'm getting overwhelmed with all the STUFF I have going on, my best friend gently reminds me to create a list of everything on my to do list. Many of the things on my list involve attempts to manage the minutiae of everything unfolding around me, as if I really had the ability to control every outcome.  Trying to control everything can be exceedingly frustrating.  And exhausting.  And impossible.  Eventually, I'm reminded that I am at my best when I concentrate my energy and focus on the few projects that can most impact my effectiveness and enjoyment. As for all the rest of it?  Well, I strive to L.I.G.:  Let. It. Go.

I hope you can focus YOUR time and energy this week, and have your say about what matters most.  And with everything else?  L.I.G.  I dare you!


Peace 2u!
Paul,
The Ripples Guy

Ripples #748: Harvesting Success!

Ripples #748: Harvesting Success!
For our tribe of 29,521 busy people who believe in
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness: uRock!
23 Sep 2013

PEBBLE:
Striving for success
without hard work
is like trying to harvest
where you haven't planted.
-David Bly, shared by Courtney in Durand, MI

BOULDER:
Nature, by example,
shows us anything worthwhile
comes over time.
Anything worthwhile
grows methodically,
building on a strong foundation.
Develop a willingness
to carry on despite roadblocks.
-Jaren L. Davis

PONDER:
Students and educators have begun their fall terms and many others are working hard as we head toward the the last quarter of the year.  Now is a great time to commit to persevere through the difficulties that inevitably arise in school, work, and or life.

Remember that facing and embracing the challenges isn't always EASY, but it is always WORTH IT.  Do what you can to make sure you'll have a bountiful harvest of success this week, this year, and this lifetime.

Peace 2u!
Paul,
The Ripples Guy

Ripples #747: Sheer Delight!

Ripples #747:  Sheer Delight!
For our tribe of 29,532 busy people who believe in
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness: uRock!
16 Sep 2013

PEBBLE:
Sheer delight is hidden everywhere
for those who care to see.
-Mark Hierholzer, shared by Julia in Blanchardville, WI

BOULDER:
When you recover or discover something
that nourishes your soul and brings joy,
care enough about yourself
to make room for it in your life.
-Jean Shinoda Bolen

PONDER:
Whether you're savoring a stretch of "everything is awesome," stuck in a quagmire of "OMG my life is sooo poopy," or even enduring a really mediocre "meh, is this all there is?"; this issue of Ripples is being unleashed for the purpose of encouraging you to keep your eyes, ears, and heart open for the "sheer delight" that Mr. Hierholzer reminds us about in the pebble above.

It isn't always easy to find the delight;
it is, in my experience usually worth it.

Peace!
Paul

Ripples #746: Stepping Back.

Ripples #746:   Stepping Back.
For our tribe of 29,559 busy people who believe in
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness: uRock!
9 Sep 2013

PEBBLE:
It is not a daily increase,
but a daily decrease.
Hack away at the inessentials.
-Bruce Lee, shared by Tony in Missoula, MT

BOULDER:
Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people's approval
and you will be their prisoner.
Do your work, then step back-
-the only path to serenity.
-Lao Tzu, shared by Helen in Memphis, TN

PONDER:
I am so often encouraging you to think about what you could add to increase your effectiveness and enjoyment with work, school, and/or life.  Today I invite you to be curious about stepping back, observing and perhaps removing something (or someone?) from your life that no longer nourishes your spirit.  Imagine a doctor calling back with results from recent lab work:  "The good news is that everything looks fine; however, I think you should remove 1 or 2 projects from your full plate so you can maintain a proper balance and thrive for many years to come."

What might you remove, and would would it take to make the call?

Peace 2u!
Paul,
The Ripples Guy

Ripples #745: Unleashing You!

Ripples #745: Unleashing You!
For our tribe of 29,576 busy people who believe in
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness: uRock!
2 Sep 2013

PEBBLE:
If you are always trying to be normal,
you will never know how amazing you can be....
-Maya Angelou, shared by Bruce in Gotham City

BOULDER:
Never forget
that you are one of a kind.
Never forget
that if there weren't any need
for you in all your uniqueness
to be on this earth,
you wouldn't be here
in the first place.
-R. Buckminster Fuller, shared by Isaac in Sedona, AZ

PONDER:
As I make my way home after a whirlwind of campus visits (greetings to our new Ripplers from CMU, Salisbury, Lakeland, Marian, NWTC, and Rowan!), I'll remind you what I told this year's batch of new students embarking on their college adventures: so much of success is about recognizing your awesomeness, and then finding the courage to share it with the world. The things that make you "not normal" are precisely the same gifts the world desperately needs, so please do what you can this week to identify, embrace, and unleash your best you!

Peace!
Paul,
P.S.  Excuse me while I hibernate for a bit. I'm exhausted. :)