Ripples #788: Wander to Wonder.
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
30 June 2014
PEBBLE:
In every walk with nature
one receives far more than he seeks.
—John Muir
BOULDER:
If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life.
-Rachel Carson
PONDER:
I’ll be offline for a bit as I exhale in the Rockies over the next few weeks. Wandering always improves my wondering, and I almost always return from the mountains with a replenished spirit and refreshed outlook on life. I’ve queued up a few weeks of Ripples so you won’t miss them, and I hope that you too can find your own special way to spend time in nature this week. Breathe in all she has to offer, and exhale some of your stress (she can recycle it into something useful, I’m certain).
Peace,
Paul
Monday, June 30, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
Ripples #787: Being Alive!
Ripples #787: Being Alive!
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
23 June 2014
PEBBLE:
I don't believe people are looking
for the meaning of life
as much as they are looking
for the experience of being alive.
-Joseph Campbell
BOULDER:
Lean forward into your life...
catch the best bits
and the finest wind.
Just tip your feathers
in flight a wee bit
and see how dramatically
that small lean
can change your life.
-Mary Anne Radmacher, shared by Stephanie in Tampa, FL
PONDER:
The last few days of speaking before my summer retreat began have been crazy AND I loved every minute of hanging out with the folks at Covance, and Promega, and Organic Valley (welcome to a few hundred new ripplers!!). In several of the presentations I showed a video about AWE that really had me thinking about how and when I most passionately experience BEING ALIVE. It happens when I’m doing good work; it happens when I’m hanging with people who are capable of meeting me right where I am AND inviting me to grow into the newest version of my best self; and finally, it sometimes happens when I create the space and time to be alone to rest my mind and renew my spirit.
I invite you to make time for this video RIGHT NOW, and be really curious about how you can increase your awareness and enjoyment of BEING ALIVE. At work or at home, with people or alone, just make sure your experiment allows you to experience what Jason Silva describes in the video as “the hardly bearable ecstasy of direct energy exploding on your nerve endings.” I know, right? Just try it for me. And for you. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QyVZrV3d3o
Peace,
Paul
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
23 June 2014
PEBBLE:
I don't believe people are looking
for the meaning of life
as much as they are looking
for the experience of being alive.
-Joseph Campbell
BOULDER:
Lean forward into your life...
catch the best bits
and the finest wind.
Just tip your feathers
in flight a wee bit
and see how dramatically
that small lean
can change your life.
-Mary Anne Radmacher, shared by Stephanie in Tampa, FL
PONDER:
The last few days of speaking before my summer retreat began have been crazy AND I loved every minute of hanging out with the folks at Covance, and Promega, and Organic Valley (welcome to a few hundred new ripplers!!). In several of the presentations I showed a video about AWE that really had me thinking about how and when I most passionately experience BEING ALIVE. It happens when I’m doing good work; it happens when I’m hanging with people who are capable of meeting me right where I am AND inviting me to grow into the newest version of my best self; and finally, it sometimes happens when I create the space and time to be alone to rest my mind and renew my spirit.
I invite you to make time for this video RIGHT NOW, and be really curious about how you can increase your awareness and enjoyment of BEING ALIVE. At work or at home, with people or alone, just make sure your experiment allows you to experience what Jason Silva describes in the video as “the hardly bearable ecstasy of direct energy exploding on your nerve endings.” I know, right? Just try it for me. And for you. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QyVZrV3d3o
Peace,
Paul
Monday, June 16, 2014
Ripples #786: Learning to Surf.
Ripples #786: Learning to Surf.
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
16 June 2014
PEBBLE:
You can't stop the waves,
but you can learn how to surf.
-Jon Kabat-Zinn, shared by S Anderson in Edmonton, AB
BOULDER:
In our lives,
change is unavoidable,
loss is unavoidable.
In the adaptability and ease
with which we experience change,
lies our happiness and freedom.
-Buddha, shared by Carl in Terre Haute, IN
PONDER:
You’re pretty awesome sometimes, aren’t you?
On your best days when everything is going your way—-you rock things out in a magnificent way, right? On those days you work hard, you’re on top of things, and you’re able to bring forth your best self to handle whatever challenges present themselves. And then there are those pesky OTHER days: Those days when you aren’t feeling it even though (or precisely because) you’re facing a crazy mix of deadlines and crises and obstacles that make up your life in that moment.
Even really successful people aren’t able to bring their best selves to every moment of every day; they sometimes have bad moments, days, weeks, etc. The trick is to figure out how to activate your “HEY I KNOW CAN HANDLE THIS” alert system so when you enter rough waters it takes just a moment to catch your breath before you can surf your way to sanity. Your alert system could be the right music, it could be a pep talk from one of your fierce allies, or perhaps visiting a sacred place that helps you renew your spirit.
Make this week about identifying what activates your “I’ve got this” button, and then go surf whatever waves of craziness get whipped up in your life.
Peace,
Paul
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
16 June 2014
PEBBLE:
You can't stop the waves,
but you can learn how to surf.
-Jon Kabat-Zinn, shared by S Anderson in Edmonton, AB
BOULDER:
In our lives,
change is unavoidable,
loss is unavoidable.
In the adaptability and ease
with which we experience change,
lies our happiness and freedom.
-Buddha, shared by Carl in Terre Haute, IN
PONDER:
You’re pretty awesome sometimes, aren’t you?
On your best days when everything is going your way—-you rock things out in a magnificent way, right? On those days you work hard, you’re on top of things, and you’re able to bring forth your best self to handle whatever challenges present themselves. And then there are those pesky OTHER days: Those days when you aren’t feeling it even though (or precisely because) you’re facing a crazy mix of deadlines and crises and obstacles that make up your life in that moment.
Even really successful people aren’t able to bring their best selves to every moment of every day; they sometimes have bad moments, days, weeks, etc. The trick is to figure out how to activate your “HEY I KNOW CAN HANDLE THIS” alert system so when you enter rough waters it takes just a moment to catch your breath before you can surf your way to sanity. Your alert system could be the right music, it could be a pep talk from one of your fierce allies, or perhaps visiting a sacred place that helps you renew your spirit.
Make this week about identifying what activates your “I’ve got this” button, and then go surf whatever waves of craziness get whipped up in your life.
Peace,
Paul
Monday, June 9, 2014
Ripples #785: The Happy Within.
Ripples #785: The Happy Within.
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
9 June 2014
PEBBLE:
Be happy, and a reason will come along.
-Robert Brault, shared by Cynthia in Palos Heights, IL
BOULDER:
Happiness is not in
our circumstances,
but in ourselves.
It is not something we see,
like a rainbow,
or feel,
like the heat of the fire.
Happiness is something we are.
-John B. Sheerin, shared by Pete in San Luis Obispo, CA
PONDER:
It can be useful to think of happiness not as something to be found be searching around in the world, but instead something to be excavated from within. Of course this doesn’t mean we aren’t impacted by WHAT happens around us or WHO we encounter. It just means that regardless of what is going on, WE need to stay in charge of our happiness. And speaking of happiness, there is a bounty of it waiting to be experienced just by taking a few deep breaths and allowing it to surface. Can you feel it?
If you CAN feel it: GO! Go spread it around with smiles, kind words, and small favors.
Still not feeling it? Well, perhaps you could go spread some smiles and kind words and small favors anyway; it could be that happiness needs you to prime the pump a bit in order for it to seep into your soul.
Peace,
Paul
p.s. I’ll add briefly that I don’t think happiness CAN or SHOULD be the sole focus in our quest for a fulfilling life, nor should other feelings like sadness and frustration be avoided or demonized. I just believe that a steady source of internalized happiness can potentially increase our effectiveness and enjoyment of work, school, and life. Get it? Got it? Good!
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
9 June 2014
PEBBLE:
Be happy, and a reason will come along.
-Robert Brault, shared by Cynthia in Palos Heights, IL
BOULDER:
Happiness is not in
our circumstances,
but in ourselves.
It is not something we see,
like a rainbow,
or feel,
like the heat of the fire.
Happiness is something we are.
-John B. Sheerin, shared by Pete in San Luis Obispo, CA
PONDER:
It can be useful to think of happiness not as something to be found be searching around in the world, but instead something to be excavated from within. Of course this doesn’t mean we aren’t impacted by WHAT happens around us or WHO we encounter. It just means that regardless of what is going on, WE need to stay in charge of our happiness. And speaking of happiness, there is a bounty of it waiting to be experienced just by taking a few deep breaths and allowing it to surface. Can you feel it?
If you CAN feel it: GO! Go spread it around with smiles, kind words, and small favors.
Still not feeling it? Well, perhaps you could go spread some smiles and kind words and small favors anyway; it could be that happiness needs you to prime the pump a bit in order for it to seep into your soul.
Peace,
Paul
p.s. I’ll add briefly that I don’t think happiness CAN or SHOULD be the sole focus in our quest for a fulfilling life, nor should other feelings like sadness and frustration be avoided or demonized. I just believe that a steady source of internalized happiness can potentially increase our effectiveness and enjoyment of work, school, and life. Get it? Got it? Good!
Monday, June 2, 2014
Ripples #784: Creating Yourself!
Ripples #784: Creating Yourself!
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
2 June 2014
PEBBLE:
Life is not about finding yourself;
life is about creating yourself.
-source unknown, shared by Ann in Raleigh, NC
BOULDER:
Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, "This is the real me," and when you have found that....follow it.
-William James
PONDER:
I’ve just returned home from a powerfully exhilarating (and thoroughly exhausting) weekend with 2,000 of the peppiest and brightest and funnest residence hall leaders this former rez lifer could ever hope to hang out with. Some of them don’t yet realize that what started for them as a “college co-curricular activity” is going to significantly shift their life path, and may even point them toward a career working with college students.
I hope you are keeping your eyes and ears open for what brings *you* most alive, and then tweaking your life as necessary to make room for more of it. We need more people to bring their BEST SELVES to work and life; I believe you do that by recognizing your gifts and then offering those gifts to the world.
Peace,
Paul
A splash of inspiration
from The Ripples Guy
2 June 2014
PEBBLE:
Life is not about finding yourself;
life is about creating yourself.
-source unknown, shared by Ann in Raleigh, NC
BOULDER:
Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, "This is the real me," and when you have found that....follow it.
-William James
PONDER:
I’ve just returned home from a powerfully exhilarating (and thoroughly exhausting) weekend with 2,000 of the peppiest and brightest and funnest residence hall leaders this former rez lifer could ever hope to hang out with. Some of them don’t yet realize that what started for them as a “college co-curricular activity” is going to significantly shift their life path, and may even point them toward a career working with college students.
I hope you are keeping your eyes and ears open for what brings *you* most alive, and then tweaking your life as necessary to make room for more of it. We need more people to bring their BEST SELVES to work and life; I believe you do that by recognizing your gifts and then offering those gifts to the world.
Peace,
Paul
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