Your phone rings, buzzes or beeps. What do you do?

Why is it on? Was the decision to keep it on a conscious or default action?

Many years ago a friend of mine moved to California upon graduating college. He grew up in Syracuse, NY and attended college nearby. Suffice to say he was done with a four season climate.

To his surprise the weather wasn't the only improvement of his situation. The culture also offered him an opportunity. As he immersed himself in the realities of Southern California (sun, surf...did I mention sun?) he did so within what he termed his "east coast urgency." He soon realized that the slower, easier pace of Southern California (a real thing) provided him an advantage. His high urgency and motivation competed very well among the Southern Cali natives. Not universally and without exception but consistently enough that he soon realized he could be very successful in his new home.

Today he owns and operates a very successful (did I mention successful) business. He screen-prints, embroiders and provides unlimited opportunities for anyone to place their logo on anything. Nice story. How's it connect to this blog entry?

We see a lesson on advantage. My friend understood how his experience informed his actions. His east coast upbringing (experience) allowed him to envision how he might invest his energies for maximum success (actions). He then sculpted his energies to maximize his return.

My question for anyone who aspires, to anything, begins with having them describe how their digital interfaces (phone, streaming, social media, etc.) interact with their worldview. The most common response is the idea that these interfaces are problem-solvers or resources. What is often left unexplored or unacknowledged is the reality that they degrade personal connection. They seem to interfere with those times when we are face to face.

So I return to my East Coast compatriot and his experience moving West. His culture, from his perspective, positioned him with an advantage. He brought an elevated sense of urgency to his endeavors. His outcome makes the case. The next time your digitalia habits prompt an apology to those you're with, challenge your self with a question, "Which of these actions will help me more: paying attention or apologizing?"

Our MTFoundations of Wellness framework uses the word, play.
I could write on and on but realized that's not very, playful.
For you or me.
So...enjoy the pictures. Like three thousand words.
We picked them up this past summer at the New York State Fair.
While having a Day of Play. Sound like a good idea?
(click to contact for more information)

I sign off from my written communications with the phrase, "Much Light". People often ask what I mean by the phrase. They usually get it but want to understand my intention. I often demur as I tend to muddy the waters with too much verbosity (my habit...;-).

I had a friend send me this video and have found she captures my sentiment...a least a bit.

Enjoy and happy this year....

Every once in awhile we happen upon something so amazing...we just share it. Enjoy.

You can almost see this one coming. Big Holiday meal. Full bellies. Too many pies. Not enough burp...quantity or quality. All conspiring to create leftovers.

Soup. That's one way to go. Sandwiches are another. Turkey quiche, stuffing...on anything. While the possibilities are endless the innovative appeal wanes pretty quickly. I am presently staring at a few misshapen triangles of pie that seem trying to make themselves seem appealing while knowing full well, they are unappealing. Tough place.

Under different circumstances the same leftovers might offer different possibilities. Turkey Tetrazini. Monte Cristo sandwiches. Pot Pie. Turkey of course...but today, being worn out from too much turkey everything looks uninspired. I've thought about the components too long.

Ideas can become stale too. Possibilities appear listless or droopy. Where once they seemed to bath in light and the path was clear, now they stand slumped. Remember the kitchen before the Holiday meal compared to the post-pie dust-up. What was once an attractive idea has only to be chewed upon, or discussed to be cast aside.

Where are your leftovers? The ideas that jolted you alive? Engaged, prompted and pushed you into the present moment.

Then kept you there with the power of possibility.

Check behind the worry. Move a dish. Look around. Recall the energy of excitement that was the meal before they were leftovers.

Your task...write a thousand words that describe this picture.

I have two friends that create continuously. One confines her canvas to no more than an 8x10 inch rectangle. The other uses walls. Inside or outside. Bricks, sheet rock, painted or not.

So what's the difference? Is it the tangibles? The colors, the size, the imagery, the message? What makes something resonate versus easily ignored? Why do some things appeal while others do not?

Maria Montessori (Italian physician and educator 1870-1952) used the term "extensions" to recognize how individuals continue to explore, test and extend imagination as a result of the practical application of concepts (language, math, science, ethics in the form of peace!). When a child is introduced to a "work" the learning does not end with the lesson itself, as though the result was the goal (a static object). Rather, once the lesson is mastered the result is a competency (a dynamic resource) that extends possibility.

When defined as a resource the canvas and arising result are always subject to a new possibility. In this state learning never ceases. Rather, it inspires the next thought. Then the next...and next...and...you get it. In this instance, as it relates to ideas & imagination it might just be that size is of no consequence when unlimited is the boundary.

 Experience has become a valuable commodity within my world.

The oft quoted phrase, "The older I became, the wiser my elders grew" has turned into a simple description of the best resource I have available to me at any given time. How I access, understand, adjust, apply and stay engaged with this font of vitality is a primary skill, for me.

What is confirming has been the move towards (actually a headlong rush towards...) the re-invigoration of personal interaction. From private business to public institutions, as outcomes achieved replace services rendered as the key rubric for value determination, the value of experience runs a hearty race against even bridled youth.

I hear you snickering....but think about the trending words that inspire and move people: engage, collaborate, innovate, team, dynamic. Each of these are constantly presented as bright, shiny, new objects to be bought, taught and consumed...versus: created, considered, experienced, maintained, demonstrated and passed along to the next generation as skills & resources.

Very simply, anyone who is open to sharing their knowledge and experience are a breath of fresh air. When they do so with skill and genuine interest the effects have been nothing short of profound. Again, in my experience...

...yet all indications are we are simply realizing what many who came before us have. Just like our esteemed blog quote contributor, Lord Stanhope did a few centuries ago.

Think about this post's title for a minute… how might a focus on “the basics” improve our occupational capital (aka the internal/external resources we bring to our work)? Based on a ton of my informal “field research," individuals who cultivate these “academic” skills have a solid foundation that supports all their personal and professional accomplishments.
 
Let me explain. Humans are verbal and curious by nature. Our quest for curiosity is both fueled and fed by our exploration of a variety of texts (aka READING books, magazines, websites, etc.) and our ability to communicate (aka WRITE) helps us share what we’ve learned, acquire additional insight, inquire of others what they know and think. When we add this all up… yep, here’s the ‘rithmetic part, we grow. We actually improve our ability to make connections between and among a variety of materials and experiences EXPONENTIALLY! In business terms, that means INNOVATE!
 
I came to this conclusion when I sat down to write this post. It was going to start, “I’m reading this really great book!” but what I realized rather quickly was that I wanted to communicate the major connection I had just made between the story and a human resource struggle I was helping a client navigate. As a result of this insight, the client and I co-created a completely new solution!
 
Who’s got time to read? Who actually writes much more than a text message? We think we’re being efficient, but in truth we’re shrinking and reducing our value to others in the process. Try this experiment: Pick a topic you’re interested to know more about. Find a book that’s related to the topic directly, factually, situationally, tangentially… fictionally, even! Dedicate the time to read it and write down the connections you make, the ideas that arise, the questions that beg further investigation. Apply this to just ONE occupational “struggle” and let me know how it all adds up for you in terms of inspiration, imagination and/or innovation!

More than likely you like a good story. To tell or hear matters little. So why do we like stories?
Beyond all the obvious reasons (interest, mystery, lessons) the crux lies in the reality that you cannot be anywhere but the present moment when either hearing or telling a story. Stray to far from "now" and you might miss a important piece. Start wandering and before you know it your lost. Or driven past your exit while fully engrossed in an audio book!

So how does Story become part of The Box?
Why is this timeless conveyor of all knowledge and learning so key?
I'll let you decide.
Read to a child. Better yet read to a bunch of children.
As you read, steal a glance of them. Note their attention & interest.

Now, how does "story" keep us in the moment?
We look forward to hearing exactly how it works for you.

Among all the wonder in which we exist there seems to be an immovable object; the linear progression of time. No matter what I do, dreams I imagine or challenges I conjure there is always the earthen call of Process.

Early on time seemed abundant, providing and endless quality to all my endeavors. Then, and I'm not sure exactly when, one day time became very...hmmm...static. It's dynamic nature seemed to disappear. Where once there was color and shades now stood black and white. What was once a circus of energy that beckoned participation had transformed into a one trick pony ride.

What to do? How to recapture the boundless nature of experience? Where do I begin? Within our soft skills resource, The Box, resides a module titled Process. In it we unpack, consider and offer each individual the opportunity to consider the concept of Process. That is, how things happen, the connectivity of energy, goals and resources - of which all reside within the framework time. Daily, with each recursive plodding of each sweep of the hands of a clock we are offered the chance to decide if time is really a static measurement or a dynamic canvas.

How do you begin the consideration of Process? Linear (1,2,3,4) -or- Non-linear (3,#,45,G,!,8)? Structured or non-structured? One size does not fit all. Offering ourselves the chance to decide whether the moment calls for one or the other can open doors to innovation and continued growth. From there I always seem to find myself back at the place I thought was long gone!

"Everyone is an artist."

I've heard this forever. Surrounded by pithy reinforcements of my untapped ability to draw an apple I've long wondered how so many people can be so sure of something they've never had any proof of. Then I'm reminded of most perspectives...

But I digress. Back to the thin line of logic I'm desperately trying to clarify in support of one word, collage. Let's give it form: collage is derived from a 20th century French word that literally means "gluing". Confirming much, if not all, of what I know about collage (glue and stuff) I'm thrilled to confirm my expertise and broad understanding of the word "collage". Not to be confused with the word "college". If this was another blog post (or better yet another site) I'd offer my experience of substituting the former for the latter.

Yet maybe it is that post. Yup...executive decision...it is a post about how collage can be substituted for college. In my case I've been gluing things together for a long time. Experience, perspective, curiosity and the like. As I look back over my collage I'm reminded how things often change over time. What made no sense in the moment looks like perfection in motion from a future, reflective perch. All those parts, pieces and movement that once made me anxious, now appear as a perfectly placed assortment of tiles glued together into a fresco. A masterpiece of indecision, anxiety, concern, wonder, excitement, attempts, process, forgiveness and gratitude. Each piece randomly (or so I thought) placed next to another...

...and glued. Semi-permanently placed. To be admired from a few steps back. Looking at the whole and no longer just the pieces. Time for more glue...

Note: I realize the title of this blog is sooooo overused as to be cliché, but stick with me here – I think you’ll see how truly apt it is for this post! Thanks!
 
One of Meaningful Trainings’ signature phrases, “Stitching Together” usually refers to establishing and sustaining relationships across generations – familial, organizational, etc. – to facilitate the transfer of knowledge that is essential to survival. Funny how this seemingly timeless function of our being has been marginalized in recent memory, but watching what innovative sparks ignite when “old” engineers are given opportunities to share what they’ve internalized with “whiz kid” new ones and vice versa has thoroughly convinced us of its current (and ongoing) importance, necessity and power!
 
Well, suffice to say, the phrase has taken on an entirely new and enhanced (another cliché!) meaning after my reading of Simon Winchester’s Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883. Ostensibly about a massive volcanic eruption that literally shook the globe, Winchester’s book is more a tour de force of human connection. He writes extensively and with great historical accuracy about both the discovery, function and catastrophic effects of planetary plate tectonics, as well as the advent and importance of global telecommunications. What’s more interesting, and brought to light in relation to the title subject is just how the intersection of these two entities served to reinforce the human need to know… EVERYTHING ABOUT EACH OTHER!

Part of the planet’s fabric had been ripped asunder: And part of that same planet, the part     connected by cables [underwater, gutta percha wrapped for waterproof durability] and telegraphs and with access to newspapers, was now being informed of the event… Millions of people hitherto unknown to one another began to involve themselves, for the first time ever, in looking beyond their hitherto limited horizons of self; they started to inhabit a new and outward-gazing world that these storytelling agencies [emphasis mine], and this event they were relating, were unwittingly helping to create. (Winchester, 2003, pp. 194 - 195)

In reading the above paragraph, I was gratified to realize that in “stitching together” (groups, knowledge, ideas, generations) Meaningful Trainings serves as a modern-day link in the communication chain of history. Our very HUMAN desire to help folks improve their storytelling agency to create new (rewarding, innovative) stories truly does help make meaningful connections with, among and between each other!

I moved just a little and I saw one behind a leaf. I picked up a branch and in the middle of an unripened bunch...I saw another. Then I stood up and moved 30 degrees around the bush...many appeared! Before I knew it I had another handful and prospects for even more.

Soon my single bush will be barren no matter where I look. But my life...it's always full. A little movement and an ever so slight change of perspective makes all the difference.

That's it. Ninety minutes. 5,400 seconds. Easy peasy.
Just lay that cell phone down for ninety minutes.
Don't look at it or even think about it.

(we'll wait)

Now record what you did for those ninety minutes. Thoughts you had. Ideas that came into your consideration. Things you are grateful for. Plans you have. Goals and paths to arrive.

If you are stymied where to begin or the objective of this exercise...go ahead, put your phone down for ninety minutes and wonder, "what do they mean?".

Hold your breath...I'll wait.

How long was it? 30 seconds? A whole minute? You youngsters with fresh lungs...two minutes?

No matter how long you held your breath - chances are you can actively listen to another person for even less time. That's our rule of thumb for active listening skills development; a baseline, a place to begin considering this key dynamic of meaningful communications.

Out of courtesy we'd like to think we listen well. Why give ourselves the benefit of the doubt that we possess something we may not? We know how we feel when we are afforded less than complete attention and surely do not want to treat another person similarly. That would be rude and we are not rude.

Or maybe we just haven't noticed.

Test your listening capacity. How long can you let another person speak...and really hear/process what they are saying? Watch your focus ebb and flow from their words and actions to your thoughts, comments and reactions. How long was it?

Betcha' can hold your breath longer...

Why not? For that matter - add in bumper stickers, although they are not my "go to" expression vehicle (pun intended!)

What's on your mind. That's where now begins. All this talk about "mindfulness" should probably begin with an ode to expression of what's important to me, don't you think? Acknowledging the present just may begin with a testimony of the ideals, philosophies and concepts I'm captivated with - currently. Lately. Recently.

Forms of expression. Stickers. Pins. Motifs. At Friday's they are called "bling". Display the memories and thoughts prominently (so others can see)...then see how it goes.

Catalyst. Prompt. Consideration. Perspective. A reminder of what's important to you.

Memory. Thought. Musing. Wonder. What do you think about this?

I enjoy talking about the weather. A common experience we mull as we consider what to talk of next. Noting simple expressions of what's important to you or insights into "you" or "me" are the cool breezes of interaction. Pins & stickers...opportunities for questions. What a nice invitation for a conversation.

Truth be the guide - I heard this quote for the first time in Newtown, PA. Being from Elmira, NY the idea that I'd travel four hours south for what I'm sure is bantered about in the adopted home of Samuel Clemens has always caught my attention. I attribute my keen interest of anything "Mark Twain" to our shared connection - me, Sam and Elmira - there is no way I miss Mark Twain quotes in public settings. The same way I never miss a Tommy Hilfiger logo in any elevator...but that's another post!

Shared by a guidance counselor at a child of mine's high school orientation - upon hearing it I was immediately struck. Bells and words rang and shot across my mind - "Be prepared.", "Plan.", "Do the hardest thing first.", "Get up...move!" As though I were in the middle of a bright spotlight and everyone was waiting for me to...actually no one was even looking at me. Yet I was stunned. Anyone looking was sure to see me holding my breath from acute self-awareness. New knowledge that there may be a way for me to grow and imagine things differently.

Walking into the orientation that day I never imagined I'd enjoy eating frogs so much! You?

There have been a few really helpful innovations over time. Fire and the wheel are up there on my list. Cellphones may be considered for the list but with all things new, bright & shiny - the results are yet to be tabulated.

Both fire & the wheel have a long, storied history and track record of quantifiable value creation. Each have, in ways we can barely recall or comprehend, added to the steps that modernity climbed. They are that profound.

Communication stands among the pillars of our accomplishments. I've searched high and low for the tools of this skill. Each time I begin looking around, I wind up looking inside. So it was with great enthusiasm I welcomed cellphones into my world. Then smartphones! I began my foray of use with a divine understanding that they were inherently "good" & "productive". I left my skepticism at the door. Cellphones could be nothing but a net gain, a rare undeniable value-add.

Let me be the first to admit my mistake. I was wrong. Cellphones are a problem. And not a small one by any measurement.

Any tool designed to do one thing and delivering the exact opposite would quickly find the dust heap of discard. We routinely throw out things & replace processes that fail to perform as expected. Ruthlessly in most instances. Cellphones are designed and promoted as an ubiquitous entity that facilitates communication, entertainment, understanding and connection and the results are in. While they do each of these things in part, overall they erode the core capacities and competencies of the user to a degree that, if they where a tool in your tool box or hanging in your tool shed, you'd discard hurriedly. Imagine your cellphone had a contagion...you'd throw it away quickly. Then wash your hands...

Need first hand knowledge? Make a list of how your cellphone has contributed to your peace and balance. Describe how, by having a cellphone close at hand 24/7, you better manage the myriad of tasks that conspire to afford you a life of meaning & purpose. Then - think of all the times when you didn't have a cellphone nearby. How do those moments compare?

Today is like any other day. Except it's not.
Welcome to my world...;-)

Another blog post. Thoughts thought, perspective distilled, communication pursued.

In the midst of it all, I wonder...why? Why not? I mean it is Sunday...nobody is awaiting these words, this post. Yet my urgency presents itself (get it done...onto next!).

At Meaningful Trainings we engage and support each participant's unique aspirations - holistically. Our facilitation style reinforces our curriculum design which is based on Montessori pedagogy and Adult Learning Theory andragogy. But...how does that account for our energy level? A car does not run without a fuel source nor does a person operate on an empty tank.

Which brings me back to a core concept of what we do at Meaningful Trainings - and what I'm doing today (which is to say following my own advice...a novel idea...;-)

Breathing. Resting. Observing. Maybe later I'll start my engine and play. So, how does this post connect you with our resources? Glad you asked! Follow the link below and check out our Foundations of Wellness. Then...breathe, just breathe.

Years ago, in what seems to be another lifetime...I had a boss (the owner, entrepreneur, founder and vision behind the enterprise) who came back from a conference with an urgency & unbridled enthusiasm to have the word "Communication" inserted on all our printed materials. Brochures, invoices, purchase orders, envelopes, business cards - everything.

Working for an entrepreneurial spirit comes with its own array benefits and challenges but this was a new one. Some of you may recall that the purchase of printed items was once a very big deal. Before the days of all electronic everything, boxes of custom printed items were the norm. Today, businesses print the letterhead, invoices or whatever inline with the content. The stalwart exception being business cards. Somehow they remain elusive enough to in-house printing that printers now lead with their ability to custom print business cards as the hook for their other services.

Back to my story though. Why did the owner want the word communication on all our printed materials? What was the import of this word? This skill? Why? He shared his conversion experience and insights. He reinforced his new found belief that all humanity, innovation and profit rest upon "communication". So, the print order was placed and we wondered. We talked about it and considered the request, the word, the concept and...we thought about it.

In the end I'm not sure we ever got what he wanted us to get. No one ever adopted his conversion experience. Yet I'm still wondering and over the last two decades I've always returned to the consideration of how communication - good, thoughtful, skilled, present minded, clear, illuminating communication can be the hinge for creativity, efficiency and gratitude.

I often wonder if his conversion was driven by his desire to be heard and understood while aspiring to clarity in his expression. Maybe. I know it has for me.

My time as a Manufacturers' Representative offered continuous learning opportunities. No doubt my primary objective was relationship building. Sales appeared as a result. That understanding of order (relationship = sale) was a big wake-up versus the preconceived notion of (sale = relationship) that had always been drilled into me, although that's another dynamic for another post!

A key lesson from that time is the necessity to change paths.

I covered the Mid-Atlantic region as a Manufactured Representative, Upstate NY south to Northern Virginia. Covered efficiently via a car - too small for air travel. As I traversed the same routes from Wilmington to Baltimore, Philadelphia to Erie and Syracuse to Buffalo I was, at various times, moved to consider my route. Often identical to previous travels the month(s) before, I would often begin wondering about all the businesses I was whizzing past.

So rather than wonder "what do they do?" - I got off the highway. I slowed down and took a different path. State Route, County Highway. Roads with stop lights and non-direct directions to my final destination. Through towns that were small, where I didn't know anyone or any businesses.

Guess what happened?

I explored. I discovered. I imagined. I got the door closed and it was opened. I met new people. Made new friendships. And I eventually made some sales.

I don't travel those Mid-Atlantic paths anymore but the sense of curiosity that moved me onto new roads still guides me. As I cruise the Interstates to known destinations, important meetings and tasks I still look on those alternate paths and wonder what's awaiting the traveler who gets off, slows down and explores.

From my experience - good things.

In a former life I traversed through a time where I rock climbed. Not allot but enough that I could lead 5.6 routes with grace, confidence and competency. For the laymen or those unfamiliar with climbing - you could trust me!

Early in my learning curve I followed my mentor up a route named Something Interesting. Unbeknownst to me at the time was the symbolic meaning behind the word "interesting". Imagine for a moment a sly, all-knowing elder watching a neophyte attempt a new task. Rubbing their chin the elder gazes upon the effort and comments, "This should be interesting." Note the emphasis.

There is always something interesting embedded in any task. It ranges from the unforeseen/quickly solved conundrum to the opposite end of the spectrum, possibly described with these phrases - "really difficult", "challenging" or "I'm giving up". Wherever the moment of consideration presents itself, that is the crux. The heart of the matter. It is the time & place we get to test ourselves.

At those moments, at the crux, we confirm the contents of our personal skills toolbox. Receive a first person report as to their proficiency or short-coming. Need for sharpening or a spritz of WD-40. While I don't climb as much as I used to those moments have stayed with me and continue to challenge my readiness. One never knows when something interesting is just around the corner!

When we started our blogs we accepted that they would be, well, inconvenient. Fun in theory and a hassle in reality. Ask any author. Publishing and accolades are not the bulk of writing. Block, punctuation, timing, re-writes...did I mention creative block? All that for a few lines of thought we hope says what we really mean.

So every once in awhile when we link posts - you know its got to be good! That or we are really lazy. In that case we'll only cross-post a really good one...;-) This link takes you to an amazing TedX Talk. We'll let you decide for your self how it resonates. Enjoy.

http://recoverydragon.com/resources-connected/a-starting-point

OK, I really wanted to title this post "Why Cellphones Undermine Community, Steal Potential & Make Us Stupid" but it came off as a tad bit aggressive. Who really wants to be attacked with an aggressive Blog post anyway? Your welcome...;-)

The experiences that have given rise to this post and the attached resource come from our work as facilitators and observers in the communities we participate. Sparing you the boring details I'll cut to the takeaway - cell phones are a hideous infection. This infection has created a loss of connection (irony at its most wonderful) and worse, an erosion of imagination, creativity and the ability to manifest aforementioned human talents.

Wow. That's harsh and slightly presumptive. All we would suggest is that you put your cellphone down and look around. Observe. Of course you get to decide what you see and what it means. Our experiences working with adults is that we are at a critical juncture. Rather than being aggressive by those who hire us - we had to find another pathway to the heart of the matter. Thus we have framed the losses incurred as "perils". Simply things that you choose.

I can tell you that since we have begun presenting the following slide set at our workshops (at the beginning...;-) things have improved dramatically. DRAMATICALLY. Change starts simply. With contrast and consideration. We hope to offer fuel for these fires. May they burn brightly and offer much light.