Lenten meditation, week 5:
"Seek first to understand, then be understood." This is my favorite one (not that one needs to have favorite habits...). Before you can hope that someone will get where you're coming from, you need to be open to what the other person is saying, where the other person is coming from. Do you understand them? If not, then how do you know they will understand you? And, here's the kicker: They might not understand you. But at least, if you seek to understand first, you'll at least know why they might not understand you, and there will be one fewer person in this world talking past people rather than with them.
29 March 2017
22 March 2017
Love your neighbor
Lenten meditation, week 4:
"Think win-win." I am reminded of that Golden Rule, which appears in every culture and religion, which says to treat others as you want to be treated. Everyone wants to win, to gain something from their efforts. Finding ways in which both or all sides of an argument win makes all of our lives better. Don't play all-or-nothing; even if you can't win on all points, trading some losses for others' wins can make everyone a winner in the long run. Jesus said that all of Jewish law could be summed up by two phrases, the second of which is "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love your neighbor. Think win-win.
"Think win-win." I am reminded of that Golden Rule, which appears in every culture and religion, which says to treat others as you want to be treated. Everyone wants to win, to gain something from their efforts. Finding ways in which both or all sides of an argument win makes all of our lives better. Don't play all-or-nothing; even if you can't win on all points, trading some losses for others' wins can make everyone a winner in the long run. Jesus said that all of Jewish law could be summed up by two phrases, the second of which is "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love your neighbor. Think win-win.
15 March 2017
What's first?
Lenten meditation, week 3: “Put first things first.” Prioritize your life. This can be especially hard with so many projects to do, so much going on with your life. Find the most important things and put them first. What are the most important things to you? Remember what your body needs: food, rest, protection. Remember what your soul and mind need, too.
08 March 2017
What's next?
Lenten meditation, week 2:
“Begin with the end in mind.” Set a goal. Set a series of goals. Know where you're going. If you're a spiritual person, your end-of-life goal might be enlightenment; if you're religious, it might be eternal salvation or high karma. It might be establishing a legacy. Along the way, set other goals. What's your goal for this week? For today? “Know well what leads you forward.”
“Begin with the end in mind.” Set a goal. Set a series of goals. Know where you're going. If you're a spiritual person, your end-of-life goal might be enlightenment; if you're religious, it might be eternal salvation or high karma. It might be establishing a legacy. Along the way, set other goals. What's your goal for this week? For today? “Know well what leads you forward.”
02 March 2017
Pro-act-ive
This Lent, I've decided to throw something out there every week based on the Seven Habits. Take it as you will.
“Be Proactive.” You have to be your own best agent, even if you have other people working for you. Let's break down the word proactive. The base word is act. To be active is the opposite of being stagnant, of standing still, of doing nothing. Pro is positive, the opposite of anti or con. Make positive actions and positive actions will come back to you.
“Be Proactive.” You have to be your own best agent, even if you have other people working for you. Let's break down the word proactive. The base word is act. To be active is the opposite of being stagnant, of standing still, of doing nothing. Pro is positive, the opposite of anti or con. Make positive actions and positive actions will come back to you.
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