The Road to Lifestyle

There is a mechanical rule I learned early in meditation practice: "to open ears, operate mouth." What that says is this: that in order for someone to hear what you've got to say, they need to feel that what they have to say has been heard and understood. From the perspective of the hearer, a "yes, but" cancels out the sense of having been heard and understood -- the very purpose of the argument. Some people thrill at being able to say "yes, but" in many different ways. This can be an amusing diversion, but it misses the point. A salutary rule for true communication might read "Never in words or substance say 'yes, but.'" Phrases like "What you're saying is that... " are effective when coupled with a statement that the listener will recognize as at least as favorable to their position as what they said. Aristotle on Persuation by Barbara Ashley Phillips

RE: A letter to friends, colleagues, and business contacts DATE: 15 February 2009 All, I just finished reading The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea for the second time and as I reflect on the "The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success" I felt compelled to share them for those of you who have not had a chance to read the book. I also implore you to take the time to read it sooner than later; and if you've read it before... read it again. As the book states, "These lessons don't apply only to business... A genuinely sound business principle will apply anywhere in life--in your friendships, in your marriage, anywhere . That's the true bottom line. Not whether it simply improves your financial balance sheet, but whether it improves your life's balance sheet." It is a quick read and well worth it... Without further ado, I present to you "The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success": 1. The Law of Value: Your true worth is d

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"A bad day for your ego is a good day for your soul." - Jillian Michaels

"It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not." - James Gordon

Well folks, my birthday flat tire got me thinking. When I mentioned the flat tire to folks they told me they felt sorry for this unfortunate event, especially since it happened on my birthday and all. Let's get something straight here--the terms "bad thing" and "good thing" are labels that WE place on events that have no labels. I'd like to think that there is tremendous positive significance to each event in my life. Let me give you an example: When I was a little girl I used to flip over June Bugs: These little guys tumble onto their backs quite easily and once they do they don't seem to be able to right themselves. So when I saw one struggling to get to his/her feet I would help them out with a little nudge. I created a story in my mind that helped fuel my passion and purpose for doing this. I thought to myself that if I was ever mugged on the street perhaps this little June Bug I just helped would fly into the face of the mugger distracting hi