Tag Archives: Demp Coaching

“When you pay attention to boredom, it gets unbelievably interesting.”

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“When you pay attention to boredom, it gets unbelievably interesting.”

—Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, scientist, writer, and meditation teacher

Image of a woman looking bored

Image from Unsplash by Callie Morgan

Did you know that there are three types of boredom, each involving problems of engagement and attention? They are times when:

  • We are prevented from engaging in desired activities
  • We are forced to participate in unwanted activities
  • We are simply unable – for whatever reason – to maintain our level of engagement in an activity

For some, boredom may be taken as the essential human condition to which God, Wisdom, or Morality are the ultimate answer. Many sources note that boredom can be a dangerous and disruptive state of mind that can negatively influence our health. Meanwhile, some research suggests that without boredom we could not realize many of our most creative achievements.

EXERCISE:

Where in your personal or professional life do you find yourself over-stimulated and even a bit addicted to the attention-grabbing objects and experiences around you?

Where would seeking more quiet and even boring moments in your life be a time for renewal and personal growth?

“It is hard to fight an enemy who has an outpost in your head.”

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“It is hard to fight an enemy who has an outpost in your head.”

—Sally Kempton, master of meditation and yoga philosophy

Image of a man with someone's hand over one of his eyes

Image from Unsplash by Ioana Casapu

This morning started off with a loving kindness meditation. I was instructed to direct positive, affirming words toward myself, those close to me, and others in my extended communities.

From time to time, we all can be hard on ourselves when that old, familiar inner critic attacks. For some reason, it seems easier to defend and fight the external enemies we can see in our personal and professional worlds.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you exercise your own loving kindness muscle and direct its positive energy inward to live a happier and more fulfilling life?

“Some people look for a beautiful place, while other people make a place beautiful.”

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“Some people look for a beautiful place, while other people make a place beautiful.”

—Hazrat Inayat Khan, 19th Century Founder of the Sufi Order

Image of paint brushes and bright colors

Image from Unsplash by Anna Kolosyuk

We have all heard the quote, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

If this is true, how much beauty have you beheld today? Many people believe they must visit special places like new cities, national parks, or other bucket list destinations to see such beauty.

Those more tuned into the power of beauty to inspire and enliven our worlds discover and see beauty in the more familiar people, places and things right in their own yards.

Today’s quote challenges us to take a step further to see and become a proactive creator of beauty instead of just a consumer of it.

EXERCISE:

Where and in what ways can you bring – or better yet, create – a more beautiful world to inspire yourself and others in your communities?

“When people are like each other, they tend to like each other.”

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“When people are like each other, they tend to like each other.”

—Tony Robbins, American author, philanthropist and life coach

Image of Jane Goodall and a chimp

Image from the Jane Goodall Collection

Did you know that humans and chimpanzees share about 96 percent of the same DNA? Perhaps this is why we enjoy documentaries on these special creatures. When we observe them, we see numerous ways we are alike, such as in the care and nurturing of baby chimps.

Regarding human-to-human interactions, we often operate out of the Birds of a Feather Flock Together idea. At the same time, we can be very focused on where and how we differ as reasons to avoid, dislike, and even hate one another.

EXERCISE:

How would looking for the similarities and common characteristics and traits of others be the source of more friendships and closer communities in your world?

Friday Review of Posts on Anger

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FRIDAY REVIEW: ANGER

How do you deal with anger – your own, or that of others? Here are a few anger-related posts you may have missed. Click the link to read the full message.

Image of hot coals

 

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else. You are the only one who gets burned.”

 

 

 

“When furious, get curious.”

 

 

 

 

“Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.”

 

 

 

“The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around.”

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“The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around.”

—Thomas Edison

Sillhouette of a child with drawing of a brain

Image from NorthTexasKids

Tomorrow is my grandson Weston’s first birthday. There are so many people in his life that want to celebrate this special day that my daughter rented a pavilion in a local park to accommodate everyone.

Watching the transformation of Weston’s body and brain this year through visits and video calls has been a delight. Rolling, crawling, cruising, and of course being carried and taken many places has revealed an exponential development of how he takes in and interacts with the world.

EXERCISE:

Where will your body take your brain today? What wonderful sights, experiences, and people will you meet to bring new lessons and growth opportunities into your life?

“When someone asks for a glass of water, don’t hose them down.”

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“When someone asks for a glass of water, don’t hose them down.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Manu Schwendener

Who doesn’t enjoy it when people take an interest in us? After all, we are being given a chance to talk about our favorite subject – ourselves.

Questions such as, How are you?, What’s going on?, and even What’s up? can sometimes lead to a torrent of information well beyond a quick update.

A little secret to fostering better relationships can be summaries in six simple words:

More of Others Less of You

EXERCISE:

To what degree do you hose people down when they ask you for your thoughts on a particular topic?

Consider using and sharing the code W.A.I.T. with those close to you – it stands for Why Am I Talking?

Speak your truth even if your voice shakes”

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“Speak your truth even if your voice shakes.”

—Robin Sharma, Author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari series

Image of man holding his finger to his mouth

Image from Unsplash by Ricardo Mancia

“Cowards die many times before their deaths,” said the lead character in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, using the metaphor of death to describe how a person feels when they avoid or run away from a challenge.

In such circumstances, we all die a little when we shrink back from the core values and personal truths that are the basis of our personal power and character.

EXERCISE:

Where and on what personal or professional matters have you been silent? When has fear of failure or being judged by others stopped you from stepping up and voicing your truth?

What has this silence cost you? What would be possible if you spoke up even with a bit of shaking?

The easier it is to do something

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“The easier it is to do something, the harder it is to change the way you do it.”

—Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple, Inc.

Consider how easy it is to cross your arms, clasp your hands, and brush your teeth. You probably don’t need to think about these tasks because they occur habitually.

What about traits like hitting the snooze button, eating out of boredom, watching TV or using social media? In many situations, taking the fastest and easiest path is helpful, productive, or at least has no real negative consequences.

On the other hand, sometimes what is easy can have significant negative impact to the lives we profess to desire.

EXERCISE:

What automatic and easy behaviors do you practice that are limiting or preventing you from realizing your top priority goals? What disciplined effort and added support can and will you put in place to fulfill your commitments in these areas?