Tag Archives: environment

We take care of the future best by taking care of the present now

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“We take care of the future best by taking care of the present now.”

—Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mindfulness Meditation

Image from Amazon

I am currently reading The Carbon Almanac, edited by Seth Godin, who also wrote the Forward. It is a 300+ page book of facts about climate change.

Representing the global efforts of more than three hundred volunteers in over 40 countries, it is the most up to date and well-vetted resource that presents where we are and how we got here, in language that we can all understand.

This book is a call to action to have all people, organizations, and governments come together to meet this moment in time to take care of our world and each other.

EXERCISE:

Please order, read, and discuss this important book with others in your various communities.

Encourage others to actively participate in this urgent global effort.

the earth is the very quintessence of the human condition

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“The earth is the very quintessence of the human condition.”

—Hanna Arendt, 20th Century political philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor

Image from Unsplash by Louis Reed

The latest annual edition of the Global Risk Report by the World Economic Forum, states that the majority of global leaders feel worried and concerned about the outlook of the world, and only 3.7% feel optimistic.

In the survey, nearly 1,000 experts and leaders across various disciplines, organizations, and geographies weighed in on the various Short (0-2 years), Medium (2-5 years) and Long-term impacts on our planet.

When it came to short term risks, respondents identified social risks including the erosion of “social cohesion” and “livelihood crisis” as the most immediate risks to the world.

EXERCISE:

Please review the study to become even more aware of the other societal, environmental, economic, technological, and geopolitical factors that are reflections of our human condition and the state of our beautiful and fragile world.

Consider the influence and power you have to impact these risks in your various communities.

“When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”

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“When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”

—Alexander Den Heijer, Dutch inspirational speaker

Image from Unsplash by Quino Al

Consider yourself a type of flower. Notice how you’ve grown and hopefully bloomed over the years. If you have been fortunate to show the world your colors and contributed your gifts and talents, consider giving thanks to the people and resources that surrounded you.

We are all born with the seed of possibility within us, and the evidence is clear—through examples such as early child education—of what a profound difference it makes throughout our lives.

EXERCISE:

In what ways can you nurture and enrich the environment in which you are placed? How and in what ways can and will you provide the fertile soil, sunshine, and life affirming waters to help others blossom in your personal and professional communities?

“It is difficult to find happiness within oneself, but it is impossible to find it anywhere else.”

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“It is difficult to find happiness within oneself, but it is impossible to find it anywhere else.”

—Arthur Schopenhauer, 19th Century German Philosopher

Image from Amazon.com

Can you recall any of the words from Madonna’s song, Material Girl? If you do remember a few words, I bet you can also recall the melody.

We do live in a material world in which dealing with our day-to-day physical environment is essential. For most people, life is filled with highs and lows, with varying levels of happiness along the way.

A surprising thing happens when we periodically move beyond or perhaps better said, within, to examine, discover, and explore our spiritual and soulful selves.

EXERCISE:

Beyond deepening your own spiritual practices, consider exploring the journey toward greater happiness within by reading, and studying the book, Toward a Meaningful Life. Perhaps discuss it with others in your life who are also ready for a deeper look around.

Go where you’re celebrated not where you’re tolerated

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“Go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated.”

—Author Unknown

Image of confetti topped by a sign that says, "Yeah!"

Image from Unsplash by raw pixel

The journey and process of becoming the best version of yourself is one of the primary reasons people seek the support of a coach. If it is good enough for Olympians and professional athletes, why not the rest of us, who also desire gold medal lives?

As we have discovered through our self-awareness and mindfulness efforts over the years of The Quotable Coach blog, our internal environment, including our perceptions and beliefs, has a great deal to do with our success.

At the same time our external environment, including our personal and professional communities, also has a tremendous impact on our views, our efforts, and of course, our success and life satisfaction.

EXERCISE:

What strategies and approaches can you use to shift and improve your communities to environments that celebrate rather than tolerate you and others?

scratching the itch

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“Too many young people itch for what they want without scratching for it.”

—attributed to Tom D. Taylor

Meme of today's quote

On a scale of one (low) to ten (high), rate your own perception of the work ethic, general persistence, and grittiness of the six generations of people currently on the planet:

  1. GI Generation, born 1901-1926
  2. Mature | Silents, born 1927-1945
  3. Baby Boomers, born 1946 -1964
  4. Generation X, born 1965 – 1980
  5. Generation Y | Millennials, born 1981-2000
  6. Generation Z | Boomlets, born 2001 and after

What do you think are their goals, desires, and wishes?
What general environmental and societal factors have shaped their attitudes towards work and improving their lives?

EXERCISE:

To what degree do you and others in your multi-generational communities scratch the itches in the hard-to-reach places?

Check out this link to discover some interesting characteristics of each group.

#93: “The ultimate test of a man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today…”

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“The ultimate test of a man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.”

—Gaylord Nelson, co-founder of Earth Day

Image from Unsplash by Jason Buscema

I once saw a behavioral experiment, conducted with small children around the age of three or four years old. The experiment involved marshmallows. The child could have a single marshmallow immediately, or they could wait five minutes longer and be rewarded with two marshmallows.

Some of the children simply gobbled the one immediately. However, the children who were able to delay their gratification seemed far happier with their accomplishment.

Exercise:

What sacrifices are you willing to make today to help yourself and others have a far better future — even if you may never receive thanks or the rewards directly?

What would you like your legacy to be?