Three wise thoughts - Part Two: Enjoy the Present

Enjoy the present

The double meaning of the word present is intentional. You most likely have, are or will experience some form of gift giving and receiving at this time of year. You also may be focused on being in the moment and enjoying
the spirit of the holidays.

The present can be about gifts AND the moment.

Focusing on this moment in time is actually a gift that you can give yourself. The benefits of doing so are many. Some of the situations that you may wish to consider in this context include the following.

Being with friends and family

Transitioning from 2008 to 2009

Handling the emotions and the ups and downs of the holidays

Time away from your regular routine

Self care and restoration for your well being.

Jenn Shallvey25 December 2008

Three wise thoughts - Part One: Let go of the past

It is
this time of year when many in the western world abandon regular order and
routine in the spirit of celebration. In contrast many find this time of year challenging as all our
efforts and work spirals into a finite point of focus related to a series of significant traditional and sacred events in the calendar. The contradiction of our intensity and
rush to enjoy the celebrations creates some heightened emotional states. Many of these states are wonderful and
joyous and others can be filled with anxiety. Especially where celebration blends with tradition and
expectations. My three part post under this topic is to offer you some thoughts on how to handle the joy and challenges of
this time in a way that best serves you and all those who you connect with in
your life and work.

Let go of the past

As the
dates fly by and people remind us of countdowns to the end of the year you
would think we are running out of time.
On the contrary we are still filled with time, it just seems to be a
matter of perspective.

One
aspect of this time of year that we all encounter is the opportunity to reflect
on the past year’s experiences. It
is a time to contemplate with a whole range of emotions what actually took
place in our busy or not so busy life. For some this reflection can be about
what was and was not accomplished. For others it is relief. And for another group this
time is about celebrating and acknowledging what transpired. For me letting go is about all of these aspects.

Jenn Shallvey19 December 2008

Give Thanks

Today is Thanksgiving holiday in the USA. There are numerous blogs and articles
on the true meaning of Thanksgiving that unravel the historical myths versus
truths of this holiday. Whether
you are American or not, I suggest you read these yourself to understand why an
entire nation of over 300 million people stop and give thanks. Whilst there are iconic aspects to the
day and a holiday perhaps built more on myth than truth, the underlying meaning
of the day can be held high for all to acknowledge. So it is in this spirit that I celebrate the idea of Giving
Thanks.

Jenn Shallvey28 November 2008

Rebalancing perspective

After a bit of a break I am back to the blog. My initial burst of activity reflected 1) pent up need to write and 2) overactive enthusiasm. Neither is sustainable, hence the break. What follows is more a random reflection, yet there are some points to make that I believe will get you to think, act and perhaps change.

So what happened, what did I notice while on my writing break?

Well for one thing the world fell apart. At least to many it seems to have crumbled, collapsed pushed down all barriers and pried cracks wide open. I sat and watched from the sidelines. I am affected, many people I know are affected, many more I do not know are affected. Ultimately we are ALL affected whether indirectly or directly.

When our neighbour or friend has a sudden change in their world nothing is the way it seemed. The panic that has gripped the financial markets is now opening up many people. Many of us who have not experienced life as hard, or difficult are being tested. Did they ask for this? I am not sure. Some will cast stones and say yes. Some already have pointed the finger of blame. Some have tried to be one better by saying well I told you so.

ReflectionsJenn Shallvey14 October 2008

Passion to protect

I attended an event the other night where I encountered an excellent example of a person in the right job.

The person I met was a security guard, Joe, at the entrance to the venue. This man's job was to cover the door and check tickets before entry. My friend and I were at the start of the queue waiting so we had the pleasure of enjoying a conversation with Joe.

Normally I expect a security guard to present the tough guy persona - ie stand tough, tall, straight and no smile. Yet Joe didn't have this demeanour. He immediately came across as professional, friendly, courteous. He also had the aura of presence around him that said ' I am in charge here so don't mess with me' - but in a nice way'.

So as it is my favourite conversation pasttime to find out about people and why they do what they do I started up a conversation.

PurposeJenn Shallvey6 September 2008

It takes two to have a deal making conversation

Ok, I need to share with you a conversationI observed the other day. I alsodisclaim up front that my judgement metre was on high alert.

I was at a restaurant waiting to meetsomeone for dinner. A meeting wascancelled at the last minute so I had extra time to enjoy a glass (or two) ofwine in the outdoor area next to Sydney harbour.

As I sat there a group of four businessmen arrivedand sat at a table two over from me. This seemed to be a serious meetingbetween four people. They all sat down to drinks. It was so serious that they all kept theirjackets on. I presumed a businessdevelopment meeting.

I was going to ignore them and enjoy somewriting up of notes from my day when I started to hear them talking. I couldnot help but listen, especially to the large bellowing voice of the man in thecentre of the conversation, the “Visitor”. The Visitor spoke so loud that I am sure you could hear him across Sydney Harbour to Luna Park.

Doing businessJenn Shallvey18 August 2008

Gratitude

I notice a lot how we are marketed to through billboards on the roads we travel. What stands out to me these days are not the flashy photos, the big glaring signs as wide as a building, the half naked partying people enjoying alcohol saying if I drink this I will have fun too.

No what seems to be catching my eye of late are the statements posted up manually on the various church noticeboards. Who chooses these statements? Where do they come from? Sometimes they are of course religious - well these are churches putting the message out there. I seem however to be drawn to the more generic messages as if they were my own mind speaking out to me. So in today's post I would like to include a couple that had particular meaning for me based on observations of people I meet and conversations I have had of late.

Bulletin board 1 said "Never give up. It may be just the time the tide turns."

ReflectionsJenn Shallvey6 August 2008

Take the garbage out

Tonight is garbage collection night. Driving along the street I noticed how my neighbours were neatly lining their garbage bins on the side of the road for collection tomorrow morning. It all looked so methodical and orderly. I am amazed at the routine and function of garbage collection as a service in any community. In suburbia and cities we often take it for granted that our waste can be so easily and conveniently discarded. It is almost as if out of sight, out of mind.

I know that there is a lot more to garbage collection than

WellbeingJenn Shallvey31 July 2008

Feedback is a gift, not an entitlement

As human beings we need to assert our position, views and ideas. It is part of being authentic to say what we think about a situation, an issue or any topic that may arise in a conversation. To express ourselves is healthy and complete.

Yet how and when we choose our comments is critical.

Speak first party, not third party

It is easy to speak third party language any day. But it is another thing to converse in first party. What I mean by this is we often can talk about other people when they are not present. We can run through the whole gamut of good and bad in one entire conversation. The person to which we refer simply remains a cognitive construct, a convenient reference point in the minds of both conversationalists.

CoachingJenn Shallvey30 July 2008

People you know can be angels too

I have had the most remarkable experience over the past few weeks in regard to people helping me. I must write about this as an example of how the world can work if we want it to.

Basic business

Most exchanges that take place in the business world are purely commercial, ie money changes hands and the person providing the service or goods pays for what they get. At another level such services and goods are also donated in a philanthropic gesture of good will to support those in need or less fortunate.

A different type of business

The missing exchange, the one I find rare in commodity, is the exchange of services and goods to assist another person who is equal to you in the business world without expecting money in return. Now some would cynically say, oh this is simply bartering. And yes I would agree that there are many systems in place equivalent to bartering.

Doing businessJenn Shallvey24 July 2008