Monday, 26 April 2010

If you think you can, you can!

Today I came across this poem from the poet C. W. Longenecker.

You Can If You Think You Can!

If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win, but you think you can't,
It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow's will.
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You've got to think high to rise,
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But soon or late the man who wins,
Is the man who thinks he can.

~ C. W. Longenecker ~


Thursday, 22 April 2010

Anyone for ...daffodil therapy?

http://www.frasersfotos.com/index.php
I did consider posting some poetry to accompany this picture but then I thought that you might like a quiet moment viewing the daffodils.

I invite you to take a minute to escape from the busyness of the day.

So enjoy the daffodils and whatever else the new season of spring brings to you.

Thursday, 15 April 2010

How creative are you?

Earlier today when I sat down to write I was distracted by the activity in my garden. Some days I can be distracted so easily although I do confess that I quite enjoy sitting at the dining room table and gazing out through the French windows. Much more conducive to creative writing than working from the desk in the work space upstairs. By moving to a more creative space I believe this helps the creative thoughts flow. Well that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it!

What caught my eye was a female blackbird flitting around my garden picking up moss and straw to line her nest which she has built in a hedge near the garden fence. She has been building it for a couple of days now and it’s coming along very nicely, not that I’m an authority on blackbird nests you understand. But when I’ve sneaked a look, it looked quite impressive. In fact I would go as far to say that it’s a work of art. She must be feeling pretty proud of her handiwork. The male blackbird (presumably her mate) stopped by occasionally. I haven’t seen him build or carry anything to the nest. Maybe his role is more of a project management one!

The nest building exercise made me reflect on work and working styles. How some of us like to fully engage in the activity and others who are quite content to be more ‘hands off’. I enjoy when an organisation encourages innovation and creativity within the workplace. I love to hear the energies rise and the motivation levels rocket. Often there are some great ideas and solutions to problems from people engaged within an organisation, if only we (managers / employers) would acknowledge these untapped talents. In my opinion a good organisation encourages the company to grow and develop more by tapping into the resources and talents of its people.

Emm wondering what other talents the blackbird with the project management skills has to offer?

Wednesday, 7 April 2010

Tips for bloggers – Tip 1: Blog dipping

To keep a blog updated requires discipline, dedication and dipping … yes, you’ve read right, dipping! Dipping in and out of other people’s blogs is a good way to learn about the ‘what else’. What else is going on in the world? What else is going on in life? I find myself ‘blog dipping’ a lot particularly when I go to update my own blog. It can be a dangerous process blog dipping as very often I find myself miles away from where I first started. Imagine that, travelling far away without ever having to leave the desk and the laptop. Hurrah for the internet. I just love to see where the virtual road takes me.

Today it took me to The Blue Cabin, near Strangford Loch in N. Ireland. Although I’ve never visited the area in person embarrassing really as I hail originally from N. Ireland (Note to self - add to the must do list), I spent some time there today courtesy of the website, blog and video wandering in the peace and tranquillity of nature. Most therapeutic. I enjoyed reading about the arrival of the Terns and wondered if they created the same sense of awe and amazement I experience when the Red Kites swoop and soar in the skies above my home. These birds have often been the cause of distraction when I work from home but a welcome distraction I hasten to add.

I'm interested to know where the virtual road takes you this week and what did you find when you got there.

Is it worth sharing?

Sunday, 28 March 2010

A blogging dilemma



Oh dear, thirteen days since my last posting. So much for my best intentions of writing a regular blog. And a regular log is ... daily, weekly, monthly? Well I had planned that I would post at least weekly but I guess I got side tracked with life events, working, catching up with friends, more working, looking at new job opportunities, celebrating St Patrick's day (17 March!), attending a few training courses, consolidating the learning, organising time to spend with family ... so blogging got shelved for thirteen days. I promise to get back back into the habit of blogging again. My blogging buddy Caroline at 'Getting to Excellent' is quite an authority on the subject of habits as well as measuring ways to get to excellence. She did confess on line (so brave!) that she had one of two challenges with managing her caffeine habit but overall she did it. I was impressed. I plan to follow her sound advice on 'creating a blog habit' i.e. writing a blog post regularly.

I had planned to blog today about how wonderful it was to have started the first day of summer. I actually spent two hours in my garden potting, pottering and admiring my 'host of daffodils'. The sun was out and the sky was blue and it was very therapeutic time digging and working in the earth. I so enjoyed the first of many long days of light.

Monday, 15 March 2010

Have you arrived at the Element?

At the moment I’m reading and enjoying ‘The Element’ by Ken Robinson and fellow author Lou Aronica. Sir Ken is one of the world’s leading thinkers on creativity and innovation and he is an international leader in the field of developing human potential. In THE ELEMENT which he defines as ‘the point at which natural talent meets personal passion’, he demonstrates how and when people reach the Element, they feel ‘most themselves, most inspired and achieve at their highest levels’. He explores the parts innovation, creativity and commitment to our own capabilities play in finding the Element and in doing so provides some great insights and lots of food for thought.

His thoughts, stories and insights make for inspirational reading.

I wonder how many of us have already found our ‘element’. I’m curious to know what that’s like. As for me, well I guess I’m still at the exploration stage - exploring the things that I feel quite passionate about. I'm giving thought and consideration to what may become the specific passion that changes everything. And you, where are you at? When are you in your ‘element’?

Have a good week.

Thursday, 4 March 2010

A matter of time

Time is more value than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.

Jim Rohn


What would you do if you had more time?

How would you spend it?

Who would you spend it with?

What are you waiting for? Go for it!