New Year's Resolution: Strive to Be Happy

Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness."

Happiness – that's the watchword! All resolutions should be geared towards bringing greater happiness to the individual. The pursuit and accomplishment of a resolution should bring more peace and fulfillment; should allow one’s authenticity to shine through and take the place of fear, shame, doubt, sadness, and discontent.

Thus, striving to be happy is the essential framework for the setting of resolutions. I feel many resolutions are set in a framework of shame, that one is not living up to one’s potential; or discontent, that one is not good enough as one is, or does not have enough.

No wonder resolutions tend to fail. The emotion behind them, even if unstated or unacknowledged, is negative. Many people despair when they look at their resolutions in the cold light of January 2nd, because the list just reminds them how lacking they believe they are.

Equally sad is those people who are high achievers who bend their will to fulfill all their goals, yet at the end of the day still aren't happy. There's a real disconnect there!

What makes you happy?

Making good resolutions is a process that starts with defining what makes you happy. I honestly believe – and have often experienced – that goals are most quickly achieved when there is an undercurrent of excitement about them. If a resolution does not make you feel joyful, or excited, or filled with eager anticipation, then it is likely to fail. And what happens then? You find yourself trapped in a negative cycle of feeling bad, setting an uninspiring goal, and feeling worse when the desired end fails to materialize.

Invest time in some inner exploration to identify that which makes you really happy. Recall moments of pure happiness in your past – even if they were fleeting. Try out some ideas in your mind and ask yourself if the thought of them really makes you happy – or are they in fact being suggested by guilt or shame or some other negative emotion?

Living an authentic life is very happy-making. Authenticity is honoring who you really are, doing what you are meant to do, developing your innate skills and talents, and living the kind of life that leaves a unique legacy when you are gone.

When you are living authentically, you feel “right” in yourself. It’s like flying in the slipstream – you know you are on the right course. There is less drag on your energy. The milestones ahead are consonant with your vision for your life.

When you have a few ideas that make you happy, jot them down on your list of resolutions.


Obstacles to being happy

Many people don't know how to be happy. True story! They pursue the wrong ends, are too scattered or cluttered to be effective, try to be something they are not, or suffer from topsy-turvy beliefs that damage their self-esteem and drive. Here are four common stumbling blocks that prevent many people from being happy.

1. External focus – “Stuff will make me happy.”

Happiness is an inward quality, but in our culture, we are brainwashed to believe that happiness is something you get from things, such as accumulating more and fancier belongings; or from circumstances, such as having a particular job or living in a particular place; or status, such as being married or being famous. People allow themselves to feel unhappy because they lack those things or that status. What rubbish! Jesus called this “building your house on sand.” Buddha clearly taught that we only feel peace when we rid ourselves of attachment to such longings. You don’t have to be religious to realize that dialing down your longing for externals makes room in the heart for emotional equilibrium. If possessions, circumstances, or status are the primary source of your happiness, then you condemn yourself to misery when your situation changes and you lose part or even all of your talismans.

2. Future focus – “I’ll be happy when …”

True happiness is not conditional on circumstances. I once met a woman who had been unhappy for years. She persisted in thinking that when her family moved again, or something else in her situation had changed, she would finally be happy. She projected all her hopes into an ephemeral future and lived in a state of misery.

Friends, unhappiness is a shadow that packs its bags and moves with you. You must find happiness here and now, in this place and moment – or not at all.

3. Negative thoughts – “Oh, woe is me!”

Perhaps it’s part of the human condition, but some people get so stuck in patterns of negative thinking that they can never be truly happy. Stop it now! If you suffer from this, you need to reboot your brain by practicing positive affirmations and learning to look for the good around you. Teach yourself the art of appreciating little things every day. 

4. Negative speech - “Oh, woe is me,” part 2.

The worst thing anyone can do is to worry out loud. There is an energy behind words that “puts it out there” into the universe and may attract the thing you fear. Negative words affect the mood of others, too, and bringing down the people around you is hideously counter-productive.

How to be happy

1. Apply possibility thinking to your problems.

Instead of dwelling on a problem and using your fertile imagination to explore all the terrible ramifications that could result, turn your thoughts around and imagine all the possible solutions and upsides. Force yourself, if you need to – “fake it till you make it,” as they say. Your mood will lift as the heaviness of the problem is whittled away by thoughts of solutions, workarounds, and remediation. “Chance favors only the prepared mind,” said Louis Pasteur. Prepare to find a happy outcome by planting thoughts of positive possibilities in your mind.

2. Really know that happiness is an inside job.

You have to truly make this statement an integral part of your belief system. Sure, we can enjoy acquiring new things or piling up more money or singing like an angel or having a body like Superman or Wonder Woman, or insert your old resolutions here. That’s all part of the enjoyment of life, and we should all try to better ourselves and the world as much as we can. But remember that enduring happiness is that eternal glow that comes from within and is not dependent on things, circumstances, or status.

3. Indulge yourself sometimes.

Many people feel guilty if they are not doing for others 24/7. Being other-centered is a virtue, but if service to others does not spring from a well of joy and charity in our heart, it becomes a burden. It makes us bitter, angry and tired, and the resulting stress can lead to physical illness. When your resolution framework is “strive to be happy,” you will be able to find the right balance between service to others and care of the self.

4. Make room for happiness by cleaning the "house" of your heart.

I don't know how anyone who is burdened with guilt, shame, or sin could feel happy. But I do know some great ways to lighten that load. For many people, turning their life over to Christ and receiving divine forgiveness bears immediate results. But for most people, including Christians, honestly facing one's weaknesses and faults and restoring one's relationships is a process that takes some time. 

The gold standard for cleaning up one's life is the Twelve Steps. If you do not struggle with an addiction (or a relationship with an addict) you do not have to join a group. The Twelve Steps in themselves are effective for everyone. Pay particular attention to the steps in which you ask God for help, take a personal inventory, and make amends to those whom you have hurt.

5. Stay open to the unexpected.

Deepak Chopra makes a wonderful case for embracing the unexpected: "When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities." Making resolutions, or plans of any kind, that are too watertight, closes the door on the possibility of something even better happening. One could also say, "Expect a miracle." Why not?!

6. Be happy with what you have.

How many things did you buy because you thought they would make you happy? Almost everything you own, I bet! So instead of hitting the mall or the online shops yet again, stop. Look around you, and enjoy every single thing you have right now. Appreciate what each item does to make your life a little better. It is probably sufficient for your needs. So let gratitude well up in you. When your heart is full, you won’t feel such a craving to go spend more money on more stuff. This is an excellent way to reduce debt as well.

Strive to be happy 

Can this simple phrase really be your only resolution? Quite possibly, it could. You may wish to add some color and excitement to your resolution by also jotting down those things that make you happy and will enable you to live your most authentic life. You could also create life categories such as health, family, relationships, talents, finances, leisure, self-improvement, and so on, which may help you organize your thoughts and remember some additional areas you'd like to be happy in. Just please, ask yourself what would true happiness would look like in all those categories before you write down any tiresome, old-style goals.

Keep your eye on the prize, as they say, and keep believing you can attain it. If you are really excited about your resolution, your beliefs will fire up a sub-current of activity that naturally guides your behavior and effort in that direction.

When you strive for happiness, you will be more powerful and successful in everything you undertake.

Wishing all my readers a happy year ahead!

---

Quotes for inspiration


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." - Philippians 4:8

"Pray, hope and don't worry." - Padre Pio

I have met the crone within, and she is us

By Cynthia Edwards
Dec. 18, 2002

If you read self-help books, as I do, you’ll know that many of the New Age authors recommend exercises of the imagination where you turn inward to meet and gain wisdom from an inner sage. This persona is sometimes called the higher self, a spiritual guide, or, more suspiciously, for women, the Crone Within.

As intrigued as I am by the idea of absorbing wisdom without having to buy any more self-help books, I’m rather afraid that if I meet some inner android who claims to know more than I do, she will turn out to be an evil step-mother type, looking like Cruella De Vil and giving me advice like I should wear nice underwear in case I get hit by a bus.

Psychotherapists—from Dr. Phil on down—also tell us that even healthy people have voices living inside, which may do damage if allowed to prattle on, unchecked. There is the inner critic, for instance, who is constantly taunting us and never letting us get away with anything. Even our good deeds can get a thorough hosing by the inner critic if he or she is inclined to be scrupulous.

It’s bad enough for an overweight person like myself to feel that there is a thin person inside struggling to get out (or as Edina Monsoon’s mother dryly observed, “Just the one, dear?”). But to know there is also a crone waiting to be birthed, a sage puffing up to pontificate, and a possibly pipe-smoking critic hoping to spread vitriol far and wide—a girl starts sympathizing deeply with Greta Garbo who just wanted to be alone.

If all these personae are known to be living inside me, recently I started to wonder who else might be lurking in the shadows of my psyche. Feeling pretty sure that I was sound enough of mind to face the truth, I decided to hold a town hall meeting of my inner selves. I closed my eyes, and imagined.

The Brothers Grimm meet the U.N. 

 

It was my visualization, so I got to choose the setting. I was going for a five-star Riviera hotel banquet scene, with soft white table cloths, champagne-filled goblets, delectable catering and waiters who had stepped straight off the pages of the Chippendales calendar. However, I couldn’t seem to conjure all that up. In practice the scene looked like a Colonial meeting hall—very plain, with wooden floors and folding chairs. Oh, well, I thought. At least there’s room enough here for all the characters to assemble.

And indeed there was, but only because the room kept expanding to accommodate newcomers, as though it had ingested one of Alice in Wonderland’s magic mushrooms. Peeking out from behind a curtain, I watched them come in. I saw Echoes of my Childhood. Shades of my Past. Intimations of Things to Come. I counted a number of brightly dressed extroverts, and some bossy ladies in sensible shoes and a strong sense of self-assurance. There were thoughtful characters who sat down and observed, as I did, with an air of quiet amusement. A Harlequin swung across the ceiling on a trapeze, singing, and somewhere at the back, a baby hiccupped.

When a few hundred good, bad and generally confused characters had arrived, I started the proceedings by banging my shoe on the podium. I had to do something to get their attention above the din. Everyone was talking at once, it seemed, and not all in the pleasantest of tones. It was a family reunion, after all. You’ve got to expect a little chaos, and some pushing and shoving for the most prominent place.

When the cacophony had subsided to a dull roar, I addressed the group.

“Hello, and welcome,” I began, trying not to show my unease at the large number of totally unrecognized faces.

“Sez you,” came a jeer from the back, and there was a general tittering. The Inner Jackass had made its appearance. I plunged ahead.

“I have gathered you here today to get to know you, and find out if any of you have needs that are perhaps unmet, or contributions you can make to my growth as a person.” I had started to sweat, and I prayed it wasn’t visible from the audience. I knew from experience this was an unpredictable crowd.

Olga, my Inner Gypsy and a familiar adversary, did an ostentatious twirl in the aisle and smacked her tambourine, rattling it until all eyes were fixed upon her. With her sultry looks and black tumultuous hair she was a fetching sight. Effective attention-getting devices, I thought in a detached manner.

“Ve vant to travel!” she cried in a throaty Hungarian voice. “Ve vant to step into our colorful gypsy cart and roam around ze world, playing sensuous music by day and dancing around ze fire by night!” The crowd was swept away with this image. They stamped their feet and hooted their approval. I was as enchanted as the rest.

“OK! More travel,” I said, scribbling a note. “Anyone else? Who’s next?”

A long, lean fellow in a tight velvet suit with yards of lace dangling from his cuffs rose to his feet and waved his pince-nez in the air in little circles. “Sink me,” he exclaimed in a thoroughly affected British accent, “a trip to Paris would be most welcome. And along the way we could wear disguises and defeat the forces of evil. If you could—ahem!—put that on your little list.” And he twiddled his index finger in the direction of my notepad.

My inner Scarlet Pimpernel had spoken, and that was two check-marks for a trip abroad. Hey, we’re getting somewhere, I thought. Maybe this explains some of the longings I have felt to get up and go somewhere. Maybe this explains my exquisite manners and the last frilly blouse I purchased, too. But just as I was relaxing and thinking the exercise was making sense, a large, boorish woman with talons for hands marched up on stage and shoved me aside. She sank her claws into the podium and leaned threateningly towards the audience, which collectively shrank back to the precise degree she was leaning forward. Then this Inner Harpy began a harangue that would have shredded the ego of Super Girl. Suddenly I knew who was making my plants wither during the dark hours of the night, and leaving rings around the bathtub.

Fortunately the crowd was united in their disapproval of the Harpy, and she was quickly escorted off the stage and out of our consciousness by a gaggle of kindly but determined nuns.

The demon exorcised, the rest of us were able to relax and have fun.

A few more characters who felt neglected spoke up and expressed their needs, all of which I noted for future action. I looked around for the Thin Woman who’s supposed to live inside me, but I honestly didn’t see her. Of course she might be so emaciated she’d be invisible behind a gypsy mandolin. I also looked in hope for the elegant, high-fashion Me I was sure must be dying to take control of my wardrobe. But if she was there, she must have fallen off her spike heels and run to the bathroom for a repair. Again, I was disappointed.

As the session drew to a close, a genteel elderly woman in rimless glasses, leaning slightly on a knobby cane, delivered some surprisingly insightful and inspirational comments, and with this closure, the scene faded quietly away.

Back in consciousness, I wondered about the meaning of all this. Am I, like Benjamin Franklin’s biographer said of him, a “harmonious human multitude”? Am I ruler of a ‘queendom’ of subjects having varying talents and qualities? I suspect it is it all just a metaphor for the glorious and messy thing we call human life.

Meeting so many personae in my dream gave me one insight that had been eluding me for the last decade or more. Having many intelligences and talents coiled within makes me feel like a person who is pregnant with possibilities. And like all pregnant ladies, I’m not just eating for one. When you’re feeding as many egos as I am, you’re bound to put on little weight.

Reflections after reading "Proof of Heaven"

A couple of weeks ago I read "Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife" by Eben Alexander and I was shocked to discover that his experience of heaven (the part he called "the Core") exactly matches mine, as published in my book "Creative Spirit Musings" (see the very last story for my description). 

Alexander also talks about a "Gateway" area which precedes the Core, which looks like a charming valley full of happy people in colorful, peasant-like dress. I have "flown" over that exact scene many times in my visions or dreams. 

Several ideas or principles started to occur to me after I read Dr. Alexander's story, and I decided to capture them here. These are just jottings, stream-of-consciousness-style, with no hierarchy and no attempt yet to make them into a coherent argument or treatise.

1. We are too bound up by our idea of playing out roles we feel are assigned to us (in the family and other relationships). Whereas all we need to do is to love, emanate love, for others, and relationships will work out fine.
2. We already own all there is in the universe (co-own might be a better word). Take care of what you have right now and don't worry about the rest. If you need more it will come in the right time. Coveting "stuff" makes our spirits shrink.
3. There is a purpose to being on earth, which has to do with love and growth, but I am unable to articulate it broadly enough yet.
4. We are all part of one vast fabric of power and existence (love) that exists in many dimensions. To flow with it is better than to fight against it.
5. We do not lose our individuality (after physical death) but our individuality is not characterized by ego, in its essence. 
6. More to come. 

Angel Nebula

Bake sales banned? Try these fundraisers.

The State of Massachusetts is banning bake sales at schools because of their alarm about childhood obesity. Leaving aside the fact that most of the goodies sold at bake sales are purchased by other parents, and not children, I put on my thinking cap to find alternative sales that would still help the band get to camp.



Tying Fishing Flies

Fish is good for you -- it makes you smarter and it keeps you lean. So let's encourage children to learn about fishing, and while they're at it, the kids can make and sell Fat Alberts and Nosepickers to raise funds. After all, their little fingers are ideally suited to tying those fiddly little pieces together. Don't forget to issue gloves so the kids won't poke their fingers on the hooks.


Reinvent Bob-a-Job week 

Lord Baden-Powell invented this scheme as a way to keep Scouts busy doing good deeds during their holidays. A bob was a shilling (in the olde money) -- call it a dime in the U.S. Of course, the British Health & Safety officiousness shut down this Scout program with all the angst Massachusetts has heaped on brownies. However, it has risen again in safer form. Taking a tip from the Brits, our own children can perform supervised car washes or reforestation programs to earn their new cheerleader uniforms.

Teach Granny to use a computer

Every kid these days starts using computers and related devices around the age of one. By the time they're in first grade, half of them can probably design web sites and provide tech help. Let's use those skills to raise some money for the team! Parents and grandparents can pay for mentoring from school kids and learn how to use their computer, smart phone, digital dishwasher, TV remote -- wherever the need is greatest.

Quiet time

What do parents want? Peace and quiet. What do kids want? Video games. Voilà -- in this fundraiser, the parents buy all the video games from the confiscated items box at the school, and give them to their kids to play in their rooms. Here's an awesome fundraiser that will put kids and parents in happy harmony.

A holy day for atheists?

FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY

In Florida, an atheist created a legal case against Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays."

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, Counsel, is woefully ignorant."

The lawyer said, " Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fool’s Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day.

“Court is adjourned."

Quote of the Day

"What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone?  How else can we put ourselves in harmonious relation with the great verities and consolations of the infinite and the eternal?" 

~ Winston Churchill, Dundee, Scotland, 10 October 1908.

Two ways to get more money and stuff

1. Acquire useful skills like math or languages or plumbing or anything people need; learn great work habits so that when employers are hiring, they will want you; save your money and spend carefully so you will have a reserve.*
   
2. Force the people from #1 above to give you theirs (also called stealing). 

* Hat tip to Ben Stein for this abbreviated list.

How 9/11 lead to the birth of Meetup

I received this touching email from the founder of Meetup today. I thought it deserved a wide readership so I copy it here.

---

Fellow Meetuppers,

I don't write to our whole community often, but this week is special because it's the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and many people don't know that Meetup is a 9/11 baby.

Let me tell you the Meetup story. I was living a couple miles from the Twin Towers, and I was the kind of person who thought local community doesn't matter much if we've got the internet and tv. The only time I thought about my neighbors was when I hoped they wouldn't bother me.

When the towers fell, I found myself talking to more neighbors in the days after 9/11 than ever before. People said hello to neighbors (next-door and across the city) who they'd normally ignore. People were looking after each other, helping each other, and meeting up with each other. You know, being neighborly.

A lot of people were thinking that maybe 9/11 could bring people together in a lasting way. So the idea for Meetup was born: Could we use the internet to get off the internet -- and grow local communities?

We didn't know if it would work. Most people thought it was a crazy idea -- especially because terrorism is designed to make people distrust one another.

A small team came together, and we launched Meetup 9 months after 9/11.

Today, almost 10 years and 10 million Meetuppers later, it's working. Every day, thousands of Meetups happen. Moms Meetups, Small Business Meetups, Fitness Meetups... a wild variety of 100,000 Meetup Groups with not much in common -- except one thing.

Every Meetup starts with people simply saying hello to neighbors. And what often happens next is still amazing to me. They grow businesses and bands together, they teach and motivate each other, they babysit each other's kids and find other ways to work together. They have fun and find solace together. They make friends and form powerful community. It's powerful stuff.

It's a wonderful revolution in local community, and it's thanks to everyone who shows up.

Meetups aren't about 9/11, but they may not be happening if it weren't for 9/11.

9/11 didn't make us too scared to go outside or talk to strangers. 9/11 didn't rip us apart. No, we're building new community together!!!!

The towers fell, but we rise up. And we're just getting started with these Meetups.

Scott Heiferman (on behalf of 80 people at Meetup HQ)
Co-Founder & CEO, Meetup
New York City
September 2011

Quotes of the Day - Horace

"He who postpones the hour of living rightly is like the rustic who waits for the river to run out before he crosses."

"He will always be a slave who does not know how to live upon a little."

"Of writing well the source and fountainhead is wise thinking."

"The years as they pass plunder us of one thing after another."

"Force without wisdom falls of its own weight."

"Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow!"

"Whoever cultivates the golden mean avoids both the poverty of a hovel and the envy of a palace."

If the end of the world were really nigh, what would you do differently?

Some popular (not to say crank) theories floating around predict a relatively imminent End of the World.

• Harold Camping expects that the Rapture will occur on May 21, 2011 (a week from this writing).
• Some interpreters of the Mayan calendar calculate that the end of the world is coming on Dec. 21, 2012. (What is so dreadful about the number 21, I wonder?)

Whether the end will be precipitated by rapture, rupture, or (my personal favorite) the second law of thermodynamics, how would it change your life if you actually believed you knew the date of such an occurrence?

Armageddon outta here 

Talk about a perception shift. I think it would concentrate the mind wonderfully, and cause one to clarify one's philosophy of life in a hurry. What values are really important? What actions might have eternal consequences, and thus need to be taken immediately?

As a natural skeptic, I am pretty sure I would hedge my bets no matter how strong my belief in an impending cataclysm. I wouldn't burn any bridges, literally or figuratively. I would not sell the house, max out my credit cards, tell off my boss, or do a smash-and-grab at Neiman Marcus.

I wouldn't fritter away my time, either. My priorities would be to repent for my sins as best I could, heal any broken relationships that were within my power to do so, and stay as close to my family members (and pets) as possible.

I would enjoy myself, too, in some harmless carnal ways -- the condemned prisoner's last meal, sort of thing. Chocolate pancakes come to mind. But the key to enjoying my last days would consist in moderation. I'd hate to waste my final hours having a stomach ache or a hangover.

I would enjoy Nature as much as possible, but not be afraid of staying indoors. If the Rapture were really coming, I'm quite sure it wouldn't require retractable roofs to work.

I would draw a line under my level of accomplishments and my life's œuvre. Another jot or tittle here or there would have no meaning if the world were ending in a few days. I'd put away the drafts. Stop updating the blog. Resign myself to never organizing my photos, speaking Italian, playing the piano, or becoming a saint.

The bucket list, abridged

That doesn't mean I wouldn't address any of the items on my bucket list. Some would be impossible to accomplish in a short time period (that cruise around the world) and others would be too frivolous to spend my energy on (dancing a quadrille in period costume). But I would want to enjoy some other things -- like taking a safari, or lolling around in warm ocean waters. This would clearly be the time to show my appreciation for God's great handiwork in Creation.

On reflection, there is nothing stopping me from doing the high-priority things mentioned above right now. That is the true benefit of clarifying your values. It tells you how to live in the now, and to live without regrets.

Your turn 

I'm curious to know how other people would spend their last days under the conviction that the entire world was coming to an end. Please comment below, and let's compare notes. 

 

THINK before you speak

THINK ... before you speak or write.

1. Is it True?
2. Is it Helpful?
3. Is it Inspiring?
4. Is it Necessary?
5. Is it Kind?

How to receive criticism

I'm one of those people who react badly to criticism. I don't mean to -- it's an ingrained habit for me to respond with fear and defensiveness instead of remaining calm and listening. Probably goes back to some trauma in my childhood. But you see, in reality I welcome constructive criticism because it gives me a new perspective on myself and helps me grow or change in positive ways. 



So I thought about how I could overcome my knee-jerk reactions and instead of feeling threatened, move more quickly to a space of reason and openness. The result was the six-step process you see above. I believe that by consciously following these steps I will be able to improve the way I receive criticism, protect my relationships with those who offer me a chance to know myself better, and implement healthful changes more rapidly.

What do you think -- would this process work for you, too?

The homeless man with the golden radio voice

This is another reason why we should never make casual assumptions about people we meet. We could be oh, so wrong. God bless you, Ted Williams, and stay clean!

View ABC news story

10 Organizational Lessons from the Ordeal of the Chilean Miners

Winner, 2011
Silver Award
of Distinction

By Cynthia Edwards
October 16, 2010




The saga of the 33 miners in Chile who were imprisoned underground for 70 days claimed the hearts and attention of the whole world. Millions of people were riveted by the scenes of the final phase of the rescue operation, as one by one, the trapped men were successfully restored to freedom and their families.

There are important lessons to be learned from this event and the way it was handled that can be applied in any organization that finds itself in serious trouble.

1. In dark times, live lean.
Is your business crumbling? Has a key project imploded? Does your organization’s future look doomed to failure? Think about this: for 17 days, the 33 Chilean miners had no contact with people on the outside and no way of knowing if they ever would. They lived on two teaspoons of tuna fish every other day. Their world was sunless, airless, and seemingly hopeless. They survived physically through the strength of their determination and strict self-discipline. If times are hard in your business, tighten your belt and run lean until the situation turns around. Postpone new purchases, use up excess inventory, sell off non-essential assets.

2. Keep some perspective.
Whatever you are going through right now, it is not as bad as what the miners endured. Nor is it ever likely to be as bad. Don’t panic, don’t go to pieces, and never give up. Be grateful for every single thing you can do to effect a turnaround. Dig deep inside yourself for reserves of strength and endurance -- which every miner will affirm are there.

3. Establish leadership and a routine.
Whether you are battling the recession, a corporate downturn, a scandal, or any other cave-in equivalent, the way to manage through it is to stay focused on what you can do and maintain discipline in the ranks. The miners organized themselves in teams with leaders and specialists, which created an orderly framework that supported morale in their darkest hours. Give your employees specific tasks that are within their capabilities, communicate expectations, and organize them under respected leaders who will put their shoulders to the same wheel and set a clear example.

4. Keep your spirits up.
One miner testified that he met both God and the Devil in the pit – and God won. Employees too can feel beaten down and depressed when they work in a company or department that is failing. Identify your corporate demons and don’t let them win. Give pep talks. Go back to your mission, vision and values to find your motivation to keep fighting. In what belief or power – higher than yourself and your situation – can you find faith and strength?

5. When you see a ray of light, get galvanized.
17 days after the cave-in that trapped the miners, rescuers finally punched a hole the circumference of a grapefruit into their dank chamber. The miners tapped on the drill bit to signal their presence, and then painted the tip red! That narrow conduit was their salvation, as it brought them food, water, medicine, clothing, sleeping cots, and a host of ingeniously packaged survival gear. In your battle, stay alert to tiny signs that things are turning around: grab hold of them, make the most of them, and – why not? – paint them red!

6. When you can’t do everything yourself, work with outside experts.
The miners could not tunnel out by themselves, and the rescue teams above ground sought and received help from the international community, notably NASA. A drowning business often, if not always, needs outside help, from organizational, financial, advertising, PR, or other appropriate experts. This is not the time to be proud – get the best advice you can and learn from professionals who have been instrumental in triaging other companies like yours.

7. Participate in your own rescue.
As soon as the drilling of the escape route began in earnest, the miners set to work clearing rubble and enabling their own release in every way possible. They even exercised so they could be sure to fit inside the Phoenix, their narrow rescue pod. You too must take ownership of your turnaround, working hard, following expert advice and neutralizing any internal politics that may work against your greater interests.

8. Lead from the top.
Against the urging of his advisers, who feared he would suffer political damage if the very real hazards inherent in the rescue mission resulted in a disaster, Chile’s President Piñera took the visible helm of the rescue effort. He was present throughout the 30-hour dénouement, and hugged and congratulated each miner who emerged from the rocky tomb. Piñera’s moral courage and dedication to doing what was right earned him global respect, and enhanced Chile’s national reputation all the more. Likewise, your senior leadership must be seen to be rallying all their forces on behalf of the company. Cancel the CEO's vacation and any boondoggles for the senior executives until your business is in the clear again.

9. When you are above ground again, enjoy the moment but keep your head.
The miners are now heroes, and understandably have been offered jobs, vacations, money to tell their stories, and all manner of honors and emoluments. Yet they have asked to be left alone, for time to be with their families, to process the ordeal, and readjust to normal life. Eventually your business will turn around, and when it does, you, too, will be experiencing a new normal. By all means, celebrate! Reward those who stood with you in hard times and helped pull the business through. But now you must operate on the principles you have learned, maintaining a steady keel, better than ever prepared to meet the next challenge. Don’t let old, bad habits reassert themselves, or overextend your reach.

10. Hold responsible parties accountable.
The mining disaster in Chile could have been prevented. Safety violations, dangerously overworked mines, and slovenly, callous management all had a part. Wisely, the company that operated the mine in Copiapo was not permitted to take part in the rescue effort, and many government heads rolled as soon as the truth was known. Don’t let the people who contributed to your disaster go unscathed, and never allow leaders who are dishonest, untrustworthy or incompetent to participate in your turnaround. The sooner you show them the door, the sooner you can regain the respect and trust of employees, investors, consumers, suppliers, media and analysts, and ride your own Phoenix to freedom.

(c) Cynthia Edwards. All rights reserved. This article may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without permission of the author. Click here to contact by email. 

Which one are you?

Two stonecutters are hard at work. A man walks by and asks one what he is doing.

The cutter replies, “I am cutting this stone so it will be smooth and square and fit in with the other stones.”

The man asks the second cutter the same question, and he replies, “I am building a cathedral.”

The 6 C's of Character

Michael Josephson of Character Counts! (http://www.charactercounts.org/) proposes the “Six C’s of Character”:

1. Be a person of conscience. Listen to the inner voice that helps you know right from wrong and urges you to do what is good and noble.
2. Be courageous. Resolve to confront the challenges and choices of your life forthrightly. Make the tough decisions that need to be made and, above all, maintain your integrity by doing what you know to be right even when it costs more than you want to pay.
3. Be considerate. Be more deliberative, thoughtful and attentive as to how your words and actions will affect others, and reflect on your character. Think ahead so you can avoid undesirable and undesired consequences.
4. Be compassionate. Demonstrate a genuine concern for the well-being of others. Be kinder and more charitable. Strive to understand more and judge less.
5. Be confident in your capacity to overcome with integrity and dignity whatever difficulties come your way. Don’t underestimate your resiliency. Resolve to persist until you prevail.
6. Control strong emotions, appetites and urges that tempt you to compromise your principles or sacrifice long-term goals for short-term indulgences.

How to clean your toothbrush

Does it ever strike you as unhygienic that you place your toothbrush in your mouth multiple times per day without washing it between times? You wouldn't do that with a spoon you had used for eating, would you?

One hopes that the use of toothpaste on the brush and a good rinsing of the bristles before hanging it up again are sufficient measures to keep it sanitary enough for daily use. But every now and then, and especially if you are battling a viral or bacterial infection such as the flu or strep, it's a good idea to sanitize your toothbrush more completely.

Here are three ways I have come up with to clean a toothbrush.

1. Put the toothbrush bristles-down in a small ceramic or tempered glass bowl or cup with 1 teaspoon of baking soda in it, and pour boiling water in the cup to the top of the bristles. (Note: a cheap toothbrush may melt a little under this treatment. You will have to throw it out if this happens.)
2. Place the brush with the bristles down in a small cup, and cover with antiseptic mouthwash. Allow to soak for several minutes before rinsing out the brush and hanging it up to dry. (You can also use vinegar or lemon juice, which are natural antiseptic substances, but these will not taste pleasant next time you brush. Do not use a non-food-grade antiseptic.)
3. My favorite method is simply to place the toothbrush in the cutlery holder in the dishwasher and run it through with the dishes. You can use the "sanitize" setting if you have it, but it's not really necessary. Your toothbrush will be sweet and clean at the end of the cycles, and will have no soapy flavor.

As a daily practice, be sure you allow your toothbrush to dry out between uses. Germs thrive in a moist environment.

Now, more than ever - the Micawber Principle

Wilkins Micawber is a character in Dickens' book David Copperfield. One of Mr. Micawber's characteristic phrases is the hopeful and forward-looking, "something will turn up."

The "Micawber Principle" is based upon his observation:

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."

In case you are confused by the olde English money, it translates as the personal financial principle of finding happiness by spending less per year than one earns, even if it's by a nickel.

Good idea? You bet it is!

Quote of the Day

Zig Ziglar has said that he reads the Bible every day and the newspaper every day ... so he knows what both sides are up to.

I just liked that!

Focus on thankfulness for what you have

According to CNN, Issue #1 in America is money. They mean by this that everyone is worried about the lack of money.

Unfortunately, what we focus on and believe in tends to become reality. It certainly colors the day very gloomy if all we can think about is our lack, or fear of future lack.

Have we learned nothing from 2,000 years of Christian teachings? Jesus said:

A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:15b)

Jesus also said -- and mark this well:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:22-34)

Possibility thinking builds on this and teaches us that what you focus on is what you get. So focus on gratitude, expanding opportunities, and hope in the future. And guess what? That is what you will have ... not to mention, a happier day today.

I am not making this stuff up:

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:22-24)