Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Iv'e Been Thinking: - Things I Have Learned
Iv'e Been Thinking: Iv'e Been Thinking - Things I Have Learned: "Like you, I am faced with challenges on a day to day basis. Some challenges I handle well and award myself a large tick, whilst others requi..."
Iv'e Been Thinking - Things I Have Learned
Like you, I am faced with challenges on a day to day basis. Some challenges I handle well and award myself a large tick, whilst others require a re-sit. I was always amused by the comments that my teachers would enter onto my school report card. I mean, did those comments truly reflect the life issues I was learning or purely my academic ability (or not, as the case may be). I truly believe that whilst we learn many things during our eductaion, I can't ever remember being in a school or further education environment that majoured on the real skills of living. Skills such as:
Financial management
Integrity
Honesty
Values
Vision
Relationship
Morality etc.
Its true that our values as a generation have shifted and in fact our values evolve (or degenerate, depending on your opinion) with each passing generation. As a coach and counsellor, I meet many life issues on a day by day basis and in almost all of the situations I am called to assist in, the root issue can be traced back to one or all of the list previously outlined above. Why? Because education is all about preparation not initiation. Having a knowledge of something does not guarantee your capacity to activate that knowledge in a real life situation.
We are taught many intellectual skills in school, but learn about life in the school of hard knocks. As an educator and lecturer I have spent most of my life in teaching institutions of one kind or another, but the true life lessons I learned from my peers and people associations. I may not have got a tick in high school over these lessons, but they have served as a compass to my family and I (and hopefully their families) for generation to come.
Andy Rooney the TV personality and all round good guy, penned these lessons on his life and they have served as a source of encouragement to me for years. I hope they will provide you with inspiration and values base for years to come.
I Have Learned that...
... the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
... when you're in love, it shows.
... just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.
... having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
... being kind is more important than being right.
... you should never say no to a gift from a child.
... I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.
... no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
... sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
... simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
... life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
... we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
... money doesn't buy class.
... it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
... under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
... the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?
... to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
... when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
... love, not time, heals all wounds.
... the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
... everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
... there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.
... no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
... life is tough, but I'm tougher.
... opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
... when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
... I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.
... one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
... a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
... I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.
... when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
... everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
... it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.
... the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.
Financial management
Integrity
Honesty
Values
Vision
Relationship
Morality etc.
Its true that our values as a generation have shifted and in fact our values evolve (or degenerate, depending on your opinion) with each passing generation. As a coach and counsellor, I meet many life issues on a day by day basis and in almost all of the situations I am called to assist in, the root issue can be traced back to one or all of the list previously outlined above. Why? Because education is all about preparation not initiation. Having a knowledge of something does not guarantee your capacity to activate that knowledge in a real life situation.
We are taught many intellectual skills in school, but learn about life in the school of hard knocks. As an educator and lecturer I have spent most of my life in teaching institutions of one kind or another, but the true life lessons I learned from my peers and people associations. I may not have got a tick in high school over these lessons, but they have served as a compass to my family and I (and hopefully their families) for generation to come.
Andy Rooney the TV personality and all round good guy, penned these lessons on his life and they have served as a source of encouragement to me for years. I hope they will provide you with inspiration and values base for years to come.
I Have Learned that...
... the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
... when you're in love, it shows.
... just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.
... having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
... being kind is more important than being right.
... you should never say no to a gift from a child.
... I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.
... no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
... sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
... simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
... life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
... we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
... money doesn't buy class.
... it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
... under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
... the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?
... to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
... when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
... love, not time, heals all wounds.
... the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
... everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
... there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.
... no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
... life is tough, but I'm tougher.
... opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
... when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
... I wish I could have told my Dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.
... one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
... a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
... I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.
... when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
... everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
... it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.
... the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Ive Been Thinking - Iv''e Learned
I am a literary magpie! There I said it. Most days will find me searching and researching issues pertaining to life. I am compelled to write notes, memos and scribblings on the back of business cards and till receipts. Since the advent of mobile phones, I regularly fill my memories capacity with "note to self" and "reminders". I can't help it, I am addicted to it. My e-mail inbox is flooded with "reminders" and I always have at least three to four books that I am writing, on the go at any one time.
I can't watch a movie or TV programme without gleaning some interesting fact that urges me to record it on paper. Just like last night, an ecological programme stated that 90% of all bottled water contains 50% of its water content from our local tap water supply! Also, our local water supplies (by law), have to be monitored more frequently than bottled water supplies. By 2023 60% of the world will lack fresh water supplies. http://www.sundancechannel.com/ecotrip/
This $12 billion industry has to be the biggest marketing con of all time, people paying for a product that is free to most and with perhaps the largest pollution factor in our worldwide food chain. Have you been thinking? Have a watch and make a "note to self". http://www.sundancechannel.com/ecotrip/episodes/6/
Why do I do this? I am a literary magpie. Now I have to make a concerned effort to verify this information which requires more research and collection of "notes to self." Bob Jones a well known entrepreneur and businessman in New Zealand, once said of the education system, that the missing link in education is the "ability to think". That in my opinion is so true! One can have a masters in communication or business and yet have a string of failed relationship and businesses. The fact is, education may prepare you for life but in itself, will never initiate anything. Knowing about something is not as effective as doing something.
Whatever you have been thinking about of late, it's not sufficient to park your thoughts there. Why not put them into action after all "faith without works is dead faith"
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