When it comes to the U.S., ranked 16th, the country under performs in areas of health and wellness, access to basic knowledge, and access to information and communications and the average human lives in Cuba…
Paving the Road for the Future with Self Esteem and Self Efficacy
Changing Lives in a Minute or Less
April 7th was proclaimed Difference Makers Day by the San Diego Council changing the course of history for education in America, negative politics & so much more!
Congrats Sparky!!
Learn more about Sparky and her amazing work at:
WHO YOU ARE MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Helice “Sparky” Bridges
Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
Difference Makers International
Changing Lives in a Minute or Less with the Power of Acknowledgment
The Road Less Traveled:
#259 – Avoid One of Life’s Major Regrets
WHAT IF….not traveling enough is one of life’s biggest regrets?
RESEARCH SAYS: Karl Phillemer, Ph.D. gerontologist at Cornell University, interviewed over 1,000 elders and learned that not traveling enough was a major life regret. He summarizes his research, “Travel is so rewarding that it should take precedence over other things younger people spend their money on.”
TRY THIS: Start planning a trip to somewhere you’ve never been with a loved one.
The Road to 270 Miles An Hour!
At 1244 hp it is more powerful than the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. Here’s A Fun Couple of Minutes for You.
Fasten your seat belt !!! When you drive a Chevrolet Corvette powered Hennessey Venom GT you don’t shift into fourth gear until 160 MPH !!! The top speed is simply incredible !!!
If you are local…
Mission Federal Credit Union ArtWalk this weekend!
The Antithesis of Arrogant Leadership: Leading with Love, Energy, Audacity & Proof
If you have read the Radical Leap, this is cool, and if you haven’t, you should…
A special video message for you–but ONLY if you’ve read The Radical Leap.
(If you haven’t, you can pop over to Amazon to get the new, 10th Anniversary Edition, read it, and then watch the video 🙂
The Power of Play: The Game That Can Give You 10 Extra Years of Life What is your Power Up to be SUPERBETTER in the game of life?
Beauty Makes Everything Better
If you are local:
The SD Global Presence Leadership Forum: Thrive Thursday May 7
Panoramic Photo Awards to “Round Out” you Mo’ Betta Experience:
A Soul Filled Story…
“Good morning” said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on the ground.
The man slowly looked up.
This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new.. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.
His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.. “Leave me alone,” he growled….
To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling — her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“No,” he answered sarcastically. “I’ve just come from dining with the president. Now go away.”
The woman’s smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.
“What are you doing, lady?” the man asked angrily. “I said to leave me alone.
Just then a policeman came up. “Is there any problem, ma’am?” he asked.
“No problem here, officer,” the woman answered. “I’m just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?”
The officer scratched his head. “That’s old Jack. He’s been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?”
“See that cafeteria over there?” she asked. “I’m going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for a while.”
“Are you crazy, lady?” the homeless man resisted. “I don’t want to go in there!” Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. “Let me go, officer. I didn’t do anything.”
“This is a good deal for you, Jack” the officer answered. “Don’t blow it..”
Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived.
The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. “What’s going on here, officer?” he asked. “What is all this, is this man in trouble?”
“This lady brought this man in here to be fed,” the policeman answered.
“Not in here!” the manager replied angrily. “Having a person like that here is bad for business.”
Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. “See, lady. I told you so. Now if you’ll let me go. I didn’t want to come here in the first place.”
The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled……. “Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?”
“Of course I am,” the manager answered impatiently. “They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms.”
“And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?”
“What business is that of yours?”
I sir, am Penelope Eddy, President and CEO of the company.”
“Oh.”
The woman smiled again. “I thought that might make a difference.” She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. “Would you like to join us in a
cup of coffee and a meal, officer?”
“No thanks, ma’am,” the officer replied. “I’m on duty.”
“Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?”
“Yes, ma’am. That would be very nice.”
The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, “I’ll get your coffee for you right away, officer.”
The officer watched him walk away. “You certainly put him in his place,” he said.
“That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this.”
She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently.. “Jack, do you remember me?”
Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. “I think so — I mean you do look familiar.”
“I’m a little older perhaps,” she said. “Maybe I’ve even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry.”
“Ma’am?” the officer said questioningly. He couldn’t believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
“I was just out of college,” the woman began. “I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn’t find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat.”
Jack lit up with a smile. “Now I remember,” he said.. “I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to
eat. I said that it was against company policy.”
“I know,” the woman continued. “Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to
go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble… Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right.”
“So you started your own business?” Old Jack said.
“I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered.” She opened her
purse and pulled out a business card. “When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons…He’s the personnel director of my company. I’ll go talk to him now and I’m certain he’ll find something for you to do around the office.” She smiled. “I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet… If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you.”
There were tears in the old man’s eyes. “How can I ever thank you?” he said.
“Don’t thank me,” the woman answered. “To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus…… He led me to you.”
Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways…. “Thank you for all your help, officer,” she said.
“On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,” he answered. “Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And.. And thank you for the coffee.”
Can you open your door and your heart to someone today?
The Power of Play: The Game That Can Give You 10 Extra Years of Life through Game-Full Psychology
From the TED Radio Hour with Jane McGonigal
I was privileged to hear Jane speak a couple of years ago at the Atlantic meets the Pacific Conference and her novel approach allows us to unleash design thinking and game theory to create a better world for ourselves and others…
The SD Global Presence Leadership Forum: Thrive Thursday May 7
A Whole Person Education is About More Than Just Academics…
The San Diego Global Presence Leadership Forum provides front line professionals an opportunity to discuss creative options for elevating community appreciation for Life Skills and the benefits of all persons embracing proactive education.
Life Skills, as defined by Parenting 2.0, are “Mandatory skills every human being learns in some measureto thrive and commune with others.” They include but are not limited to interpersonal communication skills, conflict resolution skills, safety awareness & training and financial education.
Currently, parents are presumed to be the primary educators of these critical skills. Unfortunately, the majority of parents have never formally learned these themselves so low competencies are passed from generation to generation.
Today’s increasingly complex and demanding world -including dual parent full-time employment, single parent households and deep geographic separations from extended family members – has placed unprecedented stress on an already impoverished Life Skills educational process.
Media headlines – bullying, divorce, wars, skyrocketing rates in diabetes Type 2, bankruptcy etc. – provide painfully real report cards daily for humanity’s adherence to an antiquated paradigm for human development in the twenty-first century.
To effect a substantive paradigm shift, Ambassadors for Parenting 2.0’s community service arm, The Global Presence, are hosting Leadership Forums in cities around teh globe on Thursday May 7th, 2015. The Global Presence Leadership Forums are part of Parenting 2.0’s P20 Talks 2015 regional gatherings and annual Thrive Thursday celebrations.
At this time, we are both spreading the word to like-spirited people, as well as seeking support with the use of a venue that could serve as the convening hub for our May 7th evening gathering which would model our local communities commitment to and support for this important initiative of Life Skills.
Can you direct us to the best person to contact in your organization in this regard?
While watching the Oscars I noticed that almost every award winner said they couldn’t have done it without their team, family, and the support of others. The fact is no one achieves success alone. We all need a great team to accomplish great things. We are at our best when we are surrounded by those who want the best for us and when we are bringing out the best in others. In this spirit I want to share 9 ways to be a great team member.
1. Set the Example – Instead of worrying about the lack of performance, productivity and commitment of others you simply decide to set the example and show your team members what hard work, passion and commitment looks like. Focus on being your best every day. When you do this you’ll raise the standards and performance of everyone around you.
2. Use Your Strengths to Help the Team – The most powerful way you can contribute to your team is to use your gifts and talents to contribute to the team’s vision and goals. Without your effort, focus, talent and growth the team won’t accomplish its mission. This means you have an obligation to improve so you can improve your team. You are meant to develop your strengths to make a stronger team. Be selfish by developing you and unselfish by making sure your strengths serve the team.
3. Share Positive Contagious Energy – Research shows emotions are contagious and each day you are infecting your team with either positive energy or negative energy. You can be a germ or a big dose a Vitamin C. When you share positive energy you infectiously enhance the mood, morale and performance of your team. Remember, negativity is toxic. Energy Vampires sabotage teams and complaining is like vomiting. Afterwards you feel better but everyone around you feels sick.
4. Know and Live the Magic Ratio – High performing teams have more positive interactions than negative interactions. 3:1 is the ratio to remember. Teams that experience interactions at a ratio equal or greater than 3:1 are more productive and higher performing than those with a ratio of less than 3:1. Teams that have a ratio of 2:1, 1:1 or more negative interactions than positive interactions become stagnant and unproductive. This means you can be a great team member by being a 3 to 1’er. Create more positive interactions. Praise more. Encourage more. Appreciate more. Smile more. High-five more. Recognize more. Energize more. Read more about this at www.FeedthePositiveDog.com
5. Put the Team First – Great team players always put the team first. They work hard for the team. They develop themselves for the team. They serve the team. Their motto is whatever it takes to make the team better. They don’t take credit. They give credit to the team. To be a great team member your ego must be subservient to the mission and purpose of the team. It’s a challenge to keep our ego in check. It’s something most of us struggle with because we have our own goals and desires. But if we monitor our ego and put the team first we’ll make the team better and our servant approach will make us better.
6. Build Relationships – Relationships are the foundation upon which winning teams are built and great team members take the time to connect, communicate and care to build strong bonds and relationships with all their team members. You can be the smartest person in the room but if you don’t connect with others you will fail as a team member. (Tweet This) It’s important to take the time to get to know your team members. Listen to them. Eat with them. Learn about them. Know what inspires them and show them you care about them.
7. Trust and Be Trusted – You can’t have a strong team without strong relationships. And you can’t have strong relationships without trust. Great team members trust their teammates and most of all their team members trust them. Trust is earned through integrity, consistency, honesty, transparency, vulnerability and dependability. If you can’t be trusted you can’t be a great team member. Trust is everything.
8. Hold Them Accountable – Sometimes our team members fall short of the team’s expectations. Sometimes they make mistakes. Sometimes they need a little tough love. Great team members hold each other accountable. They push, challenge and stretch each other to be their best. Don’t be afraid to hold your team members accountable. But remember to be effective you must built trust and a relationship with your team members. If they know you care about them, they will allow you to challenge them and hold them accountable. Tough love works when love comes first. Love tough.
9. Be Humble – Great team members are humble. They are willing to learn, improve and get better. They are open to their team member’s feedback and suggestions and don’t let their ego get in the way of their growth or the team’s growth. I learned the power of being humble in my marriage. My wife had some criticism for me one day and instead of being defensive and prideful, I simply said, “Make me better. I’m open. Tell me how I can improve.” Saying this diffused the tension and the conversation was a game changer. If we’re not humble we won’t allow ourselves to be held accountable. We won’t grow. We won’t build strong relationships and we won’t put the team first. There’s tremendous power in humility that makes us and our team better.
“Managers light a fire under people; Leaders light a fire in People”
–Kathy Austin
This week:
A Heartwarming video, Pi Day this Past Week, Strange Weather and the Crazy Photos it Evokes, the Power of Expectations, Why There are More Women Than Men, and some Sage Advice…
A Heartwarming and Inspiring example of Differentiating Your Brand.
When you worry about your finances, you choose stress. When instead, you trust and Pre-Pave: “My needs are met now and always”, you choose PEACE.
Why not rather, silence the mind and pray for world peace. In this way, you choose PEACE .
When you tell a little white lie, you choose dishonesty, and wonder why it is hard to make sense of the world. When you express truth, with candor and courtesy, no matter what the outcome, you choose PEACE .
When you are criticized and allow yourself to feel hurt, you choose resentment. When you receive criticism with an open mind to learn and grow, you choose PEACE .
When you give so much that you become tired of giving, you choose fatigue. When your giving is infinite and you Pre-Pave: “I am grateful for the ability to serve”, you choose PEACE .
When you scold a child in the heat of emotion, you choose impatience. When you guide a child by being the example, you ask for PEACE .
When you focus on how others are different from you, you choose separation. When you Pre-Pave: “We are all one, seeking the same happiness”, you have chosen PEACE .
For PEACE is within your reach It is in the simple way you respond To life’s ebbs and flows You’ve known it all along. So here is your reminder The steps are simply three: Be mindful of your thoughts, Pave it Forward and let life be.
In choosing to be kind Despite what may be there And choosing to forgive Regardless of what is fair. You create PEACE in your heart That will show in all you do And others will be better For simply knowing you.
TODAY I CHOOSE PEACE: Peace in my thoughts. Peace in my words. Peace in my actions. PEACE in my world.
Change no circumstance in my life. Change me.– Sister Gyanamata
Thanks this week go to Cindy S, Larry H, Eric K, Louis L, & Tad P.
If luck is where preparation meets opportunity, here is to creating your OWN luck and inner climate this week, even if its freezing, or raining cats and dogs:
Carlsbad Love It!“Working Together to Build & Sustain Healthy Neighborhoods”
11 Thoughts About Teamwork: Team work Makes the Dream Work
Kids Collaborate at the US/Mexican Border: Blurred Lines…
Frozen Waves in Nantucket!
Ingenious Ideas: No One of Us is as Smart as All of Us
Why Optimism Matters: Don’t just See the Bright Side, Experience the Bright Side
Happy Pictures: Stay Happy!
Carlsbad Love It!“Working Together to Build & Sustain Healthy Neighborhoods”
If you are local join us at this event, where I am honored to be speaking as we build healthy communities together…
11 Thoughts About Teamwork: Team work does makes the Dream Work
Teams rise and fall on culture, leadership, relationships, attitude and effort. Great teams have a great culture driven by great leadership. Relationships are meaningful and teammates are connected. The collective attitude is very positive and everyone on the team works hard to accomplish their mission.
It’s all about teamwork. Sometimes you are the star and sometimes you help the star.
If want to be truly great you have to work as hard to be a great teammate as you do to be a great player. I tell this to athletes all the time but the same is true for any profession. When we work hard to be a great team member we make everyone around us better.
Your team doesn’t care if you are a superstar. They care if you are a super team member.
Three things you control every day are your attitude, your effort and your actions to be a great teammate. It doesn’t matter what is happening around you and who you think is being unfair. Every day you can focus on being positive, working hard and making others around you better. If you do that great things will happen.
One person can’t make a team but one person can break a team. Stay positive! Make sure you don’t let energy vampires sabotage your team. Post a sign that says “No Energy Vampires” allowed and keep them off the bus. Most importantly, decide to stay positive.
Great team members hold each other accountable to the high standards and excellence their culture expects and demands.
Team beats talent when talent isn’t a team.
Great teams care more. They care more about their effort, their work and their team members.
We > me Unity is the difference between a great team and an average team. United teams are connected and committed to each other. They are selfless instead of selfish. They put the team first and know together we accomplish more.
You and your team face a fork in the road each day. You can settle for average and choose the path of mediocrity or you can take the road less traveled and chase greatness. It’s a choice you make each day. Which path will your team take?
Why Optimism Matters: Don’t just See the Bright Side, Experience the Bright Side
WHAT IF…optimists not only see the brighter side, but also experience the brighter side?
RESEARCH SAYS: Strong evidence suggests that optimists may…
Have healthier hearts
Have better cholesterol
Handle stress smoothly
Have stronger immunity
Have lower stroke risk
Regulate emotions better
Live longer Now that’s something to be optimistic about!TRY THIS: Each morning this week before you get out of bed ask yourself, “What’s an opportunity I can act on today?”Happy Pictures: Stay Happy!
Thanks this week go to neighborhoods that care about community engagement like Carlsbad, Larry H, Glenda O, Anne S, Will M & You for creating your own luck and climate with a healthy dose of Soul Food!
Pay it forward…
Love,
Neville
“Always desire to learn something useful.” Sophocles
This week, if you think Education is Expensive, try Ignorance!
NEWS IQ: The Overall Results will Surprise YOU!
Amazingly, the majority of us really don’t know what’s going on.
It’s astonishing that so many people got less than half right. The results say that 80% of the (voting) public doesn’t have a clue, and that’s pretty scary.
There are no tricks — just a simple test to see if you are current on your information. Test your knowledge with 13 questions: Click here: Test Your News IQ – Pew Research Center
These Pictures will give You a Real Education: 18 Finalists From The World Photography Awards With The Power To Leave You Awestruck
The World Photography Organization has just announced its shortlist for the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards. A record number of images (173,444) were submitted by professional and amateur photographers from 171 countries this past year in the hopes of making the cut. The winners will be announced on April 23rd, but until then…
Using Popular Culture- The Oscars- To Educate on Critical Topics like Wage Equality, Feeling Persecuted or Different, Affirming Civil Rights TODAY, etc.
Way to use the media spotlight to talk about more than gowns and crowns!
Where did “Piss Poor” come from? Interesting history.
They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot.
And then once it was full it was taken and sold to the tannery…
If you had to do this to survive you were “Piss Poor”.
But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn’t even afford to buy a pot…
They “didn’t have a pot to piss in”.
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because
the water temperature Isn’t just how you like it, think about how things used to be.
Here are some facts about the 1500’s:
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May,
And they still smelled pretty good by June.. However, since they were starting to smell,
Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.
Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.
The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water,
Then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children.
Last of all the babies.
By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.
Hence the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!”
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath.
It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals
(mice, bugs) lived in the roof.
When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof..
Hence the saying, “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.
This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings
Could mess up your nice clean bed.
Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection..
That’s how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt.
Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing..
As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, It would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.
Hence: a thresh hold.
(Getting quite an education, aren’t you?)
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.
Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day.
Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while.
Hence the rhyme:
Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old..”
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.
When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off.
It was a sign of wealth that a man could, “bring home the bacon.”
They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.
Those with money had plates made of pewter.
Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death.
This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status..
Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle,
And guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey.
The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days..
Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.
They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up.
Hence the custom; holding a wake.”
England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people.
So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave.
When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell.
Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be,
saved by the bell” or was “considered a dead ringer.”
And that’s the (purported) truth.
Now, whoever said history was boring!!!
So get out there and educate someone!
Thanks this week go to Thanks this week go to Larry H, Edu-tainers and Enter-cationalists everywhere!
Pay it Forward please!
Love,
Neville
“There are two educations: the one that teaches how to make a living
RESEARCH SAYS: 80% of youth said their parents were more concerned with their achievement or happiness than whether they care for others. But the ability to be caring is most important of all. Here are five strategies to raise moral, caring children:
Make caring for others a priority. Children need to learn to balance their needs with the needs of others whether it’s passing the ball to a teammate or standing up for a friend who is being bullied.
Provide opportunities for children to practice caring and gratitude.
Take your children to a homeless shelter and help them care about someone besides their family and friends.
Be a strong moral role model by examining your values and telling your children how you make moral decisions.
Guide children in managing destructive behavior. Often the ability to care for others is overwhelmed by anger or other negative feelings.
TRY THIS: Think of ways to be a better example of kindness…
Kids Nailing Zeppelin:
They are amazing!
Thanks this week go to Larry H, Louis L, Will M, & Arman S-B
Pay it Forward!
Love,
Neville
I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in…
WHAT IF…you can learn more from mistakes than successes?
#243 – Make a Smart Mistake
WHAT IF…you can learn more from mistakes than successes?
RESEARCH SAYS: Richard P. Feyman, Nobel Prize-winning physicist, once said, “To develop working ideas efficiently, I try to fail as fast as I can.”
Successes can be deceptive—when everyone pats you on the back, you conclude that you’ve done something “right.” But mistakes are often a much better gauge. Have you ever followed orders against your better judgment? Have you ever acted greedily, or fearfully, instead of being truthful and patient? Inspect your recent failures. Is there a pattern? Maybe it’s time to change.
WHAT IF…you can learn more from mistakes than successes?
Happy Soul Food Friday! 