This week: Self Care, Ukraine, Spring Has Sprung, Daylight Savings and Cute Nat Geo Photos
Which Wolf Will You Feed?
An elderly Cherokee Brave was teaching his grandson about life.
He said, “A battle is raging inside me…it is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The old man looked at the child with a firm stare. “This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute, and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The elderly Cherokee replied: “The one you feed.”
Make sure to feed the right wolf this week!
Ukraine- No Bystanding!
Ready to Die? Why Most People Flunk the Zelenskyy Test. Tyranny has triumphed in recent years because real courage is rare.
“They’re lying to you”: Russian TV employee interrupts news broadcast Marina Ovsyannikova ran on to the set of the Channel One transmission shouting: ‘Stop the war. No to war’
The Ukrainian girl who sang ‘Let It Go’ from a bomb shelter gave us all hope Every person fighting for Ukraine, every family ripped apart by this war – they grieve because they love. This is the language we all speak.
The power of the dog and how pets are helping Ukrainians cope with war Hundreds of thousands of pets are estimated to have crossed into countries neighboring Ukraine since the war began.
Sleep experts say Senate has it wrong: Standard time, not daylight saving, should be permanent The Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to make daylight saving time permanent, but many sleep experts argue that the U.S. should adopt year-round standard time.
28 tender photos from the Nat Geo archives that will bring a smile to your face See a selection of some of the marvelous images stored in our historic photography collection.
Whether it is the global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, or other challenges that seem to keep rearing their ugly heads, it sure seems tough to stay in a positive frame of mind.
I am telling you, if it’s not one thing, it’s another…
Now that traffic has picked up, have you noticed that if you are running late and trying to get to your destination on time, every red light can get in your head and make you stressed?
You feel your pulse racing, anxiety rising, frustration building…
Now replay the tape…
If you think back, how many of the green lights did you notice?
If you are like most of us, we have a form of attentional blindness to the green lights and seem to miss all of them, while we perseverate on all the red ones.
Humans brains seem to be wired to be velcro for the bad stuff and teflon for the good stuff.
Just recognizing this default setting, and choosing to attend to the green lights, both literally and figuratively can be a powerful tool in dealing with the day to day challenges we all face.
So here is a thought for the week:
Take some time everyday to focus on the green lights in your life.
When you find yourself thinking about all the things you don’t have, consider all the things you don’t have that youdon’t want!
Focusing on the green lights is a form of practicing an attitude of gratitude.
It is hard to be hateful and grateful at the same time.
May you have a week filled with green lights both personally and professionally, and maybe share your evergreen attitude with others.
Joy shared is doubled. Misery shared is halved…
You’ve got this!
Love,
Neville
Celebrating International Women’s Day Week:
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
“Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.”
200 classical musicians join London orchestral flashmob in solidarity with Ukraine Musicians took part in a flashmob in London’s Trafalgar Square, to show solidarity with Ukraine.
With no rehearsal time, the musicians gathered for an outdoor flashmob described as “spine-tingling” by spectators walking past the square.
5 Simple Acts Of Kindness Giving Ukrainians (And The World) Some Hope The world is coming together to help Ukrainians – on the borders and at home.
5 Simple Acts Of Kindness Giving Ukrainians (And The World) Some Hope | HuffPost UK Life (huffingtonpost.co.uk)
CRITICAL FOUNDATIONS: The Thirty Questions Anyone Must Answer to Build a Meaningful Life:
By Scott Schimmel
What are the step-by-step ingredients someone needs to build a meaningful life? The current school system is a sprint to gain the knowledge necessary to pass tests and be ready for the academic challenges in college. There’s little room for reflection, integration, or building relevant self-awareness.
Through years of research and work with tens of thousands of students, educators, transitioning veterans, and parents, we’ve developed a keen perspective- a meaningful life has to be intentionally constructed. It doesn’t work to give answers—you have to ask questions. You have to create the circumstances for people to discover their own answers to life’s most critical questions.
In this book, Scott walks through each one of the thirty critical questions—why they’re so essential and how to go about answering them. With vulnerable storytelling, these foundational concepts become accessible and relatable to someone of any age. The second half of the book delves into common sense skills to help guide young people to find their answers to these critical questions.
This week: Autocracy v. Democracy & Staying Sane Even As The World Seems Mad
Different Perspectives on the World-
The Bad Guys Are Winning If the 20th century was the story of slow, uneven progress toward the victory of liberal democracy over other ideologies—communism, fascism, virulent nationalism—the 21st century is, so far, a story of the reverse.
Opinion | Why Should Americans Care About Ukraine? It’s Not Complicated. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is geographically distant, but the consequences of Putin’s aggression could have ripple effects beyond Eastern Europe.
Putin Accidentally Revitalized the West’s Liberal Order The Russian president thought he sensed an opportunity to take advantage of a disunited West. He has been proved wrong.
3 Science-Backed Ways to Better Deal With Stress and Be More Focused, Productive, and Successful Totally avoid stress? Impossible. Better deal with stress? Surprisingly simple.
The Secret to Happiness, According to This Harvard Professor: A Reverse Bucket List If you want to be truly happy, don’t just think about what to add to your life, but about what to take away.
Study Finds Having Pets May Have Positive Impact on Brain Power “Prior studies have suggested that the human-animal bond may have health benefits like decreasing blood pressure and stress,” Dr. Tiffany Braley of the University of Michigan Medical Center shared, adding that the “results suggest pet ownership may also be protective against cognitive decline.”
These Adorable Animal Pictures Will Bring a Smile to Your Face Bored Panda has collected pictures from around the world to create this adorable gallery, featuring sweet animals who will bring a smile to your face.
This week: Feb 17 was Random Acts of Kindness Day but we should practice this amazing heart-set all year long!
Kindness Pledge
The Health Benefits of a Random Act of Kindness Random Acts of Kindness Day doesn’t have to be limited to one day a year. A simple act of kindness does much more than help the receiver, studies show, and any kindness you give to others is also a gift to yourself.
Dog Saves Dog After Lab Alerts Owner to Golden Retriever Trapped in Sinkhole for Nearly a Day Wrigley, a chocolate Labrador retriever, located the other dog stuck inside a hole at Marilla Park on Saturday, according to Streator Animal Control
Birds are Remarkable and Beautiful Animals – and They’re Disappearing from Our World In the past half century, North America has lost a fourth of its birds. Earth is now a coalmine, and every wild bird is a canary
This week: Lovers of Humanity Come in Many Flavors!
“I’m no longer interested in any forms of spirituality, self-mastery programs, success mentors, coaches, healers, spiritual thinkers,
or activists that don’t ultimately lead their communities back to responsible association to tending the Earth.
The never ending quest for self-realization, personal brand mastery, self-success “soul”-preneurship all strike me as bypasses
that have only served to keep us disassociated from what’s actually going on here.
Which requires us to exit the cult of individual success, whether seen through foggy spiritualized goggles or not,
and get our hands dirty in the immediacy of our grounded environmental issues around us.
The world dies while we buy in to yet another charismatic voice telling us how to heal some yet unmastered part of ourselves even more deeply into narcissistic individual “success.”
The world dies while charismatics make millions on their self-help platforms.
Sure.. and for that matter, Please: do your personal healing.
But if my healing only keeps looping back to myself, and doesn’t ultimately lead to reassociation with the Earth and my work to be part Of It,
then I’m just a casualty of healing-themed consumerism.
And still contributing to the problems that are destroying the planet.”
– Adrianne Tamar
All Are One
This man’s dying words changed my life: After he was stabbed and lay dying on a train, Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche said, ‘tell everyone on this train I love them.’ I will never forget his words
Here’s the story behind Black History Month — and why it’s celebrated in February Black History Month grew from a weeklong celebration that started nearly 100 years ago — and it’s not random that it’s in February.
A Nazi officer’s housekeeper hid 12 Jews in the basement. All of them made it out alive. “Without her, I wouldn’t be alive,” said Roman Haller, who was conceived while his parents were in hiding.
The Incredible Winners of the 2021 International Landscape Photographer of the Year Competition:
Misty valleys and magical woods win prestigious photo contest The judges chose from 4,504 entries, with photographers from the U.S and Turkey claiming medals. Here are the winning shots and shortlist favorites.
This Is The Wildlife Photo of the Year as Chosen by the Public:
An image of a frozen lake and the reflection of willow branches above the water’s icy surface has claimed the top prize in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award 2021.
‘I Didn’t Even Know This Was Humanly Possible’: The Woman Who Can Descend Into the Sea On One Breath: Scientists once thought humans could swim to a maximum depth of 30m on a single breath.
Amber Bourke has gone deeper than 70m and physiology alone can’t explain why…
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of a Song that Transcends Time and Space:
Playing for Change- Song Around The World
“The Weight,” features Ringo Starr and The Band’s original member Robbie Robertson, along with musicians across 5 continents. Great songs can travel everywhere bridging what divides us and inspiring us to see how easily we all get along when the music plays. Take a load off and turn it up!!
How the 1,000-year-old lion dance has moved with the times: Innovations from Chinese communities across the world have created ever-more daring performances, enthralling audiences.
What an Astronaut Could See from Space that Changed Him for Good: This week, gain an astronaut’s perspective of our changing world, spot hybrid camels in ancient artwork, uncover more about the Tonga volcano explosion, spy a beaming celestial lighthouse, and more.
When Is The Next Full Moon? Your Ultimate Guide To 2022’s Full Moons, ‘Super Moons,’ New Moons And ‘Black Moons’ Here’s everything you need to know about our Moon in 2022—from its phases to the dates of full Moons, New Moons, super moons and even a couple of rare total lunar eclipse “blood moons.”
9 Must-see Stargazing Events to Watch in 2022 The year ahead offers many heavenly delights for sky-watchers, including two blood moons, a pair of partial solar eclipses, and multiple planetary meetings.
The Doomsday Clock Reveals How Close We Are To…Doom The clock isn’t designed to definitively measure existential threats, but rather to spark conversations about difficult scientific topics such as climate change, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which created the clock in 1947.
The Bad Guys Are Winning If the 20th century was the story of slow, uneven progress toward the victory of liberal democracy over other ideologies—communism, fascism, virulent nationalism—the 21st century is, so far, a story of the reverse.
Plum Village, France 10:30pm 21st January, 2022 Dear Beloved Community, With a deep mindful breath, we announce the passing of our beloved teacher, Thay Nhat Hanh, at 00:00hrs on January 22, 2022 at Từ Hiếu Temple in Huế, Vietnam, at the age of 95. Thay has been the most extraordinary teacher, whose peace, tender compassion, and bright wisdom has touched the lives of millions. Whether we have encountered him on retreats, at public talks, or through his books and online teachings–or simply through the story of his incredible life–we can see that Thay has been a true bodhisattva, an immense force for peace and healing in the world. Thay has been a revolutionary, a renewer of Buddhism, never diluting and always digging deep into the roots of Buddhism to bring out its authentic radiance. Thay has opened up a beautiful path of Engaged and Applied Buddhism for all of us: the path of the Five Mindfulness Trainings and the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing.
As Thay would say, “Because we have seen the path, we have nothing more to fear.” We know our direction in life, we know what to do, and what not to do to relieve suffering in ourselves, in others, and in the world; and we know the art of stopping, looking deeply, and generating true joy and happiness. Now is a moment to come back to our mindful breathing and walking, to generate the energy of peace, compassion, and gratitude to offer our beloved Teacher.
It is a moment to take refuge in our spiritual friends, our local sanghas and community, and each other. We invite you to join our global community online, as we commemorate Thay’s life and legacy with five days of practice and ceremonies broadcast LIVE from Hue, Vietnam and Plum Village, France, starting on Saturday January 22nd. Please see our website for more details coming shortly: www.plumvillage.org/memorial
Let us each resolve to do our best over the coming days to generate the energy of mindfulness, peace, and compassion, to send to our beloved Teacher. Over the coming hours on the Plum Village website, we will publish some inspirational chants, texts, and mindfulness practice resources, to support you to come together with your local sangha to generate a collective energy of mindfulness and compassion, and create your own ceremony or session in tribute to our Teacher. As Thay has always taught, nothing is more important than brotherhood and sisterhood, and we all know the power of collective energy.
We invite you to share your messages of gratitude or personal transformation and healing on our website: plumvillage.org/gratitude-for-thich-nhat-hanh With love, trust, and togetherness, The Monks and Nuns of Plum Village.
The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation | 2499 Melru Lane, Escondido, CA 92026
“This body is not me; I am not caught in this body, I am life without boundaries, I have never been born and I have never died.Over there the wide ocean and the sky with many galaxies, All manifests from the basis of consciousness.Since beginningless time I have always been free. Birth and death are only a door through which we go in and out.Birth and death are only a game of hide-and-seek.So smile to me and take my hand and wave good-bye.Tomorrow we shall meet again or even before.We shall always be meeting again at the true source, Always meeting again on the myriad paths of life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Learning Leadership from a Great Master Courtesy of Moshe E and the Amare Wave: Last week, Thich Nhat Hanh died peacefully at 95 years old. Thầy, as he was known, was a Zen Master, global spiritual leader, and peace activist, renowned for his powerful teachings on engaged Buddhism and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace.
Thầy was also a model for modern day leadership, one who made love the center of his being and work. Love-centered leadership (the essence of The Amare Wave) believes, as Thầy did, in promoting nonviolent solutions to conflict and raising awareness of the interconnectedness of all beings.
His passing invites us to clarify our own guiding beliefs and principles. What are your core leadership principles? Are you willing to commit your company to total non-violence? Will you integrate the fact of our interconnectedness into your business vision?
“True self is non-self, the awareness that the self is made only of non-self elements.
There’s no separation between self and other, and everything is interconnected.
Once you are aware of that you are no longer caught in the idea that you are a separate entity.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh
And-
The Profound Power of Nature:
Arizona Monsoons that will reset your state!
Thanks this week go to beloved Master Thay, Moshe E, Killu S, Nicole K, Catherine G and Bob C.
Consider paying it forward…
Love,
Neville
“We will be more successful in all our endeavors if we can let go of the habit of running all the time,
and take little pauses to relax and re-center ourselves.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the daughter replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity—boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
“Which are you?” she asked her daughter.
“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?
Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”
Think of this: Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Here’s my hope for you: May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything—they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
As a business professional, your time and efforts are dedicated to the service of others. “Giving back” is your practice, and you often devote more time taking care of others than yourself. Given all that you have on your plate, you can feel depleted and overwhelmed, finding it challenging to operate at peak performance. Isn’t it time to do something to enhance your life and well-being, which in effect will benefit those you serve? North County Philanthropy Council (NCPC) believes in the importance of balancing self-care with care for others. That’s why we’re offering Mentorship 2.0, Fostering a Community of Practice, a new model of mentoring that brings together business professionals to guide, motivate and support each other. Please Join UsMonday, Feb 8, 20229:00 to 10:30 am on Zoomfor an informational session aboutMentorship 2.0, Fostering a Community of PracticeKen Druck, Ph.D Our information session will feature best-selling author and international expert in mentorship, executive coaching and compassionate self-care, Dr. Ken Druck. Ken will share his thoughts about the magic and power of mentorship, and how we become the best version of ourselves by bringing out the best in others. ATTEND THE INFO SESSIONWhat is Mentorship 2.0? With Mentorship 2.0, you’ll be part of a cohort of 4-7 individuals from our community to brainstorm ideas, identify business resources, develop their networks, explore career opportunities and provide emotional support to each other. Unlike the traditional mentorship model that pairs a more experienced “mentor” with a less experienced “mentee,” Mentorship 2.0, Fostering a Community of Practice, connects leaders at all levels who share a common concern, set of problems or interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals. It recognizes that our unique experiences are valuable and that collaboration often yields innovative solutions. As a cohort member, you’ll be making a 4-month commitment to the program (March through June 2022). Your group will be expected to meet at least four times during that period (virtual sessions until it is safe to connect in person). The logistics, where to meet and how often to meet – as well as how to measure success, will be decided by the cohort. A member of NCPC’s Mentorship Committee will serve as your group facilitator, providing conversation prompts and guidance, as needed. The relationships that develop and the benefits derived from the experience are entirely up to you and the other group members. We hope you’ll take part in the launch ofMentorship 2.0, Fostering a Community of Practice.REGISTER NOWAttending on Feb 8 is not a commitment or required, but is strongly encouraged.Please register by Feb 1. If you are interested in Mentorship 2.0 but unable to attend the information session, contact Sandra Alston at 760.729.6711 or sandra@ncphilanthropy.org. All the best, Alex Goodman Chair, NCPC Mentorship Committee P.S. Do you have friends or co-workers who you feel will benefit from Mentorship 2.0, too? Feel free to forward this invitation to them. Participation in the Feb 8 meeting is limited to 100 people, so don’t delay.
North County Philanthropy Council | 760-729-6711 | PO Box 1641, Carlsbad, CA 92018
18th Annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium- Jan 27th, 2022:
Wow did I have a BBBAAADDDD Monday. Another cloudy day, my weight went up, some calls didn’t go well, I spent the day telling myself what a terrible leader I am, got slammed by an e-mail where I felt someone was questioning my ability to do my job, and that ended with a friend of mine letting me know that she got COVID and is very afraid. What a day! Ever had one like that?
I woke up this morning thinking – how the heck am I going to be positive for others when I didn’t sleep, I don’t feel like anyone cares or sees how hard I am trying, I can’t do anything to help my friends, and the world is in such a bad place (in other words – pity party in full swing – really more than full swing, kind of like – took over Disneyland, had Beyoncé sing in person, and had a cocktail named after me, kind of over the top pity party).
Then this showed up in my feed…
When I saw this, I remembered the story of the Farmer and the Donkey. Thought that maybe some of you may be going through a rough patch as well. If you are, you may benefit from this as well. If you’ve heard it before, well, I know it helped me to read it again. Maybe keep it handy for a time when you feel like you are heading out to your own pity party, or we can have a party together (socially distanced with masks on) and read it to each other. 😊
The Farmer and the Donkey
One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway-it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all of his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
A MacDonald’s Employee Jumped Through a Window and Saved a Customer. Here’s What Every Leader Can Learn: Sydney Raley, a 15-year-old with autism, likely saved the woman’s life.
5 Lessons on Spirituality, Activism and Humility I Learned From George Harrison George Harrison stood as an example of modesty and humility, and his legacy is one that I think we can all learn from.
“An unhealed person can find offense in pretty much anything someone does.
A healed person understands that the actions of others have nothing to do with them.
Each day you get to decide which one you will be.” – Unknown
18th Annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium Jan 27th 2022 (Virtual):
Please join me at the 18th Annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium on January 27th!
I will be presenting on Leading Consciously with Purpose- Especially During a Pandemic, alongside over 30 local and nationally recognized experts in nonprofit leadership, governance, and more!
Ken Druck, Ph.D Our information session will feature best-selling author and international expert in mentorship, executive coaching and compassionate self-care, Dr. Ken Druck. Ken will share his thoughts about the magic and power of mentorship, and how we become the best version of ourselves by bringing out the best in others. 
Happy Soul Food Friday! 