Happy Soul Food Friday!

Happy Soul Food Friday!

 Soul Food Friday Fans: I am excited to share that I am now also on Twitter, focusing on topics such as 21^st Century Leadership, Education, Civic Engagement and Social Capital Optimization. Please tweet me @NevilleB108

This week:

A Story about Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody on Earth

 Restoring Civility in America and Beyond:

Are You a Prisoner of Your Preferences?

Can We Get Beyond the Left/Right Politically Polarizing Game?

On Race:

Obama Effect Triggers More Nuanced Conversations on Race

On World Cultures:

Persian Cuisine, Fragrant and Rich With Symbolism

29 Clever Drawings Will Make You Question Everything Wrong With The World:

RIP Prince!

A Story about Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody

This is a story about four people whose names are Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it.

Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done…

Are You a Prisoner of Your Preferences?

Can We Get Beyond the Left/Right Politically Polarizing Game?

Consider the third option or the “Purple Tent” – politics worthy of our kids, that might well be the salvation for a broken system that has deliberately and insidiously focused our attention- the currency of influence on:

Confirming what we believe instead of Learning what could be

Winning instead of building Relationships

Position-taking instead of genuine Problem-solving

Me instead of We

Instead of playing into a daily media bombardment of incivility and (hu)man’s inhumanity to man on the daily news feeds that perpetuates sensationalizing the very worst of the human experience under the auspices of an election, this week I was blessed to be introduced to a powerful antidote by my friend Dr. Ken Druck in an authentic conversation with Mark Gerzon, author of The Re-United States of America: How We Can Bridge the Partisan Divide at USD http://www.markgerzon.com/ at the Restoring Respect’s 5th Annual Conference April 18, 2016 https://www.sandiego.edu/events/detail.php?_focus=52725

Mark used his most recent book as a framework to reset the table about the possibilities and promise of a “third narrative” beyond the platitudes of partisan politics:

“Although we come from opposite ends of the political spectrum, we believe our country needs to come together. “The Reunited States of America: How We Can Cross the Partisan Divide” will help us do that. It reconnects us to our country’s motto – ‘out of many, one’ –  and helps us meet the challenge of reuniting the country that we both love.”
– Grover Norquist, president, Americans for Tax Reform & Joan Blades, co-founder MoveOn.org and Living Room Conversations

Mark is a thoughtful systems thinker, seasoned mediator on political bridge-building and was originally trained as a family therapist.

Mark shared that the first system we know and grow into is our nuclear family, and true to form, today’s leading political candidates, ALL are shaped and playing out scripts that were formed and informed in their family of origin; where their blueprint for success and ideologies were decidedly shaped and molded to play out the script we all see enacted in the media debacle of today.

 

Looking at this current election cycle through the lens of our kids (who ARE watching us keenly), we can’t help but feel disillusioned that this certainly can’t be the best we can do as a democratic nation. Reality TV has taken on a decidedly unreal tone…

Oddly, while we are lamenting this nonsensical farce and media circus, Gen Next are making conscious choices about a “third narrative”, beyond liberal or conservative or Democrat or Republican where “Americans are working together across the aisle to find common ground to solve our most pressing problems.”

Can we learn from them?

Millennials self-report 60% independent and aren’t buying either side of this political rhetoric BS media machine.

Both liberal and conservative camps are fueled in the $ billions, but voices in the center (like the ones listed at the end of this blogpost) are struggling for funding and by extension exposure

Millennials hang out with their friends on opposite sides of an issue and seem to get along just fine, and don’t get why we are so vitriolic, mean-spirited and self-centered, clinging to our monolithic views like mental life rafts.

Student debt in the $ Trillions is waking them up to the fact that the current model is simply not working for them!

 Consider the third option or the “Purple Tent” – politics worthy of our kids, that might well be the salvation for a broken system that has deliberately and insidiously focused our attention- the currency of influence on:

Confirming what we believe instead of Learning what could be

Winning instead of building Relationships

Position-taking instead of genuine Problem-solving

Me instead of We

The US presidential elections on November 8, 2016, will be the 58th quadrennial U.S. presidential election. Yet sadly, our electoral system has turned this like others into an endless campaign cycle that focuses only on winning on November 8^th instead of what actually happens after that date.

While some may argue that every civilization goes through rises, declines and ultimately extinction, and this is just the beginning of the decline of America’s greatness as a nation, when it comes to civility this is not just about America- ethnocentrically- or even about all of us just speaking respectfully to one another, it is arguably the keystone determinant in our survival as a species.

One could make a good argument that the confluence of exceeding our adaptive and cognitive threshold, our reliance on confirmation bias (the bias bubble) and our selective application of attribution theory leave us no choice but to capitulate to current realities and behave into these polarizing roles.

Yet others have a more positive aspiration…

We can foster a deeper dialogue and not have to go down this proverbial rabbit hole

Here are some thoughts gleaned from our gathering with a small but mighty group of civic leaders:

Self-Awareness

Can we collectively burst the ‘bias bubble’, snap out of the social hypnosis and become aware of our own distortions?

• Smart people think they know everything
• Intelligent people accept there are things they don’t know
• Wise people realize they must remain open to the possibilities of what they don’t know what they don’t know

Which one of these are you and me?

Redefine Self with an Open Heart

We must move from antiquated feudal and industrial age EGO-systems to 21^st century connected era ECO-systems that focuses on learning, relationship and problem-solving together

Serve Community by Creating and Fostering Safe Space

If we are in fear and self-protection mode, we are unable to learn

Master facilitators create safe space for authentic conversations to occur and we need these now more than ever…

If you want to Lead through Conflict you need:

• Integral Vision– Committing ourselves to hold all sides of the conflict, in all their complexity, in our minds
• Systematic Thinking– Identifying all (or as many as possible) of the significant elements related to the conflict situation and to understand the relationship between these elements
• Presence– Applying our mental, emotional and spiritual resources to witnessing and transforming the conflict
• Inquiry– Asking questions that elicit essential information about the conflict that is vital to understanding how to transform it
• Conscious Conversation– Becoming award of our full range of choices about how we speak and listen
• Dialogue– Communication in order to build trust and knowledge that maximizes the human capacity to bridge and innovate
• Bridging– Building partnerships and alliances that cross the borders that divide an organization

Want to go deeper?
Here are some resources and links for you, your family and extended community to see the world through a more balanced lens that doesn’t create political bipolar behavior fraught with incivility:

http://www.allsides.com/  Polarization is destroying us. AllSides intends to fix this…

http://www.livingroomconversations.org/ Living Room Conversations is a new, open-source project exploring the power of revitalized civil discourse in America.

http://www.bridgealliance.us/ We are the Bridge Alliance – a rising American tide of conservatives and liberals, centrists and moderates, business owners and workers, students and retired persons, diverse in age, color, faith and orientation.  We have come together in civility, respect, and goodwill to solve problems together. Together, we can become a powerful and positive voice in the American political landscape advocating “Country Before Party.”

http://www.rustonlaw.com/resources/2014/7/10/to-resolve-a-conflict-first-decide-is-it-hot-or-cold To Resolve a Conflict, First Decide: Is it Hot or Cold?

http://www.thebigsort.com/home.php WHY THE CLUSTERING OF LIKE-MINDED AMERICA IS TEARING US APART

Book: Dark Money http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/books/review/dark-money-by-jane-mayer.html?_r=0

Alternatively, Google: trans-partisan, bipartisan and civility and see where your personal exploration takes you…

Too busy?

It is only the future of our country and our planet at stake…

Obama Effect Triggers More Nuanced Conversations on Race

When President Obama was elected did we usher in a new era of racial harmony. No… but many of us are having a more nuanced conversation about this subject

http://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/

(scroll down to the fifth story)

Persian Cuisine, Fragrant and Rich With Symbolism

An ancient Zoroastrian festival of the spring equinox, Nowruz has been celebrated continuously for at least 3,000 years, more than a thousand years before the region’s Muslim conquest. It predates most of the holidays Americans celebrate today yet shares many of the same traditions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/dining/persian-food-recipes-nowruz.html?emc=edit_th_20160420&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=45414695&_r=0

29 Clever Drawings Will Make You Question Everything Wrong With The World:

From the Mind Unleashed

Even if you don’t agree with the messages behind some of these illustrations, it’s impossible not to appreciate the creativity involved in them.

Maybe we really do need to start paying more attention to the things we accept as part of our daily reality…

http://themindunleashed.org/2014/05/29-clever-drawings-will-make-question-everything-wrong-world.html

RIP Prince!

 

Can we collectively burst the ‘bias bubble’, snap out of the social hypnosis and become aware of our own distortions?

• Smart people think they know everything
• Intelligent people accept there are things they don’t know
• Wise people realize they must remain open to the possibilities of what they don’t know what they don’t know

Which one of these are you and me?

Thanks this week go to Carla SG, Jackie H, Ken D, Mark G, Denis L, Sambhav D, Mark N, and Citizens Committed to Civility EVERYWHERE!

Pay it Forward

Love,

Neville

Happy Soul Food Friday!

“Emancipate Yourself from Mental Slavery, None but Ourselves Can Free Our Minds” – Bob Marley

This week:

It’s Emancipation Day! Guess that’s why our taxes aren’t due until April 18^th but did you know…

A Metaphor for the Impact of Early Education That Will Make You Smile: This is darling

A Nobel Laureate’s Education Plea: Revolutionize Teaching Because it is Almost Unethical to Teach Any Other Way!

A Focus On Student’s Emotion: Focusing on Academic Rigor and Test Scores Does Not Have to Be at the Expense of Social & Emotional Lessons, and if it is What Have We Really Taught?

 “Thrivers and Strugglers”: A Growing Economic Divide where roughly three in four American households are the “strugglers”… Three demographic drivers – age/birth year, education and race/ethnicity – increasingly matter for building wealth and financial security

If you are local…

SDNA In The Know: Amplify Awareness & Engagement Via Media & PR Apr 21, 9am

Restoring Respect – 5th Annual Conference on Restoring Civility to Civic Dialogue – “Educating Civility”

 

Redemption Song- Bob Marley

It’s Emancipation Day:

Guess that’s why our taxes aren’t due until April 18^th but did you know…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emancipation_Day

A Metaphor for the Impact of Early Education That Will Make You Smile:

A Nobel Laureate’s Education Plea: Revolutionize Teaching Because it is Almost Unethical to Teach Any Other Way!

“The quality of teaching is not something that university administrators are rewarded for, and correspondingly know or care about,”

…It is like running a hospital and not checking if your team are using antibiotics and still using bloodletting…

http://n.pr/20eFhF2

A Focus On Student’s Emotion:

Focusing on Academic Rigor and Test Scores Does Not Have to Be at the Expense of Social & Emotional Lessons, and if it is What Have We Really Taught?

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2016/04/14/school-focus-on-emotions

Thrivers and Strugglers: A Growing Economic Divide: Three demographic drivers – age/birth year, education and race/ethnicity – increasingly matter for building wealth and financial security

By Ray Boshara, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Bravo to MacKenzie. When she was born, she chose married, white, well-educated parents who live in an affluent, mostly white neighborhood with great public schools. She also chose her birth year wisely, making sure that she graduated from college and entered the job market when the economy was rebounding from the Great Recession. Thanks to the wealth and financial savvy of her parents, MacKenzie graduated from a private, four-year selective college debt-free, giving her many career options as well as the ability to start saving for a home and retirement.

Because of her great “choices,” MacKenzie is likely to accumulate wealth and achieve financial health over her lifetime. She and her parents belong to the roughly one in four American households we can call “thrivers.”

But too bad for Troy. Despite being just as bright as MacKenzie, he chose nonwhite parents who never married and live in a poor, highly segregated neighborhood with lousy public schools and few opportunities to be involved in music, sports and civic activities. Troy’s young, hard-working, conscientious mother was never able to start college. In order to manage the frequent ups and downs in her financial life, she has accumulated debts to family members and credit cards. She also lacks the know-how and networks to get Troy on a college-bound track, something his school fails to do as well. And Troy unwisely chose to finish high school just as the Great Recession was getting underway. So, finding any job, let alone a decent-paying one with benefits, eludes him.

Because of his bad “choices,” Troy is not likely to accumulate much wealth or feel financially healthy over his lifetime. He and his family belong to the roughly three in four American households we can call “strugglers.”

Research from the Center for Household Financial Stability at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis suggests that three demographic drivers – age/birth year, education and race/ethnicity – increasingly matter for building wealth and financial security. MacKenzie and her family’s efforts to build wealth are buoyed by these demographic tailwinds, while the lack of them creates headwinds that hamper Troy and his family’s efforts to succeed financially.

Let us consider each of these characteristics, or drivers, separately.

Race, Ethnicity and Wealth

Beginning with race or ethnicity, a few facts stand out.[1] First, the wealth gaps are disturbingly large and the rankings have persisted since 1989. White families rank first, followed by Asian families, Hispanic families and then black families. With the exception of Asians, the median net worth of all groups in 2013 was about the same as in 1989; the Great Recession wiped out most of the post-1989 gains. However, prior to the recession, whites and especially Asians had seen dramatic increases in their wealth. Since 2010, they have seen their wealth begin to grow again, while the wealth of blacks and Hispanics has continued to decline. (See Figure 1.)

Also, wealth disparities are starker than income disparities. Median wealth for Hispanics and blacks is about 90 percent lower than that of whites. In contrast, median income of Hispanics and blacks is only 40 percent lower. This suggests these two groups may have had few opportunities to “convert” their diminished incomes into wealth, such as through home ownership and retirement plans. And although one would expect age and education to help explain the persistent differences in wealth accumulation across racial and ethnic groups (whites are generally older and better educated than blacks and Hispanics), our research shows that the wealth gap is largely unchanged even among equally educated, similarly aged whites and nonwhites. Stated more starkly, education does not appear to be an equalizer, at least in terms of wealth. Therefore, other factors must be in play, including early childhood experiences, parental influences and, of course, deep and historical discrimination against blacks and other minorities.

Education and Wealth

Not surprisingly, the association between a family’s education and its wealth is very strong and has become stronger with time, leading to large gaps in wealth by level of education.[2] Only families with college degrees or higher have seen their wealth increase since 1989 (even though all groups saw their wealth decline in the Great Recession). Those lacking a high school diploma saw their wealth plummet 44 percent between 1989 and 2013, while families with a high school diploma saw their wealth decline 36 percent. Meanwhile, families with a two- or four-year college degree experienced a 3 percent increase since 1989, while the wealth of those with advanced degrees spiked 45 percent.

Notably, however, the correlation between education and various measures of economic and financial success does not represent causation. That is, the college degree itself may only partially explain differences in wealth. The degree serves as a marker of many other factors also correlated with educational attainment, such as native ability, family background, marriage patterns (i.e., the tendency of college graduates to marry other college graduates), being read to as a child and the likelihood of receiving gifts or inheritances.

Age and Wealth

Finally, let’s look at age or, more precisely, year of birth. Of course, older families are expected to have more wealth than younger families. But what we are observing is something deeper, even historical.[3] To our surprise, age is the strongest predictor of balance sheet health, even after accounting for race and education. Americans in their 20’s and 30’s lost the most wealth in the recession and have been the slowest to recover. The wealth of younger adults is concentrated in home ownership, which suffered greatly during the recession. Younger adults also have significant mortgage and consumer debts, and few liquid assets. In addition, they faced severe labor market challenges during and following the recession. But this is not just a recession story; it’s a generational, more troubling story: An American born in 1970 is projected to have 40 percent less wealth over their lifetime than an American born in 1940. Clearly, some larger economic and social forces are underway, reshaping economic opportunity in the U.S.

Policy Implications

In a world where uncontrollable factors – birth year, race/ethnicity, parents – and education – a choice, but influenced by all of the above factors – appear to increasingly matter for building wealth and financial success, three policy responses hold particular promise:

1. Give greater weight to demographic factors in targeting public resources.

Although income has been the primary benchmark for safety net and tax benefits, our research suggests that age or birth year, race or ethnicity, and education must play a greater role in targeting scarce public resources. The U.S. has dedicated massive resources, ruled on issues such as desegregation and voting rights, reduced discrimination in housing and lending practices, built schools and universities, subsidized higher education for disadvantaged students and otherwise striven and often succeeded in helping less-educated and minority families move forward. College attendance rates have been steadily rising, and minorities now hold more elected offices than ever, for example. However, millions of these families remain economically vulnerable; in some ways, they are now even more fragile, given growing economic penalties on less-educated and minority families. Therefore, broad, ambitious efforts to invest in these families must not only continue but be strengthene d.

With regard to age, the U.S. has invested less during the earlier years of life, and the country lags in per capita spending on children compared with other advanced nations. In fact, the U.S. social contract has relied on the ability of younger workers to finance the safety net of older Americans. However, because that social contract is now threatened, and given the challenges facing younger Americans, smarter and more robust investments earlier in life are merited. For example, could we consider more of an age-based social contract, where newborns, school-aged youth and young adults starting their careers and/or families receive a public benefit to help them build human capital and net worth? These investments could be modeled on the “pay it forward” idea, where public investments in individual families (through, for example, no- or low-cost tuition plans) are paid back later in life directly through earnings or, indirectly, through greater productivity and economic growth.

2. Create ways for families to save when children are young and integrate savings plans into other early interventions.

In the assets field, there is a growing body of evidence that savings accounts and assets early in life lead to better outcomes later in life. The Assets and Education Initiative finds that “early liquid assets (ones the household has when the child is between ages 2 to 10)… work with children’s academic ability to influence whether they attend college. The effect is stronger for low-income children than it is for high-income children.”[4] Two studies using randomized trials in the SEED OK experiment in Oklahoma show that Child Development Accounts (CDAs)[5] have a positive impact on social development for children around age 4. This effect was greatest in children in disadvantaged groups.[6] A second study finds that CDAs increase the psychological well-being of mothers, and again the effect was greatest among disadvantaged groups.[7]

Consideration should be given to strategies that integrate CDAs and similar early asset strategies into the fabric of other interventions aimed at young children. For example, a CDA might be offered to every mother who enrolls in a prenatal health program, or to every child entering Head Start or a preschool program. Reading programs might offer an education-focused CDA. Pell grants might be “front loaded” so that income-eligible children at age 5 receive a small portion of their Pell in a CDA, which would then reduce their Pell grant at age 18 accordingly. The College Board has, in fact, advanced a similar idea. It will be difficult, in my view, for stand-alone CDA interventions to reach all economically vulnerable children. Accordingly, integrating early assets and early childhood interventions holds promise for both impact and scale.

3. Help parents and other adults build liquidity and financial assets.

Of course, we cannot build family financial health and well-being by investing only in kids and ignoring their parents and other adults. Accordingly, we should adopt a “two-generation” approach.[8] Struggling families need a range of sound balance sheet investments, including better banking options, credit repair, more college and retirement savings, fewer debts and paths to sustainable homeownership and small-business opportunities. But one intervention in particular cuts across family balance sheets and promotes both financial stability (a family’s first priority)[9] and economic mobility: creating liquidity.

The need for liquidity is well documented. The Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Household Economics and Decision making (SHED) finds that an unexpected expense of just $400 would prompt nearly one-half of all households to borrow funds, sell something or simply not pay at all.[10] Fed data also show that the top savings priority for families is emergency or liquid savings, yet only about half of all Americans have such savings. And CFED finds that 44 percent of households are “liquid asset poor.”[11]

When families have more liquid savings, they can better manage their cash flows and volatility; rely less on friends, family and payday lenders to meet cash shortfalls; have better banking options; and save for education, training or a small business, as well as a home or apartment in a better neighborhood. In my view, no intervention better cuts across the health of U.S. family balance sheets – and does more to promote family stability and mobility – than building emergency savings and liquidity.

To be most effective, these three policy recommendations must be integrated into other efforts. Although one or two interventions, including the most promising ones, are not likely to erase enormous gaps in education, earnings or wealth, they are likely to significantly reduce the financial health disparities experienced between future thrivers like Mackenzie and strugglers like Troy.

Restoring Respect – 5th Annual Conference on Restoring Civility to Civic Dialogue – “Educating Civility”

The 2016 election season has already proven to be one of the most divisive and vitriolic in recent American history. From candidates’ personal attacks to paralysis and dysfunction in national government, the price tag of incivility, and resulting failure to reach political consensus, has never been greater. Join other concerned members of our community in an ongoing discussion about how to restore respect to the local and national civic dialogue. Explore ways to better educate the next generation of citizens and community leaders on how to better build our American community.

http://www.sandiego.edu/cas/institute-for-civil-civic-engagement/restoring-respect/

Redemption Song- Bob Marley

Have a soul-filled weekend!

Thanks this week go to NPR, Norm H, Jason P, David L, and Active Learners & Teachers Everywhere!

Pay it Forward…

Love,

Neville

“Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working.”
— Pablo Picasso

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

How Diversity Makes Us Smarter:

Decades of research by organizational scientists, psychologists, sociologists, economists and demographers show that socially diverse groups (that is, those with a diversity of race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation) are more innovative than homogeneous groups.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/

Tween Reporter Stands Up To Critics:

A Pint Size 9 Year-Old Reporter Who Beat Everyone to the Story…

She is Priceless! Listen to her at:

http://www.npr.org/2016/04/06/473201868/tween-reporter-breaks-news-stories-stands-up-to-critics

An April Fools Public Service Announcement: 

Do not believe everything you read online, especially not on April Fool’s Day.

News sites and even some brands have taken to April 1st for years as a day to have some fun with the unsuspecting, and that trend doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.

Here’s a compilation of some of 2016’s attempted hoaxes that you can scroll through and pick ones that look interesting:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/04/01/a-comprehensive-updating-and-upsetting-list-of-2016s-april-fools-day-hoaxes/

If You Are Local: Coming Soon

 Hands of Peace “Under the Middle Eastern Sky” Creating Teen Peacemakers on May 1st:

Hands of Peace is an organization that empowers young people from around the world to learn leadership skills so they can be peacemakers and leaders in their home communities.

To see teens from the Middle East and America go through such a transformation- from confused, frustrated, tormented young people- to seeing the humanity in others and realizing their own power as leaders has given many great hope for the future.

Please help share information about this cultural festival that includes music by the Luminaries (conscious hip-hop!) and Todo Mundo, gourmet food, local wine and beer, a hookah lounge and silent auction .

Tickets are available at www.handsofpeace.org. and the pre-sale price goes up on April 15 so sign up right away!

Keys to Amplifying Awareness & Engagement through Media & PR with the SDNA on Thursday April 21^st 9-10:30am @ 2-1-1

Thanks this week go to Linda K, Drew S, Parker H, Robin M, Kim L, the SDNA, and all members of the social sector making our world better!

Please pay it forward…

Love,

Neville

“You don’t have to be great at something to start, but you have to start to be great at something.”

 

 

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week it is not about making a fool of anyone but revealing some uncommon facts to awaken your soul…

Let’s get in the mood for April Fool’s Weekend with:

How an Eight-Year-Old Boy Invented a New Word That Quickly Became the Top Trending Topic in Italy

With his teacher’s help, the student wrote to the Accademia della Crusca – the institution that oversees the use of the Italian language – to ask for their opinion…

“this is worth more than a thousand Italian lessons”

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-35653871

Thirst Project:

Waterborne diseases kill more children every single year  than AIDS, Malaria, and All World Violence COMBINED!

Thirst Project is an international organization whose mission is to “build a socially-conscious generation of young people who END the global water crisis.”

http://www.beakidshero.com/posts/killing-4100-children-each-day/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=linkedin&utm_source=socialnetwork

Operation Peacemaker Fellowship:

To Reduce Gun Violence, Potential Offenders Offered Support And Cash

Not long ago, the city of Richmond, Calif., was considered one of the most dangerous cities in America.

But today, the city of about 100,000 residents is called a national model for reducing gun violence.

“We do something real simple that folks just don’t realize how, how powerful it is. We love on our youngsters!

We come from a sincere place that we love each and every last one of the people we touch, and we try to touch as many people as possible,”

http://www.npr.org/2016/03/28/472138377/to-reduce-gun-violence-potential-offenders-offered-support-and-cash

Driven by Distraction:

Which is the Generation Most Distracted by Their Devices?

The results might surprise you…

http://priceonomics.com/which-generation-is-most-distracted-by-their/

The Simplest Thing You Can Do to Improve Your Life Now:

What if there was one very simple, extremely simple, ridiculously easy thing you could do that would dramatically improve how you see the world and how people see you?

What if this one very easy thing lowered your blood pressure, relaxed your muscles, reduced aches, pains and headaches and increased your lifespan?

What if this absolutely painless and actually pleasurable simple thing also made you much more attractive to others and increased your actual opportunities in both your career and your life?

What if this perfectly natural thing that you already know how to do is proven to reduce loneliness, attract new friends and deepen and trust and intimacy with the most important people in your life?

And what if this one amazing, astonishing, stunning thing has been tested in numerous studies over decades to produce a mountain of evidence that it nearly instantly puts you in a better, more optimistic mood and does the same for the people around you?

Well, it’s true. Global research from universities in England, the Netherlands and Germany using fMRI brain scans combined with decades of psychological studies confirm that all these are the beneficial effects of smiling!

That’s right I said smiling. It is especially true for people who make smiling a habit.

As I said, this is simple…but it’s not easy. How many people do you notice are in the habit of routinely smiling? I would guess not too many. That’s perhaps the reason that people who smile a lot are socially magnetic…they stand out.

It’s not natural for most of us to control our moods.  Indeed, our moods mostly control us.  But they don’t have to.  We are not the victims of our feelings.

Steve is friend of mine who lives across the country who sends me quotes, ideas and personal reviews of new books he is reading almost every day.  Recently he sent me a quote from Neville Goddard that made a profound point (I am paraphrasing).  “If you don’t like what you see in the mirror, don’t break the mirror instead, change your face.”

I think it is often too easy to feel overwhelmed by the difficulties of our lives and the cruelties of our world.  It’s easy to get lost in a whirlpool of blaming and complaining until we lose all sense of our immense personal power.

I am not naive enough to think that life-storms are not real, or that deep suffering is all in our mind. But what I am sure of is that we don’t have to take it.  We can change our circumstances, our jobs, and our relationships.  Maybe not immediately.  And certainly not impulsively. But with wisdom, discipline, and time we can all write new chapters in our autobiographies.  The most important thing is to believe we can.

When you look in the mirror smile. Smiling improves everything.

Will

Did you know?

Unbelieveable Facts…

If you are local…

Please join us at the EPIC Mastermind Experience on April 7 & 8, 2016 – Four Point Sheraton Hotel – San Diego, CA.  I’m honored to be one of the presenters who are committed to helping you make your business and personal dreams come true.  This event is different because you will be  receiving personalized support from a community of heartfelt and successful leaders.  Click here for more information. www.EpicMastermindExperience.com – Sign up today. Use the special discount code when checking out to receive a  substantial discount- Discount Code  EPIC197.

We Won’t Get Fooled Again!

Let’s take you out with a high energy blast from the past…

Thanks this week go to Marlaine C, the BBC, NPR, Ron A, Will M , Larry H, the Epic Mastermind Team, and Everyone Who is Cool Playing the Fool!

Pay it forward…

Love,
Neville

“You don’t have to be great at something to start, but you have to start to be great at something.”

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week: The Power of Your Words and Pictures

Leadertalk or Victimspeak by Robin Sharma:

Part of what made people like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi legendary were the words they spoke.
Just think about it…

Words of hope can lift whole nations. And words of hate can destroy entire races.

Victimspeak will diminish your personal output while leadertalk will galvanize it.

1 Amazing Human Spirit: “My Body Switched Off and My Imagination Switched On”

Paddy Slattery’s Amazing Human Resilience Story on BBC created a compelling “parking lot moment for me and I simply couldn’t leave my car and had to hear the whole story…

Paddy’s story begins at around the 26:33 mark in this edition.

http://bbc.in/1RoHusl

10 Remarkable Films:

Now that you know what Paddy is made of, this is what he has made:

In his own words, here are the 10 films that have inspired Slattery to become a highly regarded writer, director, producer, and dreamer:

http://iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4288488&tpl=archnews&force=1

100 Iconic Lines and Memories That Will Live Forever:

100 movie clips in 10 min that make you want to see them all again and again….

1,000 Times More Unique!

On a night-time dive near Hawaii, 2 divers were found by a bottle-nose dolphin and it started to swim around them over and over again.

When looking closer, one of them discovered the reason for this strange behavior – the dolphin had a fishing line hooked around it, hindering its ability to swim.
They cut him free, and the dolphin swam away. The fact that a dolphin would come to humans for help maybe evidence of its’ intelligence, as most injured animals would never come close to a human. This is  amazing to watch 3:14 Minute Video – Best Viewed Full Screen:

Thanks this week go to Andrea M for sleuthing a story, Robin S for framing the topic, Paddy S for leading by example and Larry H for the 100 movie clips and dolphin encounter!

Here is to your masterpiece and order of magnitude!

Pay it Forward!

Love,
Neville

“If you are depressed, you are living in the past.

If you are anxious, you are living in the future.

If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”

– Lao Tsu

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

Is Our Educational System at Risk?
7 Ways to Effectively Deal with Constructive Feedback:

The 12 Apps That Every Parent of a Teen Should Know About:

DOGS CAN SLEEP ANYWHERE:

If you are Local:

Maximize Cross-Sector Relationships Through Strategic Corporate Partnerships

On Wednesday, March 23, 8:00AM-10:00AM

 Nonprofit Management Solutions – Meet The Funders

on Thursday, March 24^th from 9:00 am to 11:30 am

Is Our Educational System at Risk?

7 Ways to Effectively Deal with Constructive Feedback:

https://www.peterstark.com/ways-to-effectively-deal-with-constructive-feedback/?utm_source=QoW&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=QoW-7-Ways-to-Effectively-Deal-with-Constructive-Feedback&inf_contact_key=67a010dc6de6977663bdf549ab51af0c499826c8a0d52b05fa0103c715783578

The 12 Apps That Every Parent of a Teen Should Know About:

http://www.mindmake.com/blog/the-12-apps-that-every-parent-of-a-teen-should-know-about/

DOGS CAN SLEEP ANYWHERE

If you are local…

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Meet the Funders  on Thursday, March 24^th

(9:00 AM-11:30 AM at MOPA – Museum of Photographic Arts)

A unique opportunity to meet the funders! Panel Discussion, Q&A and Meet & Greet with representatives of financial institutions with charitable giving programs. Panelists include Neville Billimoria of Mission Federal Credit Union, Wendell French of Wells Fargo, and Rocky Ewell-US Bank.

http://npsolutions.org/workshops/quickreg-01.asp

The Museum of Photographic Arts has graciously made their state-of-the-art auditorium available for this event.

They are located in Balboa Park, 1649 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92103.

Thanks this week go to Marlaine C, Peter B-S, Larry H, grant makers and grant receivers everywhere!

Pay it Forward!

Love,

Neville

“Thomas Edison dreamed of a lamp that could be operated by electricity, began where he stood to put his dream into action, and despite more than ten thousand failures, he stood by that dream until he made it a physical reality. Practical dreamers do not quit.”— Napoleon Hill

Happy Soul Food Friday!

This week:

RIP “5^th Beatle” Sir George Martin

As We Celebrate International Women’s Day, Let’s Kick some “Glass” & ALL Be Champions for Parity!

Enjoy Some Happy Pictures:

Get Clear on YOUR Why!

11 Thoughts About Teamwork:

As We Celebrate International Women’s Day, Let’s Kick some “Glass” & ALL Be Champions for Parity!

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

Enjoy these Happy Pictures

Stay In the Positive!

Get Clear on YOUR Why!

Resiliency Matters and Sometimes You Have Got to Really Want It…

 

11 THOUGHTS ABOUT TEAMWORK:

1. 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.

2. It’s all about teamwork. Sometimes you are the star and sometimes you help the star.

3. 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.

4. Your team doesn’t care if you are a superstar. They care if you are a super team member.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Great team members hold each other accountable to the high standards and excellence their culture expects and demands.

8. Team beats talent when talent isn’t a team.

9. Great teams care more. They care more about their effort, their work and their team members.

10. 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.

11. 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?

 

Thanks this week go to, Larry H, Matt N, & Glass Kicking Parity Champions Everywhere!

Pay it forward,

Love,

Neville

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”— Benjamin Franklin

Happy Soul Food Friday!

The Search for the NEW Americas:

 

This week:

1. Your Invitation to Catalyze A Leap into Education 2016:

Building Great People & Communities Wired to Thrive in the 21st Century Innovation/Imagination Economy all with the Student at the Epicenter

See if you recognize any of the names and please join the more than 70 of us who are already on board…

2. How We Teach Grit to Those We Love:

Which Family Narrative Best Reflects Yours?

3. Cutest Dog Sitters Ever:

Life Really Doesn’t Get Any Better…

Your Invitation to Catalyze A Leap into Education 2016:

Building Great People & Communities Wired to Thrive in the 21st Century Innovation/Imagination Economy all with the Student at the Epicenter

Dear Advocates & Change Makers in Education,

I know this is a tad long but if it wasn’t for your inspiration and impact, it would be shorter!

On this thread are students, parents, teachers, administrators, business, nonprofit and civic leaders, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, change agents, civic activists, bestselling authors, national & international subject matter experts, career development specialists, CEOs of major corporations, esteemed volunteers and more.

Like many of you, I have been blessed to focus on critical issues in education for decades.

From my unique vantage point, whether teaching at UC San Diego for 35 years, or on the ESA board moving the needle on early childhood education and systems change, or working with the Community Alliance for Youth Success (CAYS) ensuring all kids that are part of the Oceanside Promise are college and career ready, or helping with the Real World Scholars board, introducing real world experiential learning to students across the world, or as part of Parenting 2.0, the largest life skills focused parenting site on Linked-In, or working as a thought partner with several local K-12 school districts, or serving on the UCSD Alumni Board, with USD’s Character Development team or SDSU’s Improving Futures Fund and advancing the mission of higher education, or funding education through the Mission Fed Community Foundation and supporting SD Grantmakers– all allows me to connect with so many of you doing incredible work in the education space!

What we do have in common is that we care deeply for and invest our discretionary energy in all matters of education ranging from; the wisdom traditions of 2,500 years ago to neuroscience from 25 milliseconds ago, in the education of business & the business of education, in academic achievement as well as whole person education.

If this resonates for you please read on, champion this leap within your educational ecosystem, and if you are inspired at the end, please sign on by emailing me at: nevilleb@missionfed.com

Four years ago in the last leap year, I was privileged along with Superintendents from some of San Diego’s largest and most innovative school districts and their teams, Steve Farber, local author and speaker, educators from around the country that read his bestseller The Radical LEAP and got turned on to it like Glen Warren, Orange County Teacher of the Year, along with a lot of help from our friends in the business and educational community to connect 880 parents, educators and civic leaders along with a few stellar student exemplars on the USS Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego to Re-Energize Education.

This past week I was deeply inspired at an Education Change-makers talk by Nobel Laureate Dr. James Heckman and Venture Capitalist and Philanthropist JB Pritzker on the critical importance of early childhood education.

Whatever your focus from P-3 to Higher Ed, I am sure we all agree it is about putting the student first and giving them voice and choice in creating their destiny.

Today on this week of leap day in the leap year, let’s not squander the moment.

With your help we would like to use 2016 to spark another LEAP in education!

A lot has changed in 4 years…

Budgets and Morale are on the rise.

San Diego has risen in prominence with disproportionate representation and positive deviancy (bright sparks) in many local, state and national initiatives including The League of Innovative Schools as just one illustrative example.

Digital access and equity have become more important than ever. The literature has transformed educators to see themselves as equity designers as we usher in the new era of Every Child Succeeding and being College, Career and Life ready with Career Pathways, Linked-Learning and Real World Scholarship.

Powerful new findings like the Heckman Curve from Nobel Laureate Dr. James Heckman have made a potent and convincing case for early childhood education AND care, resulting in massive returns on investment and community compound interest that can eliminate the achievement gap by not having one in the first place!

Further, the old divides of education and business are collapsing, as educators know they need to produce a workforce that can be fulfilled & successful, and businesses know they must have a voice and viewpoint in ensuring they can grow their enterprise with all the necessary talent for the years ahead, from our institutions of higher learning and higher yearning.

Last but certainly not least, the San Diego educational ecosystem, thanks to national and international support is more robust and connected than ever before, with a renewed recognition that the only way long term systemic change will take root and stick is via a “place-based, whole person, wrap-around, cross-sector, preventative, networked, systemic, human-centered, collective impact model- all with the student at the epicenter”.

But all is not rosy…

 The Systemic Challenge in Education We Absolutely Must Address:

By most measures, when it comes to education, we are simply not living up to our potential.

We seem to have lost our way in this proverbial and sometimes misguided “race to the top”.

To the top of what exactly are we heading?

To the top score for inequality; boasting the biggest divide between the haves and have nots in human history?

Maybe to the top of the leader board of negative business consequences, with leaders and captains of industry willing to make unethical and value-extractive decisions in the name of the profit motive and self-interest?

Or to the top of the heap with the largest number of people experiencing loneliness, alienation & depression, psycho-socially ill-equipped to thrive in a global economy?

Did we get the facts and figures right but miss the real lesson?

Has education failed us?

Have we failed ourselves?

The “knowing doing gap” leaves many kids ill-equipped to thrive in today’s society.

Many students are simply not provided with the conditions to discover, follow, and integrate their passions during school and build world changing social enterprises.

Today’s complex problems will require the very best of us and we need now more than ever to honor, listen to, and partner with the young bright minds in this solution.

If we want self-reliance and self-efficacy, it is essential that we partner with all of our students, no matter how young!

So how do we really give today’s students the experience to be successful and fulfilled?

While opinions on how to address critical questions in education vary, unlike other social challenges, education is not a polarizing issue.

Everyone is in support of it- both for the young people- and by extension to build a competitive workforce ready for the 21^st century innovation/imagination economy.

Yet, we continue to ask them “What do you want to be?” instead of “Who ARE you and want to YOU want to learn?”

The Data-Driven 21^st Century Response:

Our smart impact investment of time, talent and treasure in whole person education represents the greatest opportunity to prepare for a future that has not been invented yet.

Today’s educational design has moved away from the factory worker model, with bells to announce shifts and one size fits all instructional methods of the industrial age to real world scholarship, experiential learning, behavioral economics, career pathways, information literacy & linked-learning so every child can be college or career ready and fill the ever widening workforce pipeline.

Advocacy and a collective impact education engagement strategy that animates all the stakeholders- widening the tent beyond just educators or parents to business and civic leaders with a vested interested in seeding the workforce of tomorrow today- can provide an important differentiator for thought leaders who recognizes the power and promise this focus can bring to their region, state, the nation and the planet.

The root of the word education is ‘educare’; to look at things from diverse points of view.

It is time to leap forward and catalyze the education and care revolution, raising all kids as if they are our own.

The road to success is always under construction…

This time around, we envision a different orientation and framework, that would intentionally foreground the students, highlight life skills not just academic skills- namely competence AND character- to expand the opportunity set beyond K-12 including the community colleges and local universities, thought partners in philanthropy and civic engagement, all with political air cover providing constancy of purpose and funding.

This must be done with high levels of personalization and a regional/community focus- directed by student passion, organizational priorities and stakeholder purpose.

This time, it cannot be just about academic/traditional education, but about educating the whole-person. This time, while we are foregrounding students, it is not just about students, it is about all of us.

It is hard to raise a kid, but it is equally hard to raise a parent!

Life-long learning is not optional anymore; it is part of the mandatory curriculum in Life Skills 101.

Building on Leap Principles in the Leap Year, here is a framework for consideration courtesy of some rich conversations with Glen Warren and so many of you committed to this work:

“What Matters to You Matters!”

Extreme Leadership for Students in Education

The Current State (Considered a Best Practice)

The teacher is the lead learner, we are all learners!

Learning is what we are about!  (Love is optional)

Our Desired State (A Radical Re-Imagination of What is Possible and might be considered a Best Principle)

“Doing what you love, in the service of those who love what you do!”   

Learning and loving is what we are all about!  (Love is intentionally Included with the learning)

Let’s be honest…

In the current state, what the student loves may or may not be integrated into their learning process.  What the student loves is at best optional.

This is because the student interests are so varied and often changing that schools just can’t keep up or be expected to accommodate or integrate an infinite set of interest variables!

But this thinking is making school less relevant and engaging, not to mention dishonoring the student as our educational partner!

If are genuinely student-centered, then students must have a voice in the choice!  

We want student to do what they love (learning anything, and integrating everything) in the service of those who love what they do (parents & teachers) for a lifetime.

This mindset should not start after their school experience but during it, or even better, because of it!

Connecting the divergent passions, interests, and skills with the required content and learning at school will equip students with a creative capacity that could be world changing and ensure that schools genuinely honor divergent thinking and imaginative expression.

Our Turning the Tables Emphasis in a Leap Year

The Search for the NEW Americas:

This search will ask from us an openness to explore the UNKNOWN, and can only be discovered by constant input from the student about his/her area(s) interest, concern, entertainment, amusement, talents, etc.…

(Is this information included in the “data” that “drives” instruction?)

The desired state would build a new ecosystem, fully equipped to integrate this NEW CONTENT (and new data) into all aspects of the required learning at school and make it count for something.

With your help, we will set a place for the desired learning at the educational table!

 Extreme Leadership:

As we know, position is no longer the basis for leadership, but it is the quality of ideas, thought, questions, and contributions that really matters.  Leadership is not a position, it is a decision.

We must make it possible for all students, no matter how young to have a seat at the leadership table on most if not all decisions.   You are either AT the table, or ON the table…

According to an old Irish legend, or possibly history, St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men – and not just the other way around – every four years. This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how the leap day balances the calendar.”

Today, Convention is in need of an Intervention and this could be our finest hour as we strive to make this NOT just “America’s Finest City” but “America’s Kindest Region”

Our aspiration is that this could be something we model and mentor for the whole USA and beyond…

Are you in?

If yes, please share this with your network and email me back at nevilleb@missionfed.com

We will compile a list of all interested individuals and groups and what we collectively bring to the table to gauge our depth, breadth and bench strength.

Then we will pick a date probably in the Fall from which we can work back, between now and then to reverse engineer Leap into Education 2016 Day and share our passion, purpose and pursuit of educational excellence.

As your purpose connector, I will help to create the conditions for our success but have no delusions of driving this thing.

Our participation can and will come in many flavors, but let’s simply start today by aligning our intention and energy and making a commitment to leap forward in education together by putting students first!

What matters to you matters and guess what? It is the same for our kids…

Let’s not waste this leap day.

No one of us can do it all, but all of us can do something meaningful to advance this mission.

Thanks for all YOU do to make our community better, more vibrant, filled with peace, love and equal opportunity for all!

Love,

Neville and countless others whose ideas and energy inspired this e-missive.

The following people are already on board to create a Leap for Education 2016. Do join us!

Glen Warren, Ken Druck, Tad Parzen, Alan Daly, Steve Farber, Ralf Swenson, Sandra Timmons, David Lynn, Norm Hapke, Jason Partin, Marlaine Cover, Marcy Morrison, Luisa Csathy, John Cahalin, Larry Kesslin, Dan Meader, Devin Vodicka, Judy McDonald, Naila Chowdhury, Bobbi DePorter, Helice “Sparky” Bridges, Laura Kohn, Peter Zahn, David Miyashiro, Alan Sorkin, Sue Simone, Alex Mazloom, Brenda Hall, Moshe Engelberg, Michael Lurie, Jill Vinson, Sara Schairer, Jeanie Luckey, John Lincoln, Robert MacPhee, Ed Ecker, Leslie Fausset, Ann Lineback, Manuelita Brown, Shimi Kang, Elisa Lurkis, Karen Moawad,  John St. James, Dan Engel, Drew Schlosberg, Gary Knight, Dale Ganzow, Starla Lewis, Will Marre, Nate Howard, Paula Thomas, David Sawicki, Edwin Valderrama, Dennis Doyle, Jaime Romo, MJ Schumann, Charles Bergan, Jeff Grantham, Scott Bechter-Levin, Judith Lukomski, Greg Betts, Karen Henken, Parker Harris, Parker Pike, Stan Sewitch, Leora Langs, Christopher Yanov, Jill McManigal, Ricardo Rao, Steven Snyder, Erika Daniels, Eric Kaufmann, Cheryl Harrison, & Christine Paik

If I left you out, I sincerely apologize in advance as this list has grown massively in the last couple of days thanks to your energy & support…

How We Teach Grit to Those We Love:

WHAT IF…your family narrative defines who you are?

RESEARCH SAYS: Psychologists have found that every family has one of three unifying narratives:

• The ascending family narrative: “When we came to this country, we had nothing. Our family worked. Your grandfather went to high school. Your father went to college. And now you…”
• The descending narrative: “We used to have it all. Then we lost everything.”
• The oscillating family narrative: “We’ve had ups and downs in our family. We built a family business. Your mother was on the board of the hospital. But we also had setbacks. We had a house burn down. Your father lost a job. But no matter what happened, we always stuck together as a family.”

The healthiest narrative is the oscillating narrative because it shows a family’s positive moments and its ability to bounce back from the difficult ones.  It’s called grit.

TRY THIS:  What is your family narrative?  Create the time to pass it on this week.  Get into a conversation with your children, niece, nephew, cousin.

Share your results on our Facebook page.

Did someone forward you this email? Want to receive tips like this and other great content directly in your inbox? Then sign up here to join our email list.

Our Last Tip:
Give Children a History

Click to see all our tips

Read Will’s latest leadership/career blog post – Liking my post on LinkedIn is appreciated:  What If Smart People Ruled the World?

Life Really Doesn’t Get Any Better…

Cutest Dog Sitters Ever

Thanks this week go to Will M, Larry H, Glen Warren, Ken Druck, Tad Parzen, Alan Daly, Steve Farber, Ralf Swenson, Sandra Timmons, David Lynn, Norm Hapke, Jason Partin, Marlaine Cover, Marcy Morrison, Luisa Csathy, John Cahalin, Larry Kesslin, Dan Meader, Devin Vodicka, Judy McDonald, Naila Chowdhury, Bobbi DePorter, Helice “Sparky” Bridges, Laura Kohn, Peter Zahn, David Miyashiro, Alan Sorkin, Sue Simone, Alex Mazloom, Brenda Hall, Moshe Engelberg, Michael Lurie, Jill Vinson, Sara Schairer, Jeanie Luckey, John Lincoln, Robert MacPhee, Ed Ecker, Leslie Fausset, Ann Lineback, Manuelita Brown, Shimi Kang, Elisa Lurkis, Karen Moawad,  John St. James, Dan Engel, Drew Schlosberg, Gary Knight, Dale Ganzow, Starla Lewis, Will Marre, Nate Howard, Paula Thomas, David Sawicki, Edwin Valderrama, Dennis Doyle, Jaime Romo, MJ Schumann, Charles Bergan, Jeff Grantham, Scott Bechter-Levin, Judith Lukomski, Greg Betts, Karen Henken, Parker Harris, Parker Pike, Stan Sewitch, Leora Langs, Christopher Yanov, Jill McManigal, Ricardo Rao, Steven Snyder, Erika Daniels, Eric Kaufmann, Cheryl Harrison, Christine Paik and every single one of you already or soon to be committed to education, positively changing the future and believing in each other!

Pay it Forward

Love,

Neville

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

“The second greatest threat to our planet is our erroneous belief that we can’t believe in each other!”

Happy Soul Food Friday!

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is life, fight for it.”
—Mother Teresa

This week:

Very Special Pictures to Start this Moment Right!

Dying Cancer Warrior Taught Life Lessons:

Making the best of the years, inspiring others despite pain, exhaustion and frailty, defeating cancer even in death and through her example learning lessons about ourselves, our craft and our life…

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2016/02/16/voices-dying-cancer-warrior-best-teacher/80223410/

Who Would Jesus Vote For?

Wherever you stand on separation of church and state and whatever you expect from your political leaders, this was an interesting take

A secular Jew the most Christian candidate in the race?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/02/17/wwjd-vote-for-bernie-sanders-column/80426466/

Grand Libraries of the World

Each with its design and unique flair tells a story and inspires love of learning and repositories of knowledge

Libraries are one of the few places in the world we can truly self-drive our learning based on our interests and passion…

Bibliotheken

PDF Version: Bibliotheken [Compatibility Mode]

Shifting School Culture:

“We have enough programs and trainings – positive behavior, restorative justice, diversity and inclusion, implicit bias.

Our children come with so many issues. There is so much bullying and teasing. I see so little empathy!”

 

Niroga Notes February 2016

Recently the principal of a large middle school told me that he is looking for a shift in school culture, not another program. He said, “We have enough programs and trainings – positive behavior, restorative justice, diversity and inclusion, implicit bias. Our children come with so many issues. There is so much bullying and teasing. I see so little empathy! I believe the skills that Dynamic Mindfulness provides is the very foundation for this shift.“

Niroga’s Dynamic Mindfulness program systematically develops stress resilience, self-awareness, emotion regulation and healthy relationships. Read on to see why we need Dynamic Mindfulness in our schools today, and think about what you can do to make it happen.

In Gratitude,

Bidyut Bose, PhD, Founder and Executive Director

Stress is Making our Children Sick     

“Is the Drive for Success Making Our Children Sick?” reads the title of a recent article from the New York Times. In a large California High School, 54% of students showed moderate to severe symptoms of depression, and 80% suffered moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety. These statistics are alarming! “We are sitting on a ticking time bomb,” said one teacher.

Read more about reversing this trend.

Learn how to Teach Dynamic Mindfulness   

We are bringing our two day Dynamic Mindfulness training to the Los Angeles, CA area. Please share with your Southern California connections and community.

Learn more.

 

Thanks this week go to Larry H, Bidyut B, and all those committed to keeping our kids safe and well!

Pay it forward…

Love,

Neville

“If I can stop one heart from breaking I shall not live in vain.”–Emily Dickinson

Happy Soul Food Friday!

 This week:

Challenging Our Basic Assumptions and Trusting the Process

“Here and Now…Breath and Relax”- Dan Millman

After Centuries of ‘Sameness’ We are Finally Seeing the End of Average:

Yes, ‘normal’ is the psycho-pathology of the average and it is time to herald in a new era!

Rose is the Director of the Mind, Brain and Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education where he heads up the Laboratory for the Science of the Individual.

http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/entering-age-individual/

Courage is Not What You Think it Is:

You have to be out of your mind to tap deep courage. Literally.

Most of your fears are mental. The trick to cultivating courage, therefore, is by getting out of your mind and into your body. Learn why and how to use a three step approach to have more courage on your personal and professional journey.

Eric is also the author of Leadership as a Hero’s Journey

Speaking of Hero’s Journeys, Discover the Lessons Learned from Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and Apply Them to Your Own:

Filmmaker Patrick Soloman discusses his movie “Finding Joe” & Dan Millman shares “The Four Purposes of Life”.

http://wsradio.com/012016-the-four-purposes-of-life-of-the-peaceful-warrior-insights-from-dan-millman/

2^nd clip at the 6:50 mark with Patrick is good & the 3^rd and 4^th clips with Dan Millman are great!

Some of these pictures will put a lump in your throat…

Getting Some Historic Perspective

If You Are Local…

Calling All Parents – Mission Fed Supports Anti-Cyber Bullying:

As the amount of cell phone and computer usage grows with children, cyber bullying is also on the rise and that’s why Mission Fed is proud to sponsor the Calling All Parents campaign. Led by the San Diego Police Foundation, in partnership with NBC 7 and Cox, to promote SafetyNet – A program designed to help parents and educators learn how to keep kids safe online.

Starting February, 16 through the end of April, NBC 7 and Cox will features a series of commercials “Calling All Parents” and asking them to be more involved in their children’s computer usage at a time when technology is becoming central to their children’s lives. The commercials feature Mission Fed as the sponsor and highlights our commitment to making a difference in the lives of our members and our community.

http://studio.mixpo.com/videoad/AOB__a3MRDeZ1df-BWxf1w/CAP_MF_DVX-

http://studio.mixpo.com/videoad/raEhjuYkT-jXawDCHU8uA/Calling_All_Parents-MF-300X600Exp

To learn more visit:

http://www.smartcyberchoices.orgCBS8

Learning Upgrade Software helps Somali refugees learn English

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/feb/14/learning-upgrade-somalis-bantu-computer-program/

Thanks this week go to Eric K, Wade at WS Radio, Larry H, Vinod L, the Mission Fed team & Everyone Living the Hero’s Journey and Way of the Peaceful Warrior!

Pay it Forward

Love,

Neville

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”— Benjamin Franklin