Category: Personal Development

Natural Healing for Leaders

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Leadership Development, natural healing, Personal Development
Wild flowers. Finland 2015. Photograph: Anne-Maria Yritys
Wild flowers. Finland 2015. Photo: Anne-Maria Yritys

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. (Lao Tzu) 

Great leadership equals great responsibility, and great responsibility requires maturity and patience. Important, long-term decisions are not to be made in hurry, but rather with thoughtfulness.

Nature is our best teacher in making better leadership decisions, because when you look deep into nature, you will understand everything better (Albert Einstein).

Don´t haste through life, GROW through life. 

Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) 

Nature also cures, lowers blood pressure, acts as an antioxidant for your skin and body – a natural therapy, and a couple of hours spent in nature may be worth more than any other treatment.

Nature also calms your breath, helps you get rid of stress, anxieties, and a walk in nature is a great counterbalance for all kinds of athletes. Life cannot always be a race, a marathon, or a triathlon. Even high performers need a break, calm and peaceful activities that even out the hectic everyday life.

Get out in nature – go for a walk in the forest, for a hike, to a silent beach, up to the mountains or where ever you can truly relax and detach from all the noise in your life. Make it a regular activity/exercise, and notice how your life, and thoughts, start changing.

Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are fountains of life. (John Muir) 

Nature. Cheaper than Therapy. 

Relax 8 Hours-Relaxing Nature Sounds-Study-Sleep-Meditation-Water Sounds-Bird Song:

Thank you for spending time daily out in nature.

 

Motivation + Actions + Goals = Accomplishment

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Leadership development coaching, motivation, Personal Development
www.pinzino.it - Un ape dedita al proprio lavoro - Fiore di girasole - Macro - Corpo macchina Canon 300D - Autore: Enrico Nunziati - Obiettivo Sigma 17/70
http://www.pinzino.it – Un ape dedita al proprio lavoro – Fiore di girasole – Macro – Corpo macchina Canon 300D – Autore: Enrico Nunziati – Obiettivo Sigma 17/70

I BEElieve in you (Tanya Radic)

…Please promise to believe in yourself too!

MOTIVATION, a simple word yet so profound, in all aspects of life. Why? The question may sound somewhat simple, but can motivation be regarded simple taking into consideration how much effort, time, and value is being invested into analyzing, researching, living, educating, coaching, teaching, and mastering motivation?

Perhaps only one thing exceeds the importance of motivation, and that is GOAL, but working towards, and reaching a goal, requires for us  to be motivated. Motivation is the foundation for all action, and motivation together with action will lead us towards reaching a goal.

MOTIVATION + ACTIONS + GOAL = ACCOMPLISHMENT

 

The perhaps best-known, and most cited researcher in the field of motivational theory is Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist and professor who believed in focusing on the positive qualities in people, and who studied self-actualization together with human potential. Maslow´s hierarchy of human needs as a valid framework remains widely used among a wide variety of practitioners within sociology, management/leadership development, psychology, coaching, education, and training.

 

Maslow´s hierarchy of needs aligned with aspiration management is based upon the thought that when the basic (physiological, safety and security) of a human being are fulfilled, the individual has the capability, and energy, to focus upon fulfilling his/her social needs including love/belonging, esteem, and at the top of the pyramid, self-actualization. Hence, once the basic needs together with the following social needs have been fulfilled, an individual can focus upon accomplishment. 

Assumed that an individual (YOU?) leads a life where his/her basic and social needs are fulfilled, he/she is ready to aim for self-actualization and accomplishment. This, in turn, requires the ability of setting a goal/several goals, and finding the motivation that enables actions in reaching the goal/s. Actions in plural because reaching a goal usually takes more than one action, of course depending upon the size of the goal. The higher/more complex the goal, the more actions will it demand.

MOTIVATION + ACTIONS = GOAL

Motivation, further on, can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation starts from within an individual, while extrinsic motivation usually comes from outside the individual. The question is, whether all intrinsic motivation is based upon external factors? Nevertheless, there are many ways of getting motivated:

  1. Clarify your goal
  2. Reflect upon the purpose of your goal
  3. Divide your goal into smaller steps/partial goals (the higher/more demanding the goal, the more important it is to divide it into a number of smaller goals)
  4. Consciously raise your performance pressure
  5. Visualize reaching your goal on a regular basis
  6. Use motivation as a tool of self-suggestion (positive affirmations/mantras)
  7. Rationalize your schedule
  8. Define a daily/weekly/monthly/yearly schedule
  9. Commit to your goal(s) on a social level
  10. Set up a reward (and punishment) system for yourself
  11. Make enough time and space (enable conditions) for reaching your goal(s)
  12. Remove obstacles and conflicts that may stand in the way for your motivation
  13. Consciously change your attitude
  14. Use inspirational mental models/find role models/mentors

(List Source: Kauppila 2003. Opi ja opeta tehokkaasti. Psyykkinen valmennus oppimisen tukena = translation: Teach and Learn Efficiently. Psychological Coaching as a Support in Learning).

In following video, “The psychology of self-motivation”, Scott Geller speaks about self-motivation and how to free yourself from restrictions, enabling you to set your personal goals, and receive support from people around you. Enjoy watching and listening to a perspective about intrinsic (self-) motivation.

 

The bee is more honored than other animals, not because she labors, but because she labors for others (St. John Chrysostom)

If the bee disappears from the surface of the Earth, man would have no more than four years to live (Albert Einstein)

Thank you for reading, commenting, and learning. Most of all, thank you for valuing and respecting all life upon Earth, and making it your priority to become motivated, take actions, reach goals, and accomplish things that are of value, and that help other humans, nature, and all life (including animals) enabling us to continue thriving on Planet Earth.

 

How To Overcome Your (Personal) Leadership Obstacles

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Coaching for excellence, Leadership risks, Personal Development

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As a leader, if you follow your heart, you will have the courage to take on any risk because your heart will lead you to the solution and avoid the risk. (Angeline Kobe Chan).

Leadership, as everything else in life, includes many risks. Life itself is a risk, because no matter how much we plan and strategize, life will always have its surprises in storage for us. In terms of risks, leadership can also be compared to entrepreneurship – you cannot lead if you are not capable of taking, and living with them, neither can you be an entrepreneur without being prepared to take risks.

What are the biggest risks of leadership, then? Observation, personal life/work/study experiences as well as learning about leadership through online and printed media have taught me a number of lessons, including seven themes that I consider being the major risks and obstacles on your path to becoming a great leader. The 7 major risks are:

1. Being mentally (or physically, but usually mentally) blocked due to a specific reason (or, due to a number of reasons). Most often, the main risk on your path to being a great leader is YOU yourself, personally.

How can you overcome this? Depending upon YOU, you will have to make efforts including the fact that you agree with the fact that YOU personally are the one who is standing in your own way. Once you have realized this, take needed actions towards removing and overcoming your blockages. There are a number of ways to do this.

2. Negative self-talk, or listening to skeptics. NEVER EVER look down or yourself, or on others. And, never let other people put you down.

Solution: Whatever you do, focus on positivity. Start by cleansing yourself from any negative energies, or negative self-talk. Instead, wake up each morning and remind yourself about how great you are, and be thankful for everything you have in life. Be thankful for your life, and embrace the day by living in the present instead of thinking about possible past failures, or having too much concern about the future. Your life is here and now, in the present, and in order to be(come) a successful leader, you have to focus on living 100 % in the present moment. This life was given to you for a reason, and make sure to enjoy it to the fullest.

3. Focusing too much on external factors and motivators.

According to psychological theory, and studies about motivation, motivation is at its best when it is “an internal thing”. Truly successful, driven people, are motivated by internal, rather than by external factors. You have to find your true purpose inside yourself, and then get out in the world and release all the positive energy that is in store inside of you (in your body and soul).

4. Comparing yourself with others/Fear of loss and/or giving

What to do? Never compare yourself, your achievements, your life purpose, or your life path in general to those of other people. Your life path is always personal, and you should not have to explain your choices or decisions to people around you. Those who matter do not mind, and those who do not mind, do not matter. Peel the onion, get to the root of you, your desires, and instead of comparing yourself to other individuals, start living your life, and working towards your personal goals, to the fullest. The more you give, the more you will receive.

5. Lack of vision and purpose.

Are you in a state of amnesia, or at a crossroad, not knowing in which direction to go or what path to choose in life? Do not blame yourself. This is a major theme for many people, so you are not alone with this obstacle (it may be relieving to realize this). GIVE YOURSELF TIME. Sometimes, and very often, even the best of leaders get lost on their track. Instead of having feelings of despair, focus on the essentials in life, such as breathing, eating, and resting/sleeping enough. Meditate. Take some time out. Realize that Rome was not built in a day. We all have a purpose in life, and vision will come as soon as you take care of yourself holistically.

6. Isolation and lack of support/help.

Many people, and leaders, are lonely. Loneliness is not equal to being alone. Many people, and leaders, prefer spending some/a lot of time alone without feeling lonely. Nevertheless, we human beings are always more or less social, and need other human beings around us. Get a role model/role models, seek out the best mentor/s you possibly can, surround yourself with people who can help you on your path, and who support your growth. True leaders are never afraid of helping/seeking help or support, and they let others grow along and beside them without interfering.

7.   Not enough self-knowledge/self-esteem

Leadership comes to those who are ready for it, regardless of age or other external criteria. You will know and feel your personal readiness, and so will the world around you. Leadership requires emotional maturity, a willingness to lead because of purpose and drive, and not because of other facts such as wanting to micro-manage or have power over other individuals.

At its best, leadership is wonderful, energizing, fulfilling, purposeful, exciting, uplifting, and contagious! And, as I have learned from my many mentors and role models, the purpose of leadership is to encourage, and grow more leaders. Leaders, who have a purpose and mission, and who are passionate enough to make an effort to fulfill their life purpose while engaging others along the way.

Attached an attached lecture about leadership and decision-making in the Face of Great Risk (Harvard Kennedy School):

You must do the thing you think you cannot do (Eleanor Roosevelt)

An individual who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his/her back on the crowd (Max Lucado)

The biggest risk is taking no risk (Mark Zuckerberg)

When you play it too safe, you are taking the biggest risk of your life. Time is the only wealth we are given. (Barbara Sher)

Leadership is action, not position (Donald H. McGannon)

Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be. (Sonia Ricotti)

Never allow waiting to become a habit. Live your dreams and take risks. Life is happening now. (unknown)

We make a living by what we get. But we make a life by what we give (Winston Churchill)

There can be no great accomplishment without any risk (Neil Armstrong)

Thank you for reading, commenting, sharing, learning, and for leading!

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Earth Reshaped by Indigos and Crystals

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in higher education, Personal Development, Spirituality
(Aquamarine on White Background. Artist: Boykung/Freedigitalphotos.net. ID: 100258224)
(Aquamarine on White Background. Artist: Boykung/Freedigitalphotos.net. ID: 100258224)

Live the life you were truly meant to live. You create the experience that you choose to have. There is no limit to what you can be, do, and have. You are an infinite creator of your reality. (Indigo Wisdom #391)

The future is now. We have entered the New Age long ago and there is no turning back. What a relief is that, knowing that we can fully focus on the existing present, creating the future we want with lessons from the past acting as our guidelines towards the future that humanity and planet Earth not only wants, but needs in order to continue thriving in our endless Universe. We are doing pretty well already, but imagine for an instance what our actions and lifestyles, on the average, may look like to more advanced civilizations in the Universe? Yes, we all citizens of Planet Earth are responsible for how well societies function, how humanity in general thrives, how we treat each other, how we treat nature, and how we treat animals. We can and should all take part of the blame, but instead of focusing upon living in guilt, blaming ourselves and other human beings, let´s concentrate our energy upon improving the way we live and interact with ourselves, and with other living creatures that our ecosystem depends upon.

The vibrations of our planet, across countries and continents, are already being raised by conscious and aware individuals, who are spiritually more in tune with both themselves and have a higher understanding and connection through their strongly developed intuition, allowing them to comprehend intangible matters and to some people, currently invisible dimensions and the spirit world that we, in fact, all live in.

Indigos and Crystals are living among us, helping us with the necessary changes that will lead us into a brighter future for mankind, and Planet Earth in general. They are here to teach us valuable lessons, and also to helping us develop the same qualities in ourselves. We are all spiritual beings with so much untapped potential, indigos and crystals who can, and will, shape our present into a future where everyone has enough of everything, a shared wealth and well-being.

If this topic is completely new to you, you may want to increase your understanding by reading e.g. The Complete Idiot´s Guide to Indigo Children, an enlightening approach to nurturing an Indigo child, written by Wendy H. Chapman, Director of the Metagifted Education Resource Organization (metagifted.org) and Carolyn Flynn.

Please also learn more about Indigo´s and Crystals by watching following videos:

CNN – Anderson Cooper – Indigo Children: 

and

5 Signs You’re An Indigo Child or Adult: 

 

Anyone that encourages intellectual, emotional, artistic or spiritual growth is worth keeping. Don´t let them go. (Color me Indigo on Pinterest).

Thank you for reading, sharing, commenting and learning. Peace and blessings.

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How Can You Expand & and Express Your Creativity?

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Creative Expression, Personal Development, Societal Development

You cannot use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. (Maya Angelou)

Creativity is one of the most sought after commodity not only in business today, but also in employees. Yet, a major part of organizations fail to draw out, or inspire their employees to their fullest potential within the context of creativity. The reasons behind this vary, starting from the fact that tantalizing creativity requires actions that stretch far beyond from simply fulfilling basic human needs through employment, such as generating a secure income in order to pay for essential living costs. Many creative individuals also do value independence, freedom of expression and creativity, a possibility to live out their passions higher than just receiving a steady paycheck month in, and month out. Unfortunately, many organizational roles today leave only little, if any, space for creative expression and development.

There are many forms of creativity, not limited to traditional creative professions such as acting, music, poetry, creative art, and teaching among many other creative professions. The technological advancement has made it easier for individuals, and organizations, to express their creativity in a number of ways. Various online media and social networks are a good example of how creativity can be, and has been, made possible, accessible, and more easily expressed to majority of individuals.

How can you tap into, live out, and express, your personal creativity? As it comes to creation, and creativity, there are no simple rules or guidelines to live by, but creativity does require:

– The capability of working alone. However social human beings are, the majority of truly creative stars in history and contemporary are well-known for their capability of tireless work, often in solitude. Perhaps the most well-known example of tireless self-belief and exhaustive work in solitude is Albert Einstein who spent years working upon his relativity theory before making it public. It may be worthwhile to learn more about Albert Einstein Method.

– The need of overcoming fears, restrictions, and being willing to go the extra mile in order to reach your full potential as an evolving individual. Human beings are constantly learning, and developing, at least as long as we allow ourselves to expand and grow spiritually (in addition to developing physically). It takes courage to believe in oneself, no matter what other people may think or whatever kind of feedback one receives for creative work. Be willing to listen to, and take feedback, but also keep in mind that you are the master of your creativity, and in creative expression there are no limits, or rights or wrongs, as long as your work is morally correct, and ethical.

– Do not limit yourself. Creativity may sometimes require extravagant action/behavior. Study and learn more about creative geniuses in history and in contemporary, individuals such as Pablo Picasso and Lady Gaga, who have taken risks and lived out their extravagant characteristics. Do not other people limit you either, as long as you keep within legal frameworks, and perhaps cultural acceptance?

– Detox your life, meditate, work upon activating your pineal gland, listen to, and follow your intuition.

Listen, and watch the following video where David Kelley speaks about how to build your creative confidence:

Spend time with people, and surround yourself with people who accept and tolerate your creativity. If possible, get rid of circumstances and people who restrict you expressing, and living, your creative potential.

To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. (Joseph Chichon Pearce)

Being creative is not a hobby – it is a way of life. 

Logic will take you from A to B. Imagination (creativity) will take you anywhere. 

The creative adult is the child who survived. 

Creativity is contagious. Pass it on. 

Creativity changes the world. Use your creativity for the benefit of humanity, and the Universe. 

Every person is creative. Discovering that becomes the challenge. Nurture your creativity today! 

Life is a great big canvas, throw all the paint you can on it (Danny Kaye)

Creative people are curious, flexible, persistent, and independent with a tremendous spirit of adventure and a love of play (Henri Matisse)

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation (Herman Melville) 

Listen to and watch another excellent video about creativity: 

Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius: 

Thank you for reading, commenting, and learning. 

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Expand Your Mind and Strengthen Your Intuition

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Continuous Learning, Intuition, Mind Expansion, Personal Development
Tampere/Finland. December 2014. Photo by Anne-Maria Yritys.
Sun Over The Horizon. Tampere/Finland. December 2014. Photo by Anne-Maria Yritys.

This time of the year days are getting shorter and shorter in the Northern Hemisphere, as we are heading towards midwinter. In Lapland this is a time of polar nights, when the sun does not rise at all over the horizon north of the Arctic Circle. Further south, the sun rises for a few hours, shining its light on the winter landscape. Adaptation to this darkness may seem overwhelming for many, even for northern citizens. The lack of light in the winter months makes it essential for northern citizens to intake extra D-vitamin. Many people plan a winter vacation to a sunny destination. Others spend the whole winter at home, adapting to the climate and darkness. With snow this time of the year, many people enjoy cross-country skiing, but when no snow falls, this is still an excellent time for running in nature. 

Running, as any other exercise, in darkness, is a way of strengthening one´s intuition. With no artificial light, one needs to rely completely on sensing the path. Of course, training in darkness requires some caution, and is not recommended in unfamiliar terrains where different kinds of hazards are possible. In fact, this reminds me of a holiday in Cambodia, where I toured the huge temple area of Angkor Wat by bike. Just before sunset, I wanted to visit Ta Phrom once more, but a local guardian firmly stopped me at the gate, suggesting that I would leave the area. With a slight feeling of disappointment, I climbed upon my bike and soon realized why he had asked me to leave. Darkness falls very quickly in Cambodia, and there are no artificial lights in the temple area, which is surrounded by jungles, home to many reptiles and snakes, something that we do not need to be cautious about in the North. 

During the same holiday, I went night diving through a local dive center. A few years earlier I could never even have imagined that I would, some day, travel to a country far from home, get dressed into a diving suit, and actually go diving after sunset. The night before, the local Dive Shop in Sihanoukville had taken us to the island of Koh Rong Samleum, where we spent the night sleeping in a diver´s bungalow located directly at the beach. I remember lying awake in my bunk bed, unable to fall asleep because of listening to the heavy monsoon rain falling during the night. The experience of sleeping under a mosquito net in an open bungalow, on a peaceful island far away from home, with the proximity of the huge ocean, is unforgettable. As was the dive after sunset. Led by a qualified instructor, we anchored the boat somewhere in the middle of the ocean. The captain stayed in the boat, while me and my instructor, and another instructor with his student, prepared to dive into the darkness. As my instructor jumped into the water, I simply followed her, quite excited, but fully trusting her expertise and guidance through the water. We were both wearing torches supplying us with some light in the otherwise completely opaque water. Our bottom time was 45 minutes, and the maximum depth was 6,5 meters, with a visibility of about three meters thanks to our torches. Night diving in itself is not the most beautiful diving experience due to the fact that during daytime, the underwater landscapes have so much more to offer for the eyes. However, as an overall experience, it is essential for any diver willing to develop, and to expand their minds. Hadn´t I taken my basic diving course in Finland a few years earlier, where waters often are opaque even during daytime, I would probably have been even more excited. With some previous diving experience, and the fact that we had dived earlier during the same day in almost the same area, I knew what was awaiting me. 

Scuba diving is not an extreme sport, but it is important to learn the technical skills and always remember the basic rules. As any other activity, scuba diving is not suitable for everyone, or not every body and mind is suited for scuba diving. The same applies to all sports, and activities, wherefore why it is so important to learn to recognize what kind of activities can help you personally to develop, grow as an individual, and to expand your mind.

Why is this important? 

Continuous learning and challenging ourselves is essential for our development.

 “The day we stop learning is the day we stop growing, or even worse, it is the day we start dying”

(Dr. Anthony Gambale)

Quoting Oscar Wilde: “I am not young enough to know everything”. 

It is an amusing quote, but also very innocent. There is nothing wrong with staying connected to the child in you, always open to learning and developing new skills. 

Tips for expanding your mind and strengthening your intuition: 

  • Practice some kind of physical or recreational activities regularly.
  • Train your mind through various activities, such as meditation and yoga. 
  • Focus on surrounding yourself with positive energy. Listen to your feelings – they will guide you in the correct direction. Life is too short to be wasted.
  • Make a list of things that you want to learn, create, or develop your skills in. 
  • Cleanse your mind every day, and keep it positive. 
  • Focus on your goals, and learn how to overcome obstacles. 
  • You never know what you are capable of, until you have given it a try.  

 

(The Beach At Dawn in Thailand. Artist: nuttakit. Freedigitalphotos.net. Published on 14032011).
(The Beach At Dawn in Thailand. Artist: nuttakit. Freedigitalphotos.net. Published on 14032011).