Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t. (Steve Maraboli)
Who is in charge of your life? Is it you, or is it someone else?
Take a piece of paper, a pencil, and spend some time drawing a sketch of your life in silence, without any external distractions. Or, go for a walk, do anything that allows you to reflect upon the way you lead your personal, and business life.
What are your circumstances? What is happening in your life? Who is part of your life? How do you spend your days? How do you spend your time? Who do you spend you time with? How do you treat yourself? How do you allow others to treat you, not only as a woman, or a businesswoman, but as an individual.
Are you living up to your true potential? Or do you let yourself become influenced by other people, their opinions, and e.g. news and media?
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. (Maya Angelou)
Just think about it. We are constantly being influenced by people, news, and media. In these days of the digital era, many of us are constantly online, networking on social media. Do you control your online presence, or are you being swept away by external disruptions?
Are you on the right track in life, or controlled by external circumstances?
So many questions! And who has the answers?
Only YOU have the correct answers for your life. No one else. Not your family, your friends, your coworkers, your boss, the government, the news and media. No, no, no, do not let everyone else dictate what is right for you, what choices you should be making regarding your present life, or your future.
You are the one who is in charge of your life destiny.
You are not here just to please others.
You are here to fulfill your life´s purpose, and to bring peace into the world. To travel the best possible road of your life, to develop yourself and your surrounding by being a wonderful example to other people.
Keep this in mind, every single day of your life. Do not let people and news/media surrounding you let you down. Instead, focus on positive energies, in yourself and in others.
Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it. (W. Peterson)
Be a Leader: How To Be A Powerful Woman on YouTube:
Thank you also for reading and commenting this article. Thank you also for liking and sharing, especially if this post provided you with valuable content and information.
No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world. (Robin Williams)
If you are a focused, creative talent working hard at generating fresh ideas and turning them into profitable action to improve the world around you through your business activities, it may occur to you that other individuals, or organizations, are quick to implement ideas they think may be profitable and useful.
Has it ever happened to you that you get the feeling that people around you are making use of exactly the same idea that you had, and perhaps even expressed in some form or another? How did you react to that? What were your thoughts? Did it cross your mind to walk to the closest patent office and get your idea patented?
Nothing else in the world is as powerful as an idea whose time has come.
I am very sorry to disappoint you, but in many countries it is impossible to patent ideas. At least this is the case in Finland. And, if you are openly spreading your thoughts and ideas online, please be prepared to face the fact that you will notice people, and organizations, making use of them.
Instead of questioning whether or not someone has borrowed your idea(s), focus upon following:
REALIZE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS.
Collective consciousness can be interpreted through the fact that all human beings, regardless of cultural background, share a set of beliefs and values, even awareness, about what is morally and ethically correct.
REFLECT UPON THE SOURCE OF YOUR IDEA(S)
How do you come up with your ideas? Do you carry a pen and notebook with you at all times, and do you sleep with the same utensils on your bedside table in case you come up with excellent ideas during sleep? If not, you definitely should do so. It is worth noticing that since we human beings are “products” of our environments and societies, our perceptions about the world surrounding us are very much based upon a number of facts such as our personal knowledge and experiences, and how we manage to transform our ideas with the help of mental schemes in our brains, as well as using our previous experiences to generate new ideas.
ARE YOU SURE YOUR IDEA IS UNIQUE?
Referring to the previous two headlines, true innovation is often the masterful sophistication of existing ideas/products into a new creation rather than coming up with something genuinely unique. You cannot reinvent the wheel to explain it simple, but you can either refine the wheel or come up with other forms of travel (have we come up with everything possible on that yet?).
EXPRESS POSITIVE EMOTIONS WHEN YOU NOTICE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS USING SIMILAR IDEAS TO THOSE YOU HAVE.
Either people/individuals do have exactly the same ideas as you do, and put them into practice in various ways. If you feel someone is really using YOUR ideas, take it as a compliment that people in fact value your ideas so much that they are acting upon them, especially if your objective and/or profession is to influence society around you.
USE YOUR CREATIVITY TO CREATE PERSONALIZED SERVICES AND PRODUCTS!
The global market is full of individuals and organizations, businesses of all sizes and in all industries that operate and offer their customer exactly the same products, many with exactly the same quality, and even with the same price. Creativity is very valuable these days, especially if you can come up with and brand ideas and products offering your customers something different, something unique, something spicy, and something creative.
REMEMBER: You will never be capable of protecting your ideas because you cannot even be certain whether the idea truly originated from you personally. Yet, be mindful about spreading your ideas in public since you may want to focus upon turning your ideas into new business models designed to attract clients, and helping other individuals/businesses in a profitable manner.
If you want to find the real competition, just look in the mirror.
The desire for success should be greater than the fear of failure.
Girls compete with each other. Women empower each other. The same applies to both genders.
Life is not a competition. Life is about helping and inspiring others so we can each reach our potential.
Trust your crazy ideas, especially when it comes to changing the world into a better place.
WHERE GOOD IDEAS COME FROM by Steven Johnson on YouTube:
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Thank you for believing in the power of your ideas, and for utilizing them in order to drive sustainable economic development.
Thank you for reading, commenting, and sharing this post.
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)
When we change the way we communicate, we change society (Clay Sharky)
Do you know how a satellite communicates? A satellite is something that orbits, i.e. circles around a larger entity, like planet Earth. The Moon is a natural satellite of planet Earth, and one of the largest in our solar system. The Moon, in synchronous rotation with our home planet, has a gravitational influence that produces our ocean tides and the slight lengthening of our day.
Invented by scientists and technologists, artificial satellites have been designed to perform certain duties for mankind, such as making it possible for us to receive television signals (watch TV), enabling us to communicate in a number of ways, including on and through the Internet. Some satellites have been designed to observe the weather, or take accurate pictures of the Earth´s surface. Kept in place by gravity and centrifugal force, a man-designed satellite helps us communicate and learn more about our planet.
Satellites help countries develop trade opportunities and increase business (Wayana Software. Geosats.com. 2015).
Satellites are artificially intelligent since they filter, receive, transform, and send out exactly the right information that they were designed to do. Nothing more, and nothing less.
The Dalai Lama has stated that humanity has more conveniences, but less time, more experts, but an increased amount of problems, more artificially built intelligence that stores and provides us with more information and knowledge but also altering our way of communication.
How I personally have translated the message of The Dalai Lama is that with all the capacity mankind has to develop artificial intelligence and various kinds of communication tools, we should also be capable of transforming all the information and knowledge that is available to us, into wisdom. Transform all the data and information into wisdom to solve many, or all, of the problems created by humanity because yes, most of the problems on planet Earth have been created by mankind itself.
Many of the world´s problems, and our everyday life problems, could be solved through improved communication. Communication, like the satellite example demonstrates, has a much wider meaning than our personal speech, or the language we use when we write or speak. Speech and words in a written form are only a tiny part of our entire communication system, but yet, words are powerful and ought to be used wisely.
Words and speech are a reproduction of how we perceive our environment, how we personally receive the signals being sent to us from our surroundings, how our mental schemes help us to filter out what is essential and important to us, and how we manage to translate these mental schemes (based upon personal experiences) and send out the messages that are aligned with our personal belief systems and values.
Those who understand the power of their words, and the way these are expressed, including our personal energetic field, body language, gestures, also have wisdom enough to be considerate in their communication. Communication can be trained, and improved through a variety of techniques.
Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder (Rumi)
Appreciative inquiry, a model for analysis and a social constructionist approach used for a variety of purposes, focuses upon appreciating what is, envisioning a possible future state, engaging in dialogue, and innovating the future. In my work life, I have used appreciative inquiry to conduct research e.g. upon organizational values, but also as a simplified tool in everyday dialogue and communication with people.
Learn more about appreciative inquiry, improvisation and relational leading in Taosinstitutes video with the same name:
Listen with ears of tolerance, see through eyes of compassion, speak with the language of love (Rumi)
Thank you for engaging in dialogue and for being considerate in your day-to-day communication.
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:
Clarify your goal
Reflect upon the purpose of your goal
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)
Consciously raise your performance pressure
Visualize reaching your goal on a regular basis
Use motivation as a tool of self-suggestion (positive affirmations/mantras)
Rationalize your schedule
Define a daily/weekly/monthly/yearly schedule
Commit to your goal(s) on a social level
Set up a reward (and punishment) system for yourself
Make enough time and space (enable conditions) for reaching your goal(s)
Remove obstacles and conflicts that may stand in the way for your motivation
Consciously change your attitude
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.
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!
(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.
Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.
Yesterday I undertook one of my longest bike tours ever, cycling 82 miles (132 kilometers) in a few hours. For active sports people this does not necessarily sound like much at all, but for others it may sound nuts – depending upon your sports and recreational background, and general activity level. Even for me, who has always exercised pretty much and loves being physically active, 82 miles of cycling is something that I don’t ́t do every day, not even once a week or once a month. But once in a while, I love challenging myself and pushing my limits.
As Finland is a pretty flat country, the terrain was not too heavy except for a few small slopes. From a weather perspective, the temperature was perfect – sunshine, but not too warm, nor too cold. Only little if any wind. Not too much traffic, only an empty road surrounded by forests on both sides. What could be more relaxing than exercising outdoors in perfect weather, hearing the wind whooshing at the top of the trees, and birds singing?
I ride a bike almost daily, even during the winter and in snow terrain. During the past years I have regularly cycled longer distances, so 82 miles on a bike was not anything exceptional for me. At some point, however, it crossed my mind (only once!) whether cycling this particular distance makes any sense at all? Particularly taking into consideration that I was completely on my own, without any cycling buddies or competitors around (in front of, or behind) me. Well, I thought to myself, of course it makes sense. How else, if not challenging myself every now and then, could I ever develop – improve my endurance and persistence?
I have always admired all kinds of athletes and sporty individuals, regardless of external attributes or the type of sport these people are active in. Even those who exercise their whole lives without aiming to become number one in their field of activity. Although I have to admit that long distances and endurance training is something that personally impresses me more than anything, perhaps because I have noticed that endurance and persistence is something that can be developed throughout life, and endurance athletes are often older than sprinters who grow too old for sprinting at a very young age, and either have to retire early, change discipline, or who end up becoming coaches themselves after a rather short period of time in being top performers in their own discipline. This is especially true e.g. for swimmers who most often are at the top of the game at the age of 15-18, after which they have reached their peak and either have to reorient or quit their swimming careers. Not a very appealing career for someone who invests countless hours on hard and persistent training?
Endurance, and distance sports, on the other hand, gives individuals the possibility to be top performers even at older ages. Just look at marathoners and triathletes. And if no longer at the top of the game, these disciplines requiring endurance offer a possibility to exercise throughout life, and to participate in competitions even at more mature ages.
An old friend of mine has cycled around the world twice, and I always love to memorize how he told me about his trips across continents, and countries. I remember dreaming about doing something similar myself, although cycling around the world may be more risky for a woman than it is for a man. My friend ́s experiences have been a source of inspiration for me personally, noticing his enthusiasm when talking about his long journeys. The thing is, seeing the world through biking is very different from e.g. booking a one-week vacation to a specific destination and spending most of the time at the hotel pool and/or participating in readily organized activities by tour operators. Nothing wrong with that either, we all have the possibility to choose how and with whom we spend our (leisure) time.
Five further lessons that short and long distance cycling tours have taught me:
I have a passion for cycling (and sports in general), as it gives me a sense of freedom. I prefer cycling e.g. to having to take the bus, because I am not tied to the bus schedules. Using the bike instead of commuting or driving a car also keeps me in better shape, both mentally and physically.
Riding a bike can be meditative too. Either it gives me the opportunity to think things through during the ride, or completely shut off all excessive thoughts and only focus on the ride itself, enjoying beautiful landscapes and nature.
Cycling is by far the most popular sports activity in Finland, and a lifestyle in many other countries as well. We have, in Finland, many great roads for cyclists (see: outdoorsfinland.com/), although I hope to see municipalities and cities further on improving the traffic conditions for cyclists and the general infrastructure. Today, cyclists in Finland still have fewer possibilities to travel safely than pedestrians and those driving a motor vehicle.
Cycling is a great way of building up, and developing, one ́s physical condition, suited even for those with excess weight. Cycling offers something for everyone, regardless of whether one wants to ride a bike for pleasure only, or participate in competitions.
Personally, I want to keep on developing my cycling skills/technique, including distance/endurance and speed. Developing endurance is quite easy, but learning how to maximize speed takes more time, and practice. The type and quality of bike also influences one ́s speed.
Thank you for reading, commenting, learning, and for sharing my passion towards cycling.
You may also want to watch UCTV ́s YouTube video “It’s All about the Mind: The Psychology of Cycling”:
And finally, a few great quotes about cycling:
It does not get any easier, you just get faster (Greg LeMond)
You ́ve gotta take life and ride it till the wheels fall off (Brad Simms)
When in doubt, pedal it out (unknown)
Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride (John F. Kennedy)
I have too many bikes, said no cyclist, ever (unknown)
Cycling goals are attained not by strength but by perseverance (Felicity Luckey)
Pump up that heart (unknown)
Your legs are not giving out. Your head is giving up. Keep going. (unknown)
Everybody is (has) a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid (Albert Einstein)
Learning disabilities are a wide spectrum of various learning problems that a surprisingly high amount of individuals (2-20 % of the total population in Finland only) are affected by, including difficulties in e.g. one of the following: language/communication/speech, reading (dyslexia), mathematics (dyscalculia), writing (dysgraphia) caused by various disorders in the brain’s ability to receive and process information.
An individual with a certain learning disability may be classified as having dyslexia, or motor skills disorder, but also fall into one of the following categories: ADHD, ADD, Asperger syndrome, autism, Down syndrome among a number of other learning disabilities. In Finland, even especially gifted individuals (an estimated 2 % of total population) are regarded to belong to the group of individuals in need of special support in education, because these exceptionally intelligent individuals may face difficulties in adapting to “normal” learning conditions which, to them, offer no challenges.
As part of my studies in pedagogy, I recently paid a visit to Luovi Tampere Unit, a vocational college aimed at young students with various kinds of learning disabilities. Luovi (www.luovi.fi/en/) is a vocational college offering vocational education to young individuals with various kinds of learning disabilities in 20 different locations across Finland. All teachers are trained with focus upon teaching students with special needs, and teaching is naturally somewhat different from the various methods used in “normal” (vocational) educational institutes. My visit to Luovi widened my understanding about learning disabilities, and one of the things that astonished me especially was to learn that each year, Luovi welcomes at least one fully normal student who has been bullied at school and has no longer been capable of attending normal school due to bullying, shockingly enough.
Learning disabilities, and disabilities in general, can teach us much of value. To learn more about one learning disability, Asperger Syndrome, please watch the following YouTube video (See the world through her Asperger eyes: Wendy Lampen at TEDxDelft):
One short post is not enough to dig deep enough into the world of differences, or learning disabilities, but it may be enough to awaken further interest into learning more about these.
Learning disabilities, and differences between individuals can teach us much of value, including:
– Never judge a person by his/her exterior. Learn to know them, and to understand their journey.
– Our world is not black and white, but rather a rainbow filled with a wide spectrum of different kinds of individuals. It is important to be open to learning, to seeing, and tolerating differences.
– If everyone/everything were identical/similar, the world could not spin around. We need differences in every aspect of life/society.
– Differences can help us develop/evolve into seeing things from a wider/higher perspective.
– We do not have to understand everything that we sense, but rather be tolerant and understanding in our approaches.
– Bullying is always wrong. It can lead to severe consequences, not only for the individual being bullied, but for society in general. Bullying should not be tolerated, nor covered by anyone. Bullying is a fearful action.
– Life offers us many surprises. Be open to them.
– Minds are different. The fact that somebody functions/thinks different from us, does not signify that they are wrong.
Another example about a difference in learning, seen from an autism point of view:
The problem is not the person ́s disability, the problem is society’s view of the person’s abilities.
Thank you for reading, commenting, learning, and for being open to differences.
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:
Anne-Maria Yritys 
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