Learning Made Easy--Out of the Minds of Babes



Original Painting by Tracy Gibbons


A Reminder: How Our Minds Work

I love kids' art, don't you? Kids' art speaks to me, and allows me a peek into the inner workings of the innocent mind-- and reminds me how my own mind works too.

To Bathe~ To wash sadness from the mind was painted by my daughter, Tracy, when she was a young girl. I added the words to reflect what I saw in the girl's eyes. I love this picture because it always reminds me of my daughter.

This painting hangs in my bathroom where I see it daily. When my eyes light on the image, my mind freely flits from one memory to another and from one feeling to another, bathing me with good emotions.

Memories Associated with Images

Our brains are amazing in how easily they pull up memories associated with images. I have whole stories emerge into my consciousness when I see Tracy's painting.

One of the memories that emerged from the deep recesses of my mind is how Tracy first learned to read.

When she was four she attended a Montessori school where the teacher had the children draw a picture of an object and the adults wrote the name of the object next to the word. This picture became the flash card for the child to name the object. What amazed me was how primitive the picture was and how it held meaning for the child. Here, let me show you.

This is an Elephant

This was Tracy's picture of an elephant. Not much to look at for adults, but she drew it and she gave the image its meaning. That's all she needed to recall elephant when the picture was flashed.

Your Brain is Primitive too!

Have you ever played Pictionary--the game in which you draw a picture of the word or phrase you want your team to guess? If you have, I'm sure you've been amazed by adults guessing a word by a simple drawing, much like Tracy's elephant. No one needs to be an artist to play. In fact, it might work against you if you are an artist, and you're too concerned about what the picture looks like.

This is Good News!

Whether you're five, fifty-five or 100, you need to learn new things every day in school, at work, or in life. Sometimes you just need to have something stick to your brain that's just a bunch of facts or trivia--like the name and period of works of art for an art class, the pathway for locating the computer screen on the electronic medical record, or the location of a Costco in another town with a gas station.

By putting your primitive, non-artist mind to work for you creating images associated with what you need to remember and recall you can create easy to pull up images.

How Sylvia, the Wily, Wise-cracking Cartoon Character Helps me Find Costco

I recently visited my 94 year old father in my home town. With gas prices so high, I wanted to remember where the Costco with the gas station was located. Truth be told, I've visited and asked for directions to this Costco many times before and failed to put the directions to memory. This time I decided to use what I know and create an image that sticks.

Driving directions are a bunch of facts-- and the brain doesn't remember facts-- it remembers meaning and strong visual images. I needed to remember two roads-- highway 84 and Middlefield road-- and I needed a way to link them together in my memory.

I thought 84 was sort of like middle age, and that made me think of Sylvia the wily wise-cracking character. She certainly would think 84 was middle age. This made me smile....and I knew I was on my way to creating an image I wouldn't forget. I blazed the image of Sylvia riding a rocket down highway 84, holding a martini, and turning right on Middlefield road. As you can see, I haven't forgotten the image yet--and I won't.  I've used two of three keys to memory--imagination and association.

Make Learning Easy

What has been stressing you out? What do you need to get into your memory and be able to recall at will? How can you use your imagination and association to create an image that will stick?

Go ahead--have fun creating a picture story to help you remember and recall something you need to learn. Start with something small. You'll be amazed at what a boost in confidence it gives you.

Resisting Technology? How to Motivate Yourself to Keep up with the Latest Technology

 Remember Typewriters?

  I wrote my first few books and magazine articles on a typewriter. At the time one of my good friends and colleague said, "Your forte is speaking and communicating to a live audience-- I don't think you'll be able to capture that in the written word."

That was the only thing I worried about back then: Could I translate the power of the spoken word into written words and elicit action from the reader?

I didn't have to think twice about how or where to put my thoughts to paper. There were no personal computers, Internet sites, FAX machines, or e-mail; No cell phones, smart phones, scanners, or digital cameras; No blogs, on-line courses, webinars, video conferencing, or learning management systems; No social networking--no Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn; No Kindles, Amazon or e-books. I used the tools available to me at the time: pen, paper, typewriter and snail mail aka 'The Mail'.

When Does 3 Months of Experience Trump 30 Years?

In the 30 plus years I've worked in the training and development field, I've honed my speaking, facilitation, writing and program development skills. Those 30+ years of experience count for a lot. I am a skilled communicator, motivator and leader. I conduct meaningful and engaging workshops. But this is not enough.

In today's technologically-based world, sometimes 3 months of experience trumps 30 years of experience. This isn't to say 30 years of experience in the workplace isn't important. It means it's just as important for us to stay current learning and applying new technologies.

 Overwhelmed by the Speed of Change? Discover What Motivates You to Keep Up

 Rather than becoming overwhelmed by the speed at which things are changing, pledge to maintain a passion for life-long learning and to continually seek out your current motivators for stepping into the next phase of technology. Then take the next step.

Me? I'm motivated to learn how to use the latest technology by two things: 1) my need to communicate with and influence others and 2) my desire to find new ways to play with and showcase my art.

What Blows Your Hair Back?

• What motivates you today?
• What sets your curiosity on fire?
• What blows your hair back?

Figure that out, and use it to motivate you to play with technology to further your personal and professional goals.

I started Lightarted Living so I could play with the technology and communicate with you. What do you want yourself to do NOW? How can you play to learn and change? What's one step you can take to move toward something you want to do better?

Motto: Small Daily Decisions Over a Lifetime Add Up!

Layoff Survivors Face Stress of Anger, More Work

 At the beginning of my career I survived two layoffs in less than ten years. In the first organization, I was one of five employees kept after 35 others were laid off. In the second, I was one of the first to go. Both situations were stressful and exhausting.

Good News-Bad News: You have a Job-- Your Colleagues Don't

When I was one of five people left with a job, I felt like an airplane crash survivor. The good news was I had survived the impact--I still had a job. The bad news was there was no one to celebrate with-- all my colleagues were gone. One day the office building was filled with people; the next day it was empty.

My job after the layoffs was  to rebuild the program. Under other conditions, I would have loved the challenge. But I was exhausted and depressed from the anxiety of the layoff. Getting out of bed each morning was the biggest challenge I could handle.

 After the Layoffs--Recognizing the Emotional Fog and its Effect on You

Layoffs are hard on everyone, including people left behind after the cutbacks. If you survive the cut, it's your job to pick up the pieces and move on. But a strong mixture of emotions can make it difficult.

You feel loyal to your laid off co-workers and you feel loyal to the company smart enough to keep you on. You breathe a sigh of relief one moment, knowing a paycheck is still coming; you catch your breath the next moment, wondering if you will be next.

Financial problems may permeate the organization so you don't bother to ask for sorely needed resources.  Tired and afraid, you look suspiciously at other people wondering why they have it so easy.

The Natural Response: Work Harder, Longer and Alone

The easiest response under these conditions is to pull in, and do it all yourself. Don't talk to anyone about your feelings. And don't complain about the amount of work that needs to be done. You should be happy to have a job.

Most important, you work long hours to overcome the guilty feelings you have about keeping your job while the others were let go.

If you stay in the job, you unconsciously cut off relationships with people who were laid off, even if they were friends. It's too stressful to maintain a relationship with them and still work in the organization responsible for their layoff.

Unconscious Adjustment of Your Beliefs to Support Your Behavior

Research shows when we act one way and believe another, we change our attitudes to support our behavior. This helps us reduce the inner tension created by the conflict.

So if you stay on the job, you'll find a reason to distance yourself from those laid off. Irrational as it may be, you may get angry at the people laid off for deserting you and leaving you with all the work. Ironically, the organization and those who survived become the good guys, and the people who were laid off the bad guys.

Or if you maintain a friendship with those laid off, you'll find a reason to put distance between you and the organization. You may decide you just can't work for an organization that let quality people go. In the end, the organization and the survivors become the bad guys,and the people laid off the good guys.

How to Reduce Your Inner Tension and Make Good Conscious Decisions

But is either response the best response? The goal in this situation is to make choices that leave you feeling good about yourself when you look back ten years down the road. During times of major upheaval, the path of least resistance is often the path of least enjoyment.

If you've recently survived a layoff, you can reduce your inner tension, regain your balance, and make better conscious decisions by engaging in the following five activities.

Put Your Thoughts on Paper
When your thoughts keep tumbling around inside your head, the issues get clouded by your emotional filter. When you put them on paper, the emotional filter is removed, allowing you more conscious choices. This helps you clarify your feelings and goals in the midst of the emotional fog.

 Find a quiet place, pick up your pen and start to write. Don't worry about the consistency, logic or truth of what you write. Just write what comes to mind. Write a letter you'll never send to the person in charge of the layoffs. Put your thoughts aside for a day or two before reviewing them. You may be surprised by what you discover.

Get Adequate Sleep
We all make better decisions when we're well rested. Give your mind and body time to come down from the stress; plan to go to bed early and sleep in as late as you can. On your days off take a nap. Continue to get more rest until you feel your body and mind are back in balance.

Relax
Take some unscheduled time for yourself as soon as you're able. Do whatever you feel like doing. Don't sweat the details. Breathe. Just Breathe.

Play
Get out and do something that has no purpose other than enjoyment. Attend a sports event, take a bike ride, go for a walk, watercolor, work in the garden, play with your children. Play lets you focus your attention on the fun parts of life. When you return to work after engaging in playful activities, you'll return with renewed energy and a fresh perspective on life.

Talk About Your Feelings
Layoffs create inner confusion for everyone involved. Talk to your co-workers about it, and don't be afraid to talk frankly with the people laid off. Let them know you 're sorry they lost their jobs. If you feel guilty you still have a job and they don't, tell them.

Feeling guilty, and working longer hours won't make your laid off friends feel better-- and it won't bring them back to work. You can do more to support your friends by encouraging them to trust their strengths and abilities to get rehired. Each of you have the needed ingredients within you to create a successful next chapter in your lives. So relax, regroup, and regain your strength and energy for taking the next steps. Move forward knowing everyone's future will be bright and secure again. Life has a way of always working out.

Need help making a transition in your life?

If you or someone you know would benefit from coaching to get through a career or other life transition, please contact me. The first hour is free. Skyping is available for out of the area help.

To schedule workshops for your group or organization, please contact me.





All things seemingly good or bad work in my favor!

Live Simply. Speak Kindly. Care Deeply. Love Generously.

The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they make the best of everything.Unknown

Listening for Life-Enhancing Messages

Today was my day to sit quiet and reflect on life. I decided my goal was to do nothing-- set no goals and have no expectation for accomplishing anything.

Today I would be open to listening for the life-enhancing messages that wanted to come in, then share them with you. It didn't take long for one to appear.

Life is Like Coffee

I'm a coffee lover who loves the ritual of starting my day with a great cup of coffee. So when Simple Truths sent me an inspirational video called 'Life is Like Coffee' I knew this one was for me to share with you.

Click on the link below to treat yourself to four minutes of quiet reflection, then share the message with someone you care about.

http://www.flickspire.com/m/SimpleTruths/LifeIsLikeCoffee

Be Wise--Apply What You Know

Sure, you've heard this before, but sometimes life gets away from us and we stop applying what we know. Why not stop and start over? Recommit to yourself to live what you know rather than allowing your circumstances or the negativity of others determine your attitude and actions.

Live Simply.
Speak Kindly.
Care Deeply.
Love Generously.

P.S. Having said that...now I want to say....my coffee does taste better in one of my hand painted cups!

Opps! How to Make Fewer Mistakes at Work and at Home

To err is human; to develop a strategy to make it less so is divine. Lightarted Sue

Our Father Who Art--Where?

I was taking my first sip of coffee as I opened my email to see a message from my sister with the unsettling headline:

"DADDY IS IN GOD HANDS AT EL CAMINO HOSPITAL"

What? He had just gone into the hospital the night before with a cough, and he was doing just fine. How could this happen? This can't be right. With my heart racing, and my mind now fully awake, I quickly clicked the email to view the entire message.

My sister's message went on to say,

"Daddy is in great spirits and in good hands. They are doing blood cultures, EKG, chest x-ray, and more. Love, Daddy's favorite daughter"

A Mere Trifle of a Typo

It took me a moment to settle down, and take in what happened. One trifle of a typo--the omission of a single letter "o"-- had hugely changed the opening message, and my brain had further corrected the message to read my father was in 'God's Hands'. It didn't help that the message was in all CAPS.

I immediately rang my "father's favorite daughter" and asked, "Are you trying to upset me this morning?"

"Why? I just sent out an email to the family about Daddy."

"Yes, I know--that's what I'm calling about."

"Why? -- I said Daddy's in good hands at the hospital."

"No, you didn't. You said he was in God Hands."

There was a big pause before she laughed. "I didn't get home from the hospital until midnight. What can I say--I was tired when I typed it.

And therein lies the problem, she wrote the message when she was tired, and I received the message when I was barely awake.

Your Brain is Creative, and Wired to Make Mistakes

This mini-mistake by my sister, whose only intention was to inform her family in a timely fashion, was one more example of 'to err is human'. It's so easy to do.

Our human brains, it seems, are designed to be creative, and therefore wired to make mistakes even under the best of conditions. But when we're tired, hungry or upset, it's even easier.

My Brain Doesn't Make Errors!

Sure it does. Everyone's brain is wired to make errors...that's the downside of its ability to be creative. Test your brain's wiring now. Look at the picture--is it moving or standing still? This is a 'still shot', not animated. If you see it moving, it is your brain creating the movement, or error in perception.

Typo? Typo? I Don't See No Stinkin' Typo!

Because our brains are wired to make mistakes--kind of like fuzzy logic of the brain-- it's often difficult to catch typos. Our brain knows what the word is supposed to be, and it corrects it for us as we read through what we wrote. Let me show you.

Can You Read This?

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

You can see why it might be difficult for my sister to find one single 'o' omitted from 'good' when she's tired, and why it was easy for me to read God's Hands when presented with God Hands.

Teeny-Tiny Mistakes with Huge Consequences

While the omission of one 'o' in my sister's message created a bit of angst for me, it didn't have the type of longer lasting consequences created by a misplaced decimal point in a medication dose or on a mortgage or tax payment.

In the medical community, preventing medication errors is a big deal. It's especially important for medical professionals to develop and implement error prevention strategies to offset the brain's natural tendency towards making mistakes.

A ten-fold medication error can be made when a dosage is written with a zero that follows a decimal point. When 1 mg dose is written as 1.0 mg, the reader can fail to see the decimal point and interpret it as 10 mg. Likewise, if a physician quickly writes 10mg for 1.0 mg, omitting the teeny-tiny decimal point you have the same ten-fold medication error.

When I was in college, I came down with a very painful sinus infection while visiting a friend in Arizona. His doctor saw me and wrote me a prescription for 10 pills of 100mg of of a common antibiotic to take to the pharmacy. Unfortunately, when the pharmacist handed me a bottle with 100 pills instead of ten, I knew there was a mistake. The physician had written the prescription incorrectly, transposing the numbers to be 100 pills of 10 mg. I had to wait hours until the pharmacist reached the physician to correct the prescription.

But the medical community isn't the only place where little errors can have big consequences. One year, I had a year-long battle with the IRS due to an inputting error by a clerk. I submitted a check for $2,770.00 that was incorrectly put into the system for $277.00. Again, one teeny-tiny decimal point put in the wrong place created a problem that took hundreds of hours to undo.

I Make All My Mistakes Very Carefully...and You Do Too!

No one sets out to make mistakes. Usually we work very hard to get it right--especially when it's important to do so. But with our brains wired to make errors, we need to accept it's virtually impossible to do everything perfectly on our own.

I make all my mistakes very carefully--and you do too. The harder we try, the more some little detail eludes us. That's why I need to implement strategies to prevent costly mistakes that enlists the help of others--and you do too!

Simple Ways to Reduce Errors at Work or Home

1. Whether you're doing your best to get it right at work or at home, accept your brain is wired to make mistakes and develop a strategy for making it less so.

Anywhere you need to get it right---when cooking, building houses, paying your taxes or mortgage, dispensing medications, correcting computer bugs, or just sending informative emails to your family--you will benefit from applying a few simple techniques.

2. If you check your own work, take time out between doing that calculation or writing that email and when you recheck it for accuracy. Why?

You are more likely to find your own errors when you put time between rechecks.

My mother used to say 'make time work for you'. Here, you make time work for you by giving your brain a rest from concentrating on getting it right. Engage in other activities--take a walk, do the dishes, read a book---anything unrelated to the task you're trying to get right. Then with a relaxed, calm mind recheck your work for accuracy. You'll see with fresh eyes.

3. When it's critical you get it right--especially in high risk areas--such as dealing with high alert medications or legal documents-- implement double checks. Double checks means engaging the help of others to double check with you. Why?

Your brain sees what it expects to see.

So when you write that email and attempt to quickly check it for mistakes before hitting the send button, your brain sees what it expects to see making it difficult to find your own mistakes. This is true for other things like calculations and measurements too.

If you measure lumber to the specifications in the building instructions, before cutting, have your partner measure it again and call out the results to you as you check it against the written specifications. Measure twice, cut once---and double check it with the help of others.

Or to implement double checks for nursing, have one nurse read what's on the medication package or dose, while the other nurse checks it against the order, then reverse the process.

Nobody's perfect. We are going to make mistakes.  By accepting that your wonderfully creative mind is wired to make mistakes you can choose to act in ways that make it less so.

P.S. 'O' Well--Did you catch the omitted 'o' in the title? OPPS is actually spelled OOPS!

Write on Your Heart-- Every Day is the Best Day of the Year

Times of Transition Are Unsettling

Are you finding it difficult to stay positive in today's crazy world of work?

Sure, the economy is slowly recovering, but it still has its ups and downs. You may find yourself in the middle of either making a transition or thinking about making a transition in your career.

But with all the uncertainty about the future, you may be left feeling lethargic, unsettled, and unmotivated to take the next step.


Perhaps you're:

• Unemployed and you're still without a job after months of searching;
• Employed, but in a job you hate and feel compelled to keep, even though you fear you may be next on the chopping block;
• An independent business owner whose business is failing in the current economy, but you lack the energy to develop a new business plan.
• A recent college graduate worried about finding the right job to launch your career.

Change from Future Tense to Present Ease

No matter who you are, or what your work situation is, when you're in the middle of a transition it's always unsettling--leading you to freeze up, and become frozen in inactivity and inertia.

What makes you tense is your focus on the future. You fear what won't happen that you want to have happen, or you fear what will happen that you don't want to happen.

When you feel overwhelmed and stuck in 'future tense', it's time to stop, take a breath, and ease back into the present. Get off the worry track. Take a day off from thinking about 'your situation', and engage in activities that let you know you are glad to be alive.

Write on Your Heart 'Every Day is the Best Day of the Year'

I know...very Pollyanna-ish. But tough times require, well, sometimes, sitting back, doing nothing, thinking about something else--and a large dose of Pollyanna.

Sometimes we just need to stop to remember--life is to be enjoyed. Instead of letting your life be determined by fear and worry, focus on putting memorable activities into your life each day so you can 'write on your heart that every day is the best day of the year'.

Now put it down, and go play.

Need Help Making a Transition?
Contact me. See 'About Me' for contact information.

Training Makes Workers Effective

"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."
Derek Bok, Former President, Harvard University

Training is a lost art. Even in this era of 'on-boarding' and  talk of return on investment (ROI),  too often job training consists of supervisors handing new employees a manual and telling them to read it. A week later, the newbie is expected to know the job.

In some cases the only training new hires get is first hand experience, through 'trial by fire' or 'sink or swim'.

In one Oregon company, employees have to take a test to qualify for a job upgrade. There is no training manual, required reading, or suggested coursework to prepare them. They take the test and either pass or fail. Eighty percent fail.

And passing the test is no guarantee that employees will be able to do the job once they get it.

"I was on the job six months before I got any training," said Stacy. "I was expected to talk to customers and answer questions about our services. It was incredibly stressful. I never knew the answers and customers got really frustrated. But when I asked co-workers for help they got annoyed and told me to just look it up in the manual."

"Everyone was too worried about looking good, and too busy to help me," she said. "Besides, no one helped them learn their jobs, so why should they help me?"

Lack of Training Kills Enthusiasm and Creates Conflict

As the economy slowly recovers, more companies are hiring. But in an effort to save money, some companies are skimping on the training their people need to be successful in the job.

Failure to provide on-the-job training wastes time and money. It creates unnecessary stress for new employees--killing whatever enthusiasm and confidence they brought to the job. Seasoned employees are left with the work, leading to burnout and conflict between employees.

Well Trained Employees Get More Done in Less Time

A solid training program requires a short-term commitment of time and money, but it saves time and money in the long-run. A well-trained employee knows how to get more done in less time--making it easier to help other employees sooner.

Solid job training includes a variety of experiences--including interacting with other staff, participating in on-line training, watching others perform the job, and doing the job while getting immediate feedback.

Training manuals or on-line programs are helpful aids to new employees, but only if new hires are also shown how to apply and practice the knowledge and skills presented. Most people learn best through doing and interacting, not through reading or listening.

Train New Employees in Less Time Through Interactive, 'Show, Don't Tell'

To train new employees in less time, have newcomers actively engage in the learning process by compiling a list of questions they need clarified as they learn the job. Assign an in-house coach to act as their point-person to answer questions, direct on-the-job learning experiences, and  provide immediate feedback.

A 'show, don't tell' approach works best for most learning styles. Show new employees how you handle the client or perform the job, then let them do it and provide feedback on their performance.  It helps newcomers see how you interpret the rules and regulations, and navigate the internal system. And you'll help that novice get over the 'I don't know how to do it' hump when you provide her immediate feedback.

Newcomers view the job through different eyes than trained workers. Through their untrained eyes they see most new tasks as anything but easy. This makes it easier for them to see the details that need to be added to a training guide or the orientation experience.

You can position the trainees to coach the next set of new hires by having them follow up their daily training with a quick summary of what they learned, what they still need to learn, and suggestions for how they would improve the training for others.


It's the Little Things that Make Newbies Feel Inept

Starting a new job is stressful. Even if newbies know how to do the big stuff in the job, all those little details-- like which computer screen to pull up to access a form, or how to transfer a phone call--can be killers. As a result, even the most competent professional can feel inept.

As a result of the stress, people just starting a job are on overload and approach training manuals as if they can't understand them, and approach new tasks as if they can't do them. When they're trying to look competent and put their best foot forward, they can be embarrassed to speak up and ask questions. Make their questions a natural and integral part of the training program.

Help Newcomers Feel Competent Faster

Help your new employees feel competent faster. Calm their fears by walking them through training materials and showing them how the job is done. Watch them do the job and provide immediate feedback on how they're doing.

Your training efforts will be rewarded with more competent, confident help sooner, and better working relationships between new and old employees. There are no stupid employees--only untrained ones.

Need Help Setting Up Your Training Program?
Please contact me to help you set up or provide your in-house training program. Contact information can be found  by clicking on 'View My Complete Profile'.

Want to Work with Happy, Open, Trusting People? Start with Yourself!

" You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water"
 Rabindranath T.A. Gore


Do you like the people you work with, or do you only dream about working with people you like?


If you had a choice, would you chose to work with perfect, always-in-control people, or with open, trusting, happy people who sometimes make mistakes?

What People Want 

If you're like most people, you'd choose to work with open, happy, trusting people. And this preference hasn't changed much over time.

Twenty years ago, The Rand Corporation conducted a 10-year study assessing what people wanted most out of life. At the top of the seven most wanted list was 'The opportunity to work with open, happy, trusting people'. And twenty years later, trust in the workplace still takes center stage.

Open, Happy, Trusting Workplaces Produce More Faster

An open, trusting workplace can enhance the bottom-line and reduce employee turnover.
'Trust is the one thing that changes everything', says Stephen MR Covey, author of 'The Speed of Trust'. High trust in an organization produces better, faster results--and at less cost. The higher the trust, the less time it takes to produce services and products; the lower the trust, the more time it takes to do business.

Yes, happy cows DO produce great dairy products, and happy, trusting employees DO produce better results at less cost. Just how much more productive are high trust organizations than those lead by fear and mistrust?

"High trust organizations are three times more profitable", says Covey.

Be the Change ~ Be Happy

Whether you're motivated to make the workplace a better place for you to work, or you're motivated to make the workplace more profitable, building an environment of high trust is key.

Leaders  If you're a key leader in your organization you can move the workplace to a more profitable place by improving trust among staff. This requires you to change your management practices, not just talk about trust. If you've lost trust, take time to re-establish your credibility with staff. Start by asking yourself questions, then follow through with changes in your own attitude and behavior.

How would your colleagues rate you? Would they say you are a fear-monger or a trust-builder?
If your staff had a choice, would they choose you as their leader?
Do you instill trust in the people around you?
If morale is at an all time low, what can you change in the way you lead to improve openness and trust? Are you willing to do what it takes to improve trust and therefore productivity and profits?

Staff  If you serve in a staff position you still have the power to create an open, happy, trusting environment. While you can't make other people more open, happy and trusting, you'll influence others by becoming these things yourself.

Ask yourself: Do you care enough about yourself to create the daily environment you want to work in? Is it worth it to you to have a place to work that you enjoy? Are you willing to be a shining light at work to instigate happy, open, trusting relationships?  It all starts within you, and radiates out through each of your interactions with others. What are you currently creating for yourself in the workplace?

If you asked your colleagues would they say you're an open, happy, trusting person?
When you walk into a room, do people smile at you or avert their eyes?
How many minutes a day do you spend laughing or smiling at work?
Do you admit to making mistakes or do you look for someone to blame?
When someone else makes a mistake do you berate them or help them learn and move on?
When colleagues leave on vacation do you wish them well or look busy and let them know your work duties don't allow you to take your vacation?

If your answers make you squirm, do something about it. Be the change you want to see in the workplace.


Four Tips for Creating a Happy, Open, Trusting Workplace

Admit Your Mistakes. People admit to their own mistakes faster if they work with people who can readily admit to their own. Make it a safe place to work.

Describe Behavior, Don't Judge it. Once a mistake has happened, it can't un-happen. To increase trust and encourage people to take appropriate risks at work, assess what happened factually, adjust actions, then move on. Take a problem-solving approach when mistakes happen and give up the finger-pointing.

Choose to Understand, not Misunderstand. The most important aspect of problem solving is listening. Before judging, listen and ask clarifying questions before you say anything. Before getting upset, make sure you understand the situation or what was said. Look for points of agreement so you can repair the relationship and build trust as you move through conflict.

Take Your Responsibilities Seriously, not Yourself. Being perfect wastes time and energy. By making work more fun, you can do a better job and make work more satisfying for others and yourself.

I work in an Open, Happy, Trusting Place

Interested in Building Trust in Your Workplace?

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Untidy Workers are as Productive as Tidy Ones

As far as I can tell, there are two types of workers in the world--those who drive themselves nuts keeping their office tidy, and those of us who drive the tidy workers nuts because we don't.

Tidy workers file their work horizontally and alphabetically--they actually use their file cabinets to create a record keeping system that's beautiful to behold.

Casual workers, like me,  file their work vertically, stacked on the desk, floor, chair, or on top of the file cabinet.  If you walk into our office you might be invited to move one of the piles to the floor so you have a place to sit. Or you may even be invited to just sit on the pile.

In case you missed it ~ Tidies organize in files and Casuals organize in piles.

What a world when the Tidies collide with the Casuals! When things hit critical mass for the Tidies' overwhelming need for an orderly existence, the Tidies decide to take charge and organize the Casuals. Rarely do you find the Casuals deciding to organize the Tidies.

Oh, the Tidies are sneaky ~ they usually wait until we're on vacation ~ or pay someone to take us out for a long lunch~ so they can sneak into our office uninterrupted to clean.

They take all of our carefully constructed piles of papers and folders, slip them into color-coded file folders with neatly typed headings in bold lettering and file them in alphabetical order.They close the books and periodicals lying around the room and arrange them on shelves in alphabetical order by author and title.

They carefully collect all those hastily scribbled names, phone numbers and addresses to put into outlook,  and organize the hard copy contact list in alphabetical file by last name. Finally, they throw out the piles of recycled 'scratch paper' we've saved to jot notes on (okay so maybe we have enough to last us 10 years).

As a final act the Tidy leaves the latest research article ~ proving Tidy Workers are more productive than Casual Workers~ neatly centered on our now uncluttered desk. They stand back, admire their work, and close the door satisfied the previous disaster area, known as our office, is now neatly organized. All is well in the world once again.

When we Casuals return to our spic-and-span office, we're amazed it looks so clean ~ and we thank the Tidy Worker who cleaned it. Although we're casual in style, we can still appreciate how orderly an uncluttered office appears.

But we also know it will take us a while to find things, put them back into their proper piles, and be productive once again!

You see, dear Tidies, Casuals don't think alphabetically. We think conceptually or by projects. When you organize us into neat, alphabetical files, it takes us more time to start at the beginning of the alphabet song and sing through to 's' to find Joel Smith.

It may not make sense to you that Joel Smith is found at the beginning of the 'A's in our private contact list. But to us, it makes sense that he's 'A' good friend.

And all those piles on the floor may look like clutter to you, and you may wonder how we can ever find anything in them. But we don't have to find them. We just have to see them. Casuals know what topic or project each pile represents. All we have to do is stare at the piles and imagine what's in them. Put into a file cabinet they no longer exist.

So go ahead and clean our offices. We understand it makes you feel better. But please just do it once a year.The rest of the year we need to be productive.

Believe in Yourself, and Practice Making the Right Decisions

The mind is everything. What you think you become.

The Buddha

What Prevents You From Fulfilling Your Greatest Potential?

We're all interested in getting the most out of life. Even the most disgruntled, disengaged person would like to feel useful and satisfied.

But what prevents us from fulfilling our greatest potential? A bad boss or uncooperative co-workers? An unsupportive partner or troubled teens? Too much responsibility and not enough control? Getting laid off in a poor economy?

While these, and other factors can serve as obstacles, they are not what holds us back. Our beliefs do.

Colin Rose in his book, 'Accelerated Learning", told of a newspaper story with the headline, "Man Freezes to Death in Refrigerator." While the headline wasn't unusual, the circumstances were.

When rescuers found  a man locked in the refrigerator car of a train, although he had all the physical signs of freezing to death, the freezer had never been turned on, and the weather was warm. Freezing temperatures didn't kill him. His beliefs did.

Picture the man when he first climbed on board. As he stepped into the refrigerator car, he thought he found a safe place to rest. As the train started moving he took a closer look, realized it was a freezer unit and wanted to get out. But when he tried the door it was locked. Panic set in.

This is not unlike how you might get locked in and die on the job. When you first come on board, you have great hopes. But as the job picks up speed, you take a closer look and discover you feel boxed in -- the workplace is so cold. You think about getting off the fast track, but discover you've been locked in by family responsibilities, a depressed economy, or no time to look for a new job.

Your beliefs can tie your hands with invisible threads, preventing you from taking action in a bad situation.They can make it difficult for you to see you have options. Your beliefs that box you in can kill your motivation, and prevent you from getting on with, and enjoying your life.

Beliefs Can Be the Keys Unlocking the Doors to Your Success

But your beliefs can also be the keys unlocking the doors to your success and satisfaction.

If you're dissatisfied in your job, relationship or life, you can do something about it ~ but only if you believe you can.  If you've lived your life believing 'things happen by accident', or 'control is out of my hands'--it may be a difficult leap in belief. But you can do it.

Your Ability to Actively Choose Your Way in Life Changes with Practice

According to Erich Fromm, author of the timeless classic, 'The Art of Loving', our ability to actively choose our way in life changes with our 'practice of life'.

"The longer we continue to make the wrong decisions," Fromm said, "the more our heart hardens. The more often we make the right decision, the more our heart softens --or perhaps comes alive."

Practice making the right decisions -- the ones that increase your self-confidence, and foster a belief you're in charge of your own life.

Change when you're ready. If you want to hate your job or relationship, or blame your current situation on others, go ahead. Hold on to those beliefs until you're ready to let them go. When you're ready to have a satisfying job or life, take steps to change your belief about who's in charge.

Stop Blaming Others. Your boss may be rotten, making your job difficult; and you may have family responsibilities and bills to pay, making it more difficult to quit. But when you blame others for your unsatisfying job, life or situation, you're saying you don't have control or choices. Don't limit yourself. Don't box yourself in.

Take responsibility. When things happen, practice acknowledging, 'I am responsible for what happens to me now.' There are bad bosses and bad parents. People do take advantage of others. They can devastate and lower your self-esteem. But ask yourself what you can do to gain back your sense of worth.

As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

If you're held back by things that happened long ago, get counseling. If you're being held back by things happening now, get coaching. Care enough about yourself to face the difficult issues directly. When you're ready, let go of a bad situation, and get on with living. Put yourself in charge so you're free to fully pursue a fulfilling and satisfying life.

You are not responsible for the way other people treat you. But as an adult, you are responsible for the way you treat yourself. Look for ways to break free when you feel locked in by your beliefs.

Questions to Ask Yourself
Where in my life could I practice making the right decisions?
Where in my life have I given someone else control over how I feel about myself?
What steps could I take today to open up options for myself and to make me feel good about myself and my direction in life?

Keep Faith in Yourself to Survive at Work

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. The Buddha

Be Your Own Boss

A boss once told me, "you've never had a boss in your life." I have to admit it's true.

This doesn't mean I'm a rude or unmanageable employee. It means I judge myself by an internal set of criteria, not those set by an organization. I guide my actions by my life mission and sense of purpose, and I trust myself to handle whatever comes.

In the current economic climate, in which hard work and excellent skills don't guarantee you a job, learning how to be your own boss ~ especially if you're an employee~ is an important survival skill.

Fear Leads to Mistrust and Self Doubt

Layoffs and unrest at work can make you weary, questioning and mistrustful. Who's next? Is my job safe? Should I be looking for another job? If they can do that to him, what's stopping them from doing that to me?

The threat of losing your job can be real. But the real threat isn't losing your job. It's losing faith in yourself and your ability to influence the course of your own life.

As long as you believe in yourself, you can always get another position. But lose faith in your valuable skills and good work ethic and your self-confidence falters. Now filled with self-doubt, if you do get laid off it's much harder to find work.

Move from Self Doubt to Self Confident
When fear reigns supreme at work, don't let the fear-bug give you a bad case of self-doubt. Become your own boss in charge of your future by consciously concentrating your attention on you, your skills and what motivates you  at least once daily.

Watch your tendency to overwork in response to the free-floating fear at work. Like many others, you may have difficulty taking time to focus on yourself when you become frightened by the instability and unrest at work. But you can't save your job by overworking and leaving yourself too tired to center yourself. Mistakes happen and tempers flare.

Most people are just too tired at the end of the day to sit calmly and think about their life purpose. This is why I recommend you set aside quiet time first thing each morning.

Plan to give yourself the first thirty minutes of the day. If you have kids or other attention grabbers (like work), get up earlier to give yourself uninterrupted self-centered time. Turn off the cell phone. Leave email, twitter, and facebook for later. Now ~ sit quiet ~ practice the pause ~ and ask yourself questions. There are no perfect questions and no perfect answers.  Whatever you focus your attention on will grow  ~ and that includes your career.

Knowing the Right Question to Ask is Half the Solution

As Albert Einstein said,  "knowing the right question to ask is half the solution."  Start your daily self-centered session by making a list if questions that may interest you.

What are the questions I need to ask myself?
What work skills do I have?
What is my ideal job?
What skills do I need to develop for my ideal job?
What do I enjoy doing?
If I was to have a next career, what would it be?
What is the most important thing on my mind right now?
If there was one thing I'd like to do more than anything else, what would it be?    What is my sense of purpose? What is my life mission?

Keep listing questions until one of them pops out and catches your attention. Pick one question to address and list possible answers to the question. Allow yourself to answer without concern for the truth. You may discover something that sounds outlandish or impossible at first, isn't such a bad idea.

I like the more primitive feel of writing on a piece of paper or in a journal instead of using the computer during these morning musings. It taps into a different part of my brain and slows the pace down. Later, I reinforce my focus by working on the computer to summarizing what I learned about myself.

Let Your Internal Motivations Guide Your Actions at Work

 The more time you spend discovering, or rediscovering, your sense of purpose and mission, the more your daily actions will be guided internally, and less influenced by the environment of fear.

If you think about it, your internal motivators will do a better job of guiding your actions than any externally derived mission statement. How many people do you know whose sense of purpose is to destroy, annoy or un-employ others? And how many people do you know whose ultimate goal is to be un-involved, and dis-engaged? Exactly! Very few.

When we live out of a sense of purpose or mission, we mean to 'do good' by others and make a positive contribution to the world around us. Mission-driven people fail to see the obstacles because their eyes are clearly on the goal.

Trust Yourself

In times of economic uncertainty, wondering whether your organization will keep you won't help. Put your trust in yourself.

Trust yourself to do a good job now and in the future. Trust yourself to find a good job if you get laid off. And trust your ability to work hard and develop new skills if necessary.

Things haven't changed that much ~ a good hard worker with valuable skills is still an asset to any organization.

If you are unclear about your sense of purpose or mission there's no time like NOW to give it some thought. It's your life. Take the time to guide it in the direction you want it to go.

Need Help Navigating a Career or Life Transition?

If you or someone you know would benefit from coaching, please contact me. The first hour is free.

How to Deal with Criticism and Keep Your Ego Intact

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."Winston Churchill

Raise Your Hand if You Like to be Criticized

When you hear someone say, "I hope you don't mind, but I have some criticism of your work I'd like to give you", does it give you the warm fuzzies or the icy chills?

Like most people you probably think of criticism as a negative ~ something to be feared. But did you know the original Greek word 'Kritikos' meant a neutral appraisal?

Criticism: A Positive Tool

Criticism can and should be thought of as a positive tool to enhance your personal effectiveness and improve your relationships. No kidding.

By simply changing your view of criticism from a negative to positive evaluation, you improve your  coach-ability, provide more meaningful and useful feedback to others, and improve your relationships. It all starts with creating positive intentions for receiving and giving feedback.

In his book, 'Nobody's Perfect", author, Henry Weisenger, defines criticism as 'to communicate information to others in a way that enables them to use it to their advantage and benefit.'

Used properly, with a positive intent, criticism is used to communicate, influence, and motivate. Used improperly, with a negative intent, criticism is used to belittle, demoralize and shut up adversaries.

How to Use Criticism to Communicate, Influence and Motivate

1  Get Clear on Your Intentions

Abraham Lincoln said, "He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help. " When you start with the proper intentions ~ to help others use information to their advantage and benefit ~ you'll speak from the heart, and you're more likely to be heard. When people know you care about them, they're more open to listening to, and being influenced by you.

2  Decide to Live in a Friendly , Not Hostile, World

When you're on the receiving end, be intent to make a good use of all feedback. Make a choice to be open ~ Ask for feedback ~ welcome feedback  ~ and above all, always thank others for feedback. Be coach-able ~ and don't give others anything to push against.

But what if you're on the receiving end of criticism, and the criticizer's intentions are not so good? You can't do anything about the other's negative intent, but you can be the master of your own soul, and influence your personal development, by deciding to accept all feedback as good. This doesn't mean you must take in everything said. It means you stay open to hearing, without resistance. You choose to suspend judgment so you can decide later what to keep and what to let go.

Your view of the world around you---as a friendly or hostile world-- will determine how you respond to everything else. Make a conscious decision to see the world as a friendly place, one that supports your health, happiness and well-being. Choose to step around the intentions of those who mean to do you harm. Stay focused on creating your own, positive, friendly world.

3  Get the Facts
If your intentions are to keep your relationships intact, always check out your assumptions with  other people. Start feedback conversations with a soft opening like, 'Do you have a moment to talk?', then gently move into the heart of the issue, engaging in open, honest, direct communication. Ask clarifying questions and listen intently. Seek to hear and understand the other person's intent.

We all need two things to engage in open, honest, direct communication ~ courage and compassion. Some of us have plenty of compassion and we need more courage (we're too nice), while others have plenty of courage and need to develop more compassion (you're too blunt). A balance of compassion and courage is needed by all of us.

No one does conflict perfectly. And no one communicates perfectly. We're all just practicing every time we engage with other people.


Where Can You Apply in Your Own Life?

Has someone criticized you recently? How can you turn that information into beneficial feedback that helps you develop?

Where do you need to use your courage and compassion to engage others in open, honest, direct communication that could benefit both you and them?

"Difficulties mastered are opportunities won."

Winston Churchill

Eight Tips for Making Failure the Key to Your Success

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.
Sir Winston Churchill

What's happening in your life right now? Do you feel like you're failing in some aspect of your life? Are you harboring a secret failure you're hiding from others in shame? Off licking your wounds?

Listen up! You're one step closer to achieving success.

What do you think separates achievers from nonachievers? Education? Intelligence? Luck? In with the Boss? While each of these can help open the doors to achievement, they are not the key. Knowing how to fail is.

Do You Know How to Fail Successfully?

Years ago, the B.C. cartoonist captured the essence of how many of us view failure in one of his cartoon definitions:

 "Flail: The opposite of slucceed."

As the B.C. humorist insinuates, failure is often a crime worthy of a mental flailing. After we beat ourselves up, it may take days, weeks or months to get over the pain of that mental flailing. And while we waste time feeling guilty, frustrated, and sorry for ourselves, we fail to take the next step.

How do you view your failures? Are you so afraid of failing you have a hard time starting something new? Do you expect no less than perfection from yourself? Do you have a difficult time taking risks because you must guarantee success before you take the first step?

Psychologist, Terry Paulsen, says 'perfectionist thinking leads to procrastination which leads to paralysis'.  If you're so afraid of making a mistake, you'll never take a step.

Don't let the fear of failure lead to perfectionist thinking and ultimately to getting stuck. Learn to use your failures like the top achievers do ~ as learning experiences. Let the following tips guide you to turn failure into success.

Eight Tips for Turning Failure into Success

1 Choose to see failures as learning experiences.
When things don't turn out the way you want them to ~  make a list of everything you learn from your experiences. Ask yourself questions and spend 10 minutes a day logging your answers.

What went wrong?
What could I do better next time?
What can I improve upon NOW?  What's the most important question for me to ask myself NOW? How do I turn this into a beginning, not an ending?
What's the greatest lesson to be learned from my experience?

2  Expect and welcome learning experiences. You're stagnating if you're not failing some of the time. Practice taking risks in less crucial areas of your life ~ make a game out of it. Become a game changer.

"The only difference between winners and losers," says Terry Paulsen, "is winners lose more often....but they stay in the game."

3  Choose to learn from people who enjoy their imperfections.
Is there a person in your life who doesn't let failure get her down? 

Watch her ~ Talk to her ~Get advice from her.
 Let nonperfectionists influence your thinking.

4  Take a step without worrying about the results.
Paul Clayton, a speaker on change says we waste a lot of time aiming for the perfect step. When we want to change, we get ready, then we aim, aim, aim, aim, aim.....and maybe shoot. His recommendation?

Change to ready, SHOOT, aim.
Take a step, any step, then adjust it afterwards if necessary.

5  Let your failures be an inspiration to others. 
In 1984, William Kennedy won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. His award-winning book, Ironweed was submitted to ~ and rejected by~ thirteen publishers before being accepted for publication.

Your failures and struggles make your success more inspiring to others.
Don't hide your struggles; share them with others.

6  Become a strong person who makes mistakes.
It takes a strong person to admit his mistakes and accept himself in the face of failure.

Richard Needham, a Canadian Humorist, said, "Strong people make as many and as ghastly mistakes as weak people. The difference is strong people admit them, laugh at them, and learn from them. That is how they become strong."

7  Let your failures strengthen you.

Former President Richard Nixon said, "Life is just ninety-nine rounds, just ninety- nine rounds. The person left standing at the end is the winner."

8  Turn Your Huge Public Failure into a Huge Public Success

Meet Dave Dahl, successful creator of 'Dave's Killer Bread'. His previous life was one fat failure, including  jail time for burglary and an addiction to major drugs. Dave turned his life around and went public with his personal failures by putting them on every package of Dave's Killer Bread. His bread IS Killer Bread (very tasty and nutritious) ...and it tastes that much better for his story of overcoming public failure.

Check out Dave's Story and Bread http://daveskillerbread.com/story.shtml

Dave Dahl's turnaround let's us see that no matter how bad the fall from grace, if we chose to learn from our failures and are willing to take the next steps, we can recover a good and satisfying life. Take a cue from Dave--

Don't Dwell on the Past, Create for Your Future

Stop Dwelling on the Past. Get Busy Making Your Future

"Life in the fast lane is like driving a car with no brakes, no reverse, and you can't turn it off. That is why it is important to keep your rearview mirror smaller than your front window. Far too many waste time dwelling on the past instead of getting busy making the future." Terry Paulson, Ph.D.

Your Bonus Tip

Dr Terry Paulson has some great resources available to you. If interested, click link below to take a look.
 http://www.terrypaulson.com/resources.html#books

Face to Face with the Second Step? Three Tips to Get You Unstuck

Face to Face with the Second Step

I was first introduced to Richard Stine's simple black and white line drawings at a Westwood art fair while I was at UCLA attending graduate school. His series, 'Smile In A Mad Dog's i' , brought a smile to my own eye and made me laugh. While I lingered at his booth, lusting after his drawings,  I was a poor graduate student and I just couldn't pay $30 for a simple line drawing.  I walked away without buying anything.

Over the next year, every time I found myself stalled and frustrated after starting a school or work project one of his images, 'Dog face to face with the second step',  kept popping into my head.

I could clearly see that silly, flat-faced, wire-haired black dog with his eyes glued to, and staring at, the second step of the stairs. I was that dog. And that was exactly how it felt---I was face to face, not with the first step, but the second.  And when I looked closely,  I could clearly see the second step was in fact larger than the first.

I began to see how my work life was going to progress. Just as I was congratulating myself for finally getting the latest project off to a good start, I had to look out for that big second step stopping me in my tracks.

But over time, the light dawned and I began to see the second step in a positive light. Rather than the second step being a time for getting stuck and giving up, I came to see it as an opportunity to pause and assess where I was in the process, re-commit to my vision,  and regain the energy and motivation to move on. Instead of being pushed off-track by the unexpected obstacles, I learned to expect the unexpected and turn that potential ending into a fresh start.

WOOF!  Be the Dog ~  Paws and Assess

What have YOU been working on that you suddenly find yourself face to face with the second step? What dream or vision have you been working on that suddenly feels stalled? How long have you felt that churning and simmering in your head, pulling you towards taking the next step? What's stopping YOU? If you were to turn that ending into a new beginning, what would you do next?


What's Got You Stalled?

• Fear of the unknown
• Fear of failure
• Fear of public failure
• Too busy at work
• Don't know where to start.
• No money.
• Work exhausts me and uses up my creative energy.
• I focus on helping other people, then am too tired to help myself.
• I don't believe I deserve to achieve my dream.

In the last year, I've been on a quest to move my face-to-face business on-line. My ultimate goal is to create e-books, and have coaching, facilitation and writing services easily available through my own website.

My first step was to start this blog. I was proud of myself when I overcame the inertia of the first step--establishing Lightarted Living, posting weekly musings and including affirmation hearts and other art on the site. I'd been congratulating myself for moving with such grace and ease past the imaginary barriers to getting started.

But then I came face to face with the second step, and stalled, before I moved on to writing for ezine articles. Once again I basked in my quiet success of stepping in to learn how it works.

But here I am this morning, face to face ~once again~ with the second step. I've felt it coming on for sometime. I know what that second step is--I need to decide what step to take next---learn to set up a website or publish an e-book, then take action.

So today's the day--I'm going in! Why not join me and make today the day you choose to move  past YOUR second step?


Three Tips to Get You Unstuck

1. Make Yourself  #1. Give yourself the first part of the day. Get up 1 hour earlier to devote yourself to your dream. Don't let yourself be distracted.
2. Choose.  Choose the one thing to focus on NOW.
3. Act today. Put your thoughts on paper, and convert those thoughts to do-able actions.  Choose to act on one step today.  

Richard Stine

The following year I made a beeline for Richard Stine's booth at the Art Fair and bought the store out, including Face to Face with the Second Step. His images have been influencing my psyche ever since. If you'd like to see Stine's 'Face to Face with the Second Step' (newer colored version) click on link below.

http://www.imagekind.com/Face-To-Face-With-The-nd-Step_art?IMID=8ccdf337-adad-4f57-8590-9df60e72eca8

Managers Listen Up!

Ten Minute Treat for your Soul: The Surprising Truth About What Really Motivates You

If you could choose anything to do with your life, what would you do? Click this link to find out the role challenge, purpose, mission, self-direction. self-mastery and autonomy play in your motivation.

Dan Pink--RSA Animate

www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

  

This guy is amazing!

Bored with Training? Take a Twaining Tip from the Master

"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way." Mark Twain

A Little Twaining Never Hurt Anyone

Mark Twain can evoke an image like no other and bring it home to rest. Today's Twain-ism elicited a full out belly laugh in me, swiftly followed by the image of carrying a cat by the tail searing into my brain.

While I've never actually carried a cat by it's tail, I know exactly what it means ---and you do too.

The Shocking Truth

We often choose our learning lessons, by bucking the the wise counsel of others or our own better judgment. Sometimes we just have to step in and experience that wild ride for ourselves. We suspect what we're about to do is not a good idea, but we're going with it any way.

As a kid growing up surrounded by cow pastures and orchards, I spent a lot of time running around with neighborhood kids exploring the world around us. One day a pack of us decided it would be fun to touch an electric fence with all of us holding hands just to see what would happen. The person at the front of the line touched the fence with a single piece of wet grass and that current whipped through our bodies, zapping us with a wallop.

Did I suspect it was a bad idea? Yep. Did I do it anyway? Yep. Did I do it again? Nope. Like carrying a cat by the tail, I learned first hand why that wasn't such a good idea--and I've never forgotten the experience.

Twust Me, Twaining is Easy!

But not all 'carrying a cat by the tail'  twaining experiences go against our good judgment. They're just great up close and personal experiences, like my shocking experience, that pack their own wallop--meaning relevant, interesting and fun.

A full 75% of the population in the United States learns best through experience. And the other 25% of us who just imagine and learn? We, too, benefit greatly through hands-on, interactive learning. Nothing gets something into our memory and enhances our learning like hands-on, cat-by-the-tail experience--and a good story.

Don't expect to just read that instruction manual and expect to retain the contents. It's boring. Do something with the information instead ~ something  interactive ~ it'll stick better. And if the way you interact with the information creates a great, outlandish image or story, all the better for helping you remember the details.

Mark Twain was the master of outlandish. And that's why we remember so many of his sayings. So liven up your  daily 'Twaining' experience by taking a cue from the Master himself. Find your own outrageous way to shoot that needed information into your brain.

Design Your Own Carry-a-Cat-by-the-Tail  Twaining

Where in your life do you need to step in and gain first hand experience?
What outlandish image, story or experience can you create to make the learning experience more relevant, meaningful and fun?

On Herding Cats

For a fun, visual of that all time favorite Herding Cats experience, click on the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8