Discernment

Here we are on the edge of summer--with a chance to reflect before plunging into a new season.

Living with a the joy of vocation means living our deepest values. Vocation doesn't just happen; it requires ongoing discernment. You can begin by pausing whenever you've finished a task to ask whether you feel:
--a sense of accomplishment
--or just relief.

The answer can light your way to wiser choices and greater joy in life.

New Beginnings

Yesterday on campus I met Juan Gonzalez, who's in the US Air Force, stationed in Colorado. He'll be retiring soon, and is reading Your Personal Renaissance, finishing his master's degree, and planning for the next season of life. I was heartened and inspired by our discussion. May we all embrace life's new seasons with joy, courage, and faith in new possibilities.

Today's challenging job market offers us an unexpected opportunity

Check out
>my new OPED about hope for new graduates--picked up nationally.

The power of YES

The news is filled with people saying "No"--to political opponents, health care and other government initiatives--seeing each other as enemies, degenerating into polarized camps. But what are we saying "yes" to? What are we creating?

Shouting "no," may bring a momentary rush of power but dwelling on negativity only undermines our collective future. To build a better tomorrow, we need to focus on the power of "yes."

I invite you to join me a spiritual exercise--whenever you hear complaints, put the power of Appreciative Inquiry to work by looking at what IS working and how to build on it. Don't be reactive; be creative--ask yourself what you'd like to see, then begin to make it happen.

Our greatest natural resources are our hearts and minds. When we use our energy to say "yes," we can create new possibilities for ourselves and our world.

Wisdom for turbulent times

Amid all the poisonous rhetoric this week, I found a welcome voice of wisdom in Frances Moore Lappe's latest video and forthcoming book. To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, "most people look at things the way they are and ask 'Why?'" People with vision, like Lappe, see possibilities where others see problems, giving us the courage to build a better tomorrow.

I'm excited about the new edition of Your Personal Renaissance in Spanish: Tu Renacimiento Personal, published by Ediciones Urano in Barcelona.

Muchas gracias, amigos, for this beautiful edition, available in summer 2010.

Enjoy the present moment

What does the world look like through the eyes of a dog? My dachshund, Ginny, doesn't rush to get things done, doesn't worry about tomorrow, and has no problems with work/life balance. She naturally practices mindfulness and enjoys the present moment.