Cultivating Connections

5 Secret Words To Unlock Your Creativity

2008-01-26T11:47:00.002-05:00

When faced with a problem, how many times have you heard the following phrases coming out of someone's mouth (even your own)? "I can't do it", "It won't work", "It'll never happen", "Nobody can do that", "There's no way", "That's impossible", "There's no such thing".

What if you could eradicate, wipe out, eliminate these phrases from your vocabulary? How would your life be improved? Do you believe it's possible to make a paradigm shift in your thinking? Then here is a deceptively simple and imminently powerful phrase to open a world of possibilities to your brain.

These are five secret words that will allow your creative genius (and yes, we all have it) to start working its magic: "I don't yet see how. . ." That's it. Five words. Let me explain why this is so powerful, one word at a time.

"I" - this takes the statement down to you, personally. It avoids globalizing (i.e. - that something is impossible) and it keeps the ownership of and responsibility for the solution in your power.

"Don't" - a statement of fact. Merely an observation that at this moment in time, you do not see. No judgment is implied about your ability to see, your likelihood of seeing, your desire to see. Simply that you don't right now.

"Yet" - probably the most powerful part of the statement. This word signals to your brain that the solution WILL become visible.

Have you ever noticed something in your environment and said to yourself, "Has that been there all along? How could I have missed that?" The word, 'yet' opens a space in your thinking that allows you to see the solution when it is available. This is another way to express the adage that "When the student is ready, the teacher appears".

"See" - this could be substituted by the word "understand". This indicates to your brain that the solution exists somewhere but you don't yet have access to it. You either don't see it or don't understand it, but it's there somewhere to be seen and/or understood.

"How" - again, a signal to your brain that there IS a way to accomplish whatever you currently see as an obstacle.

Try this magical phrase on for size the next time you run into a roadblock. And as you knock down obstacle after obstacle, help people you love to see *their* possibilities and solutions.

From the folks who brought you Simple-ology

2007-12-22T14:48:00.000-05:00

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

The best blogging techniques.
How to get traffic to your blog.
How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Emerging from the Oooooze

2007-04-12T14:43:00.000-04:00

I haven't written anything here in an eon or two, so I thought I would today.

It's Getting Warmer ... Warmer ...

2006-05-06T12:43:00.000-04:00

Ethical Society discusses climate change for Earth Day.

By Mike DiCicco
April 26, 2006
2003 Connection Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.

In the spirit of Earth Day, the Northern Virginia Ethical Society discussed saving the world at their Sunday meeting at Green Hedges School.

Guest speaker Vicki Arroyo, director of policy analysis for the nonprofit, nonpartisan Pew Center on Global Climate Change, acknowledged that since the first Earth Day in 1970, "tremendous strides" have been made in the U.S. to stem man's ill effects on the environment. However, she said, there is still much more work to be done to even understand those effects, let alone offset them. read complete article

"The Binding of Isaac" - Platform Address April 9

2006-04-04T23:12:00.000-04:00

On April 9, 2006 Fritz Williams will speak about "The Binding of Isaac." The Biblical story (Genesis 22) of God putting Abraham to the test by commanding him to take his son Isaac's life and offer him up as a sacrificial burnt offering is one of the most poignant and troubling
passages in the entire Bible.

Through the centuries, rabbis, imams, priests, and ministers have attempted to make theological and moral sense of it. Fritz Williams provides a deeply personal and humanistic encounter with this ancient story. Fritz is a graduate of the Philadelphia Lutheran Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary, and currently leader of the Baltimore Ethical Society.
Sponsored by the Northern Virginia Ethical Society.
Time: 11:00 a.m.
This event is free.
Address: 225 Nutley St., NW, Vienna, VA 22180.
For driving directions and more information about NoVES,
please visit the website, www.noves.org, or call 703-437-3161.

More Ethics on the Web

2006-03-05T19:04:00.000-05:00

The Ethical Society of St. Louis makes their platform addresses available on the Web, too! You gotta love modern technology :-)

Ethics Matters- WCOM Radio

2006-03-05T18:52:00.000-05:00

WCOM 103.5 FM
"Volunteer-Powered Community Radio"
Carrboro, North Carolina
presents -- among other things -- Ethics Matters with Charles Stern
Check out the thought-provoking words shared here.

Peace Camp Canada - Nader Hasan Speaks on March 5, 2006

2006-03-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

"The New Landscape of the Middle East and what it means for the United States"

On March 5, 2006 the Northern Virginia Ethical Society will host Nader Hasan, who will discuss Peace Camp Canada and his experiences bringing Palestinian and Israeli youths together, often for the first time. Mr. Hasan will also discuss the implications of the Hamas victory elections for the Palestinians.

Nader Hasan, an American-Palestinian trial attorney who maintains his own law practice in Virginia, has been deeply involved in activities to bring the youth of Palestine and Israel together, through Peace Camp Canada and through other programs. Peace Camp Canada's objective is to host a group of Israeli and Palestinian youth, to reduce their mutual misunderstanding, eliminate stereotypes, and to build trust and respect. By giving Israelis and Palestinians a chance to meet, to engage in social activities and to interact with one another, the camp provides participants an opportunity to understand the other side. Hopefully, these leaders of tomorrow share their new understanding with their own communities when they return to the "Holy Land." Sponsored by the Northern Virginia Ethical Society. Time: 11:00 a.m. This event is free. Address: 225 Nutley St., NW, Vienna, VA 22180. For driving directions and more information about NoVES, please visit the website, WWW.NOVES.ORG, or call 703-437-3161.

Efforts to Reduce Recidivism in Maryland

2006-02-10T18:26:00.000-05:00

I am always heartened to see that there is at least a budding understanding of how to help people reintegrate into 'society' after spending time in prison. I think there's always room for improvement in how we treat 'our own'. My belief is that 'our own' encompasses all of human kind. So I am pleased to see the effort described on this Maryland Economic Development Digest page.

Here is an excerpt:
". . .We believe it’s wrong to incarcerate inmates and do nothing to help them change their way of life or enhance employment prospects. Rather, it is our responsibility to treat medical ailments, mental illness and addiction and change behaviors that contribute to the committing of crimes." (more)

International Adoption

2006-01-26T23:01:00.000-05:00

This week's talk at the Northern Virginia Ethical Society
in Vienna, Virginia

On Sunday, January 29, the Northern Virginia Ethical Society will host Mark Eckman to discuss international adoptions. More Americans are adopting children overseas, yet parents are often stunned by the associated legal hurdles and ethical issues. Mr.Eckman, a NoVES member and counsel to the the Datz Foundation--a child-placement agency in Vienna--will discuss ethics, law, and international adoptions.
Time: 11:00 a.m.
This event is free.
Address: 225 Nutley St., NW, Vienna, VA 22180.
For driving directions and more information about NoVES, please visit the website, www.noves.org, or call 703-437-3161.

Three "R" Words

2006-01-21T20:34:00.000-05:00

"Red Flags for Red States: Parallels Between the Religious Right and Communism"

Some conservatives claim progressive politics and secularism are steps toward Communism.

On January 22, Sven Sinclair, member of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society, will give a platform address where he will argue that Communism is actually similar to a religion, and that Communist regimes belong to the political Right by most standards. Dr. Sinclair believes that a study of Communist movements can help us determine what actions we can, and should, be taking to prevent the Religious Right from installing a theocracy.

11:00 a.m. Sunday January 22, 2006
This event is free.
Address: 225 Nutley St., NW, Vienna, VA 22180.
For driving directions and more information about the Northern Virginia Ethical Society, please visit the website, www.noves.org, or phone (703) 437-3161. Visitors are always welcome to join us!

James Loewen speaks at Ethical Society 1-15-06

2006-01-12T00:29:00.000-05:00

On January 15, bestselling author James Loewen tells the shocking history summarized in his new book, "Sundown Towns," how American municipalities, including many nearby, deliberately excluded African Americans by force, law, or custom. Dr. Loewen taught race relations at the University of Vermont and taught at predominantly black Tougaloo College in Mississippi. Loewen is also author of the popular books, "Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your High School History Textbook Got Wrong" and "Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong."
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Date: January 15, 2006
This event, hosted by the Northern Virginia Ethical Society, is free and all are welcome.
Address: 225 Nutley St., NW, Vienna, VA 22180 (Green Hedges School).

For driving directions, and for more information about NoVES, please visit the website, www.noves.org, or call 703-437-3161.

Odetta, Still a Powerful Voice for Justice

2005-12-31T12:20:00.000-05:00

I like to post positive, useful information. Stories of the human spirit conquering ennui and other nastiness. This woman is one of those people who has and continues to further the betterment of humankind. I'm so glad to see that she's being celebrated!

Morning Edition, December 30, 2005
Odetta Holmes Felious Gordon has shaped American folk music for over 50 years. Born in Birmingham, Ala., in 1930, Odetta lost her father at a young age. Her mother remarried and read the full article

More interesting goings-on in the Washington DC Metro Area

2005-12-30T17:54:00.000-05:00

I love learning and sharing information about different viewpoints on interesting topics. The National Capital Area Skeptics is a group that never fails to deliver on that promise! It is an independent nonprofit educational and scientific organization that promotes critical thinking and scientific understanding, with a focus on paranormal and fringe-science claims. NCAS is based in the Washington, Maryland, and Virginia community, where it serves as an advocate for science and reason, actively promoting the scientific method, rational inquiry, and education. www.ncas.org

Their next event will be Saturday, January 14 at 2pm. Rob Boston, assistant director of communications for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, will speak on "The Evolution of Creationism: What's Next in the Debate Over Intelligent Design?" - at the Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Road, Bethesda, Maryland.

More information is available at their site.

Defending Freedom at Home

2005-12-26T22:46:00.000-05:00

On January 8, 2006 the Northern Virginia Ethical Society (NoVES) will have a presentation on current threats to civil liberties. This issue is of interest to all Americans. Here are the details:

-------------------------------------

Defending Freedom at Home

Over and over, Americans are stunned to hear of yet another Washington policy that threatens civil liberties and human rights. Now Americans discover that peaceful groups are under surveillance and wiretapping is occurring without warrants. How can we defend ourselves from current excesses, and block other activities that could further erode our freedoms? On January 8, noted lawyer Elaine Cassel will speak at the Northern Virginia Ethical Society on ways we as individuals can -- indeed must -- challenge threats to our rights and liberties. Ms Cassel practices law in Virginia and the District of Columbia, teaches law and psychology, and maintains a web site devoted to current threats to American civil liberties and the Constitution called "Civil Liberties Watch." She is the author of The War on Civil Liberties: How Bush and Ashcroft Have Dismantled the Bill of Rights.
11:00 a.m.
Free
Address: 225 Nutley St., NW
Vienna, VA 22180 (Green Hedges School).

For more information about NoVES, please visit the website
www.noves.org or call 703-437-3161

All are welcome.

Articles on Personal Growth and Development

2005-10-02T17:43:00.000-04:00

This list of personal growth articles is quite diverse.

Check it out!

Some religions don't have a prayer

2005-08-10T19:25:00.000-04:00

Excerpts from an article dated August 8, 2005
By Sheila Suess Kennedy

Link to full text
...
On May 18, the Texas state comptroller ruled that the Red River Unitarian Universalist Church was not a "religious organization" for tax purposes. The comptroller based her denial of tax-exempt status on the fact that "the church does not have one system of belief" and does not require belief in a deity.
...
The public outcry over the Unitarian denial led to a quick reversal of that decision, but Strayhorn remained adamant about Ethical Culture, which then brought suit, alleging religious discrimination. Ethical Culture describes itself as a religious, philosophical and educational movement focused upon how people live rather than on what they believe. Defying the trial court and Texas Supreme Court, which both ruled against her, Strayhorn has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that if Ethical Culture wins, "any wannabe cult who dresses up and parades down Sixth Street on Halloween" will apply for a tax exemption.
...
The Ethical Society's Web site defines its mission as a "look beyond the differences between religions to embrace the common core of ethics at the heart of all worldwide faiths." Is that really less authentically "religious" than riding the Jesus roller coaster?

The ‘Do It for Me’ Culture or Teaching People to Fish

2005-07-11T14:08:00.000-04:00

Early one Sunday morning I was watching a snippet of a recorded talk given by one of my favorite marketing professionals, Dan Kennedy, and his words struck a particularly unpleasant chord in me. He was talking about providing information materials to his industry and he stated that, “the trend …is ‘do it for them’ versus ‘teach them’.” The reason this bothered me so much was that the truth in his statement goes so contrary to what I spend most of my waking time doing.

I’m an educator by nature. One of the greatest joys in watching a developing person who I’ve “taught” is to see that person take what I’ve imparted and make it his or her own. My philosophy of teaching is that I’m supposed to make myself obsolete. If I’ve done a good job, the person or people I’ve taught can go and do it themselves – whatever ‘it’ may be.

Moreover, the very foundation of the disabilities consulting company I co-own and run with my business partner, George Rathbone is ‘teaching people to fish’. Even our somewhat whimsical logo is of a young person fishing; designed with precisely this idea in mind. The value of giving people tools to become self-sufficient is central to the design of every program we develop, every curricula or individual plan of care we design, every management or staff training course we put together, and every management system we recommend.

I’ve been contemplating the impaired ability to take ownership and responsibility for what happens in their lives that we convey to the generation we are raising through the public school system[i]. I also see that our tendency to look outside ourselves for “blame” keeps us from learning to ask “how might I make this situation better?”

Well, whatever the current trend may be, I intend to continue focusing on my goal of ongoing personal growth and development and I’ll encourage those I ‘teach’ to do the same. It is the continued passing on of this forward-looking attitude and approach that allows me to remain hopeful that the focus in educating one another will turn more strongly towards ‘teaching them to fish’.

[i]Flury, Jan. “Why Reforms Don’t Work.” EducationNews.org. 2 April 2001. 3 July 2005.
Hutchinson, Peter. “Learning Will Become Interactive.” StarTribune.com. 1996. 3 July 2005.

WELCOME, pull up a seat and stay a while!

2005-04-05T18:50:00.000-04:00

I'm so glad you've joined me here! If you brought your musical instrument, hold on for just a few minutes; the singing and playing will begin shortly...(for those of you who don't know, I'm an avid folk music junkie and a favorite activity is getting together with friends to make music).j

I hope that folks will conduct some interesting, thought-provoking, funny, light-hearted, serious and/or soulful conversations here. I'm open to feedback on my website at www.cultivateconnections.com and I like to engage in dialogue. I do not care for abusive, hateful or otherwise corrosive interactions. I will ask anyone who insists on conducting themselves in this way to either post respectfully or not at all on this forum.

I have not stated a clear topic of choice as I expect that over time a few salient topics will reveal themselves. Possible threads will be FOLK MUSIC, Adults with ADD and ADHD, Education, Ethics and Parenting.

Enjoy and come back periodically to see how things are going.

Peace,

JudyO
Owner
CultivateConnections.com