Time passages

 A song by Al Stewart called Time Passages was playing in the background and these thoughts leapt to my mind. Enjoy.

In the tapestry of time, I sit and reflect,

From the barely started day to the evening's sweet sunset.

Mondays to Fridays, a seamless blend,

Years passing swiftly, like a transient wind.

 

Forty, fifty, sixty years unfold,

A lifetime's story in moments told.

Highs and lows, laughter and tears,

People departed, echoes in my ears.

 

Parents, friends, their absence profound,

Realizing too late, that time has its bounds.

Yet, amidst losses, a spirit to find,

To embrace what's left, with a positive mind.

 

The canvas of life awaits our hue,

Colours of joy, moments to renew.

Smile at the little things, a balm in the heart,

In the symphony of life, play your part.

 

Afters accumulate, promises fade,

Coffee grows cold in the shade.

Children grow, parents age,

Life concludes its final stage.

 

No more 'after,' no more delay,

Seize the moment, live for today.

Cherish the best, let love be our guide,

In the tapestry of life, let joy reside.

 

Eliminate the afters, embrace the now,

No more 'later,' no more 'how.'

The day is today, the moment is here,

In this shared wisdom, there's nothing to fear.

 

Read this message, share it wide,

In collective strength, let joy be our guide.

For in the poetry of life, a truth profound,

The time is now, in every heartbeat's sound.

Have you watched the Wizard of OZ?

The great and powerful Wizard of Oz, led by pronouncement and staying behind a curtain. It is best to remember, leadership isn’t about pulling levers from behind the curtain. It’s about stepping out, engaging, and inspiring. 

The thought emphasizes that effective leadership goes beyond simply manipulating things from behind the scenes; it involves active engagement, visibility, and the ability to inspire others. 

Leading by Example:

A great leader doesn't just delegate tasks but actively participates in the work. For instance, if a team is working on a challenging project, a leader who steps in to contribute their skills and expertise demonstrates a commitment to the team's success.

Open Communication:

Instead of making decisions in isolation, effective leaders engage in open communication with their team. They encourage feedback, listen to concerns, and address issues transparently. This fosters a sense of collaboration and trust among team members. 

Taking Responsibility:

When things go well, a leader acknowledges the team's contributions. When there are challenges or failures, a strong leader takes responsibility instead of placing blame. This builds credibility and shows that leadership is about shared accountability.

Motivating and Inspiring:

Leadership involves more than just giving orders. It requires the ability to inspire and motivate others to achieve their best. This might involve recognizing and appreciating individual and team accomplishments, offering words of encouragement, and creating a positive work environment.

Leading Through Change:

In times of change, a leader doesn't hide behind closed doors but actively guides the team through the transition. This could involve explaining the reasons for the change, addressing concerns, and providing a vision for the future to keep everyone motivated and focused.

Being Accessible:

A leader who is accessible and approachable fosters a sense of connection within the team. This accessibility could involve holding regular open-door sessions, participating in team meetings, and being available to discuss both professional and personal matters.

Building Relationships:

Effective leaders understand the importance of building strong relationships. This could be within the team, with other departments, or with external stakeholders. Building and maintaining relationships requires being visible, approachable, and investing time in connecting with others.

Celebrating Success:

Leadership isn't just about addressing challenges; it's also about celebrating achievements. A leader who takes the time to acknowledge and celebrate successes, both big and small, reinforces a positive and motivating culture within the team.

In essence, the idea is that effective leadership is a dynamic and visible process that involves active participation, clear communication, and the ability to inspire and motivate others toward a common goal. It's not about pulling strings behind the scenes but about being present, engaged, and leading by example.

Do actively shape or passivley wait for life to happen

The difference in approach between actively shaping your life and passively waiting for life to unfold is crucial in determining how when looking back over one's life. The choice interprets the outlook on the journey. In retirement, you are in control and you can decide if the journey through retirement will be shaped by you or by others. 

Choosing to Go, Do, and Be:

This approach involves actively engaging with life, making decisions, taking risks, and pursuing opportunities. When you look back at your life, you'll likely find a sense of empowerment and control. The uncanny events, wild timing, weird coincidences, and chance encounters are seen as a result of your intentional actions and choices. You'll attribute your life's good fortune to the decisions you made, the risks you took, and the paths you forged. In this perspective, destiny is a product of your proactive efforts and the opportunities you create.

Choosing to Wait, Wish, and Hope:

This approach is more passive, characterized by waiting for things to happen, wishing for better circumstances, and hoping that fate will intervene positively. When reflecting on your life, you might express shock and dismay, attributing your experiences to destiny. In this case, the uncanny events, wild timing, weird coincidences, and chance encounters may be viewed as strokes of luck or misfortune, with destiny determining the outcomes. The lack of active participation in shaping your path can lead to a feeling of powerlessness and a sense that life's events are beyond your control.

In essence, the key difference lies in the level of agency and intentionality. Actively choosing to go, do, and be involves taking charge of your destiny, participating in the unfolding of your life, and embracing both the challenges and successes as outcomes of your choices. On the other hand, waiting, wishing, and hoping may result in a perception that life's events are predetermined by fate, leading to a sense of being carried along by circumstances rather than actively steering the course.

Ultimately, the way you engage with life influences not only the paths you took or will take, but also how you interpret and attribute meaning to the events that unfold. Embracing a proactive approach allows for a more empowered and intentional journey, shaping a narrative where you are an active participant in the creation of your destiny.

Perception Management

Dealing with difficult situations can be stressful, here are some ideas to encourage you to cultivate a mindset of gratitude, empathy, and detachment from external influences.

1. Handling Upsetting Situations:

   • Instead of reacting defensively, the advice is to acknowledge and thank the person for highlighting a dependency on their approval. This promotes self-awareness and encourages one to reassess expectations and attachments.

2. Being Disregarded:

   • Encouraging understanding by reflecting on one's own past behavior fosters empathy. It promotes the idea that everyone is on their unique journey, and what might seem inconsiderate now may have been a perspective held in the past.

3. Dealing with Theft:

   • Shifting focus from material loss to a belief in abundance from the universe helps in maintaining a positive outlook. This perspective can be empowering and helps to detach from material possessions, emphasizing a broader sense of security.

4. Responding to Lies:

   • Expressing empathy rather than confrontation when faced with deception is a compassionate way to handle the situation. Recognizing the potential insecurities or fears of the person lying can diffuse negativity.

5. Facing Violations:

   • Seeing violations as opportunities for personal growth and a path toward self-discovery reframes negative experiences. This mindset encourages resilience and a focus on one's own evolution rather than dwelling on the negative actions of others.

6. Responding to Rudeness:

   • Offering encouragement to someone who is rude reflects a compassionate understanding that they may be going through a difficult time. It emphasizes kindness and a positive outlook, promoting a sense of calmness in the face of negativity.

7. Dealing with Judgments:

   • Acknowledging and appreciating others' truths, even if they involve judgment, demonstrates emotional intelligence. It shifts the focus from defensiveness to acceptance and understanding, fostering a more harmonious interaction.

8. Responding to Aggressive Behavior:

   • Responding to aggressive behaviour with a caring message conveys a sense of love and concern. It reminds the individual that they are valued, even in challenging moments, and encourages a more compassionate response.

9. Reciprocal Positivity:

   • Encouraging reciprocal positivity by smiling back when greeted is a beautiful way to foster connection. It creates a shared sense of warmth and understanding, as if both individuals are part of a shared secret of kindness and joy.

Overall, I think this approach is rooted in empathy, gratitude, and a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all beings. It encourages individuals to transcend negative experiences and respond with love and understanding, promoting personal growth and spiritual development.