Your Personal Global Positioning System

Although everyone has one, how would you describe your personal worldview, that framework which defines your experiential reality and allows you to make sense of your life and the universe which you inhabit? Whether you think of it as your own GPS, a personal philosophy, religion, construct, narrative, schema, etc. it can be defined as the accumulated knowledge, thoughts and concepts that inform your beliefs and actions.

• What are the thoughts, ideologies, and the lenses which filter and comprise your worldview?

• Have there been noticeable fluctuations in your core values, ideas, ideals, and understandings throughout your lifetime?

• How does your personal framework define the way you interact and resolve conflicts with others?

• How have societal expectations, mores, forces, etc. impacted your lifeview?

• Has your worldview been altered when encountering those with very different mental constructs about a host of concepts, judgments and actions?

• If you’ve lived or travelled in different regions, countries, etc. have you been impacted by any fundamental differences about how the world is viewed and experienced in those cultures?

• Try writing a paragraph (or more), describing your personal ideology. What, if anything, did you discover by committing this biographical data to paper?

And remember, taking action is the catalyst for change!

Longcuts vs. Shortcuts

Since multitasking is NOT a religious experience, and can leave one feeling overwhelmed at the end of the day, take one daily job (whether at work or at home) and "longcut" it.

• Rather than checking emails while talking with a friend on the phone, why not try to engage in a satisfying conversation concentrating on real communication.

• Instead of relying on a greeting card you've bought, how about letting that person know how you feel about them in your own words?

• Try minimizing your consumption of “fast food”, making a conscious choice to eat (and prepare whenever possible), healthy meals for yourself and those you love.

• Think of the longcuts you can come up with (I'd love to hear about the ones you did), and note how you feel by including them in your daily routine.


And remember, taking action is the catalyst for change!

What Are You Tolerating in Your Life?

Tolerations are those situations and/or individuals that drain your
energy, drag you down, take up a good percentage of your time, and generally take the joy out of life.

Take a few minutes and think of the things (both large, small), that you are presently "putting up with", rationalizing, or gritting your teeth over. Write down these tolerations (remember to include the little annoyances, too). Now ask yourself:

•Why am I tolerating so much?

•What benefit do I get in not eliminating these tolerations?

•Choose 5-10 tolerations, when eliminated within the next 30 days, will begin to improve your quality of life (start with the smallest and work your way up).

•For those tolerations that may presently be unalterable, perhaps they can be viewed differently, i.e. choose to accept them, explore possible alternatives, re-categorize and re-frame them in a more positive light.

And remember, taking action is the catalyst for change!