I have been reading a book called Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton (link is to a Wikipedia description). It talks about how in our society, the anxiety each of us can have regarding what others think of us. How we react to being judged a success or failure - this is what the author terms 'status anxiety'.
It isn't a book that is attempting to make a call for a different society or return to old ways. It helps to explain why our society is the way it is. To describe how things have changed which place us into a life that helps to create that anxiety. The book offers solutions as well but I've not gotten to that part yet. It came recommended by a person I respect. But I'll leave full judgement until I'm done reading it...as you should as well.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Life Among The Aquatic
Not long back my family and I toured the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. Quite an impressive display of aquatic life presented in an amazing way. I've included a few pictures but found it interesting some of the 'correlations' one can draw to our own lives.
There are so many of us in so many different shapes and sizes. We become drawn to one another based in many varying ways. The variety of life both in a population of fish as well as humans is quite wide.
The type of people out there range from the nicest persons one would ever want to know, all of the way to some of the cruelest ones on earth. Look at a tank full of fish and see the aggressive fish to those that go about their business not bothering others.
Some people blend in to their natural surroundings such as the Leafy Sea Dragon trying to go about life unnoticed. While others you just can't help but notice.
There are so many of us out there and life will present challenges that are unexpected. Remember there are quite a few 'fish' in the sea and opportunity to cross paths with different people. You can impact and be impacted in so many ways. So jump into life, the water is fine.
There are so many of us in so many different shapes and sizes. We become drawn to one another based in many varying ways. The variety of life both in a population of fish as well as humans is quite wide.
The type of people out there range from the nicest persons one would ever want to know, all of the way to some of the cruelest ones on earth. Look at a tank full of fish and see the aggressive fish to those that go about their business not bothering others.
Some people blend in to their natural surroundings such as the Leafy Sea Dragon trying to go about life unnoticed. While others you just can't help but notice.
There are so many of us out there and life will present challenges that are unexpected. Remember there are quite a few 'fish' in the sea and opportunity to cross paths with different people. You can impact and be impacted in so many ways. So jump into life, the water is fine.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Reflection On The Day
Through out your day, do you take any amount of time to reflect on different parts of your life or daily activity? To understand what you have accomplished to understand how to accomplish those objectives in your life, reflection must take place. Peter F. Drucker, a 20th century educator and author said, “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”
To sit back and contemplate that which you already completed in your life or simply in the last few hours prepares you for what is to come. As I have written before, take seven minutes daily to sit and think of your day. The quiet thought can be used in most any way but should be done with a minimal amount of distraction.
There are those that sit in quiet solitude and that can be difficult to accomplish in this very busy day and age. I tend to use two different methods of doing this. One is on my drive home from work. My radio is set to a classical music station to relax and provided an atmosphere of quiet concentration. Secondly is to use this same method during a lunch hour at work. Placing head phones on to drown out the cacophony of all going on around me.
You may have a method suitable to you, but take the time to think about how your day is going. This reflection helps you understand what went right and what didn't. This will also help prepare you for what is to come. Take seven minutes to reflect and prepare you for more that life has to offer.
To sit back and contemplate that which you already completed in your life or simply in the last few hours prepares you for what is to come. As I have written before, take seven minutes daily to sit and think of your day. The quiet thought can be used in most any way but should be done with a minimal amount of distraction.
There are those that sit in quiet solitude and that can be difficult to accomplish in this very busy day and age. I tend to use two different methods of doing this. One is on my drive home from work. My radio is set to a classical music station to relax and provided an atmosphere of quiet concentration. Secondly is to use this same method during a lunch hour at work. Placing head phones on to drown out the cacophony of all going on around me.
You may have a method suitable to you, but take the time to think about how your day is going. This reflection helps you understand what went right and what didn't. This will also help prepare you for what is to come. Take seven minutes to reflect and prepare you for more that life has to offer.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Life of Influence
Each of us has one, two or several people that have served as an influence within our lives. These are those people that have had an impact in how we live and believe. I myself had a high school English teacher for one that gave me encouragement to write and express. I certainly may not have all of the skills of a polished writer, but she instilled a love of it in me that stays with me today.
There have been others including a co-worker that mentored me half way through my technical career. He believed in me and gave me the push to become successful at what I do. We work together to this day and I'm forever thankful to him. The same is likely true for each of you.
If you stop and think about whom it is that means something in your life, you may be pleasantly surprised. Also, think of your own impact on others. Your life can and does have influence upon those who need it most. When you needed to be impacted by someone, the same can be said that you have impact on others. Just know and understand that the way you live your life is impacting others. As you rise to meet new challenges, there are those that have been moved by it.
It may be a case where you are fully unaware of the other person. Then again, you may have an opportunity to assist, mentor or guide that person to a greater life. So when you have the chance, thank that person who influenced your life. I missed the chance with my former English teacher, but have done so with my co-worker.
Be a person of influence on others in your world. Help them to a greater life, a better way. In your own life, your influence will carry on in ways you can't imagine. An American writer in the early 19th century said, "a teacher affects eternity; he can never tell, where his influence stops."
It may not be your profession, but your influence on others is like that of a teacher. So live your life as a person of influence on others in your world.
There have been others including a co-worker that mentored me half way through my technical career. He believed in me and gave me the push to become successful at what I do. We work together to this day and I'm forever thankful to him. The same is likely true for each of you.
If you stop and think about whom it is that means something in your life, you may be pleasantly surprised. Also, think of your own impact on others. Your life can and does have influence upon those who need it most. When you needed to be impacted by someone, the same can be said that you have impact on others. Just know and understand that the way you live your life is impacting others. As you rise to meet new challenges, there are those that have been moved by it.
It may be a case where you are fully unaware of the other person. Then again, you may have an opportunity to assist, mentor or guide that person to a greater life. So when you have the chance, thank that person who influenced your life. I missed the chance with my former English teacher, but have done so with my co-worker.
Be a person of influence on others in your world. Help them to a greater life, a better way. In your own life, your influence will carry on in ways you can't imagine. An American writer in the early 19th century said, "a teacher affects eternity; he can never tell, where his influence stops."
It may not be your profession, but your influence on others is like that of a teacher. So live your life as a person of influence on others in your world.
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