A Person's Name is Important

I attended a women's business lunch the other day and struck up a conversation with a very tall, impressive and fun woman at my table.  I loved everything about her, especially her very red jacket and the fact that as a tall woman she still wore high heels.  When I was young I used to wear flat shoes to keep myself from towering over all the boys.  No more.  After the meeting was over and the crowd headed to the hotel doors to retrieve their cars we ran into each other at the valet line.  She was behind me in line.  We were talking while she paid her ticket.  When she received her receipt, she thanked the valet and called him by his name.  She gained even more respect in my eyes in that short moment. 

I wrote an e-mail to her later that day - and I said -
"You know what I really like about you? – that as busy as it was outside at the valet stand you addressed the guy taking our tickets by his name – “Tony”.  I usually do that – but was distracted by our conversation and activity around us. Thank you so much for that reminder.  I always found out the names of the maids in our office building when I worked in “corporate America” – God knows I saw them often enough when I stayed late J. My father was a strong advocate of the “little man” - the one behind the scenes who doesn't always get all the attention but who without them, nothing would run smoothly. Though I was too young, my sister remembers him sending a check to the family of the police officer (J.D.Tippit – Dallas police officer) who was killed when Kennedy was shot (and with a family of eight kids – you know there wasn’t much extra money laying around to do that kind of thing) because everyone was giving their attention to the Kennedy’s and no one was really thinking about that police officer’s family (at least publicly).  I loved that about my dad."

In yoga class I try to remember people's names and ask them - sometimes more than once or twice.  If I see them often it is easier for me to remember them, but it usually comes back to me no matter how long it has been since I last saw them. I love how they don't mind me asking again and again - until I get it right. I admit having called a few people by the wrong name for months until some light conversation eventually gets me corrected. 

Remember to get their name - it's important - and then - remember their name - it's priceless.

Pick a Pose

When we start off fresh for the new year, many people make new year's resolutions.  Their hearts and will power are in it and they make a list of all the things they are going to do differently this year.  After all, the year is new and everything is possible.  But as January ends and February begins, many of those resolutions fall by the wayside.  Every year the process is repeated.  Hopes and dreams and diets and skinny jeans lay on the floor in a rumpled mess. I believe a few subtle changes might make the outcome entirely different.  One change would be to find a resolution buddy - be it a friend, a co-worker, or a coach.  This person will be your someone to support you when the going gets rough and to be accountable to.  And don't let them go as soon as you meet your goals or your new habits are in place.  Keep them close at hand to keep you on track for the future as there is no going back to the old way of doing things. The second change would be to pick just one thing to focus on and do that really really well. Your other wants and wishes and desires may get done in the process, but the one thing you focus on will surely make progress.  What would you pick from your list?

In a recent yoga class I encouraged the group to pick just one yoga pose to focus on for that day or the next few weeks. I encouraged them to pay attention to where they were in that pose today.  Then as the weeks unfold, note how much better they are getting in the pose.  The changes in yoga can be very quick in a short period of time.  It is a good idea to start with a benchmark so that you can be reminded and inspired by your progress.

Pick a pose - see how your ability grows. 

Valentine's Day give-away

My Valentine's Day gift to you!

You won!  All followers as of midnight February 14, 2013 are winners! - your choice of a new yoga mat, set of blocks or a yoga strap. 

Please e-mail me at margaret@ideasandbeyond.com with your preference and we will tag up to get you your new yoga toy!

Thank you so much for participating. Namaste!

Keeping Up with the Googles

A commentary article in the newpaper titled "Microsoft tries privacy ploy against Google" detailed the slug fest between Microsoft and Google.  Microsoft tries again and again to sling mud at Google's business practices instead of working on their own business, products and practices to make them the favored customer choice.  Microsoft was claiming themselves to be a privacy champion, when under closer inspection they are not.  Not that Google is without reproach on several issues.  The article concludes with the comment that Microsoft should focus on it's own efforts - not others.

In yoga we sometimes get distracted by the poses of others around us. Someone else is touching the floor with their hands and we can only get to our knees.  People are balancing on one foot with their eyes closed and we are falling over and can't stand on one foot without using the wall.  We are trying to get one leg to cross over our other leg and our neighbor is putting both feet behind their head.  We look at them and wish we could do those things or feel bad because we cannot.  Instead, look within and pay attention to how your body feels and what would help you move deeper into the pose.  What would help you progress more?  What does your body need?  What can you do to feel more successful in that position?  Forget about the people around you and what they are able or not able to do and focus on you.  Your practice will blossom. 

Here's to not trying to keep up with the Googles. 

It All Comes Together in the End

Sitting down to write a proposal for a client, the words seemed to flow effortlessly.  What the client envisioned for the event and the way in which I saw the event coming together to produce those results was so clear.  The project understanding, the scope of work, the plan, the take-aways and the details appeared on the screen as my fingers clicked away at the keyboard.  Part of me thought, "Wow, that was easy".  But I knew that it was more than a few hours at my desk that had produced the final program.  Several meetings with pointed questions revealed their needs and their expectations. Combining that with years of working in and with corporations at various levels, countless training classes and experimental exercises, research and my own learning efforts brought everything together.  It was a great feeling to envision what the planned events would produce for the client and their participants.  

In yoga, when we are able to finally perform a pose at a certain level above what we had been able to do before, we feel a great sense of accomplishment and others around us are often pleased with our success as well.  It can be as simple as touching our toes or as complicated as balancing on our forearms with our legs up in the air tied up into some sort of pretzel-like configuration.  But the truth is, a lot of stretching, trying, sweating, grunting, fear, and falling took place before that pose ever really made it to where it is today. 

It all comes together in the end.

Set Your Intention

The "famous" yoga instructor started our session seated comfortably on the stage with a beautiful inviting smile on her face.  There was a sigh of relief from many of the participants when she said that there would be an hour of lecture, then an hour of yoga.  Many of them had already completed several two hour sessions and possibly a whole day of yoga before that during the conference and the thought of one more downward facing dog, (a yoga pose in which your hands and feet are on the floor and your hips are lifted so you resemble an upside down V), was daunting.  To be able to sit and just listen for an hour to a number of delightful stories was a welcome rest.  The instructor shared how the "Aim True" theme had become her mantra as she started with her fascination with Greek gods and goddesses as a child to the explanation of the tattoo on her arm.  She reminded us of the practice of setting our intention before a yoga class.  What were we doing the class for and what did we want to get out of it?  Were we there to relax our bodies?  Were we there to heal some injury?  Were we there to practice for those that couldn't, or send love and positive energy to those that needed it?  It is important to set your focus before the class begins so you can direct your energy.

It is also important in life to set our intention so that we are able to get the most out of moments.  If we have a business meeting planned, what happens when we don't set our intention?  We probably have productive meetings but there could be so much more evolving from them.  What if we set our intention to really listen and hear what people were saying beneath their words or connect with a person in the meeting that we don't really know?  How would that change the outcome?

I have presented classes on subjects that attendees usually have some experience in.  I had one young woman attend my project management class and she had already obtained the Project Management Professional designation.  This fundamentals class was going to be everything she already knew.  But she approached the class with an open mind to see what else she might gain in project management knowledge.  She shared with me after that the class was very valuable and she learned some new things she could apply directly to her work.

Set your intention and see where it takes you.  It will create more meaningful experiences for you.     

Have to? Get to?

The priest that celebrated the mass today has always been one of my favorites.  His sermons are well planned and contemporary.  You leave with a practical application of the message to incorporate into your life.  He used to be the pastor but has moved on and teased he was a visiting priest today.  He mentioned a few of the places that he was scheduled to visit this year.   The list included Italy and Buenos Aires, Argentina.  As he mentioned each city he was to travel to he preceded it with the word HAD.  I smiled to myself because if places like that were on your HAD to go to list, life really couldn't be all that bad, could it?  Shouldn't it be GET to go to?  I tried to catch him after the service but he was surrounded by followers and deeply involved in animated conversation.

At the beginning of yoga class I mention some of the poses we are going to GET to do that day.  There are varied reactions to the knowledge: some fearful, some excited, some confused.  But I know they will enjoy it no matter what their initial reaction is.

Where do you GET to go or what do you GET to do this week, month or year?