CREATIVITY - Think Outside the Box to Come Up with New Ideas

It can be tempting to stick with the “tried-and-true” way you’ve done things in the past. But you can discover something better when you use your mind to imagine new possibilities. This video explains how creativity can help you find solutions to any challenge you face.



How can you apply the suggestions here to a situation that requires a new solution?

"A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French author

"One sure-fire way to stay creative: force yourself to learn something new." - Harvey Mackay, American author

“Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes, American author

“Genius, in truth, means little more than the faculty of perceiving in an unhabitual way.” - William James, American psychologist

Are You Fully Present with Your Loved Ones?

We’re lucky to live near Newport News Park, one of the largest municipal parks in the U.S., with more than 8,000 acres of woodlands, meadows and lakes. When our daughter Alison was a child, I’d often take her there for walks and to play on the playground equipment. I’ll never forget one gorgeous warm spring day she and I went went out on the paddle boats.

We had a great time exploring different areas of the reservoir, but what I remember most about that day was not the experience itself.

I had my own business even back then – working as a solo entrepreneur – and I distinctly recall having to constantly shift my mind from work back to the present moment. I kept thinking about a project I had going with a client, so I was not paying full attention to Alison or the beauty around us.

To tell you the truth, I became really annoyed with myself. I caught myself becoming pre-occupied with my thoughts several times, so I had to continuously remind myself to focus on the “now” and not the future.

Today I’m glad I had that experience. When we got home, I realized the price I’d paid. I had not created the rich memories from our time together that I could have if I’d been attending more fully to each moment as it unfolded. That day continues to serve as an anchor for me, reminding me to pay attention to the people and events around me.

Life holds even more distractions now. Smart phones alone have resulted in a dramatic changes in the way people interact with each other. How can someone possibly be fully focused on the person in front of them when they’re checking text messages?

Ultimately, the ability to be fully present requires self-awareness - so you recognize when your mind is drifting - and a willingness to adopt a new way of thinking and being. There are huge payoffs for making this commitment:

#1 - You won’t look back years later with regret that you didn’t give focused attention to the people who matter most to you.

#2 - You’ll have richer memories of all your experiences because you’ve truly “absorbed” them as they happened.

#3 - The individuals you gave focused attention to will feel cherished and valued by you.

“If you let yourself be absorbed completely, if you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments.” - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“Normally, we do not so much look at things as overlook them.” - Alan Watts

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” - Thornton Wilder

How to Use Dialogue to Improve Your Relationships

Knowing how to use dialogue will help you become a more effective communicator. Find out the two things you must do if you want to transform arguments into meaningful conversations with the people who are important to you.



How can you apply the two aspects of dialogue in future conversations with people you often disagree with?

“I have found it of enormous value when I can permit myself to understand the other person.” - Carl Rogers, American psychologist

"When learning about life and people, make no more assumptions than are absolutely necessary. Ask and observe." - William of Occam, British philosopher

“Loyalty to a petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul.” - Mark Twain, American novelist

"We are complacently caught in our particular view of the world, which compels us to feel and act as if we knew everything about the world." - Carlos Castaneda, American author

Get additional insights about dialogue by reading these excellent posts from Denny Coates:

Dialogue - Have You Mastered This People Skills?

Refine Your Dialogue Skills - Some Tips and an Illustration

Gratitude - Express Appreciation to the People in Your Life.

When you’re having a busy day, it’s not easy to tell others how much you appreciate them. Yet finding ways to value others is one of the best investments you can make to strengthen relationships. In this video I explain the payoffs for taking time to speak positive words to the people you care about.



What simple habits can you adopt for showing your appreciation to others on a daily basis?

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." - Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator

“When something does not insist on being noticed, when we aren't grabbed by the collar or struck on the skull by a presence or an event, we take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” - Cynthia Ozick, American novelist

"Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone." - Gertrude Stein, American novelist

“Change your life by consciously choosing to be in a state of gratitude.” – Wayne Dyer, American author

“Gratitude is the heart's memory.” - French Proverb

Stop Procrastinating and Get Started NOW

“There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.” - John F. Kennedy, American president

Do you ever avoid taking action because of fear of failure, concern about making mistakes, and anxiety about what others will think of you? Or maybe you simply lack sufficient motivation.

If something is important to you and you keep putting it off – whether it’s finishing a project, calling a prospective client, making time for your family or getting physically fit – you need to get honest with yourself.

WHAT is holding you back from taking the first step?

Take a minute to write down your answer to this question. Right now.

If your response includes blaming other people or your circumstances, I challenge you to dig deeper to uncover the real reasons.

It’s easy to make excuses and much more difficult to be totally honest with yourself. The truth is, no one is holding you back but you.

When you fail to do what you know you could be doing, there’s a greater consequence than simply the “thing” not getting done. Now you must also deal with the impact this procrastination has taken on your self-esteem. You lose self-respect when you don’t fulfill a commitment you’ve made to yourself.

The problem then is that your damaged self-image becomes even less motivated to take action because of the bad feelings associated with the previous cycle of intention and inaction.

So what do you do?

Commit to taking one action. Do something you can feel good about. And give yourself credit for taking that step. Celebrate your accomplishment, however small, and take time to experience positive feelings. When you need to take the next step, recall how good you felt after the first one.

Small successes, when acknowledged, strengthen your resolve and your self-respect. And your chances fo building momentum have also increased dramatically.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” - Theodore Roosevelt, American president

"Only he who does nothing makes a mistake." - French Proverb

"Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” - Sun Tzu, Chinese philosopher