Well, Santa has visited, the presents have been unwrapped, we’ve said goodbye to 2011 and we’ve welcomed 2012. It’s only the second week of January and I’m sure that many of you are already back at work and back in your routines.

On New Year’s Eve I was trolling through Facebook, as you do, and was reading everyone’s NY resolutions and was wondering what mine would be. THEN I came across an interesting blog that really impacted on me. It was written by a nurse who for many years worked in the Palliative Care Unit, holding the hands of those who made their last breaths and supporting the families and friends of those that left us.

In this blog she reveals the top 5 Regrets that people have made on their deathbed. Now, I know you’re probably wondering why on earth I’m focusing on death so early in 2012; but it’s not the death part that impacted me; it was the re-realisation that life is meant for living!

So, what were the top 5 regrets….well, this is where it gets interesting:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier

Click here to read the source blog

As I read the top 5 regrets and the rest of the blog I reviewed my 2012 NY Resolution list and realized that my list didn’t really contain anything of  true substance. So for about 30 minutes I made mental note, after mental note of what should be my NY Resolution given my recent readings.

Then I wondered, why on earth am I making lists???? Surely I’m being a tad premature???? Why don’t I just keep all those mental lists and put actions against each of the points to ensure they didn’t end up on my regrets list.

So that’s exactly what I did. I ditched my 2012 NY Resolution list and wrote my 2012 Reminders List, including my “permission” list (that’s the list that contains a list of things that I give myself the permission to do).  And here’s what I came up with:

1. If it’s meant to happen it will, even if you don’t think it will or if you think the circumstances aren’t right.
2. Try not to do things you don’t enjoy doing, life is too short.
3. You can never make the same mistake twice, because the second time it’s not a mistake, it’s a choice.
4. Whatever the decision you make, is the right one for that moment in time.
5. Appreciate your good health; you’ll miss it when it’s gone.
6. Sometimes blood isn’t thicker than water.
7. Plan a holiday; everyone needs something to look forward to.
8. Be happy with what you have; who you are and where you are…..if you’re not, then change it.
9. Sometimes, no matter what the research tell you, you should just go ahead and have that drink if it makes you feel more human.
10. It’s never too late to be who you wanted to be.

If you are now reviewing your 2012 NY Resolution list and realise that you would like some assistance in achieving your goals, Amovita can support you to do this. Our highly skilled and professional team works with and alongside you through our Executive and Management Coaching; our Professional Supervision; our brand new Activate Program and our brand new Engage Program; or check out our 2012 Training Presentations Calendar to see what professional development we are presenting throughout the year.

So why not contact us today; to help you get as much (both professionally and personally) out of 2012 as you can.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly and choose happiness.

While holidaying in Thailand I had planned to blog with you about experiences in my travels, which may be encouraging and positive. This holiday came about several months ago, before joining the dynamic Amovita Consulting Team.  I usually try to take an annual holiday which can cater for my love of diving and when this aligned with a great airfare sale earlier in the year, I thought to myself November is many months away….but as November quickly approached I started worrying where has 2011 gone!!! 

I was torn between the desires to want to stay behind and help with the arranging of the exciting upcoming Amovita events eg Client Awards Night, while also balancing the reality that these two weeks out of the country was also about rebooting and recharging ready for a high end to 2011.

Heading up the Engage and Activate Programs for Amovita Consulting in 2012, will be a brilliant experience as together we move into our Blue Ocean framework for high performance service delivery in Queensland. So, in wanting to make the most of the holiday and also remaining connected to our Amovita readers, I hope this blog brings a smile to your face as I have enjoyed sharing it with you….

So here I am in Thailand….I have been diving off Kho Tao Island (see if you can spot the giant sea slug beside my left hand)… cooking classes in a local’s home and sightseeing in Bangkok…

I had arrived in Phuket and the days are quickly rolling by, from sun up till sun down, so full of activity and so little time to rest….until now!!!

Funny how the world can slow you down when it needs to! 

While trying to maintain some form of fitness to counterbalance the daily buffet breakfasts and newfound obsession for banana pancakes, I took myself out for an early morning jog today along Patong Beach here in Phuket.

My iPod had my head filled with rhythmic beats that my feet seemed only too happy to keep time with.  The sun was already high in the sky and the humid air filled my lungs, while a cool breeze off the blue ocean seemed to gently push at my back. I smiled at the men, women and children setting up their beach stalls for the day’s trade, as I passed by at my own leisurely jogging pace.

While swept up the glory of the Monday morning and the freedom to be enjoying such a beautiful experience, I failed to see the uneven concrete path that lay before me…As my ankle rolled out to the right at a strange angle, my face contorted as I just swallowed a glass of lemon juice and I came down onto the ground in the most ungraceful form, in front of several local and tourist people. I think the shame level matched the pain levels for a few moments…. before I started to laugh. Sitting there on the side of the road in this idyllic setting….. all I could do was laugh at myself. This in inturn had the local Thai people all laughing with me as they helped me up onto my wobbly feet.

I hobbled back to the hotel and ordered a bucket of ice for my foot and sat down on the bed still laughing at myself for the spectacular visual display of unco-ordination demonstrated for the tourists with their cameras all ready this morning.  When my ice bucket arrived, the lovely housekeeping woman brought with it a magazine she joked I will now have plenty of time to read as I have to elevate my foot for the next few hours.

So I perched myself on the day bed overlooking the pool at the door to my room and with ice wrapped around my ankle and magazine in hand, I settled in for my “forced rest period”.  I was drawn straight away to an article that I want to share with you. It detailed the life of a local Thai gentleman named Dr At-ong Jumsai na Ayudhya, now in his 80’s. The article spoke to his diverse career, which had begun as an Engineer where he had worked with NASA on the Viking Project to MARS in 1975.  Dr At-ong had then progressed into Corporate Management during the early 1980’s before gravitating into politics in the early 1990’s. He was three times elected as a member in Parliament and once as a member of the Senate.

A respected man amongst his peers and the community Dr Art-ong did not surprise anyone who knew him, when he announced at almost the age of 60 that he wanted to return to university however this time his study was not in Engineering but in teaching as he wanted to take his knowledge of Science and Engineering and to pass this onto the next generation of young men and women in Thailand. 

Over the past 20 years teaching since completing his PHD in Education, Dr Art-ong has gone on to hold the following positions:

• Director of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education, Thailand
• Senior Lecture at the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University
• Official Trainer of Teachers for the Ministry of Education in Human Values Education

To be awarded with:

• Philosopher of Thai Wisdom, Naresuan University, 2005
• Best Book of the Year – Path to Peace – for children age 12 to 18 years, 2007
• Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the White Elephant
• Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown of Thailand

When asked in the interview for the article, what he believed his secret to his ongoing successes across his diverse career, Dr Art-ong responded: `When purpose aligns with personality to serve the greater good, authentic power is created’.

As a member of the Amovita Consulting team, I am able to see daily how our purpose aligns with the personalities of our group and together, our unified values ensure we serve the greater good in the many workplaces with meet throughout the country. We are passionate about positive strength based approaches in our service delivery and are be delighted to speak with you further, regarding how we can bring ensure positive and healthy workplaces for your team in 2012. Click here to contact us.

Thank you for sharing with me this blog from Thailand and Thank you to Dr At-ong Jumsai na Ayudhya, for his inspiration to us all on never slowing down the quest for learning and sharing with others.

Sally Cooper; Senior Consultant (Engage & Activate Programs)

Click here to email Sally

Along with thousands of other people, Trooper Payne is currently serving his country in Afghanstan. He has been there since May this year. He is a son, a father, a husband, a friend, a cousin and just in case you were wondering why Nicola Payne our Senior Communications & Marketing Consultant shares the same surname, yes, he is my brother (that’s him there on the right!)

Speaking first hand, I can say that it has been a very difficult time for those serving our country and it’s been equally hard for us his family and friends in Australia. Sometimes I will log onto Facebook and I see his status say “I’m OK”, whilst this is comforting, it’s also very disheartening as I’ve now learned that it means there has been another Digger wounded or killed and my thoughts turn from joy that he is ok to sorrow for the Diggers family.

I was excited (and VERY proud) recently when I received an email from a Townsville journalist letting me know that she had recently interviewed Simon, who has always been a very talented artist, in Afghanistan after this years Archibald prize winner Ben Quilty spotted some of my brothers artwork and the memorial has bought one of his sketches and is looking to purchase some more of his artworks. He previously painted a mural of a Bushmaster for the squadron and he hopes to one day show an exhibition of his military inspired works. Simon’s goal is to one day be able to do something with his art full time as an artist with the army….The article was front page of the Townsville Bulletin on Wednesday 8 November click here to view the article.

NOW, here’s where you come in…..

This year my brother along with thousands of other serving diggers will be away from their loved ones this Christmas season. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has established a FREE postage care package address for those of you who would like to send a care package this Christmas. You can include anything from magazines, chocolate, latest newspaper, DVD’s to Christmas decorations. Anything from home is so precious and means so much to the Diggers.

Fore more information and full details please visit the Christmas Care Packages website.

We often talk about the power of language, what we say and how we say it. People’s perceptions are very powerful and its important to stop and reflect on the influence or impact we have on others. Very true, very true.

I have a saying in one of our training manuals, that a bunch of letters on their own is just a bunch of letters. A bunch of letters in some assemblance is the power of language. Do we really take the time to think about the assemblance of words we use.

What do we notice our family members saying, our manager, trainer or partner.

I was recently sent the attached You Tube video and it certainly made an impact on me. Video Clip: The Power of Words

What impacted?

Yes you guessed it, the assemblance of words and how when we say something one way it does not impact, however when we reassemble the words it can take on a whole new meaning.

There are times that we all catch ourselves using language that is a little less than effective or suitable. There are times when we feel tired, burnt out, frustrated and sick of the way things may be in our lives. This is often when the assemlance order is ‘out of order’.

1. Be honest with those around you. What as semblance of words is conducive to your positive self talk, feeling valued and supported. Use your own as semblance of words to ensure others impact on your positively.

2. Personal audit – look at those people in your life and those around you. Do they nurture your soul? Work hard to only hang around positive people who bring the best out in you.

3. Be a full glass person - think about your mindset, what you say to yourself and out aloud. What do you say to others.

4. Exercise and continue to exercise where you can. This is the best way to clear your mind and as a result the assemblance of words will be more positive.

I would love to hear what you think?

View Video Clip: The Assemblance of Words

So, I’m 30. This is my 30th year on earth, I’ve lived approximately 10,978 days, taken around 316 billion breaths and slept for around 100,000 hours (how nice does that sound!).

As I commence my 30th trip around the sun, I’m reflecting on where I am now and how I got here; No, I don’t mean sitting in my lounge room, where Cranky the Wonder Cat is having his usual daytime nap and I’m surrounded by photo’s, objects and things that I’ve gathered over the years – I mean how did I become who I am?

As I sit and think of all the things I thought I’d be, have accomplished or be doing, I realised that I haven’t really ticked any of the virtual boxes that have floated around in my head.
 
I’m not married, I don’t have kids, I don’t own a house, I haven’t visited the UK or Europe, my butt is nowhere close to fitting into a size 10 pair of jeans, I haven’t invented something or seen a shooting star, I’ve never been a contestant on a TV show or been to New York, I’m not fluent in another language and I’ve never really understood politics.

So that’s a few of the things I thought I would have achieved, and as I was considering why I haven’t achieved those things, it dawned on me……

What have I done?

Well, I’ve packed up my life and moved to another city to start over (twice!), been black water rafting, sat with a wild tiger, had reconstruction surgery on my ankle, stayed up all night and watched the sunrise, been at work for 29hrs straight, had my drink come out my nose, been a bridesmaid, attended 3 funerals for family members within 3 months, shaved my head, swum with wild dolphins, spent many nights camping, played in the snow, been in a coma, giggled uncontrollably at the worst possible time, worked with the disabled, the homeless and the disadvantaged, crashed a car into a petrol bowser, quit a job after 4 hours, been so sunburnt I required hospitalisation (many times), gone 6 weeks without shaving my legs (probably longer), ridden a camel, been a juror, learnt how to tie a snake into a knot in my mouth, been fully ventilated on life support and given 24 hours to live, owned way to many kinder surprise toys, become an Aunty 3 times, seen the wiggles in concert, took over a photographers camera at a friend’s wedding, worn way to many fancy dress outfits, painted a Brisbane city council bus (legally and with their consent) and been to New Zealand, Thailand and the South Pacific Islands.

But most of all, I’ve been a willing participant in my life by generally and unknowingly (at the time) taking the long, hard, winding road. Don’t get me wrong, at times that long road was probably exactly what I needed to do because I thought it was the “best way” to do things, but now I know better.  

So, in finally realising this, I went searching for some simple mantra’s or a quote that I could look at everyday to remind me that change is possible, to not be too hard on myself when I don’t have to be and to make sure I’m aware of others and their needs – I wanted something that could really resonate with me and I stumbled across the Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz:

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS*

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don’t Make Assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life

4. Always Do Your Best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

* Source: http://www.miguelruiz.com/index.php?p=Books

After reading these agreements everyday for months, I’ve finally realised…..it doesn’t matter what I did or didn’t do in the last 30 years, what matters most is how I go about my life; how I treat myself and others; how I speak to people and how important it is to be who you are and be prepared and willing to change if you don’t like who you are.

What’s really exciting now is wondering what I’m going to achieve and accomplish – either scripted or unscripted in the next 30 years….By the way, I cheated a little, I actually wrote this blog when I was 30…..and I’d like to think I’m still closer to 30 than I am 35

If you want to change the script of your life, then why not engage Amovita as YOUR OWN coach, or engage them in your workplace with one of our training presentations, or book Amovita for your next strategic planning day. And if life isn’t going as great as you would like, then contact us to discuss our mediation program or engage in our family and employee assistance program. It doesn’t matter how you change your script, what matters is that you start the change now!

Phone Amovita’s Managing Director Tracey Harris on 0420 234 638 or email: info@amovita.com.au

I used to listen to music all day. I used to dance around my house. I used to really enjoy going to movies and eating popcorn. I used to go and get massages, facials and pedicures. I used to…I used to…I used to…What’s happened to us? Why has work taken over our lives? And how can we reclaim it back?

I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about me. Over the years, work took over my life. I stopped listening to music. Didn’t get pampered. Hadn’t seen a movie in over a year. Hadn’t gone dancing. And the list went on and on and on.

Till one day, I went through a life changing experience and decided to reclaim my life. Yeah right. Reclaiming your life, is like losing weight. There’s no shortcut. You’ve got to claw back the things that made you happy. Things that excited you and made everyone think you’re a nutter. Somehow, I lost it (as many others have too) and I had to get it back.

Trying to put back in your life all that’s missing is close to impossible. You’ve got to work your way back bit by bit.

So I started with my job. I wasn’t happy in my job and but I didn’t realize that until my boss asked me “Isn’t it time you let us go”……initially I was stunned at this comment. I was upset and wondered why I was asked that. After the initial shock and consultation with a few others, I decided, that YES, it was time I left my job.

And totally out of character for the “old me”, I didn’t look for another job, I decided that I didn’t want another job until I really, truly knew what I wanted to do. Tum…dee…dum…Now I was happier…..and I had created the perfect opportunity to reclaim my life.

I started by buying a new set of headphones – those noise blocking ones that could let me listen to music and dance around my house without the neighbours making noise complaints. I then began trolling the deal websites. You know the ones, Scoopon, My Deal, Living Social,etc, and bought heaps of discounted vouchers for pedicures, manicures, massages, hairdressing and meal deals. It was great, I was buying vouchers and my diary was filling up with pampering days…..hello pampering heaven!

I then decided to factor in the movies….going to the movies is great when most of the population is working). I began to enjoy the popcorn. I went for walks on the beach. I would spend entire days in my PJ’s. I started going to French lessons. Slowly but surely, I reclaimed my life.

After 6 months of reclaiming my life and with the bank account looking a bit lean, I started looking for a job. After days of searching, I couldn’t find a job that fitted in with my newfound lifestyle….so, I started my own business with one, yes ONE client. But it was a business that suited my skill set, that fitted in with me, my pampering days, movies and French lessons.

Hang on just a minute…..what on earth have I done?!? I started a business with 1 client….how would this keep the hungry bank account happy? Simple. I stayed true to my lifestyle and slowly clients appeared through referrals and word of mouth. My business is now ticking along with less effort and life is exactly how I want it to be. I have my perfect balance.

It’s time to reclaim your life.

If a lack of fun starts to wear down your work. Work no longer becomes fun and it no longer fits into your lifestyle. It’s just another thing to be done. Another dreary day of deadlines and stress. The only way out is to reclaim your life. Do it this week. Start with one thing. Something small. Bring a big smile back to your face. You look a lot happier when you’re ‘dancing.’

If you are like I was and need a bit of help remembering who you used to be, or need someone to point you in the right direction to achieving life balance, then contact Amovita today. Our services and programs are designed to inspire people and business excellence. You may find that our Executive Coaching, our Professional Supervision or our Team Development services are what you need; or you could decide that attending one of our presentations, such as How to Become a Lion Tamer or the Accidental Counsellor would suit you best.

We can also deliver tailor made services and programs that will support you in achieving your goals. So get going and contact Amovita today.

MMMM where to start. Christchurch in the RED ZONE

It never ceases to amaze me how resilient people are under extreme stress and post a traumatic experience. This is what I witnessed when travelling last week to Christchurch. Having family who live in the RED ZONE  we could not wait any longer to see how they were surviving. What an emotional experience.

Without realising it here in beautiful and relatively safe Australia, it was the first anniversary of the earthquake that gripped the city of Churches in September last year.

The facts:

• Christchurch has experienced over 8000 aftershocks in the last year
• 564 million hits on GeoNet in the 6 days post the earthquake
• 86 Heritage buildings have to be demolished
• 241 buildings to be demolished
• 54,000 tonnes of liquefaction silt had to be removed post the earthquake in Sept 2010
• 322,000 tonnes of liquefaction silt had to be removed post the 22nd Feb 2011 earthquake
• 5548 vehicles were removed from the Christchurch CBD
• 305,000 insurance claims since the Sept earthquake

This photo is of one of the homes we drove by in Sumner, teetering on the edge of a steep embankment that had collapsed under the wrath of the most recent earthquake.

Travelling through out the Red Zone where all properties large and small are to be demolished, about 6000 residents are to be displaced with having to find the energy and focus to find a new home.

Many suburbs old and newly constructed are almost deserted and many many people congregate in the streets still to talk about their experiences, grateful for surviving, taking comfort from each other, sharing their similar stories and finding a way to accept their street and community is never to be the same again as they are dispersed all over the Island.

On the day of the September quake our family tell us,  they walked to other family members in the same neighbourhood a couple of kms away, finding that because of the liquefaction it took hours to get there and back. They just needed to know the family was ok, giving up their own risks, concerns and shock to think of others. They were then without power, water or sewerage facilities for over 3 weeks. Can you imagine that! They lived in their caravan in the back yard too scared to enter the house to sleep for fear there would be another quake and the house would be at the mercy of mother nature.

We were told to sleep with our clothes and head torch at the ready in case of another aftershock or even worse earthquake  in the middle of the night as we slept peacefully unaware of what was happening beneath the  earth’s surface.

With one eye at the ready,  sleep came albeit with caution. Yes whilst there, we did  experience an aftershock as if a large giant was holding the large building we were  in and giving it a good shake just to ensure its habitants did not become too  comfortable and complacent and think the earth was finally at peace again.

Interestingly its participants merely looked at each other, breath stopping for a  moment in anticipation of the next large quake, looked at each other and said its ok, just a small one!!!

Shedding tears came so easily, yet with hesitation not really knowing what the community of Christchurch has really been through. Feeling guilty of not being able to do enough. Standing behind the temporary fencing peering up the deserted and lonely streets of Chistchurch CBD trying to understand how this could happen in modern society.

Their resilience, their sharing of stories, their ability to keep going day by day not knowing what is next is nothing short of heroic. The community is many ways is tired, unknowing of what lies ahead, wanting to create a hope for the future, a normal future.

Our very best wishes go out to the community of Christchurch.

This dedication is to you for your bravery, compassion, love and holding onto hope as you rebuild your community and your lives. To those we visited, our hearts go out to you and you will never be far from our thoughts and help.

Recently a friend told me her story. She was reared in a ‘happy’ family of 6 children and her parents were ‘honest to God’(her words) hard working people whose main aim was to make the best life for the family. She has 2 brothers and 3 sisters who are all well and happy.

She relates a ‘happy childhood’ and gets along with everyone in the family. Her education was without drama except of course for the odd wagging during teenager years. She married and has 3 children. She is in a secure, well paid, well recognised profession where her level of expertise and skill is acknowledged and appreciated with colleagues and clients. She is ‘the’ person who lights up the room, the person who laughs with joy and cries in sorrow. My friend is a wife, mother, lover, business woman, colleague, friend, daughter, aunt, artist, creator and many more strings to her bow form her identity.

She is a woman I admire and value for her sense of compassion and honesty. She got my attention when she told me she has a dream to show her ‘true colours, to make her mark on the world, to shine” and her plan is to change her story about herself. Imagine my curiosity as she told me this.

What did she really mean? Sure she has the ‘good’ job, the ‘good’ life but this is not who she is on the inside. She went on to say that she has a niggling inside that she is more than that. Hold on, what is this? I wasn’t getting her drift; in fact I was getting a little irritated. Aren’t you happy with what you have?’ I asked and then answering my own question, ‘you have everything you could possibly want and need?” “It seems that way” she replied, “but deep down I don’t really know who I am. I need the sparkle in me; I need to change my story”.

She is changing her story about herself.

Put simply she said I need to spring clean to get the sparkle back to me. I am changing my story because my story isn’t working for me anymore, my story is outdated. I need to show my true colours, my light, I need to sparkle. It is time. “I’m with you, “I said and I saw the sparkle.

What is your story? Has your story got the sparkle? Do you need to show your true colours, your light, and your sparkle? Are you allowing your light to shine, are you showing your true colours? If not, why not? What would happen if you did?

At Amovita we have a range of products and services that are designed to support you in changing, developing or re-creating YOUR story. Visit www.amovita.com.au for detailed information on our services, programs and training presentations.

Settling in for the long night ahead

This year I set myself a challenge to do something different, something that would let me “walk a day in the shoes”, something that as a Managing Director of a company, a university lecturer, a student, a wife and a mother I wouldn’t normally do. Then I saw the words “2011 CEO Sleepout” and I rose to the challenge.

Sure, I could do this, this was going to be easy. All I do is raise some money, turn up to the sleepout, do a bit of networking and then I could tick this off my to do list…..oh, how wrong I was! The St Vinnies CEO Sleepout really challenged me. With the support of friends, family, colleagues and Amovita clients, I raised money for the sleepout, little did I know that was the EASY part.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I wanted to do the sleepout but as the days drew closer I realised that it was truly happening, I was really going to sleep out in the cold, on a sheet of cardboard, with my sleeping bag. Sleeping bag?!? There was my first problem – I didn’t have a sleeping bag. So after sourcing a sleeping bag and making a few “wish me luck” phone calls to friends and colleagues I arrived at the Suncorp Piazza in Brisbane with sleeping bag in tow.

wakey, wakey

It was a night that changed me. I was there with 56 other CEO’s from around South East Queensland. Yes, I networked. Yes, I drank my sponsored Merlo coffee. Yes, I slept on my piece of cardboard. But most importantly, yes, I got a taste of what thousands of homeless Australians do every night. However, I’m sure they do it more rough than what I did. I had a sleeping bag, coffee and cardboard and I’m sure many homeless people don’t get those “luxuries” every night.

Homelessness is a continuing problem in Australia. There is an estimated 100,000 homeless people sleeping on the streets every night. Over 1,000 of those are in Brisbane.

This annual event aims to raise both money and awareness within the community and I highly recommend this experience to all those CEO’s, Board Directors and MD’s out there to do it in 2012. It is truly an experience you will never forget and it gives you a chance to make a difference by raising money for the St Vincent de Paul Homeless program. This year across Australia we raised just over $4.1million and in Brisbane we raised just over $556,000. Pretty great effort I thought.

“So what’s your next challenge,” you ask…..well, that’s easy…..I’m going to run 10km in the Bridge to Brisbane Fun Run on 11th September!

I’d love to tell you more about it, but I’ve gotta go and get stuck into some training so I can actually make it the 10kms, so keep tuned and read about it in the next Amovita Newsletter.

Tracey

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life, and how things were so hard for her. Things were not going well, and she wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first pot, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She turned on the stove to boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a mug.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the daughter replied. The mother brought her daughter closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft. She then asked her to take the egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to smell and sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she smelled and tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What’s the point, mother?” Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same significant adversity: boiling water. However, each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were quite unique. After they were in the boiling water, they actually changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When trials and adversity knock on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

The carrot seems strong, but with pain and adversity, wilts, becomes soft, and loses strength. The egg starts with a passive heart, but changes with the heat. It has a fluid spirit, but after a hardship, becomes hardened and stiff. The coffee bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the carrot – you weaken with adversity and are unable to stand up to the challenge.

If you are like the egg, you – you become hard inside, and lose all compassion and understanding.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you become better and change the situation around you.

Many have circulated this wonderful story, author unknown. It is certainly worth sharing.  

In reality, there are probably elements of the egg, carrot and coffee bean in all of us. I know I’ve been in situations where I was a carrot and an egg. However, since experiencing rather difficult challenges, I now see myself as a coffee bean – someone who has been able to change for the better.

Circumstances and dynamics may dictate how we respond to a particular situation. However, with freedom of choice, we can all strive to remain true to our nature and respond to any situation based on our values.

At Amovita we can support you as you, individually and as an organisation, as you go through changes, challenges or face difficult circumstances. Our Employee Counselling, Professional Supervision and Team Development Programs, coupled with our Mediation, Assertiveness and Communications 101 training programs can give you the tools and strategies you need to be the coffee bean.

Contact us today if you would like more information about these and other Amovita Services.