Penny Barrington
Nationally Accredited Life Coach, Trainer, Speaker, Toastmaster, Thinker and Teacher
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PO Box 3109, Wheelers Hill, Victoria 3150. AUSTRALIA
Call 0419 371 549
61 3 9590 0174
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- Leading Article - Christmas Wishes
- Tips on Time
- Keep Your Word
- Power paragraph
- What's Healthful
- Q & As
Leading Article - Christmas Wishes
I am wishing you a Merry and Blessed Christmas season and a new year that you can use to bring greater joy and prosperity to yourself and those around you.
Christmas is recognised as an historical event and its literal meaning inspires some and not others. It all depends on what emotions and meaning you attach to it. The significance of Christmas needs to be something that you need to figure out for yourself or it becomes another ritual, in another year, in another decade. What will be your Christmas this year?
All around us the trimmings remind us of the season and yet I remember last year that there were many celebrities bemoaning the lack of festivity and decoration in the Melbourne CBD: that ‘we failed’ to celebrate properly. Part of their meaning is that glitter, glam and clever art work are indicative of the real celebration of Christmas that is in the hearts of people. What do you think? Are the most wonderful Christmas decorations an outward manifestation of joy and celebration? Or is it possible to really celebrate something and keep it totally within ourselves?
When people make statements like, “Christmas is over-commercialised,” what does that mean? If good planning means doing things on time, step by step, and not in a last minute rush then are the supermarkets too far ahead when they roll out the Christmas things months before? Is there something more exciting about a last minute rush, as retailers tell us, which is the trend of consumers these days?
In the lead up to Christmas do you ever watch the rushing shoppers, and their faces, and wonder what your body language is like at this time? Or are you a clever shopper and do it all in quiet times – well ahead of the last minute rush?
Can you imagine the person who steers clear of the shops at this time, not because they think it is over-commericalised, but because they cannot partake to their preferred extent due to fina! ncial co nstraints? Is it possible for a financially poor person to celebrate Christmas? What meaning can they attach to this ritual? Perhaps they go beyond it and rather than manifest their meaning in actual material giving, they can strive to remind themselves that it all begins in the heart, anyway and until it resides there, the meaning is simple ritual’. The heart can be happy and celebrate without the glittering trimmings of the CBD, but they sure can help.
Are you in a hurry and need to write a note or email a quick note? Do you have the spell checker on the email system to help prevent typos and therefore misinterpretations and you looking a bad writer? It is very useful for non-typists and tired, late night workers. It can be such a help, but only if you do not rush the actual spell checker and click the wrong tab. Here’s Ellen Dowling's tip.
- Take the time to poofread your document before you sent it. Rub the document thru the spell checker and/or the grammer checker. Even simpl tipos will make you look sloppie and damage you’re proffessional credubility.
Clicking Reply Is Easy A friend of mine reckons that paper diaries are on the way out and yet I am actually developing a new format! I need to incorporate the things that characterise my day, not anyone else’s, and one thing to note is the return phone call or email and self-initiated contact. If paper diaries are on the way out, how do you keep track of your “must contacts”? How do you keep your word to stay in touch and where do you keep note? Indeed, are you initiating contact or simply ‘clicking reply’ on the computer, which is reactive and not proactive? Do you only think contact when you are actually at the PC? How do you keep your communication lines open to those who do not have a computer, but more importantly, how often? Maybe SMS is your new thing. Whatever your tool, what is your effective way of keeping up with communicating to other people? If you have a successful system and are willing to share, please let me know so that others can learn. Yes go on, click ‘REPLY”.
"Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside.Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."
Og Mandino 1923-1996, Author and Speaker
Stuff the Turkey, Not Your Belly How to Enjoy Christmas Food Without Feeling Guilty? This may help:
Do not think “can’t eat that”. You eat what you like taking into account any medical restrictions, but think, “I choose to eat smaller portions of everything and savour the taste more.”
Do not think eating smaller portions is less or is “a diet.” Instead of worrying about the fat in a piece of pie, eat a smaller portion and make it mean more choice about variety. (Like the French women)
Become aware of any sense of a comfort feeling associated with the food. Is your hunger for nutrition and the enjoyment of good food or is it connected to a deeper need that has nothing to do with food? Think of actions that you can take to meet those needs in other ways?
What do you feel and think when you take the food? Are you simply removing hunger or are you 'fighting something' when taking more than you really need? The adult part of you wants to make the healthful choices and be in charge of the eating but there could be a part of you that wants to eat anything and everything, because otherwise is linked to removal of choice, deprivation or some emotional issue.
Try thinking more gratitude for the food available and imagine you are the world expert on eating well, eating just enough and enjoying it. This is part of your pleasurable work practice.
We attract that which we are grateful for. - Joe Vitale
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