life experiences with the tools

"If we all did the things we are capable of doing,

we would literally astound ourselves."

Thomas Edison

Magic Moments

by Alan Schroeder

Every day we are faced with choices and must decide how we will interact with those around us. The more we hurry the more trivial some of those choices may seem and the more tempted we may be to ignore or blow thorough those which do not further our own agenda and solving their own problems for the day. Which side of the energy map we are on goes a long way in determining our reaction to those choices.
Each choice we make is a magic moment, a chance for us to build the wellness culture and to develop people and relationships. The awareness muscle is the part of us that takes the time to recognize these moments as opportunities to build people up and shift their focus to the front side of the energy map. Magic moments don't only happen in board rooms or in important telephone conference calls. They are also holding the door open for someone and genuinely wishing them a great day. They are taking the time to really listen to the person that comes to you with a question. They happen at the kitchen table in the morning, in the hall ways or around the water cooler at work, when your kids or spouse calls you in the middle of the day, at the lunch counter in the cafeteria, in that last telephone call you get but don't want to take before we go home from work, etc. How strong will our awareness muscle be, and how easy will it be for you to take the high road at those few big magic moments if you practice taking the high road throughout your day?
Magic moments don't just happen to us and are not only about how we react to the situations and choices. Sometimes we make magic moments for other people. Do the magic moments we create make it easier for others to take the high road? Is it possible to avoid some magic moments by being pro-active and using other tools such as the 3 S's of Yes and the Conditions that Support Change?
We have all been witness to a conversation of repeated "low road" decisions. It is easy, and I admit, sometimes fun or entertaining, to sit on the sidelines and listen. After all, I am not the one taking the low road, and the people talking are not handing me a magic moment. Does it really hurt anything to just sit be complacent to the situation, or am I feeding the elephant in the office?
May the power of pathways be with you...

Recipe for Partnership

by Sean Pennywitt

As many of you know, I have been coaching my son's baseball teams since he could swing a bat. As some point I would like to step aside and let him be coached by someone else and had hoped that may happen this year. this will be his first year in a "baseball organization" and there are many good coaches already in place for the respective age groups. As luck would have it there was so much interest in the 10 year old age group that they formed 2 teams. Now they needed a coach and, of course, asked me. This was last fall. I expressed my concerns. Many of these coaches have a lot more experience than I do and I was concerned that maybe I would fall short of what they wanted out of a coach. I ended up meeting with a couple of guys that essentially run the program at a local watering hole and they explained to me what makes the program work and why I would be a good fit, how they got to be successful, and that the objective of the program is less about wins/loses and more about providing a healthy, productive environment for the kids to learn the game. Sportsmanship was also high on their agenda. These guys have continued to help me with the organizational part of it too, fundraising, scheduling, and even running practice. I can, and have, called them with many questions and have always rec'd the direction I needed. After coaching with these guys last fall I feel very good about my decision to take a team. I am not sure how long I will keep doing this, but I do know that this situation is a good one for my son and I. I can almost assure you that none of these fine gentlemen have ever heard of Pathways, but they sure do have the Recipe for Partnership down to a science.

3 Conditions that Support Change

By Cindi Phalen

Our Teen and Preteen daughters each have cell phones. My husband and I decided our girls needed to show more responsibility and realize cell phones are a privilege not a right. The girls decided between the 2 of them they should earn points weekly to keep their phones. They created a chart of chores and came up with a point system which we agreed to. They have managed for 2 weeks to reach their weekly goal and neither of them have been without a cell phone. For those of you who have experienced teenage girls this is a great success!
Had we presented them with the same idea and forced it upon them there would have been great resistance to the idea and no motivation.
We told them what change we needed to make. Let them come up with ideas. We all came to an agreement. They expressed their ideas and are motivated to accomplish the task.
So by using the 3 Conditions that Support Change, making a change with teenage girls is even a possibility!