Tag Archives: growth

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How do you define Success?

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It’s nearly July 1st. We have nearly reached the half mark of 2014. So it’s a good time to evaluate.

[Tweet ” How are you measuring your success this year?”]

 Is it based on who the world thinks you are?

  • Your title
  • Your net worth
  • The number of awards on your shelf
  • The neighborhood you live in
  • Where you went to school
  • Your nationality
  • Or how the world values the efforts of your children or your spouse?

Or on the things you possess?

  • The kind of car you drive
  • The number of name brands you wear
  • How many of the latest gadgets you own

Is it measured by lives?

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Blowing Up: Boxes, Typecasting & Limits

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Blowing up labels and limits

Have you ever had someone make assumptions about you?

I despise boxes….  And typecasting….  And limits…  And then I realized I was holding some assumptions that were putting others in boxes.  Ugh!

…A couple of years ago, I volunteered to help out at a Career Fair.  Early in the day, several vans arrived from Goodwill’s Training Program.

As the room filled with people several things blew my boxes of assumptions apart:

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When worlds collide… Important dialogs can begin if we let them

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One of the parts of expat life that I looked forward to the most is living on a compound with people from all over the world.  …People of diverse races and religions and values and personal histories living next to each other as neighbors…

When Worlds Collide, Important Dialogs Can Begin If We Let Them

Last week  I shared a post with my friends – including some of my expat neighbors, about the people from Iran that were arrested after they recorded their own “Happy” YouTube Video.

I shared it because I’ve been really caught up in the news in the past few weeks:

  • News of mass abductions.
  • News of a death sentence for a woman who married outside of her absent father’s faith, that will be executed once her baby is weened.
  • News of others that have been arrested, beaten and jailed because of a stand they have taken.

I shared it because the longer I live as an expat in a land that operates in many of the same ways as Iran, the more I sense a silent pressure building between our little trips outside of this country.

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When your greatest struggle collides with your greatest gift…

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Do you know any person or organization that is in the midst of their most significant struggle – ever?

Would it help you get through the struggle if you knew that it was necessary to unleash your greatest strength?

There is a pattern throughout history that fills me with so much hope that it almost makes me wish for a big struggle…

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Looking Back and Looking Forward after Major Change

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  • One year ago yesterday, I got on a plane and flew away from my comfort zone.
  • One year ago late tonight, I arrived in a land that I had repeatedly expressed a less than zero desire to live in.  (And yes, I came to live here.)
  • One year ago tomorrow, I viewed our new home and met new neighbors for the first time.

So today I’m taking my own advice and pausing:

  • To look back at this journey
  • To evaluate what I hoped would happen and compare it to what did happen
  • To evaluate what I’ve learned
  • And think about what’s next

When we announced our decision I shared the following goals:

1.  I was determined to Turn an Unwanted CHANGE into an Adventure.