Be the Change You Wish to See

Immigration USFor those of you interested in looking within for answers as to how we can do more to help change situations such as the effect of the current immigration policy on children and families, I would like to offer the following writing activity developed by Martha Beck. This is a reflective activity called “Be The Change” that teaches how to take a negative situation and turn it around to take action on a personal level.

The first part is to write a letter to a person or group of people that you think SHOULD be doing something different. In this case, I could write to President Trump, the ICE patrols, or people on Facebook that are defending the immigration policies that I disagree with. I would unleash all my rage and sorrow on the page, then rip up, shred, or burn the letter.

The next step is to examine the behaviors that bother me: to realize how what I’m noticing and criticizing in others is something I’m actually doing myself and to myself.

For example, my thought might be: “I think people should be more compassionate to immigrants and refugees.”

When I turn that around into a statement about what I should be doing it becomes, “I should be more compassionate to immigrants and refugees.”

I then make of list of how I am not being compassionate to immigrants and refugees in my immediate life, which includes looking at ways I’m also not compassionate to myself.

The final step is to create an action plan. For example, I can smile more and be more welcoming to others, and especially look for opportunities to smile at children and make them feel more welcome where I work. I can also find ways to be more compassionate to myself, in those moments when I feel like I’m not doing enough to help. For example, I have to work on June 30th and can’t attend a demonstration. I can let myself off the hook and instead, share an activity like this that may help others work through their feelings and create their own personal action plans.

Be the Change you want to see in this world. Be excellent to yourself and others! #bethechange #compassion #keepfamiliestogether

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God is Always Hiring

God is Always Hiring

I recently discovered this gem of a book on sale and knew it was perfect for my students and clients.

For those of you who are surrounded by naysayers and are feeling discouraged from pursuing your dream job — as a writer, artist, poet, musician, actor, puppeteer, or whatever that might be, you’ll find daily doses of encouragement in Regina Brett’s book, God is Always Hiring: 50 Lessons for Finding Fulfilling Work.

You can preview the book online at Google Books.

Whether you are seeking your first job, are unemployed or underemployed, the number one motivating factor that will help you find fulfilling work is your own passion to do what you love.

Know Thyself

Employers will always be looking for passionate people to help them carry out their mission. Whether you want to create your own opportunities or join forces with others, know what you are passionate about:

  • What is it that you want to do more than anything else?
  • What have you been doing for 10,000 hours?
  • What gift, talent, or expertise do you want to share with the world?
  • What problem do you want to solve? (climate change? human trafficking?)

If you have your own mission and an entrepreneurial spirit, then channel that passion into creating your own organization. Find a mentor, network with people who are doing what you want to do, create a timeline for developing your business so you can measure progress towards your goals.

If you’d like some guidance along the way, contact me for a free coaching session!

 

Setting intentions for 2018

WD Intention purple

I love this time of year! Not just because of the holidays, but because I can review my progress and set intentions for the new year.

Setting intentions are not the same as setting goals, and I’m not talking about New Year’s resolutions. Confused? I was too when I first discovered the concept of intention setting in the work of Dr. Wayne Dyer and other thought leaders such as Rhonda Byrne (The Secret) and Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

So what is the difference between setting an intention and setting a goal or New Year’s resolution? Well, it has to do with your intentions! The word “Intention” has multiple meanings, which hint at its being imbued with something more than just an idea, goal, or desire. For example, in Medicine, intention refers to “the healing process of a wound”. In earlier centuries, people would be asked to “declare their intentions” before a marriage (or a duel!) which hints at the importance of speaking an intention out loud.

By contrast, resolutions are built on your resolve, determination, and perseverance. These are feelings and emotions that help motivate people to take action towards a goal or intention. However, all too often, after setting New Year’s Resolutions, people run out of steam. Their resolve diminishes because they aren’t seeing or experiencing evidence that they are making progress.

On the other hand, goals have measurable results. They are the details and milestones used to measure progress. We can successfully set goals for our intentions and measure our progress as long as we keep them realistic, such as setting small, or short-term, achievable steps and actions that guarantee results.

If you’d like help setting intentions or goals for 2018, contact me for a free initial consultation. My intention this year is to help as many people as possible achieve their dreams!

Best wishes for a very happy holiday season — and may all your good dreams come true!

Rebecca

Nothing is impossible WD

 

Why are dreams important?

 

Never Stop Dreaming

Did you know that you receive vital information in your dreams?

While many people will shrug off their dreams, here’s some evidence about WHY you might want to pay more attention to your dreams.

A few months before 911, actor Mark Ruffalo had a dream unlike any other dream he’d ever had before. He decided to take the dream seriously and took immediate action by seeing a doctor.

Mark Ruffalo’s dream diagnosis saves his life

In another case, author Wanda Burch received a life saving dream diagnosis as documented in She Who Dreams. Here’s Wanda discussing her experience with the founder of active dreaming, Robert Moss.

Fighting cancer with active dreaming techniques

There’s other reasons why successful people pay attention to their dreams, and learn how to interpret the sometimes cryptic messages to choose a course of action. Great inventors and scientists such as Edison and Einstein often took naps to cultivate ideas for challenging problems.

While “sleeping on it” may not sound productive to some, with time and practice, it can become quite a revelation for those willing to open their minds to other possibilities!

If you’d like to discuss a recent dream or how to develop more effective dreams, contact me!

Learning to Fly: An invitation

learning-to-fly-hands-butterflyI love learning to fly!

My most recent learning experiences have centered around developing my own skills as a life coach — learning creative and fun ways to inspire my students and clients!

I’ve recently completed my training as a cadet (life coach in training) with the Martha Beck Institute. As part of my certification process, I will be offering coaching sessions starting in February 2017!

If you want to discover how to remove limiting beliefs blocking your path to success, please complete the contact info below:

 

Student success starts with students!

One way to evaluate your students’ success is giving them engaging projects along with the equipment and support needed to do their best work.

Here’s a recent student video about the Ventura College Learning Resource Center. The students — actual peer mentors from the tutoring center — scripted, shot, and edited the video in less than two weeks. Their assignment was to provide new students in the First Year Experience with a fun and engaging tour of the services available at the Ventura College Learning Resource Center. I think they did a spectacular job!  And, I am certain that they will both be highly successful at anything they do!

Carol Dweck: The Power of YET

Carol Dweck: The power of believing that you can improve | Talk Video | TED.com.

We often hear people refer to the power of Now, but have you ever heard about the power of YET? In this powerful TedTalk, Dr. Carol Dweck, one of the foremost researchers in educational psychology, discusses how to provide children with the opportunity to succeed through the power and process of YET.

We owe it to all of our children to give them the skills that will empower them to solve problems, any problems. Problem solving skills and perseverence will be the most highly sought after skills in the near distant future when these children inherit a world filled with challenges not of their making.

If you are a parent, teacher, or influencer, I urge you to watch this short clip so you can understand how simple it is to transform learning and students so all of them can succeed!

 

“Is College Still a Good Investment?” – HigherEdJobs

“Is College Still a Good Investment?” – HigherEdJobs.

“…when we survey those with and without college degrees, we find significant personal benefits accrue to those who have college degrees. In its Trends in Higher Education Series, Education Pays, The College Board documents the rewards to individuals: higher job satisfaction, less chance of unemployment, potential for higher earnings, greater social mobility, and better health – leading to a higher quality of life in general.”

— Eileen K. O’Leary, Assistant Vice President and Director of Student Financial Assistance, Stonehill College

While the cost of a college education has gone up by over 50% in the past decade, it is still a good investment if you are seeking a career that requires a college degree.

What I particularly like about this editorial from Eileen O’Leary is that she also asks her readers to consider the value-added aspects of having a college degree, discussing how our society as a whole benefits from its citizens being educated:

  • civic involvement and votes rates are higher among those with college degrees
  • regional economies are stronger
  • tax revenues are higher where educational attainment is higher
  • overall unemployment is lower
  • retirement plan contributions are higher
  • poverty rates are lower
  • health insurance coverage is stronger
  • public assistance participation rates are lower

One of my mentors said it the best: When the water rises, so do all the boats.

When we focus on helping others to achieve their greatest potential, it helps everyone!

Empowering others through education is still one of the most effective ways we have to inspire positive change on a large scale that is beneficial to all.

How To Create The Ideal LinkedIn Profile – Forbes

How To Create The Ideal LinkedIn Profile – Forbes.

I have been urging my students to create LinkedIn profiles since 2010.

This feature by Viveka von Rosen, author of LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day and founder of LinkedIntoBusiness.com in the current issue of Forbes magazine is by far one of the most comprehensive and practical articles on how to best use this piece of social media real estate to your advantage.

LinkedIn has added a number of new media features, so even if you have created an account, this may be a good time to re-evaluate your profile. Adding a picture and showcasing some of your work is easy and immediately adds to your marketability.

That added value speaks volumes to recruiters, and could help you get a foot in the door!

Malala Yousafzai wins Nobel – CNN.com

Malala Yousafzai, Kailash Satyarthi win Nobel – CNN.com.

I am so thrilled by the news that Malala has won the Nobel Prize!

Her speech reveals that she is truly an extraordinary young woman!

I agree with her wholeheartedly that empowering women and girls, and giving them the freedom to reach their full potential through education has the potential to change the world for the better.

I personally believe that education for all is the key to equality for all.

And, in turn, peace and prosperity will follow.