Everyone’s opinion matters

Everyone’s opinion must be reviewed and not pushed away.

It doesn’t matter what nationality or background that person has, it should be validated as anyone else.

Sometimes, we don’t listen to many people because we tag them as not qualified as they don’t have the title or the education. This is wrong!

Just stop for a moment and re think this! You’ll find that many successful people did not have the degree nor the qualifications in many things but they became very successful because they saw the things in a different light.

Next time when we think of not allowing others to raise their opinion on something we should allow them to say what is on their mind and encourage them to do so. You may find that they can teach you!

Fikret Sukru
President
Leadership Academy

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Ancient wisdom

The concept of heavy or light hearted came from ancient Egyptians where they believed that emotions were contained within the heart.

The heart was weighed with a feather at the time of death and if it was heavier than the feather, then a demon/monster would come and eat it.

That was very important to them as they believed that the heart was crucial in the afterlife. In fact, it was removed from the body, embalmed and then put back into the mummified body for their journey into the afterlife.

The idea of “feeling with our heart” still carries on into our lives today. We are “broken-hearted”, we put our “heart” into our passion or hobbies and we are even “heavy hearted” at times.

We now know that it is in the brain where emotions are created, memories are stored and visuals trigger emotions. Yet, it is still common to use the heart to express emotions. I find it fascinating that these links to our ancient past still exist in our lives.

How do you see yourself? Are you heavy or light hearted?

Fikret Sukru, President

Grant Whitehead, Vice President

Leadership Academy

The loss of laughter

When did we, as adults, lose the ability to laugh like a child?

Was it as a teenager full of angst? Or when we felt so alone at high school and that no one has ever experienced what you are going through? Or when the person you had a crush on turned you down and you vowed you would never approach someone again because you would “just die”?

Or was it as a young adult just starting out? A big world has opened up to you and now the independence you so desperately wanted has hit you in the face that it was far easier at home?

How about when you were in your 30′s when the weight of your career and home life is bearing down on you?

Or is it later in life when you feel aches and pains everytime you move and somehow forget the wonder of still being able to be alive?

These seemingly “insurmountable” times of our lives are trivial when they are down on paper, yet when we are living in the moment, it seems inescapable.

We need to step back and stop. Modern society has forced us into a corner. We can no longer do everything, be everywhere all the time! In fact, studies have shown that the concept of multi-tasking is a myth: the human brain cannot evenly distribute concentration three different ways. It can only focus on one task at a time.

This is great news! We no longer have to feel pressured to do everything perfectly and in the smallest amount of time.

So do yourself a favour. Take life less seriously. Take the self-induced pressure off yourself and enjoy life! Laugh more! Love more! Live more!

Can’t change others? Change yourself!

Life is full of different kinds of people. Honest, happy, miserable, angry, sad and so on. The list is endless. What you see and what you hear can impact your perception about them almost immediately.

This outcome will help us judge them in future situations. If we just step back and ask ourselves these questions:

1- Who am I to judge others?

2- Why are they doing what they are doing?

3-What caused them to act like that?

4- If I were in that same situation and circumstance, what would I do?

Keep in mind that we all react to problems and things around us differently than others. It is human nature to want everyone to process information, think and react just like us. However, we all know it is impossible- everyone has different personalities, learning styles and reactions.

What if we turn the tables? What if we go against how we react to situations and do the opposite? Perhaps you admire how your friend honestly tells how they are feeling in a concise manner. Or perhaps you like how your boss gathers information first before making a decision.

Look around you to see someone who reacts opposite to you and try it! We automatically assume that our way is the best way. But is it really? Has it proven beneficial for you or are you repeating a pattern that doesn’t resolve anything except getting your own way? It is always easy to see what others are doing and judge them and put them down. It is much harder for us to see our mistakes.

The next time that you want someone to change the way they do things, change yourself first. You will see people in a positive way and will respect others around you more as you will see things from their perspective, not yours.

Fikret Sukru

President

Leadership Academy

 

A season of renewal.

As I am looking out my window while working, I can see the trees getting more bare each day and with each wind. The leaves curling up just before they drop.

I cannot help but feel cozy and content in my house. Yet, I feel renewed as well. Unlike the trees who are settling in for dormancy, I am energized by the images of using winter as a time to read by the fire, learn a new hobby, plan out my garden and even go for a winter hike.

Use this time of the year as a season of renewal. You may discover something about yourself.<a href="http://www.leadershipacademy.ca&quot;

Be quiet! How to silence your negative inner voice

Our actions, thoughts and desires are what makes us humans, human.

What also makes us unique is our subconcious mind. This part of our brain is where we store previous decisions, experiences and perceptions. It is also where our “Inner Voice” dictates to us how we act or perhaps prevents us from acting.

How loud is your inner voice? Is it kept to an acceptable level where it can only be heard occasionally? Or is it so loud that it prevents you from experiencing life and taking risks?

Think about this for one moment. We all know that our time on this planet is short. With this loud inner voice preventing you from experiencing new things and adventures, can you not see how much time is being wasted? You need to hush that negative voice that is telling you that you are stupid, lazy and not suitable for anything once and for all!

How do you do that?

Here is a very simple technique that we use with our clients and has proven to be effective.

1. Take a blank piece of paper and on the left hand side, write down those things that your inner voice is telling you. e.g. “You are not smart” ” You are fat” “You are lazy”

2. On the other side of the page, write statements that are condradictory to that. e.g “I am smart” “I am not fat” “I am not lazy”

3 Take a black marker and after repeating each statement in the left hand column, cross it out with the marker. Make sure you say it out loud and with conviction so it will register in your mind.

4. From the right hand column, pick out the top 5 statements that have been your hardest challenges to overcome. Make this into a statement/mantra for yourself to repeat every day. For example ” I am intelligent and I love my body. I have lots of energy to greet everything that comes my way”.

5. Every morning, recite this four times. The first two times, your subconcious mind will resist- push through it! By the fourth time your newly erased subconcious mind will be accepting it and will replace the former negative thoughts with affirmative ones.

Repeat this exercise daily for 20 days as it takes this long to create a habit. Once you have begun to memorize it, say it in a mirror with conviction.

You will find that your outlook on life will be impacted. You will be revitailized with energy and self-confidence that perhaps you were not aware of.

Life should be savoured. Shut down that negative inner voice that has prevented you from enjoying life. This is all you have, so make the most out of it!

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