life lessons, management, mindfulness

Back To Basics – Part 1

my infamous mirrorI was going to write a little bit today about inspiration – those intrinsic, palpable exchanges or moments that propel us forward with renewed purpose and passion.  I realized however that two of my favorite bloggers – the authors of kung fu leadership and lead.learn.live, had recently posted thoughtful pieces in a similar vein.  Imitation may be the best form of flattery, but these guys stand on their own.

That said, it’s been a thoughtful kinda day and I wanted to share some basic truths which I invoke daily.  I have a mirror in the sitting room off our bedroom which used to hang in my office.  Framed in wood, there are nine life lessons which I know by heart, for they are now etched there.  My kids probably know them with similar confidence, because it has been around for so long, they’ve acquired this knowledge by osmosis.  My team at work knew that these were certainly the simplest life rules one could follow – if not because they came to believe them but simply because of their ever-present position on the wall opposite my desk.  So…I thought I’d share them with you.

On the right side of the frame the following squares appear:

– Seek peace

– Learn lessons

– Vote honestly

– Share

The left side of the frame holds the following truths:

– Stay on track

– Know love

– Be calm

– Dream

And at the apex are the following words “Do the right thing almost every doggone day of your life”.   I remember someone telling me that I “had full authority to do the right thing”.  We all have that authority.  We all get sucked into the occasional eddy that swirls around us forcing us to  lose our footing.  Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of ground to stand on, to allow us to re-balance and get back to the basics.  You can’t skip any of these steps in your path to personal and professional success – not unless you accept that by doing so, you are destined to slip and fall.  Simple truths on a beautiful day.

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7 thoughts on “Back To Basics – Part 1”

  1. Sometimes the most important lessons we learn are the easiest to understand. We just need to reflect on them every now and now then. Thanks for the reminders.

  2. Thanks for the mention, it means a lot coming from you. We can be the Presidents of each other’s fan clubs! It’s a great message in today’s post. Life does move fast and you’re right, from time to time we can get a little off track. When we do,it’s important for us to find the right words, people or activities that help us return to center.

    Thanks again!

  3. I blew the mention for both of you – I should have directed people to your links…so it’s really do the right thing – except when you don’t – and then make sure your apology is heartfelt (and that you learn from it)…

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