Thursday, September 16, 2010

“How is it ?“ Ponderings… by Glenda Gibbs

“How is it ?“
Ponderings… by Glenda Gibbs

How is it we view a doctor as God until he provokes us and then he’s a quack?

How is it we tell our children to be honest yet when we break the law or lie, our choices are exempt?

How is it we endorse a professional athlete, a role model for our children to aspire ... picture perfect being the best at his game, having a beautiful wife and children, all the toys he could ever want; overnight he went from fame to shame?

How is it we trust our priest later learning his ‘secret’ of molesting children is hidden by the church?

How is it with our military being the most powerful country in the world, the superiors’ credo: “Don’t ask, Don’t tell”?

How is it we choose to look the other way … and continue to indulge ourselves with beverages and foods having high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), an ingredient proven to be addictive, causing weight gain/obesity, possibly diabetes and a multitude of other illnesses?

How is it one the largest international corporations and the silent backbone of a group lobbying the FDA to change the name high fructose corn syrup, to “corn sugar” [because] HFCS “which has taken a beating” ? “… approval from the FDA would have a "spillover benefit" for food companies”. There are no benefits to changing the name except the attempt to deceive the consumer and fulfill their monetary goals. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/15/business/la-fi-corn-sugar-20100915/ The effects of HFCS http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup

How is it we put the author on a pedestal for teaching personal responsibility and authenticity, upon learning the author lives a double life, we judge?

How is it when our children achieve something good we take the credit, yet the times they mess up we’re not up for taking the failure?

How is it some of us label police officers with slang or profane names until we need them to protect us?

How is it we let our children idealize entertainers and reprimand them for being disrespectful, blasting their eardrums, or using drugs?

How is it when our prayers are answered, God is good, when they aren’t, God punishes?

How is it we have a job we hate yet we expect a good review and an increase in pay?

How is it some of us rally for higher taxes to support those who are dependent on food stamps … while we wait in the checkout line we become irritated as we witness recipients using their food stamps to purchase junk food, soda and are obese?

Each of us has one thing in common: we’re all human. And as humans, we have free will and are self-aware. “Self-awareness includes a recognition of our personality, our strengths and weaknesses, our likes and dislikes. Developing self-awareness can help us to recognize when we are stressed or under pressure. It is also often a prerequisite for effective communication and interpersonal relations, as well as for developing empathy for others.” (http://www.vtaide.com/lifeskills/self_awareness.htm)

As I began to write this article I thought it was headed one direction and as I continued to put words to paper the direction changed. It’s interesting to me how these articles take on a life of their own. Upon reading the list of “How is it?” I realized how literal each statement felt. Each a dichotomy – I began to ponder what dichotomies I have … and the effects.

Thoughts run rapid through our minds; I’ve read 100,000 thoughts a day… who has time to analyze (and change) their thoughts, emotions and behaviors; furthermore, who wants to? Answer: the person who wants a happier life. Releasing the dichotomy allows us to be congruent. Once we are congruent, we’re able to make better decisions. Suppose we’re in a job we hate –we are able to choose to leave it or find a way to make peace within ourselves to continue. This is forward movement.

Being human we have free will (choice) and self – awareness.

How is it life is like an onion? The outer layers are thick and strong while the center is sweet. Another dichotomy.

Life is good!

To your best,
Glenda

© Copyrighted 1998 – 2010 by Glenda Gibbs. Feel free to share... The content may be forwarded in full, with copyright/contact/creation information intact

*********************************
If you’ve ever found yourself saying “There’s gotta be a better way. I just don’t know what it is.” You’ve come to the right place.

–Who is Glenda –Will I like her? Can she help me?

Meet Glenda- A teacher who speaks from the heart to the heart of the matter.

Glenda provides compassionate support and skillfully guides you to uncover your own inner truth and spiritual wisdom.

Glenda’s wealth of life experience, superb training and years of dedicated service support you to improve communication, hone intimacy skills, and build and enjoy satisfying, rewarding relationships.

Take the first step now. Contact Glenda and start feeling better today.

Web:http://www.glendagibbs.com
Email: glenda@glendagibbs.com
Office: 509.585.9683

Friday, September 10, 2010

Ponderings ... Bringing out the best

Bringing out the best …

Several years ago I was working with a couple who were deciding whether they wanted to continue their marriage or bring it to an end; they chose the latter. Both were concerned about the family gossip. They didn’t want to feed it so what were they to say? I suggested for them to share they were ending their marriage because they were no longer bringing out the best in each other. I also suggested they didn’t need to say any more or less.

Though being human … there are times when we feel we have to explain ourselves, especially to family and friends and sometimes doing so the emotion button gets activated.

Have you ever said something in the heat of the moment only wishing you could retrieve it? Saying a little bit and that didn’t seem like it was enough to make sense, so you felt the need to say more and it wasn’t enough either, oh gosh… feeling yourself getting in deeper and deeper?


Being human … some of us have too much time on our hands … and we gossip. Where there is gossip there is drama and nothing good comes from either.

Steering clear of gossip is reflective of personal development...

Wayne Dyer the “father of motivation” shares when his children would begin to gossip, he wouldn’t participate. He would say since (child’s name) isn’t here to defend themselves I will. That brought a halt to the gossip and drama.


Bringing out the best … is a conscious decision looking beyond our immediate needs and determining that which serves the highest good of all and implementing it.


“When we gain control of our mind, our True Nature automatically shines forth in all its radiance.” –John Welshons, author of One Soul, One Love, One Heart


To your best,

Glenda

© Copyrighted 1998 – 2010 by Glenda Gibbs. Feel free to share... The content may be forwarded in full, with copyright/contact/creation information intact.

*********************************

If you’ve ever found yourself saying “There’s gotta be a better way. I just don’t know what it is.” You’ve come to the right place.


–Who is Glenda –Will I like her? Can she help me?


Meet Glenda- A teacher who speaks from the heart to the heart of the matter.

Glenda provides compassionate support and skillfully guides you to uncover your own inner truth and spiritual wisdom.

Glenda’s wealth of life experience, superb training and years of dedicated service support you to improve communication, hone intimacy skills, and build and enjoy satisfying, rewarding relationships.

Take the first step now. Contact Glenda and start feeling better today.


Web:http://www.glendagibbs.com/
Email: glenda@glendagibbs.com
Office: 509.585.9683

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Ponderings ... Language is an expression of who we are and how we feel

When my grandson was a little guy we shared a lot of time together. Occasionally he would come home from school expressing words eliciting an oh-my-gosh look response from me. Telling him it wasn’t nice to say those words wouldn’t be enough…

As a teenager, an older brother advised me how swearing was a reflection of a person’s IQ and people would know if you were dumb or smart by your choice of language. I thought by keeping my swearing close to home and share my intelligent verbiage to the world I’d be all right.

Sort of like using the “F” word. Yep I’ve used it. As a kid growing up the “F” word wasn’t a word I’d even heard of. Yes, I lived in a small community however I don’t believe we were that sheltered – heck we knew about Vietnam and ‘make love not war’ and sneaking out of the house and drinking beer. Seems like we would have known the “F” word. Leaving my community things changed, including my vocabulary. I began to use it as a way to make my point while angry. I thought I was so powerful as I blasted it out.

Today I notice people using it when they’re laughing, maybe like me, to make a point.

Through the years working with my clients I’ve learned to share a story woven with a message, it has a way of capturing interest, planting seeds … and generally drives home a point they can relate to. Teaching tools such as a story allow people to learn without them feeling the need of defensiveness.

So here I am “Grams” revisiting the earlier message my brother bestowed upon me …

I sat down along side of Bryce saying that we were going to rate words. Using the words he’d earlier shared, along with common words, I asked him how he felt when he said them. One by one, using a scale of “way down low to way up high”, my hands demonstrating where each word ranked, floor level to four feet. I shifted my teaching story just a bit and asked him if he was feeling low, would he do as well playing baseball as he would if he were feeling good? With a bit of conversation he was able to get my point. After that when he’d use unacceptable language I’d ask him if he was going way down low or did he want to shift it to a way up high? To date, I have never heard him use the “F” word.

Language is an expression of who we are and how we feel. This hasn’t anything to do with IQ and everything to do with how our vocabulary is a reflection of our self esteem. To think my brother planted that seed.

Life is good!!
-Glenda Gibbs

If you’ve ever found yourself saying “There’s gotta be a better way. I just
don’t know what it is.” You’ve come to the right place.

–Who is Glenda –Will I like her? Can she help me?

Meet Glenda- A teacher who speaks from the heart to the heart of the matter.

Glenda provides compassionate support and skillfully guides you to uncover your own inner truth and spiritual wisdom.

Glenda’s wealth of life experience, superb training and years of dedicated service support you to improve communication, hone intimacy skills, and build and enjoy satisfying, rewarding relationships.

Take the first step now. Contact Glenda and start feeling better today.

Web:http://www.glendagibbs.com
Email: glenda@glendagibbs.com
Office: 509.585.9683