February 2011
Zines
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In This Edition: 1. The Short Month 2. That Small Quiet Voice 3. Your Notion In Motion 4. Immobility and Attachment 5. Parting Thought The Short Month I like February because it’s short. 28 days, typically, 29 some years, and it’s over. Some time off for Presidents’ birthdays, some Valentine’s cheer, and that growing feeling that Spring actually may return! Days when the snow falls silently are ripe for reflection. That Small Quiet Voice In a world that constantly bombards us with distractions, temptations, and all things grand as well as frivolous, the discipline of taking the time to pause and reflect, listening to your small, quiet voice, tapping your internal intelligence sources, and visualizing your desired results separates the high achievers from the rest. When you win the battle for your mind, you can win at nearly everything. Undoubtedly, you have a fine mind, and it has brought you here today. All that you’ve accomplished and haven’t accomplished largely has been a result of your ability to tap your most vital get-it-done resource. When you contemplate the challenges that you face and the things that you want to accomplish, have you considered that many other people experience the same kind of quandaries, difficult situations that appear to have no solutions that you do? It’s easy to lose sight of this perspective. The best and brightest action-types among us at work win the internal battles first and then go on to accomplish great things, at which time the results of their efforts become noticeable. Your Notion In Motion Do you remember the scientific concept of inertia from your seventh grade Earth Science class? Inertia is a scientific phenomenon whereby a body in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force, otherwise a body at rest tends to stay at rest. The longer a body is at a rest, or more specifically attached or immobile, such as a person, the harder it is to get moving. Attachment is fixation on current conditions to the exclusion of new input or ideas. If you’re trying to break new ground, being rooted in the past is potentially a major obstacle for everyone involved. Human beings, as creatures of habit, custom, and convenience, often become attached to conditions around them, the equipment they use, procedures, and how things are supposed to be. This is true even when their surroundings are not pleasant. Immobility and Attachment John Kenneth Galbraith, Ph.D., a noted economist from Harvard, wrote The Nature of Mass Poverty in 1979. While researching his book, he visited four continents to determine why some civilizations remain poor. He wondered why some groups had stayed poor even for centuries. Galbraith found that poor societies accommodate their poverty. Accommodation is adapting to circumstances even when the circumstances are terrible. As hard as it is to live in poor conditions, unfortunately people find it more difficult to accept the hardship — the challenge — involved in making a better living. Hence, they accommodate their poverty, and it lingers from year to year, decade to decade, and even century to century. Organization, departments, divisions, teams, and even small groups, if not careful, are all subject to accommodation. Parting Thought The Breathing Space Bookstore is in full swing. Jeff’s newest book, Simpler Living, from which this zine was created, is now available. Click here for details. “Be always resolute with present hour. Every moment is of infinite value.” -Goethe |
