On March 18, 1958, the Trappist monk and mystic, Thomas Merton, had an experience that he described this way: “In Louisville, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, in the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all those people, that they were mine and I theirs, [...]
A commitment means that we’ve made a promise, and no matter what happens, we won’t waver. A commitment has certainty and passion. It has power and vision. When obstacles appear they don’t deter us because the thing we’re committed to is what matters the most, above all else. One of the memorable scenes in the [...]
The following exercise is a respectful, effective way to begin any encounter such as a team meeting, a relationship building session, or a conflict management intervention. According to Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, four patterns or models of behavior--what he called archetypes--dwell inside our psyche. Working with the four archetypes is a powerful way to explore [...]
Studies conducted over the last 10 years show how practicing awareness, also called mindfulness, creates positive effects on the brain by building new neural connections among brain cells. Mindfulness helps us rewire the brain, and with each new neural connection, the brain is learning. Over time, mindfulness practice thickens the region of the brain responsible [...]
While awareness is the cornerstone of connecting with people, trustworthiness runs a close second. Whether the relationship is personal or work related, without trust we can’t move further. When we are trustworthy people can rely on us. We can be counted on to do what we say we will do. We follow through on commitments. [...]
Behavior changes drastically when we are under stress. It can cause us to ignore, shame, or abuse people we love. Stress changes our behavior and seems to change our personality, and this is why people often confuse different personality types. For example, how can Jack who is usually happy-go-lucky and positive, become stern, demanding, and [...]
“We ought to have the humility to admit that we do not know all about ourselves, that we are not experts at running our own lives” Thomas Merton Although it is often ignored or seen as unimportant, awareness is the most important life skill and emotional competency. It is where any real action must originate [...]
Robert Tallon’s The Enneagram Connection: Using the Enneagram and Emotional Intelligence to Transform Personal and Work Relationships is a step-by-step guidebook for creating lasting, productive, and fulfilling relationships. It combines the richness and accuracy of the enneagram, the wisdom and necessity of emotional intelligence, and what Tallon calls the Six Practices—tools that both define the [...]
