It is ALWAYS a matter of choice

Is the statement “I did not have a choice” ever true?  Yes, its an age-old philosophical question, I know.  The very idea of choice represents “a corollary of the proposition of free will—i.e., the ability voluntarily to decide to perform one of several possible acts or to avoid action entirely”  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/113978/choice. Often it is convenient to merely say “I had no choice”. Perhaps, this is a means for absolving ones self of potential repercussions or responsibility for an action.  Surely, if you had no choice, you can not be held responsible for the action taken, right? Hmmmm…

Well, I have learned as I continue to “grow-up” that there is always a choice; there are just times when I do not like what they are.  The choice that I make could solve one problem and cause another, it could have an undesirable effect on others, it could cause me some grief in the short-term, it could be the less than popular choice……I could go on and on and on.  Even to take no action, represents making a choice.

I have paid careful attention to slowing myself down and carefully considering all the possible choices that I have as opposed to limiting myself to the obvious ones that tend to surface right away.  I am exploring various possibilities with an open-mind and careful scrutiny.  I am talking the situation at hand through with reliable confidants in informal brain-storming sessions to gain alternative perspectives.  When I feel my back is up against a wall, I remind myself that there are always choices, the trick is to make the choice that you can stand behind with integrity.

Yes, you always have a choice, you are making them continually throughout each day; the choice to go to work, to buy groceries, to take a class, check an email, use the bathroom (yes, this is still a choice!!  you could go to the bathroom to do your business or you could sit right where you are…not the most desirable option, but still…LOL)

Choose carefully!

Preparing to Return

Thinking about what's next

With a Master’s of Science in Organization Development in hand, I am dreaming about the possibilities available to me and truly immersing myself in the activities I am intended for.  BUT FIRST……I have to scroll through the laundry list of tasks that have piled up over the past two years as I juggled being a single parent, career woman and graduate student. There are those “things around the house”, “time with the teens”, and maybe, just maybe….I deserve a day or two of rest? hmmmm, LOL.

Towards the top of my “to-do’s” is placing my writing back into my life with the prominence it deserves, because it is such a central component of who I am and where my passions exist.  Hence, I am deciding how best to use this space for freedom of expression, generating discussions and provoking deep thought.

As I prepare to close out 2009, I will be thinking about what I need to leave behind (even if it causes me a bit a pain) and what stands in my future.  Stay tuned and please share if your spirit moves you so.

Stay Tuned!!

Hi Everyone, I know that I have been away for awhile. This is because I am a mere two weeks away from completing my Master’s Program (YEEEEEAAAAH!!). Please don’t forget about this space for entertaining those things in life that make you go “hmmmmm” and “huh?”, LOL.  So…..I will still be here, will you?

WHY SO SERIOUS?!!

Being easy in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Have you ever wondered what was wrong with someone just because they smiled and said “hello”?  Crazy, huh?

I have always been a strong advocate of fun and play.  I almost lost sight of that fact while providing organization development consulting services to a well-known client in the area.  The result was lack of passion, lack of creativity and innovation….dare I say almost a lack of interest in the work. Then I asked myself the question “WHY SO SERIOUS?”  This lead me to play around with an energizing variety of intervention design ideas and activities. I became excited about the ways that I could work with my client to create a shift in the system….to evoke necessary change…to gain the buy-in of primary client, customers and stakeholders alike.  I regained my joy and reaffirmed that I had chosen the right master’s program for me. I reminded myself that I can make a difference doing this work, which I love.

So, the next time you feel your jaws clenched….your brows furrowed…your skin of your forehead crinkled…your shoulders tight and aching, your neck stiffening…ask yourself…….”WHY SO SERIOUS?”.

I’m not bragging….I’m just EXCITED!!

One of my most prominent dreams in life has been to travel. Certainly, there is much to see domestically however; my fantasy has been to travel abroad and see the world. I have always wanted to learn about other cultures in order to broaden my horizons and to gain a better and more balanced view of the world.  I have never wanted to be the typical arrogant Westerner who travels about the world with the naive vision that is will and should all operate the way it does in the U.S.

This past March, I traveled to Aberdeen, Scotland for a two-week International Residency as a part of my Master’s Program and thus the realization of my fantasy began!!!  I talked to Men In Kilts, I visited a castle (it was a speed tour, we had been working so much we didn’t get a chance to do a lot of exploring), I ate in an authentic Scottish Restaurant and danced in an old Catholic church that had been converted into a restaurant/bar/club (this is very common in the U.K.).  I vowed after this experience to ensure that my up and coming consulting firm would engage in both domestic and international work.  I vowed that I would get as many stamps in my passport as I possibly could.

Now, I am preparing to go to Costa Rica!!! I am taking my mom for her first airplane ride and her first travel out of the country.  One of my younger brothers is coming along as well (also his first trip in an airplane and out of the country). I am so happy that I am inspiring my family to live!! to explore!!! to have adventures!!

I am NOT bragging…..I am excited and I am proud. I want to share my experiences and motivate others to take the journey to go outside of the normal.  I am humbled and I am blessed.  Stay tuned for stories and pictures!!