We have to do better

Last week I was flying from St. Louis to Minneapolis and only had 15 minutes from when the plane would land and the door closing on my next flight. I was hopeful when I heard the flight attendant announce, “If you do not have a tight connecting flight, please let the people that have tight connections deplane first.”

When the door opened and people started exiting, I was disappointed. Not one of the people in front of me (I was in the back of the plane) waited to allow people with tight connections to go through. And more than half of them did not have tight connections (based on the numerous conversations I had waiting for the door to open).

I was encouraging a woman in her late teens from Canada. I was trying to convince her that she would make her connection. She looked at me and asked, “How come none of the people are letting us pass?” I felt like I had to tell her the truth. I said, “They are frightened and not able to get out of their own little worlds.” We both were sad. Sad that we might miss our flight, and sad that people were not able to help us out.

In my 2010 white paper, I to We: 5 ways to expand your level of consciousness (free download), I start with the paper’s main idea, “We no longer have the luxury of seeing ourselves as separate from the world around us. We cannot afford self-centered behavior. We are going to have to work together. We need new ways of thinking to interact collaboratively and live collectively as a people. In order to survive and flourish in the new world, we are going to have to expand our level of consciousness from I to We.”

I made my flight. But still, we have to do better.

Collaborating is messy, but sure beats the alternative

I have been forcing myself to collaborate with others lately. What a pain in the butt. I can clearly see why I have avoided this. It is so much cleaner and convenient to rely on myself. However, I have undeniably learned so much. And the people I have connected with anchor me and make me stronger. And I provide the same for them.

And… now I am not all alone in my quest. Unfolding your passion and gifts in the world is not easy. There are set-backs. Your heart gets broken. The support and anchoring of others of inestimable value. It may be essential. At the very least, the connections open doors that would not open otherwise.

So yes, sometimes things that could be so simple if you were relying on yourself get drawn out and take lots of energy. It can be frustrating. It feels like having an intimate relationship with numerous people (as if a significant other and immediate family are not challenging enough). But I curiously find myself not wanting to trade it for anything in the world.

My life has more richness. And they are my people. We rely on each other to go where we want to go. So I suck up the frustration and keep moving forward.

Wanna come along? There’s a seat on the bus for you.

Good teachers are artists

Are you a teachable teacher? Are you open to learning when you are teaching or explaining something? The best teachers I have met are always willing to learn- while they are teaching. They are willing to challenge and expand their truth. My all-time favorite teacher once thanked me for all the things he learned while he was teaching me.

Many teachers, counselors, consultants, and parents are relatively set in their way of teaching. It is up to the student to flex into their way of doing things. The teacher is, after all, the master or expert.  This static approach of teaching is limited.

Different people learn in different ways. The way the teacher learned may not make sense to the student. Effective teachers are willing to teach from the perspective of the student. They get into the student’s world with them and explore with them a way to learn the material. Many times the teacher may not know ahead of time how he/she and the student are going to connect the dots. This takes a willingness to trust yourself in finding an inroad with the student.

Each time the teacher is willing to discover a new way of presenting the material, his/her understanding of the subject expands. Because the teacher was willing to get out of their own world (comfort zone), they see the material from a new perspective. The perspectives of the student and teacher often have a synergistic effect on each other. They team up and collaborate to solve the challenges together. Growth to both parties in inevitable.

And… good teachers are artists. They will creatively present the material in a number of ways until the student gets it. They rarely teach things the same way. This selfless stretching to adapt to the student allows the teacher and the student to have breakthroughs and discoveries.

It is what keeps the teaching fresh and relevant (and not boring).

What is your dream for humankind?

This blog is re-posted from January 17, 2011: Martin Luther King, Jr had a dream. Not for just himself- but for his people, and ultimately for humankind.

All dreams are awesome and powerful. Personal dreams for your life are essential to creating the life that you want. You deserve that and owe it to yourself. But on Martin Luther King Day, it is day to get outside yourself and reach beyond your personal dreams.

So… What is your dream for humankind? What is your dream for your people? How would you like to see the world change in your lifetime? How can you be part of that change?

My dream is for us to create a more collaborative way of life. That we work together to support and uplift each other. Not only is it natural for us to do this for each other, but I think we will ultimately need to in order to survive. The economy and the world’s challenges are forcing us to collaborate. We can do it willingly- or on our hands and knees.

So back to your dream for humankind. Focus on it today. Meditate on it. Offer a prayer for humankind. Share it with a friend. Respond to this blog. But, put it out there one way or another. Don’t keep it to yourself. It needs to interact with other people and other dreams. This will allow it to unfold itself.

Dreams, after all, are the most powerful thing on the planet.

What is your dream for humankind?

Martin Luther King, Jr had a dream. Not for just himself- but for his people, and ultimately for humankind.

All dreams are awesome and powerful. Personal dreams for your life are essential to creating the life that you want. You deserve that and owe it to yourself. But on Martin Luther King Day, it is day to get outside yourself and reach beyond your personal dreams.

So… What is your dream for humankind? What is your dream for your people? How would you like to see the world change in your lifetime? How can you be part of that change?

My dream is for us to create a more collaborative way of life. That we work together to support and uplift each other. Not only is it natural for us to do this for each other, but I think we will ultimately need to in order to survive. The economy and the world’s challenges are forcing us to collaborate. We can do it willingly- or on our hands and knees.

So back to your dream for humankind. Focus on it today. Meditate on it. Offer a prayer for humankind. Share it with a friend. Respond to this blog. But, put it out there one way or another. Don’t keep it to yourself. It needs to interact with other people and other dreams. This will allow it to unfold itself.

Dreams, after all, are the most powerful thing on the planet.