Inspire 'n' Influence

Personally, I love Valentine's Day, it just doesn't love me back. But whether you love or hate Valentine's Day, I think this quote makes you think differently about love altogether. "Love is the absence of judgement." -  Dalai Lama If you can master not judging others for their choices and mistakes, we would all be living in a much safer and calmer place. I'm not saying i've mastered it, but i'm definitely trying!

After watching this video on the secret of self-motivation, I learned about the five-second rule and the theory behind our instincts and subsequent actions. People have great ideas but they believe the reason they don’t act on them is due to a lack of self-motivation. Mel claims the real reason comes down to the way we are built. Our brains are designed to keep us safe and when you act on an idea that represents risk and danger that is the very thing our brain will try to avoid. Unfortunately, we all have to do difficult things in order to achieve anything. Key messages I took from this video: Motivation is garbage – you’re only motivated to do things that are easy. Motivation is never there when you need it. Your mind is designed to stop you doing anything that could hurt you. We all have a habit of hesitating. We are all one decision away from changing our lives. Your life is made up of countless, little decisions, everyday.

As someone who loved Robin Williams' stand up comedy and numerous movies, his quote is not only empowering to any writer and communicator (in any form), but it's something to remember before your next discussion with loved ones, friends, family and colleagues. Words have impact. Use them carefully. Strike when it's necessary and take a soft, fluffy approach when it's appropriate. For your career, words can make all the difference between how your colleagues perceive you, which also goes a long way into encouraging promotions. Nobody wants to work with someone who is underserving or underhanded. As long as your character matches what you say, you will get noticed in a positive way.

Here we are. Getting ready for a year of inspiration and influence through learning, reading, exploring and viewing. The first thing i wanted to share with you in 2018 is this rather amazing video of Frenchman, Christian Moullec, who literally flies with birds. This video from National Geographic, shows the amazing beauty captured during Christian's journey but also represents how passion for something can translate into lifelong fulfilment. He takes tourists who come from all walks of life to enjoy this 35-minute flight. What started as a conservation mission has inspired his respect for nature, which Christian conveys to his passengers. As the video shows, getting this close to something so natural in a bird's life is truly a unique experience. Source:  here