The Importance of Being Centered
By M.J. Clark, M.A., APR

   I used to talk a lot.  I mean, I used to talk A LOT.  And I thought that was good because I was a “communicator” and a “teacher.”  At the same time, I lived my life at mach speed with my hair on fire, so talking fast and frequently was part of who I was at the time.
   When I was a talkaholic, I thought I was showing people how smart I was and how clearly I could communicate.  As I began to understand more about myself through gentle feedback from others, I started to look for patterns in my behavior.                                                                                              (continued)

Obey the Laws of Nature to Lead Effectively
By Steven L. Anderson, Ph.D., MBA

   At age fourteen, I first realized the connection between nature and leadership. I wouldn’t be able to articulate this connection until years later, but at that early age I first experienced how nature could deeply move, inspire, and motivate me. This realization occurred on a backpacking trip in California. My father, two uncles, and several cousins had set out on this trip through the Sierra Nevada Mountains in June of 1971. We started our trip on the John Muir Trail, which proceeds steeply up the Merced River and into the mountains.
   As I climbed, I began to experience a level of inner peace which I had rarely known before.  The combination of intense exercise, incredible beauty, the presence of close friends, and the intense smell of pine trees contributed to my heightened sense of awareness.                                             (continued)

We need your help choosing a charity to support that promotes world peace.  We have narrowed it down to these four:

1.  Global Exchange
2.  The Carter Center
3.  Unicef
4.  Ben & Jerry's

View their websites then Email us your vote and tell us your reasons for choosing that organization.  We value your input!

Focus on and Reward the Positive
By Karlene Forde, guest contributor

      Have you ever wondered how you’re doing as a parent? Although our sons are 22 and 20, and one is away at university, my husband and I sometimes wonder.  Are we balancing being firm with allowing them the freedom to figure out their own paths?
    These questions naturally lead to doubt.  Fortunately, we’re able to talk about experiences we’ve had and self-improvement books we’ve read which remind us of things we can do to regain our balance.                                               (continued)