Greetings! April 2008 I was inpired this month by Dr. Wayne Dyer and as a result, I have shared in this month's workout an experience I recently had. I hope this month's workout, To Judge or not to Judge. That is the Question, will inspire you as well. If, at any time, you would like to unsubscribe, simply go to the end of the newsletter. Warmly, Jean M. DiGiovanna, President, ThinkPeople Monthly Theme Monthly Workout Monthly Poem Upcoming Workshops/ Events To Judge or not to Judge. That is the Question. One of my favorite role models and inspirations is Dr. Wayne Dyer. I picked up his most recent book, “Change Your Thoughts-Change Your Life” and in it, he translates each verse of the Tao Te Ching into ways you can apply in your life in the 21st century. I was instantly drawn in by the first few chapters as they were so incredibly rich in depth and meaning and truly called to me. So, I took the opportunity to practice a few of the concepts from his book last week while attending a training course for work knowing I would be with over 200 other people. I was blown away by what I experienced. As human beings, we view the world based on what we know and experience. We place people, places and things in compartments. They are good or bad, beautiful or ugly, right or wrong, tall or short…and the list is endless. We live in a world of duality. But, this duality in our thinking actually creates separateness between us. We crave more connection, closeness, intimacy and love in our lives, yet we continue to judge everything and everyone. As Dr. Wayne Dyer states, “No one is special or better than anyone else…beauty depends on something being ugly…opposites are judgments made by the mind.” And, I especially love this statement where he says, “Surely, the daffodil doesn’t think that the daisy is prettier or uglier than it is. The trees, flowers and animals know not of ugliness or beauty; they simply are…in harmony with the eternal Tao; devoid of judgment.” As I let this sink in, I began to recognize how I judge and how that instantly separates me from everyone else. And, more importantly, how much I am unconsciously unaware I am doing it. We learned to assess and judge at such a young age that it becomes second nature and over time, we don’t even recognize we are doing it. Dr. Wayne Dyer sets out a challenge to take on when you find yourself judging and that is to “see yourself in everyone else.” So, when I knew I was going to be spending several days in the presence of over 200 people who I truly wanted to connect with, I thought, “what a great opportunity to take this on!” Well, I can’t even begin to tell you the shift I experienced. Whenever I found myself judging, making an instant impression, assessing others who ask questions, or who I got assigned to within my group, I would begin to recognize myself in them. If I judged a woman’s outfit as wild or bold or subdued, I began to realize how I have dressed like that before, or I began to see how I can be wild, bold or subdued myself. If I felt annoyed with someone, instead of judging them, I began to see how I can be annoying at times. As I experienced people being vulnerable, instead of judging them, I began to recognize my own vulnerability. As the course continued, I began to notice a shift in myself. I began to feel at peace with myself and no longer felt disconnected to anyone. It was as if a veil was lifted and I began to see that we come from the same core of being human. It felt very freeing. It takes a lot of energy to judge. But, when we begin to recognize ourselves in everyone else, we begin to feel more ease, lightness and joy. That feeling comes from truly seeing and acknowledging our own humanity. The next time you find yourself judging, I ask you to stop in that moment and instead, practice recognizing yourself in the other. You will begin to feel yourself come alive again. After all, we deserve to have a life where we feel fully alive! Cheers, Jean M. DiGiovanna Monthly Workout: To Judge or not to Judge Take on the following questions and process below for this month’s workout: The next time you are with other people, regardless of how many, begin to notice the judgments you make, the first impressions you come up with and the perceptions you have of others. Stop yourself in that moment, and begin to see what parts of yourself are reflected in them, in how they look, act, or what they say. Notice how you can be that way at times as well. Keep practicing this with every person you come in contact with. Try it for 1 hr, ½ a day, then a full day, then a full week, then a full month. Begin to notice what shifts in you. Try this out with your family, your close friends and your co-workers and notice how it feels. Set up a structure that will keep this new practice alive and in the forefront of your mind. Be sure it’s placed somewhere you will see everyday and take each opportunity to practice until it becomes a natural way of being. Like building any muscle or shifting a behavior or thought, it takes time and practice. Over time, results will start to show up. Most importantly, be gentle with yourself and remind yourself that you are only human. :-) I look forward to hearing what you experience! (please e-mail me at jdigi@thinkpeople.com) To Judge or not to Judge As human beings, we can become a judging machine. Assessing and assuming where the other has been. We judge right away, without any dismay, And think we are simply pristine. It takes time and practice to change your mind, a commitment to connect, to love and be kind. When you find yourself judging, instead take the time, to see yourself in the other; sheer freedom you will find.                          ~ by Jean M. DiGiovanna PUBLIC APPEARANCES Workshop University has an Exhibitor Booth at Conference at the International Coach Federation of New England Saturday, May 3, 2008 8am - 5:45pm Waltham, MA Jean DiGiovanna will have an exhibitor booth for Workshop University, a division of ThinkPeople, to display and market upcoming products, tools and workshops to help Entrepreneurs package their expertise into workshops and increase their exposure and revenue. Details or to register: http://www.icfne.org For tools & resources: http://www.workshopuniversity.com Package Your Expertise into Workshops and Increase Your Revenue with the New England Holistic Chamber of Commerce Thursday, May 15, 2008 6:30pm - 8pm Warwick, RI Jean DiGiovanna will share how workshops can be a strong marketing tool to help increase your exposure and grow your business. Learn the benefits, common pitfalls and process to introduce workshops and seminars into your offerings and discover how to get your unique message and expertise out into the world. Details or to register: http://www.neholisticchamber.org Curious about ThinkPeople's other services beyond Coaching? Check out Corporate Facilitation/Training/ Consulting I hope you've enjoyed ThinkPeople's Monthly Workout and found it valuable! Feel free to forward to your friends, family and colleagues. To read past editions of ThinkPeople's Newsletters and to learn more about our services and products, visit us at http://www.thinkpeople.com/resources.html If you wish to unsubscribe, please e-mail unsubscribe@thinkpeople.com Copyright Info: ThinkPeople's Monthly Workout for the mind, heart and soul is ©2008 Jean M. DiGiovanna. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher. Jean M. DiGiovanna, Publisher Amy Rewakowski, Editor ThinkPeople ~ Bringing Individuals and Organizations Alive! jdigi@thinkpeople.com http://www.thinkpeople.com/ 617.489.7494