Greetings! August 2005 This month's workout was inspired by a poem I found while on vacation. It's one of those poems that really made me stop and reflect back on what is going on in the world and how we each have the capacity to generate more ease and joy in our lives. I have been getting into more radio this year and am excited to share with you a 3-part radio series I was interviewed for on "Aligning Your Life with Who You Are". You can listen in to the first part at http://www.byforandaboutwomen.com/jeandigiovanna.htm. For those entrepreneurs looking to focus your energy, align your business and maximize your results, I invite you to attend the Take Charge of Your Business workshop on Friday, September 30th from 11am - 5pm in Arlington, MA. Details are below. If, at any time, you would like to unsubscribe, simply go to the end of the newsletter. Cheers, Jean M. DiGiovanna, President, ThinkPeople Monthly Theme Monthly Workout Monthly Poem Upcoming Workshops/ Events Doing Less; Being More As I was strolling down the shops in Martha’s Vineyard on vacation, I came across a Tibetan Store that had a scroll in the window and I stopped to read it. I then walked away, stopped in my tracks and went back to read it a second time. It was titled “The Paradox of our Age” from His Holiness the XIVth Dali Lama and it states the following: “We have bigger houses, but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicines, but less healthiness. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet our new neighbor. We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication. We have become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are times of fast foods, but slow digestion; tall man, but short character; steep profits, but shallow relationships. It is a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room.” After rereading this, it really had me think about how true this really is. We, as a society, are so focused on achieving, accomplishing, accumulating, that we have lost touch with what it is to be human. We're so focused on what we need to "do" to get the result. We have become human “doing” machines instead of human “beings”. We come into this world as tiny babies, without recognition that we are separate from anyone else. Babies and little kids are just “being”. They are curious, they watch, they cry, they sleep and they express whatever is going on for them. There is no care or worry about what other’s think, there is nothing to prove and no effort in trying to “look good”. Imagine how effortless it is to just “be”. Yet, so often, we use our might, we push, we control and force what we want in life and then when we finally get it, we wonder why we are not truly fulfilled. What’s missing is the experience of ease and joy in achieving the result. We focus so much of our energy on the results and miss the pleasure in the experience. I ask you to consider BEING more and doing less. The next time you desire something, think about who you would need to be to achieve that result and then take on that way of being. Whether it’s being more curious, patient, compassionate, focused, playful or forgiving, notice what shifts around you when you shift your way of being. Instead of being attached to your “to-do” list, let go of the result and focus on your "to-be" list! Cheers, Jean M. DiGiovanna Monthly Workout: Doing Less and Being More Explore the following process and questions below for this month's workout: How have you achieved results in the past? Has it been with much effort or force? If so, try out the exercise below and see what shifts in your experience. Think of one result you want to achieve in your career or personal life. It may be something you are currently working on or something you want to achieve. Who would you need to be to achieve that result? Now, as you go about your day, practice taking on that new way of being. Do not worry about achieving the result. You have already set your intention of what you want. Now, let that go and focus your energy on just “being”. In your interactions, in your actions, bring that way of being into it. Notice what shows up for you over the next few days when you have practiced that way of being. What or who is different around you? What has opened up for you? What results have you achieved? What’s one learning you will take from this exercise into your daily life? Take on this learning and begin to notice what shifts in you and those people and situations around you. I look forward to hearing what you experience! (please e-mail me at jdigi@thinkpeople.com) Poem of the Month: Being Beneath it all is Endless freedom to be. It is included in part of our makeup. Now is the time to uncover the mask, let go of the task Go forth to become what you are made of.                          ~ by Jean M. DiGiovanna Upcoming Workshops, Events, Announcements THINKPEOPLE's WORKSHOPS Take Charge of Your Business in 2005! Friday, Sept 30, 2005 11am - 5pm   Arlington, MA A holistic approach to Business Planning that will focus your energy, align your business and maximize your results in 2005. For Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners. Cost $95. Lunch included. To register or for more info, see http://www.thinkpeople.com/workshops.html Create Your Own Soul Cards - A fun and soulful workshop that taps into your creativity and spirituality! Learn about and create your own set of soul cards to use as a tool to help you access answers from within. Thursday, Sept 22, 2005 6:30pm - 9:30pm Winchester, MA Cost $45(includes all materials) To register or for more info, see http://www.thinkpeople.com/workshops.html IN THE PRESS Radio Show: Aligning Your Life with Who You Are By For and About Women Internet Radio http://www.byforandaboutwomen.com/jeandigiovanna.htm Boston Globe:Not Your Mother's Girls' Night Out http://bostonworks.boston.com/globe/articles/073105_girls.html EVENTS Boston Women's Network (BWN) invites you to Getting the Visibility You Deserve. Vicki Donlan, publisher and founder of Women’s Business Boston, will share her insight into how to move ahead in your career by becoming recognized as an expert, get articles written about your company in newspapers and gain the credibility and visibility you deserve and the media attention you need to succeed in business. Tuesday, Sept 13, 2005 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at the Holiday Inn Brookline To register or for more info, see http://www.bostonwomensnetwork.org/news/091305_meeting.html Effective Parenting Workshop: A parenting workshop designed for parents of children birth to 3 years old. Practical parenting and communication skills led by Melissa Lucius, seasoned mom and skilled facilitator. 4 Wednesday evenings, September 28, October 5, 12 and 19, 8-10 pm, in Arlington Center. $120/person, $160/couple. Info: Melissa Lucius, 781-641-4284, email parenting@rcn.com or http://www.effective-parenting.org Curious about ThinkPeople's other services beyond Coaching? Check out 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 ©2004 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