|
I want to take this opportunity to thank YOU for your readership, support and generosity! I am grateful for all that you provide for me. I wish you all a Happy Holiday and an exciting New Year in 2004! May you receive the gift of "Presence"! If you're looking to make 2004 your breakthrough year, check out ThinkPeople's goal-setting workshop below! If, at any time, you would like to unsubscribe, simply go to the end of the newsletter. Warm wishes for a new year!  Jean M. DiGiovanna, President, ThinkPeople |
| ||||
 | ||||||
|
 MonthlyTheme Monthly Workout Monthly Poem Upcoming Workshops/ Events |
 |
The Greatest Gift to Give is Presence This holiday season seemed to have crept up on us so quickly! With Thanksgiving so late in the year and two big snowstorms we had out East that took over the precious weekends for holiday shopping, people were running around trying to finish everything in time. Isn't it amazing how much we do for the sake of tradition! We shop from store to store for the perfect gift for our significant other, family and friends and yes, it can be wonderful to exchange gifts. But, the process leading up to this can be amazingly draining and frustrating. And, for what, really? The act of giving comes from the heart - a gesture of caring, of love. But, what is often missing in all of this is truly giving the gift of presence, to others and ourselves. When was the last time you were fully present, living in the moment, staying fully engaged in what you were doing or who you were with, rather than worrying about what you needed to do next, what others were thinking about you, or what you should have done yesterday? Staying present is not easy. It requires rigor, patience and a commitment to be in the moment -- no matter what. It is taking everything in your head and putting it aside for the moment to be fully engaged in what you are doing or who you are with. It is sustaining judgment. It is maintaining a sense of wonder. It is the act of staying truly curious about who or what is right in front of you. Small kids are great at this! They are curious about everything! They have a sense of wonder that is endless. We all had this at one time, yet, as we got older, we began to lose that sense of wonder. Demands were put on us and responsibility took over. There is no time for being present! And, the irony in all of this is we are all craving to be heard and seen. We all want the gift of presence, but at times, it can be so challenging to give this precious gift. Giving the gift of presence is like giving life. Every time you stay in the moment, fully engaged, you give life to another, or to whatever you are engaged in. We all have the ability to bring aliveness to each other and to each experience. Next time you take on something, get curious about it. Act like a detective wanting to know everything about it. Next time you are with someone, get over there with them! Wonder who they are, what makes them happy. See if you can view them as someone you just met. As the holidays near a close, I invite you to give the gift that keeps on giving, the gift we all want to receive - the gift of "presence". Happy New Year! Jean M. DiGiovanna  Monthly Workout: Practicing Presence What is it to be fully present? How do you know you are present? How do you know when you are not fully present? Next time you take on something, practice staying present. Act like a detective wanting to know everything about what you are taking on. Have a sense of wonder about it. Consider the following questions:
I look forward to hearing what transpires for you! (please e-mail me at jdigi@thinkpeople.com) Poem of the Month: THE GIFT OF PRESENCE He who gives the gift of presence, knows not what is next, but sees what is precious here and now. ~ by Jean M. DiGiovanna Upcoming Workshops, Events, Announcements WORKSHOPS Do you want a breakthrough year in 2004? Announcing "Reinvent Yourself in 2004 - A workshop that aligns who you are with where you are going and your goals in 2004". A holistic approach to goal-setting including a look at values and paradigm shifts. Saturday, January 24, 2004 from 10am - 2pm in Somerville, MA To register or for more info, see http://www.thinkpeople.com/workshops.html EVENTS Networking Opportunity not to miss! Boston Women's Network (BWN) presents "Winter Warmer - Networking with a Twist" Facilitated by Jean DiGiovanna Tuesday, January 13, 2004 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm at Woburn Crowne Plaza To register or for more info, see http://www.bostonwomensnetwork.org/news/011304_meeting.html Curious about what coaching is like? Call for a 30 minute complementary coaching session. Bring a topic, get a resolution! Call 617-489-7494. I hope you've enjoyed ThinkPeople's Monthly Workout and found value out of it! 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 ©2003 Jean M. DiGiovanna. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher. Amy Rewakowski, Editor ThinkPeople ~ Playground for Shifting Reality jdigi@thinkpeople.com http://www.thinkpeople.com/ 617.489.7494 |
| ||