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Hope you are staying nice and cool in the heat!! This month's workout is entitled Why ask Why? and encourages you to consider a different way of approaching situations that can prove to be more empowering for you and others. Enjoy your weekend! If, at any time, you would like to unsubscribe, simply go to the end of the newsletter. Cheers,  Jean M. DiGiovanna, President, ThinkPeople |
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Why ask Why? So often, when things don’t go the way we want them to, our automatic reaction is to ask “Why?” or “Why me?” and we beat ourselves up to no end! Perhaps you didn’t get chosen for the second interview, or you are one of two candidates for the job and they chose someone else. Maybe the “big” meeting didn’t go so well at work or you are continually challenged with a difficult boss or subordinates. And, then, we ask “Why?” Let me first start out by saying, “Why” questions are very disempowering. Why? Because where do they lead you? Always back to your head to analyze the situation, and, if you are anything like me, my mind is a very dangerous place to live!! When we analyze, we use our minds and that is also where our egos live. When we use our egos, we place ourselves in a win/lose mentality. Competition, jealousy, fear, scarcity and putting ourselves or others down comes from this ego place as well. It’s not that asking “Why?” won't provide you with critical information and can help you in determining what went wrong, but a more powerful question to ask starts with “How…” or “What…”. “How could I have prevented this? What could I do differently next time around? What does she really want from me? How does this all work?” “What” or “How” questions come from a place of curiosity and learning. That is what makes them more powerful questions to ask. So, next time something doesn’t go your way, instead of asking “Why?” right away, stop and think about a question that starts with “How” or “What” and see if you notice a shift in where you focus your thoughts and how you feel. It’s amazing how phrasing a question differently can shift the way you think about something. I have always been intrigued by questions. In fact, I know it used to tick some people off when instead of answering a question they asked me, I would respond with another question. Notice also that a “Why” question is always followed by a “because…” A “How” or “What” question is very open-ended and the types of responses are endless. So, I ask you, next time you have the urge to ask “Why?” to yourself or others, stop and take a moment to create a question that starts with “What” or “How” and see how the conversation shifts. See what opens up for you. You may be pleasantly surprised that it connects you more to your heart than your head and brings you to a more empowering place to grow, learn and appreciate the things that don’t always go your way. Cheers, Jean M. DiGiovanna  Monthly Workout: Why ask Why? Take on the following questions and process: Think of a situation that did not go so well or didn’t go the way you wanted. Or, bring to the forefront something you have been questioning or thinking a lot about.
Poem of the Month: Why ask Why? Why is the grass green? Why is the sky blue? So often, the questions our children ask from their point of view. But, as we get older and move through our life, we obsess over “Why?” and it cuts like a knife. To ease your mind, and lighten your load, ask “How?” or “What?”. Let it lead you down a different road. On this new path, you will learn and grow, It may not always be easy, but otherwise, you may never know! ~ by Jean M. DiGiovanna Upcoming Workshops, Events, Announcements THINKPEOPLE's WORKSHOPS We are taking the month of August off from Public Workshops. Stay tuned for upcoming workshops in September and October at http://www.thinkpeople.com/workshops.html PUBLIC APPEARANCES North Shore Business Forum - Jean presents Building Relationships that Build Your Business Thursday, August 18, 2006 7:30am - 8:30am Danvers, MA. $8 Breakfast Fee. Whether you are starting your business, in high growth mode, or in sustaining mode, relationship building is critical to your success. In this presentation, you will learn the 5 critical success factors to building relationships and how to best leverage your relationships to take your business to the next level. Details, see http://www.nsbforum.org/speaker.htm EVENTS & OTHER WORKSHOPS Teleclass: Attracting Abundance - Co-Creating with the Universe facilitated by Johanna Lyman, Abundance Coach Tuesdays from Aug 22 - Sept 26 7pm - 8:30pm $149 register by 8/8 save $25 To register or for more details, see http://www.johannalyman.com/workshops/index.php 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 ©2006 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 ~ Bringing Individuals and Organizations Alive! jdigi@thinkpeople.com http://www.thinkpeople.com/ 617.489.7494 |
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