Greetings! July 2008 I hope you are enjoying the summer and taking a bit of time to relax and rejuvinate. This month's newsletter highlights the fact that We're Only Human. May it remind you to be kind to yourself as you go through challenges. 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 We're Only Human Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes we can't always be the person others want us to be. Sometimes we miss a deadline. Sometimes, we have to say "no" to the next charity request. It doesn't make us a bad person. It makes us human beings who are doing the best we can with what we have at the time. Sometimes we know we could have done better, or been more compassionate or loving or patient, but we just weren't. Sometimes we can't always say or do the hard thing or express our truth. We are only human. We are not perfect, and we can't be everything to everyone. Some people can connect well and others don't. Sometimes relationships grow apart while others grow surprisingly closer. We can't always explain why. It just is. We are not all the same. Each one of us drums to our own unique beat. But, if we continue make ourselves wrong about who we are or what we feel, we are in essence dishonoring our humanness. What there is available are the lessons learned, the growth opportunities and the nuggets of wisdom that arise from our life's experiences (be them great or unpleasant). I'll never forget a quote I once read in Reader's Digest many years ago, "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want." What can those experiences we are not proud of or happy about give us? What can we learn from them? How can we be more gentle with ourselves along the way? The next time you find yourself frustrated, angry at what you did or said or dwelling on something that happened to you, stop, acknowledge your humanness and ask, "What am I learning from this experience that I can use in the future?" Learning is the gift; Wisdom is the jewel and gentleness is the key that keeps your heart open along the way. Cheers, Jean M. DiGiovanna Monthly Workout: We're Only Human Take on the following questions and process below for this month’s workout: Think of something you either did or that happened to you that frustrated you, challenged you or upset you. What is there to acknowledge about the situation? About you? About them? What is the greatest learning you can draw from the experience? How can you put that learning into action in your life? On a scale of 1-10, how gentle are you with yourself regarding this situation? Are you more hard on yourself? What would it take to be more gentle with yourself? What might you need to let go of or give up? Practice letting that go and being more gentle with yourself. Remind yourself that you are only human and you did the best you could with what you had at the time. Send blessings to the situation and the other's involved and see how your energy level shifts. If you are not ready or willing to do that just yet, that's ok. Embrace exactly where you are at. Embracing will always help you move through if faster. I look forward to hearing what you experience! (please e-mail me at jdigi@thinkpeople.com) We're Only Human Sometimes we get into situations we are not proud of. Sometimes we say things we regret. We can beat ourselves up and make ourselves wrong, but in the end, it just gets us upset. We are not perfect beings, who are right in every way. We are human beings doing the best everyday. So when things aren't working, do not delay; Look for the lesson and wisdom. Acknowledge your humanness today.                          ~ by Jean M. DiGiovanna PUBLIC APPEARANCES Effortless Networking at "What You Need to Succeed" Conference a Back to Business Women's Workshop Event Thursday, Sept 18, 2008 10am-4:30pm Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA Jean DiGiovanna will kick-off the event with tools and interactive exercises to help you network effortlessly and build your business relationships with ease. She will also deliver networking tips and facilitate structured networking throughout the conference. Details or to register: http://www.backtobusiness.org/what_you_need_to_succeed.html Effortless Networking at "We Mean Business" Expo an Every Company Counts Event Monday, Sept 22, 2008 9am-5pm Crowne Plaza Hotel, Warwick, RI Jean DiGiovanna will kick-off the event with tools and interactive exercises to help you network effortlessly and build your business relationships with ease. She will also have a booth through Workshop University exhibiting tools to help Entrepreneurs package their expertise into high-impact workshops, seminars and presentations. Details or to register: http://www.wemeanbusinessri.com/ 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