Greetings! November/December 2007 I can't believe it's almost December! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This newsletter is a dual one for November/December so I've included the 17 Lessons Learned I've experienced over the course of the year. I hope you enjoy it. If, at any time, you would like to unsubscribe, simply go to the end of the newsletter. Warmest wishes to you and yours for the holiday season, Jean M. DiGiovanna, President, ThinkPeople Monthly Theme Monthly Workout Monthly Poem Upcoming Workshops/ Events 17 Lessons Learned The end of the year is a great time to step back and reflect on the areas you have grown in. Some areas may have felt like growth pains while others growth “joy”. In the end, it’s the lesson that brings the final riches and is what ultimately stays with us on our journey. I share with you the greatest lessons I have learned this past year in hopes you might take something out of it for yourself. Lesson 1: Don’t’ pretend to be someone else because in the end, your self will always catch up with you. Lesson 2: You have to move through the tough times, not over them. Otherwise, they just come back in other forms. Lesson 3: Don’t jump to conclusions. You never really know where the other person is coming from or what they are thinking unless you ask. Lesson 4: Remember, they are just as scared as you are. (We do, after all, come from the same core of being human!) Lesson 5: Patience is not only a virtue; it is a necessity in life. Lesson 6: Go beyond yourself, your things, your world because there is so much more to experience. You are not your home, you are not your car, you are not the income you generate. Lesson 7: Life is too short to feel drained. Do what lights you up and surround yourself with people who support and energize you. Lesson 8: When you are at a crossroads choosing between options, instead of asking, “What do I most want?” ask yourself for each option, “If I didn’t take this option, could I still do it at a future time?” Lesson 9: Take the time to discover work you enjoy. It truly is possible to have fun everyday in what you do. You deserve to do what you love. Lesson 10: If you don’t know where you are going, any road will not take you there. Set clear intentions, a vision for what you want your life to look like, feel like and be like. Visualize that intention coming true until you feel it in your bones as if you’ve already achieved it. If you are not sure of what you want, set an intention to get more clear. Just set intentions! Lesson 11: When you have been stuck in the same issue, challenge or crossroad, it usually means you have to either let something go or fully accept something. Look to see what there is to let go of or fully accept. Tell the truth about it and it will inevitably help you move through it. Lesson 12: Choose your friends and business partners carefully. Lesson 13: When you feel stuck, go outside. Take a walk, get fresh air and be with nature. Lesson 14: Put your body and your health first, no matter what. You only have one body and without that body, you really can’t do or enjoy anything you have or will achieve. So, care for it like you would a prize possession. Lesson 15: Don’t go it alone. Life is about connection, not separateness. Seek support from friends, mentors, loved ones. Lesson 16: When you find yourself thinking too much, or inwardly focused, simply ask the question, “How can I serve?” It will always take you outside yourself to a place bigger than you. Life will begin to flow again. Lesson 17: Most of all have fun, laugh and see the humor and joy in the everyday. Life is a journey, not a destination, so have a blast on your trip! Take the time to reflect on the year and identify your greatest lessons learned. You may be pleasantly surprised with how much you have grown! Cheers, Jean M. DiGiovanna Monthly Workout: Lessons Learned Take on the following questions and process below for this month’s workout: As you look back this past year, what have you accomplished, improved or exceeded in? This could be around something you did or a new way of being you were able to take on (e.g. being more patient). List out the smallest to the largest accomplishment. As you look back this past year, what were some of the areas you fell short in? Areas where your expectations were not met, where you have regrets or disappointments. List those out. Review your accomplishments. Based on your accomplishments, what are some lessons learned you could glean from achieving those? What piece of advice might you extract out that helped you achieve that accomplishment? Write down the lessons learned as a piece of advice. Review the areas you fell short in. Based on those areas, what lessons did you learn from falling short? What would you have done differently next time? Write those lessons learned as pieces of advice. Review all your lessons learned and pick the top 3 that you feel would most empower you in the upcoming year given where you are today and where you want to be. Place those three up on the wall, or near your computer or somewhere to remind you on a daily basis. Read them daily and practice them as you move through next year’s journey. I look forward to hearing what you experience! (please e-mail me at jdigi@thinkpeople.com) Lessons Learned Closing in on a year, looking back at the past. One can dwell in the failures, or think it was a blast! It all depends on how you see it, view the failures as opportunities, and successes a hit. Remember, most of all, the lessons you learned, Because in the end, it’s experience that counts, not the medal you earned. Lessons are like riches, a treasure to behold, Spend them wisely and begin to see, how wonderful your life will unfold.                          ~ by Jean M. DiGiovanna 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 ©2007 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