02 13th, 2008

An average commuter will drive 60 miles a day which equates to $21,098 in cost a year per person commuting. This cost continues to rise as the cost of fuel goes up.The average worker spends in excess of 50 hours a week away from home. As businesses try and get leaner the demands on workers go up and to keep the job more is expected which means more time on the job doing more. People discuss these issues, one to one to millions daily. The conversations are abundant.

The current credit crunch and subsequent long tail effects could cause significant shifts in the “credit economy” with ripples being felt globally. Already new home housing stats are indicating a slow down in residential real estate and the bankruptcy rate is on the rise.  The conversations are abundant.

Consumer debt is at an all time high and the rate of late and default payments is increasing. The gurus of economics converse over whether this is just the beginning or the end of bad economic news. The conversations are abundant.

The debate over global warming continues and there is no denying that we are consuming more of the earths raw materials faster than they can be replaced. The push to conserve natural resources and find alternative energy sources is a global conversation which is and will continue to impact the future eco-system we all live in. The conversations are abundant.

The debate over the war on terror continues to capture our attention and that of global leaders. The different positions on the war continues to polarize people, parties, institutions, religions and governments. The conversations are abundant.

The state of our “relationships” with each other are showing signs of decay. Divorce rates are up, teenage suicide is up, criminal incidents are on the rise, employee turnover is on the rise and medication therapy for our ills is exploding with every new kind of psycho labeled malady being diagnosed and treated with yet another medication that promises to “help” us get through our mental and emotional anguish. The conversations are abundant.

The media feeds us with these stories which only sparks more conversations, responses and concerns as to what we individually need to do to cope with the issues that impact our life. The conversations are abundant.

The current political debates within the U.S. are all centric to these issues and each candidate “promises” to have the answers hoping to appeal to the masses and win their votes. The current conditions of the American landscape of issues and the possible outcomes are part, if not much, of the thread of conversations globally. Each of us and everyone of us are seeking answers to the complex problems that exist in our worlds. The conversations are abundant but the solutions are not.

Are These Abundant Conversations Converging Around Chaos?

We’re not trying to predict doomsday rather we’re only trying to illustrate what subjects are dominating today’s conversations. Subsequently what potential outcomes could come from all this chaos being discussed could indeed become part of the solutions.

Chaos is the complexity of causality or the relationship between events. This means that any ’seemingly’ insignificant event in the universe has the potential to trigger a chain reaction that will change the whole system. A well known saying in connection with this issue is “A butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world can cause a hurricane on the other side of the earth.” This is also known as the “butterfly effect“.

The issues that are dominating today’s conversations are very real and threaten to disrupt the eco-systems we live in. If one or more of the issues accelerate at the same time the convergence could create chaos that impacts our lives and subsequently forcing changes unexpected, unpredicted and adaption to these changes will be required.

In any chaotic event, remember 911, the foundational forces that create calm and adaption to unknowns is relationships and conversations.  When society feels collective stress we turn to our relationships and converse about the issues at hand and the solutions to anything that directly impacts our individual eco-systems.  When 911 occurred we reached out and conversed with those closest to us. We took time off from work and thought about the possible implications. We stayed glued to the media waiting to hear “What Next?”. We felt the need to get closer as families, communities and as a nation. Relationships became paramount and the conversations abounded.

Considering all the current issues the social web may actually become the backbone of society’s need to relate, converse and find solutions to perplexing issues facing our world, its eco-system and our communities, one to one to millions.

If the chaos of the moment forces us to spend more quality time with our relationships engaging in problem solving conversations what could the outcomes be? Self governed and self organized could we solve problems better than those who govern and attempt to organize us now?

What say you?

www.relationship-economy.com 

I know you probably have a lot to do. There’s a meeting to
organize, a presentation to write, and hundreds of emails
to go through. Maybe you feel stressed and can’t seem to
concentrate very well, but you still have a lot of stuff to
do.

When things get like this, you may sometimes wonder when
you will ever be able to take a break. It may seem
counterintuitive, but taking time for yourself when you are
very busy is essential for maintaining maximum productivity.

This is particularly true in knowledge work, where
creativity, concentration, ingenuity, and problem solving
are important parts of the job.

(more…)

How do you feel about the work you’re doing? Are you
enlivened? Is your career headed down the path you had in
mind? Or do you find yourself wondering whether it’s time
to make a career change that will help you meet your goals?
If you’re considering such a change, the enormity of this
decision may be weighing on you, as you evaluate a choice
that will impact more than your work life.

When making career decisions, you’ll benefit by breaking
the decision down into smaller parts, to help you identify
the criteria most important for you. Once you identify your
needs, interests, values, and ideals for your work, you
will have what you need to evaluate the suitability of your
current and potential future jobs.

Getting Started  What are the Core Needs you have in order
to become fulfilled at work?

(more…)

Copyright (c) 2006 Alicia M Forest and Client Abundance

Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. Putting yourself out
there in such a way opens you up to criticism, makes you
confront your fears and forces you to recognize your
limitations. But it also shows you how to harness your
unique skills and gifts, teaches you delegation and
discipline, and even patience and persistance.

As a fulltime mom and fulltime business owner, I sometimes
feel overwhelmed with all there is to do each day and
frustrated by a lack of time. In those moments, I try to
remind myself that what I’m learning from being a mother
and from my young daughter applies to my business as well.
I truly believe that my success in business is a direct
result of my own personal growth. And nothing has helped me
grow more quickly than being a mom!

(more…)

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”                                                Albert Einstein

After attending a seminar in Las Vegas this past weekend on achieving personal and professional success, I walked away with a plethora of time-tested tools that can be applied immediately.  Many of the presenters were “self-made” millionaires, as I’m not talking about someone who inherited it or married into it.These individuals, through grit, determination and calculated risk did it on their own. Here are seven proven strategies guaranteed to dramatically improve your happiness, and help you in achieving success in any area of your life, if you apply them.

1. Wherever you are today is a result of what you’ve done in the past. Take responsibility for the choices you’ve made. Learn from them and move on. Let go of the mistake but don’t lose the lesson. Don’t focus on the pain of your past, focus on your purpose for the future. This frame of mind alone can turn your life around.

2. “You become what you think about all day,” Earl Nightengale once said. Have you ever noticed while driving your car that if you keep looking to the right, you eventually go to the right? Keep looking to the left and your car veers left? What you think about and focus on becomes reality. So focus on achieving success and be specific with your goals.

(more…)

Copyright © 2006 Mary Foley

The sad fact is that most Americans hate their jobs. Its pure drudgery and they’re just in it for the paycheck.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  You really can have a dream job, one that you really love and that pays you well.

No, I’m not in fairy tale land.  For the 10 years I worked for AOL, I can honestly say there were few days I didn’t want to go to work.  The challenges of each position and the company’s ups and downs were never easy, but I always believed my contribution meant something and I felt that I was being fairly compensated.  When this was no longer the case, I found another way to grow my career.

But, unfortunately, my experience is not common.  After even a few years into your career, you might be frustrated by any number of things – work that’s not challenging, people who don’t value your abilities, being paid less than you’re worth, to name a few.  You might even fantasize walking into your boss’ office and shouting “Take this job and shove it!”

That might feel momentarily satisfying, but it’s never a lasting strategy to build your career.  The more productive thing to do is to “take this job and love it!”  No, not the job you currently have that leaves you frustrated.  I’m taking about a new job, a different job that is a great match for you, your abilities, and your desires.

But, how do you go from “shove” to “love” in your career?

(more…)

Copyright © 2006 Red Ladder, Inc.

It is June, and the we’re almost half-way through the year. Like most people, you probably took inventory at the beginning of the year and made plans and goals for the year.  Yet, the experts say that 30 percent of the people who make New Year’s resolutions have given up by Feb. 1 and over half will concede defeat by July.

Why does this happen? It happens because a resolution, by definition, is simply the expression of an opinion, will or intent. It is not a goal. Resolutions also tend to be very vague. Example: “This year I resolve that I will get a better job” or “This year I resolve to be a better person.”

Let me give you an analogy. In some ways, a resolution is like the canvas of a tent, while the goals are like the poles and stakes. You can’t expect to raise a tent without the poles and stakes to support it. Likewise, you can’t expect to fulfill on a resolution without having goals to support them.

(more…)