In a few days I finally after quite some time fly abroad to another part of the world for some retreat days. As there the temperature is about 27 degrees and it’s rain season I needed to buy a few things yesterday to prepare myself. Going through the shops here where winter sale is ongoing and everyone is seeking for special prices and not really needed things, I felt like a stranger as my  goals and perspectives for things have been totally different.
This morning then I read a post of a dear friend in Facebook about coming home after a few days somewhere else helping to see what is back home – noticing things that have been there but were not noticed before.

But does it really need to “go away” to see things different? Can we not change perspectives while we are here? Some weeks ago I was in a course for photography and our teacher suggested that we go out each day with a different focus: one day check for all things that are green, then things that are round shaped, or things that are repetitive. Like that you sharpen your eye, you train your special view to things. Years back in my trainings, we did some other exercises where we postulated that there are always a minimum of 3 answer options to every question. I remember that this was not easy at all but after a some time of struggling we have been quite fluent in developing options. It’s the same with this photography exercise…it takes an effort but I can tell you it helps to get your mind open, to see / perceive things differently.

So what can you do to change your perspective? What it it that you want to add as little exercise into your daily flow of life to keep your mind open and fresh for daily things? Maybe you make it like another friend of mine who said to me:” You know, as I did have some time, I took another way to work and I saw new things. It was a different experience to start the day and I decided to do that more often now.”

PS: the picture is about repetition…I passed the shop with theses vases the whole summer but I never saw them until Christmas eve when I passed at night, are they not beautiful?

Viele von uns gehen morgens im Dunkeln aus dem Haus und kehren zu ebensolchen Verhältnissen heim. Die Weihnachtszeit wird in unseren Breitengraden aber ganz stark erhellt durch alle möglichen Weihnachtsbeleuchtungen, genauso wie durch glänzende Augen in Vorfreude auf Geschenke.

Gestern war ich für dieses Jahr das letzte Mal bei einem Kunden vor Ort und ich stellte fest, dass gut ein Drittel der dortigen Belegschaft  gar keine Weihnachten feiert, da sie andere Religion sind. Doch auch sie freuen sich über die Lichter, über die ganze Atmosphere. Und genau das macht es doch im Moment aus.

Es scheint, trotz Näherrücken des beinahe mythischen 21. Dezember nicht nur im Aussen viel Licht zu haben, sondern ich spüre es auch in den zwischenmenschlichen Kontakten. Es scheint, dass der Stress um Weihnachten (noch) nicht begonnen hat und dass im Moment der Gedanken an das Fest der Freude und der Nähe überwiegt.

Jemand schrieb mir diese Tage auch, dass er gerne träumt und das nicht nur nachts. Nun das tue ich auch: ich träume davon, dass wir diese friedliche lichtvolle Stimmung noch lange halten und uns diese lichtvolle Zeit auch nach Weihnachten begelitet. Vielleicht wird das ab dem 22 Dez möglich sein. Mal schauen was uns wirklich erwartet, wenn wir an dem “Tag danach” unser Augen öffnen. Ich bin überzeugt ebendiese werden bei uns allen leuchten!

Today I had the change to work with a group of leaders of which some of them I know for more then 2 years. It was interesting to see how they blend into the total group of peers as well as into the hierarchical / political setting. Over lunch as well as after the meeting I spent a few minutes with individual follow ups and every single one of them referenced to self image vs how they are perceived from others as being a current topic of concern.

On my way home checking emails in the train I crossed the enclosed picture and my believe in synchronicity got confirmed,  as it’s exactly the topic  I referred today to my clients. “What is it that you see in you. What is it that you want, not them”.

My believe is that what YOU see / feel / know about yourself is what makes who you are. That does not mean that you shall “boost” your imagination into a nonrealistic dream world, but “every cat can have the heart of a lion.”

You shall act out of your position of strength. That was also something I said in the last 24 hours more then once. Do not say “sorry”  if there isn’t anything to be sorry of (at least not when you are dealing in Western business cultures). Fill your position without defense or attack as there is no need to justify what or who you are. Again that does not mean any of us is a super hero as everyone of us is only a human being. But exactly the latter – the being – is something that seems to be difficult – so who am I? My replay: who do YOU see (or feel or …) yourself that you are?