Radish Sprouts

IT in the Time of COVID-19

Information Technology (IT) has never been more important. Consider how IT is helping us all survive and function in this challenging time of COVID-19. Let me share just a few ways the Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT) in the State of Colorado is helping YOU — residents, businesses, and employees — stay connected.

RESIDENTS

Assistance. Major IT state applications are in great demand. Examples are Unemployment Insurance (UI) and the Colorado Benefits Management System (online at Colorado PEAK) which provides food, cash, and early childhood and medical assistance to the needy. Residents who have lost their job are applying for benefits at an all-time record rate. IT systems like these are seeing 10x the maximum load they were designed to encounter. To support the new Pandemic Unemployment Emergency Assistance program and the CARES Act, the systems were quickly upgraded, and millions of claims have been processed in less than a week since go-live.

myColorado. The myColorado mobile app provides residents with secure and convenient access to state services anytime, anywhere. The app's Colorado Digital ID™ enables you to create a secure electronic version of your Colorado driver license or state identification (ID) card on your smartphone for proof of identification, age, and address within Colorado. The app allows all Coloradans to view COVID-19 information in one place. Residents who are facing hardship can use the app to access benefits on Colorado PEAK. Coloradans can also sign up to receive helpful COVID-19 text and email alerts within the myColorado app. Download myColorado from the Apple App Store or Google Play today! 

Do You Have Symptoms? Learn more about what to do. An important step in reducing the spread of COVID-19 is to report your symptoms using the Colorado Community COVID Symptom Tracker. It collects data so that COVID-19 can be tracked among people who may not be able to or need to get tested for the virus. It helps public health experts and policymakers to map and identify potential hotspots not captured by testing. And by filling out the symptom tracker, the system can connect you with resources that can help with any physical or behavioral health symptoms you may experience during this time.

Hotlines. The state's objective is to route all COVID-19 public health questions through one trusted channel, and then connect callers to the appropriate experts for help. To quickly build up this capability, OIT has utilized Virtual Call Centers and Virtual Automated Agents. We're also providing the technology to allow remote call center workers to receive office calls on their personal phones. The impact has been so great that the concept has spread quickly — first to specialized OIT service desks such as myColorado and next to many other departments.

Other Resources. Stay informed at covid19.colorado.gov which provides access to important information and services, including how you can join others in #DoingMyPartCO. Stay Secure. Be vigilant. Watch out for the many COVID-19 scammers who are phishing to steal your personal information or trick you.

Stay Secure. Be vigilant and watch out for the many COVID-19 scammers who are phishing to steal your personal information or trick you. Be suspicious of unsolicited emails, phone calls, texts, or visits. Check out these tips that we have made available on our Cybersecurity Help webpage.

 

BUSINESSES

Help. Get the latest in COVID-19 economic recovery resources at choosecolorado.com. Resources are available to support small businesses, nonprofits, freelancers, and independent contractors.

Safer at the Office. Offices can begin opening with restrictions in Colorado beginning May 4. Find recommendations for protecting your staff and customers at Safer at Home: Office-Based Business.  Local governments may have established other dates.

EMPLOYEES  (This is what Colorado is doing for our employees, perhaps it is relevant for those outside the state too.)

Telecommuting Is In. More than 80% of Colorado's 33,000 employees are working remotely, along with many other Coloradans. IT is allowing them to do so. It requires the right equipment (a computer, Internet access, and a phone), sufficient data and voice capacity, and secure access into state or corporate networks. Telecommuting help is provided through self-service and remote technical support, online training, and a "tech kit" offering written instructions.

Virtual Connections. Using audio, web, and video conferencing, we're staying connected virtually. Other means are internal organizational chats, texts, emails, and plain old phone calls. And to have fun with it, we have theme days where we wear hats, cool sunglasses, or school colors.

SUMMARY

Recall Viktor Frankl's quote from Man's Search for Meaning, "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”

Have hope. You are not alone. Help is here for individuals, businesses, and telecommuters. Even as we move into the "Safer at Home" phase, stay at home as much as possible. Always wear a cloth facial covering when leaving the house. Remember, you are resilient. You are strong. This too shall pass, and we will get through it together.  Let's be grateful for all we have and let's stay connected. Choose optimism.

Being Fearless in the COVID World

“...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself,”
said Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1933 inaugural address. 

These are challenging times in Colorado and around the world with the onset of COVID-19. The degree of uncertainty that exists can understandably breed anxiety, and messages that intend to inform and help can make people more afraid. However, we can and will get through this together! 

In my research study about factors that help and hurt in successfully pursuing a passionate purpose, I asked people what holds them back and what encourages them in their pursuit. One of the biggest hindrances is FEAR. Fear causes self-doubt, anxiety, and anger; fear is a heavy burden. What would your life be like right now if you could cast out that fear?

Sometimes fear can help you to take action and avoid danger. For example during the COVID-19 pandemic that means enacting social distancing, practicing self-isolation, and thoroughly washing your hands. It can stop you from crossing a dangerous road or from getting hurt. However, so often fear is NOT rational. It can turn into obsessiveness - thinking about something over and over until you are immobilized and cannot take needed action. Fear can block effective movement.

Once you are aware of the potential negative impacts of fear, the next step is to take appropriate action. Use the “Pack Strategy" to unpack hindrances and pack energizers for your journey.

Here are some practical pointers:

1. Lead. Take positive action, be calm, and be strong. Often this means focusing less on yourself and more on helping others. Work on being fearless.
2. Select. Get in touch with what triggers you and be selective in what and who you listen, watch, surf, invest time in, and talk with.
3. Use good judgment. Determine whether your fear is rational or irrational. If irrational, force yourself to quiet your mind and focus on positive aspects of life. When there is real danger, your body reflexively mobilizes to avoid it, minimize it, or fight through it.
4. Be optimistic. Carry a hopeful, upbeat disposition and believe that good prevails. Repeat positive affirmations. Think of the good work being done by so many government employees, medical personnel, public health workers, non-profits, and businesses to proactively address the current challenges and ensure your safety.
5. Surround. Circle yourself with less fearful people. Surround yourself with people who are not afraid. A recent research study showed that happiness is contagious. If you are around happy people, you will be more happy. If you are around fearful people, you will be more fearful. So find happy, kind, unafraid people with whom to associate.

Summary.
We human beings are strong and resilient, perhaps stronger than we even know. Unpack fear itself from your life. Strive to appropriate action, be aware of fear triggers, use good judgment, stay positive, and surround yourself with unafraid people.

Colorado Announces 2019 Girls Go CyberStart Program

Lt. Gov. Primavera and Office of Information Technology announce 2019 Girls Go CyberStart Program

Over $200,000 in scholarships will be awarded to high school girls

The State of Colorado is again partnering with the SANS Institute to offer the Girls Go CyberStart program and encouraging high school students across the state to participate. In 2018, 250 students from 24 high schools in Colorado participated in the girls-only online cybersecurity competition through which prizes and scholarships are awarded. Students and schools can learn more and register at http://girlsgocyberstart.org.

“Women are underrepresented in the tech and cybersecurity industry,” said Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera. “We hope this fun challenge will encourage more young women to test their skills and explore opportunities in this field.”

The Girls Go CyberStart game is an online series of challenges that allow students to act as cyber protection agents to solve realistic problems and puzzles and explore exciting, relevant topics, such as cryptography and digital forensics. Participating students (and their teachers) do not need prior knowledge or experience in information technology or cybersecurity to participate. All that is required is a computer and an internet connection.

“Cybersecurity is a fascinating and ever-evolving field,” explained Dr. Theresa M. Szczurek, Chief Information Officer and Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Information Technology. “I encourage young Colorado women to participate in Girls Go CyberStart and uncover a passion for information technology, because cyber experts are in great demand.”

The Girls Go CyberStart program is free for schools and students. As an added incentive for this year’s program, another $200,000 in college scholarship money will be awarded to high school juniors and seniors who perform well in the game. At least ten high school girls in Colorado will win scholarships, and the top three high schools in Colorado with the most participants will win awards of $1,000, $750, and $500, respectively.

All Colorado high school girls in grades 9 to 12 are invited to play. Registration opens February 18. Play begins on March 20.

About the Governor’s Office of Information Technology

The Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT) is a dynamic organization responsible for the operation and delivery of information and communications technology services and driving innovation across Executive Branch agencies in the State of Colorado. OIT delivers smart technology solutions, provides quality customer service, and supports state agencies whose missions are critical to serving Coloradans. OIT oversees technology initiatives at the state level and recommends strategies to maximize efficiencies and offer cost-effective services through the application of enterprise technology solutions. The Office’s enterprise approach also enables the agile delivery of new applications to state agencies that improve the overall customer experience and citizen access to government services while increasing accountability and transparency.

OIT is also home to the Office of Information Security and the Colorado Broadband Office, and manages the Public Safety Communications Network which includes the Digital Trunked Radio System, a statewide wireless system that enables direct communications between first responders and agencies.

Find OIT online at Colorado.gov/OIT, and on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About Girls Go CyberStart

Girls Go CyberStart is an extracurricular learning competition for high school girls, designed to ensure that many more young women enter the cyber security profession in the coming years.

NBC News published an in-depth analysis of the 2018 Girls Go CyberStart program that is available at https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jobs-cybersecurity-are-Exploding-why-aren-t-women-picture-n865206.

Student testimonials can be found here:https://www.sans.org/CyberStartUS/girls-go-cyberstart-feedback

About SANS Institute

The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of cyber security training and certification to professionals at governments and commercial institutions world-wide. Renowned SANS instructors teach over 60 different courses at more than 200 live cyber security training events as well as online. GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates a practitioner's qualifications via over 30 hands-on, technical certifications in cyber security. The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master's degrees in cyber security. SANS offers a myriad of free resources to the InfoSec community including consensus projects, research reports, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet's early warning system--the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners, representing varied global organizations from corporations to universities, working together to help the entire information security community. (https://www.sans.org)

Make Money and Keep Workers Happy

As you look forward to the New Year, ask yourself some questions.  Am I living my values?  What changes can I make to better align my actions with my beliefs in my work and in my life?

Case Study:  Taking Care of Business by Taking Care of Employees

Illegal Pete's, a fast-casual burrito chain which started in Boulder, CO in 1995, just announced (as reported in the Daily Camera newspaper) raising the minimum wage for tipped hourly employees to $15 / hour in January.   That compares to the Colorado minimum wage of $8.08 per hour for tipped employees.  The company is also raising wages for salaried management positions. The quick-service restaurant concept also offers its employees fully matching 401k and health insurance for 30+ hour employees.

Pete Turner, founder, focuses on successfully running the business while investing in workers and the community.   Turner "believes that employees working in the quick-service restaurant industry should be fairly compensated, so that they can proudly turn what some consider a 'job' into a 'career.' "  So he established the Living Wage Initiative.

The Daily Camera reported:  Turner said, "We're passionate about doing the right thing by our employees and our communities, showing it is good business as well.  We're driving business values by running our business by our values."  The Living Wage Initiative has helped Illegal Pete's average unit sales to grow 16 percent and allowed the company to expand from seven to 11 locations.  Total employees equal 450, of which 260 employees are full time.

Illegal Pete's mission is to create a place for relaxed human connection.  It welcomes all.  Look for this poster in all locations.

Beyond his own restaurant, Turner advocates for better wages for all.  He co-founded Good Business Colorado with like-minded Colorado business-owners.  GBC is a sustainable business-minded organization advocating for socially-conscious business practices, and making meaningful, value-based choices in business.

Benefits from Keeping Workers Happy

• Better wages make for more responsible employees. Turner stated, "At our restaurant we account for everything.  Nobody is stealing anything."
• A better work environment that celebrates individuality and relaxed human connection. It's more fun.
• Very low employee turnover reduces costs of retraining and costs of recruitment. With today's low unemployment rate, there is intense competition for good workers.. 
• This helps a company's bottom line.

Carolyn Livingston, communication director for the Colorado Restaurant Association, said, "Everyone is looking for the magical formula to make money and keep the workers happy."  

Summary

Illegal Pete's has the magic.  That is why I choose them to cater my daughter's graduation party.  They are pursuing the passionate purpose of creating a place for relaxed human connection while living the values of dependability, hard work, people who love people, positive attitudes, having fun, living wages, welcoming all.  This produces great financial results and good food.  What actions can you take to pursue your passionate purpose?

Crossing the Chasm to Revenue and Profit

Entrepreneurial ventures bring to market and diffuse new products and services.  The end goal, never to be forgotten, is to sell enough at a profit that the firm makes money.  Also  these pursuits of passionate purpose deliver real rewards of meaning and connections. Delivering financial results is difficult. 

The Problem

Everett Rogers developed a theory on how, why, and at what rate new ideas spread.  Diffusion of Innovation explains that diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated over time among the participants in a social system.  Technology makes its way through the population in a bell curve distribution called the Technology Adoption Life Cycle.

The Innovators, as explained by Geoffrey A. Moore in his book Crossing the Chasm, are Technology Enthusiasts and the first customers for anything that is brand-new.  "They don't have any money.  Only with their endorsement can a discontinuous innovation get a hearing, and so we often "seed" (read "give") products to this community to gain their support."  These techies desire to explore.

The Early Adopters are Visionaries that have an extraordinary influence because they will bring real  money to the table.  Yet each "Visionary demands special modifications that overtax the R&D resources of the fledgling enterprise. "  They desire to exploit the new capability. 

Innovators jump on the product at first, followed by Early Adopters, the Early Majority (Pragmatists) and Late Majority (Conservatives), to finally reach the Laggards (Skeptics).  These various players have different interests.  An entrepreneurial venture needs to go after the Early Market, which represents just 16% of the adoption.  This typically takes a minimum of 10 years.

This summary (https://fourminutebooks.com/crossing-the-chasm-summary/) states, "People in the early majority are much more pragmatic. They don’t want big changes and huge innovations, but rather incremental improvements based on using proven products and solutions. The majority wants to buy from established brands, but without having the majority buy your product, you can’t become an established brand.  This dilemma is what Moore calls “The Chasm” and it’s something all companies must overcome, if they ever want to see their product become successful and reach the majority of the population."  How do you cross the chasm?

The Solution

Moore and fourminutebooks summarizes:

1. The chasm is a gap between Visionary Early Adopters and the Pragmatic Majority.
2. Crossing the chasm requires securing a specific niche as a beachhead first.
3. Position yourself as a market leader in your niche by making a strong claim.

"When you contrast yourself with a market alternative (the traditional way of doing things) and a product alternative (a competitor, who uses the same technology, but in a different industry), you can easily position yourself as the leader in the new, combined field. This claim will allow you to focus exactly on your initial niche and eventually take the majority of the market share there, so you can then expand and dominate the rest of the market as well."

Example

Fourminutebooks gives this example.  "Dropbox could’ve positioned itself by saying: 'For private PC users, who are sick of carrying files from one PC to the next via USB stick, we offer a hardware-free file syncing solution. Our service makes your files available on any device with an internet connection, just like YouTube does with video, but with any type of file you choose.' ”

Another example is Radish Systems' initial focus on healthcare.  For healthcare businesses which have callers frustrated by cumbersome automated phone systems and dreading interactions with hard-to-understand live clinicians, Radish offers 'voice with visuals' self-service and live assistance.  True Visual IVRs (Interactive Voice Response systems) aka Virtual Nurses offer callers from any phone with access to a browser via the Internet the ability to see, hear,  and store complex information.  This is similar to what conferencing firms do with video, but with any phone call compatible with existing infrastructure while sharing any visual.

Summary

Entrepreneurs need to cross the chasm by focusing on a specific niche to become its market leader.  Then expand.

Set Your Own Standard

How do you want to be remembered?  Tandean Rustandy, an inspiring rags-to-riches entrepreneur, is known for setting his own higher standard of contributing to others.  He states, "I believe all can benefit.  Ask what can I give, how can I serve?  When you go into business, determine how you can contribute to others."

Rustandy's Story

Tandean Rustandy was born and raised in a small town on a river in Indonesia from humble beginnings. There was no clean water and no electricity.  His grandfather was a shipper; he died when Rustandy was six years old and that shipping business died too.  Rustandy went on to build a successful, socially responsible, 'green standard' ceramics business which employees over 3000 people in five locations throughout Indonesia.  Having celebrated its 25th anniversary in business, PT Arwana Citramulia Tbk (www.arwanacitra.com) is the #1 ceramics firm in Indonesia and #14 in the world.  Rustandy is pursuing his passionate purpose. 

Rustandy's Practical Pointers.

1. Get Educated. Luckily, his mother supported the concept of education. Rustandy received a good education -- High School in Toronto,  a B.S. in Finance in 1987 from the University of Colorado Boulder, Leeds School of Business, and an MBA in 2007 from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.  Rustandy was the first in his family to graduate college.
2. Build Relationships and Stay In-touch with People. While working on his undergraduate degree and helping to pay his way through college while washing dishes, Rustandy made good friends.  One friend actually lent him money to pay his last semester of tuition.  They are like brothers now.  When Rustandy travels now, he chooses to take the train.  "I can afford to take a limousine, but that cuts me off from people.  It is important to see the real world so you can remember who are serving."
3. Protect the Environment. After graduating from the CU Leeds Business School (https://www.colorado.edu/business/2018/03/21/tandean-rustandy-fin87),Rustandy got involved in a timber business in Indonesia.  It made him a multi-millionaire by the age of 25, but it was damaging the environment.  He decided to move on and start a socially responsible business. His current business, Arwana, is an eco-conscious company which has been awarded the Green Industry Award from the Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry for six years in a row from 2011 to 2016. Arwana is also the first company in Indonesia to obtain ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system.
4. Help the Disadvantaged. Rustandy chose to locate his new business in 1993 where he could help the poor through the creation of jobs in manufacturing tiles.  He now provides jobs, healthcare, and education for his employees.  It has not always been easy; his firm almost went bankrupt during an Asian financial crisis, but he has stayed true to his values. 
5. Give Back. Rustandy says, "Everyone has responsibility to help the next generation."  A $20 million gift from Tandean Rustandy, supports expanded research and programming in social innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago through the newly named Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation.  He also made a $6 million pledge  to support innovation at CU Boulder.   “Our aim is to elevate our efforts in entrepreneurship, innovation and design in new, refined and disruptive ways in and outside of the classroom, said Sharon Matusik, dean of the Leeds School. “To have Tandean step forward with this meaningful investment to continue our long tradition of entrepreneurship helps further not only our momentum with curriculum advancements, but also our world-class reputation.”

Summary

Tandean Rustandy says, "Stay in touch with people, to stay connected to life.  Ask, how can I help?  Especially encourage young people to ask, how can I contribute?  He quotes Helen Keller, "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."

Pursue Happiness: Tips to Reap Real Rewards

 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."     United States Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

You have a right to pursue and be happy, at least in the USA.  Many other countries, not all, agree.  Are you happy?  Happiness is defined by Merriam-Webster as  "a: a state of well-being and contentment: joy; b : a pleasurable or satisfying experience." 

The conclusion of my related study published in Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, is:

"The pursuit of passionate purpose, as well as its attainment, and relationships along the way bring the real rewards in life." 

Those rewards include tangible results, positive feedback, a stronger self, AND meaning and satisfaction in life.  Satisfaction in life is synonymous with happiness.

Impacts on Happiness

Your level of happiness depends on many factors including your age and marital status.  In summarizing the analysis of two longitudinal British studies on life satisfaction authored by John Helliwell, an economist at the University of British Columbia, and his former graduate student Shawn Grover, published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, Susan Pinker wrote in the Jaunary 27-28, 2018 Wall Street Journal,

"...happiness is U-shaped across the adult life-span, meaning it normally rises when we're young adults, drops during middle age when life's stresses and existential questions loom large, and then rises again as older adults regain their equilibrium." 

"...married people were 10% more satisfied than people who were single--and were more likely to stay that way.  While cohabiting couples were happier than single folks, they were only three-quarters as happy as marrieds.  ...a close marital bond spurs long-term happiness."

Practical Pointers to Pursuit of Happiness

Find and pursue a passionate purpose.  Passionate purpose is an intention or goal pursued with passion--intense enthusiasm, zeal, fervor, and interest. As a purpose connected to the Pursuer's values and gifts, it is significant.  The more meaningful the purpose, the more intense is the passion and the more noteworthy is the impact.  The pursuit is a 4-step process which includes:  know and nurture the person, find passionate purpose, pursue purpose, and assess progress.

Persist.  Persistence is the act of steadily pursuing purpose despite hindrances or obstacles.  Effective Passionate Pursuers mindfully persevere with focused determination toward their goal using a divide-and-conquer approach.  Once committed to a clear purpose or destination, they divide the journey into parts and couquer the whole, piece by piece.  Working with unremitting will toward a portion until they make some progress, they establish a positive feedback loop. (Learn more about the Persistence Strategy, Ch. 9, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose.)

Allow.  Allowing is also called surrender, non-resistence, letting go, or equanimity.  Effective Passionate Pursuers maintain clarity about what they want, while they allow how they get it to unfold.  They are receptive to options and without attachment to a certain outcome, yet they remain persistent.  In this Psychology Today article on happiness, Michael J. Fox is quoted, “My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations.” (Learn more about the Allowing Strategy, Ch. 10, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose.)

Connect.  Don't try to do it alone.  The most effective Passionate Pursuers are connected to the web of life.  This support network includes the self and the right people, animals, plants, spiritual forces, and environment.  Proper people are the greatest energizer for pursuits and improper people are the biggest hindrance.  It is vital to build relationships with and bring along on life's journey the proper people and support web, which serve as positive forces.  Bring the proper people along and lessen the impact of the improper ones.  (Learn more about the Connections Strategy, Ch. 11, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose.)

Summary.

You have the right to pursue happiness.  Begin now--start fresh now.  Here's how:  find a pursue passionate purpose, persist, allow, and connect with others along the way.  You will reap real rewards including meaning and satisfaction in life.

copyright Theresa M. Szczurek.  2017-2018.  All rights reserved.  www.TMSworld.com, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com, www.RadishSystem.com

Don't Wait: Live the Life You Want

 

The stories of living life interest me. That's why I interviewed 80 people from all walks of life for my book, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose. That's also why I read the Obituaries and go to Memorial Services. At a holiday party my friend Alice shared about her travels to Patagonia in South America. In explaining her adventure goals for 2018 she advised, "Don't wait! Do what you want to do now. You never know what life may bring."

Mary Anderson's Life

To cement this important message, I read in Sunday's paper about the life of Dr. Mary Anderson (not her real name). She was an Emergency Room physician and health administrator with 30 years of compassionate and wise leadership at a local hospital. She entered health care to make a meaningful difference.

She was fearless. She skied off 14,000-ft mountains, jumped off towering cliffs in a hang glider, surfed the ocean's biggest waves, and fished the farthest reaches of British Columbia — all with a bold passion. She possessed a venturesome spirit, a keen and inquisitive mind, unbounded energy, a natural athleticism, a spiritual connection to the environment, a love of animals, and a deep devotion to family. For 20 years, she and her husband trained and ran marathons together from Athens, Greece to Santiago, Chile.

In the end, she died of a heart attack — just weeks before retirement and commencing the next phase of her life where she planned to drive her Sprinter van to the southern tip of Argentina. I didn't know Mary personally, but it seems like she lived a great, albeit short, life. She did not wait.

It's a Wonderful Life

Especially at this time of the year, I think of the classic movie, It's a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. In the movie, Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey who lives in Bedford Falls and runs the Bailey Building and Loan Association. He has a bucket list of his own, but he never gets to check anything off. He didn't travel the world as he envisioned; he gave up college so his younger brother could attend instead; he skipped his honeymoon to save the Building and Loan; he didn't own a trophy home or have a high-paying job. Through all of his trials and tribulations, however, he was able to help his family and the people of Bedford Falls in important ways. At the end, he was heralded as the "richest man in town" and the person who indeed had the wonderful life.

Tips to Live the Life You Want

Regardless of the path you're on and your goals for the future, there are many ways to achieve your own wonderful life. The key is to lead an authentic life now — the life you were born to live.

	SET THE INTENTION to live life to the fullest. Make it a meaningful year and life.
	PLAN. Dream big. What do you want to do with your one precious personal and professional life?
	SIMPLIFY. Get rid of the clutter, financial constraints, and emotional baggage that may be holding you back. Resolve what needs to be resolved. Allow yourself to be free.
	DON'T WAIT. Take action. What will you do today to bring your dreams into reality? Start now!

Summary

As George Bernard Shaw said, "Don't wait for the right opportunity. Create it!" Set the intention, form a plan, simplify your life, and start now to live your life to the fullest. Don't wait.  Resolve and start fresh. 

Finding Magic in an Ordinary Day

Henry David Thoreau said, "It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." Do you choose to see the wonderful and exciting? Or do you see the dark or ordinary? How can you experience more magic moments? These are questions explored by Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry and others during a recent Unitarian Univeralist service.

The Cupcake Story

Recently I had a few magic moments while in Chicago for Thanksgiving. I planned a gathering with some friends from elementary school — a special event in itself. Then I discovered that a High School cheerleading buddy, Pam Rose Glosniak, lived across the street from our meeting place. The more the merrier, so Pam came to the gathering with her daughter Alexa too. That was extra special.

Pam, it turns out, is the owner and creative genius of Swirlz Cupcakes, named by Food & Wine Magazine as one of the "Best Cupcakes in the U.S." She surprised us by bringing dessert. WOW! When I tasted that first mini cupcake, it was a magic moment. The Chocolate Raspberry Torte and Boston Cream Pie cupcakes were exquisite. By their 10th anniversary, Swirlz had created more than 1500 unique flavors. They cater corporate events and weddings, and deliver happiness by the thousands since "cupcakes make people happy"®. Consider spreading some magic to your friends and clients this holiday season.

What Is Magic?

According to the dictionary, Magic (noun) is the power to use supernatural forces to make impossible things happen as in "do you believe in magic?" It is the power to seemingly influence the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces. Magic (adjective) is wonderful and exciting as in "what a magic moment" or apparently having supernatural powers as in "a magic wand." I'm not talking here about Harry Potter magic that may require extraordinary supernatural forces, but everyday magic that each of us can experience.

Why bother opening to the magic? Because it feels good. It opens creative juices. It can make others feel good. It can bring unexpected results. It helps you find the beauty and wonder in the small as well as the big things of life.

Some Magical Moments

If you open your heart and mind, you may find magic by:

	hearing a crisp Autumn leaf crunch or a lovely song
	feeling sunshine, snowflakes, or wind on your face
	standing on top of a mountain and seeing snow-covered summits around you
	going into nature and seeing a rain drop on a leaf or the sun dance through trees, smelling pine needles, hearing birds sing, or feeling your boots on the trail
	feeling the awe of the universe in gazing at the stars
	being present in the moment
	experiencing a deep inner sense of knowing
	getting into a meditative state and experiencing impermanence
	being in the flow — a focused state of concentration where nothing else seems to matter
	tasting an exquisite cupcake
	and more.

What Helps You Find Magic?

On our recent trip, five little girls came into the hotel elevator with matching pajamas. They were celebrating one girl's birthday. On the way down to breakfast, they giggled and squealed in delight as they looked out the glass elevator as we moved down to the lobby. They were experiencing magic. It made us aware too.

1.	Set the intention to be aware. Use the Attractive Strategy (Chapter 8, p. 155, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose).
2.	Open your inner eye, ears, and heart. As Plato said, "see with the eye of the soul." Sufism states, "Open your inner eye and the mystery of life will unfold. Just as the owl is blind to the light of the day, we are blind to the spiritual world and are unable to see."
3.	Be present in the moment.
4.	Go into nature.
5.	Surround yourself with those who experience magic. Share your experiences.

Summary

How can you experience more magic moments? Set the intention to be aware. Be present. Go into nature. Open your inner eye and the mystery of life will unfold. Surround yourself with those who experience magic. Here you will find magic too.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (copyright 2017.  All rights reserved.)  www.pursuitofpassionatepurpose.com, www.tmsworld.com, www.radishsystems.com

Twelve Things to Bring You Hope

There are days when we might lack hope. Life has its ups and downs, but sometimes it brings more downs. In those times, the most successful and happy people know how to find hope and hold onto it. Why is hope important and what brings you hope?

What Is Hope?

According to dailymeditation.com, "To be hopeful is to look on the future positively, to see opportunity in challenges (rather than challenges in opportunities), to look on the bright side of life." Wikipedia states that "Hope is an optimistic attitude of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes related to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large." As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish a desire with anticipation."

As summarized in Psychology Today, "In 1991, the eminent positive psychologist Charles R. Snyder and his colleagues came up with Hope Theory. The person who has hope has the will and determination that goals will be achieved, and a set of different strategies at their disposal to reach their goals."

Why Is Hope Important?

An article in dailymeditation.com explains the importance of hope:

• Motivates positive actions that will lead to positive results
• Is a natural stress reliever
• Helps strengthen the immune system
• Improves social relationships (you have more friends being an optimist)
• Makes you happy
• Broadens and builds your mind

Research, as summarized in the same Psychology Today article, confirms that hope is related to positive outcomes. Studies, for example, show that hope is related to higher GPA, academic achievement, and graduation rates.

Hope allows people to approach problems with a mindset and strategy-set suitable to success, thereby increasing the chances they will actually accomplish their goals.

What Brings You Hope?

Last Sunday at church, our minister asked "What brings you hope?" Congregation members texted their inputs which were shared in real-time on a big screen. Here are 12 things that bring people hope. What's on your list?

1. The dawning of a new day
2. Nature and gardening (plant a seed and watch it grow)
3. The pursuit of passionate purpose, as well as its achievement, that provides a sense of meaning and reward
4. Joyful and playful sounds and sights of children and people of all ages
5. Experiencing the best the world has to offer: music, art, beauty, dancing, singing, learning, creativity, innovation, and knowledge
6. Choice, freedom, and free-will (my ability to change the situation)
7. History (I've done it before, so I know I can do it again)
8. Connections with proper, positive people, a higher power, and the web of life
9. Regeneration in all forms as stimulated by breathing, sleep, meditation, prayer, spirit, impermanence, and quiet
10. Witnessing or experiencing acts of love, goodness, and kindness
11. Sense of competence and positive feedback on an idea
12. Sense of progress toward a goal

Summary

Life has its ups and downs, but hope carries us through. The most successful and happy people know how to find it and hold onto it. What brings you hope?

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (copyright 2017. all rights reserved).  www.TMSworld.com, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com, www.RadishSystems.com