Aussie author wins Man Booker! Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

 


What would you do if you saw the love of your life, whom you thought dead for a quarter of a century, walking towards you?

Richard Flanagan's story-of Dorrigo Evans, an Australian doctor haunted by a love affair with his uncle's wife -journeys from the caves of Tasmanian trappers in the early twentieth century to a crumbling pre-war beachside hotel, from a Thai jungle prison to a Japanese snow festival, from the Changi gallows to a chance meeting of lovers on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Taking its title from 17th-century haiku poet Basho's travel journal, The Narrow Road To The Deep North is about the impossibility of love.

At its heart is one day in a Japanese slave labour camp in August 1943, and forever after, there were for them only two sorts of men: the men who were on the Line, and the rest of humanity, who were not. As the day builds to its horrific climax, Dorrigo Evans battles and fails in his quest to save the lives of the men under his command from starvation, from cholera, from beatings, a man is killed for no reason. He receives a letter that will change his life forever and a love story unfolds.

Hailed as a masterpiece, Richard Flanagan's epic novel tells the unforgettable story of one man's reckoning with the truth.

 

 

About the Author:

 

Born in Tasmania in 1961, Richard Flanagan is one of Australia's leading novelists. His novels, Death of a River Guide, The Sound of One Hand Clapping, Gould's Book of Fish (winner of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize), The Unknown Terrorist and Wanting have received numerous honours and been published in 26 countries. His father, who died the day Flanagan finished The Narrow Road to the Deep North, was a survivor of the Burma Death Railway.

 

You can buy the book from The Book Depository  or Amazon

and yes those suppliers pay me (a few cents) for the books I recommend.  Thank you for buying through these links!!

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We can decide

"We cannot tell what may happen to us in the strange medley of life. But we can decide what happens in us -- how we can take it, what we do with it -- and that is what really counts in the end."
 
-- Joseph Fort Newton
 
 

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Do You Recognize Resistance When You See It?

Do you recognise resitance when you see it?

 

So, I'm trying to lose some weight. And I notice that the days that I declare to myself, "No sugar today," I end up eating sugar earlier than ever. I actually forget that I have even made myself this promise...usually until just a moment after the sugar is melting from my tongue.

Can you relate? Maybe not in this area, but we all have places where we do not keep promises to ourselves. Where do you do this?

Not following through on commitments is a form of resistance. You can probably see clearly how this resistance might sabotage my efforts toward my goal.

My resistance is brilliant. It continually takes new and different forms and is quite good at disguising itself and finding new ways to outsmart me. Your resistance is brilliant, too.

Resistance will keep us from achieving what we want and need. Worse than that, resistance has the power to sending us and our businesses careening in exactly the opposite direction.

Whether you are a leader in an organization or in your own life, anytime you find yourself in a change situation, you will find resistance. If you don't, you are not looking hard enough. It is the way of things. You will resist. Your staff will resist. Your boss will resist. Your clients will resist. Potential employers will resist. Your family will resist. The higher the stakes, the more resistance you will find.

If we are not aware that resistance is at work, resistance wins. But only 100% of the time.

Your only hope of overcoming resistance is to expect it

Your only hope of overcoming resistance is to expect it. But even that isn't enough. You also have to value it and embrace it. You have to work with your resistance, not against it.

 

You have to get intimate with resistance. And that starts with recognizing it. Here's what you want to look for:

Obvious resistance is easy to spot:

Refusal

Arguing

Disruptive behavior The most powerful forms of resistance are usually much more subtle:

Not being available

Not getting started

Getting distracted and not completing

Offering misleading information

Bringing up other issues

Becoming very busy with something else

Getting sick

Anger

Irritation

Frustration

Confusion

Criticism

Silence

Feigning acceptance, without asking necessary questions or working out the details

Finding reasons to be removed from the task

Surfing the web

Compulsively checking your BlackBerry or iPhone

Oh yeah, and forgetting.

Which of these do you do? Which do you see the people you work with doing? Which do you see in your clients? Start noticing the signs of resistance in you and the people around you.

Remember resistance is very creative.

Next time, we'll talk about a few ways to work with your resistance.

 

....................................................................................................
Sharon Rich works with organizations and people approaching major change. Just look at the spectacular corporate failures of the past decade to see that talent and intelligence aren't enough to create success. Sharon helps leaders to get the specific tools, skills and perspectives they need to create successful change and make it stick. For more information and to get a complimentary copy of her article "6 WAYS LEADERS SABOTAGE CHANGE and 5 Principles Change Leaders Need Now," go tohttp://www.leadershipincorporated.com/Free_Stuff.html

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[Inspiration] … from Sir Edmund Hilary

"People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things."
- Sir Edmund Hilary

People do not decide to become extraordinary

It's quite a powerful distinction, Sir Edmund has made here. I haven't read a lot about him, but I suspect he was a very humble man. Nevertheless it's a truth that takes some accepting, when so often we believe that we have to be up to a standard before we can accomplish something. It's certainly something I am learning - that I can Do, then Be, then Have rather than expecting it to work the other way that I need to Be first.

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Does public speaking give you a nervous rash? Here’s how to cure it

 

I hate public speaking - that rash

About that rash ...

Yes that rash … the one you were telling me about at the networking meeting.

“Oh public speaking,” you said, “I hate public speaking. I always get that rash that spreads up my neck. So embarrassing! I have to wear a scarf!”

Is it because of the rash that you hate public speaking or is it that you hate public speaking and consequently get a rash?

Or is it that you don’t mind public speaking, or you wouldn’t mind public speaking? In fact you would probably enjoy it, but somewhere someone said something that gave you the idea that you would be judged every time you spoke or that the stakes are high every time you speak – be careful!

And that created stress. Stress releases cortisol and adrenaline into your system and both are known to affect the skin. Or it could be that you are having an allergic reaction caused by stress.

Either way you need to relieve yourself of the stress. That way you bring back the enjoyment you expect from public speaking and the freedom to speak without worrying about that rash.
And in this case, though not for everyone, it was caused by fear of being judged and fear of failure.
And what could you use, what thought pattern could you introduce, what story could you tell yourself so that you lost those fears?

The first step is to lose the focus on you. Yes I know there might be a rash, but there won’t be if you stop focussing on you, your being judged, your risks in the high stakes outcome.
The second step is to focus on having a conversation with our audience. Look at it as a stylised conversation, perhaps, but don’t call it “public speaking”. This is different, if only so that it’s no longer associated in your mind and adrenal glands with the ”thing” (“public speaking’) that causes the anxiety, the stress, the rash.

And in this conversation, just as in any conversation, engagement and connection occur naturally. Be a natural, not someone being judged on a performance.

And while you are focussing on that audience and the conversation, think about what you are doing for them. What are you giving them that they need or want or like? Start with the mindset of service, of win-win for you and them. Research them and uncover what they need/want/like and appreciate and then give that. Make them aware, and reassure yourself, that you are there to serve.

It is not about you. It is about your audience and your service to them.

So while the high stakes may involve making a sale or persuading or impressing, that sale, that persuasion, that impression will all be made so much easier and less stressful if you aim to serve and make it obvious that that is your aim. And the outcomes will be so much more abundant as well.

Win-win for all concerned.

Know that your new techniques will take away the feeling of being judged and the stress of high stakes outcomes. Know that all you need to do is know your audience, hold a stylised conversation with them and offer them service. And the anxiety drops. The stress drops. The adrenalin and the cortisol drop. The rash goes and public speaking becomes something to anticipate with pleasure.

You CAN do this!

…..

Now … about that adrenalin addiction – that adrenalin habit, the one you told me about at the dinner last night – ah that’s a whole other article…!

 

 

[p align="alignleft" width="100"] The eBook Anxious to Awesome[/p]

From Anxious to Awesome

Work your way through the A-H-A framework to understand and implement  the mindset changes and physical techniques to build confidence in your speaking and presence.

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A Guide to Spirituality without Religion

  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 9, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1451636016
  • ISBN-13: 978-1451636017

For the millions of Americans who want spirituality without religion, Sam Harris’s new book is a guide to meditation as a rational spiritual practice informed by neuroscience and psychology.

From multiple New York Times bestselling author, neuroscientist, and “new atheist” Sam Harris,Waking Up is for the 30 percent of Americans who follow no religion, but who suspect that Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Rumi, and the other saints and sages of history could not have all been epileptics, schizophrenics, or frauds. Throughout the book, Harris argues that there are important truths to be found in the experiences of such contemplatives—and, therefore, that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow.

Waking Up is part seeker’s memoir and part exploration of the scientific underpinnings of spirituality. No other book marries contemplative wisdom and modern science in this way, and no author other than Sam Harris—a scientist, philosopher, and famous skeptic—could write it.

About the Author

Sam Harris is the author of the bestselling books The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, and Lying. The End of Faith won the 2005 PEN Award for Nonfiction. His writing has been published in over fifteen languages. Dr. Harris is cofounder and CEO of Project Reason, a nonprofit foundation devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society. He received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA. Please visit his website at SamHarris.org.
Tim Ferriss interviewed Sam Harris, the author, on his podcast.
Listen to it >> here.   You can download it in iTunes >> here.
You can BUY THE BOOK from Amazon , The Book Depository (yes those are affiliate links and it you buy through them, I earn a few cents.  Thank you in advance)
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"Every decision you make - every decision - is not a decision about what to do. It's a decision about Who You Are. When you see this, when you understand it, everything changes. You begin to see life in a new way. All events, occurrences, and situations turn into opportunities to do what you came here to do."

Neale Donald Walsch



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5 Ways to Protect Your Most Essential Commodity

5 Ways to Protect Your Most essential commodity

Not too long ago I was at a leadership conference where one of the keynotes talked about protecting the entrepreneurs’ greatest commodity – our energy. Suzanne’s key comment was “how you spend your energy is how you measure your success.”

Boy did that strike a cord!

Why? Because every entrepreneur I know at some point on their ascent to success has to take a look at how they have used (or abused) their most vital lifeline – their energy.

Think about it. As an entrepreneur we are everything to our company. We are the creative spark, the leader, the manager, the product fulfiller, the customer service rep, the sales and marketing team (you get the point, right?) The one thing that keeps us going is our energy. What do we do if our energy is gone?

Let’s take a look at Sue. Sue has been going non-stop for months. She sleeps about 4 hours a night, has 15 – 20 crises a day, and truly believes that every single idea she has is a million-dollars waiting to happen. So every idea must be completed yesterday. Sue’s husband and friends haven’t seen her in weeks. She can’t possibly slow down for food, let alone a social event.

One day Sue finds herself feeling a bit sluggish. Pushing through it (I mean she is a super-hero after all, what’s a little tiredness) she finds herself two weeks later with a little cold. The cold turns into a chronic illness that takes over her life and takes down her momentum. Confused, frustrated and overwhelmed, Sue finds that she can barely get up to eat, let alone accomplish any work.

Now this may sound a bit extreme – but is it really? I don’t think so. I can’t tell you how many people I know who have literally been drop-kicked out of the game because their energy gave out. They got sick, tired, and depleted. (Yes, I admit, me too.)

So how do we protect this most vital commodity that is so precious? Here are a few ideas.

  1. Always take care of yourself first. No matter what. No excuses. Workout at the gym, eat healthy, meditate, have down time, or get a massage once a month. You must take care of yourself. It’s a lot less expensive to invest in your energy when you are healthy than if you are sick.
  2. Don’t Try to Do Everything Alone. It’s exhausting. It’s overwhelming. And any successful person will tell you it’s impossible. Figure out a way to start delegating and getting support. Learn to apply the golden delegation rule of “opportunity cost.” If you can’t do it well and it costs someone else less to do it, outsource it!
  3. Learn to Say No. Oh this one is SO hard for most of us. You have to say no sometimes in order to support the “greater yes.” That means, in order to achieve our goals we have to say no to other people’s requests sometimes. It’s OK; you will still be loved and needed if you can’t do it all.
  4. Know what’s Important. And even more critically, what’s not. If it doesn’t fit with your passion, values and goals, don’t do it. No matter what. Someone else will do it and everything will be just fine.
  5. Release Tolerations. Tolerations are the things you put up with. Incomplete decisions, negative people, broken items, unresolved issues, etc. Tolerations can be HUGE energy drains, especially when it goes on and on. Make a plan to handle the tolerations in your life.

One example of how I protect my energy: After I give a presentation or attend a long conference, I always book a day or two off from the office. I’ll usually get a massage. I’ll use the time to put into action the nuggets from the event. If I skip it, I find I’m completely loopy and exhausted and worthless to my clients.

In Suzanne’s keynote presentation, she wrapped up by saying “get a sense of humor.” I couldn’t agree more. The world is only as frustrating as we see it. When we go through life with a sense of humor, we can find the thread of joy in any situation. I found in my own life that infusing every situation with laughter could always take the stress away.

Life is too short to waste our most precious commodity. Protect your energy and you will see how your success multiplies. Deplete it and you will see your success shrink. The choice is yours. I hope you chose to be good to yourself.

Melanie Benson Strick, The Entrepreneur's Success Coach, teaches entrepreneurs how to stop feeling overwhelmed so they can create more money, more freedom and more prestige.Co-author of Visionary Women Inspiring the World: 12 Paths to Personal Power and contributing author to Entrepreneurial Spirits , Melanie is co-creator of The Unstoppable Goals Method: How To Turn Your Ideas into Income in 90 Days. If you are ready to experience a breakthrough in your business, sign up for a 25-minute personalized “Business Breakthrough” by emailing us at assist@successconnections.com. Success Connections
Melanie Benson Strick
14320 Ventura Blvd., #222
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Telephone: (877) 830-3139
 info@successconnections.com 

Willingness

 

Without our willingness to channel the best, we cannot even begin. Whether it is creating a new life, or a new world, or a piece of art or music or writing, it all begins with being open.

 

First in imagination, then in will, then in reality, is an old saying but true.

Our gifts to this world, and this realm’s gifts to us can come in many ways, often as we least expect them but they come especially when we are open to give, open to receive.

If step one is being willing, then step two is making the time to clear some space in our lives to receive. Being in stillness, enjoying the silence so that we can tune to the inner realms where the intuitive creative flow runs like a river, a subtle current, through us all.

Step two is also about being aware of rhythms.

Step three is then deciding which channel you wish to tune to, to download from, rather than just opening without discernment to any channel, for there are many layers within the fields, many realms seeking expression — from the astral to the realms of ascended light.

Step four is the process of allowing, allowing it all to flow though us – always listening to the rhythm of our heart, to its natural song of expression, so that this heart energy is embedded in all that we do.

 

You are welcome to visit Jasmuheen.com! You will find data on Jasmuheen’s research and global service agenda. As an artist, Ambassador of Peace, International lecturer, author and leading researcher into pranic living, Jasmuheen also offers programs and projects through the Embassy of Peace to improve personal and global health and harmony levels in ways that benefit all!