THE BALANCING ACT
Building Balance for Better Living

JUNE/JULY 2006

July 6 JC Penney- Coaching & Mentoring

July 18 Chinese Youth Leadership Camp- Smilin & Stylin with confidence

July 19 BPW USA Convention-Speech Judging

July 20 Chinese Youth Leadership Camp-Parent/Youth Communication

July 21-28   National Speakers Convention

July 27- Cardinal Health- Presenting Your Professional Image

Recently, I felt sad and mad.

A friend said to me, "Don't fret; it will get better". I responded, "It's ok for me to fret for a little while; I don't always have to be positive."

Feelings are normal and everyone will experience a range of emotions. Paul Ekman discovered there are six basic emotions experienced in all cultures. They are happiness, surprise, sadness, anger, disgust, and fear. His research also discovered that cultures have display rules. These are social and cultural rules about how a person should regulate emotional expressions and facial expressions.

What was ok and not ok about experiencing and expressing feelings in your family of origin? Did you have permission to feel happiness, but not anger? Did you have permission to feel sad and cry, or was there pressure to always be strong and optimistic?

There is a balance in feeling experiences and expression. There is a time to allow yourself to experience pleasant feelings as well as unpleasant feelings. Both sides create meaning, depth, and balance. There is a time to express anger and sadness, just as there are appropriate times to express happiness and pleasure. Some people are out of balance with their feelings. They focus on one extreme or the other.

The wise King Solomon taught, and the Bird's sang, "There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven, a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to love and a time to hate.

Next time I hope my friend says to me, "It's ok to fret; it will get better".

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Recently I had the honor of presenting to a top notch group of ladies. Their organization's name is TOPs. Tenet Office Professional's. They were a wonderful audience to interact with, and I wish them many blessings and balance!

One teaching point I shared with them was, "5 Ways to Fry Yourself in the Workplace".

Let me now share it with you.

1. Delegating is a weakness. If you want it done right, do it yourself!

2. Work until physical pain forces you to unconsciousness! No pain, no gain!

3. Shut your office door and lock it! People are trying to hurt your productivity.

4. Never say NO to anything; it shows weakness!

5. Don't crack a smile; remember you're on the treadmill of seriousness!

Obviously this was sarcastic, but hopefully it gets the point across! You will get fried, and be burned to a crisp, if you do not delegate, practice physical wellness, connect with people, say "no" sometimes, and get off the treadmill of seriousness.

What are your top 3 job frustrations?

Please email your 3 choices and I'll share the research on the next eZine.

Not enough money___  Too many hours___ Dead-end career___ Too much paperwork___ Not enough training___

Not appreciated___ Feeling powerless___ Negative office politics___ Sexism in the workplace___ Poor public image___

Conflicts with peers___ Bureaucratic red tape___ Conflict with boss___ Other___ Other___

For a professional counselor, life coach, and safe place...

Call 903-819-0301 or  Contact Brent Now.

Buon giorno! ("Good morning!" in Italian)

You may be wondering why this eZine is June and July combined. After traveling to Italy for 10 days, I'm finally recovering from jet lag. It's a good excuse anyway.

Isn't it fun to travel? Why does travel seem to balance out our stressful lives? When and where will you take your next trip?

My wife and I recently made time for our dream trip to Italy. Celebrating our 22 year wedding anniversary, we traveled to Naples, Rome, and the Isle of Capri. Wow, what an adventure! I want to share just a couple of our highlights.

First, is the travel adventure. We traveled on planes, trains, buses, cable cars, boats, ferries, taxies, and subways. In America we are used to jumping in our cars and driving to our destination. In Europe you must learn how to use public transportation unless you want to spend a fortune. Yes; we got lost a lot on our trip. Every time we got lost, I would say to my wife, "It's another adventure!". To me it was energizing, refreshing, and fun!

Second, was the food in Italy. Naples is where pizza was first created and cooked. The pizza was cooked in a wood oven with perfect crispy edges, tasty cheeses, tomatoes, and basil. Another favorite food was gelato. which was extraordinary. It's like home made ice cream sweet- creamy, and extraordinary. We splurged on tasting all kinds of flavors. It's good we burned calories by walking a lot!

Don't wait; take time to travel. Balance the road of life, enjoy the journey now. It's a great adventure full of tasty treats!

Arrivederci.

  Contact Brent now!  

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