Where do you get your inspiration?

Inspiration can come from anywhere. Often it is from the most unexpected sources.

I believe that if we follow a series of songs by the same band, or watch a series or some episodes from a television show we can see the bigger picture of their offering. For bands, it might reveal a constant theme through their work - such as The Beatles writing songs about love - looking for love, finding love and losing love. Other bands have themes of empowerment, freedom or identity (such as Green Day). The main theme becomes clearer when listening to their music "in saturation" - such as an anthology, or a series of albums one after the other.

Similarly, watching television series on DVDs - so that we can see a complete season without advertisements can make the central theme clearer and stronger - more so if we watch a few seasons of the same show after each other. It might seem a bit excessive, but great writing and acting can be inspirational.

I really enjoyed watching "The West Wing" on DVDs - pity the show ended. In the early episodes many characters would walk into each other's offices and be met with the line "What can I do for you?" or "What do you need me for?" This was a way of streamlining office discussions and building efficiency into busy schedules.

It might be simplistic but I believe that good writing, great expressions can build clarity and direction into how we might view the world and how we exist in it. Maybe we can learn a lot from television shows...

What is Integrity?

The word integrity is used a lot these days. It is almost bandied about. But what is it? What happens when a major corporation collapses, when governments make decisions that we don't like, or even when friends and partners act in a way that hurts us, that we could consider to be of low moral value or integrity?

Integrity obviously differs from one person to the next. We talk about someone being "of integrity", meaning that they hold similar (or the same) values as we do. But each of us has our own individual understanding of this. We are working from our perceptions and experience of our world and everyone and everything around us, as well as our own sense of self. And so are they.

Yes, everyone is in their own integrity, all the time.

When someone makes a decision that is not what we like - that does not match our beliefs and values, or when they act in some way that is counter to what we would do, we get hurt, disappointed or annoyed and angry depending on our relationship with them. It becomes easy to fall into the blame game.

What is really happening is that they are still behaving according to their views at the time - they are within their integrity in the moment, and it might just be that their integrity is different to our own.

So perhaps we could check whether their integrity is aligned to ours when we consider going into an important relationship or agreement with someone else.

Celebrate the World

Feel like some really stimulating web material and brain food?- visit TED

Have you heard of Pangea Day - where and when short films link the world? - visit www.pangeaday.org

Are You Too Distracted to Pay Attention?

We all do it. Rush around madly trying to finish something in a hurry.

I have a home office, so for me, it is often the last minute tidying before an important meeting with a client, or before visitors arrive. In this haste, I often just throw things into a room, to get them out of public view. It doesn't matter how important these items are - I am in a hurry and just do the "dump and run."

Nothing wrong with that - it gets the job done, but, because I am distracted - thinking about what is happening next, I do not focus or pay attention to what I am doing, where I am putting things. Then, I have trouble finding what I moved in haste. What was obvious is now hidden and no amount of retracing my steps will assist me to find the missing items...

And so it goes on....

Does this happen to you? Does distraction prevent you from paying attention to essential details and information?

Try to be present with each task as you complete it. Try giving your undivided attention to what you are doing in the moment...

This will increase your feeling of being organised, in control and on top of things, as well as giving greater calmness and order to everything you do, allowing you to savour every moment.

Tips to Help You Improve Your Concentration

We all have difficulty concentrating at times. Sometimes it is because what we are doing is boring, tedious or too repetitive - other times it might be because we are tired. Think about when you were really interested in something. Did you have trouble concentrating on that?

If your life depending on something, would you manage to concentrate?
So the challenge really is to maintain our focus and concentration when we have to, but don't want to. Think of a time you could concentrate easily. What did you do, and how did you do it? What could you do now that would help you use the techniques you used then?

Here are some more tips to aid concentration:
Set up a routine helps - just as students get into a study routine to help them concentrate and complete their assignments and study.
Some people like to do exercise - either team or individual sports. Make it something you enjoy.
Get enough sleep and take some time out for relaxation.
Consider a personal trainer or joining a gym.
Try yoga, meditation or even a martial arts discipline.
Try reading a book, doing crossword puzzles, sudoku, playing bridge, chess etc.
Enjoy what you are doing - IN THE MOMENT. This helps you to concentrate.
Match your goals to your values - this helps you to concentrate and achieve your dreams.
Try to make what you are doing fun.
Enjoy what you are doing - this helps concentration!

In Summary:
Set goals - be committed to what you are doing.
Maintain a healthy life style - eat wisely, avoid stimulants (drugs, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate). Get adequate sleep.
Keep the same routine to get into the habit of concentrating.