Here’s the 7th of the 12 attributes of resilience from The Middle of Everywhere:  Helping Refugees Enter the American Community by Mary Pipher, Ph.D.

The Ability to Calm Down.  “These skills, which include deep breathing, putting things into perspective, and optimistic thinking, allow people to stay calm and positive, to forgive themselves and others, to sleep nights, to avoid addictions or impulsive behaviors, and to control feelings in the face of great sadness and trauma.” (p. 288-289) 

In which of these areas are you a role model for others, and in which of these areas would a mentor be of help to you?

Here’s the 6th of 12 attributes from The Middle of Everywhere:  Helping Refugees Enter the American Community by Mary Pipher, PhD.

Positive Mental Health.  “Positive mental health requires an optimistic nature, a sense of humor, and the ability to appreciate and enjoy what one can in the midst of sorrow.” p. 288

Received a Facebook posting from Ode Magazine today with the following quotation by Susan J. Bissonette, “An optimist is the human personification of Spring.”  How close to blooming are you? 

This is the 5th of 12 attributes of resilience from The Middle of Everywhere:  Helping Refugees Enter the American Community  by Mary Pipher, PhD.

Verbal Expressiveness.  One of the most important attributes is simply being able to express one’s needs clearly and appropriately.  Being able to communicate thoughts and feelings, to ask good questions, and to articulate problems are all aspects of this attribute.  p. 287-288.

What important conversations do you  need to have now to foster your resilience?

It’s the Sabbath and we are taking a resilience break. 

I Dream A World
By Langston Hughes

 
I dream a world where man
No other man will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom’s way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all mankind-
Of such I dream, my world!

From The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, edited by Arnold Rampersad (New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 1994)., p. 311

The University of Puget Sound’s Aldelphian Concert Choir, with Lindsay Fuson, accompanist, performed this beautifully at Friday’s Musical Evening with Langston Hughes.  Featured performers were Soprano Awilda Verdejo and Pianist Hartwig Eichberg.  Cellist Ron Welch rounded out the musicians.

Here is the fourth of 12 attributes of resilience from The Middle of Everywhere:  Helping Refugees Enter the American Community by Mary Pipher, Ph.D.

Ambition and Initiative – “Being a hard worker requires motivation and stamina.  It requires time-management skills, the ability to work with others, and the ability to do what is told and more.” p. 287 

Which of these requirements present the greatest challenge for you right now?  What can you do or who can you engage with to reduce that challenge?

Here’s the third of 12 attributes of resilience from The Middle of Everywhere:  Helping Refugees Enter the American Community by Mary Pipher, Ph.D.

The Ability to Pay Attention – “Paying attention means being aware of subtle cues, knowing whom to trust, and accurately sensing danger.  It means catching on to patterns and rules, picking up on how things work, and not repeating mistakes.  Paying attention includes being empathic, remembering, and detecting small changes in tone and nuance.” p. 287  On a scale of 1 to 10, how easy is it for you to pay attention according to Mary’s explanation.  What could you do to increase your awareness?

Here is the second of 12 attributes of resilience from The Middle of Everywhere:  Helping Refugees Enter the American Community by Mary Pipher, Ph.D.

Energy and good health . . .Adjusting to new places and recovering from loss requires an enormous amount of energy.  What are you doing to nurture yourself and build energy?  Are you encouraging and supporting others in your life to do the same?

Here is the first of 12 attributes of resilience from The Middle of Everywhere:  Helping Refugees Enter the American Community by Mary Pipher, Ph.D.

Future Orientation . . . is about letting go and moving on.  As Mary explains it, it is about putting your heart into something so that you can succeed.  On the day after St. Valentine’s Day, where’s your heart’s zest?  Is it leading to a brighter future?  What might you need to let go of to follow it more boldly?

Contributors:  Diana, Pam, Joy, Ellen & Sherry

Hands folded, fingertips to lips, she gazed

at the page before her, and wondered

if she was up to the task she’d been assigned.

Why words,

while she loved them,

could not capture completely the essence

of what she felt in her heart;

some poets and luminaries came close,

but none so close they could disclose

what was hidden.

The secrets of her heart

the ebb and flow of life,

the constant flux, the spice

that makes life interesting.

At yesterday’s poetry workshop, Amalio Madueno asked each of the poets and/or lovers of poetry present, what poetry was for us?  A good question that can be extended to life if we are, indeed, at least part author of our story.

Dressing as a human post-it note with another Rotarian yesterday reminded me of the creativity humor brings to organizations.  My hypothesis is that “fun begets fun” since the post-it notes were inspired by a dazzling Cat in the Hat complete with a bicycle and horn the week before.  

Think of a time when outrageous fun moved something forward in your world.  Share your story and we can learn together.