ideas

Thinking Out Loud: Open Up to Unlimited Possibilities

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Learning to Appreciate. A look at appreciative inquiry. Excerpts are taken from, Appreciative Inquiry Handbook (2003) by David Cooperrider, Diana Whitney, and Jacqueline Stravros.

The most important resource for generating constructive change is the cooperation between the imagination and the reasoning function of the mind. . . . Appreciative inquiry is a way of reclaiming imaginative competence. P 8

Note: We can apply this appreciative inquiry principle to our everyday lives. Appreciative inquiry at its essence is all about relationships. It is about the generative conversations that occur when two or more people work together to solve challenges. Imagine you and your partner are having a conversation about where to go on an extended weekend break. Both of you have ideas for great get aways, yet your destination ideas are different. In some cases, both people may become fixed in their opinions, an argument occurs, and the result is no weekend getaway. If they decide to set aside their opinions and begin a conversation about what they want out of a weekend getaway without initially naming a destination, their conversation takes on a different hue. As their conversation evolves they can begin to ask, what places satisfy what we want? An important learning point is the set aside. When we set  aside preconceived opinions, we allow our minds to open to unlimited possibilities.  

Inspiring Quote of the Day ~ Keep On Keeping On

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“If you run out of ideas follow the road; you’ll get there.”

Edgar Allan Poe

Something to Think About

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A great right in democracies is the right to vote. We can vote between competing candidates who express competing ideas. When we don’t vote, we forfeit our right to have a say in who governs us. Sometimes our votes are for winning candidates whose views we support. Other times, our votes are for the losing candidate and the opposing candidate wins. That’s the way it is in a democracy, the majority vote counts. We accept it and move on, grateful we had a chance to vote.

Something to Think About

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If you’re a poker player, you know you have to play the hand you’re dealt. You can discard a few cards and hope you catch a bit of luck with their replacements. We still have to play the cards in our hand. It’s that way with life. We have to play the hand we’re dealt. How we play the hand we’re dealt determines the direction of our lives. If the hand you’ve been dealt isn’t a good one, hang in there, the very next hand may be the big winner. 

Something to Think About

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There is much more that unites us than that which divides us. When we change our focus from that which divides to that which unites, our relationships are changed. We begin to see the deep connections between ourselves and others. We may believe differently, hold differing political perspectives, and have cultural differences, yet, these differences are minor compared to what unites us as human beings. Perhaps it is time to reject divisive calls that seek to divide us and demand calls that unite us. 

Something to Think About

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What is time to you? is it something that goes too fast? Is it something that drags? How do you use your time? Once a second goes by it is lost, it cannot be retrieved. Nor can we add time to what already exists. Time is equally distributed to all living beings. We each have 24 hours in a day. How we use our time is up to us. Use time wisely, what you do with your time is your legacy. 

Something to Think About

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We work hard to earn money to buy things. Advertisers would have us think we’re buying happiness when we buy their products. The happiness they sell has a short shelf life. If the products we’re buying are not giving us lasting happiness, what does? When we discover what gives us lasting happiness everything else falls far behind. 

Something to Think About

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There will always be problems. When we solve a problem, another one appears. The more problems we solve, the more complex they become. Solving problems is more effective when one searches for solutions and sets blame aside. Focusing on blame never solved a problem. Focusing on ways to resolve the problem creates an environment of cooperation enhancing the opportunities for success. 

Something to Think About

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We humans are a strange lot. Some of us are an open book. We hold nothing back, it’s all there to read. Some of us are closed up tighter than Fort Knox. We fear letting people getting too close us. We fear any self-disclosure. And, there are lots of folks in-between the two extremes.  It’s what make every relationship unique and interesting. The more we build trust with each other, the more we’re willing to disclose little pieces of ourselves. In great relationships, each person knows the other even better than they know themselves. 

Something to Think About

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Each generation has their tough times. My parents grew up during the great depression and World War II. They lived during tough times. Today, we live with the effects of climate change, a pandemic, cultural clashes, and terrorism. How we meet the challenges of our times defines our generation. Complaining and condemning doesn’t solve the issues. Cooperation, hard work, and patient endurance will see us through.

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