Holly smoke! I have been going through yet another reinventing process for the last 6 months. These processes happen about 5-10 times in a person’s life. This is my fourth one. Just because I have had some experience with this process previously does NOT mean that this time it is any easier. In fact, I do believe, the process actually gets harder and scarier each time. Because as we get older, we have more things to loose, a larger ego to manage. and more patterns to undo.

The reinventing process looked like this:
1. I was going a long on my path, grooving and doing my things. Then suddenly “WHAM!” I looked down and my path was gone. Nothing was exciting anymore. Everything that was working became really hard or dried up and went away. I got fired from projects out of the blue. One minute I had everything, the next I had nothing.
2. I panicked (of course)! I moaned, I groaned, I moped, I groped. Still nothing came. My life continued to unravel.
3. I continued to resist, I prayed, I sprayed (not in a good way). I hired myself a coach. Thank God. I stabilized. But I continued to resist. My Turned On factor was low.
4. I made bargains to God, to myself, to my coach, to my old employers. No one was buying my old story line, especially myself. I hated myself (why are you doing this to us? why now? again?) I hated my coach (not really. Thank God he was willing.)
5. Now What? I settled down. I started to listen. I couldn’t avoid the truths anymore. But what are the truths? and what are the cover-ups? How do I know? The more I listened, the more confused I got, the more pain I accumulated. I contracted, I hardened, I braced, I doubted, I frowned, I dragged…I thought of going to get a job! That thought almost killed me.
6. Finally to save myself, I went to yoga (regularly), I sat and meditated for days, I juiced, I cleansed, I prayed some more, I quantum lept, I channeled and talked to spirits, I reached out to friends, I collaborated on every crazy but FUN ideas that came to me. I begged for help my spirits and guides. I surrendered: What is my higher calling? Please tell me, I promise I will follow THIS TIME!
7. Slowly, step by step, piece by piece, the new puzzle came together. I came up with a new title that inspires me and reengages me. I have a new game plan, a bigger message. I even have a new logo and look. This could be exciting!!!!
I am not ready to reveal the whole grand plan yet. But one piece involves me learning to make people laugh on large corporate stage. That scares the S!@#%&T out of me! So I looked up the definition of comedy today.

“Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. The performer is commonly known as a comic, stand-up comic, stand-up comedian or simply a stand-up.”

I Finally GOT IT! The Universe’s latest loving message to me. “STAND UP!”

…to be continued

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Living in rural India, people still have to get their daily usage of water from a common well in town. At Yoga Nikaya retreat center, 50 km outside of Bangalore, since it is brand new and we were the first test group, not all the units had running water in the shower. They had not dialed in the water tank pressure to all the cabins. So we got a little taste of “country life”, going to get our own water and bathing with one cup of water at a time. It brought back memories from my childhood in Vietnam. It also reminded me of how much water we waste in the modern lifestyle. When we have to carry and boil our own (hot) water, we use a lot less.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

This is how urban myths come about… Someone is telling a story, that gets videotaped and then youTubed. Before we know it, thousands of people see the video and the myth is created…. This is to say, I didn’t check the facts on this story. I am here for entertainment only.
The people in the video are my friends on the trip with me. Raj Singh is sharing his knowledge about the history of Thumbs Up, while Kate Flock and Gina Piper are being the enthusiastic audience.

ps. Just in case you didn’t know why our fascination for Thumbs Up cola, it was the drink made famous by the book and movie “Eat, Pray, Love”

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Had an interesting revelation from my cup of Chai!
Leadership Lessons come from random moments…

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

My brain is exploding with “ah-has” and “Wows”. After watching this presentation, I am compelled to stop action and go back to the drawing board to think about “How Do I Help Future Leaders Become Leaders?” Because they are so different than me. As a parent, I feel behind and outdated. As a leadership coach, I feel behind and outdated.

See for yourself.

(You will need to press the “play” button several times until the music starts)

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

“Good News!!! There is hope for us. AND it is a natural instinct in our make-up as human beings.”

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

On my recent trip to Seoul, I captured a few pictures with my iPhone, that speaks volumes of the Korean culture.

This is a poster for the Information board at the airport.  How she looks: the heart symbol, the leg position, the smile, the age of the young woman all speaks to the typical look and feel that I get when interacting with younger Korean women.  They are generally very sweet, helpful, polite, and don’t take up much space (both with their physical body and energy).

What is lesser known is that these soft young girls grow up into soft demure looking women, until her strength is tested.  She is fierce, full of fire, and a force to be reckoned with.  Unlike her counter part in the West, she plays a stealth game.  It was explained to me by my Korean friends.  They don’t show their strength unless it is pushed and is the last resort.  Because as they said “it’s not smart or safe to be loud and confrontative in the negotiation.  It is better to come in soft, maneuver around gently and sweetly, until they have to pull out the big gun.”  Korean women run the household, control the bank account, buy and sell real estate, and manage the children.  Korean men, hand over the pay check, get an allowance, and try to stay out of their wives’ way.

This picture is of a customs counter at Incheon airport,.  It’s the last chance for people to fill out the immigration card before talking to the officers.  Look! they have magnifying reading glasses for elders.  It’s a culture that respects and takes care of older people.  At first glance that was what I thought.  Until I dove deeper.

In my coaching training classes, the audience is made up of a lot of men who are over 50.  When asked what compelled you to come here, the overwhelming response is “I am over 50 year old, my company has no more use for me.  I am supposed to retire soon, and I want a new challenge to do.”  Again at first, it sounds very similar to all other cultures and countries that I have been to.  Until they choose to reveal more.

Unlike in the States where people dream of their retirement so they can play golf for the rest of their lives.  In Korea, hard working men are retired (not by choice) at a very young age of 50 something.  They feel a deep sense of shame, abandonment and rejection from their company.  They loose their identity and their sense of worth.  Many of them resort to drinking or worst, committing suicide because they are so ashamed and lonely.

Etiquette bell in every female toilet stall at the airport.

I think the name is funny: Etiquette Bell.  If you push this button, will someone brings you some etiquette?

The bell feels very comforting to me.  How often do we, women sit down and realize that there is no toilet paper, or worse….

But to be honest, I have not had the courage to push that button.  I keep imagining, red light flashing and loud speaker announcing “Woman in stall no. 3.  Stall number 3 needs help.  Needs some etiquette.  Send some etiquette to No. 3!!!”  Will someone really come running to bring me more toilet paper? Is it linked to some poor woman’s cell phone? or does it even work?

Either way, I don’t want to wreck the illusion, that there is help if I need it.