Author Nick: Judy Ringer
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Last week I attended an excellent 2-day workshop called “Staying Grounded When on the Spot,” offered by the Public Conversations Project, in Watertown, MA. Geared to help facilitators and trainers manage challenging group moments, I found that the skills applied in a variety of settings, including one-on-one communication “hot spots.” When a conversation becomes difficult, [...]
What is center? How do you choose to be centered, and why? In what ways can you develop a strong center? As a student and instructor of the Japanese martial art Aikido, and as a professional speaker and trainer, I often present on this topic and, in addition, have made centering a life practice. I [...]
The beginning of a new year, like the beginning of anything, brings with it thoughts of change, rejuvenation, new life, and resolutions about how to accomplish these changes. Life offers possibilities of a fresh start for our relationships. But we don’t always carry through on our resolutions. There’s a great difference between wanting to change [...]
One of the questions I receive most often from my newsletter subscribers is what do I do when I’ve “blown it?” As one good friend said: “I forgot all the great ways I know to address a conflict. I reprimanded an employee by basically attacking her character. I did apologize, and, thankfully, she is not [...]
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why we fear our more serious conflict conversations, why we put them off or hold them in unconstructive ways. I had one of my own recently and was really quite uncentered for a bit, thinking about how I wanted to hold the conversation, what my positive intention was, [...]
My friend and colleague, Sandy Davis, who lives in the northern reaches of the state of Maine, is an executive leadership coach. Among other things, he teaches people how to be resilient. He has a simple, effective formula that includes spending fifteen minutes each day in three different practices: a centering practice, an aerobic practice, [...]
I needed to stop and breathe about a thousand times yesterday what with unaware customer service reps and nasty tech glitches – my favorite hot buttons. It all began when I took my car in to be serviced first thing and learned the service rep had forgotten I needed a ride home. I had scheduled [...]
I entered the service center of my car dealership ten minutes early for a scheduled maintenance. The service rep took my name and confirmed the details. After a few minutes, she asked if I’d be waiting for the car. I said “What do you mean? We spoke about this when I made the appointment. I [...]
What is center? How do you choose to be centered, and why? In what ways can you develop a strong center? As a student and instructor of the Japanese martial art Aikido, and as a professional speaker and trainer, I often present on this topic and, in addition, have made centering a life practice. I [...]
Last week I attended an excellent 2-day workshop called “Staying Grounded When on the Spot,” offered by the Public Conversations Project, in Watertown, MA. Geared to help facilitators and trainers manage challenging group moments, I found that the skills applied in a variety of settings, including one-on-one communication “hot spots.” When a conversation becomes difficult, [...]
At dinner with my friend Susan recently, I was struck by the simplicity of the conflict resolution strategy she offered her friend one morning. Susan’s friend sought her advice about how to approach a neighbor about a potential conflict. The neighbor was prickly and Susan’s friend was uneasy, and she asked Susan to come along [...]
There are many ways to improve the way you communicate. For example, you will always start things off on the right foot by opening the conversation in a way that creates mutual respect. Using phrases such as, “If you have a minute, I’d like to talk with you about something that I think will improve [...]
One of the things that interests me most about conflict is the tendency to resist it and the ways in which this resistance causes me to miss a ki moment – a key moment, when I might respond with purpose and intention but do not. Resistance is a reactive habit. When I resist, I’m on [...]
I like newsletters, too, and I subscribe to an e-newsletter called Notes from the Universe. I’d heard from others that it offers positive daily reminders that “life is what you make it,” as my Aunt Mary used to say. The “Notes” are actually pretty amazing. When you sign up, you can answer questions about yourself, [...]
As I hiked up the path to the Peaceful Valley Chapel, I relished the quiet of my early morning solitude. After many years as a participant and assistant instructor at Thomas Crum’s Journey To Center Program, this beautiful and energizing ten-minute hike had become a personal ritual. Each morning of each Journey to Center week, [...]
A friend has this quotation on his office wall: “I know worry works because nothing I worry about ever happens.” I think I must believe that, because I worry a lot — and about the most insignificant things. I worry about the big things, of course, like health, relationships, and finances. But I’m also liable [...]
“When attack becomes dance, everything is seen as a gift of energy.” That sounds great, doesn’t it? Couldn’t we all use a little more energy from time to time? I know I could. Right now, for instance, as I sit with a blanket over my shoulders, sipping lemon tea and hoping that the next coughing [...]
Advocacy is the flip side of Inquiry – the opportunity that you open for yourself to tell your story. What can you see from your perspective that they’ve missed? Can you clarify your position without minimizing theirs? For example: “From what you’ve told me, I can see how you came to the conclusion that I’m [...]
…Hi, Yvonne. How’s it going?Great to see you, Judy … bright and early, I see! Lifeguard Yvonne’s familiar greeting – smiling and upbeat – registered anew this particular morning. As I headed into the pool locker room, I wondered how many times we’d exchanged these same words over the years. I flashed on the movie [...]
