Blog post

“SHOULDING” on ourselfs and others

I am hoping that while we are visiting Italy for the next couple of weeks that I will be as diligent about blogging. It is a great way to feel as if you are keeping in touch without forcing yourself on people. A couple of paragraphs a day should be doable. “SHOULD” – It’s a funny word that people usually use to correct a situation. We do “should” on ourselves a lot especiallyin tragic times. “If only we had” … except and accept that we didn’t. As humans we also “SHOULD” on others, giving advice even when it is unsolicited.

“Should” is a desctructive word. It judges. It is subjunctive and subjective. It is tentative and I can’t recall one instance where it made me feel better. I like to leave it out of my vocabulary but when I am under stress or tired or just not thinking … there it is. “Things should have been different” The reality is that they weren’t. The question is not what should happen now or in the future but what will happen next. Will creates the image of the future more powerfully. Will and Agree to project certainty and the acceptance of responsibility necessary to “Make it so” as Captain Picard of the USS Enterprise would say.

Having said so, I AGREE to write the blog while I am in Italy. I WILL describe thoughts as seen from a new perspecitive, a new stance describing PULSE from a distance and viewing Italy as a visitor preoccupied with people and language. Arrivederci – for now.

PULSE Conversations for Change in PULSE

Relationships change. People move into PULSE, learn what they have come to learn and then move on. Over the past six years I have watched as people contribute what they can, learn about PULSE and themselves and then move onto the next adventure. PULSE as an organization manages many kinds of relationships. What might be unique is that once people move on efforts are made to keep in touch and to redefine relationship rather than end it completely. I like that about us. It isn’t alwaysthe case but most who have worked with us in one capacity or another do keep in touch and maintain a relationship based on the principles and shared criteria for involvement.

Terry, our Executive Director is moving on. She will focus on her own company – TiLT. Although that leaves PULSE with a gigantic space to fill, I am happy to see that she is following her own dream. That is what PULSE is about empowering people to do what they do best. It would be inconsistent of us not to wish her well and to provide what ever support she needs to reach her own goals. Terry will become a PULSE Associate, offering PULSE products through TiLT.

Redefining relationships is what we do in every conversation that we have in our lives. It is interesting to me to see the PULSE philosophy working especially within our own company. A structured conversation makes even difficult conversations successful. Terry’s criteria for a better future and our needs as a company are considered as we plan to transition to this new level of involvement in each others work lives. The future becomes obvious when criteria are made clear and we move toward it. Best of luck to Terry and to PULSE.

Life is too short – Give and Receive the Gift of Listening while you live

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and for sharing your own insight. Today is difficult. There was a domestic homocide in Calgary yesterday. It was one of Jim’s employees. His wife, two of his three kids and a border in his house died with him.

When something like this happens everybody wonders what they could have done to prevent such a tragedy. What I notice is that prevention of this kind of event hinges on our abilities as human beings to truly communicate our thoughts, our feelings and our perceptions of the past, present and future.

For me PREVENTION looks like the PULSE GHOST. Speak Gently, Honestly, Openly, Specifically AND Talk from where you hurt!! Listen with HEART, Hush, Empathize, Attend, Reflect and Trust. Listen with FULL attention when others talk. Hear what is unsaid. Listen with Head, Heart and Body. Give and receive, with appreciation and gratitude, the gift of listening and speaking daily.

Take care of yourselves and the people in your life. Be courageous and curious, always in all ways.

PULSE as Emergency Response Route

I was in Vancouver and Seattle this weekend. It was a great trip. I had never been to Seattle and was pleasantly surprised by the city and all it has to offer. On the way back after we passed the border I notices signs on the Canadian side that I had not noticed before. They caught my eye because they were the shape of a delta triangle and they had lines accross them that divided the triangle into 5 horizontal sections. Except for the colours which were black and yellow it could have been a PULSE Frame image. Below the symbol was a sign that read “Emergency Response Route”. How appropriate considering that the road sign shows the way to safety and so does the PULSE Frame. I was surprised by the similar shape and design and even more intrigued by the similar purpose.

The PULSE Frame is a very effective path or route for rescuing relationships and leading parties to a mutually beneficial plan of action. As parties move through the Frame from Prepare to Uncover, to Learn and Search and Explain, they are guided towards a future that is positive and appreciative, more promising than the future they envisioned before they began down the PULSE path. Just as those who follow the Emergency Response Route in case of disaster will find safety so too will PULSE parties find a safety for Body, Heart and Head.

Hello world!

This is the beginning of a new world for me … the first day of the rest of my life. I alwasy considered myself technologically adept but today as I am learning about blogs and webinars, I have discoverd a whole new world. There are those of you well a head of me on this journey. Thank you for clearing the e-path, marking the e-trail and making it look e-zier for those of us who are following in your e-steps.

I have so much to say. Marjorie has warned if I strat I must visit and update and answer regularly, three times a week at a minimum. That seems like an awesome responsiblity to take on when my days and yours are already full. What to give up to ensure that the discipline of blogging inegrates into my life? My first thought is that this become my e-journal. Everyday I journal PULSE thoughts. If I were to synthesize those into a e-message Monday, Wednesday and Friday, that might work.

This is quite exciting. Some themes I might want to work with are the Oprah Trek, the 9 PULSE Beaches, the PULSE Prism and PULSE and the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I hope that all the PULSE Professionals will join in to make this interesting. Keeping all of you informed as to our activity and intention has not been easy as life fills our days.

Let’s try again … publish this … and commit to three days a week to keep in touch.