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Worthiness Rules

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 23:27:41 GMT

April 2022 - VAST Original Thinking News

Welcome dear Friends and Colleagues to the April edition of Original Thinking News.

This month we honor our best selves on this Planet as we celebrate Earth Day, 4.22.22.

Spring has sprung at VAST.
Our energies are quickening as seeds of replenishment burst through the warming soil.

Worthiness Rules this month, as dear Michelle Purnell Hepburn and I share our next segment of Curly Girls Guide to Belonging . In this episode we explore the power of: worthiness, resolute allies and ways to chart your nourishing path there. We share on:

· The power of owning your truth

· How Marilyn Monroe exampled the best in allyship for her talented friend Ella Fitzgerald

· Ways to diffuse the bully’s negativity. Plus, more.

Listen here

Worthiness is embracing and expanding our confidence in our own goodness in this life, on this planet, today.

This world is quite remarkable.

Upon it we dwell in both peace and strife. The unparalleled beauty of this rock can soothe the senses and rejuvenate the weariest of souls. As the earth awakens from its wintertime pause, the pulsing of life can spark an awakening within as well...

Awe and wonder bring us nearer to owning our inherent worth. Let that reset bring you closer to embodying your sense of preciousness.

Take the time to stop and appreciate the bountiful delights of nature…the vibrant colors, the delicious scents, the caressing breeze on our face, the tangy taste of August berries and the sweet chirps of birds.

Spring’s promising fragrances waft through my walks in the world. A riot of flowers rise to greet me wherever I gaze. The bluebirds sing and the bees cozy up to the nectar-laden flowers. The azure sky is embroidered with the puffiest of clouds. The evening stars are radiant. Earendel, our newest star discovery , and his friends send us light from over 12 billion years ago. This feat of human genius, to build telescopes that can see deep into our solar system, in accord with physics, encourages me that Earth, and those who dwell upon it can and do generate miracles, including the possibility of living in harmony together.

We deserve to feel good, be happy, and be in love with life and ourselves. How does that occur?

Your heart will melt as your innate sense of connection, wonder and worth are stimulated.

Must it be intentional? Many of us do not believe ourselves “worthy" and doubt that we deserve joy or harmony during our time on this planet. Michelle and I address that on our Curly Girls’ vodcast: Worthiness Rules .

As Amber Wauters, author of Guide to Healing and Wholeness, elegantly shares, “We are value itself, and there is nothing we need to do to prove our worth. Once we realize we are worthy simply because we exist, we free our life force and liberate energy for living.”

Once we see ourselves as worthy of: supportive allies, wholeness, and so much more, our confidence and self-appreciation can skyrocket. That is when the fun begins.

What you do Matters!

With Love and warmth,

~ Michelle

January 2022 Original Thinking News - Leading with Empathy

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 22:27:41 GMT

This month we Lead from the Empathy Edge, with Maria Ross

Welcome dear Friends and Colleagues, to VAST Institute, 2022, where we help each other Imagine a Better World into Being .

To address ongoing personal and worldly challenges, at the onset of a New Year it serves to ask ourselves new questions.

My 2022 Question is…

How can we begin to address our challenges from a refreshed vantage point; seeking solutions that address them as a part of the Human Condition?

What if… all it took to amplify our collective trajectory toward a brighter future was to ask ourselves, very gently, a new question? How can we as human beings solve this particular issue?

What we have in common is as important as that which makes our family, group or team unique. If each of us understood that our own private challenges are a snapshot version of those all humans must face and solve, it could heighten our sense of belonging and empathy as we experience our shared humanity.

To strengthen your unique brand of Leadership Genius™, VAST has curated the talent of Original Thinkers who offer a kindhearted approach to upgrading your imagination and resilience toolkit. This is when having a proven strategy in you comes in handy. We refer to them as our six competencies .

This month we focus on the artful gift of Empathy tools and perspective.

We launch this year’s adventure with Maria Ross, author and branding wizard as she delves into Leading from The Empathy Edge through her findings of implementing empathy as a profitable business strategy.

“During my three-year quest to understand empathy and leadership…What I found is…a lot of studies out there that showed that empathetic cultures lead to more innovation, more innovative products and services. They lead to better collaboration and better communications which is sort of a virtuous cycle.” - Maria Ross

from VAST Balancing on the Empathy Edge podcast

Listen to Maria's incisive interview here as VAST Taste of Original Thinking podcast on Leading as we Balance on The Empathy Edge.

On January 25 ^th , tune in to Maria’s fascinating Empathy Edge podcast interview with Michelle where they explore the synergy of Empathy with Imagination as explored in Kindling the Flame . Link to follow.

Maria’s business centric approach to compassionate action is uplifting and a hallmark of the VAST Conscious Commerce leadership movement of employing trust, respect and mutual benefit in all transactions.

Let us create fresh approaches to solving the same old problems, together.

Welcome 2022.

Happy and Healthy New Year to each and All.

Let us imagine that compassionate action prevails and each day, through our personal choices we are closer to harmony within and throughout our world. Your presence is our gift.

~ Michelle

December Original Thinking News

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 22:46:42 GMT

May Peace Prevail on Earth...

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Merry, Happy, healthy Holidays and New Year from the VAST Institute team, as we each seek the winter wisdom of calm and inner calling to guide us towards our original living in 2022.

Join me today to imagine a better world into being with the joyous December edition of VAST Original Thinking ^® News.

This year has tested our confidence in the ultimate goodness of friends, family, neighbors and institutions. Once we can acknowledge that we are in the middle of a global, cultural transition and transformation, effective strategies can be considered. We know what has been before and now are tasked to imagine our better world into being.

At this precise moment of concern and doubt it serves to pay attention and notice all the goodness around us –as we build a bridge from here to there, day by day through our personal choices.

This the VAST Institute’s reason for being.

WE have crafted a nourishing library of inspired, positive, original ideas and we offer solid solutions to address today’s challenges of inclusion, self-wisdom, connection, leadership, compassion, empathy and imagination.

Our podcasts, online events, summits and genius mentoring techniques grant you access to your authentic self and peace of mind, two of the most precious cornerstones of confidence. 2021 has been stellar for VAST for we forged meaningful connections, with brilliant partners.

A big note of appreciation to our community of: Practical Optimist Book club fans, Healthy Relationship tune-up tribe, Leadership Genius Roundtable buds, ingenious clients and the international transformational coaching community.

Thank you for the wonderful brainstorms and opportunity to share your triumphs and soften your concerns with our library of self-guided wisdom.

A special shout out to Jim Cohen our podcast buddy on Sound and Light. Music had always brought great magic into my life. Working with Jim is a joy, for his wit and wisdom. His work on S&L has provided a resonant lens for that love of musical magic to shine through. Thanks Jim. To our 2021 episodes!

VAST Institute 2022 promises a stellar lineup of beloved and vibrant Original Thinkers.

In January we will be featuring sparkplug Maria Ross, author of The Empathy Edge on the Power of Empathy to share her findings on the VAST Taste of Original Thinking Podcast. Later, on January 25 ^th tune in to Maria’s Empathy Edge podcast for our discussion on and the Role of Imagination and Resilience in Empathy as a Leader. Maria’s business centric approach to compassionate action is a hallmark of the Conscious Commerce movement. Her work and dedication to infusing empathy into leadership tactics and roadmaps is sheer leadership genius!

February then brings us the joyful and wise presence of Michelle Purnell Hepburn in a special “The Curly Girls Guide to Belonging ” 3-part video series. Join Michelle and I to playfully rekindle your sense of personal creativity, worth and belonging. Discover how being true to yourself is the best way to heal and improve the world. Here is the Curly Girls pilot video to enjoy.

March will focus on harnessing the Power of Positive Imagination with Paula Intravaia of Cloud Collective to reveal how Purposeful Daydreaming ignites the positive imagination of people in problem solving and mastering of new skills. Then on March 26 ^th (9am-noon PDT) Cloud Club Collective Cloud Club Collective and VAST will offer an online training for professionals, educators and Imagineers on the alchemy of imagination, chock full of scientific and practical wisdom. Detail on registration to follow. Of course, more Sound and Light events and episodes with Jim Cohen are being planned for 2022. Stay tuned.

Let us imagine a better world into being, together, lovingly, joyfully and presently as Magnificent Human People doing our best in real time to mend the world we inhabit.

Check out the fanfiction blog on Einstein and the Unified Field of?

And 2022 Events Calendar below.

I am deeply grateful and occasionally awestruck at the ability to collaborate with such brilliant colleagues as we continue to build a VAST treasury of light. Stay tuned…

See you next year with bells on!
~ Michelle

Einstein and the Unified Field of ?

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 22:36:00 GMT

Where there is Love there is Life – Mahatma Gandhi

As I endeavor to imagine the ways that Albert Einstein understood the universe in which he lived, I am fascinated by his perpetual seeking of a unifying force in nature - the unified field .

The scientific community believes he never resolved that physics conundrum in his lifetime,

A counterfeit letter, penned in Einstein’s name supposedly sent to his daughter Lieserl purports that he had indeed discovered the answer to his quest for a unifying field of nature.

During this month of regeneration allow this heartfelt Einstein fanfiction to stimulate your positive imagination about the truest power of love.

Here are excerpts...

…” When I proposed the theory of relativity, very few understood me, and what I will reveal now to transmit to mankind will also collide with the misunderstanding and prejudice in the world.

There is an extremely powerful force that, so far, science has not found a formal explanation to. It is a force that includes and governs all others and is even behind any phenomenon operating in the universe and has not yet been identified by us.

This universal force is LOVE.

When scientists looked for a unified theory of the universe, they forgot the most powerful unseen force.

Love is Light, that enlightens those who give and receive it.
Love is gravity, because it makes some people feel attracted to others.
Love is power, because it multiplies the best we have, and allows humanity not to be extinguished in their blind selfishness. Love unfolds and reveals.
For love we live and die.
Love is God and God is Love.

This force explains everything and gives meaning to life. This is the variable that we have ignored for too long, maybe because we are afraid of love because it is the only energy in the universe that man has not learned to drive at will.

To give visibility to love, I made a simple substitution in my most famous equation.

If instead of E = mc2, we accept that the energy to heal the world can be obtained through love multiplied by the speed of light squared, we arrive at the conclusion that love is the most powerful force there is, because it has no limits.

After the failure of humanity in the use and control of the other forces of the universe that have turned against us, it is urgent that we nourish ourselves with another kind of energy…

If we want our species to survive, if we are to find meaning in life, if we want to save the world and every sentient being that inhabits it, love is the one and only answer.

We are not yet ready to make a bomb of love, a device powerful enough to entirely destroy the hate, selfishness and greed that devastate the planet.

However, each individual carries within them a small but powerful generator of love whose energy is waiting to be released.

When we learn to give and receive this universal energy, dear Lieserl, we will have affirmed that love conquers all, is able to transcend everything and anything, because love is the quintessence of life.
I need to tell you that I love you and thanks to you I have reached the ultimate answer!”

- Your father,

Albert Einstein”
by anonymous

What makes the Unified Field of love concept possible is articulated by Emily Dickinson, 19 ^th century Amherst poet. She understood our greatest gift to one another is to witness the beauty of optimism in ourselves, as souls.

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words - and never stops at all.”

Mahatma began on Life,
Einstein moved us to Love, then
Emily infused Hope into our human story.

Here is our New Year’s dispatch of Light for 2022...

Let us imagine a better world into being, together, lovingly, joyfully and presently, as whole, Magnificent Human People doing our best in real time to love and mend the world we each inhabit and sweeten the unified field with our humankindness.

Why not? Couldn’t hurt! Could help and feel remarkably empowering.

November Original Thinking News

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 21:25:05 GMT

Awaken the Genius Within

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Welcome to our Thanksgiving edition of VAST Original Thinking ^® News.

This month we share our gratitude on having the VAST Institute Podcast series turned 21 this month .
Twenty-one episodes strong!

Thanks to you and the encouraging work of our team of contributors, uplifting content is now available on your favorite podcast channel with original solutions from VAST amazing guests, Taste of Original Thinking radio broadcasts, and webinars.

Just ask your device to “PLAY VAST INSTITUTE Podcasts, episode ?” for fresh insight, wisdom and encouragement. As I sat last week and listened, I heard the care and nourishing intent shine through.
Here is your VAST Podcast Episode listening guide.

None of this would have been possible without the enormous talents and the dedication of the VAST virtual team. What a joy to collaborate with those who know what they do, matters!

I would especially like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to:

Mike Ament for engineering and overseeing our technical infrastructure to seamlessly capture and deliver quality content with diverse approaches.

Dr. Lori Adcock for her wise leadership counsel.

Kimberly Whitson for her clear perspective and sensible approach to accomplishing our most difficult tasks.

Professor Sergey Vesmanov for his scholastic and scientific clarity on sharing the VAST competencies and content with academic communities.

Susan Harmon and Eric Burris of the Susan Harmon Experience on 11.50am radio, currently on sabbatical, for launching our Taste of Original Thinking radio show to listeners in January of 2019.

Jim Cohen for his musical musings and elegant design contribution to the Sound and Light series. This series has sparked a great deal of connection throughout the community. Here are comments from Sound and Light listeners.

“I am really enjoying these… Just wanting you to know! “- KL

“I stumbled across your sound and light show with you and Jim hosting last night before going to bed. Listened to part 3 and 1 in the series!!! Was so deeply moved by the many areas you and Jim brought into focus with the early 60's and 70's..... all the early bohemian cafe gigs starting so many music careers. Loved it so much, !!” - KS

“For those who love the rock and roll story, I had fun times with Sound and Light” - SN

Special thanks to Abigayle Scobee for her voiceovers and contribution to our creative and production team.
More Sound and Light events and episodes with Jim are in the works for 2022.

Michelle Purnell Hepburn for the delightful Curly Girls Guide to Belonging video /podcast series, with three new episodes to be released this coming Spring.

Seth Pearson, Jeni Miller, Joseph Robinson, Jonathan VanValin, Don Graf and Kimberly Whitson for the podcast interviews which shared their unique brand of Original Thinking with our audience.

I am deeply grateful and awestruck daily at my great fortune to collaborate with such brilliant minds and hearts, as we continue to expand the VAST treasury of light. Stay tuned, follow and share us with likeminded folks who can use a bit of encouragement and sparkle in their world.

In January , we will be hearing from Maria Ross on the Power of Empathy . February promises three inspiring episodes of The Curly Girls Guide to Belonging Series with Michelle Purnell Hepburn . March will be a month for stimulating our positive imagination new friends from the Cloud Collective out of San Diego . For these and all the great thinkers among us, thank you!

Stay tuned to VAST Institute to enrich your library of light in the Spring.

As we settle into this time of gratitude, join us each Friday morning to refresh your Leadership Genius (LG) at our LG Roundtable, or drop in for our Practical Optimists Book Club on the first Tuesday of the month.

As Doris Day, America’s, past sweetheart once so brilliantly assessed, "Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty."

Prosper, with the appreciation of what is already good in your world. Fresh starts are always a bit unnerving but with a sense of gratitude, practical optimism and adventure we can imagine a better world into being, together.

~ Michelle

VAST September Original Thinking News

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 23:04:26 GMT

Refreshed from a sweet summer of playing, grounding and growing...

Dearest Friends and Esteemed Colleagues,

It is wonderful to be back from sabbatical to share our September edition of VAST Original Thinking ^® News.

It was great fortune to spend this summer with my favorite people, in some of my favorite places on the planet. Got to travel, mix it up with fellow humans a bit and gain perspective on important truths; like how moments of awe at the beauty in front of us, even during difficulty or derision, is vital to our personal and collective growth and sanity.

Refreshed from a sweet summer of playing, grounding and growing, it is my pleasure to share the replenishing energy and a few, insightful moments-in-time.

During my recent journeys to the three distinct locals of the Big Island, Seattle and Santa Fe, I witnessed a condensed version of how magical life can be, if I can muster the courage to focus on what is already wondrous in your world.

The VAST team has been simmering with creativity all summer long, preparing fresh, engaging content, podcasts and workshops, sure to delight and inspire - Our event calendar is filled with uplifting guidance and brainstorms to shift the close of 2021 to be more encouraging, within and without. Let the adventure unfold.

This month’s issue of Original Thinking News will explore:

1) Leadership Genius: The Benefits of Being Happy, even during the rough times

2) Sound and Light
podcast series
with Jim Cohen and Michelle Sherman

The focus is life and music; the stories are profound.

They begin on the streets of New York in the 50’s and bring us forward to their vision for today and how music brings us so much more than just noise.

Please welcome Michelle Purnell Hepburn, to the Taste of Original Thinking podcast series. as she riffs with us on The Curly Girls Guide to Belonging. Michelle brings great warmth, humor, cross industry wisdom and insight to our discussion, rant and rave about making room for every curly girl or honorary curly girl at the table.

And please take a moment to review our VAST Fall 2021 online class schedule thoughtfully crafted to support your growth as lifelong leaders and learners.

Join us to refresh as a Leader, with our weekly Leadership Genius Roundtable, as a Person , with our Practical Optimists Book Club and, as a Lover of Life ready to Welcome the Belove, during a two-part healthy relationship event in October.

In the midst of change and chaos let us see the beauty around as a reminder of where we want to go, together. As designer Christian Dior so clearly expressed, “Happiness is the secret to all beauty. There is no beauty without happiness”.

See and cultivate beauty in the midst of the bleak, and you will shift your perspective finding support, ingenuity and untapped treasure among your team.

Let us hear your story.

~ Michelle

Welcoming the Beloved Online Sessions

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 18:58:59 GMT

Learn the gentlest path forward to welcoming the beloved into your life, heart and world.

Welcoming the Beloved
Join Michelle Sherman Life and Leadership Coach, as guide, for two three-hour sessions down the path to the beloved as you self-correct your basic assumptions on intimacy and what is possible. Discover what constitutes a healthy relationship with your ideal life partner, as beloved. Bring your notebook and a willingness to understand “sacred union” and reimagine what is possible.

Learn the gentlest path forward to welcoming the beloved into your life and heart.

Identify your personal operating system as the platform to understand and satisfy your needs
Clarify the specific steps to engage authentically in your current relationships
Generate relationships in which you (and your chosen partner) are mutually encouraged to thrive, grow and flourish.
Create a solid practice and confidence to prepare for the beloved to enter your life.

Tune in for an adult look at what levels of joy, sweetness and gentle abandon we are each willing to allow.

Come prepared to lighten up from past burdens as you devise a refreshed pathway to welcoming the beloved.

Workshop Investment - Two 3-Hour Sessions

Individual Investment in Joy = $144
Couples = $195
(Enter Quantity 2 in Cart to receive automatic couples pricing at checkout)
Veterans, Caregivers, Educators and Students on a budget = $72
Use Code at checkout: MYBELOVED2021

We each decide for ourselves what we are willing allow into our closest connections.
Welcoming the Beloved forges, a path towards greater peace within which then ripples throughout the world.

It is time.

The Curly Girls Guide to Belonging, a VAST Taste of Original Thinking podcast

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 19:18:50 GMT

Please join Michelle Purnell Hepburn, as she riffs with Michelle Sherman on Inclusion Related issues of substance

As Director of Equity and Inclusion f or the heartfelt Seattle Foundation, Michelle Purnell-Hepburn brings cross-industry verve, wisdom and insight to our vibrant VAST chat, rant and rave about Belonging.

Enjoy sharing in our stories and inclusion insights from the diverse vantage point of two curly girls , from different coasts and backgrounds who joyfully generate enthusiasm about how beautiful life is, and we are.

To belong to ourselves is our goal for we do not need to look outside for what is already wonderful about each of us.

Join us to elevate the level of discourse about human diversity with two “Curly Girls” who have lived and seen a lot.

Watch Video

Sound and Light with Jim Cohen and Michelle Sherman

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 19:08:15 GMT

The focus is life and music; the stories are profound

The focus is life and music; the stories are profound.

Jim Cohen and Michelle Sherman, two cool New York kids, who befriended music - recount how it influenced their lives. Enjoy this unscripted, and poignant dialogue about our music as a life influencer, sustainer and compass;

Sound & Light regales us with stories of Jim and Michelle’s memories of music, and delves into key moments of personal growth, the sweep of time, and the power of the beat.

They begin on the streets of New York in the 50’s and bring us forward to their vision for today and how music brings us all so much more than just beautiful noise.

Coming Soon - Release Date September 15, 2021

Leadership Genius: The Benefits of Being Happy, Even When Times are Rough

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 18:43:29 GMT

Finding the beauty in life is what keeps us going

I want to remind everyone who has the capacity to be happy to do so, even in times of difficulty and uncertainty.

Why is this important as a leader?
For some, it seems dishonest to be happy when you know things are stinky for other people.

To remember to be happy in the moment is essential because those who are capable can seed the collective mind by countermanding negative vibes with their positive energy and nourishing ideas. By stimulating positive imagination for wonderful outcomes, it becomes possible for more people to help, imagine and act it into being.

When you see the beauty before you, already present, our nervous system calms down on a deep level and we begin to breathe more fully. Our ongoing cortisol surge is disrupted, and we regain a sense of centered thoughtfulness. It has been studies and proven that focusing on emotionally nourishing ideas enhances divergent problem-solving abilities in adults.

We don’t need to change anyone’s mind; we need to gently shift our own perspective, as a more effective alternative.

It takes courage to see the goodness in a world full of the skeptics, cynics and people who want to make sure you know how bad life is. I fully appreciate the difficult side of life for I have been there and done that, as have. we all. My sadness is that those who are focused on being right about how ugly the world is, are then destined to see it through that prism alone. If you shift the facet through which you see the world a fresh perspective emerges.

What if all we need do is see the beauty beneath our feet?

In Hawaii, Seattle and Santa Fe I was smitten by how much simple beauty there is to enjoy, if only you stop to marvel at it. The colors, the textures, the scents, the sounds, the smiles, and especially, the loving kindness that pulses through it.

What the world needs now is Joy and Calm and Delight to counterbalance the hurt and harm so we can discover better solutions.

As a leader in life, you set the standard for what is seen as possible. Perhaps it is time to see more goodness in the world and makes sure the team sees it clearly through your eyes. Make a pact to notice the sweet and encouraging opportunities before you and dedicate them to healing the discomfort of self and others, especially those for whom you are responsible.

“Happiness is a state of activity” - Aristotle

Go forth and co-create the soil in which happiness grows.
Now that is leadership genius!

If you are ready to tap your Leadership Genius join our Roundtable or 1:1 with Michelle for strategy, clarity, confidence and leadership guidance,

The Fine Distinction between the Patriarchy & the Bullies

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 17:50:19 GMT

The Fine Distinction between the Patriarchy & the Bullies.

Do not assume the Masculine Presence is always an Authoritarian Brute

As the daughter of a raging bully who has subsequently connected with healthier and healthier men, I posit that a positive definition of the Masculine Presence is required for our future health and well-being.

According to Wikipedia the “Patriarchy is a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property. Some patriarchal societies are also patrilineal, meaning that property and title are inherited by the male lineage.”

During an anthropology class at Stony Brook back in the late 1970s, feminists articulated about oppressive forces that seeded sexism and disregard for valuing their talents, gifts and abilities as they sought to play a bigger game than bedwarmer, home maker, wife and mom. Through the distribution of property and land to only men, both men and women have suffered when partners were seen as property.

The problem is that now property can be held by sovereign women, it is no longer the sole domain of the Masculine Presence.

Sharing power is a tough road for some, while reassuring to others. It is all a matter of perspective.

The Patriarchy over the ages deemed itself and remained in control of everything that was created and belonged to the women in their lives. Thus, it is understandable how many came to equate the oppressors with the self-serving system they created to indicate that the Feminine Presence was corrupted in purity and intent.

Germaine Greer, Betty Freidan and Gloria Steinem, feminists, agreed that something was amiss and identified the patriarchal system as one reason for their oppression, and so equated Patriarchy with Authoritarian. Although this is true, I also suggest that there is a huge difference between Patriarchal potential and the Authoritarian Bullies, the one expression of Masculine Presence that tends to intimidate rather than cultivate strategic loving outcomes. There is an important distinction to be made between Authoritarian Consciousness and the Masculine Presence. They are two distinct yet overlapping aspects.

At Vast, we define Authoritarian consciousness as that which makes decisions on my behalf without my prior consent. Within an authoritarian paradigm I never reach adulthood, as it is assumed that others know what is in my best interest, better than I do. We posit that Patriarchal Consciousness can and does often choose to be kindhearted, generous and quite gentle with those within their care. It is a choice based on a code of conduct which I will further explain in a moment.

How does this match up to real life experience?

My Dad, AES was an enigma . He was a bully and so I had the opportunity to learn about bullies up close and that tough men are far more sensitive than they will ever let be seen.

He was a charismatic, self-absorbed person raised on privilege only to fall from grace when entering his 20s. He was mysterious, puzzling, brooding and difficult to understand. The unresolved rage he felt and often expressed rippled throughout my world. His sense of despair was energetically depleting. He was the classic victim.

My Dad was also Prince Charming when not deeply offended about some drama of his own making. He taught me how to fly and took me and the family on lovely adventures. No matter how often we had a good day, his insecurity zapped our family vitality, confidence and courage. Insecurity and fear fueled his desire to control us as an artificial form of reclaiming his lost sense of control and power. I have always wondered what hardships he had to weather to become so uncomfortable with kindness or gentle sweetness from those he most cared about.

Renown psychologist Alice Miller speaks to the impact early difficulties have on the later choices of those hurt or harmed.

She candidly states, “In order not to die, all mistreated children must totally repress the mistreatment, deprivation, and bewilderment they have undergone because otherwise the child's organism wouldn't be able to cope with the magnitude of the pain suffered. Only as adults do they have other possibilities for dealing with their feelings. If they don't make use of these possibilities, then what was once the life-saving function of repression can be transformed into a dangerous destructive, and self-destructive force.”

The Original Masculine presence in my life did not like himself very much and so he expressed it as a rageaholic who pushed away the people that cared about him. His sense of self-loathing was predicated on his own traumatic beginnings. I have learned over the years my experience was shared by others.

But there were many gifts I accrued from his bullying ways. I learned to advocate for myself and not give in to negative people. Being confronted with an annoyed Patriarchal presence forced me to seek and see his finer qualities shine through. Throughout my life I have sought and been connected to men who are honorable, with the power they currently wield, refusing to control others, as they intentionally cultivate their tribe to achieve its fullest potential. May Dad’s soul be at peace as I forgive him after some very concentrated effort.

What have I learned after studying the full spectrum of Masculine Presence?

The dads, brothers, granddads, boyfriends, and partners I have subsequently known were mostly dear, kind, sensitive, emotionally inept cuddle bunnies who were more afraid of looking foolish than hurting someone else.

Vulnerable men are always in their fullest presence, for in that place they bring an open heart and enlightened approach to achieving their external goals. The myth of the Masculine Presence being represented by the authoritarian bully is an untrue story. It is the amplification of a small aspect of the masculinity I witness shared throughout my community. There are so many delightful gents who choose to be great role models and live their life in an honorable way. As I say, true power need not prove of abuse itself or another.

When the Masculine Presence adopts a code of behavior that defends the depleted, listens to the wisdom of the meek, shares the bounty of resource rich opportunities with their family and community, we have a different experience of the Masculine Presence.

This approach is clearly exampled by Arthurian legend. King Arthur’s code of chivalry trained its pod to engage in cooperative and emotionally intelligent outcomes. Violence was not the preferred solution. The qualities expected of an ideal knight, especially courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak, engendered trust and collaboration though a predictable compassionate code of behavior. Greater things were accomplished.

Gentleman will rule in a world fueled by disruption, dominance and abuse of power as indomitable kindness, honor and consideration display the true peacock. When Cervantes wrote, Don Quixote in 1612 he crafted a modern man who traveled on a divine mission to redress all manner of wrongdoings. Honor held a sacred place in his paradigm.

The kind and loving Masculine Presence is all around us and I want to celebrate that for Father’s Day. Wonderful Dads who are patient and kind and gentle and sweet. Dads who understand they hold a structured role in the world as way-showers of honor and kindhearted care-laced wisdom. Without their gentle and steady hand, we would be less loved and encouraged. May each of you connect with the finest and most loving aspects of the Masculine Presence at work and at home, in community within and without.

As Albert Einstein stated, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”

Try not to confuse the bullies with the kindhearted, confident, imaginative men, women and LBGTQ neighbors who are a solid and treasured part of our world. Let us strive to bring out their best in all forms of presence. Happy Father’s Day to the trustworthy ones. For that we thank you! May your sensitive hearts fully unfold.

*****

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Being Generous Counts; Being Generous Helps

Sat, 08 May 2021 15:09:19 GMT

Generosity is a skill and resource that moves mountains

Being Generous Counts; Being Generous Helps

A Taste of Original Thinking Podcast on connecting with your Generosity. For your 8 minute uplift, click here

Generous Soul

A Generous Soul shall bloom infinitum

And create many things

Some exquisitely exciting.

It is the center of moral

As strong healthy gets

It is giving without thinking

Of future paid debts.

- Michelle Sherman
Walking Flower: a blossoming of consciousness

Generosity is a skill and resource that moves mountains. Learn how to balance the giving and receiving of this replenishing approach.

Generosity: https://vastinstitute.podbean.com/e/office-hours-generosity/

Ode to the Secret Spice of Mom’s Encouragement

Sat, 08 May 2021 14:57:45 GMT

How belonging, trusting and courage enriches the world

My mom had a rough road . She was a brilliant, talented lady born in the 1930s who married up, only to discover her Prince Charming was deeply flawed. His insecurity zapped her of her vitality, confidence and courage. Although she was on such a difficult path, she made sure to let me know I was precious, as a joyful, authentic, optimistic, playful, expression often called after as “firecracker toes.” Her ability to impart my ok-ness in the depth of her challenges, in retrospect, as a mom myself, is astonishing. And so many moms of all types have done extraordinary things this year for furry as well as soft skinned babies. We send each of you a burst of replenishing zest.

Moms and caregivers are here to illustrate, “you belong,” “you can trust life,” “you are more than you will ever realize… ”

On the days she couldn’t muster the energy to be my champion due to life’s hardships, the wonderful teachers at PS 99 and Midwood High were. And so, as a tribute to my mom, grand moms, loving aunties, teachers, mentors and dedicated caregivers, I lovingly share the following verses from Walking Flower: a blossoming of consciousness to…

Thank you, moms, for welcoming us to belong:

Belonging

I belong with you- I know so

It was told me in a dream.

And when the truth revealed itself,

My most ancient heart became serene.

My center it felt peaceful.

As I heard this truth be spoken.

For until that moment precious

The spokes of this pure heart felt incomplete and broken.

The thought of being yours

And belonging for one brief measure

Brought into my heart’s deepest core

A joy and fearfulness beyond all pleasure.

For I have never belonged

to another

From the passage of my birth.

And try as I may to give of myself

A complete connection still did thirst.

But now I know the feeling

Of being Whole,

Profound,

Complete.

As I discover the balance of my soul resides

Within the form that dwells

From the top of Your head

To the souls of Your feet.

***

Thank you for caregivers for helping us trust life:

Trustworthy

“Trusting another is as natural as breathing”

And if one does get hurt

It is well worth the grieving.

But perhaps you do not

Comprehend what I seek

That to trust me is not for the

fainthearted or, meek

And the sort that I mean is the

sharpest and clean.

For the kindest of intentions

Often possess hidden dimensions.

And when I state myself trustworthy

It means that I choose to enhance

your destiny.

At its simplest I state

An essential core part

Is that when you trust me

You trust you what dwells in my heart.

***

Thank you for helping us see courageous examples of kindhearted power:

Madame President

Holy Star Woman

Ambassador of Peace

Transmutes raw male power

To provide life’s fullest feast.

Priestess of kindly love

Compassionate creator of all

Sister who is tenderly trusted

Prepare them gently for humanity’s call.

Lover of their spirit body

Lover of their masculine sweets

Guide their brilliant awesome power

Towards healthy options fair and concrete.

Allow them their dignity

Allow them their way

Allow them to fully be here

Being heroes who save our day.

***

If you want to tap your authentic self check out our Intentional Life Design Programs .
Enjoy a visit and experience a refreshed VAST look and feel. Subscribe to our newsletter and become part of our enlightened community of forward thinkers, dedicated to awakening the genius within. www.vastinstitute.com

Leadership Genius: the Secret Power of Epiphany

Sat, 08 May 2021 14:25:45 GMT

How not knowing can enhance your leadership presence

Leadership Genius is about respecting the mystery, applying the science, and learning to optimize benefits for the greatest good of all stakeholders, today. It isn’t always evident, but completely doable.

As we become more refined in our awareness and options as an interrelated culture, it is up to enlightened leadership to leverage epiphany as one of our best allies in the ongoing quest for profits, success and peace of mind.

Epiphany is defined by Miriam Webster as:

1) a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature of something

2) and intuitive grasp of reality through something such as an event, usually simple and striking

3) an illuminating discovery, realization or disclosure as in a revealing scene or moment

Wow! Described as sudden, essential, intuitive, striking, illuminating, and revealing are the dramatic words used to explain what the epiphany allows.

Epiphany is about learning to let go on an intellectual level to elevate original and divergent solutions throughout your teams. Intentionally developing original and divergent thinkers takes your agenda the extra mile, because they care to. That last 5% delivered by those who believe in you and your mission as respected contributors, will continually improve your outcomes.

The leadership genius of this resides in a willingness to “not know everything” or “appear perfect” to those who you lead if you want to co-create success in life and work, as a part of the team. It is endearing to admit to your occasional mistake and solicit support to remedy it. You are seen as part of the team which allows for synergy. It is about sincerely seeking the best solutions, information and outcomes as a vibrant, emotionally-uplifting and trustworthy presence.

In the 1980s, I had the privilege of working with a team of dedicated problem solvers out of Palo Alto who were going to create a world Beyond War. Albert Einstein said it plainly after Hiroshima and the advent of nuclear weapons, everything changed for humankind except the way in which we think. He summed it up be saying, “You cannot solve a problem at the same level of thinking that created it.”

To allow for a new level of thinking , as encouraged by Albert through an epiphany, you must also learn to be OK if slightly embarrassed by the realization that you no longer see the world, the way you once did. See this as a normal part of the growth spurt associated with updating your worldview, a Continuous Quality Improvement soul care measure, sure to please Dr. Edward Deming himself.

Buddhist scholars speak to the suffering we cause ourselves due to our reluctance to accept the impermanent and recalibration of life continuously surging forward. To create the new, we must first develop the skills to make a proper welcoming space by relinquishing our claim to the automatically right. Not knowing as uncomfortable as it is for born leaders is the precursor for great wonders to unfold. The blank canvas welcomes the beloved creator within the artist. Practicing letting go invites the wondrous and astounding revelations of epiphany to comfort and unfold.

What have been your greatest epiphanies thus far?

Let us know and we will share insights in future issues.

***

For Leaders interested in expanding their genius, confidence and imagination , schedule a confidential briefing on how our custom curated programs can illuminate your approach to success, Link Here

Leadership Genius : the Secret Power of Interconnectedness

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:10:01 GMT

Interconnectivity is a force of nature and a mystery worth respecting

As I bounced around in my seat at the Hayden Planetarium next to my Dad and sis, the museum’s overzealous astrophysics grad student from Columbia University lectured that day under the dome to a room of delighted kids and parents, divulging to us secrets of the universe.

From my coveted seat beneath the darkened dome, I stared upward in awe. The bright and diverse planets, swirling stars and esoteric constellations tweaked my psyche with a bold and comforting message that day.

In the beginning, there was a Big Bang 13.8 million years ago from which everything was created. The static sound on your TV is the continuation of that first Bang. The Bang’s primordial soup, given the proper conditions evolved into us, and everything else. Despite all the superficial differences humans inflict upon ourselves, every single one of us is comprised of the same stardust substance. We each sparkle when given the opportunity.

This got my five-year-old mind reeling…

If every human being was constructed from the same eleven chemical elements then we all must be related; we must all be part of one family?

My young planetarium-infused mind gleaned connectedness to all living creatures as something that was possible. From that moment of innocent, unified realization to this day, I gaze at the sky with affection and wonderment. And, as you have probably experienced yourself, not all people subscribe to my conclusion which has fueled a lifelong quest to guide others to understand, acknowledge and optimize our interconnectedness. I suspect it holds the key to our shared accomplishments, joy and salvation as a terrific, yet misguided species. That is why, as a leader, understanding this linkage is essential.

So, how does this translate and impact your Leadership Genius?

How do I, as a leader in life, optimize the secret power of interconnectedness?

How do leaders optimize the fact that we are all connected? Or, as I witnessed over the past few decades in my corporate transformation work, how is being interconnected a highly profitable business playbook?

First you must recognize our interconnectedness by exploring the mysteries out there. Allow me to offer some examples of how magical and elusive our interconnectivity is.

In his quest for a unified field theory, Albert Einstein spoke of spooky actions at a distance or quantum entanglement. This theory states that particles have an impact on one another even from a distance. Once a particle moves past another and is remote, it continues to have an influence on that particle. David Bohm, the father of quantum physics sought to connect scientific knowledge with spiritual principles to explain our place in the universe. Bohm was bold enough to refer to an underlying order governing this universe in his seminal book Wholeness and the Implicate Order, published in 1980. It is there he proposed that underlying physical appearances, the “explicate order,” there is a deeper, hidden “implicate order.”

When the World Trade Center was attacked on September 11, 2001 the random number generators surrounding the globe all clicked into presenting the same numbers. The Princeton University Global Consciousness Project, whose goal since 1990 has been to determine whether human consciousness —that is, our minds’ awareness of the world in which we exist—can synchronize and act coherently. Those findings, have aroused some controversy in the scientific world.

This is what was discovered. The 100 random number generators set up by GCP around the world randomly generate a number expressed by 1s and 0s every second. Ordinarily the number of 1s and 0s in a number are the same. After the occurrence of a deeply emotional global event that focused millions of human minds on it, the number of 1s and 0s were no longer the same. This occurred after the death of Princess Diana and the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11. The conclusion reached by the Princeton GCP was that when human consciousness becomes coherent and focused, the behavior of random systems change.

The Princeton GCP website explains it this way, “Random number generators (RNGs) based on quantum tunnelling produce completely unpredictable sequences of zeroes and ones. But when a great event synchronizes the feelings of millions of people, our network of RNGs becomes subtly structured.” The odds that such a rogue behavior by random number generators is due to chance, according to Nelson, is one in a trillion.

“I think the data are pretty much indisputably in support of that we do: we interconnect, we interact, we’re not isolated,” the project’s director, Roger Nelson, explains in this video on the organization’s website. “My consciousness, inside my skull, and yours, extend out into the world, and they intermix. We’re a little like neurons, in a giant brain, that we know nothing about. The message is: collective consciousness impinges on physical reality”.

Perhaps this is another example of how the mirror neurons in our brains operating collectively, as explained in Kindling the Flame : the art and science of cognitive replenishment (Sherman, 2017). We are interconnected as humans in an invisible and powerful way.

The Japanese businessman and humanist, Dr. Masaru Emoto , using high speed photography in 2005 posited in Hidden Messages in the Water that the molecular crystalline structure of frozen water crystals was impacted by specific, concentrated thoughts directed towards them. The water from clear springs exposed to positive, loving words displayed “balanced, brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns.” While in contrast, “samples of polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts, formed incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors.” The implications of this research promote a new awareness of how our thoughts and words can positively or negatively impact the earth and our personal health.

Then as a final example of interconnectivity, let us look at the works of Dr. David Hawkins who calibrated levels of human consciousness in Power versus Force (Hawkins, 1995). A most revelatory finding embedded in Dr. Hawkins’ work is the ability for more elevated levels of consciousness motivated by love, mercy, compassion, win/win etc. to uplift the rest of humankind. He refers to it as a counterbalance and writes that, “In this interconnected universe, every improvement we make in our private world improves the world at large for everyone. We all float on the collective level of consciousness of mankind, so that any increment we add comes back to us. We all add to our common buoyancy by our efforts to benefit life. It is a scientific fact that what is good for you is good for me.”

Our class on Accomplishing Goals with Ease is a great primer on this particular topic.

If our emotions and thoughts and presence impact the physical world around us, and as leaders, we ignore this reality, how much does this form of ignorance cost us?

As an article in Forbes cautions us, a great deal in time, resources and energy . Synergy, the amplification of outcomes, does not occur in a vacuum. The members of your brain trust require guidance and encouragement to consistently apply their best options to achievement of your agenda and the last 5% of the profit margin.

Once you recognize that human interconnectedness exists, invisibly affecting all human systems and their outcomes, you begin to recognize the awesome power and responsibility of leading. It is Leadership Genius to honor the dignity of every member of your professional world. The once unimpressive arrogant ranting at the team to garner results no longer plays and is highly ineffective. It is only after you commit to forging a respectful, cogent, inclusive example and strategy that employs the wisdom of interconnectedness, that a leader can serve the diverse human stakeholders with whom you succeed or fail. From thestance of our mutual destiny, you are poised to harness the genius of your teams.

Where can you begin? Try on one of these for a week at a time. Rotate and expand list.

· Develop your competency as a Socially Intelligent Leader which affords you the capacity to direct, manage and optimize human systems judiciously and empathetically for the benefit of all stakeholders. Be ready to integrate this new form of personal empowerment into every aspect of your game plan.

· Create an environment of psychological safety for your team . Be whole and authentic as you employ interconnectedness wisdom to benefit diverse human stakeholders under your command and care. When people feel it is safe to engage, they will take educated risks on your behalf. Partial solutions, difficult decisions and mistakes in the act of creating solutions are part of business life. Learn to admit yours and thank others for promptly bringing theirs to the attention of those who can help them fix or further the project. Colonel Chris Hadfield, Commander of the International Space Station (2006-2008) aptly points out how “Groupthink is a good thing when it comes to risks…Anticipating problems and figuring out how to solve them is actually the opposite of worrying, it’s productive.” (Hadfield, 2013, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth).

· Be a role model of a whole person , who is still learning and growing in kind and confident ways. The greatest feat of servant leadership is to be respected for walking your talk. Your actions are what every colleague measures you by. Alignment in your ideas, tactics and negotiations tell the team more about your truth than any stated mission. With this approach you exude integrity, confidence and boost a shared commitment to succeed.

· In all human systems there is a need for Kindhearted power. It is also referred to as the milk of human kindness. Master that as the essential aspect of interconnectedness and you will be sustained. It is through intentional connectivity we give and receive all things worth having, creating and sustaining in life.

As I said earlier it all started with stardust.

Let me close our time together with this amazing truth.

You and I breathe the same argon molecules as our ancient ancestors did thousands of years ago. This inert gas does not interact in the environment and so we breathe and exhale the same molecules transiting the planet as cave folk, Jesus, Buddha, Attila the Hun, Edison and Jules Verne. Mata Hari, Harriet Tubman and Mother Theresa as well. Breathing the air around us connects us in more ways than we ever realized possible as we have learned while contending with the Covid virus.

Interconnectivity is a force of nature and a mystery . Radio waves are invisible, but we all benefit and learn to accept them as a reliable resource. Accept the mystery, appreciate the science and learn how to optimize the benefit for the greatest good of all stakeholders, today. As we become more refined in our awareness and our options as a species it is up to leadership to leverage human interconnectivity as one of your best allies in the ongoing quest for profits, success and a stellar reputation.

***

For Leaders interested in expanding their genius, confidence and imagination , schedule a confidential briefing on how our custom curated programs illuminate your approach to life, love and success, Link Here

Leadership Genius: The Secret Power of Truthtellers

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 01:51:30 GMT

Strengthen your faith in the resilience and brilliance of truth as a gift to heal and guide humankind

Last month, as I read the autobiography of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I rediscovered the secret power of truth telling as a potent force for good, diversity and inclusion in the world today.

Like a determined detective, I followed the intellectual thread on the import of truth telling from Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King to Mahatma Gandhi, to Walden Pond and Henry David Thoreau, to my Dad and my career’s work on the development of Kindhearted Power. I love the beauty of brilliant ideas linked and improved with passion and courage.

What I found strengthened my faith in the resilience and brilliance of truth as a gift to heal and guide humankind. Allow me the privilege of sharing just a bit of what I discovered.

In 1959 Dr. King, his wife Coretta, and Dr. Lawrence Dunbar Reddick traveled to India as the guest of Prime Minister Nehru to study the legacy of Gandhi’s non-violent approach to the country’s liberation from the colonialism of the British Empire which began in 1608, when the British landed in Surat. Dr. King was convinced that progress in the civil rights movement could be gained if he better understood the methods employed by Gandhi to liberate the Indian people. King saw stark similarities between the Hindu caste system and white supremacy in the US. During his travels Dr. King learned of Gandhi’s guiding principal, Satyagraha.

Satyagraha translates into “Truth Force” and represents the purest soul force against injustice, cruelty and oppression. Those who practice Satyagraha appeal to the heart of their opponent by responding with strength and innocence. They bear the suffering and violence with regal dignity and love. They possess the knowledge that love conquers all, especially by opening the hearts of their oppressors with a better example, steeped in the truth, that all human beings are equal in the eyes of the divine. What he also uncovered was that Gandhi, the Hindu lawyer who inspired the Baptist Minister from Alabama, was himself inspired by Henry David Thoreau—the 18 ^th century American Unitarian Naturalist. Great minds sometimes think alike.

Henry David Thoreau , the author of Walden Pond, was an avid naturalist and Harvard alumnus. During his time at the University, he enlivened a liberal Christian sect named Transcendentalism. This 19 ^th century philosophy sprang from the rational, reason and intellectual viewpoint of Unitarianism, a religious movement especially popular at Harvard University. The Unitarian doctrine affirms the inherent worth and dignity of each person emphasizing equity, justice and compassion in all human interactions. This philosophy must have been quite attractive to Gandhi in combination with Thoreau’s reflection of the transcendental commitment to a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Another version of the “truth force” confirmed. As a matter of fact, the fourth Unitarian principal spells it out plainly:

“We have left open the question of what truth and meaning are, acknowledging that mindful people will, in every age, discover new insights.”

(Rev. Paige Getty, UU Congregation of Columbia, Maryland (read more from Paige in The Seven Principles in Word and Worship , ed. Ellen Brandenburg)

The doctrine affirms that the truth can change as the wisdom garnered through each age of human development is harnessed for the greatest good. Once the earth was perceived as flat and now it is understood to be round.

Thus far having successfully followed the intellectual thread on the power of truth telling from Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King to his inspiration Mahatma Gandhi to his inspiration, Henry David Thoreau. I clearly saw that although each came to it from a different angle and spiritual practice, their message to Self and others was identical.

There are powerful, unseen forces aligned with truth telling. This fact has also been confirmed by Dr. David Hawkins in his pivotal work examining the use of Power versus Force and the hidden determinants of human behavior.

Truth resonates with a type of presence that supports and generates amazing outcomes. Buckminster Fuller refers to the amplified energies produced as synergy, which brings me back to the best gift of all from my time spent with truth telling. The road which led me from Dr. King to Mahatma Gandhi to Mr. Thoreau then turned to my own father, who walked with Dr. King back in 1963 planting the seeds of my work in the development of kindhearted or non-violent power. I now realize that Dad’s pride in his connection to the work of Dr. King was infused with the best from the rest of the gents and had provided a solid platform for my life’s work with VAST.

These Original Thinkers, and their champions, exalted the same set of enlightened ideas, consciousness and lovingkindness while addressing the most pressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion issues we face today. How did a Baptist Minister, Hindu Lawyer, and Transcendentalist Scientist and my own Dad come to share and see that truth telling is a beloved force of nature, aiding in the growth of the human soul and shared experience?

They each perceived truth about the shared elements of the human condition as a unifying factor that can transcend our artificial, superficial distinctions. They each knew that truth telling was what brings us together, as a nobler and dignified human species.

As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe so gracefully stated:

“First and last, what is demanded of genius is love of truth”.

All else falls short for the dedicated truth-teller.

***

For Leaders interested in claiming their genius and expressing a greater truth, contact us for a briefing on how our custom curated coaching programs will enlighten your approach. Visit our Leadership Genius Program page

Michelle Purnell-Hepburn, recipient of 2021 Spratlen Legacy honor on urban growth and inclusion

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:22:43 GMT

The Spratlen Legacy Award, established in 2016 by the Association of Black Business Students (ABBS) recognize UW Foster alumni making an impact on the African American community. Enjoy Michelle's perspective on improving Modern Urban Life as we celebrate Black History Month.

Michelle Purnell-Hepburn share her insights on Modern Urban Life as VAST acknowledges her family legacy in honor of Black History Month. ***

What is the Modern Urban Life?

It resides in Community.

It is more than a definition in the dictionary.

It is a group of like-minded people living in harmony and in peace, where

support for each other is demonstrated in the infrastructure as well as the smiles and waves we share as we pass each other throughout our day.

My dear parents, James C. and Mardine Purnell were proud Americans, born and raised in the South, who migrated to the Great Pacific Northwest for a better life, following the advice of my paternal grandfather Clarence Purnell, who wired the message, “The streets out here are paved in gold”.

Once here, as African Americans, they discovered that they needed to overcome a different kind of prejudice from the type they had experienced in the South – access to the capital was required to fully participate. My parents knew that the future of their family and friends was predicated in fully participating in the development of the modern urban landscape they called home. Their circle of friends chose to focus on access to opportunity and the circulating of wealth throughout their own nascent, urban community. They engineered a path of inclusion and expansion in the vaults of Liberty Bank.

This community of ingenious colleagues took responsibility for expanding the financial support for the purchase of homes and the normal growth of small to mid-size businesses while enriching their community.

In taking action through Liberty Bank of Seattle, they not only funded the hopes and dreams of the minority community, but as a result of their forward-thinking ways, raised themselves and their firstborn daughter to a higher economic standard than if they had continued to live in the South. They appreciated and experienced the full zest of Modern Urban Life and the joyful opportunities it had to offer, as their business encouraged both friends and family not only to build, but also guide the magic and wisdom of their chosen city. This story of my family illustrates the best about this series on Modern Urban Life.

The Modern Urbanite that Professor Vesmanov speaks to is at the heart of community.

As we garner the wisdom in including the sociological research of human elements in the planning of schools, communities, recreational spaces, and experiences, we honor the work of those who envisioned a cityscape that reflects the best in us. We are nations of communities , and as we create what is next, we have a solid roadmap to consider embedded within this professional enrichment series. Enjoy.

Michelle Purnell Hepburn - Seattle WA.

Distinguished recipient of 2021 Foster School of Business ABBS Thadeus Spratlen Legacy Award

DEI Director for Seattle Foundation

The Leadership Genius of Socially Intelligent Project Management with Don Graf

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 20:58:05 GMT

How to motivate your diverse team to perform to scope, schedule and budget while delivering their best work

The Leadership Genius of Socially Intelligent Project Management with Don Graf , is unveiled and virtually available .

The VAST Institute is pleased to announce the publication of Socially Intelligent Project Management ”, a three-part virtual webinar with Don Gra f, designed to explore the essential skillset and optimal benefits of applying Socially Intelligent Leadership to the art of Project Management. This series provides structured guidance for those considering or actively managing the people side of the equation to achieve their best possible outcomes.

While many current project management training programs provide the traditional mechanics of managing the aspects of scope, schedule and budget, this dynamic series boosts your ability to lead in managing interpersonal relationships judicially and empathetically for the benefit of diverse stakeholders.

Don Graf provides a finely-honed blueprint for attracting, leading and motivating a collaborative team aligned to achieving your project vision. In addition to traditional project management skills, this series outlines the soft skills you and your organization require to enhance your project management proficiency.

In this Socially Intelligent Project Management Series you will learn how to generate a project culture where:

• Members are eager to solve your toughest problems as they deliver their best work

• Unique, diverse talent pools both in virtual and real-time to optimized outcomes and profit

• Motivated teams perform to scope, schedule and budget, the holy trinity of PM

• Client and project challenges are identified before they implode

• Competency Skillset Strengthened

To review more details or download, click here .

Original Thinkers We Have Loved up Close

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 20:34:55 GMT

How close encounters with Gene Cernan, Paul Allen, Frank Herbert and Tim Leary inspired Michelle and VAST Institute's call to action as an Original Thinker

The occurrence of wonderful outcomes that are presently beyond your imagination are often cited as miracles. We have more power that we acknowledge in this Quantum field to create the stellar outcomes that honor, nourish and delight the human spirit. At Vast we see our personal and collective job is to become consciously competent at this.

I adore those humans who stretch the imagination of the rest of us. During my life I have had the honor of meeting some remarkable examples, Gene Cernan, the last man of the moon, Paul Allen, Co-Founder of Microsoft and Seattle re-imagineer, Frank Herbert, author of Dune and Timothy Leary, renegade of consciousness. Each gent imbued our time together with significance that has stayed with me and encouraged my intellectual boldness that has stood the test of time.

As outlined in Kindling the Flame , when I met Commander Cernan and asked him if they had the vaguest of idea on how to reach and return from the moon, he and Mr. Kraft Chief of mission control make it clear that,

“Hundreds, if not thousands, of people with diverse backgrounds, from varied disciplines, worked together to first imagine and then build the space program. They stretched the limits of human imagination. People just like you and I imagined into creation the thousands of solutions necessary for this goal to be accomplished. Brave men and women were willing to risk their lives to answer these bold questions and solve previously unimaginable challenges”.

In short, they ventured into the Newness of space without a clue as to how the physics of it worked. What brave and brilliant people.

When I met Paul Allen at the official unveiling of his Sci Fi Museum in 2000 at a private party, he shared his vision for the museum, Vulcan and answered the questions posed to him including those about his days at Microsoft. When my turn came and the conversation about his cutting-edge development of Seattle settled, I asked Paul in front of the crowd, “Mr Allen, Michelle here, Sir, have you yet decided what you are going to do to create Peace on Earth this afternoon”? The crowd gasped at the boldness of such a question from a guest. The question stopped him in his animated tracks long enough to reap a huge smile, kindhearted nod in my direction after which he said, “Michelle, I have not yet done so, but that is a great question!!!” It was the not yet that gave me the most encouragement. It indicated that he would consider this idea. He did not yet know the answer but was confident enough to consider the question as valid. I miss you Paul, fellow Original Thinker and Seahawk Hero.

Then there was Frank Herbert in 1985 who participated with Timothy Leary as the keynote speaker of the first Seattle Tradeshow on Personal Computing. Yes, since PC’s were invented in mid 1970s as kits built for sale models and so in 1985 were still was considered bleeding edge technology. Frank Herbert was the keynote speaker with Timothy Leary handling break outs sessions with Tom Robbins sitting in to encourage and listen. All three gents were Original Thinkers I admired.

My partner was the Marketing Director for the show, so I had the opportunity to hear and meet each of the gents.

Frank Herbert spoke of the revolutionary nature of the PC and how it would transform civilization as we knew it, both in connectedness and isolation. He understood that this tool had more power to unleash that we could imagine. It seemed dramatic at the time, but as usual Frank was right.

Timothy was presenting his newest boutique software that mimicked the psychometric testing he had perfected before his days of LSD fame. When we had drinks after the show, we discussed the imprinting effects of LSD and its use in healing trauma. As a child of the 70’s, who was seeking a better life experience, I knew personally of the healing properties of alternative realities. If I had not been able to step outside my world and embrace the possibility that there existed a reality I had yet to perceive I may have perished. Tim Leary himself vibrantly explained to me why LSD has such a hallowed place in my spiritual journey. Thank you, Tim, for your forward thinking.

Each of these men were brave in their willingness to imagine and share their unique vision and perspective from deep within. As Thomas Merton, beloved mystic said,

“There is in us and instinct for newness, for renewal, for a liberation of creative power. We seek to awaken in ourselves a force which really changes our lives from within…To be born again is not to become somebody else, but to become ourselves”.

That is the true miracle.

If you are ready to Awaken the Genius Within™, contact us to generate your custom blueprint for success.

If You Want Peace On Earth, First You Must…?

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 02:32:35 GMT

A highly recommended shortcut for those seeking peace in their life and world.

I believe that peace on earth is possible . That our current state of conflict and chaos as humans is not the result of an inherent wickedness, but the result of a lack of imagination. If we can come together and imagine that harmony prevails on the planet we share, it will begin to unfold with greater ease and grace.

What is the very first step to creating, generating, seeing, and experiencing peaceful outcomes? You must first imagine it possible .

Now, many of you are saying that this is not possible.

There were those who thought sailing the earth was impossible because it was flat.

There were those who thought that going to the moon was impossible for we had not yet constructed the technology and the vehicles to do so.

There were those who once thought that the earth was at the center of the universe.

There were those who once thought, throughout the ages, that the end of the world was imminent, and we are thankfully still here to ponder.

There are those who thought that derision instead of compassion was our basic nature.

One thing they all have in common is that they were ultimately proven incorrect.

There are those who think what distinguishes individuals or nations is greater than what we share as children, parents and contributors is dishonest with themselves.

There are those who think what separates us is greater than what brings us together is plain wrong.

And although well-intentioned in their cautionary thinking, the problem is not that the earth was flat, or humans would never venture to distant stars, or that violence is our only choice; the problem is that the options were beyond their imagination.

Peace on Earth? I know it is possible and is already occurring. All we need to do to claim it today is to witness and amplify the goodness we already have created. Our job is to see, experience, expand and imagine it.

Albert Einstein said:

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand”.

The Very First Step to Creating Peace on Earth is ...believing it is possible and that Goodness prevails.

Wishes to you and yours for a joyful, healthy and uplifting New Year.

Can You Give Me Sanctuary?

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 02:13:39 GMT

The Rock Poet’s Guide to the Promised Hug

The poets of Rock & Roll have provided the answers to many of my life’s biggest questions. Often, it took years before I actually heard the message embedded in the song.

Jim Morrison belted out his plight for acceptance during my early adolescence in the Soft Parade album circa1969. He asked:

♫ "Can you give me sanctuary?

I must find a place to hide.

A place for me to hide.

Can you find me soft asylum?

I can't make it anymore.

The Man is at the door" ♫

(Jim Morrison / John Paul Densmore / Raymond Manzarek / Robert A Krieger)

Can You Give Me Sanctuary? Or must I find it for myself?

Creating Sanctuary and feeling welcomed has been on the top 10 of my to do list since I can remember. Was it feeling as if I had been left with the wrong group of adults? Or was it that I had heard stories of my prenatal life, when almost miscarried.

When I did finally arrive, the appearance of my jaundiced skin and closed eyes created a reluctance within my mother to assume, I was her baby. Our family doctor, Uncle Nat, had to reassure her that I was indeed her biological material. The unspoken sanctuary of womb space and a warm, hearty welcome to the world were initially denied to me, or at least postponed.

Come to find out , years later, those two experiences had a profound impact on my approach to life and seemingly relentless drive.

How? This quest to feel welcomed, cherished and safe enough to be present and joyful has fueled many of my finest adventures and also my most unflattering moments. It fueled the nobility of creating trusting bridges across the globe punctuated by choices made during those insecure moments.

In the 1990s, I spent an inordinate amount of time at Nahcotta, Human Sanctuary, co-creating 28 acres of intentional community with Jim, Mary and Elisabeth. The 500-year-old Blue Sitka Spruce Grandmother tree that dwelled upon my humble 2.48 acres contribution felt sacred indeed. Sitting at her rooted feet was both a comfort and an inspiration. It was there that the VAST Institute restoration of humankind’s treasury of light was envisioned. Nahcotta was a blessing because it allowed us to play in nature, freely and safely, with elemental beauty. My daughter, Uncle Jim, family, friends and I danced in the fields, climbed trees, picked berries and conducted the occasional sacred ceremony in the safety of our 28-acre neighborhood. It was a shift in my consciousness about nature and connection. The fields of Nahcotta provided a sense of sanctuary which was new to me.

Brooklyn, NY parks in 1960s were not deemed safe.

A close relative, I loved, had been murdered by an extremely sick person.

Elevators, parks and the world as I knew it was no longer safe, according to the unspoken pleas of my Mom and Grandma. The psychic message was loud and clear, “Please stay home and do not take risks in life so you can better assure your safety.” Let us pretend that out of fear we will build you a sanctuary. I wasn’t buying it. I have a bit of wildness baked into me, so I did not comply. I sought something else.

Once I graduated from college, I exited 3000 miles stage-left, to the West Coast.

As a free spirit, I knew I had to physically leave to detach from my heavy and complicated family system, if I were to ever have a chance at experiencing refuge. Although it was unclear at the time, I eventually discovered that sanctuary was both, what I was seeking, and the reward for looking beyond my inhospitable beginnings. More details will follow in the memoirs.

For the sake of clarity , let me cut to the chase and say that 40 years later, I have succeeded in knowing the experiences of sanctuary, both the inner and outer kind, only to discover it’s reward and biggest test.

When I do feel safe, it is because I feel I am accepted and can then master being a noble version of my essential self. The dedication to being Authentic, in and of itself is a brave choice, which then leads us to experience sanctuary within our own wholeness and compassion for our human frailties.

Is that what Bob Dylan spoke of when he sang:

♫ "Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved.

Everything up to that point had been left unresolved.

Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm.

Come in, she said, I'll give ya shelter from the storm” ♫

The hope of feeling safe and trusting another is a pivotal human experience. Those who have the external mirror of a true friend, family member or colleague can then be brave to further that acceptance within themselves. We all need help getting home.

Steve Winwood of Blind Faith said this about first finding the road:

♫ "And I’m near the end and I just ain’t got the time.

And I’m wasted, and I can’t find my way home" ♫

Sounds a bit bleak to me, but we have all been there.

Yet, there are a variety of paths to embodying safety, some of which are gentler and preferable.

Let me share a couple.

When reaching for inner sanctuary , it’s important to optimize enjoying your own company. This is the competency of self-wisdom. It proves highly effective to clarify, without shame, who you are and how to share your best qualities in a manner that enlivens your confidence. If we accept the truth of our being, others follow as we learn to trust ourselves in a completely new way. Those who are fortunate to experience this type of self-appreciation are poised to welcome the joy of life with open arms as they tap into their inner sanctuary.

Another effective step is to not take yourself too seriously as a growing, complex and sensitive being. Be extremely kind as you grow past your misguided notions and limited understanding of your inherent, complex beauty.

Experience life through the lens of your nourished senses, listen to Mozart or birds singing to gently attune your brain to joy. Or, enjoy pure sounds of voices singing, chanting or reverberating “OM.”

When reaching for outer sanctuary , surround yourself with those who are thrilled for your success, happiness and appreciate your wholeness. Learn to properly appreciate your unique, eccentric expression as a member of the larger human family. Once I finally began to experience the precious moments of being completely OK with myself, the world and the good in it, I felt welcomed anew.

If you intentionally look for the sparkle, beauty and magic in your world, you will not only find it, but it will begin to expand in wonderful and nourishing ways. Enjoy the music of life and the illuminated moments. Can you give me sanctuary? Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead said it well back in 1972; the power to create sanctuary also lies within. I possess that power because:

♫ “Sometimes the light's all shinin' on me.

Other times, I can barely see.

Lately, it occurs to me,

What a long, strange trip it's been” ♫

(Jerome J. Garcia / Philip Lesh / Robert Hall Weir / Robert C. Christie Hunter)

***

If you are ready to experience greater clarity, confidence and imagination and claim your version of sanctuary, Contact Michelle .

Hearing the Still Small Voice Within

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 01:54:36 GMT

A moment of inner guidance can lead you in the best direction, if heard

For many of us, it was so fleeting as to be easily forgotten or simply dismissed…
but there was a moment where the mind was clear and inwardly you knew.

You’ve certainly experienced a moment of inner guidance that led you in the best direction you could possibly have gone in. Yet the power was not in how loud it shouted. In fact, it came as a gentle whisper, without fanfare. The power was in how undeniably true; how unequivocally right you knew the direction to be. We’ve all known this experience, in some form.

Yet when life is tumultuous, we may wish for something louder; something to cut through the bickering turmoil in our minds when the voice within can seem so lost and obscured by the noise. Why should it be so still?!? Or small?!? …we might plead, when we need to hear it now, more than ever?

And as we all know, Truth will set you free… not control you. That still small voice doesn’t shout and demand because it doesn’t seek to control you. If it did control you, you couldn’t be free. If you didn’t have complete freedom and volition and choice, then you would be powerless, and therefore a victim, in bondage.

The inner prompt doesn’t speak for bondage; it speaks for your freedom. Thus, it will never demand a particular choice of you… it will never seek to take away your own power to choose, because you could not then be free. Truth will always set you free. Not put you in bondage.

So, the inner voice does not seek to control you. It will remain a gentle whisper, born from its home in complete peace.

Yet in our storm and stress we may still wish for that gentle whisper to somehow rise above the other choices we might make and proclaim itself. But to overcome you, or overcome the other choices you might make, the still small voice would have to attack; to fight or contend with these alternatives. It would have to make war, not peace. It appears incapable of such arrogance, being born from peace… and peace is always stronger than war.

Why? Because peace heals. War tears apart.

Therefore, the still small voice will never command forces against you. It is incapable of such conceit, and will only, then, tap you gently on the shoulder, and whisper in your ear. It is compelling; not because of the way it speaks but because of what it reminds you of. It is compelling because of what it points you towards. It calls you towards peace because it is, itself, wholly and completely born of peace. One can never be led to love by force. Only by choosing it of your own freewill are you as free as Spirit.

Information may arrive via any outer vehicle at all: a song, a book, a meme, a conversation overheard, a wagging tail; a look on someone’s face. Digital or analog. It could come from any inner form as well: a dream, an insight, a feeling, communion with inner dimensions or beings or Spirit… It doesn’t matter the form, most of which we wouldn’t describe strictly as a “voice” anyway. None is better or greater or more elevated than any other. Ultimately, regardless of the form by which it arrives, there is a movement of mind. A recognition – or a “re-cognition” - which is why it is so often described as a “knowing.” One could even say everything – inner and outer – beckons us.

What shall we call this still small voice? This knowing? Every culture on earth, religious or secular, has had a name for it. Higher Self, Holy Spirit, Presence, Atman, Divine Mind, Angels, Guides, or simply: Intuition. Creative impulse or inner prompt. Whatever works. The name doesn’t really matter.

And if we wish to hear this still small voice, we are best directed to our own peace. When you wonder which choice is right… look and listen carefully for the one that emanates from the deepest peace and calls you towards the deepest peace. The more we connect with our own peace, the more we tend to hear that still small voice.

So, come! Just come! Come and quiet down. Come listen within. Come to this peace, that you may hear that still small voice and know.

Peace… Peace be with you…

If you would like to contact Jonathan visit www.AssistTheSpirit.com .

The Simple Truth about Be Longing

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 00:05:28 GMT

Keep discovering that you belong exactly where you are

As the adage states, “ Bloom where you are planted ”.

Last year for our Thanksgiving edition we explored the connection between appreciation and belonging in our blogpost on the Deep Gratitude of Belonging. This year to honor and refresh my relationship with gratitude I would like to share with you what I belong to and long for as the next step to lovingly connect with my own kind.

**Every once in a while, I, Michelle, long to…

Shout at the top of my lungs that we humans are magnificent, imperfect creations infinitely worthy of our own love, compassion, kindness, optimism and genius.

Lovingly hug every single living being on this planet until they relax into the appreciative arms of their true beauty.

See our entire species awaken to its inherent magical, noble and nourishing side.

**(Inspired during Kathryn LaFond and Deborah Milton PhD online course on Blessed Belonging 2020, more of their goodness shall follow. Thank you Ladies).

On Gratitude, by those we Admire

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 23:52:57 GMT

People we admire share their musings on Gratitude to ease our way.

People we admire share their musings on Gratitude to ease the way.

Focus on one each day as you remember to go there.

“I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness -

it's right in front of me if I'm paying attention and practicing gratitude”.

- Brene Brown

“Gratitude locks in the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend”.

- Melody Beattie

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions.

The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”

- Zig Ziglar

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."

- Meister Eckhart

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others."

- Cicero

Gratitude for the Beatitudes

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 20:02:30 GMT

How can this sacred, classic Keynote on the Mount empower the meekest among us?

I last visited Israel in 1994 as part of a team of Citizen Diplomats destined to share an adult education program with those seeking a better life through self-actualization, we toured both sacred and secular sites.

One afternoon, we visited the Korazim Plateau , the spot where Jesus, was reported by his disciples Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-23 to have delivered The Sermon on the Mount , or as others have called it, The Beatitudes .

For those who are unfamiliar with them, The Beatitudes are eight simple statements intended as the guide to living a life that aligns subscribers with the kingdom of heaven. Named from the initial words “blessed are” in the Latin, The Beatitudes describe the blessedness, or qualities, according to Jesus, of those who belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. It is a suggested code of conduct.

Jesus, outlined during this sermon, that those who are: meek, mourn for the dead, pure in heart, merciful, hungry for truth, and seek to create peaceful outcomes, are both blessed and empowered to know loving Source. And, as with most words of wisdom they can be applied to current interpretation.

At VAST we believe that our daily choices create the world we share and have a dramatic impact on all life, here and beyond.

As above, so below.

What I do matters.

For these reasons, I am grateful for the vision of the Beatitudes as it accentuates the power and profound impact our daily choices have on the present and future quality of life and love we each and all experience as heaven.

Through this talk Jesus extoled a value system, a way of being he admired, a level of human behavior, he respected and shared with followers as important to know and practice. Some theologians and scholars interpret the kingdom as beyond this life, others include our shared earth experience as an example of the Heaven we seek. From where I sit, both can each be applied to improving your life today.

This talk resonates in current time for embedded in this sermon Jesus shared his most powerful message as a teacher and sacred presence.

He said that the current “have-nots” (meek = reverent, peaceful, gentle, patient, peaceable, unassuming) of the world command unseen support for their kindness and have a lot more going on for them than they realize. They have the unseen support and power of Goodness with them. Perhaps that is why Lady Macbeth disparaged her husband and saw his compassion as a weakness when stating that he is “too full o th’ milk of human kindness”. Obviously if we listen to Jesus’ teachings, she was wrong.

The Beatitudes encourages the least powerful among us with a sagacious confidence that gentle, kindhearted people do indeed possess great power, even in hard times, because our choices have consequences much greater than we may presently see or understand. Perhaps this is a reference to the Quantum field . Those humans who choose to live this way are blessed for modeling the honorable qualities of being meek, righteous, merciful, pure, and peacemaking. His words point to the understanding that how we show up and treat one another creates the experience of heaven both in the seen and unseen realms.

The choice of being a peacemaker reside in our hearts. Peace within our hearts creates peaceful choices and greater peace in the world. Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the dedicated non-violent resolution of it. I am grateful for this ancient reminder of creating a more peaceful world through my and your daily choices.

“Normal day let me be aware of the treasure you are” – Mary Jean Irion

If you are interested in expanding peace on earth this afternoon, here is your next opportunity to create greater peace within and enjoy our Simple Steps to creating Peace on Earth this Afternoon . You are that powerful and precious.

Do you have what you need to Recalibrate?

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 00:33:09 GMT

How to Paradigm Shift without the fuss.

..When I speak of recalibration , I am referring to the ability we each possess to shift, change, grow or transform, if we choose to. Before I begin working with a client, I ask them one pointed question,

“Are you willing to have what you say you want?

This is my short-cut to discovering if they are willing to recalibrate to a more integrated, loving, effective and authentic experience of their life? Their willingness reveals a commitment to review their options clearly and try new choices that will afford them personal resilience until we reach their goal. How do you boost your ability to steer a steady course during uncertain or rough seas? Through the practice of Practical Optimism. Here is a refresher for you:

The Resilient Optimist or How to Paradigm Shift without the fuss.

Excerpt from Kindling the Flame : the art and science of cognitive replenishment

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill

At VAST we love to be around optimists of all kinds and encourage optimism wherever we can. We especially celebrate those caring grounded types who encourage, inspire and point the way for many others with their constant wisdom and calm. The excerpt below from Kindling the Flame explains how to regain your balance in life even when it goes astray. This is just one of the benefits of becoming the practical optimist who commands a vibrant and positive imagination.

“Optimists also possess what is referred to as resilience , the ability to bounce back from life’s tragic circumstances. It was discovered that soldiers who possessed a practical type of optimism recovered from extreme wartime trauma without depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (Charney, 2002). Optimism was also the primary factor that determined whether a veteran was able to recover from the trauma they experienced as a prisoner of war. Altruism, humor and a meaningful life were deemed as secondary factors aiding in their emotional recovery (Charney, 2002).

According to Dr. Charney, a "practical optimist" can assess their difficult situation in a realistic manner, while seeking a solution that has not yet presented itself. During times of great difficulty, a practical optimist may not know how they will solve the problems at hand, but they are confident a way will appear as they actively pursue a remedy. This type of confidence takes a bit of faith and a lot of positive imagination.

Positive imagination is a skill that can be cultivated. Appreciating the goodness and beauty that exists in your world is a simple first step. Once you acknowledge the good in front of you, it is easier to expand this practice as outlined below.

Here are some suggestions for how to develop a more positive imagination:

 Situationa l- Imagine having a good time with the people you are going to meet today before you see them. As you prepare for an virtual meeting imagine you are going to have a great day, or that you will enjoy the time you’re going to spend with a loved one, or that you will find a win/win solution at a business meeting. Try to imagine great outcomes before the fact and then see the effects this has on the quality of your interactions.

 Environmental – surround yourself with people who are kind, genuine, caring, honest and appreciate your finer qualities. People who believe in goodness and see it in the world. They celebrate life whenever possible as seek out the simple joys. If not, you cannot convince them.

 Self-Talk – Learn to hear, catch and correct the hurtful messages each of us inflicts upon ourselves in the guise of motivation. These messages aren’t motivating, they are demeaning and often insidious. Affirming the good and learning from our mistakes is the best we can do as humans. Say balanced and nice things about yourself and to yourself often. It is worth it. If you’re not sure how to, sit with a safe friend and ask for three things they really like about you. Hearing it out loud really helps. Or begin by telling yourself, “I am a lovable imperfect being”.

**Reprinted with permission from Kindling the Flame: the art and science of cognitive replenishment, 2017, pg. 73-74)
To acquire your own copy is

Optimism enriches your brain chemistry and elevates your problem-solving abilities. Read more on how to boost your natural sense of optimism in a way that is yours alone. We all can use a bit of encouragement these days.

Treating People with Kindness and Grace

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 22:57:23 GMT

Kim Whitson, VAST Advisor and Original Thinker shares her take and balanced approach to this practice.

For most of us, it is our intention and desire to be heard, understood, seen, and to treat ourselves and others with kindness.

But this does take some work and a touch of grace.

When we do not experience this, we often become hurt or upset - feeling misheard, misunderstood, or unseen. We then can become busy, stop paying attention and end up misunderstanding, mishearing, feeling resentful, and ignoring each other. We may misattribute this inattention to nefarious or unkind motives. In response, the other person who hurt your feelings may feel or notice your upset and not understand the root of it. In addition, we may believe we are being thoughtful and helpful, but it doesn’t always translate as such to others. It is inevitable for each of us to interpret things in an entirely backwards way from how they were intended and result in both sides feeling misunderstood.

We, as human beings come from different backgrounds, cultures, languages, religions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and so much more. This expansive diversity is beautiful, powerful, and challenging. We all see, interact with, and interpret the world through these lenses of our unique diversity, our acculturation, and our beliefs. Even our biology can influence how we see and respond to the world. Add to all these factors how busy we are and it’s honestly amazing how well we do get along and communicate. We can also respond by over-functioning, thinking we are helping and providing a needed service when in fact it may be neither needed nor welcome. Organizations providing care and services often face the challenge of properly crafting solutions that fit the needs of the recipients when members of the recipient group are not consulted ahead of time.

When we give people the room and space to make real and perceived mistakes without anger, hostility, or resentment, we are providing them grace. We are allowing breath and love into a situation rather than layering on more anger and shame. It’s about that phrase most of us learned as children, treat others as you would wish to be treated (unfortunately, with our culture of high anxiety, low self-love, and low self- worth, this is exactly what we are unknowingly doing). When we take a minute to try to understand the other’s point of view, when possible, we are both able to grow, learn, and become more flexible and graceful in our approach to conflict and disagreements. This is one of the core teachings of the Vast Institute. One of the many lessons I took away from working with Michelle was how to take another look and see alternate perspectives when faced with a challenging situation.

We are all on this planet to learn and grow. By denying ourselves and each other the grace, to make mistakes, we deny the opportunity to learn, to grow and be better people. In judging and shaming, you silence someone who may have been a friend and an ally. And the next time, they may be less willing to speak up or ask questions. The next time you may not have those around to assist, because you’ve turned away so many away who tried to be there but did it in manner that was unacceptable to you. By not communicating with them as to what they may have done to hurt your feelings, your deny them the ability to learn and grow.

We aren’t speaking here about ignoring it when someone deeply wrongs you, this is about acknowledging that we all make mistakes, none of us have all the information, and though we sometimes think we are in other people’s heads, we cannot know their thoughts, feelings, emotions, or why they do what they do (I know I sometimes do things and then ask myself “Why did I do that? That was silly!”.)

It is easier some days to be angry and resentful and to attribute bad intentions to people’s words or deeds. It’s much harder to give them grace, to speak with them one-on-one, and to seek a deeper understanding. This society is becoming more awake and aware to all the beautiful diversity in this country, of the needs of so many who have been unseen, unheard, and undervalued. We also must understand that it takes time to learn each of these stories; to learn how to interact with, support, and speak in ways that are respectful and honoring to each person and group. There are so many ways people prefer to be described and addressed these days, each of us has our own individual preference and until we share those preferences, others cannot know what’s inside.

Identifying who we intend to be versus who we choose to be, as well as understanding how we express ourselves, is one way of accessing where we might be giving grace and where we are neglecting to offer grace. The intersection of who we want to be and how we express those desires is a key point in where miscommunications and misunderstandings occur. However, if we are clear in our intentions, in integrity with these intentions and actions, and communicate with others when these things are out of balance, then we can begin increasing grace within and without.

To put this into practice, here are some questions you can start by asking yourself.

· Who do I want to be as a person?

· How do I want people to experience me?

· What words and actions do I use to express who I want to be and how I want to be seen?

· Do these words and actions match who I want to be?

· In what aspects of my life do I give others grace and the benefit of the doubt?

Why?

· In what aspects of my life do I not give others grace and the benefit of the doubt?

Why not?

· Are there areas where I give others grace and do not give myself the same consideration?

Answering these questions may help highlight where there may be gaps and where you may want to give yourself and others a little more grace, love, and consideration. I know through working with the Vast Institute and answering for myself similar questions, I have learned how to better give people more space to be themselves and to be less critical. When someone doesn’t speak or respond in ways that I expect them to, I now will ask questions and try to understand. I have also learned that asking questions and seeking clarification is not a form of conflict, but an opportunity to diffuse the conflict, the hurt, and anger.

By increasing your ability to give grace, you are growing the love inside you and offering more love to others. By giving yourself and others more grace, you are acknowledging that none of us have all the answers and we all can behave in ways that are misunderstood by others. It is through Kindness and Grace we will create the better world we want to live in.

Is this a Miracle or a Bad Dream?

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 06:47:56 GMT

It all depends on your opinion of self and humankind

One of my intellectual heroes, Albert Einstein said it quite simply,

“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle”.

I have always chosen the latter and as a result have had a semi-magical experience of life. As Jeni Miller said during a recent podcast taping, “Everything is Energy”.

How does this miraculous energy enhance your happiness and why should you care? There are two valid reasons for choosing this approach:

1) You get to, through practice and free will, choose and then train what your emotional states and experiences will be. For many this practice feels like an elevation.

The emotional states of awe and wonder, sweetness, and innocence resonate at a particularly nourishing frequency for humans. Remember, the milk of human-kindness is real. And at VAST we especially appreciate what human-kindness can accomplish.

As revealed in Dr David Hawkins, maps of consciousness, (Power versus Force: the hidden determinants of human behavior, 1995, page 69, Veritas Press) those emotional states of being allow you to inhabit a more life affirming space. When you allow your healthy joy (sans shame or guilt) you tune up your body and access a higher functioning portion of your brain to problem solve. Systems on a physical, emotional, and cellular level have been seen to integrate and work cohesively.”

Thus, miraculous experiences depend on your focal point and opinion of self, life, and mankind.

2) Being able to focus and intentionally experience states of emotional nourishment improve not only your experience but that of the loved ones around you. (Sherman, Michelle, 2017, Kindling the Flame: the art and science of cognitive replenishment on mirror neurons, page 33).

Here are a few of my personal favorites my to stimulate your positive imagination about things that elicit a state of awe.

Fifteen plus things that tend to inspire awe within me:

· Symphony music, jazz, and rock-n-roll.

· Photos of space taken by Voyager, Cabrini space explorers, et al.

· The bodacious variety and splashes of color and scent that flowers bring into the world.

· Placing Humans on the moon and returning them safely.

· Understanding that we are part of a grander Universe or Multiverse.

· Seeing how well men cooperate at the hardware store, wishing the world fully reflected that empowered example.

· The baby genius of all our children. The way they explore the world learn to be themselves.

· Hummingbird aerodynamics and sparkly feathers.

· Women of all ages and backgrounds celebrating each other.

· Softening the hardest hearts with consistent loving kindness and respect.

· Experiencing how beautiful the world and people are, and you looking for it.

· How staying calm can turn a difficult moment into a minor nuisance.

· Arnica when I bump my toes.

· Really happy families.

· The myriad colors contained within a rainbow.

You get the picture.

And I didn’t yet mention bubbles, or swimming in the ocean.

Each of the above has inspired a feeling of warmth, care, awe, happiness, and/or gratitude, expansion within my being. Knowing your awe-inspiring moments and cues is a great life hack that empowers you to intentionally include and practice these emotional states.

For some, awe might occur upon seeing a third baseman running towards home, with bases loaded, or walking barefoot through the grass. You decide, there are no right or wrong answers.

You get to decide for yourself if this life is miraculous or an incomprehensible and random set of experiences.

We decide by choosing the lens through which we see the world.

I highly suggest practicing awe, wonder, celebration, and sincere enthusiasm for that reason. Practicing those emotional states intentionally, is a gentle healing method. Choose and recognize daily the pieces of the world around us that are beautiful, kind-hearted, and worthy of our respect.

As a scientist Albert Einstein understood, “everything that exists in your life, does so because of two things: something you did or something you didn't do.”.

Dramatic, yet to the point as we each are tasked to decide if we choose to capture the miraculous.

Magic unfolds in embracing the mystery that everything is potentially miraculous, even if you do not yet see it. He knew that and the power of personal accountability. It is in the acceptance of our connection to the awe already baked into life; that the true miracles are revealed and enjoyed.

Ready to practice and stoke your positive imagination?

A customized VAST road map and toolkit are available today via Kindling the Flame: the art and science of cognitive replenishment, from our marketplace.

Choosing Newness with Confidence

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 03:09:30 GMT

Letting GO always sounds a bit easier than it really is

Quite soon, the New Year of 5781, according to the Jewish Calendar, will be with us.

And, with it comes a wonderful tradition of letting go. I would like to share as it relates to building your confidence in welcoming of the new. This is a tradition that has served me well as one method of saluting the unseen before it wanders into my life.

During the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur those who choose to, are provided, by the Divine an opportunity to:

· Give oneself marks on the past year’s achievements / good deeds

· Make amends for any lack of kindness and shortcomings

· Humbly request that best outcomes be granted and then written in the Book of Life, made manifest, over the next year.

Once the prayers are complete on Yom Kippur, a day of atonement, (or as a dear spiritual; buddy says, day of At Onement), the ram’s horn bellows, the fasting ends and the celebration of life feels renewed. I always felt, through participating in this ritual that I got a redo.

Those ten days of making amends while conducting a self-directed integrity tune-up, before requesting Goodness acts on your behalf, always struck me as quite an ingenious and loving way to take responsibility for my choices as I commit to doing better. This is perhaps why this time is called the High Holy Days.

None of us truly knows what the New Year will bring and so this method offers up a subtle mode of confidence in handling the Newness embedded in the uncertainty provoked.

Many beloved traditions celebrate Newness.

.
Paul’s epistle states in Romans 6:4 that "just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.".

Zuni legend speaks of the Great Father who created the Newness. Thirteenth century theologian and Sufi Mystic, Rumi said, “Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop”. These encouraging pronouncements makes way for the mystery of what is yet to unfold.

People are taught and trained by their beloved traditions to expect and welcome the newness of uncertainty because it is steeped in Goodness. A belief in the possibility of Goodness within the change, allows for the human spirit to remain buoyant. In this assumption of Goodness there resides a deeper layer of discovery, optimism, and healing.

It is a practical life skill to embrace forms of newness; yet there are those who do not relish the changes life offers up. There is even a medical term for this condition:

Cainotophobia is the fear of newness, novelty, anything new, change, innovations, unfamiliar things. The origin of the word caino is Greek (meaning new) and phobia is Greek (meaning fear). This is seen as a phobia by the medical community. A phobia, by definition, is an irrational fear of a specific thing or situation and can compromise our Joy.

One suggested way out of the mistrust of Newness is through a practice called anchoring. When you are fearful of the new for no apparent reason, sing yourself a song that warms your heart and reminds you of the infinite patience and presence of LOVE in your life or world. Or, pick up the ingredients for chef level recipe and cook and feed the people you love or, find that childhood play activity that absorbs you fully. These activities allow time in your life to reset your cortisol levels and step with confidence into the newness of the day, the week, the love and the year. Anchor your thoughts in a pleasant memory, activity or idea. This is a great opportunity to practice the emotional states of awe, appreciation, and joy we speak of at VAST.

Pick a few anchors and practice them in advance so you will have them in your pocket when needed. Seeing a gifted therapist or hypnotherapist to address your phobia is also a wonderful option.

Albert Einstein, one of my thought heroes, would have been 141 this 5781.

He would have liked our choosing to step into the Newness with Confidence for once he said, “He who can no longer pause to wonder and , as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”

Open your eyes to the Good mixed in with the crazy around you.

To recapture the awe and wonder with Newness in your life, Contact Us to learn more about VAST Leadership and Quality of Life tune-ups.

Peace on Earth Begins with Peaceful Birth!

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 22:12:05 GMT

Research show that babies born using hypnosis are calmer, more alert and ready to bond

Television and movies often depict childbirth as a medical emergency with a flurry of confusion, panic and fear; an ineffective birth partner; and a suffering woman screaming or writhing in pain.

What if birth could be easier, more comfortable, empowering and blissful, instead?

What if a peaceful birth experience set the stage for a more peaceful lifetime?

Babies are imprinted by their birth experience on a deep subconscious level. How we begin life sets the stage for how we interact with the world. Just imagine what this planet could be like, if more babies started their journey on Earth from a place of calm, peace, comfort and joy.

“During the entire labor my baby’s heart rate never showed signs of stress as I had a leveling calm knowing I was made to do this and had the confidence and know how to get though the contractions. The room environment was a place of calming peace, dimly lit, and so inviting. I was able to push through everything without fear or self-doubt and to not feel pain but relaxation after every push. What you taught me was a wonderful gift. I am so thankful to have been able to birth my baby how I wanted to without fear, hesitation or pain medication. The nursing staff and my midwife were in amazement of how everything was peaceful and how I was able to handle everything calmly and without stress on the baby or me. Postpartum, I have been able to continue to use my tools to help relax and sleep. We're so happy and she's just perfect. Thank you again!” as one mom I have supported shared.

Hypnosis training for childbirth is recognized worldwide as one of the most effective ways to achieve a more comfortable, easier, faster and safer birth for both Mom and baby. Hypnosis has been used for birth for hundreds of years. It is safe, 100% natural, and does not have any unpleasant side effects. Research has shown that women who use hypnosis use little or no medication, have fewer complications; and therefore, reduce the need for medical interventions. Babies are calmer, more alert and ready to bond, and have higher Apgar scores. In addition to these documented benefits, many of my clients who use hypnosis for birth have little or no pain, report greater confidence and preparedness, feel empowered, and have an overall sense of satisfaction about their birth experience.

Hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation, where the mind is focused, and the subconscious is accessible. Childbirth is directed by the subconscious mind and is influenced through programming and instincts.

Healthcare practitioners often report that laboring women can experience a phenomenon known as the Fear-Tension-Pain (FTP) cycle. Fear causes tension in the body and tense muscles lead to pain, increased pain leads to more fear, and the cycle continues and escalates. Fear can stall or stop labor too. By using hypnosis, women can break the FTP cycle and more effectively and efficiently work with the energy of birth.

Hypnosis enables the mother to remain focused and calm, allow her body to move through contractions without resistance, release endorphins and oxytocin—hormones that have euphoric and analgesic effects—into the blood stream, progress more quickly and easily, and stay more in control of the process. Because a baby in the womb cannot differentiate between “Mom and me” and shares the same blood supply with Mom through the placenta, the baby’s nervous system is impacted by the emotions, hormones and chemicals their mother experiences. When Mom is feeling calm, safe, peaceful and relaxed, her baby is experiencing that too.

While the use of hypnosis does not eliminate the possibility of the use of medication or medical intervention such as cesarean section, women trained in hypnosis tend to need less medication and have the skills to assist their bodies to heal more quickly from surgery.

“Labor and delivery went nothing like I expected. I ended up at the hospital for a c-section because my baby was stuck in the wrong position and couldn't get down into my pelvis. But it's okay! Thanks to the hypnosis preparation I had done beforehand, I am completely at peace with my birth story. Even though our birth experience did not go how I thought it would, I know that it unfolded exactly how it needed to. I am really grateful that my body started labor on its own and I still got to have the experience of laboring with my husband at home and at the birth center. I am also grateful that we were able to calmly make decisions as we needed to, and I know that we did everything we could to try for a vaginal birth. At no point was there an emergency, we weren't pushed into any decisions, and both my baby and I are healthy and well.” as another mom I supported shared.

There are many advantages to having and using hypnosis skills post-partum. Moms can speed their recovery, decrease “baby blues,” improve their breast feeding experience, conserve energy, and make up for lost sleep (five minutes of deep hypnotic relaxation provides many of the same benefits as an hour of sleep). Also, clients report that by continuing to use their self-hypnosis skills regularly, they are more present with their child(ren) and can parent more effectively.

I recommend birth hypnosis training take place during the third trimester of pregnancy, ideally in the seventh/eight month to allow plenty of time to attend the classes and practice the skills so that they become automatic. Birth partners should attend the training with the expectant mother in order to know how to confidently fill that important supportive role. Couples who have attended my classes often tell me that sharing the training together deepens and improves their relationship as well.

Self-hypnosis is easy to learn and can be applied in a variety of ways throughout a lifetime. Creating a peaceful birth is just the beginning of how together, we can create a more peaceful world.

Jeni Miller is a Medical Support Clinical Hypnotherapist and childbirth hypnosis educator. Her clients achieve radiant, vibrant health through mind, body, Spirit integration. To find out more about Jeni’s Blissborn childbirth hypnosis classes, call her at 206-782-6928 and visit www.BlissfulEasyBirth.com . Classes are taught virtually, either via phone or tele-health video conferencing.

Designing What's Next!

Sat, 22 Aug 2020 21:09:28 GMT

These challenging days are prompting us to look past the present and imagine a promising future

I’m pegged as a guy who’s optimistic and creative. OK, I’ll buy that, but there is some method to staring out into the abyss and seeing what’s possible despite the murky uncertainty that lies before us.

I started my career as a fledgling interior architect, tasked with the job of space planning tens of thousands of corporate office environments in a multitude of building configurations. This was back in the days of tracing paper and magic markers.No computers, no CADD.

My days were filled with searching for solutions amidst countless variables. The trick, I found, was to know that the answer was there, somewhere out ahead of me, I just had to uncover it. And so after expelling countless yards of sketches on the a fore mentioned tracing paper, my forearm covered with marker ink, the right plan emerged, the riddle was solved the future looked bright.

In the process of designing what’s next, be it an environment, system, product or service, we’re faced with the question of how we get past the perceived roadblocks of the present to conceive what's next, want’s new and what’s right. This is tricky terrain to say the least.

Typically, I hear clients say things like “we’re stuck”, “we don’t have the time”. “we don’t have the budget”, “we don't have the bandwidth”. Not very positive, yet based on the day-to-day realities of leading an enterprise forward. I get that.

Designing the future, requires a courageous leap from being stuck in our current realities to an inspired,optimistic, imaginative place where we replace “we can’t”, with “how might we”. Three simple words that change perceptions and engender inventiveness.

To take a running leap toward the future - I’m reminded here of the great Douglas Adams saying ”flying is easy,just aim at the ground and miss” - let me invoke the notion of backcasting -the cousin of forecasting. It’s a mindset that allows us to brainstorm how we got there as opposed to how we get there.

I’ll explain; consider the task at hand - some bold audacious idea like bringing low cost broadband to impoverished nations. Got it? Now, imagine it’s five years from now, we’ve done it, the system is in place, it’s working, flourishing, enriching people’s lives with expanded access, we’ve just won the Nobel Prize for it. Ask yourself, how did we get there? What did we discover that we didn’t know when we started? How did we design it? What resources did we need? How was it financed? How was it operationalized? What roadblocks did we need to remove to get there? What metrics of success did we establish? Who works there, who runs it?

The optimistic mindset of we’ve already won, has the liberating value of blotting out the reasons why we can’t do it and shifts us to imaging how we did do it. Suddenly, we’re brainstorming with an expanded, creative point of view. We find ourselves throwing lots of ideas at the wall, rapidly moving from one topic to the next and going for a rich mix of possibilities. It’s visceral, messy, visual, fast. Before our eyes, what seemed to be an impasse gives way to an opening - an opening of what could be next.

This is the start of designing your future, it begins with a positive, informed viewpoint and the unbridled chance to express new possibilities, as if you’ve already achieved our goal. It continues with a ton of building upon nascent ideas, understating the landscape, reminding ourselves that we can do it despite the obstacles and remaining positive despite the rocky terrain of the present.

This point of view, empowers us to fly; to reach for new solutions, build on the ideas of others, generate remarkable outcomes and to emerge and lead!

Fly on!
_________________

Jim Cohen has the soul of an artist, the mind of a businessperson and the heart of a guru.

For over thirty-five years he’s partnered with major corporations, gutsy start-ups, non-profit organizations and individuals, to reveal what makes them exceptional, unleash their creativity and develop new pathways for enduring success.

Befriending the Darkness

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 22:47:12 GMT

Going for it is only the beginning says Joseph

Beginnings

You begin by stepping out into the world.

You might just be hiding, hoping not to get wet in the rain.

There is an overhang on an old barn to shelter under until the storm passes.

As soon as the deluge stops you consider your next step.

Has it slowed enough?

Have the dark clouds passed?

You think to yourself,

What’s a little rain going to hurt?

Then a part of you imagines the road,

Now slippery and treacherous.

It is sure to ruin your shoes.

Reaching inside for courage,

Putting one tenuous foot in front of the other,

Tiptoeing through knees high, sliding along the way,

You soak your socks.

Cold wet feet send forth a shiver of doubt:

Then, to hell with it.

Nothing can stop us now.

- Joseph Robinson

reprinted with permission from Laying Bare the Bones , Inside Out Wisdom, 2019

Joseph's podcast and poem align with VAST’s Positive Imagination and Self-wisdom competencies.

Thank you Joseph. Insideoutwisdom.com

Four D's of Disconnection During a Changing World

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 17:38:36 GMT

How to Seek Connection through the use of Nonviolent Communications

It’s no secret that this is one of the more complex times to have healthy conversations with other humans in person and on the internet. From posts, comments,and Instagram stories, I’m seeing a lot of messages delivered in disconnecting ways. It’s disheartening, because there are such positive intentions behind these messages.

Unfortunately, if its delivery is in an inherently disconnecting way,it’s going to create further separation and isolation. Putting the progress of humanity at a halt. As a life coach that specializes in self-love and creating relationships that last a lifetime, being an incredible communicator is something that I’m an expert at. What can help you through this multidimensional moment in time is keeping the Four D's of Disconnection In mind when communicating to your loved ones.

The Four D's of Disconnection are Diagnosis, Denial of Responsibility, Demands,and Deserve. This comes from the work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, who developed Nonviolent Communication.

Let’s break this down in a statement that is similar to one you may hear during these times. “Wear a mask! Everyone should stay inside because I deserve to be able to walk on my favorite path without passing by people not wearing masks.” The demand here is “Wear a mask!” The diagnosis is “Everyone should stay inside…” And the deserve is “I deserve to be able to walk on my favorite path…” This Statement doesn’t invite connection.

My invitation is to consider using statements like “are you open to wearing a mask when you’re around me?” Or “I’m practicing social distancing; how would you feel about staying six feet or more away from me if we spent time together outside?” It’s important to keep things positive and connecting even if everyone isn’t living the same way as you.

Have you seen or spoken like that?

That’s ok! It’s never too late to level up your communication skills. If you see this communication style in your close loved ones, feel free to take a moment to inform them about the Four D's of Disconnection. I also encourage anyone and everyone to take a Nonviolent Communication class, its lessons have been invaluable to me.

Keep it compassionate out there, dear humans!

VAST Quick Encouragement on Truth, Justice and The American Way

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 21:25:16 GMT

As we recreate our culture to reflect the diverse wisdom and beauty that we possess as a community, here are a few inspired ideas to enjoy

As we rethink what our culture can become, we reflect on the diverse wisdom and beauty that we already possess as a community.
Here are a few ideas to stimulate your positive imagination.

“Truth never damages a cause that is just.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“The truth about humans is that they are sweet and beautiful beings. The harm they inflict on each other is the slip of self-hatred peeking out from under their skirt.” - Michelle Sherman

“Striving for Social Justice is the most valuable thing to do in life.” - Albert Einstein

“In the end we will not remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” - Dr. Martin Luther King

“We know that all the pain, all of the separation, all of the guilt and the shame is an illusion. We know that we are loved and that there was never a time when we were not loved.” – Paul Ferrini

Positive Imagination: A Foundation Piece on The Boulevard to Equity

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 21:18:19 GMT

This VAST Competency greases the wheels of brilliance in your most complex areas of problem solving

The VAST Institute is dedicated to expediting the illumination of humankind.

To do that …we must awaken to our unity as a species on this planet, at this time.

To do that… we must first decide that it is possible.

Then, if we are willing, we need to replenish our minds and develop the practice of Positive Imagination. Let me explain…

On the road towards social justice and racial equity, solutions are required to heal and honor the past as we transcend the cultural norms to which we were accustomed. Our lives have been changed. To achieve our loftiest goals,with the least drama and crisis, possessing a strong and vibrant positive imagination significantly benefits us.

Positive Imagination is a hybrid of optimism and critical thinking.
It generates enhanced outcomes in life, as well as masterful insights from traditionally uncomfortable situations.

This is one of the VAST Core Competencies .

Life is uncomfortable, so knowing how to optimize outcomes while still feeling uncertain is the hallmark of genius and a brave person.

Your positive imagination is a foundational piece in the accomplishment of goals in two regards: it affords us perspective on a past we may never have considered possible, while improving our ability to devise ingenious solutions that correct past indignities by enriching the lives of those harmed.

Those who possess this skill reside on the cutting edge of human innovation .
This skill set will help us imagine the world we want to leave to our loved ones. Perhaps I can begin to imagine a more loving and civilized human family joyfully, living peacefully on this planet. There goes my positive imagination again! Feels good to imagine. Learn how to strengthen your positive imagination by Kindling the Flame .

Forgiveness as a Virtue and Necessity

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 21:09:31 GMT

When a treasured or abhorrent paradigm dissolves before your very eyes, this is one of the genius moves

As we reconcile the parts of ourselves and communities that are coming to grips with past and present intolerance and cruelty, we can turn towards the skill of forgiveness to lend us a hand.

So, what the heck is all this about forgiveness?

Until I sincerely wanted to learn how to forgive, I did not even know how to define it properly. How could I accomplish forgiveness when I didn't know what my goal was? I then looked it up, and the definition I found has become indelibly etched on my mind.

Forgiveness is to give up all claim to punish or exact a future penalty from someone or something .

That makes sense. The reason I had such a hard time forgiving was because to do so, I had to give up my secret guilty pleasure of punishing the other person, place,or thing. To forgive, I had to make room and perhaps let go of feeling right,being superior and relinquishing any passive aggressive revenge plans bouncing around my mind.

Not a flattering looks for those of us who care about humankindness.

What could be done?

I was confronted with the concept of forgiveness at a few self-discovery seminars in the1980s. In the 2000s, my ladies group read a pivotal tone poem by Paul Ferrini titled, “ The Twelve Steps of Forgiveness ” (Heartways Press, 1991). It offers a roadmap that includes great perspective on the human reality of forgiveness.

This is what I have gleaned thus far :

1) Forgiveness starts with a willingness to forgive yourself. Toughest thing of all is to be ok with our full array of positive and infuriating aspects of self. Each of us is a masterpiece if we take the time to see the full truth of who we are .

2) Forgiveness requires nothing. I do it for me and expect nothing in return, it is an unconditional act of self-love.

3) Forgiveness is an ongoing process as we discover this tender and precious part of our selves. It takes practice, is a practice and requires a sense of compassion for the shared human condition.

4) All acts of forgiveness are sacred. We are each enough.

What you can do about it if you choose. When I am ready to do a bit of forgiveness work the best place to start is with me.

· Sit and write down the five things that you need to forgive. Don’t judge it. We all have them. It is part of the human psyche. That is how we survived thus far.

· Then ask yourself on each one separately: Am I willing to forgive this? If the answer is yes that’s great, if not that’s ok too.

· Take the “ YES,I am willing” list, write out your version of this statement and then read out loud when no one else is around in a private and sacred spot. Change the wording to make this release work for you.

Michelle example circa 2004:

*Dear Goodness,
I now choose to forgive my neighbor to the north for coming to my side of the fence and cutting down one of my favorite rosebushes. I relinquish all intentions to punish him or myself, releasing all the negativity I once possessed letting it fly to you for the greatest good of all concerned. Thank you!

Then, joyfully clap your hands to signal that you are done with the drama and burden of it.

Move on to the next person, place, or thing you're willing to forgive, even a little. Go through your list and say your release statement aloud for each.

Breathe, be with it and do your best.

Forgiveness is a gentle release and frees up heart space and physical energy for other aspects of life such as healing, creating, or thriving. It frees up energy to invest in solid life strategies, the ones that honor, nourish, and delight you. Play with it. Be kind to all knowing that it is always about forgiving yourself. Once you understand that you can save a lot of time. It is a life skill worthy of the learning as we embark on engendering brave new worlds.

How to Tap the Beauty of Life, No Matter What!

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 20:56:49 GMT

Sometimes the best stuff is right in front of your nose if you know how to look

Some days it takes all the energy I can muster to sift through the onslaught of information about the multitude of topics that directly impact my life, loved ones and community to find the diamond in that rough. It is on those days I adhere to a list of remedies to turn towards the sunshine, the inner sunshine.

First , I sit down and explain to myself how grateful I am that I had breakfast this morning, a warm clean bed to sleep in and a safe space to reside much of the time. That is a lot of freedom and space for living that unfortunately many of other people do not yet have.

Second , on those days when I cannot find solace in the above, I breathe deep, turn my attention to nature and snub humankind for a few hours to play with the nonjudgmental flowers, plants, squirrels, hummingbirds,bees and bugs of-all-types. Just sitting, breathing deeply and communing with Goodness while admiring the beautiful tapestry of life and nature. The color,the scents, the sounds and the friendly little critters going about their business. When I do not have a garden to play in, I find my favorite tree or spot in the park and befriend that majestic neighborhood.

Third , When #1 or #2 are OK , but do not fully do the trick, I call my trusted besties and ask them to tell me three things they appreciate about me to remind me why I am so lovable, a nice person and worthy of a giving myself a break for being myself..

Fourth , I sit with a blank piece of paper and a box of crayons, paints, colored pencils and play with color. Color is a gentle and healing presence. Spending time with colors and shapes is inspirational. A coloring book is wonderful too. I especially like the fresh paper inviting a dance with the spectrum of color to stimulate the heart and mind.

Playing with colors and shapes is a form of meditation. The Indian Hindu culture shares mantras to meditate with sound, and the sacred geometry patterns of yantras to resonate with color and balanced form.A gifted Vedic Astrologer I know, Kathleen Whalen , conducted painting classes with her teacher Pieter Weltevrede for those seeking to unlock the secret of yantras and their sacred geometry. In attending I was awestruck by the use of color and form to heal and help for the yantra forms represent the Hindu pantheon of deities and archetypes through their visual beauty.

If you see the recurring shapes and colors as a fun game of life, you find what attracts you from the rainbow of choices. Nourish yourself with floral patterns, eggplant purple, Mediterranean blue, or deep forest green. Then, reflect on the amazing fractal geometry of our ecosystem like a tapestry, as it mimics itself on the micro and macro cosmic levels. Clouds look like marshmallows, which look like mushrooms, which look like explosions,which look like volcanic activity which, look like rivers flowing, which look like blood coursing through your veins magnified. Amazing, colorful, harmonious and out there for you to enjoy.

Albert Einstein, the great thinker, understood that developing a positive imagination was an essential life skill when he said,
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

Your choice.
Let us know what you discover.

This is the Perfect Time to Rethink Modern Urban Life

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:50:33 GMT

This is the perfect moment to re-envision what cities offer urban dwellers and rethink Modern Urban Life. How do we improve the quality of life for our neighbors and businesses as we move forward in times of uncertainty and cultural transformation?

Crises always accelerate processes that have already occurred, and slow down or stop processes that have already slowed down. The current crisis,the coronavirus pandemic 2019 is no exception.

Let us look at how this pandemic is changing the appearance of the cities in which we live.

Let us start with the structure of urban premises. The modern city before the pandemic was strongly divided into two and sometimes three sectors of space, namely residential, post-industrial (mostly offices) and industrial. Over the past decades we have witnessed the reduction of industrial space and its transformation into a post-industrial one comprised of offices, commercial premises. restaurants, shops, and even housing. Within this growth of the post-industrial economy, is the significant increase in the number of offices. And now, as the post-industrial economy is edged out by an innovative or digital one a new approach to organizing work is demanded as the need for office space diminishes. The coronavirus has given many of us the opportunity to work from home or remotely with unprecedented acceleration. The current situation is changing the structure of the working day throughout the emerging digital economy.

Both employers and employees are becoming aware of how much can be done remotely from home. Despite the challenges, there are unanticipated benefits for both the talent and the company. There is no longer a need to waste employee time traveling between home and work or, to invest precious resources on office rent, heating, and lighting. Boom! This reality calls upon the cohort of residences, developers, architects, planners, and communities where workers reside, to create innovative cityscapes in response.

How do we respect our new safety requirements and rethink our interaction and communication throughout the city and public spaces?

Will people spend all day at home? Of course not, and we will see an explosion of social interaction and communication at the close of the “stay-at-home” period. But by the time the shelter in place orders end, it will have become crystal clear that a lot of us do not need to physically go to work; many things can be done without leaving home. And so, in the rethinking of Modern Urban Life, we predict there will be a need to replace postindustrial offices with community centric co-working spaces located within walking distance of your home. Places where you can come with your gadgets to work at a convenient time and then exchange a word with your neighborhood "colleagues" assembled to interact with remote professionals like themselves.

The city will most certainly change its appearance from what we have seen over the past few decades. There will be a new approach to optimizing city space. Office towers will be replaced by small spaces for work, co-working spaces on pedestrian streets near residential blocks with cafes, fast food restaurants, and even in parks. Our new normal could look like awakening and spending our days working and playing within walking distance of our homes. For those who used to commute in traffic for hours each day this change in professional work locale may be a silver lining at this time. These days we all deserve less stress as we care for our loved ones and enjoy our newly imagined residential community.

If you would like to know more of Professor Vesmanov research on developing a vibrant future for city dwellers, please enjoy as our gift the first two segments of Modern Urban Life and to find out how you can engage as a Modern Urbanite.

The Willing Apprentice…is not always so willing

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:37:43 GMT

Find out why crafting an enlightened human paradigm can be tricky and why commanding the essential secrets of the universe takes passion, patience, and courage of a particular sort.

The Willing Apprentice

The willing apprentice is not always so willing

To give up control- be it correct or so thrilling.

The willing apprentice will listen and learn.

Becoming malleable, interested,

twisted and turned...

To completely new places

She stands, poised, herself to dive

Trusting her mentor that chances are good

She will make it out alive.

Seeking a knowledge

And the path, that she alone must walk

The questions are many.

While the fear it loves to talk and talk.

Yet her mentors remain patiently in service

Reminding her that everything now,

shall one day pass

On her way to becoming who she truly is

An exquisite woman of quality, purpose

and incomparable class.

- MPHS

Reprinted with permission from Walking Flower :a blossoming of consciousness.
League of Angels Publishing, 2005

Learn the VAST Competencies, that in concert, provide a gentler and stable blueprint to recreating your best life and world.

Programs are enrolling to explore techniques intended to expedite the healing and illumination of your soul and humankind.

Staycations: how to bloom where you are planted

Fri, 08 May 2020 20:12:13 GMT

How to gracefully meet yourself and learn to enjoy your company.

As I witness the diverse circles of my world renegotiate their travel around the neighborhood, university,golf course or planet, I am ironically reminded of the recent cultural appeal of the staycation .

For those of you who may not be familiar with the concept, a staycation is the nomenclature for “a period in which an individual or family stays home and participate in leisure activities within driving distance of their home (which)does not require overnight accommodations” per Wikipedia .

The staycation was first recognized during the 2007-2008 global financial crisis as it provided a cost-effective vacation alternative. During a break from your professional life, you choose to stay near home instead of wandering about overnight. It allowed you to sleep in your own wonderful bed with a pillow that secured your happy neck while eating the specific food you prefer, savoring comfy home spaces and places to work, hangout on your balcony, stoop or chill in your backyard – a great stress reducer.

People who took this alternative would boast that they had fewer airline insults and impractical check-in/checkout times at their hotels to deal with. When a vacation came around,all my friends and I tried it, usually making a PR spectacle by announcing to the office, family and friends that we were taking a "Staycation" to signal a few things such as…

We’re saving for a once in a lifetime trip.

We wanted to enjoy our own place for more than the few hours high demand jobs allow.

The housemate/spouse/ significant other wants to finally get those home projects scheduled and done!

We were finally ready to celebrate the company of our familiar people,surroundings, self, and space.

It was an eco-friendly choice.

And for those who may never have taken a vacation due to family budget constraints they now had a great way to avoid any embarrassment. The staycation was ultra-cool.

Remember?

What were your reasons?

During this time of shelter in place, the staycation has gone to new heights of reflecting our hunger for creativity and expression. Here is one of my current favs. Try a virtual best drink and clean joke tasting with friends and family.Everyone has a turn to describe what they are choosing to drink and shares a great clean joke or story. Slightly naughty is OK too if the kids aren’t around. Inclusive, ingenious social distancing.

What have been you best virtually creative moments?

The unfortunate part of this current staycation situation is that as a result, each of us must reckon with fewer choices – limits we may not fully understand or embrace. This leads to heightened emotional frustrations while staying at home. Recently it has felt as if I were living in a Twilight Zone episode, one where there were no windows or doors on any of the dwellings *cue Twilight Zone theme song*

So, what are the possible benefits of this new, expanded, imposed staycation?

One benefit is that I finally get to spend time with one of my favorite people, my most precious self.Might sound corny, but enjoying your own company is a skill some possess, and others must develop. How do you learn to enjoy your own company? By knowing who you are and how to honor, nourish and delight in life. This is our time to focus on the being instead of the doing. Meeting up with yourself in isolation is all about learning how to be comfortable with yourself. It takes a willingness and practice.

Why?

We are usually confused about howto be our true selves and lovable in the same moment. The tradition of vipassana meditation and yoga has its roots in Buddhism and Hinduism. Vipassana focuses on self-transformation through self-observation. By watching the fleeting nature of thoughts, feelings, emotions, and judgments, vipassana teaches us to accept the ups and downs that life brings.This form of meditation is experienced over ten-days spent in total silence. Your only company during those ten days is what you sense and think. This is one way to truly meet up with yourself. The goal is to be liberated from self-inflicted suffering – a good reason to sit in silence for over a week.

Our current staycation is one opportunity to make peace with yourself in service to honoring the beautiful,imperfect, whole, ever-growing, divinely inspired human, who is figuring out howto be lovable and meaningfully connect. When we are constrained in our choices,we a re forced to be present to solving the problems at hand. That challenge brings out the heroic feats inmost. Not many people know a really good clean joke.

Give yourself credit for the time you are spending learning to enjoy your own company. Be kind to yourself. Laugh and play as you can. This is a time to create sanctuary within our hearts since we cannot always change where we are physically planted. Sometimes it is not a place that encourages us to bloom. If that is the case, then celebrate the sunshine within.

The VAST Institute offers Self-Wisdom, Authenticity, Leadership and Healthy happy Relationship Studies for those ready to become more comfortable with self as an instrument, ready to thrive; while illuminating humankindness.

Becoming Trustworthy

Fri, 08 May 2020 19:53:24 GMT

If, as Ralph Waldo Emerson conjects, “self-trust is the essence of heroism,” then exactly what does it take to be deemed trustworthy in this age of disinformation?

If, as Ralph Waldo Emerson conjects, “self-trust is the essence of heroism,” then exactly what does it take to be deemed trustworthy in this age of disinformation? What could possibly evoke a sense of calm, safety, and trust as we are called upon to completely reprogram our internal compass. Below is one point of view that exalts faith and optimism in the befriending of trust.

Trustworthy

“Trusting another is as natural as breathing”
And if one does get hurt
It is well worth the grieving.

But perhaps you do not
Comprehend what I seek
That to trust me is not for the
fainthearted or meek

And the sort that I mean is the
sharpest and clean.
For the kindest of intentions
Often possess hidden dimensions.
And when I state myself trustworthy
It means that I choose to enhance
your destiny.

At its simplest I state
An essential core part
Is that when you trust me
You trust you what dwells in my heart.

- MPHS

Reprinted with permission from Walking Flower : a blossoming of consciousness.
League of Angels Publishing, 2005

Be trustworthy with yourself.

When we take a bit of time to fully recognize and appreciate the creative power of ourselves and others,we begin to understand that the solutions to our current problems are already in the works, even if not yet manifest.

Go forth and create something wonderful!

You have been given all you need to make it so.

If you are seeking help to clarify what is uniquely yours to create, contact me via our website for 1:1 coaching options and empowered guidance .

Indomitable Strength: The Legacy of Willie Austin

Fri, 08 May 2020 19:42:42 GMT

Honoring the Memory of a Real Superhero

Indomitable Strength: The Legacy of Willie Austin

When I say that “true power needs not prove itself or abuse another,” I am speaking about lessons learned in the company and at the gym of Willie Austin , athlete, philanthropist and inspirational leader.

Willie was co-owner and lead trainer at the Gateway Club when we met in 1995 . The company I worked with, Worldwise Investments, rented an office space in the building.

The first time I met Willie he was swamped by people all seeking an answer from him on a multitude of things: the time he was next available for a Youth in Fitness Foundation meeting, what size weights to rack up, or just looking for a bit of guidance, encouragement or unconditional love. He was a consistent and generous soul.

When I was introduced to Willie he stopped, gave me his undivided attention, and sat me down in his office. He then respectfully asked if he could shut the door to talk. Once closed he began to tell me about myself in ways only a gifted wise man, sage or spiritual healer could access. He was all that and more. In that 10 minutes he spoke of my work in the world and confirmed for me that I was doing what was for the greatest good of all concerned. My doubt evaporated. It was a huge gift.

The lessons and gifts kept coming . My favorite occurred during my training sessions with Willie and working out in the gym. As I did my cardio and weight circuit,I realized that there was something quite different about the power lifters at the Gateway. Unlike past gyms experiences where my lack of muscle mass translated into “she’s not one of us”, everyone welcomed and treated me with respect, despite my inability to press heavy numbers. I think we’ve all witnessed while working out some people become intense and aggressive, as they release stress and get those hormones flowing. This sometimes spills over into how they treat those working out around them. My ah-ha moment came when I was finishing a circuit and had to remove two 50 lb weights from the machine. At past gyms I was on my own to figure out how to use that machine since handling 50 lb weight was beyond my strength. At Willie’s gym you replaced your weights and wiped down the machine instead of grunting at the nice lady and feeling superior.

While struggling with the weights three of Willie’s power lifters came to my rescue and apologized for their comrade who may have already been in the locker room.The three gents each had necks the size of my waist yet were the gentlest, kindest,and most respectful of those who did not possess their type of hard-earned strength. They were taught by Willie through example to respect all types of strength including physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. This inclusion and lack of ego-driven machismo at the gym inspired me to continue training and work out with the lifters. While hanging with Willie, I began to fully understand that when you know you are powerful, you never need to prove or boast about it. If you know it, then embody it. That says everything. The rest are just posers.

Sadly, we lost Willie in 2013, but his amazing impact is still reverberating in the lives of those he touched, today. His dear wife Vanisha and daughter Willow continue his inspirational work via meditation circles to ensure his spiritual legacy (journeyingtome.com) and an eponymous foundation continues his dedication fitness accessibility. Willie was a wise man and former UW football champ who chose to help urban kids instead of raking in the glory . His greatest legacy was making sure each person who stood before him was treated as if they were the most important person in the world, no matter the age, size,color, background or level of education and experience. He was a great friend and wonderful mentor.

Thank you, Willie.

Your example allows us all to move forward with confidence and indomitable strength.

More on experiences and lessons I learned from my heroes in future blogs

Confessions of a Modern-Day Mystic

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 00:30:59 GMT

How to stay in touch with the magic, power and beauty around and within you through consciousness

The world around us is changing as we speak.

In the 1980s, I remember reading a book called Bringers of the Dawn that predicted an impending paradigm shift toward compassion and unity for all of humanity.Some referred to it as the dawning of the age of Aquarius. At that time, those of us interested in a peaceful globe understood that every violent conflict had the potential to escalate to a nuclear calamity. We knew we were capable of other strategies if we chose to imagine and pursue them. At VAST we know our daily choices contribute to creating that next paradigm. In that I am not alone.

Over the past 40 years , many of us who passionately invested our energies into creating a world Beyond War, Harmonic Convergence, interfaith peace circles, Conscious Commerce business round tables, international peace initiatives and Citizen Diplomacy , knew something disruptive was required to make that paradigm shift occur.

Although open to peaceful measures , the chances of humankind waking up to the reality of working together for the benefit of our children and grandchildren,without a world war or the appearance of extraterrestrial life, seemed remote back then. Unfortunately, this virus could be the unintended answer to those shared prayers for peace on earth.

This illness is forcing us to experience how connected we are as a species , residing on this small planet, at this time. Our sense of separation has been dissolved as we realize that all humanity is impacted by this sad and lethal equalizer. No matter your social station, religion,country or skin pigment, most people on this planet now share a common goal, to live through this pandemic and care for their family. Thankfully, people are beginning to understand, some for the very first time, that they are part of a larger human family. This realization can quicken the onset of that paradigm shift towards global unity. It also fuels the hope that goodwill and humankindness will ultimately prevail amid this painful reality.

This pandemic is the perfect time to discover who people truly are and what they value. While some are selling their stocks and hoarding face masks to sell to the highest bidder, others are courageously risking their lives to reverse the lethal effect of this virus. The ingenuity and generosity of those currently aiding their ailing friends, family, coworkers,city, neighbors and country during this shared situation is beyond heartwarming.Some people are being good to one another as part of an afflicted human family.Others are ignoring scientific findings in the name of spiritual superiority. I humbly believe science and spirituality can peacefully coexist, since both are of divine origin.

Guess which point of view represents the new versus the old paradigm? Where do you choose to live? If you are interested in exploring these issues and understanding more about how to expedite a paradigm shift towards enlightened versus self-absorbed interests, we suggest taking our Accomplishing Goals with Ease online class – a primer on consciousness.

If you are seeking help to clarify what is uniquely yours to be, do and have, contact me via our website for 1:1 remote coaching options and guidance.

The Mantle of Socially Intelligent Business Leadership

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 23:14:22 GMT

It is time for a global Paradigm Shift with business people leading the way as truth tellers and truth seekers. A few VAST quick encouragement ideas on the practice of Truth Telling from both Albert and Michelle

Socially Intelligent Leadership is the capacity to direct, manage and optimize human systems judiciously and empathetically for the benefit of all stakeholders.

When a leader you realizes that the most valuable asset they possess are the minds and trust of the capable, loyal, talented colleagues who surround them, the world opens up. Those who own and respectfully speak their truth gain trust more easily.Those who are deemed trustworthy by their talented staff are able to create an environment where if, cooperation is rewarded for the greatest good, synergy can occur. Syne rgy is the amplification of resources is your prize. More is accomplished with the same resources skillfully applied. The truth supports smart and capable folks to intentionally row in the same direction with their individual gifts and oar. The heart knows and responds to the truth when it is spoken. Seek the truth knowing it is rocket fuel for the soul.

Operating from a place of truthfulness enlivens your options as an Original Thinker.
Albert Einstein, one of my favorite thinkers, provides his perspective on the benefits of being a Truth Seeker below.

“The efforts to strive for the truth has to precede all other efforts.”

“The search for truth and knowledge is one of the finest attributes of man.”

“Truth tends to present itself modestly and in simple garb.”

“Truth is what stands the test of experience.”

“It is difficult to say what truth is, but sometimes it is so easy to recognize a falsehood.”
- Albert Einstein
***

“You can only tell others the truth to the degree that you can tell it to yourself.”

– Michelle Sherman

***

What is your favorite quote of truth about truth?

We look forward to hearing from you at www.VastInstitute.com

How to Amplify Your Beautiful Beam as a Renegade of Light

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 22:57:30 GMT

If lovingly uplifting human consciousness appeals to you, now is a good time to consider this simple and gentle method to get a grip on current reality. Join the VAST Consciousness Studies Roundtable to amplify your light

Are you Renegade of Light?

I have found through lifelong study and appreciation that working with the principals of light is nourishing and satisfactory. If light is clarity, and the information being shared either virtually or face-to-face is encouraging,we all understand that light is good. It illuminates both literally and symbolically.

Einstein gazed endlessly as he studied light bouncing off of the water . His theory of special relativity was inspired in part by this focus resulting in a thought experiment of him on chasing a particle of light throughout the universe.

Light reveals what is already there and sometimes beyond what is visible with shadows and mist. We witness the majesty of the moon because a sunbeam is bouncing off that portion of its surface. I, for one, am amazed and delighted by the colors, the sparkles and the rainbows I see when the sunshine hits my eyelashes.

The Webster’s 1989 Dictionary, requiring a bit of desk space in my office,defines illuminating as “that which gives or casts light, that informs or makes clear; enlightening”.

My physics teacher once said, “White is not the absence of color,it is the combination of all color”. The spectrum of white light consists of six basic colors, and when that white diamond light is broken down via a prism or crystal mechanism it arranges itself as red, orange,yellow, green, blue and violet. All life reflects the colorful, sheer, lush, beauty of the rainbow, autumn leaf or floral flyby. The identical light-laden wisdom is embedded in all things.

Join in be an illuminated presence that clarifies and expands the love, light and beauty around you. It is one of the more appealing shortcuts to peace on earth that I know of.
VAST Renegades of Light .

The Resilient Optimist

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 22:46:23 GMT

How to bounce back from life’s tragic moments- excerpt from Kindling the Flame: the art and science of cognitive replenishment

“ A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

– Winston Churchill

At VAST we love to embolden and be around optimists of all kinds.
Especially those grounded types who encourage, inspire and point the way for many others with their wisdom and calm. The excerpt below from Kindling the Flame explains how to enjoy life even when things go astray. This is just one of the benefits of becoming the practical optimist who commands a vibrant and positive imagination .

*****

“ Optimists also possess what is referred to as resilience , the ability to bounce back from life’s tragic circumstances. It was discovered that soldiers who possessed a practical type of optimism recovered from extreme wartime trauma without depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (Charney, 2002). Optimism was also the primary factor that determined whether a veteran was able to recover from the trauma they experienced as a prisoner of war. Altruism, humor and a meaningful life were deemed as secondary factors aiding in their emotional recovery (Charney, 2002).

According to Dr. Charney, a practical optimist can assess their difficult situation in a realistic manner, while seeking a solution that has not yet presented itself.During times of great difficulty, a practical optimist may not know how they will solve the problems at hand, but they are confident a way will appear as they actively pursue a remedy. This type of confidence takes a bit of faith and a lot of positive imagination.

Here are some suggestions for how to develop a more positive imagination :

§ Situational - Imagine having a good time with the people you are going to meet today before you see them. As you prepare for an virtual meeting imagine you are going to have a great day, or that you will enjoy the time you’re going to spend with a loved one, or that you will find a win/win solution at a business meeting. Try to imagine great outcomes before the fact and then see the effects this has on the quality of your interactions.

§ Environmental – surround yourself with people who are kind, genuine, caring,honest and appreciate your finer qualities. People who believe in goodness and see it in the world. They celebrate life whenever possible as seek out the simple joys. If not, you cannot convince them.

§ Self-Talk – Learn to hear, catch and correct the hurtful messages each of us inflicts upon ourselves in the guise of motivation. These messages aren’t motivating, they are demeaning and often insidious. Affirming the good and learning from our mistakes is the best we can do as humans. Say balanced and nice things about yourself and to yourself often. It is worth it. If you’re not sure how to, sit with a safe friend and ask for three things they really like about you. Hearing it out loud really helps. Or, begin by telling yourself,“I am a lovable imperfect being”.

** Reprinted with permission from Kindling the Flame: the art and science of cognitive replenishment , 2017, pg.73-74)**

Optimism enriches your brain chemistry and elevates your problem-solving abilities.
Read more on how to boost your natural sense of optimism in a way that is yours alone.
We each can use a bit of encouragement these days.

The Simple Truth About Creator Beings

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 03:38:21 GMT

We are Designed to Create a Paradigm Shift

Many people wonder if humans are created in the image of the Divine, as defined in a way that is most loving for you.

If, you subscribe to the idea that we are crafted to emulate the Divine, then we are most certainly creator beings.

Human have been known to create beauty, cruelty, pain, kindness, confusion,clarity, inclusion, exclusion, fear and love, both intentionally and unintentionally.

Now you’re possibly sitting there thinking, “Michelle,tell me something I did not already know!”

What sets us apart is our awareness and intentionality in that creative process. Intentionality impacts choices, time, direction and consequences. Therefore, knowing our purpose is a motivating factor inhuman achievement. It gives us a North Star around which to focus our efforts as we think, act and create.

As Creator Beings we possess the brain and heart power to solve the problems we confront in life in ingenious and brilliant ways. Take the light bulb. Edison experimented with 6000 filament samples before success occurred. He was curious, patient and determined. These are the qualities that have brought humans to the heights of their capability and genius. We humans are truly gifted and extremely creative in their ability to command forces that they often do not yet fully understand.We are bold, brilliant and at times bit confused. And when we work in concert with other humans, we accomplish life changing feats such as the light bulb, landing on the moon, the electric car, laptops, Velcro and water filters, just to name a few.

When we take a bit of time to fully recognize and appreciate the creative power of ourselves and fellow humans, we begin to understand that the solutions to our current problems are already in the works, although not yet manifest. Go forth and create something wonderful! You have been given all you need to make it so. If you are seeking help to clarify what is uniquely yours to create, contact me via our website for 1:1 coaching options and empowered guidance.

The Vital Difference Between Your Inner Skeptic and Your Inner Cynic

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 03:21:58 GMT

How your Inner Skeptic plays a vital part in the development of Practical Optimism

When I spend time mentoring business leaders in the leadership practices comprising our Conscious Commerce pillar, the topic of healthy skepticism often arises . These sharp, capable leaders wonder to what degree is it effective to be skeptical?No one wants to look foolish, weak, silly, or make a mistake, right? I agree,and here is what you need to know about skepticism versus cynicism. Here is what effective leaders know…

Skepticism is healthy and allows each of us to take the time needed to make choices that align with our goals, values and desired outcomes. It is an understand able inquiry into the validity of a seemingly positive outcome. Too good to be true?

The healthy skeptic takes a step back and looks at the probability of an outcome that will work for them. Once the inquiry is complete, the skeptic can then decide if they will take a chance on what has been presented. They may not know exactly how the results will be achieved, but they have done the due diligence required to make an informed decision. What is done once they have the information is a key difference between skeptics and cynics. Cynic are uncomfortable changing their minds even with new information. Some can appear as intellectual bullies who in their sincere interest to alert us to potential pitfalls, discredit the possibility of a positive outcome. Although I love that they are looking out for us, I may not subscribe to their risk assessment. Here is why…

At VAST we care about optimism and its benefit to all human beings. As a result of these leadership discussions I created a
Continuum of Optimism which explains the progression of Optimism from: Entrenched Cynic to Negative Person to Skeptic to Practical Optimist to Pollyanna. We eachl and on different places on this continuum at different times in our day and lives.Therefore, it is good to understand and appreciate each stop.

The Continuum of Optimism illustrates the gifts and benefits of:

> Entrenched Cynic>Negative Person. Skeptic>Practical Optimist>> Pollyanna >

Pessimism>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Optimism

Entrenched Cynic : The Entrenched Cynic sees the positive outcome as unattainable or shaky and wants to make sure you know it. They embody discouragement, pointing out what could go wrong and assuming it will. They also enjoy spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt in those who are bold, kindhearted and visionary… or just happy. This expression of negativity can be toxic, so pay attention.

Negative Ned or Nellie . You have met this person. You know the type. These people are uncomfortable with the positivity of a drama free, relaxed and joyful life.These folks cannot wait to point out impending doom with gusto. I suspect these dear people are committed to their negativity as a method of shying away from being disappointed. These character-building parts of ourselves and others experience incessant negativity which significantly deplete our emotional and physical energies. Becoming aware of this aspect within yourself and its impact on your relationships can allow for a positive shift in perspective. Check out the chapter in Kindling the Flame on Negative Nellies and Neds.

Skeptic : Possesses a healthy sense of inquiry regarding the veracity of how a situation is presented. Once the necessary info is gathered and assessed, a risk towards the goal is taken, as personally indicated. Risk tolerance can vary dramatically from skeptic to skeptic. My partner and I have different risk tolerances on many things, including the“5-second rule”. You know, when you drop a cookie or piece of food on the floor and must decide if you will eat it, wash it, or dump it? Healthy Skepticism allows you to identify risk factors to clearly negotiate for your values and current boundaries.

Practical Optimist : Knows life is good yet hard at times. During the hard times this skill set encourages action, combined with understanding, to generate a positive outcome. Practical Optimists believe a desired outcome is possible, without knowing the details as to exactly how that will unfold. This infuses the goal with faith in the chosen result although the precise path there may be uncertain.

Pollyanna/ Pollyalan : Knows that goodness ultimately prevails and cannot be dissuaded from it. Their imagination is well developed although they are rarely interested in spending much time with you imagining drama-laden negativity.

Please take a minute to identify where you are most comfortable and least comfortable on the VAST Continuum of Optimism.

>> Entrenched Cynic >> Negative Person >> Skeptic >> Practical Optimist >> Pollyanna >>

Pessimism >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Optimism

It is in the best interest of your mind to decide where you can naturally shift your thoughts up the scale of Optimist via actions such as focusing on solutions,less dramatic interactions, respectful resolution, compassionate encouragement.Bringing out the best in self and those around you. It is a choice once we take a moment to consider it.

Optimism enriches your brain chemistry and elevates your problem-solving abilities.

Read more on how to boost your natural sense of Optimism in a way that is yours alone. We all can use a bit of encouragement these days.

Flowers Are My Friends

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 03:11:56 GMT

How my garden gems provide inspiration

I often say that flowers are my friends.
They are also a source of inspiration and here is why:

1) They are all different and seem to get along without trying to change a daisy into a rose

2) Each one does its best to be its authentic self

3) Although there are a few intimidating flowers in the yard, mostly, they get along just fine when given a bit of space, attention and respect

4) They embody the best about our sense of smell and color

5) They transport us to faraway places within and without

6) They are healers in their own right

7) They remind us of subtle aspects of our self

8) Their color stimulates our spiritual bodies as exampled in the chakra model

9) They are delicate yet powerful in their presence

10) The bees love to visit them and gather their sweetness

11) They comfort us in times of sadness

12) They bring great joy to the physical, emotional and spiritual worlds of humans

Why do you love flowers?
Why are they your friends?

Let us know and we will add your comments to our Why Flowers are Friends List and publish your comments in next month’s newsletter. Contact us here with your entry.
***

Above Plumeria from the gardens of Randolph McCreight, Pamalu, Kapoho, HA. 2008.

The Promise of Spring

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 01:04:25 GMT

Why this promise is always kept

So you’ve made it through the cold, dark tunnel of winter. As our ancestors did, we must ensure that we and our loved ones are warm and fed. The spring brings with it a promise of all that nourishes the human soul: sunshine, floral scents and the visual lushness of trees sprouting light, delicate green leaves. As well as, the distinct excitement of love, lust and the possibility of meaningful connection.

Spring forces faith in many forms, we must remember more light will return, as it did for our parents and their parents and all the generations before us. All humankind has shared the story of the springtime that follows the dead of winter. What if that story includes an even greater promise?

What if springtime brought with it an undeniable beauty that allowed each one of us to effortlessly stand in awe of the perfection of this “supposed mess”. Just as the flowers burst through the soil after being supposedly absent from the world for months, perhaps we too can muster our faith in the promise of loving kindness blossoming through the atmosphere of our human eco- system. My great-grandma, Sarah promised this splendid moment to me, as well, when she spoke of the spring. She had faith in the deliverance of life and the rejuvenation as her personal promise from Spring. No matter the difficulties of winter, it always rang true.

Allow me to ask…Is there something you would like to experience as your promise of spring?

Health? Peace? Calm? Balance? Loving Kindness?

The sages say that today is the first day of the rest of your life. That is certainly true. I encourage you to gather the vital and delightful energies of your promises from spring. Boldly imagine and allow what honors you in the keeping of that promise.

Speaking Truth to Power

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 04:55:19 GMT

What goes unsaid is just as important

A few years ago a mentee arrived with a beautiful question and asked, “How does one speak Truth to Power?”

What I suspect they wanted to understand on a deeper level was, how does one speak truth to abuse of power without getting removed from the game?

Speaking truth to power is easy. Speaking truth to bullies and intimidators who employ fear as a cheap parlor trick presents a more delicate situation. One I have had the distinct pleasure of witnessing and shifting on many a C-Suite occasion.

Learning to distinguish between power and abuse of power is best handled at the individual level based on transcending the fear-based strategies you were taught as a kid. Perhaps they include, hiding, being quiet, not taking up much space or covering your behind. Those of us who have suffered at the hands of bullies know they are essentially frightened little people in adult bodies relying on fear-based approaches to achieve their desired results.

Truly powerful people do not experience the need to prove they are empowered. They know it. Their motivation is to uplift, not humiliate others in order to feel important. Truly powerful people raise the entire team’s sense of pride in working well together to accomplish something truly brilliant.

A friend and colleague once pointed out that if you truly respect someone, you will not be afraid of them; respect and fear are mutually exclusive. This alerted me to the idea that respect based on fear is called obedience. What amazes me as an advisor, to leaders and their teams, is the awakening of a Bully Leader or Board to the understanding that when you use intimidation and threats to manage productivity, you systemically encourage mediocrity and a lesser quality of problem solving by your team. Intimidation literally squanders profits via an outmoded misunderstanding of how to optimize human capital. Appreciating differences strengthens the imperative that you each are held as valued contributors.

As we all have experienced, those who abuse their power will usually do anything to maintain it. So how do you speak your truth to them? Carefully, which is why we often choose one of the following less than desirable options:

Unilaterally renegotiating the terms of the relationship and with drawing because you are uncomfortable to work through disagreements. Downside, this sometimes includes those who care for and about you…

Deciding for both people to end relationship without discussion and possibility of mutually beneficial resolution. Done, Next. Downside, if you are treated well in the friendship or connection doesn’t it make sense to bring the best of it forward? Perhaps.

Boundaries often need to shift, and we learn to be grateful for those who are in our lives for “reasons, seasons, and lifetimes”.

Those who abuse their power are not interested in hearing your truth. And so, do not throw pearls before swine. But when there is a mutual desire to respect one another by sharing your truth and finding common ground things go relatively well and people become closer. Going through difficult moments and coming out the other side create greater intimacy.

Now Back to my mentee... Through our time together, we discussed and explored the many dimensions of speaking truth to power. My colleague admirably learned to speak their truth to family,significant others, boyfriends and girlfriend, supporters, disparagers; but during that time failed to share their evolving truth with me.

And so here is the answer to their original question on how do I speak truth to power?
By speaking your truth.

If you do not first risk the extreme discomfort of sharing your truth, it is impossible to speak truth to power.

Speaking Truth to Power demands this:

Be brave and risk being uncomfortable in seeking to co-create a mutually respectful communication and outcome.
Seek clarity and be respectful as you identify areas of common interest and disagreement.
Gently alert the other person to issues or problems in the relationship as they arise to enliven honesty, currency and prevent the build-up of usual relationship resentments.
Treat each other with kindness as you stumble with them to communicate past those awkward, truthful moments. If needed, ask a safe third party to witness this, ideally someone you both respects.
If trust and respect are still present in the relationship, place faith in the ability to learn to share each other’s truth and appreciate their point of view,without defense.
It is OK to agree to disagree.
When you can do that without feeling defensive you are well on your way.

Explore our VAST Blueprint for Success Program to hone your Authentic Self and create a quality of life beyond your imagination.

Facebook Grieving

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 04:51:49 GMT

How I miss the sound of your laughter

I am not fluent in social media and some might call that old fashioned. The ability to manage a huge swarth of relationships with people I know, once knew, do not know, might once have met or may want to know but have not a clue…is a bit overwhelming to me, I admit. When I finally took a close look,I realized the negative impact social media had on the close relationships in my life and had some tough moments to process.

You may have heard of the Facebook inspired depression syndrome reported by many and sparked by a feeling of relative deprivation.

Relative Deprivation is a sociological term signifying that people want what they believe others already have. And the realization that others possess a prize not yet available leads to feelings of discontentment . The prize on social media is presenting the image of a fabulous life filled with amazing food, people,experiences and opinions. If I believe the tiny slice of life represented on social media reflects the life I wish to enjoy, but feel impossible, I can become depressed.

Many of us place their very best moments on social media. We report the seconds of joy from our vacations, elegant dinners, fun in nature, etc., etc., etc., etc.,Fellow followers who do not see their lives as that romantic or cool feel less worthy and can become depressed. Melissa Hunt, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania during her research discovered that when social media usage was reduced rates of depression and loneliness were significantly reduced.

I have been affected in two interesting ways.

There are the people I do not know who want to be friends. At first it was agony for me to figure out why they wanted to be friends, with a stranger, but many on social media are very friendly. That is a good thing for social media has allowed me to further clarify and strengthen my boundaries.

My personal issue with newer modes of communication such as texting and communicating by Facebook is how both fail to support my auditory learning style strengths and preferences. Hearing the voice of those with whom I interact and am in relationship with is delightful. I first noticed a deep sadness emerge when friends from close circles stopped checking or responding to my caring voicemails. Loving messages sat unchecked for a month while I figured out, they were not calling back. It became evident over time that the best way to connect with a large group of friends was through texts, messaging,email or public announcements on Facebook. The days of connecting with them felt over. I knew they cared but now wanted to communicate in a more superficial manner. I let go wondering why this was hard for me.

And then one day I heard of an experiment where girls were soothed by their moms via phone. The study found that levels of stress reducing hormones increased when girls saw or hear their mom’s voice. The text messaging group experienced the same level of stress as those who had received no contact or comfort from their mothers.

Text messages do not replace the sound of your voice which is literally music to my ears. Now that I know I can recalibrate my close relationships to include hearing their voice in real time, as possible.

If you are a business leader, know that customers want more than ever to talk to human beings when solving an issue with your company. There is something wonderful about the music of the human voice.

Building the Healthiest of Relationships via The Sacred Union

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 04:48:50 GMT

The creation of a sacred, ancient and potent form of relating

What is a Sacred Union?

Once I create a healthy relationship with my authentic self and take some time to practice comfortably navigating the world, I am ready to create a sacred union.

A sacred union is one created between adults who choose to be together to celebrate and advocate for each other’s wholeness and unique beauty as individuals and in concert. There is no room for competition between the intimates. There is only space fora balance of power, empathy and reciprocity. The world is a happier and healthier place when we resolve the ongoing conflicts occurring within and beyond ourselves instead of unintentionally projecting them onto others. The person we are in relationship with provides a rare opportunity for growth towards intimacy and, taking responsibility for what is my stuff. More on this later.

If you would like a jump start or refresher on how to create the boundaries that promote a sacred union

visit our website to review our Healthy Relationship workbook and programs .

VAST Quick Encouragement on Belonging

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 04:43:39 GMT

Once, the impossible dream

Belonging
reprinted with permission from: Walking Flower: a blossoming of consciousness , Sherman, 2005, pg.5.

I belong with you- I know so

It was told me in a dream.

And when the truth revealed itself,

My most ancient heart became serene.

My center it felt peaceful.

As I heard this truth be spoken.

For until that moment precious

The spokes of this pure heart felt

incomplete and broken.

The thought of being yours

And belonging for one brief measure

Brought into my heart’s deepest core

A joy and fearfulness beyond all pleasure.

For I have never belonged with another from the passage of my birth.

And try as I may to give of myself

A complete connection still did thirst.

But now I know the feeling

Of being Whole,

Profound,

Complete.

As I discover the balance of my soul resides

Within the form that dwells

From the top of Your head

To the souls of Your feet. - MPHS

Thoughts on Belonging
One of the hardest things to accomplish in this lifetime is knowing where you belong. I realize many people are happy where they are or have landed, but as humans,we each have experienced feeling excluded, dismissed, ignored, or worse. The confusion as to where we each belong is one of the great existential paradoxes our minds wrestle with. It is precisely this confusion that precedes the achievement of clarity. There are steps we each must take to decide if we belong.

Do we belong to our family of origin or, are we the lone sparkle that everyone else loved while disparaging one another?

Do we belong to a school, book club, community center, religious or political group, country, planet, solar system, universe, multiverse, etc.

Do we belong in this lifetime?

Do we belong in this relationship?

You get the picture.

Belonging is an important survival mechanism for human beings. And so, we obsess about it in ways that stress us out and fuel our hunger to belong. Fit in. Be relevant.

To feel relevant, we must know who we are and what gifts we bring to the table.Once we are comfortable with our unique brand of power we can decide where and with whom we belong.

We belong wherever we dwell- once we understand that, embracing our eccentric tendencies poises us for great success.

Own it. Strut it. Enjoy it.

Self- appreciation is the soil where genuine Self- Confidence can take root and flower as a Masterpiece of Humanity through the alchemy of self-wisdom.

Our private coaching sessions support you in creating a welcomed paradigm shift of human consciousness as you attend to your life in an illuminated manner. We welcome your bold and brilliant soul to join us to mastermind and anchor greater wisdom. Applications and scholarship requests are available via our Contact Us page on the www.vastinstitute.com website.

Quick Encouragement

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 01:30:44 GMT

Quotes to spark your interest in Positive Imagination

The VAST Positive Imagination Competency is a hybrid of optimism and critical thinking.

As you choose to accomplish great things, below is quick encouragement from fellow seekers.

Keep going, you are spectacular!

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream;not only plan, but also believe.”
–Anatole France

“With love and patience, nothing is impossible.”
–Daisaku Ikeda

“Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love. ”
– MahatmaGhandhi .

“Perpetual Optimism is a Force Multiplier.”
–Colin Powell

“ Everything is always impossible,before it works.”
–R. Hunt Green

The In-Between Time Explored

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 01:15:11 GMT

Letting go can be hard...

Many years ago , I had the pleasure of reading the book, Transitions by William Bridges. In it he spoke of the three segments experienced during every life change: The beginning, the middle and the end. This framework provedquite helpful over the course of my adult life to understand.

The beginning is filled with hope.
The middle is filled with creation
The ending is filled with acknowledgement that life is change and then…letting go.

What fascinates me most about this discussion is the time in-between one era ending and a new one beginning. It is in these moments I am called to let go of past familiarities that help to calm my concerns, while not yet reaping the fruits of my current labor. The in-between time places me within the messy,imperfect process of creating something new, fresh and hopefully wonderful.

The in-between time demands my staunchest courage, tenacity and optimism. It is the time of surrender to the knowledge or wisdom that life, especially my life, will work out in ways I may not yet fully discern. It frustrates me that this time of nothing can wield such power.

I am working on truly relaxing into the peace, calm and beauty found at the center of the storm; during the in-between time -

Wish me luck.

True Confessions of a Generous Soul

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 00:59:35 GMT

The subtleties of kind heartedness

Generous Soul

A generous soul shall bloom infinitum
And create many things
Some exquisitely exciting.

It is the center of moral
As strong, healthy gets
It is giving without thinking

Of future paid debts.

- MPHS

Poem reprinted with permission from:
Walking Flower: a blossoming of consciousness , Michelle Sherman, 2005, pg.14.

****

Generosity arrives in many forms . There are three specific types that I find personally inspiring and encourage to develop. These types indicate a true generosity of spirit with self and others.

The first form of generosity is when I can experience joy and sincerely celebrate the success and accomplishments of those around them me. There is enough acknowledgement to go around. For example, a friend goes to a concert or on a trip that I would enjoy but am not presently able to experience. Instead of resentment or jealousy, I strive to be happy for their success and know my version is on the way.

The second type of generosity is what I refer to as giving another person the benefit of the doubt . This transpires when I assume the best until knowing otherwise. For example, a colleague has shown up for 10 years to most of our meetings and shared events on time and with a great attitude. This morning, they had agreed to drive me from work to the airport for a once in a lifetime professional opportunity and they do not arrive on time. Due to previous consistent and honorable behavior, I assume a flat tire, text them to make sure they are alright and get a paid ride to the airport. If they were able, they would have called us to let me know in advance. Their phone must have died or been lostor… I am giving them the benefit of the doubt until I hear otherwise. This is great when you or others have no current, information.

My motto here is “Assume The best in others until you hear or experience otherwise” and take care of the business in front of you.

The third type of generosity is subtle. It reflects those situations when someone you know or care for ascribes sinister motives to your words or deeds,because they themselves are too cynical to realize that there are many kind-hearted,generous and trustworthy people on the planet. They assume you are fake and insincere, for they mistake kindness for weakness.

“Big mistake!” , says the water that erodes the rock. In these situations, remember that others accuse you of motives based on how they see the world , not how you see the world. When accused of motives that are not yours, notice itASAP. Brush up on how to construct the type of boundaries that encourage those around you to respect your value system, and you!

Being a generous soul is a good thing to some while appearing completely foolish to others.

If you would like a jump start or refresher on how to create healthy boundaries, visit our website to review our Healthy Relationship Workbook and programs.

Refresh Replenish and Repeat

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 00:35:14 GMT

To Create Something Wonderful You must first imagine it possible

The best way to create something wonderful is to first refresh your mind to imagine it as possible. It is from there you can begin to generate the planto make it so.

Here’s one simple way forward…

When we speak of refreshing ideas, we are speaking of those thoughts that allow your gut to calmand your heart to sweeten. Those fleeting ideas, that when imagined and thought,effectively unleash a sincere sigh of relief from deep within your being. Only then arrives a wave of relief that flushes your cheeks with joy and peace.

These types of nourishing ideas are usually quite personal in nature and may provide the unseen antidote to our invisible, unique, formidable life challenges. For most people I've met, it is ultimately a sense of worthiness and belonging that we each seek to experience. This quest may take on a zillion different forms, but underneath most of it is based on the same mistaken belief that as a human being we are unlovable,difficult creatures who are rightfully punished due to a long list of obvious shortcomings.

Now over the centuries,that specific point of view has motivated many to do what they were told, not necessarily to accomplish good or to do better. Most of us are so down on yourself that it compromises our ability to fully enjoy life and contribute our best. For this reason, I propose an alternative approach.

In order to accomplish anything, first we must be willing to imagine it possible. So,fellow Original Thinkers, let us be bold! Then our ideas can be brought into multiple forms, generated for the greatest good. Albert Einstein said with wisdom and authority, “You cannot solve a problem at the same level of thinking that created it.”

Here’s an example…

Imagine with me,just for a minute, the possibility that for some unforeseen and amazing reason we create a cooperative strategy as a species, that allows us to enjoy the beauty and splendor of this planet, in harmony, together.

Wow! My entire brain and body relaxed imagining that possibility. That is one example of howto optimize the benefit of a refreshing idea.

Refresh - by intentionally imagining and adding positive, loving ideas or examples to the usual mix.

Replenish - by steering your efforts to recognize the goodness already around you.

Repeat - that we are each more capable as a species than we currently realize. Let’s realize and recognize it.

If you consider that imagination precedes our willingness and ability to create, then imagining this “planet capable of harmony” idea together might help. At least it will give us all something to clearly move towards.

Want your own boatload of Original Thinking strategies that promote Practical Optimism?

To create your own Refresh, Replenish and Repeat roadmap consider, Kindling the Flame : the Art and Science of Cognitive Replenishment, attend one of our monthly VAST Office Hour FAQ . On the second Wednesday of every month we come together to explore the authenticity,leadership, career or relationship challenges we each bravely conquer.

Can you Give me Sanctuary?

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 01:03:16 GMT

A modern tale of migration

Can you Give me Sanctuary?

A modern tale of migration

“Can you give me sanctuary?
I must find a place to hide, a place for me to hide.
Can you find me soft asylum?
I can’t take it anymore.

The man is at the door!”

- Jim Morrison

The man shows up in various forms.

I hear many a story about sanctuary as it relates to the movement of human beings about the planet during current discussions on migration. My Heartfelt compassion is with all those who are seeking sanctuary each in their own way. This is just one minor tale of tolerance and welcoming.

I live in occasionally sunny West Seattle, Washington, and we are experiencing the direct impact of the migratory effect of a newly minted,corporate, transient population moving from one urban tech-center to another around the country for Starbucks, Amazon, Microsoft, Costco and Google. Many of those people pass through my neighborhood on their climb up that lofty ladder. They Are a lovely group, but nonetheless I have thousands of new neighbors learning the local quirky customs. This story is about temporary neighbors dropping infor a brief time, met with our hearty welcome, until their position is assigned to elsewhere. When it comes to new neighbors of all types, how we enter new cultures, or welcome the people before us, sets the stage for the world we ultimately create together.

Once quiet streets are now lovingly populated with dozens of neighbors walking scores of sweet dogs. Lots of activity after the prior quiet.The good news is that West Seattle is finally becoming a cool place to be. When I first moved here three decades ago, the big joke was only grandmothers lived in West Seattle. And it was mostly true. Although those days are gone, we can boast many wonderful things besides the best ice cream in the universe from Husky Deli (Swiss chocolate orange for me).

West Seattle is my opportunity to be a good sport about the migratory patterns of corporate transients and their families. This inflow of new humans is myform of crowded displacement with parking scarcer, or our favorite restaurants getting busier. Thank goodness the locals are still given a bit of special attention.Nice touch. A positive attitude towards other humans is everything. See good,be good. See other stuff, not so good. People all have the same needs just different ways of getting those needs met. Compassion and inclusion can be strong and respectful.

As I meet my many new neighbors, I choose to smile, say hello,welcome them to the neighborhood and be friendly. As a result, I have been meeting many great and interesting folks.

This is my suggestion for creating sanctuary in modern times.

· See all problems as human problems; it saves time and energy.

· See all children as our children; itis practical and provides a sense of sanctuary for all who dwell in that space.

This is Original Thinking at its best.

Peace be with you and yours.

Your Confidential Report on the League of Angels

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 00:55:59 GMT

Science Fiction from founder, Michelle Sherman

COPY RELEASED JANUARY 19, 2091 AD

TO: PLANET EARTH /CITIZEN: Z.TOKARZEWSKI

REQUEST APPROVED FOR: ANTHROPOLOGICAL THESIS

BY : THE SOCIETY OF INTERPLANETARY TRANSFORMATION

_______________________________________________________

CONFIDENTIAL REPORT ON THE LEAGUE OF ANGELS

This case as reported on the seventh day of November 2019 AD has proven to be your most challenging to date. A heretic ANGEL imbued with the powers of CHERUBIM born during the mid-20th century in a densely populated urban techno-center has created enormous unrest within the civilized community. Although she exhibited the early warning signs of a problem cherub, her intimate relationship with THE SUPREME SPIRITUAL BEING ; combined with an infinite capacity to beam love in a simply irresistible manner shifted our attention away from her transgression and towards the wonderful, humane work she was doing.

IN SHORT; WE INITIATED THE PRESCRIBED REMEDIAL ACTIONS TOO LATE. THE EVOLUTIONARY SEED WAS IRREVOCABLY PLANTED..........

Her ANGEL ENERGY has taken celestial flight....

Perhaps some historical background will illuminate the profound significance of this ANGEL's radical approach to her celestial responsibility.

Humanity first came to recognize the divine being known as "ANGEL" during the latter 13th century. ST THOMAS AQUINAS, in his Roman Catholic cosmology, stated the purpose for HEAVEN and HELL. We learned that HELL was supposedly the eternal punishing ground for evil/wicked deeds perpetrated on earth by mortal beings. The obvious and often overlooked secondary function of HELL was to imbue certain self-selected mortals with the “vision and power” to predetermine who shall be punished and sent here to SUFFER. This has been accomplished by measuring a human's actions as they relate to artificially contrived standards. IN CONTRAST… THE SUPREME SPIRITUAL BEING believes that all creatures are bound for their own personalized satin pillow in HEAVEN. Most mortals who go to HELL either prefer that route or, choose to place other mortals' artificially contrived standards between themselves and THE SUPREME SPIRITUAL BEING.

HEAVEN was created as an imaginary vision of future blissful recompense for the poor wretched creature of the DARK AGES plagued by disease, droughts, blights and overall difficult times.

As this belief system took root in the conscious minds of the human species these two dichotomous arenas came into precious being:

HELL: on earth & HEAVEN: soaring joyfully amid the celestial bodies.

ANGELS for all intents and purposes are the guardian forces of HEAVEN. There are nine divisions of ANGELS in the hierarchical order. Our heretic is a member of the CHERUBIM order, which holds a secondary rank to the SERAPHIM ORDER in the hierarchy of CELESTIAL BEINGS. Perhaps it was this secondary ranking that enabled her to escape detection for such an extended period. A commitment has been made by this council to monitor all levels of ANGELIC conformity from this day forward.

NOW THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ANGELIC ATTRIBUTES in general and CHERUBS in specific. ANGELS are related to the divine and need not permission as they choose to seek HEAVEN on earth. ANGELS are RULED by JOYFUL LOVE; and as messengers are always face to face with the infinite beauty of creation. It is enough that an ANGEL thinks of another to have him/her by their side.

SO WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THIS LOVING CREATURE WHO WAS ENDOWED WITH THE POWERS OF THE CHERUB WINGED CHILD?

All that has thus been stated about ANGELIC qualities must be qualified by two absolute conditions:

ANGELS ARE TO PERFORM THEIR WORLDLY MISSION INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT REVEALING THEIR UNIQUE CELESTIAL AFFILIATIONS .

If every ANGEL is related to the divine,our HERETIC ACTED like a very forthright sister and, during the third decade of her existence chose to ignore the two absolute conditions of her CHERUB being.

At first,she spoke openly about her ANGELIC affiliation to those around her. She was overheard to assure individual mortals along her path of having seen the satin pillow in HEAVEN with their name embroidered on it. She also intentionally shared A CODE OF ANGELIC BEHAVIORS that initiated the loving transformation of the HUMAN SPIRIT. She encouraged those she spoke with to feel playful, innocent and to proceed with ease and joy. All this rebelliousness was tolerable until he divulged the most sacred of ANGELIC ETHICS:

ALL IT TAKES TO TOUCH THE STARS AND FLY IS LETTING

GO OF THE FEAR IN YOUR HEART. WHEN YOU'VE FILLED

YOUR BEING WITH JOYFUL LOVE FLYING TO THE HEAVENS

IS A PATH OF INFINITE EASE.

That was enough to tip the scale of planetary consciousness.

Word of her celestial beliefs started to spread, and slowly other ANGELS gathered to recognize their magical ability to create a HEAVEN on this earth plagued by disease,drought, blights and overall difficult times. They are the LEAGUE OF ANGELS and seek all mortal creatures to join them in manifesting with certainty and assuredness that being joyfully loved by the SUPREME SPIRITUAL BEING of this UNIVERSE will unleash a wholesome transformation of the human spirit.

The full impact of these actions cannot be properly evaluated by this council at this time. All we do know is that there is no turning back.

As the LEAGUE states;

we are joyful, just and present,

we are proceeding with ease

seeking one another's angelic beauty

abundance in life and in love..............................

THIS COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR EVENTS AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE.

A Buddhist View on Being a Masterpiece of Humanity

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 00:42:33 GMT

Creating a Drala Culture of Goodness

It was brought to my attention by a dear and wise Buddhist friend that there is an element of magic in the Buddhist teachings referred to as Dralaenergies .

Drala is a Tibetan word that signifies “ beyond aggression ”.It refers to simple and synchronistic events that create a place of goodness and purity known as Shambhala. This is the intentional blending of the spiritual and temporal within the moments of everyday life. Itis present within the sense of wonder and awe that illuminates a human face with the light of innocence. Drala is the opportunity to deeply communicate with the sacredness of life. It can occur simply in the way we view the clouded sky, open a squeaky window or give thanks to plenty before eating. From the nascent understanding I have formulated, it appears that Drala is also about courage. Those who speak and walk their truth attract drala energies

The beloved meditation master Chogyam Trungpa clearly explained the Drala Principle and its preciousness in this way…

“We may have been interested in our world when we were children, but then we were taught how to handle it by our parents who had already developed as system to deal with the world and to shield themselves from it at the same time. As we accepted that system, we lost contact with the freshness and curiosity of experience.”

Here is an article with more information .

The ability to stay connected to the awe, stand in the power of your truth and fully witness the inherent beauty and goodness around and within us, is a huge gift to humankind and the planet. It is also a prime deliverable of the VAST Blueprint for Success Program . In learning how to best apply the inherent multidimensional goodness within ourselves, we ignite an alchemical process whereby we contribute a higher level of energy that mends the world. In resonating with goodness and wonder, we are simultaneously grateful to life and empowered to uplift ourselves and those around us in new and bold ways. The ability to break through negativity is aided when one is grounded in what our dear Buddhist friends understand Drala. See how cultivating Drala energies can renew your sense of wonder.

The Very First Step to Creating Peace on Earth is…

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 00:33:23 GMT

To create Peace on Earth you must first imagine it possible

To create Peace On Earth This Afternoon you must first imagine it possible.

To imagine positive outcomes when the evidence is not readily present is what the VAST Institute Refers to as Positive Imagination . It is one of our six competencies and takes practice to master. Positive Imagination can call forth an outcome not yet envisioned. In confirming the possibility of peace within our own mind and heart we naturally begin to look for and witness the presence of peace in the world. We more easily make daily choices in accordance with the principle of harmony, as we seed new ideas and become a role model for nobler outcomes. If you are ready to share your optimistic heart, enjoy our complimentary treatise on how to create peace in your life today and in the world.

Our Peace on Earth This Afternoon treatise is a roadmap to just that. Imagination precedes creation, so why not seed the positive imagination around you by understanding and observing that peace is already here? We just need to take a breather and choose to look for it. It is in the faces of the school kids who walk by your home each day. Peace Is an innovative force that can be imagined into existence as a neighborhood, a sanctuary or even a community of do-gooders with the temperament of angels.

As we venture to imagine peace is possible it becomes easier to conjure up nourishing thoughts of our human family experiencing harmony on this jeweled planet, in real time.

Your positive imagination, your choice. All we ask is that it be kindhearted and as brilliant as you are.

The Deep Gratitude of Belonging

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 01:28:35 GMT

Discovering we belong where we are

The Deep Gratitude Of Belonging

As I work to resolve the existential human paradox of yearning for connection while valuing individual, unique presence, I often wonder if, or where, I belong. I have discovered that we each belong even when we do not feel like it. This is one of our greatest lessons as fragile human hearts. When we do experience a feeling of belonging our soul aligns and knows it is okay to brighten the planet from exactly where we are, as we are.

I begin to understand that I have a right to be here as a kindhearted, honestand optimistic force of nature. I belong, as do we all. I have diligently worked to rest assured in the knowledge that I am loved, cared for, protected and cherished. I wish that for every living creature on the planet. The poem “Belonging " captures the moment in my life when I had the epiphany that I am completely lovable as created.

Poetry from Walking Flower: A Blossoming of Consciousness

by Michelle Sherman

Belonging

I belong with you- I know so

It was told me in a dream.

And when the truth revealed itself,

My most anxious heart became serene.

My center it felt peaceful.

As I heard this truth bespoken.

For until that moment precious

The spokes of this pure heart had felt incomplete and broken.

The thought of being with you

And belonging for one brief measure

Brought into my heart’s deepest core

A joy and fearfulness beyondall pleasure.

For I have never belonged

to another

From the passage of my birth.

And try as I may to give of myself

A complete connection still did thirst.

But now I know the feeling

Of being Whole,

Profound,

Complete.

As I discover the balance of my soul resides

Within the form that dwells

From the top of Your head

To the souls of Your feet.

published in Walking Flower: a blossoming of consciousness

Order a first edition copy today

Luxuriating in The Simple Pleasures

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 01:18:37 GMT

Blooming where you are planted

Luxuriating in The Simple Pleasures

Some days it is hard to muster some practical optimism and feelings of appreciation.When that occurs remember that nourishing ideas are one great way to kickstart your positive imagination and recognize that there is beauty and joy around us if we intentionally look for it.

When I allow the simple pleasures of a majestic, blue sky dotted with clouds, hanging over the fascinating insects and birds, who pollinate the sweet and vibrant flowers, who ask for nothing more than a bit of clean rain, fresh air, I experience an enriching sense of peace and abundance. It is in those moments I can stop and quietly acknowledge myself and others. When we stop to appreciate the everyday small blessings, the big ones become clearer in our imagination. What if you began each day by affirming what good you already have? For example, …

“Thank you today,for a warm bed, soft pillow, fresh water, fresh air, clean food, loved ones and community. May all living beings awaken today to experience the respect of being recognized for the unique and amazing presence they are, as we each strengthen the fabric of human goodwill through our daily choices and lives.”

Once we imagine it, we can begin to create it.

Feel free to change the affirmation to make it your own.

A Token of My Appreciation

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 01:11:44 GMT

How to maintain the attitude of gratitude

A Token of My Appreciation

When I stop and think about all the wondrous people and experiences, I have had thus far on the journey called life , I become slightly giddy and am often awed. How do I sustain this joyous appreciation? At Present it is through the practice of gratitude.

A sense of deep gratitude connects me to a childlike innocence when I stop, breathe and witness the many wondrous things I experience daily. Why do we enjoy the sensual, calm energy that appreciation brings? Because that choice actually resets our brain chemistry and improves our overall experience of life. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude improves our sense of happiness and physical well-being.

How?

By stimulating our brain’s production of four major chemicals referred toas DOSE: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonins and Endorphins.These neurotransmitters influence our ability to experience happiness. To be more specific:

Dopamine stokes anticipation rather than feelings of “happiness”. It is the excitement you feel when thinking of a loved one or when hearing the text notification sound ding on your phone. Oxytocin is released through proximity and can be triggered through cuddling,as well as the social bonding cues of eye contact and attentiveness. This chemical encourages us to “tend and befriend”. Serotonin influences your greater mood overall. If you’re in a good mood,you’ve got serotonin to thank. Eighty percent of serotonin exists in the gutand is governed by your state of hunger. Therefore, you get a bit grumpy if you miss a meal.

Endorphins are responsible for masking pain or discomfort, by helping you“power through.”. This allows us to survive past hurt or harm until we can be cared for properly.

Another Word for gratitude is appreciation

Appreciation, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary is “a feeling or expression of admiration,approval, or gratitude”. It is a recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something, or a fuller understanding of the situation. A fuller understanding might occur when you forgive those who have harmed you once you discern the valuable life lesson of processing the negativity you once experienced. When Seen in terms of an asset, appreciation indicates an increase in value overtime. It indicates a type of growth in the physical world. Focusing on what we are thankful for promotes our growth beyond petty grievances and base desires. It Focuses our attention on what is most precious, reminding us gently that we maybe much better off than we give ourselves credit for.

Appreciation is how we grow in many ways, all at once

Through remembering and appreciating the goodness already in our world we grow as a person, in stature and standing - as a sweet soul navigating this funky planet during the 21st century. Not an easy task with so much information flooding our senses, minds and hearts.

Appreciation of self and others can take great courage.

Some people mistake kindness for weakness or appreciation for vulnerability.Those folks are more interested in looking good and proving they are smart thanin celebrating the good work of those around them. It is much harder to sell stuff to a person who is happy and satisfied. Those who possess true confidence and humbly own that they are brave, capable and lovable tend to be generous in their ability to acknowledge the contributions of those around them. True power need not prove or abuse itself. It can afford to be as gentle as the dew on arose petal.

Now it’s your turn

Take a minute and jot down three things you really appreciate about yourself and a then a good friend. For example, mine might be kindhearted, honest, genuine.

Next, write down something you can appreciate about someone or something who irritates you. Mine might be, they strengthen my compassion for bullies and insecure types, are an excellent example of what not to do, reinforce my commitment to seek mutual benefit and consideration in my closest relationships and so on. Be imaginative and creative. You can find something to appreciate about everything and anyone if you take time to consider it. If all else fails,resort to their being your best teacher of uncomfortable yet valuable life lessons or they are a beloved child to their parents.

When the time is right, and the opportunity presents itself, feel free to genuinely acknowledge these same irritating people who surround you. Focusing On their best qualities magically draws them out and empowers your authentic presence.

The benefits of practicing what is called an attitude of gratitude are extensive from stress reduction to more varied forms of problem solving. The lifehack I strongly suggest to friends and clients is to celebrate all the people around you in ways that are sincere and uplifting to you and them. It does take practice but will ultimately create a fabric of goodwill that makes the world a better place. Choosing to be kind to a colleague, friend or neighbor when they are having a rough moment can make a huge difference in their life. Eventually people forget that they ignored your first five kindhearted attempts to be friendly or cooperative. Trust takes time.

Try it and let us know how it goes

To learn more in-depth ways to improve your mood and replenish your mind order your copy of Kindling the Flame .

Ghosting in the Age of Social Media

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 21:58:52 GMT

...and it's Unintended Consequences

As the days grow shorter and the end of October approaches, we encounter celebrations like All Hallows Eve and The Day of the Dead that acknowledge our ongoing relationship with those who have moved on both literally and figuratively. Thus, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the unintended consequences of “ghosting”as it becomes a more common social norm.

Let us first define ghosting in this modern-day context. Ghosting is the act of intentionally ignoring another human being. It is, “the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication” (dictionary.com).

In today’s digital dating economy, it is easy to understand why swiping, texting or email communications are a perfect way to stay superficial or end a relationship that may not be equally welcomed by both parties. When approaching relationships this way you need to remember one very essential thing – there is a person at the end of that message with a heart and feelings. Do not allow the habit of ghosting acquaintances or new dates to seep into once meaningful relationships.

We all tend to understand on a guttural level that sheer indifference is more deflating and debilitating than passionate outrage. The opposite of hate is apathy and when human beings are ignored, they fail to thrive.
Bowlby’s findings on the importance of attachment.

I have a bit of experience lately with ghosting and this way of handling embarrassing, awkward or occasionally toxic communications. One colleague will not talk to me about our post professional relationship, if one does exist, and the other never showed up for a meeting and has yet to respond to any of my attempts to communicate to assure they are OK.

Although it is understandable why someone might be reluctant to put their energy into completing a relationship in a mature and direct manner, take a moment to consider the unintended impact of ghosting on others. When you can make a kinder choice, do it. Imagine the two examples above are the result of embarrassment coupled with a denial about the impact their choice to evaporate had on someone who cared about their well-being.

Why does Ghosting Feel so bad?

Because the emotional pain of rejection is real and activates similar pathways as physical pain. To that end, although Tylenol can reduce its distress, there is still a powerful psychological component to ghosting . It erases all cues on how to respond to the person ghosting you.With little or no information, your negative imagination can go wild as to their safety, well-being or whereabouts. You also begin to doubt your judgement and if the person was ever honest with you. This self-doubt can erode your social confidence and self-esteem. All because they are not comfortable communicating their truth. If someone is toxic, then by all means stay away. Weare discussing the times when being brave and having good manners completes the personal or professional relationship on a compassionate note.

If you are ghosted by someone: wait a bit, reach out and if they do respond, tell you they are moving to a far and distant land, or schedule a date in the future to check back, great. At least you have some information to work with. If they are not mature enough to be uncomfortable and share their truth in a respectful and kindhearted manner, let them go. If they do return and you discover they were called away unexpectedly, or couldn’t respond for good reasons, you can always choose to set up new agreements and boundaries allowing for a fresh start and a healthier relationship .

Flashback: Halloween, October 31st, 1988, Moscow, Russia…

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 21:51:15 GMT

When 40+ North American Citizen Diplomats & Context Training Volunteers get schooled and humbled. (excerpts from the memoirs of Michelle Sherman)

October 31,1988

We had just landed in the dead of winter on a stopover in Moscow, Russia, on our way to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Three dozen of my favorite people and I were embarking on a Citizen Diplomacy exchange between the sister cities of Seattle and Tashkent, exactly half-way around the globe from one another. We were there to gain permission from Zynania, the educational arm of the of the ruling communist party, to share an adult educational program on creating excellence in life.

Once we landed at Sheremetyevo airport, we took time and care to pass through customs. Upon Arriving in the cold and gray city, we saw huge buildings with enormous banners of Stalin and Lenin decorating them like warm winter coats. We had been culturally briefed, told not to smile too much. Our Russian hosts were taught that only fools smile for no reason.

We were promptly delivered with our guides to the Intourist Hotel across from Red Square. All foreigners visiting Moscow during the Soviet Era were assembled and permitted to reside at the Intourist facilities where foreign currency ruled. Many of the finer crafts, liquors and cigarettes were only sold or exchanged at the Intourist Hotel retail stores. Locals were prohibited from possessing any of the foreign currency that their government required in trade for those needed goods or services. Dollars were extremely valuable, but illegal for the locals to possess.

We surrendered our passports to the front desk, put our bags down in our assigned rooms and met our team at the top-floor restaurant for a late evening snack. This was October 31st.

As we sat enjoying our delicious fare, we started to hear thundering noises from below in the street. When we arose to see what was making such noise, we witnessed an alarming sight - a long procession of tanks,missiles and weaponry lining the streets near Red Square. We sat dumbstruck, wondering if we had arrived in time for a declaration of conflict with another country, perhaps the US?

It took but a few minutes for our translators and guides to discern our distress at the arsenal show of force many stories below. We sat,gathering ourselves for a few minutes until we were reassured that this was simply a rehearsal for the parade commemorating the November Revolution in 1917. Being A citizen diplomat has its ambiguous and dicey moments. This was just the first of many adventures and surprises experienced in 1988 as a bold and brave Citizen Diplomat.

Hear a bit more about Citizen Diplomacy and their contribution towards creating peace on the planet.

Tales of Unconscious Commerce #1

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 21:46:00 GMT

Come on Corporate Leaders, Grow That Heart!

Most recently, The Business Roundtable (TBR), a conclave of America’s most powerful CEOs , opted to explicitly include the needs of customers, employees, suppliers and the communities in addition to shareholder value creation in their mission. TBR is a clear and unified voice for those leading the Fortune 100 companies whose decisions impact millions and millions of lives.

Skeptics might question the true motives for this corporate paradigm shift or see this announcement as merely a high-profile PR campaign. It Will be fascinating to witness if and how CEOs translate the human needs of customers, employees, suppliers and communities into concrete choices. This intentional alignment is called Conscious Commerce.

Conscious Commerce is the personal commitment to operate in a respectful, trustworthy and mutually beneficial manner within and beyond the borders of your business. This unusual approach results in a network of talented people that are rooting for everyone’s success.

Paying someone to publish TBR’s story is one thing, actually doing something remotely resembling its proclamation, is another. It removes a little skin off anyone’s nose to add the words “all stakeholders” to a mission statement. Let me give you a prime example of falling short.

Recently a highly visible and larger TBR company acquired another organization who at the time provided health care to their part time employees. Imagine the relief families, neighbors and friends felt knowing that the organization cared about them in this way. Good news. This same company staff is opening a store in my neighborhood next week and wanting me to shop there as well ashire my friends and part neighbors.

Well unfortunately you corporate skeptics win. This TBR org recently chose to cancel health care for their part time employees.

The outright hypocrisy is stunning, and as a result I am not loving this corporation or its acquisition, prior to their opening that retail shop in my neighborhood. The most difficult thing for me to reconcile about this lack of compassion is that when you run the numbers you discover it would take their CEO six hours of his personal profits to pay for the entire healthcare shebang for all those families. Greed? Stupidity? Heartlessness? Not my Problem?

I dub this case study just one example of Unconscious Commerce.

Corporate leaders who sign the TBR charter and then remove the healthcare for part time employees and their families… Wake up and Grow That Heart ! You are turning your back on the employees and community stakeholders your PR campaign erroneously substantiated you support. You might want to consider aligning yourwords with your deeds if you want to be taken seriously.

Spotlight on Socially Intelligent Leadership

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 21:30:21 GMT

A VAST Institute Core Competency

Socially Intelligent Leadership is:

The capacity to direct, manage and optimize human systems judiciously and empathetically for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Why does this matter?

Because like it or not, as a designated leader you are responsible for the respectful treatment of the people who are your colleagues, friends,neighbors, community and resource pool.

When you ignore the mistreatment of the individuals in your care or choose to treat them like tools of production instead of living, breathing beings, your ability to garner their best effort is undermined and thwarted. In short you leave ingenuity, loyalty and profit on the table.

For those interested in optimizing the human capital in their care, learn more about VAST Leadership Genius as a strategic and aligning force.

Spotlight on The VAST Core Competency - Cognitive Replenishment

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 01:12:27 GMT

The intentional care and nourishment of one’s mind

Cognitive Replenishment – The intentional care and nourishment of one’s mind. It fosters enhanced problem solving through a regimen of self-care and healthy boundaries that elevate creativity and enliven a sense of well-being.

Let me share what Dr. Friedemann Schaub says about Kindling the Flame: The Art and Science of Cognitive Replenishment and the benefits of its practice:

“Her new book, Kindling the Flame:The Art and Science of Cognitive Replenishment, which is written with the same spirit of lightness, intelligence, kindness and depth I appreciated so much during our sessions, is timely and needed. The demands on our minds are exponentially greater than just a few decades ago. The enormous daily pressures, expectations and unprecedented amount of information we are exposed to, are the major reasons why stress, anxiety and depression became the number one health concern in most modern societies. With Kindling the Flame Michelle provides solid, research-based explanations on how we deplete our mental,emotional and creative capacities, and offers effective and enjoyable processes and tools to nourish and expand our mind to its optimal functioning.

Cognitive Replenishment is a gift for anyone who yearns to boost themselves to a higher level of joy, purpose,harmony and fulfilment. I am thrilled that with this book Michelle is sharing her wisdom and gifts with a world-wide audience. And I am certain that it will be a catalyst of healing and growth for its readers – just like Michelle has been for me.”

-Dr. Friedemann Schaub, MD.PhD.

www.thefearandanxietysolution.com

Thank you Dr. Schaub for your kind words and confidence.

Order your copy of Kindling the Flame .

Also available on Amazon

The Truth about Women of a Certain Age

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 01:02:06 GMT

Do not believe the current cultural story about your value

The Truth about Women of a Certain Age

Recently, I had the pleasure of working with three wonderful, professional women of a certain age, from different industries, to navigate through late-in-career transitions. When each arrived at my door for leadership and confidence coaching, they insisted that being almost or 50 was going to make finding a new position difficult for them.

Fast Forward to last week, literally… when all three accepted the jobs of their dreams. Now, I am personally familiar with the challenges faced by woman of a certain age, as I am one of them. Yet, after 30 years as a success coach, I have witnessed again and again the seemingly magical power of an optimistic attitude during this delicate time of transition.

Cultural Pronouncements, real or imagined, often discourage and dissuade many talented people to claim their next, best contribution. These pop culture pronouncements often prove fickle like the tide.

Over The years, I have seen a distinct pattern emerge that I want to share with our readers.

There is always work for honest and talented people despite the current cultural story.There are always business owners and leaders of all types that highly value the profit that wisdom, experience and trustworthiness delivers.

In the 1970s, we were too young to vote, but old enough to die in the Vietnam War.
In the 1980s, we were told to slow down, wait our turn, and after 20 years atthe same firm we would finally be in charge.
In the 1990s, arrogant tech wizards emerged to outsmart those same established entities.
In the 2000s, we were told to redirect our resources to a war that was forced upon us and fought by mercenaries along with volunteers needing work.
In the 2010s, we were told that young and fresh ideas were best – olderfolk were possibly irrelevant.
Now, we come full circle to a culture that knowingly blends the wisdom of experience with the fresh passion of bold, new ideas. I Love millennials, baby boomers, Gen X and Gen Z.

They each have my respect and occasional awe.

So, to all of us of a certain age, younger and older – please remember your talents, gifts and abilities are of great value to those around you despite the current cultural story. It is when we cooperate, work together and bring out the best in each other that amazing coincidences and synergies occur. Let us each endeavor to appreciate one another and example the humble nobility accordion our species.

What Does It Mean to Be a VAST Masterpiece of Humanity?

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 00:51:40 GMT

Why and How it Matters

What Does It Mean to Be a VAST Masterpiece of Humanity?

A Masterpiece of Humanity is dedicated to exampling the nobility, kindness, wisdom and wholeness of their authentic self for the betterment of humankind.

Why ?

To Reduce the suffering of the best and brightest among us

Those capable of improving the planet with their treasure, talent and uplifted consciousness often ignore the significance of being comfortable with their inherent wholeness. The VAST Institute Personal Integration Model unleashes a person’s potential to be the beacon of light they were meant to be. This is what we mean by being authentic.

How ?

By learning and practicing the holographic skill, set created by the VAST Institute, to empower personal integration, authenticity, confidence, ease, andthe crafting of a quality of life that honors, nourishes and delights you. You can become an inspiration to yourself, business colleagues and clients on how to optimize one’s gifts, talents and abilities, in wholeness and splendor, making life that much more enjoyable.

The next VAST Masterpiece of Humanity Certification program begins soon. It is specifically geared to embellish your current practice by providing navigational tools and skill sets that will accelerate you and your client’s integration and healing achievements. Those who complete the curriculum will be certified by VAST as a Masterpiece of Humanity.

How to Harvest a Stellar Reputation

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 00:43:56 GMT

And the magnetism that goes with it

How to Harvest a Stellar Reputation:

During our inaugural Conscious Commerce Conference held in September of 2017, we outlined how clients can intentionally build (or erode) a reputation that couldeasy their way professionally. Here are a few pointers to consider...

There Is great personal power in intentionally managing your professional reputation.How you enhance or destroy this reputation is impacted through the choices you make every day.

How Do you optimize this potent tool?

Onekey factor is integrity – aligning your thoughts, words and deeds, so that others will have a consistent experience. Those who are out of integrity create confusion, negative impressions and are often labeled as hypocrites.This results in a team of people who deliver the minimum required to cover their behinds, while resenting the hypocrisy.

A Negative reputation is built upon a shaky foundation of dishonesty,condescension, disrespectful treatment of others and their ideas, bullying,backstabbing, verbal abuse, withholding vital info, blaming others, humiliation tactics, demeaning or rude reactions, eternal indecision, passive aggressive behaviors, objectification, making others look bad to boost one’s own position or agenda, acting superior, a lack of backbone, unwillingness to take responsibility or examine consequences, or adopting a win/lose approach to projects etc.

Now Pick the ones you revert to when stressed or overwhelmed.

Once you are aware of your less than honorable treatment of others you can make new choices to boost your standing with individuals or team. Here are a few basic concepts to consider…

A positive reputation is built upon being a consistent, respectful and encouraging example. It is built on a foundation of acceptance, appreciation of diverse approaches and opinions, a “live and let live” attitude and setting a positive example for others. It is built by being engaged, honest, present, fair,creative, kind, acknowledging, caring, open to feedback, straightforward,brave, adventurous, compassionate, generous with your time and energy, mentorship,seeking win/win solutions or outcomes, thinking BIG.

Now choose your two favorites and practice them daily.

If you are still at a loss, then developing a Conscious Commerce practice is indicated. Contact us at www.vastinstitute .com to connect and see how we can help. Remember asa visionary,

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." — Mahatma Gandhi

The Business Case for Treating People Well

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 22:20:39 GMT

Socially intelligent leadership - In the long run, it pays to have a reputation for treating people well.

While Working with Fortune 100 companies as a trusted advisor, I have witnessed the ways in which a toxic, egocentric, executive parades around the conference room attempting to lead while ignoring the cost of self-absorbed outbursts and intentional rudeness. I have sat through meetings where the “big boss” storms into the room,staring down perceived rivals and mistakenly imagines that they are respected and securely in charge. Wrong!

These are bullies, not leaders.

The Workplace Bullying Institute 2014 National Survey defined workplace bullying as repeated mistreatment, work sabotage, verbal abuse, or conduct that is threatening, humiliating, or intimidating.

People Who are treated poorly do not fully show up at work which significantly impacts profit.

The mistreated or humiliated try to protect themselves with the armor of a mediocre performance – days packed with incessant meetings, busyness, reorganizations and skirting the negative culture to just get by and avoid harm. As a matter of fact, a study conducted on workplace absenteeism in Italy stated that abusive work environments cost companies money through absentia. It demonstrated that workers exposed to bullying reported higher absenteeism from illness as compared to those not exposed to bullies when both groups experienced a highly stressful work situation.

Bullying And rudeness inevitably lead people to choose to be somewhere else either mentally or physically, which impacts their ability to further your company’s goals – not only because they play hooky, but because navigating a highly stressful environment increases the probability of severe illness. Forbes reported in 2013 that 77%of people who missed work that year did so due to illness. This cost the businesses they worked for a total of $84 billion in lost productivity.

At VAST, we refer to the ethical treatment of human capital as Conscious Commerce.This enlightened business strategy requires trust, respect and mutual benefit in conducting all transactions. When people are treated with respect, they are more likely to deliver the last 5% of ingenuity with a dedication that money cannot buy. If you are ready to encourage that last 5%, then join us to practice Conscious Commerce and please subscribe to the VAST newsletter to enjoy more insights on this topic.

Trustworthiness Pays. People who do not trust each other play a very different game than the professionals who do. Trust creates the soil for synergy, amplifying your results. It also taps into a different portion of your brain, the one capable of expanded problem solving. For this reason, how you treat people changes the quality of work delivered and subsequent profits. Doing your job as a leader, manager and teammate includes ethical and emotionally intelligent treatment of the people in your circle. This demands a new type of leadership for all of us, one that includes awareness, maturity and kindness.We call it socially intelligent leadership. In the long run, it pays to have a reputation for treating people well.

The Practical Optimism of Walt Disney

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 00:06:31 GMT

Kindling The Flame Wisdom

At Kindling the Flame book signings or workshops, when I discuss the science and wisdom that illustrates the benefits of practical optimism,there are usually a person or two in the room not buying it. I look for those folks - the cynics or skeptics among us. Those who are always looking for the flaws in any system to keep themselves and the tribe safe. From that vantage point it is an understandable choice. Once you’ve read Kindling the Flame Though, you’ll come to learn that practical optimism is an emotional skill that can be adopted and developed. It is well worth your time to consider practical optimism as a low impact, highly cost-effective way to boost your health and entire sense of well-being.

Let me give a short and sweet version for those who may not read the details. Optimism is the ability to envision a positive outcome before it occurs. Now, when you realize that all valuable things were once ideas to be imagined into reality, you will see just one benefit of practical optimism.Another is the ability to bounce back from life’s difficulties. And a third I Shall mention to catch your attention, is to break the cycles of stress experienced in the modern world. Stressors such as traffic, rent hikes, missed emails, uncertainty at work, children safety at schools, feeding your family,or nurturing your soul all create an environment of chronic stress, which researchers have proven to significantly increase a multitude of health risks.

For these reasons, I practice practical optimism all the time, for the big and the little things. My practical optimism runs the gamut from believing there is a parking space waiting for me near my destination, to imagining the wisdom and brilliance of humankind.

As Walt Disney, the playful visionary and practical optimist, soaptly commanded of his team of imagineers:

“Think beyond your lifetime if you want to accomplish something truly worthwhile.” – Walt Disney

Even though we do not yet know how we will figure out the solutions to the pressing issues that face us today, I hold space to imagine that as more humans believe it possible and become optimistic about the genius and nobility of humankind, the path to generating positive solutions is imminent.

So whether you choose to imagine that despite the rain you will still have a great time at the ball game cheering on your team, or that we will find a whole new way to cooperate on this beloved planet despite former grievances,you are a practical optimist. Remember it is ok to not know how yet. Believing it is possible is the courageous first step towards creating your vibrant future.

Are Attachment Issues Your Relationship Kryptonite?

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 19:01:16 GMT

Cultivating Healthy Relationships

All these years I have been striving to understand how to authentically relate to the wonderful,complex and occasionally daunting people past, present and future who inhabit my world. As an ambivert, someone who is both social and shy, there are times when I simultaneously want to hug and exile each and every one of them. Gofigure that being raised by a narcissist and narcissist enabler would create confusion on how to cultivate healthy relationships. I have had my work cut out for me in this arena for years.

Recently, I began to study attachment styles and how to form secure healthy relationships with them.This inquiry was sparked by surveying a revealing string of painful or dysfunctional attachments that I held onto long past their expiration date,causing grief for myself and others. People I cared for passed, withdrew,shunned me or rewrote history because our attachment styles did not combine to produce a Healthy Relationship; one in which each party is free to learn, grow and thrive.

While preparing for our next class on “Cultivating Healthy Relationships”, I rediscovered the power of attachment compassion.

Here is a brief summary of why attachment issues may be your Kryptonite.

There are three types of attachment styles:

Secure
Anxious
Avoidant

We are each one or a combination of the above styles. Each style is the result of a variety of environmental and biological factors that can change from birth through to your adulthood. All are of value for humankind. Yet understanding how they combine is an essential component in constructing your personal happiness.

Why attachment styles matter:

When someone commands a Secure attachment style they show upas reliable, consistent, flexible, and make decisions with you.

People with an Anxious attachment style demand closeness, fear rejection and are unhappy when not in a relationship.

People with an Avoidant attachment style demands independence, send mixed messages and devalue you and previous partners.

Bad combos can go boomin that they literally weaken you physically. Anxious people who seek closeness and are with Avoiders keep being pushed away. Avoidant people who are with anxious attachment folk feel smothered. If we take a closer look at this dynamic,we see that although they are attracted to one another the anxious-avoidant attachment combo does not get either parties attachment needs met.

In my case, I am a combo of both and so sometimes am deeply confused about how to feel close without feeling trapped, or how to approach an avoidant without feeling ashamed that I seek a connection they do not value. Working on it….

In a study conducted by Dr. Jim Coan from the University of Virginia, he discovered that when spouses are Secure with one another holding hands during time of distress lowered their blood pressure. This demonstrates how two people in a secure intimate relationship can regulate their partner’s emotional and psychological well-being. If the relationship was not secure (inconsistent,unreliable, etc.), hand holding increased the couples’ blood pressure rate until they let go. Being compassionate with and understanding my own attachment style allows me to heal, grow and move beyond the Kryptonite of being in relationships where my needs are not met.

Sounds like a Superpower to me.

If you are interested in learning how to cultivate Healthy Relationships, VAST has devised a simple and kindhearted approach to constructing positive relationships, where you are free to learn, grow and thrive.

To learn more:

1) Purchase our self-guided Healthy Relationships Workbook

2) Join our Healthy Relationships monthly support and practice online session

3) Subscribe to our VAST Newsletter

Conscious Commerce Conference

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 20:20:17 GMT

Stellar Lineup now includes Ann-Marie Archer

The excitement is building at the VAST Institute as we prepare to deliver our 2nd Conscious Commerce Conference – Using Business for Good.

On March 12th guests, thought leaders and inspired colleagues throughout the business community convene in Seattle WA to build a community of enlightened business leaders who subscribe to the notion that how one interacts in their business, matters promoting harmony or discord.

In addition to the outstanding speakers and presentations outlined,we’ve added Ann-Marie Archer to the program. Ann-Marie is the founder and CEO of Archer & Associates, a highly-regarded Seattle executive search, leadership development, and coaching services firm. After 20 years in corporate America Observing and experiencing the tedious and unpredictable hiring process, as well as gaps in effective leadership, Ann-Marie chose to launch a firm dedicated to leadership development and an authentic and holistic “right fit”philosophy.

After graduating from Western Washington University,Ann-Marie served as a business manager at BEST Consulting, where she oversaw the hiring and management of more than 400 individuals. She honed her capabilities and insights as Director and Branch Manager for Inteliant, where she led a $75 million project consulting business unit. Before launching Archer& Associates, Ann-Marie served, through the Ascentium Corporation, as theon-site Director of Consulting Services at Microsoft.

She serves on the Board of Directors for Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and the Executive Advisory Team for IgniteWA, a digital equity and readiness initiative for small businesses. She is also the former co-chair of Executive Women in Technology (EWIT) for the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA), teaches Performance Management at Bellevue College, and has had the honor of coaching the CIO of Washington State and many other leaders in state government.

Ann-Marie will participate on the “Benefits and Challenges of Implementing Conscious Commerce” panel, and will focus on how character affects commerce.

It truly is good business to use business for good.

Conscious Commerce is not an Oxymoron

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 18:16:35 GMT

Why Conscious Commerce is Profitable

As I sat in an Advisory Team Meeting preparing for our next Conscious Commerce Conference, the team pondered WHY some business owners and leaders are hesitant to embrace the tenets of Conscious Commerce?

As I share with colleagues that Vast Conscious Commerce employs the enlightened business tactics of respect, trust and mutual benefit, many a colleague jump in to quickly refute that, “without profit business would not exist” … and I wholeheartedly agree. Profit is a necessary component, but in and of itself insufficient to create, sustain orgrow a thriving business venture. Ignoring the tenets of Conscious Commerce reveals a lack of imagination and understanding about how human beings and human systems optimally function.

When trust and a sense of acceptance prevail a different portion of our brain kicks in to solve our most difficult problems. The chronic professional stress of reorgs, substandard management,silo wars, spotty healthcare, breathing in the fumes of traffic 3 hours a day,balancing childcare with work deadlines and the incessant interruption of digital devices, never allow the talent to remember they are OK. Our brains are wired to amplify negativity to avoid mortal threats. Thus, when our work life is devoid of positivity, a sense of trust or safety, the same chronic stress kicks in. This constant state of alert depletes creativity and compromises the health of your workforce.

So, how you treat the people with whom you do business allows them to function in a different manner as they setabout to solve your companies’ greatest challenges. When talent knows it is appreciated, respected and valued, the amygdala of ancient grudges steps aside allowing the prefrontal cortex to cooperate and review your team and companies’ problemAnd, with that switch, our brain storming of solutions improves as does or divergent thinking and ability to access synergy.

In 2017, Glassdoors and the Norwich Business School set about to find if there was a link between employee satisfaction and profits; if Conscious Commerce was an oxymoron, contradiction of terms. They discovered after assessing 326,000 employee reviews that a portfolio of companies who delivered high grades on employee satisfaction outperformed the stock market, earning 1.35x returns above the market. The study revealed that, “Employees online reviews are good predictors of a firm’s financial results and, consequently, of value-relevance for investors.” Treating people with respect, developing trust and seeking mutual benefit is precisely how you reap the most from the human beings that surround you daily in your quest to achieve great things.

Remember, that people treat you the way they see the world. See the beauty and power of the humans around you.As you venture to treat them as precious and appreciated components of your success, they will deliver the best they have, and this is a form of motivation both priceless and paradoxical.

Conscious Commerce Benefits

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 01:40:02 GMT

Why care about Conscious Commerce?

Because trust in business is essential.
Because respect in leadership is important.
Because finding mutual benefit is highly profitable.

The very foundation of any business is built upon relationships and people delivering what is promised and agreed upon by colleagues, partners, employees and investors.

I care, because Conscious Commerce strengthens my relationships and amplifies my results.

When trust , respect , & mutual benefit work together, a culture of growth and authenticity is naturally cultivated as organization becomes a hub for people to develop skills that they are proud to contribute.

For many people work is an opportunity to create value for themselves as an individual. They wear their job or career as a badge of honor throughout their social and home lives. At work, just as in personal relationships, when trust is valued, conflict is minimized. When respect is practiced, differences of opinion can be resolved, and creativity is safe to emerge. When leaders are conscious of mutual benefit, all parties strive for maximum success and even aspirational goals are achieved.

Conscious Commerce is the radical notion that there is enough success for everyone, and enough time in the day to do the right thing.We are not the only ones who are eager to launch this initiative in Seattle. The upcoming VAST Institute, Conscious Commerce Conference (March 12,2019 ), highlights organizations and entrepreneurs who are embracing the hallmarks of Conscious Commerce, with many going a step beyond to consider their impact on the community or environment.

The theme “Using Business for Good” is intended to be as inclusive as possible.

We are delighted to welcome professionals from all industries supporting a conscious approach to business. Any person, in any role, in any type of business can embrace Conscious Commerce and benefit from its extraordinary results.

Claim Right Use of Professional Power with Your Own Code

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Creating your personal code of conduct

Today members of the human family in all industries across the world are shifting away from the negativity and injustice in the places we choose to work and spend much of our day. We see evidence of this as shocking professional misconduct allegations are published in the news weekly. Yet, not all poor work experiences are intentional or serious enough to go to court. Sometimes an awful day at work is simply due to the unnecessary drama, lack of transparency in communication or substandard leadership or attitude that surrounds you.

For those experiencing the above we want to alert you to a proven method, remedy and antidote to professional mediocrity now offered by the VAST Institute: Your Own Code of Conduct . This fix will position you as a stimulating, encouraging and effective leader.

When implemented, a Code of Conduct shifts a toxic situation to one of mutual respect and synergy. Customizing a Code of Conduct that defines who you are as a leader, team or entity, sets a standard of ethical behavior and provides a roadmap to enhance your business achievements in ways presently beyond your imagination. In addition to be being more effective in accomplishing your goals and becoming more profitable, a Code of Conduct states that you care about your organization, your employees and your impact on the world.

Let Catherine Corley and Michelle Sherman guide you through the steps to create and implement a Code of Conduct unique to your career, team or organization . Individually and inpartnership, Catherine and Michelle have led both small businesses as well as Fortune 100 companies to achieve remarkable success implementing this method.

Employing a code initiates a potent conversation with diverse stakeholders about strategies that promote growth, solve the most difficult of situations and generate an environment where people are nurtured to possess the creative freedom to grow beyond their current limitations.

Greatness Becomes You… and the World!

Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Most of us are trained away from fully embracing our Greatness.

At a very young age, we notice the things that make us different from other people. Sometimes we voice those differences, other times we keep them to ourselves. We begin to keep a mental log of all the subtle or not so subtle, aspects of ourselves that don’t fit with what we are taught is the right way to be .

As we age, we internalize those differences, and often judge them against what we believe those around us deem as “normal”, “appropriate” or“lovable”. Often, as we adapt to align with those around us, we also decide if we are good or bad, capable or incapable, fun or boring, successful or mediocre.

To fit in and appear lovable we often dampen our Greatness.

At VAST we say, not so fast!

The courage to be oneself originates with the courage to be whole instead of perfect. If we dare to believe that each of us is capable of magnificence exactly as we are, instead of contorting to conform or doubt ourselves, we must begin by learning how to work with that wholeness.

A whole person can give wrong directions, burp at dinner with new in-laws, and not know the answer to many questions. Wholeness is embracing the inability to fit in a box and instead choose to construct a life; the box that honors, nourishes and delights you!

By acknowledging and taking responsibility for your whole,authentic self, the greatness within you naturally emerges.

By acknowledging the Greatness in others, you awaken to the unique mix of qualities presented by each of them. You see others for who they truly are, precious examples of imperfect humanity working so hard to contribute their best selves each day. You learn to value different things about people than you might have appreciated before. You Notice that the new person you are training at work, who has not stopped talking all week, is better at handling phone calls than any other member of your team because they possess the gift of an extroverted nature and simply enjoy talking a lot. That quality that can be frustrating turned out to be a huge asset to your team and to you as a leader. You then learn to be appreciative of something you once deemed imperfect.

Accepting our wholeness instead of seeking perfection imbue your daily interactions with authenticity and adds to a richer, more vivid life experience. You notice your limiting expectations melt away as you interact genuinely with others, creating synergy and enhanced outcomes.

The ability to see people authentically, affords you a greater confidence to trust the decisions you have made and strengthens your personal power as a leader; shining into every corner of your life. When you are making decisions with, and based on, authentic contributors, better outcomes follow and suddenly everyone is winning. People love to be around winners!

At Vast, we believe that everyone possesses a unique brand of personal power that adds zest to the collective success of human kind. By encouraging everyone to be their authentic selves in service to their Greatness, we believe a better quality of life at work, home and on the planet is built.

If Greatness Becomes You, dive deeper into “Acknowledging Greatness in ALL with the Courage to be Oneself” with VAST Thought Leader Catherine Corley and myself for this installment of the Conscious Commerce, Code of Conduct Series Streaming live this Wednesday, May 2nd at 1:00PM PST .
Online to follow.

The Vast Institute’s mission’s Conscious Commerce infuses the business sector with the power of practical optimism through the development of Socially Intelligent Leadership.

Respect as an Act of Forgiveness

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Why is the respecting of others so vital, yet rarely promoted?

As I ponder the curves of Human Respect, I choose to look deeper. The profound significance of this simple, yet elusive, positive regard appears as a placid lake whose surface hides the magnificence within. Why is the respecting of others sovital, yet rarely promoted?

Until yesterday the answer eluded me. Now, I think I have at least a crumb of understanding.

Respect is defined as: to appreciate or esteem. It comes in many forms. I can respect my rights, your property, their ground rules, our courage as human beings, their attributes, my wholeness, etc. But when it comes to respecting other, individual human beings there are a few great secrets and obstacles to help you dive beneath the surface. Despite how you feel or what you think about another person based on your experience or snap appraisals, it all boils down to how you treat people. I may not agree with your point of view,yet I can choose to treat you with the respect accorded a fellow: human, child,father, dog owner, community improver, small biz owner, etc. All of us are similar in our basic needs and instincts. We are diverse in the combination and expression of them.

So why not choose to respect a fellow life traveler trying to solve the same set of problems within their own unique life puzzle? Because to esteem all people you must first forgive something quite essential.

What? You ask. Only Yourself. Oh my!

Last night while chatting with a dear friend about the state of the world, our lives and humankind at large he said something potent about his current spiritual practice, that caught my attention. He was focused on the act of forgiving our human nature .Once I thought about it I realized that forgiving our human nature is a precursor to appreciating human beings. We see in others what we project from within ourselves.

In the act of forgiving myself, others and human nature itself, I am available to experience wholeness,and then begin to see it reflected in the faces around me.

Once we learn to forgive our true nature we are available to appreciate, respect and enjoy the wholeness of people we meet.

They serve as our mirror of what lurks beneath the surface of who we truly are.

Are your Sweetheart Skills a bit rusty?

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Let it be OK that intimacy may be one of your biggest challenges.

Amid the tenor of today’s discussion about compassionate relationships between people of all types, the hurt, confusion and anger is still evolving as we all try to make sense of these emotions. While the fountain of thoughts, feelings and outrage are one healthy part of the conversation, I would like to add a simple idea to address this complexity of human relationships.

As a life coach and person who is also personally healing, I Have come to discover that the most capable and contributing members of society are operating like teenagers when it comes to addressing romance, sex, intimacy and connecting with someone different from themselves. Our development is arrested due to a lack of cultural examples of vital, healthy, adult loving relationships of all expressions. We don't lack goodness to construct those precious healthy relationships, what we lack is imagination.

Where are the juicy, happy, diverse examples of loving relationships for our communal appreciation? We teach our kids that obsession with sex and abstinence, or ignorance about their bodies is preferable to treating them with the respect deserved as whole developing, erotic and sensitive creature. Most of the images abound are far from the reality of feeling awkward in learning to gap the divide between human beings. Relating to one another without fear and judgement is viewed as a quaint bit of optimism. The negative verbal and subliminal, media messages we absorb about ourselves make a huge impact without anyone noticing or monitoring.And now we are beginning to discover how addicted we are to that rectangle piece of tech we use to filter and navigate our entire worldview.

A Pew research conducted in 2015 found that 24% of teenagers were “almost constantly” online.Tech giants such as Bill and Melinda Gates have limited their children’s use of this technology to secure their ability to relate to other humans and direct their own thinking. Some of my old friendships have eroded since the desire to talk and connect has been replaced by photos of an idyllic life with likes on a social media page. When I work in my office and answer my business phone, I Often hear great surprise that a real human is available to talk. If all this is occurring as we relate to our technology instead of one another what price is our love life paying?

It confounds me that our society refers to loving,consensual behaviors as obscene when violence and gory images are deemed decent. This sends mixed, messages about what constitutes healthy intimacy. We are offered virtual ideals and three second sound bites to craft our core concepts about the most challenging aspect of life: relating to other people. Let us tell ourselves the truth; our sweetheart skills need a bit of work.

So where do you start?

First, let it be OK that intimacy may be one of your biggest challenges.
Welcome to Being Human.

Stellar Sweetheart Skills begin with:

A desire to connect in a more meaningful way
Owning your wholeness and who you are today
Owning what is most important to you
Implementing a skill set to negotiate honest,vibrant and mutually respectful relationships.

If mastering these skills intrigues you, VAST can help with our programs.

1) Engage with The VAST Healthy Relationship Workbook , a self-guided workbook to align your values with constructing a higher quality of life or register for one of our online learning sessions to identify and build relationships that solidify your well-being.

2) Refresh your mind and sense of optimism to create romance and joy in all areas of your life via the road map provided in the book ”Kindling the Flame : The Art and Science of Cognitive Replenishment” .

Relationships can be terrific or tough. As a lifelong learner it encourages me to know that the study and practice of intimacy is the best gift I can offer both my Sweetheart as well as my own sweet heart.

Get started on creating your best and healthiest relationships. It is courageous to be rusty but practicing.

Why Trust & Integrity will Save the Day

Tue, 06 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Trust is a human dilemma that often goes undiscussed

It is nearly impossible these days to open any social media or browse news stations without being bombarded by examples of blatant misconduct in the work place. While sexual harassment and intimidation are extremely important issues that must be addressed, today let us explore another reason that people can feel mistreated at work. Lack of Trust is a human dilemma that often goes undiscussed.

In this second segment of the Vast Institute Code of Conduct Series being offered on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, where Catherine Corley and Michelle Sherman will give us deep insight into how to employ a code of conduct with Trust & Integrity to play a pivotal role in workplace satisfaction, cohesive teamwork and optimized goal attainment.

We find it interesting that despite the fact that many of us spend a large portion of our waking time at work, we do not actively develop trust in our relationships with our colleagues. When we think of trust in relationships, we think of romantic partners, dear friends and some family members, but why not our colleagues? They are the people who help us achieve career goals and professional growth that can have a huge impact on virtually every aspect of our lives. Just as a marriage would soon fall apart without trust, imagine how difficult it would be to move forward on a project with someone you felt you couldn’t trust. Humans thrive in their roles when they feel supported and safe to be innovative without fear of ridicule, intimidation, dishonesty or shame. A huge benefit of trust is that it allows colleagues to operate with the assumption that the other person is doing their best, has good intentions and is a unique contributor.

A vital aspect of developing Trust is Integrity. During this online learning opportunity, you will explore how to earn Trust, carry yourself with Integrity and navigate environments where it is not present. This VAST Conscious Commerce Code of Conduct session will offer concrete methods to minimize the inherent costs associated with negotiating with those who choose expediency and convenience over integrity in the professional world.

Join us this Wednesday for the online learning session from 1:00-2:00PM PST. Tune in over lunch, while commuting or participate as a team who is interested in taking their commitment to each other one step further!

Proud to be a Pollyanna

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

There’s something my inner Pollyanna has learned

For as long as I can remember, because of my unbridled and optimistic approach to life, people have accused of me being a Pollyanna! After thinking on this for quite some time, I looked the term up in the dictionary and found what Merriam-Webster had to say,“a person characterized by irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything”.

Why wouldn’t I want to be a Pollyanna then?

What amazes me is how uncomfortable people have been with this sense of positivity and optimism. I’ve Been met with countless eye rolls, looks of sympathy and cynical snort dismissing me as naïve, weak or oblivious to reality. It never seems to occur to them that I choose to be hopeful and confident in my expectations of favorable outcomes. And, by making that choice, I am also mitigating the drama, tension, stress and confusion that less optimistic folks unintentionally exude.

Still think being a Pollyanna isnaïve?

Turns out that being optimistic not only makes living more fun, but it also increases your life expectancy! As explored in “Kindling The Flame-The Art and Science of Cognitive Replenishment”
(Sherman 2017, LOA Publishing), a Mayo Clinic study found that individuals with a pessimistic outlook were 19% more likely to die than their optimistic counterparts. People who see good outcomes can navigate the uncomfortable and unexpected twists and turns of life with grace and resilience. Those who intently focus on negativity forego the elevated levels of thinking required to generate the fresh solutions needed to grow and thrive.

There’s something my inner Pollyanna has learned, and I will be bold enough to share it with you.

A few of the people who have mocked me (noticeably or to themselves) over the years, have admitted that they are in fact secretly a tinsy bit jealous. If nothing else, they admire the sense of joy, positive outcomes often commenting about my luck or make other excuses as to why good things continue to happen to me. When asked how I am on most given days, I can sincerely respond with a resounding, Good!Thank you!

That answer stems from a daily gratitude for the warm shower,healthy food and caring people I interact with. What the skeptics don’t witness is that the same negative situations are presented to me, life does not discriminate and no one “has it all”. There are times when I get a flat tire, argue with my spouse, misunderstand my daughter,send out an email before completing- Oops! or run late for important meetings just like everyone else in the world.

The difference is that I ultimately choose to see each of those situations as an opportunity to master my response to life and exercise my positive imagination. I find something of value in each of them. By refocusing myself on what I’m learning I am instantly turning something negative into something positive and freeing myself up to have a magnificent day.

One final thought about being a Proud Pollyanna is that as a Life and Executive Coach I have seen that even skeptics can appropriately express their inner Pollyanna once they understood the benefits. When that occur on a broader basis I am thrilled to see how ourworld will change. On that day the gentle power of optimism will no longer need to prove itself.

Personal Development Bias

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Personal Development Bias Attracts Legendary Talent

In Reviewing the business publications articles that cross my desk, talking to others about their business challenges, and from scanning social media, I Conclude that today, advocating for the personal development of employees is an essential part of attracting, retaining, and growing (both qualitatively and quantitatively) the workforce. No longer do we question why we should embrace providing personal development employees. It is demanded by the workforce. Studies by Entrepreneur magazine (2016), Forbes (2017) and Oracle(2017), among others, reveal that Millennials are looking for employment opportunities to meaningfully contribute, the ability to apply their best skills and be respected and recognized for their value to the company. These factors are also present in previous studies of generations at work, as a quick search on Google Will demonstrate.

Throughout My career, I have been motivated to nourish both the professional and personal development of those around me. Be they clients, colleagues or employees, I experience significant pride in the new-found zest for life usually translates into a new-found enthusiasm for my business organization. This Intangible zest has profited the companies I’ve led in ways that I had not expected. While navigating the management of larger and larger teams, I learned to anticipate that “something”great would ultimately result from supporting the “whole” colleague without creating an expectation about what that “something” should be. In doing so I have been repeatedly surprised,and pleasantly rewarded. My suggestion to professionals of all pay grades seeking remarkable talent is this,

Create a Whole Person Culture, be known for it, and become legendary.

A dividend of motivated and talented people, will remain loyal and contribute in unforeseen ways to the company success. Let me explain.

I Know a professional services company that was legendary for having a collection of exotic cars that employees could drive while on company business. That perk helped distinguish the firm and attract the type of talent they required while showcasing their values. Itattracted talent but the fast cars did not point to value for their customers.Today that approach seems antiquated, but the legendary concept is always relevant.

Instead Of fast cars, how about being legendary as a company of FIRE WALKERS?! Becoming legendary for business associates that have walked over hot coals could foster a legend with the expectations of accomplishing much more in the pursuit of client objectives. Attracting employees to the firm that want to experience walking over hot coals, self-selects a stratum of likely high performers and risk takers.

My Personal experience with “fire walking” in Dec 31, 1998, led me to offer this as a personal development experience to an employee who found herself promoted to a new position, and though she had the capability, felt less than confident in her ability to persuade or lead others. Confidence as an inspired leader washer growth edge.

By Increasing personal confidence, we bring out previously unknown talents and abilities in individuals. Increased Confidence can come from a variety of events or circumstances, usually experienced over time. Sometimes, when “time is of the essence”, more unique experiences may provide a quicker boost.

The colleague who doubted her leadership abilities accepted my offer and successfully fire walked. With this new-found confidence, she blossomed in her new role and garnered the respect of her peers.

In conclusion, I assert that the employer who embracesthe personal development of their employees to bring forward their personal values in alignment with company goals, not only increases the self-confidence of employees to contribute, and provides a professional context for teams to operate with increased focus and fewer distractions, they will also became known as perhaps a legendary (great!) place to work. This will reduce turnover costs, facilitate recruitment of talented employees, and bring forth unforeseen solutions to emerging challenges in the marketplace. The unforeseen gift will be a position of market leadership and the benefits that provides.

Code of Conduct Online Learning Series

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Discover how adopting a Code of Conduct provides a personal guidance system that enhances transparency, builds trust and improves outcomes!

Looking to ignite engagement within your team in 2018?

Discover how adopting a Code of Conduct provides a personal guidance system that enhances transparency, builds trust and improves outcomes!

The VAST Institute is delighted to invite you to join us fora refreshing and uplifting six-part series on Codes of Conduct beginning on January 9, 2018 at 1pm PST and will be offered monthly through June 2018.

Learn how to harness Clarity, Respect, Imagination,Trustworthiness and Integrity to achieve results plus implement your own Code Of conduct will be illustrated by Michelle Sherman, VAST Founder and Catherine Corley, Principal of 4C Discernment, LLC. This buoyant Code of Conduct, once implemented heightens socially intelligent leadership, cooperative problem solving and improves team output. In short, it is one cost effective, highly potent secret weapon.

This six-part series beginning in January 2018 that will instruct you how to create and implement a Code of Conduct that once put into practice will not only increase focus and productivity, but also decrease turnover and enhance your team’s ability to work cohesively to achieve organizational goals.

Boost your socially intelligent leadership skills with this VAST enlightened business strategy and start reaping the benefits personally and professionally!

This online learning class allows you to discover that when crafted and deployed properly, a Code of Conduct is a cost-effective and potent resource in creating transparency, boosting morale, and setting expectations that build a foundation of trust which enables great outcomes.

Code of Conduct - Online Learning Series

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Looking to ignite engagement within your team?

Looking To ignite engagement within your team?

Ready to upgrade your professional navigation system?

Discover how adopting a Code of Conduct Provides a personal guidance system that enhances transparency, builds trust and improves outcomes!

The VAST Institute is delighted to invite you to join us on Tuesday, December 19 from 1:00-2:00PM PST for an invigorating new approach to socially intelligent leadership.

This Online Learning Session allows you to discover how a Code of Conduct can build trust and improve outcomes for your team .

Codes of conduct have been a cornerstone of civilized society since before the days of King Arthur And the Knights of the Round Table. When crafted and deployed properly, they are a cost-effective and potent resource in creating transparency,boosting morale , and setting expectations that build a foundation of trust which enables great outcomes.

This session servesan overview of a 6 part series beginning in January 2018 that will instruct you how to create and implement a Code of Conduct, and how putting it into practice will not only increase focus and productivity, but also decrease turnover and enhance your team’s ability to work cohesively to achieve organizational goals.

Boost your socially intelligent leadership skills with this VAST enlightened business strategy and start reaping the benefits personally and professionally!

Explore this uplifting leadership opportunity with Catherine Corley VAST Thought Leader &,Principal of 4C Discernment and Michelle Sherman , Creative Director.

VAST Competencies Strengthened:

Socially Intelligent Leadership
Self-Wisdom
Healthy Adult Relationships
Masterpiece of Humanity

VAST 30th Anniversary

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Celebrating 30 Years of guiding organizations and individuals in building a replenishing environment or quality of life beyond their imagination.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I wanted to take a moment and thank the many people who have believed in, worked with and supported VAST (Vision Attainment Service Technologies and The VAST Institute over the past three decades.

What Is more remarkable than celebrating this magnificent milestone is the quality of people who VAST has had the honor of working with and for to make the world a better place through enlightened leadership and intentional life design.

We All have much to be proud of. Keep your eyes peeled for our new and improved offerings that are dedicated to stimulating Optimism about the future of humankind.

Michelle Sherman

Business Strategy + Conscious Thinking = Sustained Success!

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Missed the Conscious Commerce Conference - Join Our Webinar - October 17, 2017

Join our Online Learning Session on Tuesday, October 17 from 1:00-2:00 PM PDT to experience the highlights of our Conscious Commerce Conference!

You will boost your socially intelligent leadership skills with our VAST enlightened business strategy toolkit and learn three unique techniques to apply in your personal and professional world.

Explore this uplifting leadership opportunity with Michelle Sherman, VAST Founder and Catherine Corley, CEO of 4C Discernment to launch your Conscious Commerce initiative today!

VAST Spotlight - Don Graf

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Creating a Whole Person Culture Through Conscious Commerce

Create a Whole Person Culture, be known for it, and become legendary.

A dividend of motivated and talented people, will remain loyal and contribute in unforeseen ways to the company success. Let me explain.

By Increasing personal confidence, we bring out previously unknown talents and abilities in individuals. Increased Confidence can come from a variety of events or circumstances, usually experienced over time. Sometimes, when“time is of the essence”, more unique experiences may provide a quicker boost.

The colleague who doubted her leadership abilities accepted my offer and successfully fire walked. With this new-found confidence, she blossomed in her new role and garnered the respect of her peers.

Igniting Grassroots Change

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever wanted to make a difference, generate a lasting change or adopt a new personal habit?

Creating and fostering a great company requires careful thought and consideration about several factors beyond having a great productor service. When you consciously create orgo about changing the culture of a company, you must pay close attention to social intelligence factors such as attracting people with similar values who are aligned to your long-term vision. When you can start with a group of people who share values, are working towards an inspirational goal and want to make a positive difference, you possess the most effective ways to implement change and make it last. When people voluntarily become part of something they believe in, they become part of the process that actively and visibly supports the change.

Another important factor relates to expectations. When there is transparency in your expectations it fosters trust and confidence in them. Once trust is established, people are free to focus on what matters most versus spending time worrying about what might have been meant or concerned about not accomplishing a task or which agreements might be broken.

These factors, combined with creating and adopting a code of conduct enable opportunities for increased efficiency, personal gratification and enhanced outcomes in both personal and professional lives. Creating a personal code of conduct, or human operating system, facilitates open communication, accurate expectations and a foundation of trust.

Patience is not my virtue.

Thu, 07 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

“The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step”

- Lao Tzu

What are you starting today?

When people say that it is virtuous to be patient I often look at them in confusion due to the fact that patience is not my virtue. I have always wondered when we were going to figure out how to get along as people, communities and nations on this planet.

Often, I’m told that’s impossible, but in my heart, I know it is inevitable. We launched our first website in 2002 and after years of thoughtful curation, dedicated to sharing the best VAST has to offer, we updated the VAST Institute website with a marketplace and blog to share the best of VAST.

Its goal is to expedite the illumination of human kindness through daily personal choices and enlightened business practices. The team and I dug deep to ensure that how we created this site reflected our goal to support optimism about the future of humankind.

It is the optimism that keeps us buoyant until the proof shows up. This morning I woke up and thought, who knew the journey would take this long and then I realized that we are really just beginning,

Patience is not my virtue, optimism is.

~ Michelle Sherman

Vast Institute

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Our Blog

We invite you to explore our website and discover our imaginative portfolio of professional, personal and humanitarian programs. Enjoy our Blog where you will find inspirational ideas and techniques that will promote clarity, professional effectiveness, deep personal satisfaction, ease, joy, prosperity and abiding inner peace.