It’s been a while since my last blog and for that I apologize. Lots of great stuff going on. In fact, I’m writing this just before a presentation I’m about to deliver at Dad’s Count 2010 – a one-day workshop for fathers. I’m speaking about Gen Y – the Millennials – how to understand them and how to parent them.
About three weeks ago I returned from Washington DC where I got to spend some time reconnecting with old friends and exploring the city before I headed to Waynesborough, PA for the Foundation of Jewish Camps 2010 LaunchPad seminar where I was one of five faculty members who delivered four jam-packed days of workshops to over sixty camp supervisors from more than twenty American and Canadian summer camps. This event was the culmination of five months of planning, collaboration, hard work and eager anticipation. It also marked the first of many training workshops I will be delivering to staff at summer camps in Ontario, Ohio, Colorado and California over the next twelve weeks.
Part of my goal for 4Square Group – the network of independent professionals I created – is to connect with other coaches, therapists, trainers and consultants and to connect them to each other. Although I am only in the beginning stages of achieving that goal, these connections have opened the doors to many other great ideas and opportunities for me professionally and have had a significant impact on the work I’m currently undertaking with summer camps. I have always known and appreciated the value of connections but I am surprised by just how instrumental they’ve been for me. I hope that the professional relationships I’m developing continue to grow and provide on going benefit for all involved – including the ever-expanding 4Square Group network.
To that end, 4Square Group is undergoing some changes. Based on the feedback we’ve received from Affiliates and potential members we are revising the site; making it easier to sign up; creating a more balanced representation of members; affiliates and the director; providing more ‘members only’ content in terms of professional development opportunities, literature reviews and space for members to communicate with each other privately. As with any new product or service you’re not quite certain how it’s going to function until people begin using it, so I’m grateful for the suggestions and I hope you’ll stay-tuned for further announcements on our efforts to meet the needs of our Affiliates, Members, potential members and our respective clients.
In the meantime, I’m setting myself a new personal goal: to write at least one blog per week until the end of August that provides practical, insightful content that will assist readers in one of the following areas: goal setting/attainment, communication, relationships or happiness. I will need your help in achieving part of this goal so I hope you’ll email me or comment on my posts with feedback on whether you find these tips helpful. The other part, the part that has me writing weekly, is more or less up to me but if there’s anything that falls into one of the categories above that you would like me to address please feel free to let me know.
As for the nugget of wisdom in this post – should one exist – I just modeled how to write a SMART GOAL (Specific Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) above. My goal specifies at least one blog per week that contains insightful, practical content in one of four areas. I can easily measure if I am writing one per week or not but asked for your help on the other measurement – whether or not they are helpful. It is achievable as once per week – even with all my impending summer travel – shouldn’t be too onerous. It is definitely realistic in that writing these posts is directly related to my current work focus – developing the 4Square Group network and providing my clients with additional resources to assist them outside of our time together. And it is time bound – one post per week till the end of August.
As it’s been a while I’ll add in another tip for achieving a greater degree of happiness: the gratitude log. There’s a lot of buzz right now about Positive Psychology. If you’re interested in learning more I highly recommend Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness. Not only is it a good read, it also provides lots of measurement tools to help you assess your own level of happiness as well as practical actions you can take to increase this. Keeping a journal, or more specifically, a gratitude log is a universal recommendation amongst the Positive Psychologists. They believe – and I tend to agree – that the simple act of writing down at least three things everyday for which you’re grateful will increase your happiness. Even if you can only think of the simplest things for which to be grateful, I would encourage you start and monitor your progress. You’ll be surprised how quickly your log will move from ‘today I’m grateful it’s not raining’ to ‘today I’m grateful for the challenging new opportunity my boss gave me at work’. It won’t take long. As usual, keep me posted on your progress.
Scott
