Kategoriarkiv: Hållbar framtid

#FourFitChallenge

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Har framgångsrikt avslutat min vecka med utmaningen #FourFitChallenge. Tillsammans med (hittills) 1068 andra har jag valt att under en veckas tid enkom använda fyra klädesplagg (under-, tränings-, ytter- och och arbetskläder undantaget).

Så här står det på #fourfitchallenge-hemsidan:

FYRA PLAGG I EN VECKA PÅVERKAR MER ÄN DU TROR. 

Låt din garderob bestå av endast fyra plagg i en hel vecka. Undantaget under­kläder, tränings­kläder, ytter­plagg och arbets­uniform. Matcha fritt med olika skor och accessoarer. Vädra plaggen i första hand under veckan, tvätta om det behövs.

Börja vilken dag du vill, vilken vecka du vill, ända fram till den 30 november. Du sätter ditt startdatum för din Four Fit Challenge när du anmäler dig. 

VARFÖR?

Vi svenskar slänger ca 8 kg textilier per person och år. Kläder och annat som påverkat miljön negativt både när det producerats och kasserats. Så kan vi inte ha det. Utmana dig själv att tänka mer hållbart kring mode i höst. Återanvänd det du redan har och tänk igenom dina inköp. Shoppa och klä dig mer klimatsmart helt enkelt!

Den kallare årstiden har redan gjort sitt inträde, och då är min huvudsakliga klädsel jeans och en ullfleece från Ivanhoe of Sweden, och även om jag sällan går i samma tröja en hel vecka (har tre stycken i olika färger som jag normalt sett saxar mellan), så har det inte känts som en svår utmaning för mig.

day 1

#fourfitchallenge – Day 1

#fourfitchallenge - Day 2

#fourfitchallenge – Day 2

#fourfitchallenge - Day 3

#fourfitchallenge – Day 3

#fourfitchallenge - Day 4

#fourfitchallenge – Day 4

#fourfitchallenge - Day 5

#fourfitchallenge – Day 5

#fourfitchallenge - Day 6

#fourfitchallenge – Day 6

#fourfitchallenge - Day 7

#fourfitchallenge – Day 7

Som du ser, har svarta jeans, min Beata och en svart respektive vit långärmad topp utgjort stommen i min #fourfitchallenge. Till det en svart och en vit sjal, för att ge lite variation. Ser minst två vänner på listan över #fourfitters, och är glad över att jag gör dem sällskap. Hakar du på?

Vad vill du se mer av?

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Förståeligt läggs en massa fokus på #Kronan och händelserna där. Gärningsmannens motiv, åsikter, handlingar. Allt nagelfars och släpps ut i etern. Och etern har en större räckvidd idag än någonsin tidigare. Faran ligger i att vårt fokus är på det som inte får ske igen. Det som vi räds. Det hemskheter som gjorts. Och tyvärr, i detta läget, får vi mer av det vi fokuserar på. Så tänk dig för och fundera över om du istället för att fortsätta att sprida hat, skräck, förakt, kanske kan sprida det du vill se mer av? Kärlek? Omsorg?

Sprid berättelser om de som agerade så där som jag önskar och hoppas att jag hade agerat om jag befann mig i en motsvarande situation. De som agerar och kanske gör motstånd, i syfte att förhindra än värre händelser. De som ringer 112. De som låser dörren så alla klasskamraterna är säkra(re), håller någon i handen, lugnar någon skräckslagen. De som försöker stoppa en blödning, värmer en skadad.

Ett val mellan hat och kärlekDe, vars agerande verkligen är något att lyfta fram, agerande som jag, och förhoppningsvis även du, gärna ser upprepas.

De, som agerar utifrån kärlek, omsorg, vilja att hjälpas åt. Att de förmår göra det i en krissituation är stort, men jag tror mig veta att de även agerar så i det vardagligt lilla, vecka ut, vecka in.

De, vars agerande ger hopp om en framtid.

Vill du, liksom jag, se mer av sånt? Sprid då det! Vi får det vi fokuserar på. Så tänk till. För hat föder hat. Och kärlek föder kärlek.

Vad vill du sprida? Vilken värld vill du leva i?

Jag väljer kärlek!
❤

Vad väljer du?

Letting go – Letting come

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Found this little video snippet in the MITx U.Lab-group on Facebook, about the power in spending more time being, rather than doing. And no. I don’t knock doing. I know we live in a world where we have to do both this and that, to survive. But still. I’d venture a bet that the doing part sort of works itself out, without us fussing so much over it. But the being part. Now, that’s something that it seems we’ve almost forgotten about, how it’s done. *pun intended*

One of the concepts within the #ULab is Letting go – Letting come. And I love that. I’ve let myself sink into that concept, it’s like a soft woolen blanket, wrapped around me, reclining in a comfortable armchair…

Letting go.

When letting go, I open up for new things. If I let them, that is. It can be as hard to let go of my resistance to let go, as it can be to let come. These ladies talk about what they wouldn’t give for a chance to revisit their younger self. Being kinder to themselves, with the ability to let go, spending more time being, not doing.

It’s beautiful this video, I’ve watched it several times now, and causes me to stop.
Pause. Look around me. Inhale and smell my surroundings.
Take in the sounds close and afar, feel my body relax as I exhale. Noticing.

Relax. Breathe.
#LetGo. 

What might come, if you let go?

Wow, you DO that?

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Last weekend we picked the apples from our own apple trees. This weekend me and the kids went to my mother, and picked the apples from her apple trees. All the perfect specimens I carried up into the attic, where I placed them on news papers. Took this photo that I posted on Facebook:

apples

Got a funny response from a friend who commented on my Facebook-post with an astonished: Wow, you DO that?

And yes. I DO do that! This year I am experimenting though, since the attic is actually almost empty after my #cleanse4expansion-process. Earlier years I’ve wrapped apples individually in news paper (with help from the rest of the family of course!) and put them in crates up in the attic, this year, I am trying a new technique.

more applesWill see which works best! There wasn’t as many apples as normal on my mom’s trees, so we will just have to see how long these will last us but some years we’ve had enough apples to last us until March! There’s still room for more though, so who knows, I just might go for some more apple hunting in the neighborhood!

The non-perfect apples we eat, make apple pie or crumble and apple sauce on, use in smoothies, yoghurt and porridge. Or make apple and carrot sallad as a sallad to go with dinner.

And last week I took out my apple peeler/corer and stood for hours making apple rings, that I hung on a clothes horse. Now they’ve all dried up and I have a large stack. Will try to make some more, as dried apple rings are the best candy ever!

Podcast 41/52 – the other side of the story

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There’s an episode of On Being that I listened to over and over again in May when I was in London for the Innate health conference. I had a 30 minute walk from my Air BnB to the venue, and there was so much depth in this one show, that I basically listened, re-listened and listened yet again to this episode, hearing new things each time.

I put it in the Evernote list for ”blog series podcasts” and then it fell prey to the same problem that several of my absolute favorite podcast episodes have been struck by:
I love them so much, and there is wisdom upon wisdom spoken that I would like to point out and write about, that I tell myself ”I’ll get around to it some day”, wanting to really take my time, listening to the episode and jot down all of the moments of insight…. and guess what? I don’t take the time for that. And the absolute gems of the podcast world, according to me, never makes it into my podcast series here on the blog.

So. Time to change that. Yesterday I relistened to this specific episode of On Being again, featuring journalist Michel Martin, and I just new I have to stop holding these gemstones hostage in Evernote!

BoldomaticPost_You-just-can-t-live-in-your-bMichel Martin is apparently a well known and accomplished journalist, even though I’d never heard of her before listening to this podcast. But then again, being Swedish it’s not surprising I don’t know of her work. But from what I hear on this show, I understand that she’s really taken this question to heart in her journalistic work:
What’s the side of the story that isn’t obvious?

One of the ways she does this, is to look for the people who’s voice hasn’t been heard, which she gives some great examples of in the podcast. This is something she would like more people to do, which she phrases like this:
My real charge to people is look around and see who’s missing. And try to invite that person.

That is such an important charge.
Simply stated, and clear in what to look for, and how to act.

It all ties together very well. If there is a void in the voices being heard, I won’t get to hear all sides of the story will I? And if I don’t, it is easy to stay in my bubble. The missing voices tell the other side of the story, the side that isn’t obvious from the get-go. And when I hear those voices, when my perspective is widened. My bubble bursts. Or, if you would, it widens and expands, to take in a larger portion of the world around me. And then. I hear another not so obvious story, and it expands again. And again. And again.

Look around you. See who’s there.
Then look again.
Who’s missing?

DAY 4 #NAJOWRIMOPROMPT: Create personal door signs

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For today’s prompt, write and/or draw three signs that you would hang on your home door, work door, or even your forehead to let others know what you allow and don’t allow in your life. For example, a sign might be, “No Gossiping” or “Please Knock First.”

Now write about your signs and how you will enforce them, or how you already enforce them. Are there ways you can communicate your signs without actually posting them? Or should one or more of them be physically posted?

stay out door signs

I am taking part of the MITx #ULab MOOC and one of the things that has really struck a cord in me have been the voices of judgement, cynicism and fear, that Theory U talk about as detrimental to deep listening. Listening to these voices are effective road blocks hindering you from being able to drop down into presencing.

So how to enforce them? Do I need to print these out, laminate them and post them around the house? Well. That might not be a bad idea actually… But is it a necessity? Well no. Not really. I am lucky that I have created a setting whereupon I am around people who remind me of when I do listen to, or talk from a place of judgement, cynicism or fear. My coach Carla does a great job, constantly reigning me in to self-compassion and other-compassion, for instance. Friends in my MasterMind-group and in #skolvåren hold a space where I can voice thoughts stemming from these emotions without being condemned, while gently reminding me of my why, and how I want to show up in the world. Having that ”safe space” where I can rage against the world and perceived injustices is a great outlet of frustration, and getting it out of my system makes it easier to get back on track faster.

I am a great help myself in keeping the voices of judgement, cynicism and fear out, as I have gotten so used to observing myself. So I am better at noticing when I am judging, being cynical (which probably is the one of these emotions that pop up the least for me) or acting out of fear. That opens up for asking myself whether or not it’s in service to me to continue to entertain these thoughts or if I should show them the way to the door.

What really make a difference though is to tune in to the energies of people I am in conversation with. Where are they coming from? Is it the voice of judgement, cynicism and fear speaking, or are they speaking from an open mind, open heart and open will? If it is, and I can spot it, it’s much easier for me to refrain from stepping into judgement myself. Rather, empathy is invoked in me, because I know full well what it’s like to come from the place of judgement/cynicism/fear. Sometimes, the conversation can take a sudden turn to something deeper when I drop down to a deeper place of listening. Sometimes. Not so. And I’ve learned, the hard way, to step out of that type of interaction if there is no shift in energy or awareness. There is neither giving nor receiving in those instances, and hence, I bow out. Politely if I can, silently at times, and hopefully, very seldom with a tiny jab in the back. Because that’s not who I want to be in the world. 

What about you? What would your three door signs look like?

#ULab immersion

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I am taking part in MITx: 15.671x U.Lab: Transforming Business, Society, and Self, and it’s week 3 right now. I have been a bit slow on the uptake, and since today was the second live-session I wanted to make sure I got some of the work done from weeks one and two, so I immersed myself in #ULab today. First catching up with the material I had not yet gone through fully, then a 1,5 hr live-session which was absolutely fantastical! What an experience, being part in a journaling exercise which was powerful in and of itself, but the energy from tens of thousands others doing the same exercise at the same time, spanning the globe, now that really was a noticeable shift in energy!

Live session 2

After the live-session my virtual hub had a coaching circle with our second (out of six) cases, and just like the first time, it was a very powerful session. The power of presencing, of connection, and of truly listening, is hard to put into words. So I won’t even try.

But earlier today as I was catching up, I read a few lines by Peter Senge, commenting on recent data on the state of the world as chronicled in The Guardian.

”These are prospective realities many of us have lived with for a long time – well over 40 years for me. Yet, they are very difficult for people to hold without emotional reactions that lead to denial and shutting down in one of many forms (anger, despair, indulgence, etc.). This is our basic aikido challenge – to face the reality (prospective as it is) with equanimity and awareness and to do so in a way that we continue to strengthen our mental conduct to not allow negative thoughts to shape our perceptions and actions. 

But for those of us who have been in denial for a long time, moving from denial to equanimity rarely happens in one movement. So, how to help maintain some balance (keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, as Kipling put it) may be the operational definition of mindfulness in this day and age.”

I find what Peter Senge had to say there much to the point. The trick is just that, to face reality without getting sunk by all the crap that is definitely a part of reality. But it’s not all there is, and as we create our world, we can create something with less crap. We can create something else. Something better. For all. It is possible to transform business, society and self, I know it is, and if nothing else, having 50 000 + people across the earth taking this MOOC, that’s quite a lot of change agents to help push us along towards a better future. Towards a beloved community. Might that be it?

Podcast 38/52 – Stillness

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I remember the first time I came across Pico Iyer. He gave a TED Talk on The Art of Stillness that captivated me. His words, his way of showing up in the world, his message. All captivating, and performed in such a way, that something opened up within me.

Stillness was never a word I used to describe myself. Before. Perhaps I’ve been more still in a bodily manner, but definitely not mentally. Mental chatter, constant, busy busy, chatting away at all times. Never knowing how to shut it up, or to stop paying attention to it. Never a still moment. Almost.

Now. I revere the stillness that I find, now and again, often on a daily basis. Meditating for instance. But also in micro moments throughout the day, discovering something beautiful, sensing a smell, or a sound, or even the absence of sound. Captivated, for just a microsecond, as if time stops, ceases to exist, like pressing a pause-button.

Pico Iyer also had a conversation with Krista Tippett, On Being, on the Art of Stillness, and I thought it would be an excellent companion to the reflections on being aware, that have dominated the blog this week. Pico Iyer travels the world, and then travels within his inner world, deciphering the first kind of travels through the second. In a sense, becoming more aware of what goes on outside, by a raised awareness of what goes on inside. travel to be moved

This is what my life journey have started to feel like, a travel, a journey of discovery, of expansion as well as stabilization, of awareness. And the more I travel, roaming the landscape and continents within, the more I am moved by moments of pure presence, in me, as well as outside of me.

Today I will be traveling, and Pico is spot on. I am not traveling for the sake of moving around, I am traveling with the hope of being moved. And I know I will be.

Why do you travel?

 

Being aware – reflection #4

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Last and final day of dipping my toe into being aware, as a warm-up for the Summit for Human Potential Realization, which starts tomorrow in Netherlands. It’s been a ride already, just these past four days of immersing myself into being aware, so I’m very curious as to what wants to happen these coming three days as I will be diving headfirst into human potential realization with all the participants of the summit..

What is made possible when you live life out of a place of heightened awareness?
What happens to you? Those around you? The world?
Today I’ve had an experience that certainly gave me a glimpse of what a heightened awareness means and makes possible. I’m not sure I can describe it though. But I can tell you this, it certainly whetted my appetite for experiencing more, experimenting more, discovering and going deeper.
What happens… clarity and calmness. Leveling. It’s as if the components are all in place, only the settings change. Like classical greek dramas, all containing the same main ingredients/characters, only set in different surroundings. Life is like a multitude of greek dramas, in other words. On one level of awareness a specific play is enacted. When I drop down to another level, as my awareness is enriched, another drama enfolds. So what ever I’ve encountered on one level, will, in a sense, reappear on all the other levels, only in different costume. I truly sensed that today. My inner judge has been a verbal judge, and to a large extent I don’t hear it anymore. Today as I dropped down to a deeper level, the judge reappeared, but not in the same form as before. Today my inner judge put on another costume, communicating with me through my body, rather than through words in my mind. That’s a first. Interesting experience.

greek dramas

Is anything made impossible when living life out of a place of heightened awareness?
Is anything made impossible? That’s the same as asking if everything is possible. And yes. I think so. I actually already think anything is possible, we just don’t live life out of that starting point. With a raised awareness perhaps more people would? And as a direct result, they would embark on journeys to create the impossible, which would stretch the boundaries for what we now to be possible, push the edge of possible into the impossible, expanding, expanding, expanding.

What would the world look like with a raised awareness in humankind?
Different I believe. And as I’ve decided to believe in the good of humankind as well as truly believing the universe is a friendly place, the image I paint of a world with more aware human beings, is a world I’d love to live in, to experience. With love, generosity, care, humor, laughter and joy. Not a ”perfect” world. Not a world without sorrow, angst and pain, but a world where we are so much better equipped to live life, fully, to truly live a good life, regardless of the external circumstances. Because it’s possible. Perhaps what’s stopping us is the demons in our minds, as Måns Zelmerlöw sings in Heroes?

We are the heroes of our time
But we’re dancing with the demons in our minds

Are there fewer demons to fight when operating from a heightened awareness? Or are they simply in a different costume? And if there are demons in our minds, wouldn’t there also be angels? Why not dance more with them instead?

Being aware – reflection #3

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Am down with a cold. Feeling very unaware of most things outside of the discomfort of a sore throat, raspy cough and an aching head. But still, why not just move ahead with the reflections on being aware…

Does being aware have a color?
Instinctively, what comes to mind is transparency. Any color, but transparent, not being a hindrance for going past it, through it.

A symbol?
A symbol…. does being aware have a symbol? Just the one?
I don’t know. Possibly the third eye? But then again, isn’t than an old symbol, with a lot of different connotations, with awareness (increased perception) being one?

What is the language of awareness? Does it exist?
Or will we – together – make the language of being aware come to form?
The language of awareness cannot be a language of but one component, such as speech. A language of awareness must be a multifaceted language utilizing all senses, opening up for an experience of sound and silence, visual and intuitive aspects as well as movement and touch. If it exists? Who knows… But yeah, I would like to think it’s out there and probably has since the beginning of time. Not sure if it’s come fully into form yet. It’s more like something wanting to happen, popping up here and there, in quick bursts of connection and awareness. Wanting to be seen, felt, heard, sensed by a larger number of humankind. Do you think we can help it come into form, making it easier for more people to discover it?

opening up

Are there any rituals connected to being aware?
Or might we – together – create some?
I’m certain there are a multitude of rituals. Some widely shared and spread across the globe, some might be absolutely unique to a specific individual.
A wise woman told me yesterday of the eternal circle of expansion -> stability -> expansion -> stability and so on. She explained how there’s expansion, with intake, new learnings, input and information, expanding in all senses…. and how there’s a need for all those new sensations to stabilize and sink in, enabling me to become grounded in what I know. And once stability has been reached, a new expansion phase can begin. I’m sure we could find rituals for both phases, expansion as well as stability, but am equally certain we could come up with new rituals around these phases.
Personally, I know I have some rituals that have definitely helped me be more aware, and I’m doing one of those things right this minute. Blogging for me, is both a self-coaching tool and a way for me to reflect and discover myself, my beliefs, my understanding. Blogging is one way for me to stabilize what I take in during the day.

Do you have any favorite rituals you’d like to share with me?