“If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down.” ~ TONI MORRISON
Dear Readers, Community, Friends,
What reignites your spirit?
Before the first of the year, I went on a boat trip. No phone, no internet. On any given day, I couldn’t tell you what day it was. Enjoy this Spotify medley of Sea Shanties. {right}
It was life changing in so many ways: the calmness I felt being outside for 12+ hours a day, the connection I felt to my family as we enjoyed snorkeling adventures and slow time on deck. The captain and his mate moved with effortless but calculated motions, tending to the ship, climbing masts, securing ropes, hoisting sails, ... answering to the wind. This constant tending moved me to tears. When I asked the captain how long he’d been sailing, he said, “Always.” (from his first days of life, his father – a French regalia sailor – would place him in a hammock on the ship).
Returning from such a trip had its re-entry challenges, so it was a great coincidence, then, to be watching a sailing race documentary and see how an Australian sailing team used the techniques in our book club book, Psycho Cybernetics to upset the U.S. in the infamous race of 1983! Since the inception of the race over 130 years prior, the U.S. had never lost the race. It’s an epic tale of the power of human imagination and innovation. Check it out here:
PLATINUM READERS VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB
How’s the reading going?
This month we read chapters 5-9 of Psycho Cybernetics. I was so delighted and grateful that a reader sent in their learnings for this segment of the book!
Here’s what they shared with me:
- Relax! “Our creative success mechanism works best in the absence of anxiety, worry, and stress. Sleep, rest, stillness and presence opens and optimizes our creative success mechanism.”
- No worries. “Deliberate over the commitment decision, then once committed, do not deliberate. With a full commitment, all resources needed will be revealed when needed and as needed. Excessive planning and worry are a sign that you fear succeeding or fear not succeeding: equally harmful.”
- Be happy. “Happiness is the first step and it is cultivated internally. If you look for external events, accomplishments or possessions to bring about happiness you are doing it backwards and conceding to a life without happiness. Happiness first, successes will follow.”
- Be real. “Awareness of the realities as they are is important. Letting go of all negative interpretations or stories of the realities is essential to success. Any stimulus can be made into a story that either drives or hinders success depending on the interpretation.”
- Practice. “Happiness and success are habits to be developed, not achieved.”
- Don’t just think about it. “Reading about it is not the same as doing it or practicing it. Do or do not – reading can only inspire the practice or action.”
For March, let’s read chapters 10-12. I’d love to hear what you learned: send in your insights! And if you haven’t picked up the book yet, no worries – today is a fine day to begin.
This is the 37th issue of Platinum News! Written by Julie Miles, her passion is to act as a liaison between the Platinum team, their wonderful clients, and the community – striving to tell their stories, and make meaningful connections that fuel everyone’s purpose. Have a story to tell? Contact Julie here. • Not subscribed to this monthly newsletter? You may do so here.
