Open Mind Archives - Page 4 of 25

December 9, 2023December 3, 2023 by Pete Wiley

What’s Important—Finding Balance in a Finite Life

One of life’s most important but most challenging aspects is achieving a state of balance. We are all eventually faced with a broad range of demands, passions, and responsibilities to which we cannot devote sufficient time or energy. We ultimately have to choose those activities that we either need or must spend more time with at the expense of others. You might base this on requirements or perceived requirements. You might disregard your responsibilities and focus on what you love, but regardless, at some point, you will have to choose what you do with your time.

November 25, 2023November 22, 2023 by Pete Wiley

Vulnerability—The Benefits of Taking a Chance

Vulnerability is often thought of as a negative state. It is clearly negative in many contexts, such as business strategy, physical infrastructure, or national security. From the perspective of an individual, vulnerability can also feel negative. When you’re vulnerable, there is a greater chance you’ll be hurt, embarrassed, or will fail. But it’s also true that allowing yourself to be vulnerable is a meaningful way to learn (particularly about yourself), grow, and find opportunities you may otherwise have missed.

October 14, 2023October 4, 2023 by Pete Wiley

Your Niche—How Your Strengths Fit into Your Life

What are your strengths? One would think that people know what they’re good at, but as you figure this out, you may hit many bumps and curves along the way. You may also go through periods where you feel you haven’t discerned your strengths and may never figure it out. Somehow, college kids are expected to know what they want to do with their lives as they choose their major at 19! Most of us will try a few things until we find one we like and are good at. But we may continue to have lingering doubts about our choices. Is this my calling—what I want to devote my life to? We may feel like our life is “fine,” but we must keep looking. We have to find our niche.

in Open Mind / Proactive 0 comments

June 24, 2023April 14, 2023 by Pete Wiley

Up for It—Saying Yes to Life

Sure! Let’s go!

The people I enjoy being with the most have a sense of adventure about them. They are up for anything. It’s not only a willingness to explore the unknown and engage in new experiences—it’s also an overwhelming sense of optimism and enthusiasm. They’re an inspiration to me, but they’re also just fun to hang around with. They look at the bright side of whatever happens and don’t treat barriers or challenges as problems. They also have courage—courage to explore the unknown and to take risks—courage in the face of doubt. All of us have a range of opportunities every day—opportunities to try new things or to get to know new people—and some of these opportunities will involve risks. A sense of adventure doesn’t mean saying yes to every opportunity that arises or totally ignoring risks and responsibilities. It does mean being open to opportunities and open to the possibilities they present. It means saying yes to life.

in Mindful / Open Mind 0 comments

June 10, 2023April 14, 2023 by Pete Wiley

Knowing People—Incorporating Empathy into Our Interactions

How much time do you spend getting to know people? Not just what they did over the weekend and how their kids are doing, but really trying to get a feel for who they truly are and what drives them. Most interactions take place on a very surface level. We engage in small talk or interact on the basis of what we’re intending to accomplish, and the rest is often just minimal politeness. There’s nothing wrong with a pleasant passing of the time, but if we become closer with people, we might have deeper conversations and get to know them better. We can learn to guide our interactions based on that knowledge and those insights. However, unless we make a consistent effort to get to know people andincorporate that knowledge into our interactions with them, we aren’t taking advantage of opportunities for much more meaningful and rewarding relationships.

in Mindful / Open Mind 0 comments