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Answers that Bore Me and So Much Sky

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I've been thinking . . .

about answers.

When I try to listen too closely, hold too tightly, control things,
I find too much work, too many shiny new things.

I piece together meaningless details into huge twisty ideas. I spend useless time pondering questions . . . wondering . . . observing, . . . sorting messages . . .

reading words . . .
reading pictures . . .
reading every person’s actions . . .
As each moment wears on, it wears on me.
Irrelevant details and made up futures pass by in streams and reels.

The questions get thinner until the answers bore me.
Information and expectations crowd and steal my clear thinking.

Then the upward view rewinds and reminds me . . .

chicago-sky-060708.JPG

I run laughing all the way home . . .
all this and so much more is mine . . .
I hear a bell ringing . . .
I see a plane fly by . . .
I see the moon rise . . .

Today’s okay, but I really like tomorrow.
A question filled with possibility
I’ve had enough of answers bore me when there’s so much sky
— Julia Macklin, So Much Sky

How much sky will you give yourself today?

Liz's Signature

Image: LizStrauss

Listen to the Folks Who Aren't Listening

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Communication Breakdown

Change the World!

When something happens one, I figure it could be an accident.

When it happens twice I wonder whether something could be in the air.

In the last week, it’s happened three times. That makes me wonder whether I’ve got a problem.

The scenario was almost the same every time.

I told a friend about something I was working on. As it happened, the project was different in each case, but that didn’t seem to matter. Before I finished the second or third sentence, the person I was talking to began to tell me what the project should be.

Each person was turning my project into theirs.

I recognize this behavior. It’s been my own more times than I care to admit. They got the response I remember. I quit talking and let them decide what their project would be.

I knew that the people I was with were trying to help, but they didn’t listen to get enough information to know where their help would have made a difference. They simply started making new ideas.

Relationships and understanding come from listening to what folks want to talk about — dreams, desires, unexpressed needs and wishes — what they find marvelous, annoying, heartwarming, concerning, breathtaking. At least, that’s my experience.

Three times, though, makes me wonder. Maybe I should listen closely to the folks who aren’t listening.

Maybe I’ll find out what is making this happen.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Check out Models and Masterminds too

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If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

You Have Made Me a Better Person

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Working on the eBook Tonight

While I was rearranging and changing what I was saying in the ebook I’m working on.
I came across a few words that were fine just as I had originally written them.
I had to stop to make a collage of photos, so that I could put them up tonight.

The more I bring to the folks who come to read, the more they give me. People who read my blog make me smarter, better every day.

How has my blog changed how I think of relationships? It’s only made them more dear, more important, and more cellular to every letter, every link, every learning that is in this text.

I can’t imagine looking at any part of my blogging career without seeing the people who, in a word, have made me who I am.

People of SOBCon08

Thanks to everyone who’s ever read a word, or said a word on this blog.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

What You're Thinking, What Chris Brogan Said, and a Contest

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I've been thinking . . .

about what you’re thinking and about something Chris Brogan said.

Every day people ask me about you and my blog. They ask the about time I spend, about the investment and return. People make suggestions about how I might change things to make more money.

Chris Brogan said this about me on a blog post yesterday.

When I look at the networks people have built around them, there’s value there. Tangible value. Consider someone like Liz Strauss. She reaches out deeply into her community to build events like her popular and successful SOBCon. She gives and gives, and then when she needs something back, Liz has a strong network of multi-layered contacts to reach into for her needs.

It’s amazing, really. Liz alone is a powerhouse to hire, but if you really did give credit for her extended network, which reaches into the largest companies in the US, UK, and for all I know, the rest of the world.

How do you place a value on that?

I’m working on a new expanded version of the design of this blog. One that would make it easier for folks to see the depth and breath of what’s already here. Truth is that as I take back the keys, I’m working to get a training business off the ground. I could use your help and insights on a few things. Would you answer three questions for me?

  1. What do you hope to find when you come here?
  2. What would like me to see more of my blog?
  3. What product or service could I make to better serve people like you?

I’ve added a sign-up box for a community newsletter in my sidebar, if you’d like to participate more and to hear about new things coming, please sign up there.

I’m also giving away 10 — that’s TEN — free blog / business consultations ($1500/value) during the month of June. I’ll pick the winners from the most insightful comments on this post.

Chris said, “She gives and gives, and then when she needs something back, Liz has a strong network of multi-layered contacts to reach into for her needs.”

So I’m asking, will you help me make this an even more successful blog?

Liz's Signature

A New Day Thought

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I've been thinking . . .

a new day thought.

On a Friday morning, I’ve been thinking about the wonder of a new day.
Like the sun, we can open our eyes on hours filled with opportunity.
With a fire behind us, we move into the morning spreading light as we move.

We can use that light to repair what was once broken.
We can follow it to a path that’s more true and familiar than the one we’ve been following.

We can warm the lives of the people we love in a short moment.
We can put a glow where a cold heart has been a dark and lonely space.

A new day is a chance to make a new way for ourselves and the world.

On this typical new Friday morning, I’m letting the old days and old pains fall away from me.

I’m only keep the new ones.

Central America sunrise by etstrauss

Image: etstrauss

Will you do the same thing?

Liz's Signature