Judy Ringer

Ki is Japanese for power, life force, energy.

Ki Moments is meant to help you find your power in the "key" moments of life. How are you right now? Focus on your breath for five seconds. Feel the inhale as it travels to your center, the exhale as it releases tension, and the presence that follows. It only takes a moment to change the rest of your day.

Breathe once more with intention. Appreciate this moment. Communicate with someone you love. Communicate with someone you don't love but with whom you would like to have a cleaner relationship.

Good ki!
Judy

Groundhog Day

...Hi, Yvonne. How's it going?
Great to see you, Judy ... bright and early, I see!

Lifeguard Yvonne's familiar greeting - smiling and upbeat - registered anew this particular morning. As I headed into the pool locker room, I wondered how many times we'd exchanged these same words over the years.

I flashed on the movie Groundhog Day, in which the actor Bill Murray is Phil, the self-absorbed TV weatherman caught in a time loop and forced to relive the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over again.

How many times had I said comparable words, walked through the same locker room door, and greeted my familiar pool buddies ... (Hi Bev, Hi Betty, Hey Ellen)? How many first chilly dips, backstrokes, hot tubs, showers, changeups, and home to breakfast, the computer, a workshop or meeting?

This sense of repeating the same day over and over - stayed with me. I saw how that thought - same day, same people, same words, smiles, gestures, conversations - could seriously depress one's mood .... or ..... as it finally did with Phil, cause one to seriously consider what life is all about.

Things Change

What is life about? Until he found the answer, Phil was destined to wake up on the same day each morning, going through the same motions and believing that "nothing that you did mattered." Like the groundhog he was trying to catch on tape, Phil only saw his own shadow.

He gradually began to wake up to the possibility that even though every day was a replay, he could change how he approached it; he could change himself. Phil continued to encounter the same people and events at the same time each day, but he saw that his actions could influence them for better or worse.

Since time wasn't a factor and every day offered a new opportunity to practice, he experimented with a newfound desire to do good. He bought daily meals for a homeless man, saved the life of a choking restaurant diner, fixed flat tires, complimented, served, and generally made others happier. As he changed himself, he changed his world. And ... finally, ... he woke up on a new day - the day after Groundhog Day.

Practice

I thought about all of this on my way home from the pool. What if my only goal today was to encourage and support everyone I meet, my sole purpose on earth to help others be happier? How would I feel? How different would my world be?

It's possible to see life as a series of habits, some more useful than others. Feeling grumpy is a habit of mind that reinforces grumpiness. Smiling and extending positive ki (energy) is a habit that increases joy. Each habit produces effects that expand in ever increasing circles outward from the source. What do I want to be a source for?

When my day starts to feel repetitive, perhaps I'm looking at the wrong set of criteria. Instead of focusing on how many times I've said hello, I might be better served (and better serve others) by asking how I say hello - to observe the purpose behind the action rather than the action itself. Am I extending joy or pain? What kind of waves radiate from my state of being? How am I influencing my relationships, my environment, the world ....?

Habits of mind are like physical habits. When I choose to practice ones that increase happiness and lightness of being, I wake up in a new world, too, just like Phil!

Public Workshops

Come learn, network, and enjoy yourself with other likeminded students. All workshops are limited to 20 participants. Visit JudyRinger.com to learn more:

Managing Conflict in the Workplace, Workshop with Judy Ringer (Portsmouth, NH, Feb. 23)
Fearless Relationships: A Workshop for TwoSomes, Workshop and Coaching with Judy Ringer and Fran Liautaud (Portsmouth, NH, Mar. 24 and Apr. 13)
 

Portsmouth Aikido

Many of the principles reflected in Ki Moments come from Aikido, the Japanese martial art that teaches self-defense through the redirection of energy.

If you live locally, Portsmouth Aikido offers ongoing practice at the Seacoast Y in Portsmouth
. Classes are held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Stop by anytime and watch.

The Aikido Beginner Class meets from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. each Sunday. Anyone aged 12 or older is welcome. Gift certificates? Email info@portsmouthaikido.org.

Visit the Portsmouth Aikido Website

Contact Information
Judy Ringer
Power & Presence Training
76 Park Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
voice: 603.431.8560
website: www.judyringer.com

Judy Ringer is Founder of Power & Presence Training, a Portsmouth, NH company specializing in unique workshops to help you and your organization manage conflict, communicate effectively, and co-create a more positive work environment.

E-mail Judy at judy@judyringer.com for a free initial meeting to discuss your training needs. Ki (from Ai-ki-do) is Japanese for life energy. Ki Moments is a complimentary monthly "e-zine" with tips and how-to articles to help you manage the key moments in your life.

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