Welcome to June's issue of Ki Moments!

As I write, the sun is streaming in my window along with a slight breeze. It's about 70 degrees. I love living in New England.

Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning,
And the first thing that I saw
Was the sun through yellow curtains,
And a rainbow on the wall.
...
Oh, won't you stay,
We'll put on the day
There's a sun show every second.

Quiet yourself for a moment. Breathe in to the count of five and breathe out to the count of five. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Feel your spine lengthen, your neck and head reach for the sky and both feet resting solidly on the ground. Center and extend ki. Be still, soft, and present.

As you move back into the noise of the day, keep the memory of the stillness within.

Good ki!

Judy

Why Am I Doing This? Acting on Purpose

The response to last month's Ki Moments story ("Happy Dollars") was generous and delightful. The idea of being publicly happy seemed to resonate.

Because of the quantity and thoughtfulness of the responses, I continued thinking about the story and the event that prompted it.

For example, last month I reflected on the question, Why not? - stand up and offer a Happy Dollar at Rotary every week, and I suggested some possible answers. Since then, after dropping a few more Happy Dollars in the bucket, I instead became curious about, Why do I? What purpose does the act serve? For instance:

The Happy Dollar acknowledges reasons to be grateful-always a good thing, in my view.  I get to share a happy moment with other like-minded folks. And I give to a good cause-several, in fact.

The following Sunday at church, the pastor spoke about channeling love, joy, and salvation through singing and prayer. I thought about the Happy Dollar story and wondered about my channel. What keeps it clear and flowing? What blocks it?

Finally, later that week, my husband Jim and I got into a wide-ranging conversation about how we all stumble as we try to do our best. How do we learn what motivates us? What blocks us?

These ki moments seemed to coalesce around intentionality and purpose. With awareness, I discover what causes me to act and what holds me back; I clarify choices, and I practice purposeful action. The channel opens. Energy flows.

It's good to ask, Why do I? Personally, I'm trying to ask the purpose question more often in all areas of life. For instance:

• In conversation. Why am I saying this right now? What do I hope to accomplish?
• In thought. What purpose does it serve to be so self-critical?
• In action. What am I hoping for from this relationship? What do I offer?

There is always a bit of doubt, I guess. Agendas can be tricky; I can hide things from myself. That said, I like to think my purpose here is pretty clear: to increase simplicity, clarity, power and flow. Stuff gets in the way from time to time, for all of us. Ki Moments abound. And that's great--more to learn and write about!

If you'd like to read subscribers' responses to "Happy Dollars" - you can read more here.

Upcoming Public Programs

Please join me for learning, adventure, networking and fun.

Winning Conversations
Half-Day Workshop with Judy Ringer
New Hampshire Women's Leadership Institute, Nashua, NH, June 11

Powerful Presentations
One Day Workshop with Judy Ringer and Susan Losapio
Southern NH University, Portsmouth, NH, June 26

Aikido, Conflict, and Relationship: Getting on the Mat
Half-Day Workshop with Judy Ringer
Pegasus Conference, Cambridge, MA, November 7

20th Pegasus Conference

Nov. 8-10 · Boston, MA
I'm once again honored to be a featured speaker at the annual Pegasus Communications Systems Thinking Conference.

I'll be presenting "Aikido, Conflict, and Relationship: Getting on the Mat" an out-of-the-box training combining aikido, communication, conflict transformation, and relationship management - perfect for kinesthetic learners who want to immerse themselves in the educational experience.

It's a pre-conference program and takes place on Sunday, Nov. 7, from 1:30-4:30 pm, at New England Aikikai in Cambridge - a well-respected Aikido school where you can practice throwing, falling, and blending with energy while applying everything you learn to conflict in daily life.

The Conference theme this year is, "Systems Thinking in Action: Fueling New Cycles of Success," with keynote speakers such as Peter Senge, Frances Moore Lappé, and Daniel Kim. It's a wonderful conference - consider it for yourself and your organization.

Learn more about the conference at Pegasus.com.

Read a description and sign up for my workshop on the "Pre-Conference Workshops" page.

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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