Playing with Limitations

          "We need to first be limited in order to become limitless." 

A friend, who knows us well. sent us a link to a Ted talk entitled, "Embrace the Shake" featuring artist Phil Hansen.    In art school, Phil Hansen developed an unruly tremor in his hand that kept him from creating the pointillist drawings he loved. Hansen was devastated, floating without a sense of purpose. Until a neurologist made a simple suggestion: embrace this limitation ... and transcend it.

It's a quintessential story of a man who really gets the essence and value of playing.  Listen and you'll understand why. 

Playing It Big with Jack Bogle

So there we are, posing for a picture with the iconic Jack Bogle in the offices of Vanguard.  Wow, what a moment.  This photo was taken after we had spend three hours getting insights into the organization, meeting with him to hear his thoughts about starting & running a successful business, and having lunch together.  What a delightful man!  What real world insights.  How did this meeting happen?  Evan Marcus, my business partner and husband, called Vanguard and asked if we could bring our CEO group to meet with him.  And to our surprise, he said yes.   

Is there something you want to do but it seems out of reach?  Why not try our, "Playing It Big" game?  We guarantee their is always joy in the journey...         

What I Think I Know for Sure

 "We are addicted to struggle and it is killing us. Literally." That is the opening line of an email blast I'm working on to publicize our public course offering this October.  After writing that line I got scared.  How would a statement that provocative be received?  Would people challenge it, asking "How do you know that to be true?"  So I took a break from drafting the email and walked to the mailbox.  On my way I ran into my neighbor.  She shared with me that she has ovarian cancer.  I could see the fear in her eyes. 

She said, "I finally left work after nine years of working for a toxic boss and now I have this."  She asked, "Where did it come from?"  I didn't answer her, but I thought to myself, "I have an idea."

So I can't point to studies that show anger and resentment cause cancer, but the mind-body connection is so strong, that I believe it can.  And since we can't travel back in time and see if she would have developed cancer if she hadn't worked for this boss -- we might never know for sure. 

In any case, I believe if we can learn how to stop struggling in our lives, not only will our health improve but the texture of our lives will improve. 

Join us as we kick off this conversation on Wednesday, October 5, 2011.  Email Cindy at Cindy@DillonMarcus.com and register for our five week course taking place in South Jersey.  I promise you, it will be lifechanging.      

Your game

Ok, tell us what game you are making up today. I'm playing the Hope
Floats game today. I woke up in worry--playing a very solid game of worry. So today, I'm going to make belive that I'm the hope champion of the world. Float like a butterfly, live like a champ. Ha, Ha, Ha, that is my rallying cry. I bought a special pair of glasses that only see the good in every situation---they even look into the future and see all things working out really well. I'm going to see if I can find a few playmates to play along too.

What do you think of our new ad? Took the Unleashed theme and added some context to it.

Unleashed!

This is the feeling we want everyone to have when they are on their way TO work.

Skeptical?

Me too.

But why shouldn't this be possible for most of us?

Why are we so attached to the struggle?

Habits and Stale Games

Ok, what is one of your most ingrained habits---let's freshen it up today-----are you ready for a new and revised version. Here's one I'm going to play with. Instead of paying attention to the stuff I don't have in my life---more money etc...and instead of focusing on what's not feeling great----my foot----I'm going to pay attention the stuff that is working really well---like the stuff I barely notice because it is so smooth---overall health, overall positive attitude, 3 amazing kids, my left foot------that kind of stuff----this could be a much better habit. You?