A Lifelong Learning Adventure
Last week I was privileged to take part in a wonderful life learning experience – a week of lectures and classes on the campus of KU taught by top college professors to a group of educated and interesting adults. The professors who taught each of the nearly 75 different 90 minute sessions were all volunteers who had to “apply” to be a part of the week. The Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, for example, good-naturedly told us in his address that he wanted to teach a class but had gotten turned down! He shared that the goal of Liberal Arts is “To understand what it means to be human,” and that was certainly the purpose of this week.
Barbara and the KU Jayhawk
It was interesting that the professors all week told us how much they were enjoying us as an audience – we came on time, listened, asked insightful questions, and did not sit texting on our cellphones! 😉 . Interestingly, they nearly all talked about the “silver tsunami” –that the % of people over age 65 will double in the next two years and the implications that will have for our society.
We individually ahead of time planned our “curriculum” which consisted of choices from diverse areas of learning, including politics, religion, science, education, life skills, film, history, and art. We were each able to experience fifteen 90 minute classes and several lectures and addresses to the entire group as well as walking, museum, and bus tours.
Carolyn, Barbara, and Karna, all mini-college attendees!
The full group presentations during the week included addresses from the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Chancellor of the University, a film screening of “The Only Good Indian,” Steve Hawley, an astronaut from NASA (participated in 5 shuttle missions) who spoke on “Inside Space,” a session on “Flamenco for Everyone,” and a presentation on “From the Golden Valley to Silicon Valley-A New Era of Cancer Treatment” from the Executive Chairman of Genomic Health.
Strong Hall, the Administration Building
This was my schedule of classes with several of the major learnings from each:
“The Psychological Toxicity of Modern Life”—Stephen Hardi
• 99.9% of our existence as a species was as Hunter –Gatherers. Our bodies were designed for a different time and place. Diseases of modernity include – Obesity, Diabetes, Hardening of the Arteries, Asthma, Fibromyalgia, Cancer, Depression.
• 70% of adults are clinically overweight. Today our appetites are calibrated to sugar, salt, fat and starch rather than the natural foods of our ancestors.
• 50% of all American adults will be diagnosed with a serious mental illness at some time in their lives. Depression can cause brain damage because cortisol, the chemical produced by depression, turns off brain growth. Chronic stress is toxic!
• The average American teenager spends 7 ½ hours a day in front of a screen, not counting the 1 ½ hours of texting. Today’s lifestyle is an environmental mutation. Depression is 10X lower in the Amish society, for example, because of their simpler lifestyle.
• BCNF is the brain growth hormone. It can grow new connections and repair brain damage at any age. Exercise stimulates BCNF – 40 minutes of brisk walking 3X a week is recommended. A couch potato measures 10 – 15 years older for biological age while regular exercisers measure 10 – 15 years younger.
• Single best current marker for heart disease – CRP, a blood test that measures inflammation. Meta-analysis pooling all studies proves that regular aerobic exercise is better than a stent after a heart attack.
• 80-90% of Americans get sub-optimum levels of vitamin D3. It is an anti-inflammatory that regulates our immune system. We NEED sunlight!
• Ways to combat this toxicity:
Physical Exercise—single most important medicine
Omega-3 Fats
Sunlight
Social Connection
Healthy Sleep
Engaging (anti-ruminative) Activity
• His book is “The Depression Cure” by Stephen Hardi
(Note: This was one of my favorite sessions!)
The Campanile which is the most famous landmark at KU. You walk through it and down the hill at graduation.
Read More…
Teacher Appreciation Week is May 3-7. If you are looking for a wonderful gift for your child’s teacher, a teacher from your past, or a mentor who has changed your life, why not consider The Simple Truths of Appreciation-How Each of Us Can Choose to Make a Difference* by Barbara Glanz? Enjoy this story, excerpted from The Simple Truths of Appreciation: “THE TEACHER STORY: The Life Changing Gift of Appreciation” Barbara writes: “As I speak about appreciation, I use this quote by Albert Schweitzer: ‘Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.’ Then I ask my audiences to please shut their eyes and think about someone, who at some time in their lives, has rekindled their inner light. I leave the room in silence for several minutes, and it is always a profound experience as they remember the JOY they received from being appreciated by someone when they needed it the most. Afterwards, I ask them to write down the name of the person they thought of and to commit to their own act of appreciation letting that person know in the next 72 hours that he or she was thought of. I suggest a phone call, a note, or even a little prayer if they are no longer living. After one moving session, a gentleman came up to talk with me and thanked me for creating a new awareness in him. He said he thought of his eighth grade literature teacher because she was everyone’s favorite teacher, and had really made a difference in all of their lives. He planned to track her down and let me know what happened. One afternoon nearly two and a half months later I received a call from him. He was choked up on the phone he could hardly get through his story. He said that it had taken him nearly two months to track his teacher down, and when he finally found her, he wrote to her. The following week he received this letter: Dear John, He just sobbed on the phone. He said, “She is always the one we talk about at every Our teachers, parents, employers, and other mentors love to hear about the difference they have made in our lives. Keep them in mind during Teacher Appreciation Week, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day this year. Send them a copy of The Simple Truths of Appreciation as a small token of thanks for changing your life! *The Simple Truths of Appreciation now includes a free 3-minute DVD with purchase of the book! Order now through May 31 and receive the special sale price, book plus DVD for only $12 plus shipping/handling! To order, click here. Mother’s Day Special Order CARE Packages for the Home– Dozens of Little Things You Can Do to Regenerate Spirit Where You Live for only $12 plus shipping/handling. GIVE SOMEONE YOU LOVE A GIFT THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME! Celebrate Mother’s Day! Give your Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Aunt, Teacher, Friend, Co-Worker or Neighbor an inspirational and loving book that she will enjoy and cherish for years to come. Mother’s Day is a time to recognize not only our mothers but all those special women who have made a difference in our lives. What better way to celebrate them than with a book of ideas that will help them create even more caring and joy in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities? Barbara Glanz has recently revised this classic book to help families celebrate one another and create new traditions: “In this book Barbara offers countless ways to help families forge more caring, creative and joyful places to live. Through ideas and stories from real-life families, schools, and neighborhoods, Glanz encourages readers to take action by adapting the ideas to their own families. Whether your family is a traditional family, a single-parent family, a blended family, an extended family, or a retired family, this book contains special ideas just for you!” This book also makes a precious and lasting wedding, shower, or baby gift as new families are formed. And it is a perfect gift to send to your employees’ homes as a “thank you” to their families. Jack Canfield, coauthor of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books, says, “This is a wonderful resource for any family that wants to actively pursue creating more loving and caring in their home. I highly recommend it.” ORDER YOUR COPIES AT THE SPECIAL PRICE TODAY THROUGH MAY 31! To order this new book, go to www.barbaraglanz.com/products/books/. I recently received a powerful email from Kim Bosler who lives in Vacaville, California. She shared how much my books and newsletters had inspired her and her husband. I was thrilled with the following message: My husband is a dentist and is self employed, and all of your ideas are fantastic. We have transformed our office from just “get your teeth fixed here” to a place of warmth, happiness, and comfort for our patients and employees. My husband, Dr. Bosler, now has weekly devotionals with his “team” and monthly training on how to treat our guests. We serve water, juice, tea, and refreshments as people come in. We light candles and have lovely music playing, and make sure each patient has a warm neck wrap when they are seated. Customer service, mission statements, etc, are all discussed and role played at each devotional. We laugh more. We love our jobs because the bottom line is, “How happy can I make someone today?” His production has almost doubled within the last year since we have been doing these things. It was a complete surprise, especially in this economy. I love your work, Barbara, and you have changed my life –not just spiritually and mentally, but financially, too! What a wonderful testimonial about how little things can make a BIG difference! It affirms that by creating workplaces where people are valued and cared for, the business will come. Thank you, Kim, for sharing your commitment to both internal and external customer service. I wish I lived closer, and Dr. Bosler would be my dentist! 😉 To learn more about Barbara’s work, her books, and to subscribe to her free email newsletter, go to www.barbaraglanz.com. ARE YOU READY FOR THE HYPERSENSITIVE CUSTOMER? As if businesses weren’t struggling enough these days, a recent study out of the U.K. has revealed the emergence of the “hypersensitive customer,” a consumer that has less cash, more information and less tolerance for poor customer service than ever before. The study, conducted by UK accounting and business consulting firm BDO Stoy Hayward, found that in the last 18 months, customers have become less loyal, as they realize how privileged retailers are to have their business. In fact, 48% of consumers admitted increasing their expectations over the past two years. Customers are plugged in, with easy access to consumer reviews, detailed technical information and competitive product information. They have tighter budgets, so they’ve become more discerning in both the products they buy and the service they expect. 74% of respondents in the study said they wouldn’t purchase products and would leave the store if they encountered what they deemed to be poor service. Are you and your business ready for the arrival of the hypersensitive customer? If not, now is the time to examine your customer service practices and get them in line with the needs of today’s consumer. There’s a new customer service book on stores shelves and online resellers that can help you manage this new breed of consumer. When you order Who’s Your Gladys? today, you get a special package of 40+ electronic bonus gifts in customer service, sales, marketing and professional development. Buy your copy today at www.whosyourgladys.com. Watch the WYG book trailer here: www.youtube.com/whosyourgladys. To find out how to get your free copy of Barbara’s article “A Choice in Every Interaction,” featured in Who’s Your Gladys? How to Turn Even the Most Difficult Customer into Your Biggest Fan, visit www.barbaraglanz.com/gift/. BLENDING WORK AND SPIRIT This idea is excerpted from Barbara’s book Balancing Acts – More Than 250 Guiltfree, Creative Ideas to Blend your Work and your Life (Dearborn 2003). To order this book, visit www.barbaraglanz.com/products/books/. Write a Balanced Mission Statement. Think about all the roles you play in your life. Do you: Have a job? Susan Iida-Pederson, the vice president of corporate relations for Creative Memories, talks about the importance of writing a balanced mission statement. She says it is important to know who we are and what we value. That way when we find ourselves in “fast-forward,” we can hit “pause” and remember that what we do is secondary to who we are. Then we can focus less on our “to do” list and more on our “to be” list. Writing a balanced mission statement is a part of blending our spirit with the other aspects of our lives. To begin your own Balanced Mission Statement, first list each of the six areas of your life: For each area express in one or two phrases or a sentence what you value about that area or what you want to be in that part of your life. Then put these sentences or phrases together to form your Balanced Mission Statement. Here is an example from Rhonda Ellis, a senior director for Creative Memories: “I want to contribute to a happy, loving, encouraging family and maintain a peaceful, secure home… to operate a profitable, part-time business… to grow in god’s wisdom and reflect this to others … to encourage and mentor others, especially women… and I want to be strong in character and gentle in spirit.” WORK — Is this about income, an entrepreneurial spirit, security, sharing with others? Is it a creative or social outlet, a personal development opportunity, the application of a gift or talent? Do you have a sense of mission about your work? What do you value or want to be in your work? FAMILY — What do you value for your family — harmony, peace, quality time, love, respect, fun, communication, caring for others? What is important to you about your home – order, hospitality, comfort, joyfulness? Do you value quiet, peace, and serenity or activity, energy and community? FRIENDS — What value do you place on friends in your life? What kind of relationships do you want to have and what kind of friend do you want to be? HEALTH — What value do you place on your health? How do you want to live and care for yourself? SPIRIT — Is spirit to you about God, prayer, and reflection? Or is about being ethical, moral, loving, forgiving, or generous, being a person of grace? Do you value doing the right thing, spending time in church or a synagogue, helping others, inner peace? Do you value education, lifelong learning, using your gifts? Do you value the joy of living each day to the fullest? What do you want to be in this area of your life? SERVICE — Are you passionate about a cause? Do you feel a need to give back to the world? Where do you want to make a difference? Notice if you had difficulty clarifying any of these six areas of you life. Often this exercise will help us to see which areas of our lives we might have been neglecting. Finally, define the essence of who you are as a person. This is about character traits such as integrity, caring honesty, enthusiasm. Are you task-minded, free-spirited, and adventurous, or are you conservative, quiet and thoughtful? What do you want to be as a person? What traits do you value most? Appreciate your employees as Individuals This idea is excerpted from Barbara’s book CARE Packages for the Workplace–Dozens of Little Things You Can Do to Regenerate Spirit at Work, (McGraw-Hill, 1996) available at www.barbaraglanz.com/products/books/. The Idea: Sometimes in showing our appreciation we give others a generic reward or even what WE think they would like. To truly recognize someone in a special, caring way, concentrate on that person as a unique individual. At Blanchard Training and Development in San Diego, California, Ken Blanchard, whose new title is “Chief Spiritual Officer,” as a special surprise gave each of the 125 employees $50.00 with the following instructions: “You each have one hour and 15 minutes to go out and do something special just for yourself. At the end of that time, come back and each of you tell us your story.” This creative surprise to appreciate their employees not only added wonderful fun and spirit for that day but more importantly contributed to company legend by creating lots of stories. Another way the Blanchards showed special appreciation for their employees was taking the entire company with the exception of a skeleton crew who volunteered to man the phones to the International conference of the American Society for Training and Development. This was not only a fun trip for them, but they also got to learn more about the training industry of which Blanchard T&D is a part, and they were able to attend sessions that contributed to their own professional growth and development. The eight people who stayed behind to man the office were treated to a special appreciation luncheon. At Enterprise Systems in Wheeling, Illinois, $1500 in gift certificates are available for employees to give to one another for special appreciation. The presenter writes a sentence or two about why the award was given, and they decide the amount and the way they want to present the certificate. Each employee at the beginning of the year fills out a form listing things they would like to receive for recognition such as theater or sports tickets, dinner at a certain restaurant, a beauty treatment, etc. That way the presenter knows exactly what would please that particular employee and can give them a certificate for a uniquely special thank you. Also employees have come up with some really creative ways to present the certificates, so many spirits are regenerated! Rewards and recognition, to be truly meaningful, should be given to the individual in a way that says, “YOU are special.” Keep an “R and R” file with a list of each employee’s or co-worker’s interests and hobbies. Then USE this when planning a thank you just for them! Read more about easy, low-cost or no-cost ideas to show appreciation for your employees in other articles by Barbara Glanz, available at www.barbaraglanz.com/articles. On July 22, Barbara was featured as a guest blogger on the site, “Who’s Your Gladys?” Read her article, “Creating Glimpses of Joy” at www.whosyourgladys.com. For more articles by Barbara, visit www.barbaraglanz.com/articles. Sign up today for Barbara’s 60-minute presentation for the introductory price of only $25 per person! August 4, 2009 “Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm™–Creating Workplaces of Passion, Purpose and Productivity!” Barbara A. Glanz, CSP Do you believe that enthusiasm is contagious? If so, ask yourself this question, “Am I contagiously enthusiastic about the importance of the work we’re doing?” Because if you, as the leaders in the organization, are not contagiously enthusiastic, how do you expect your employees to be?….That is what this session is all about. It seems that in today’s world whether we work at home or in an organization, we are far too often caught in stressful, conflict-ridden situations. Tasks need attention, policies need fixing, morale needs boosting, and people need care. Can one person make a difference in the ocean of work and the sea of faces? Come hear Barbara Glanz address the neglected “human” element that can often get lost in the mist of deadlines, timelines, and bottom lines. Wherever your workplace may be, please join us for an inspiring presentation. It will impact your mind and your heart, your work and your life. Find out what a difference YOU can make! Objectives: -Learn several new models which will help exemplify the choices that we have in any interaction. -Experience the elements of a spirited workplace or home through the acronym CARE. C = Creative Communication -Leave with at least 6-8 immediately applicable action ideas. -Find new hope through stories of ordinary people who are making a difference. Special Introductory Webinar Rate of just $25 per person*! *Rates apply to customers in the US and Canada only. All other International customers are subject to specific country’s long-distance charges in addition to webinar cost of $25. UPDATE: Registration Closed How can I help keep the emotional bank accounts of my co-workers filled up? Click on the link above to see Barbara answer this question. For more questions and answers with Barbara, visit www.barbaraglanz.com/iquestions.Teacher Appreciation Week
You will never know how much your letter meant to me. I am 83 years old, and I am living all alone in one room. My friends are all gone. My family’s gone. I taught 50 years and yours is the first “thank you” letter I have ever gotten from a student. Sometimes I wonder what I did with my life. I will read and reread your letter until the day I die.
reunion. She was everyone’s favorite teacher- we loved her! But no one had ever told
her… until she received his letter.”Mother’s Day Special
Making your Place of Business a GOOD Place to Be!
Barbara Glanz featured in newly-launched book “Who’s Your Gladys?” by Marilyn Suttle and Lori Jo Vest
.Barbara’s Idea of the Week
Have a spouse or significant other?
Have children at home?
Have elderly parents?
Have a social life?
Participate in an exercise program?
Have a hobby?
Belong to a religious organization?
Volunteer for your church or community?
Believe strongly in one or two cause?
1. WORK
2. FAMILY
3. FRIENDS
4. HEALTH
5. SPIRIT
6. SERVICE
As you think about each area, consider these questions:Barbara’s Idea of the Week
The Idea In Action:
Tips:Barbara featured on “Who’s Your Gladys?” site
“Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm™” Webinar
Join Barbara Glanz, CSP, for a webinar presentation of “Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm(TM)-Creating Workplaces of Passion, Purpose and Productivity!”
4:00 to 5:00 EST
A = Atmosphere and Appreciation for All
R = Respect and Reason for Being
E = Empathy and Enthusiasm
Pre-register and purchase your webinar spot on or before July 31.
You will receive a separate email invitation several days before the webinar with complete registration and login confirmation information.Question and Answer with Barbara Glanz
