Posts by Carl Greer
The Power of Sacred Listening
Sometimes, when we’re listening to someone who is confiding in us, they begin shutting down. They seem to know we are not truly tuned in, not exercising the power of sacred listening. Sacred listening has qualities that ordinary listening lacks and has three core elements: respecting people’s autonomy, respecting their emotions, and properly timing your…
Read MoreDesign a New Future for Yourself
In the physical world, things have a past and a future, a beginning and an end. For example, I’m sitting on a chair in my office at my desk that I’ve had for more than fifty years. At some point, this chair was just an idea in someone’s head. They designed it, and then, it…
Read MoreStop Self-Sabotaging When on the Brink of Success
Regardless of what you consciously think, believe, and feel, if you keep stopping short of the finish line, engaging your unconscious to gain information can help you move past the block and break your old habit of self-sabotage in the home stretch.
Read MoreHappier Life, Happier Ending
If the story of your life were to be told someday many years from now, what would it be and how would it end? Would the ending be that you died peacefully in your sleep, at an advanced age? Would your last years not only be healthy but filled with loving friends and family, excitement,…
Read MoreReclaim Your Vitality by Going into Nature
Being in nature reminds us that vitality involves creativity and change. In the woods or on a beach, you become aware that nature is continually reinventing and renewing itself. As you think about where your life has become boring or deadening, you might want to reclaim your vitality by going into nature. In natural outdoor…
Read MoreThe Potential for Change in One Short Pause
One short pause might hold potential for a big transformation. By not instantly reacting to a situation and instead, taking your time to be fully present with your feelings, you free yourself to shift perspective. That shift might be a profound one. If something doesn’t feel right, a short pause can help you recognize why.…
Read MorePlaying with Metaphors to Help You with Transformation
Is your story not working for you? Does it seem to be influencing what you’re experiencing and causing you unhappiness? You can change your story–and your life. You might want to work with metaphors so transformation is easier for you. Play around with them to better understand what you have experienced and the different ways…
Read MoreReflecting on The Necktie and The Jaguar
What is the value of self-reflection? I have thought a lot about that lately as I’ve completed and just published my newest book The Necktie and The Jaguar: A Memoir to Help You Change Your Story and Find Fulfillment. It’s what I call an interactive memoir: In addition to writing my own story, I have…
Read MoreThe Art of Listening
Hitchhiking across the U.S. as a young man, spending countless hours in strangers’ cars, I began to develop my listening skills. I heard stories of broken hearts and lessons learned. A Catholic priest shared his experiences of the religious life with me, and in my next ride, a Protestant minister shared his different perspective. The…
Read MoreWhen You Have Unfinished Business
If you were to take stock of your life, would you be uncomfortable with the amount of unfinished business you have? Maybe you meant to clear the air with someone or begin working toward a certain goal, but something always stopped you. Reflecting on unfinished business can help you to take actions that will tie…
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