Life on the Mobius Strip.
February 23, 2016Parker Palmer:
‘If you take your index finger and trace what seems to be the outside surface, you suddenly find yourself on what seems to be the inside surface. Continue along what seems to be the inside surface, and you suddenly find yourself on what seems to be the outside surface.
I need to keep saying “what seems to be” because the Möbius strip has only one side! What look like its inner and outer surfaces flow into each other seamlessly, co-creating the whole. The first time I saw a Möbius strip, I thought, “Amazing! That’s exactly how life works!”
Whatever is inside of us continually flows outward, helping to form or deform the world — depending on what we send out. Whatever is outside us continually flows inward, helping to form or deform us — depending on how we take it in. Bit by bit, we and our world are endlessly re-made in this eternal inner-outer exchange.
Much depends on what we choose to put into the world from within ourselves — and much depends on how we handle what the world sends back to us. As Thomas Merton said:
“We don’t have to adjust to the world. We can adjust the world.”
Here’s the question I’ve been asking myself ever since I understood that we live our lives on the Möbius strip:
“How can I make more life-giving choices about what to put into the world and how to deal with what the world sends back — choices that might bring new life to me, to others, and to the world we share?”
Email/verbal etiquette.
From themuse.com
‘8 Common Communication mistakes(we don’t know we’re making)’
- Don’t abuse the subject line. If you’re starting a new conversation, start a new email chain. (U.S. News)
- Don’t send an email when you need an urgent reply. It’s unreasonable to expect one—instead try calling, instant messaging, or talking in person. (Lifehack)
- Don’t make huge hand gestures. They actually make you seem less powerful. (Business Insider)
- Don’t use buzzwords. Speaking in clear, direct language does much for your credibility. (MediaBuzz)
- Don’t use a one-size-fits-all style. When talking to a group of people, you should use a variety of communication techniques to make sure you hit every type of listener. (Inc.)
- Don’t ask conversational dead ends. Questions that can be responded to in two words don’t lead to meaningful conversations. (CareerBright)
- Don’t apologize when it’s not your fault. It’s a conversational filler that has you accepting responsibility—and blame—you don’t deserve. (The Daily Muse)
- Don’t finish people’s sentences. Rather than making you appear in sync, it just makes you seem impatient for them to finish. (Business Insider)