Is New Year your time for big plans and new initiatives – or is it an ideal moment for reflection? I love this picture, taken in Devon in November, as it seems to offer a visual metaphor for perfect stillness, hinting at both clarity and hidden depths. The question I like to ask myself and other people at this time of year is ‘Looking back over last year, what is one important thing you discovered about yourself, and how might that impact on you in 2018?’ I wonder if you have a reflective moment now to answer that question?
An important discovery for me in 2017 was about joy, as mentioned last time. So reading ‘The Book of Joy’, a series of discussions between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been perfect timing, as it is a profound exploration offering valuable and practical insights, not only into joy, but into improving every aspect of how we think about life. Like this: “…the three factors that seem to have the greatest influence on increasing our happiness are our ability to reframe our situation more positively, our ability to experience gratitude, and our choice to be kind and generous”. For a moving glimpse of these two great men together do visit http://bookofjoy.org/ What is one book from 2017 that made a difference to you – please write and tell me, we could create a great list together.
I hope that 2018 has begun well for you. I’m glad we have a TTT UK Collegiate day soon on the 18th and I must add in April we meet on the 19th, not the 18th as mentioned before. My schedule for this year is the fullest ever, with courses throughout the year in Dublin, Belfast and London, all here: http://bit.ly/2vKvzXn. Do come!