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The MIND Challenge

A weekly mindset challenge and philosophical take on career development, with self-coaching tools in positive psychology, career development and spirituality to discover "How to live a bit better today than yesterday?"

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MIND newsletter: A Whole Departure for a Whole Life

Happy Saturday everyone! ;) 1. M (Challenge your mindset) Last week, I was captivated by an individual's sharing about his membership in an assisted death association. Not because of the gravity of his decision and the controversial nature of the topic, but due to the profound meaning and daily reminder he had set for himself. He shared that the association's membership card in his wallet loudly reminds him every day that, for him to deserve the right to make a seemingly 'selfish' choice to...

Happy Saturday everyone! ;) Though the action is felt to be free, is it free? - Steiner - As you flip through various self-help books, you'll often come across advice that suggests your emotional state, whether happy, sad, or disappointed, is entirely your choice, and that only you can change it. There's a quote that goes something like, "If someone offers you poison, you can choose whether to drink it or not." This got me thinking about how free we actually are. In one of the previous...

Happy Saturday everyone! ;) 1. M (Challenge your mindset) It was how a client of mine explained her feelings about self-identity: the gambling of stone. If you're not familiar with the term, as I was the first time I heard it, it refers to an old practice of trading rough jadeite in China. Gamblers like to buy uncut jadeite in hopes that it's worth more than what they paid. The key here is that the outer layer of some jadeite stones is so weathered that it's impossible to judge the quality...

In a week when the world is shattered by hatred and war, it can feel like there is no hope. In a world where negative news is pervasive, we may find ourselves wanting to disconnect and withdraw from it all. But in a life where each human being's unique story is a beacon of hope for another, there is no better way to educate ourselves and find inspiration for positive change than through the power of stories. This movie - "The Neighborhood Storyteller"- tells a story about Asmaa, a woman who...

Happy Saturday everyone! ;) In the spirit of gratitude on this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, there is perhaps no better occasion to delve into the age-old debate of nature vs nurture. It's a moment of reflection for everyone celebrating this day – a chance to look back at our harvest and blessings, a reminder to appreciate what we have rather than constantly chasing what seems elusive. The debate surrounding nature and nurture is not new to the world of philosophy, career development, or...

Happy Saturday everyone! ;) An eventful week has made me think about love and fear. For me love and fear are inseparable. On one hand, to love meant being open and vulnerable, and that we would inevitably confront our fear of losing that love, leaving us in profound pain. One needs to be vulnerable to know what life is, what love is. - Osho in 'Compassion – The Ultimate Flowering of Love' - On the other hand, love makes fear disappear. The love of our parents instills in us the belief that we...

Happy Saturday everyone! ;) The concept of order and chaos has been on my mind this week, thanks to my favorite author, Dan Brown, and his novel "Origin." This book has sparked a profound contemplation about the intersection of science and religion, a topic that has always fascinated me. In the realm of career development, the interplay between order and chaos is a familiar theme. We tend to crave order, which often reflects in how we plan our career trajectories. The allure of a linear...

Happy Saturday everyone! ;) 1. M (Challenge your mindset) Having been involved in equity-centered work, I often find myself pondering the delicate balance between our shared similarities and our differences as human beings. We require both aspects to become better individuals, yet the challenge arises when one aspect thrives at the expense of others. More often than not, it ignites issues of inequality, discrimination, racism, and hatred. A recent debate revolves around the concept of color...

Hey everyone, Last week, I missed writing our weekly piece, as I was busy immersing myself in some farm work that I've been craving throughout the entire summer. I'm back now, just when it feels like autumn is beginning to dance around the corner, with mornings turning cooler and fewer sunny days gracing us during the week. Enjoy the piece this week. And have a wonderful long weekend Canadian folks! 1. M (Challenge your mindset) I must confess that while philosophy and spirituality are among...

Happy Saturday everyone! ;) Possession and How We See Ourselves If you have a chance to observe kids in a playground, you might realize that we humans understand ownership from a very young age. 'It is mine!' - the kid puts a tight grip on a coveted object, the pouty expressions, and firmly declares that. There is even a term for that – toddler possessiveness. This can be traced as far back as an interesting quote from William James (The Principles of Psychology, 1890): A man’s Self is the...