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Quest Quote

“Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing. For to miss the joy is to miss all. We have heard, perhaps, too much of lesser matters. Here is the door. Here is the open air.”

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Quix Pix

Every month we will share some of our currently favorite books, music, movies and TV shows.

Visual

Tell No One – If only they made thrillers like this in the U.S. – this 2008 French film is well-acted, beautifully filmed, unpredictable, daring, thoughtful, suspenseful, even scary…and well, thrilling!

Pocket Poem

Small enough to fit in your pocket, big enough to be of use.

Warble for Lilac-Time (excerpt)
by Walt Whitman

Warble me now for joy of lilac-time, (returning in reminiscence,)
Sort me O tongue and lips for Nature's sake, souvenirs of earliest summer,
Gather the welcome signs, (as children with pebbles or stringing shells,)
Put in April and May, the hylas croaking in the ponds, the elastic air,
Bees, butterflies, the sparrow with its simple notes,
Blue-bird and darting swallow, nor forget the high-hole flashing his
golden wings,
The tranquil sunny haze, the clinging smoke, the vapor,
Shimmer of waters with fish in them, the cerulean above,
All that is jocund and sparkling, the brooks running,
The maple woods, the crisp February days and the sugar-making,
The robin where he hops, bright-eyed, brown-breasted,
With musical clear call at sunrise, and again at sunset,
Or flitting among the trees of the apple-orchard, building the nest
of his mate,
The melted snow of March, the willow sending forth its yellow-green
sprouts,
For spring-time is here! The summer is here!

Click here to read the entire poem.

From the Founder

People get very excited in our Emotional Intelligence Works program when they find out that happiness travels from person to person farther and longer than sadness does. This month I invite you to try a variety of ways to give joy to yourself and to a world that could really use it.

- Experience joy in a community by celebrating World Laughter Day Sunday, May 3rd.

- Read Lou Bergholz’s Quest Story and contribute what you can to a child’s joy. Also, please consider passing Lou’s story along to anyone who might consider donating. It is a rare gift to be able to see tangible results from your giving – this is one of those opportunities.

- Grab something to bang on and take part in drumStrong ’09 on May 16 and 17 or consider contributing. drumSTRONG raises awareness, funds for cancer education and research, and supports survivorship. This is the event to which we donate a portion of our fee for our Bang On My Drum All Day drumming teambuilding program.

May you find the strength to courageously give your best to the world as it gives its best to you.

On with the quest,
Rob Fletcher

In these often scary times, we have an alternative to the fear that inevitably arises – an antidote. When it seems or feels like things in life, the good things in life, are getting scarcer and more uncertain, to defeat that scarcity, the smallness inside and out, the antidote is to give, and to give freely – to give joy to yourself and those around you, and to give to joy.

Now is a wonderful time to see clearly how richly and deeply the natural world gives to us. As the birds sing and make their nests, and the flowers bloom, and the leaves open on the trees, and the sky is clear and blue, and the warm sun lights up our faces and bathes us in warmth, we're better able to see how simply beautiful being alive can be. And we can see how effortlessly and simply the world gives to us all of the simple joys that we need to lighten our loads.

Click here for the complete Topic of the Month.

Click here for further resources to further integrate this month's topic into your quest.

The rules for work are changing. Outstanding business leaders are not just defined by their IQs or even their job skills, but by their Emotional Intelligence (EI); a set of competencies that distinguishes how people manage feelings, interact, and communicate. In fact, analysis done of 500 corporations concludes that EI is the barometer of excellence on virtually any job. An extraordinary amount of research that shows how successfully handling emotions contribute to almost every aspect of business success, in areas as far ranging as customer loyalty, influence, leadership, and employee retention.

This lively and informative workshop will examine key personal EI competencies as well as critical EI relationship skills for success. As Daniel Goleman says, “Emotional intelligence includes self-awareness – knowing what we're feeling and why...

For a complete program description, please click here.

Please note: The children having fun
with Lou in this photo are not from the
Ethiopian orphanage. They are from a
different, unrelated, non-HIV camp
in a different part of Africa.

We have a deep admiration for the giving work of our friend and colleague Lou Bergholz. Here is your chance to be a part of a giving quest. Lou writes:

I have been involved in several projects in Africa in the past 6 years. I am currently partnering with the Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO) to develop a camp program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. WWO has been intimately involved in providing critical medical, academic and social care to young children who live in numerous orphanages in Addis and the surrounding communities.

The director of one of the orphanages that WWO partners with, Mrs. Haregowoin Teferra, recently died suddenly.  This has put the entire future of this orphanage and the 59 children and infants in their care in dire jeopardy.

Click here to read the rest of the Quest Story.

Take a quick break from your work and try these yoga poses right at your desk. Click here for Seven Helpful Yoga Hints.

Try all variations. Each provides a different benefit. Decide which gives you the most benefit.

A – Cross your right leg over the left leg, keeping the legs together.

B – Place right ankle on left thigh. Hold right ankle with left hand and right thigh with right hand.

C - Ankle strengthening option – Rotate foot clockwise for as many times as you’d like. Rotate counter-clockwise.

D – With legs crossed (using either Option A or B) inhale, then exhale, moving the upper body forward.

E - Cross elbows at 90 degrees and hold them with hands on desk.
Rest head on crossed arms and allow right hip and back to release.

F - Repeat on other side.

© 2009 Quixote Consulting, All rights reserved.

Quix Tip

Recalling Joy: An Appreciation

Research shows us that the most effective way to positively influence scary, upsetting life moments is to tap into a feeling of appreciation for something in your life that brings you a deep sense of joy.

1. Pause, allow your mind to rest a moment and follow your breath.

2. Think of one thing that brings you a full sense of joy. It may be a child, a life partner, the bud on a tree, a warm cup of tea, a good friend, something you’ve done for yourself, a pet, a special place.

3. Call to mind as many of the details of this as possible. Make the image as real as possible in your mind.

Click here to read the rest of the Quix Tip.

Statisticity

Q. How many hours of practice are needed for true expertise at a complex task (music, sports, writing, etc.)?

1. 5,000 hours regardless of innate talent
   
2. 10,000 hours regardless of innate talent
   
3. 20,000 hours regardless of innate talent
   
4. Innate talent causes the number to vary widely
   

Panza's Proverb

"First impulses are not in the hands of men."

Sancho Panza, Don Quixote’s squire, was famous for his proverbs.

Spread the Word

This is your monthly word challenge. Identify the correct definition for the following word. Once you know the definition, spread the word!

Kippage

1. Leftover fish
   
2. Fringe of a kilt
   
3. Exaggeration
   
4. Commotion, excitement

Good News

Take a break from the bad news headlines and click on this story about a church in Detroit that got creative with finding ways to give to the needy in their community. Thanks to Lou Bergholz for sharing this story with us. He says, “It’s just one of the best stories I’ve heard in this economy.”

Have you read some good news lately? Send us a link and spread the good news!