1. Going for a Walk -- Whether with my husband and my dog, or alone, walking simultaneously clears my mind and refreshes my body, at the same time bringing clarity to thoughts and situations that sometimes seem a little muddled when in the confines of my house in a sedentary activity. It is almost like journaling, in a sense; one is a flow of words, the other a flow of physical motions -- and, in the end, both serve to excavate little bits and pieces of what lies beneath the surface of me.
2. A Good Book -- I have had the pleasure to read many a good book in my day -- thanks in large part to where I happened to grow up, in Canada, always with access to well-supplied libraries and numerous resources of which to take advantage. Add to that several friends with exquisite taste in literature who are kind enough to recommend to me and gift me with many a masterpiece, and my own personal library -- borrowed and owned -- has expanded much beyond what I had ever dreamed. Here in Panama, as in much of Latin America, the literary selection is significantly minimized and, while I own and have read several books in the native Spanish, it remains difficult to get my hands on specific works which I have been longing to read. That said, I have had a few friends offer to ship some books my way -- and oh, what a joy it will be when they finally arrive! To slip into the worlds of past, present and future, and to learn from the well-developed characters as they go about their lives...is there anything richer?
3. StrengthsFinder -- I have long been a fan of studies and writings on personalities and their make-up, for I am fascinated by the intricacies of each individual's forma de ser. Over the years, this has resulted in my reading of several such books (beautifully tying into today's 2 above), and among these I have one particular favourite; well, two, really...so I'm going to cram them both into this point because, as I have discovered, they work beautifully in tandem. The first is the Clifton StrengthsFinder, which was developed by Gallup (for a look at the strength themes outlined within click here). This is a fantastic, refreshing approach to our individual gifts and strengths, and encourages a focus on what we do best rather than endlessly trying to fix our shortcomings -- while still holding that a degree of "damage control" often is important in certain areas, such as tact, public speaking, etc. Along with the StrengthsFinder I have found reading about the Enneagram to be exceedingly helpful in my own self-awareness. And, while there are many books on the topic, the best I have found -- contrary to my intuition, for often books labeled as "Chr
istian" lack a grasp on reality -- is The Enneagram, A Christian Perspective, by Rorh and Ebert. The Enneagram in itself is a 3-dimensional personality study, not simply pinning one down as a specific number, but also looking at the height and depth of the growth among the nine levels of spiritual health and maturity taking place within one at any given time. As Ebert himself says, "If you don't sense the whole thing as somehow humiliating, you haven't yet found your number. The more humiliating it is, the more you are looking the matter (of who you truly are) right in the eye." (For a deeper look at what the Enneagram is all about, click here).
istian" lack a grasp on reality -- is The Enneagram, A Christian Perspective, by Rorh and Ebert. The Enneagram in itself is a 3-dimensional personality study, not simply pinning one down as a specific number, but also looking at the height and depth of the growth among the nine levels of spiritual health and maturity taking place within one at any given time. As Ebert himself says, "If you don't sense the whole thing as somehow humiliating, you haven't yet found your number. The more humiliating it is, the more you are looking the matter (of who you truly are) right in the eye." (For a deeper look at what the Enneagram is all about, click here).I highly recommend both these books to one and all! You will be amazed at how much better you get to know yourself!
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