Wayne's World

Life through the eyes of a 2 year old

Excitement, wonder and a MASSIVE desire to learn and experience what is around him! This is what I see when I observe how my 2 year old nephew interacts with the world around him.

Every bit of driftwood he picks up on the beach is inspected like a CSI investigator on a crime scene, the joyous smile on his face while lying with his belly on the wet sand, his squeals of delight as he runs in the waves, the speed of his mind as he picks up on adult conversations........a question about everything and a smile for everyone.......that's what I see when I look at my nephew.

There is no doubt that life was simpler when you were younger; no bills to pay, deadlines to meet or a boss to keep happy. These are no doubt necessary things to worry about, but often they pre-occupy our minds and we get so bogged down in this daily existence. We forget to enjoy the world and people around us and to look for the wonder, excitement and joy that is everywhere! Does the world change as you get older? Or is it our perception and the way we choose to "see" the world that changes?

Its not only in my nephew that I see this enjoyment of life's simple pleasures, but also in "Oumie" and "Oupa". My parents seem younger and more energised sharing time with him, and I have no doubt that I am benefiting as well. So my question is; should we not focus on the simple things that really count, make a conscious decision to turn our "wonder" switch back on when it comes to viewing the world and the people in it? Would the other stuff not just take care of itself? I know I would become a better person; more fun to be around, inspired, more caring, energised, more open-minded.......younger!!

It's nothing to do with what you do, who you know or what car you drive. But EVERYTHING about who you are, how you treat others, how you view the world and what you add to other people's lives. Be proud of your name and what it stands for!!

If you ask my nephew who he is, he will simply tell you: I am William James McKinlay!

Wayne 27.12.2011

Regards,
Wayne

Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom

Posted

ITS ALL ABOUT STRENGTHS

I am in the fortunate position that my birthday is near the end of the year (it was yesterday) as it always provides me with the trigger to reflect on the year that has passed and to cast my eyes forward into the potential of the year that lies ahead.

2011 has been a mixed year for me; a year of transition from a work point of view, dealing with the end of a relationship with a very special person, and the continued reality check of a lifelong friend fighting cancer. So a fair measure of personal hardship, which is thank fully always matched or exceeded by growth, enjoyment and progress when attempting to go through life with a positive attitude. The last 4 months of working with LIFESTRUCK at Deloitte Consulting in Joburg, have truly been an inspirational time. I have discovered a desire to help and work with people, that I never thought I possessed, and it has been a great privilege to work alongside a great friend in Stuart Hoy. To be a part of seeing his hard fought dream begin to take shape into something real and tangible, is testament to great belief and perseverance!

Part of my journey of being involved in LIFESTRUCK has been an exposure to the StrengthsFinder (http://www.strengthsfinder.com/home.aspx) system that we use with clients. This great tool and program is aimed at getting individuals and organisations to focus on identifying and developing your strengths rather than working on weaknesses (which is the traditional way it has been done). Interestingly I discovered through the StrengthsFinder process, that one of my 5 strong themes is being:

“Futuristic – You love to peer over the horizon. The future fascinates you. As if it were projected on a wall, you see in detail what the future might hold, and this detailed picture keeps pulling you forward, into tomorrow. In fact, very often people look to you to describe your visions of the future. They want a picture that can raise their sights and thereby their spirits. You can paint this for them.”

So there it was in front of me, on paper: a reason why I have always loved the time of year around my birthday, where I can dream up my visions for the year ahead….and ultimately energize myself for the path ahead. 2012 is going to be the year that I change my mindset, I am going to focus on MY strengths, understanding them, developing them and making them as powerful as possible. I love what I do, but am driven to be better at it and to make a success of the opportunities that present themselves in 2012. I believe that this strength based approach will get me a long way to achieving my goals.

So as you round off your working year and look forward to a period of relaxation and a recharge of the batteries………I challenge you to think about your strengths and what you love doing? And why not join me in making 2012 all about building on strengths and doing more of what you love doing best!

Wayne

08.12.2011