In Praise of Thought Leaders

Recently I felt inspired to begin making lists on Twitter. The two I started with are representative of a baby step in my larger plan for more effectively monitoring the conversations in my twitter universe. There are a couple of people who I consider to be virtual mentors.  Those people were shoe-ins for my "Thought Leader" list. They are people who continually challenge me to think outside of  my box and not accept what's presented to me without additional thought & justification.

"I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday." - Abraham Lincoln

Time is a precious commodity & although I adore Twitter it can be a real time-waster when you have a specific purpose in mind and little time to find inspiration. 

 

While the proper definition is just someone who has innovative ideas, I think of so much more when those words come to mind. My ideal Thought Leader must have a large percentage of these qualities:

• Brash or "full of fresh raw vitality"
• Cutting Edge or "at the forefront"
• Fearless
• Driven
• Inspired
• Passionate
• Willing to share their ideas without feeling threatened
• Dares to experiment
• Risk-Taker
• Reasonable
• Thoughtful
• Be published or we on the way to becoming such 
• Able to openly digest & debate divergent thinking or theories

I'm curious what comes to mind when you think of someone who you'd label a Thought Leader?  If any of you mentor others on a regular basis, what qualities do you possess that make you an effective mentor? What are you looking for Thought Leaders & mentors to bring to the virtual table? 

Wordless Wednesday - A Halloween Dozen from Wood Lake Nature Center

We started a tradition of going to Wood Lake Nature Center annually for their Half-Haunted Halloween.  

 

Along the Trick or Treat Trail we encountered a petting zoo:

 With some usual suspects & others far less common.

There were also costumes you don't see every day... a man made of garbage, toad-like things & swamp creatures.

  Of course there's more than a few ways to carve a pumpkin.  Here's a dozen we saw along the way: 

Hope you have some fun Halloween events to attend this year. Do you have some favorite places around town to visit? If so, please share & Happy Carving!

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy: Wordless Wednesday - Fall Nostalgia, Fall & all it's Local Glory or Wordless Wednesday: MN State Fair - Through The Eyes Of My Son

Inner Struggles

Fall, much like Spring, is a time when people are spending time cleaning house & purging to make room for the holidays & the year to come. It's a mental exercise as much as it is physical.  2011 will be here before we know it & so many, including me, still have 2010 goals yet to be accomplish.

These past several months being back at work have been a struggle for me.  In life, there are wishes, hopes and expectations, but sometimes the universe has other plans for us & we get sidetracked from the path we feel we should be on.

I've been reading tweets & posts lately where people are having their own battles with life - whether it's trying to fit into a new work environment, struggling with exercise, balancing desire with the motivation to lose weight, relationship ups & downs, meeting deadlines, or for the unemployed, just finding leads on opportunities - we all have our worries.  

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

The grass is always greener on the other side & that peer that appears to have it all together can't possible have the same concerns as the rest of us or at least that's our perception.  Their lives always appear so effortless & so perfect. Most likely their journey was not a seamless one either.  They pushed through their own struggles.

People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built. - Eleanor Roosevelt

What connects us to each other in these online communities is that we find people on a similar journey to that of our own. We observe & we learn, we listen & we contribute.  We read about each other in our triumphs, along with the disappointments, the joys & the pain. We attempt to offer words of wisdom or strength and at times just offer support and reinforcement. 
 

"The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little." -Thomas Merton

 
None of us really set out to settle - I certainly don't. It's not enough to just be a survivor. Most want & need to thrive.  We call on patience ~ allowing courage and focus to move us forward.

"I am in limbo of not knowing...My life is not suspended: it continues as before.  The Spirit is undimmed. We cannot expect perfection. We can only hope to continue...The spirit leases a beautiful house in the earthquake zone.  Thanks to the Divine for the strength to be patient." - excerpts from a modern prayer from Mexico City, USA

Here's to digging way deeper than you imagined you could. Make the journey worth the struggle it takes to get to the desired end result.  Remember the angst & stress you feel along the way, so that when you finally do reach your goal, you'll appreciate, value & respect it that much more.

 

My First Visit to @Smack_Shack

Follow my link over to a few @Smack_Shack pics on my Tumblr. The walk over was a nice break from my hectic day at the office.

Wordless Wednesday - Temptation - Grandma Ruby's Sweet Shoppe

I came home tonight to two boys - one big (my hubby) & one little (my munchkin) wanting to know "what's in the box?" Thanks to @GrandmaRubys Free Fudge Wednesday giveaway on twitter, I was randomly selected & we received some Chocolate Cherry fudge on our doorstep.  

If you haven't tried it yet. You are missing out on some wonderfully sweet pleasures.  Wish I had taste-o-vision to share some with you.  If you'd like to place an order just check out her amazing offerings at Grandma Ruby's Sweet Shoppe.

Here's another glimpse from my Groupon order earlier this year. Please excuse where we dove into & tasted some flavors before I thought to take a photo:

YUM!!!!

A Map Of Online Communities via @PSFK

Sometimes you find the most interesting interpretations of mainstream things which help you see them a little differently. Check out the title link to read more.

Wordless Wednesday - Fall Nostalgia

Hello October...you sure came fast this year. 

 How quickly the leaves start to turn

 and before we know it the vibrant color will fade.

And the freshly planted Spring arrangements

will give way to those...

 Full of Fall color & earthy texture

 

The flowing waters are destined to turn to ice.

 And the trees will soon take on a frosty hue.

Enjoy this beautiful Fall weather while you still can.