Art is a way of life. And when life imitates art or art reflects life there is evolution.
Trees are teaching…witness.
Survival is a matter of sustainability
And if trees can talk (as it is gradually being understood only now )…they would teach us about the interlinked communication and the give and take that is going on in more ways than one between them.
The art of life and living has much to do with reciprocal arrangement as well as collaboration beyond simply competing to survive kind of Darwinism.
One of the greatest learning from ecological observation is that even apparently different forms of plant lifes can be interconnected and interdependent to survive and sustain life.
From not only helping one another through sharing nutrients there is much proof where plants are connected at the roots and helping the boost of immune systems to defend from diseases through an invisible network of pathways.
After all it’s like… while you are bestowed with life..
Nurture nourish and evolve together.
You might as well enjoy the life.
And live creatively enriched!👍🙏🙂
What’s dancing got to do with management
Everything!
Oh, she is a dance teacher!
What will she know about managing a business?
This is the common perception of people in business setups. They have a dismissive attitude towards anyone who comes from a non-aligned field like arts for example.
Personally speaking, as a dance professional for more than two decades, I can certainly say that the experience trains you into a lot more than dancing. It helps develop & cultivate people skills, culture and mindsets, and the ability to empathetically understand attitudes that can be observed in life and living.
Besides, there are common skills that go beyond business management and enter life skills that one needs to navigate life effectively.
Here are a few skills that come to mind immediately…
Time Management
Code of conduct
Space management
Body language awareness
Self Expression
Discernment
Discipline and Focus
Alertness
Respect
Collaboration
Teamwork
Mindfulness
Authenticity
Precision
Adaptability
Planning
Creativity
Dancing movements can open channels of flow which translates into greater energy optimization.
And each dancer may have explored the art of dancing in different forms and its application would have the potential to create a greater depth of understandings.
The value of art may be high, yet the possibilities and the potential application of art are yet undervalued and undermined.
There is so much scope in the art of movement that we can realize. It’s high time to accept that dance education and application has much to offer the world beyond just a stage performance. Great to see radical shifts in the way dance is being perceived across certain parts of the world. But it has to percolate to where all it can matter.
Time to think beyond and open up to these yet underutilized but valuable life management skills.
I went to a hotel. After seeing the menu ordered some food.
After 20 minutes a group of youngsters around 10 people came n sat at the next table and ordered their food.
It arrived in a short while and they started eating speaking very loudly and shouting amongst themselves.
One of them noticed me and said ridiculously that he is having good contacts in that hotel, hence food was served to them immediately and they need not wait like beggars.
I felt insulted and felt like cancelling my order. I called the waiter to do so.
The waiter told me quietly, sir, your order is very special to us. So our chief chef is making it especially for you. Their order was prepared by our trainee chefs in a hurry as your food is getting readied by our chief chef.
So I waited patiently for some more time.
In a short while, 6 bearers brought special food which I never ordered and I was given a royal treatment of very rich food. I was perplexed.
The hotel owner was my school friend. He saw me as I entered. He wanted to surprise me. He changed my simple meal to a rich one and instructed the kitchen to give me a royal treat before meeting me.
The group at the next table saw the service given to me and looked at me in wonderment.
That is life. Some will laugh at us pinpointing our inabilities and ridicule us showing off their wealth, power and happiness.
We may feel sad and disheartened thinking in spite of our hard work and sincerity we never get the breakthrough. Sometimes we get depressed so much that we start to think there is no meaning in this life.
Do not worry.
The owner of the world, the chief chef is preparing something special for us. Hence He makes us wait as it takes time. His plan for is special and only He can plan it.
So we have to wait patiently, doing our duties, till his special menu is served to us. When it comes those who looked down at us and ridiculed will have no word to say.
Stay blessed and enjoy your day
Believe in God.
No one and nothing can prevent what is due to us. It will come at the right time. He has Planned.
A share translated by my mother from a Tamil story.
A young newly appointed Human Resources manager in a company, when told about the companys plan to induct empathy-based training for the employees, questions the founder why to invest on people when they may not stick around, speaks much about the necessity for such training.
Her question was more about cutting cost incurred per employee, but the management was looking at a larger picture. If through these training humane interactions can become a norm than a chance happening, the overall retention of employees will cut the costs of hiring them.
The value of empathy as part of work culture across the world is spreading far and wide.
Many times a leader can show empathy in one situation but not consistently. An awareness of what empathetic behaviour can alter in conversations is worth knowing. In fact, every employee can benefit from life skills training which includes empathetic communication.
How can employees be taught Empathy as a life skill?
Tools of Empathy can be practised in all office settings. Management can take initiative in settings precedents to practice than preach. This ensures faster retention and greater scope of emulation.
Senior managers can adopt skill sets that are conducive to the implementation of empathy in the workplace.
1: Practising good listening skills ceates a feeling that they are being heard.
2: Empathy is about taking into consideration another’s point of view in a non-judgemental manner.
3: Giving time and attention to employees increases communication and productivity.
4: Mindfulness increases in the workplace as employees begin to be aware of each other. Strength and weaknesses are mutually balanced and supported in cooperation.
5: Helps in conflict resolutions and negotiations and trust-building and thereby improving teamwork and collaboration.
Enough evidence to show the difference empathy based trainings can bring to offices and how it creates a positive environment. It is time to adopt and build empathy driven work culture.
“Our First Dance– Thank you Savvy…This holds a special place in my heart 🙂 Sharon
This message and photo popped up on my Fb wall. Although it’s back in time. The memory of sharing my dancing skills with these two wonderful people is still very fresh.
Teaching dance is a beautiful profession and the rewards and blessings go way beyond…
I heartfully cherish all these dancing moments!
Thank you Sharon & Fennex for sharing this beautiful moment!
Learn to live for this moment. Do not take the residue with u. Let it pass, You just carry on. Another moment is there to live and let go. The residue comes with us as happy and sad memories of the past and most of our life we dwell and chew on them and act accordingly.
Observe life with detachment, with the understanding that nothing is permanent. Change is the nature of the universe, so that the cycle continues. The atoms in the whole universe keep on changing, what you experience is also gone along with that. Then why burden the self with all the memories, just let it go. Feel and experience the new atoms with each changing moment. Feel light as there is no burden You are carrying. The more you carry, the more dense and tense you become. Leave it. Lighter you become and it will help you to see the light of liberation.
Savvy Raj 
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