Imagine you see what is possible, when others only see what exists in the moment.

Imagine you can inspire hope, when nearly all hope is lost.

No need to imagine it. You already possess these powers.

Here is a passage about someone who accomplished all of this, despite impossible odds.

…The Nazis gave him a number.

 …His manuscript, which they burned, became the book that saved millions.

…The man they tried to reduce to nothing proved that humans can never be reduced to nothing—as long as they can find a reason to live.

 …Prisoner 119104 didn’t just survive Auschwitz. He transformed the worst of human evil into humanity’s greatest wisdom about resilience.

 …He turned suffering itself into a source of healing.

 …History gave him immortality.

 …The identity they tried to erase became a light that guided people through darkness …

 His name was Viktor Frankl. His identity was a bulwark that stood against the forces of destruction that surrounded him – a unique and unbreakable gift that informed his life and the contribution he made to humanity, in spite of everything.

You don’t have to be Viktor Frankl to have an identity that, in its particularly illuminating way, has the power to make life better for others and, in turn, yourself. That identity already resides within you. The only question is how you will apply it – for whom and to what end?

One of my former clients, Chris, runs an investment advisory firm here in Connecticut. A few years ago, he approached me with a wish – to not be just another financial advisor who manages money; he wanted to do more, but wasn’t sure what that was. He had an itch that needed to be scratched and was curious about this “identity thing.”

Chris did the spadework necessary to clarify his identity and then, how his discovery could be used to serve clients in ways that would be helpful to them and meaningful to him.

What came of Chris’s work? He stated his identity in these words: I am Chris, and I am driven to help individuals live the one life they have the best way they can. Chris’s identity had revealed his purpose.

These individuals were no longer simply clients; they were people with vulnerabilities and limitations as well as hopes and aspirations, all of which became a framework for building more authentic, lasting relationships.

Chris’s identity became the lens through which he decided which individuals he could best serve and which ones weren’t right for him. Further, he asked his staff to adopt this basic philosophy for themselves so it became a firm-wide approach.

Here is a very rough sketch of how Chris arrived at his identity statement. Apologies. Most of the words are illegible. But it shows the amount of effort he put into getting to the top of his ‘identity pyramid.’

When I visited Chris a month or so after our work together was complete, he showed me a modest-sized glass pyramid he had had made with much of this information embedded in it. It sat at the front edge of his desk. He told me that he liked it when clients asked him about it…that not only was it an important conversation starter; it was a point of pride for him.

The impact of identity – of identity-based living – can take many forms, from saving millions to helping a few. No matter. What matters is that you do it.

You have the power to change how the world works.

You see what is possible.

You can inspire hope.

Imagine that!

The post Imagine that! appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

A friend of mine recently told me that, at least for a while, he was “going small.” He could no longer stomach what was happening here in America – the rage, the grievances, the gloating of the winners; the self-righteousness, the blaming, the myopia of the losers. He was going to do the only thing that made sense to him: Care for himself, his family, his friends, the people he loved and who loved him back, no matter their particular brand of politics.

The idea of going small right now is bathed in wisdom.

Whether your side won or lost, you owe it to yourself to simply focus on the little things that, taken together, are in fact the essence of living.

With this in mind, another friend just sent me a short article by Elizabeth Gilbert, who wrote the bestselling memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. It describes the basic character of what it means to “go small.” Read it here and you will grasp the meaning of the title of this newsletter …

 “Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritated with one another, with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here.

 But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom. ‘Folks,’ he said, ‘I know you have had a rough day and you are frustrated. I can’t do anything about the weather or traffic, but here is what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Don’t take your problems home to your families tonight, just leave them with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive there later, I will open the window and throw your troubles in the water.’

 It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People who had been pretending for the past hour not to notice each other’s existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious?

 At the next stop, just as promised, the driver reached out his hand, palm up, and waited. One by one, all the exiting commuters placed their hand just above his and mimed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. Some people laughed as they did this, some teared up but everyone did it. The driver repeated the same lovely ritual at the next stop, too. And the next. All the way to the river.

 We live in a hard world, my friends. Sometimes it is extra difficult to be a human being. Sometimes you have a bad day. Sometimes you have a bad day that lasts for several years. You struggle and fail. You lose jobs, money, friends, faith, and love. You witness horrible events unfolding in the news, and you become fearful and withdrawn. There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but don’t know where to find it.

 But what if you are the light? What if you are the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for? That’s what this bus driver taught me, that anyone can be the light, at any moment. This guy wasn’t some big power player. He wasn’t a spiritual leader. He wasn’t some media-savvy influencer. He was a bus driver, one of society’s most invisible workers. But he possessed real power, and he used it beautifully for our benefit.

 When life feels especially grim, or when I feel particularly powerless in the face of the world’s troubles, I think of this man and ask myself, what can I do, right now, to be the light? Of course, I can’t personally end all wars, or solve global warming, or transform vexing people into entirely different creatures. I definitely can’t control traffic. But I do have some influence on everyone I brush up against, even if we never speak or learn each other’s name.

 No matter who you are, or where you are, or how mundane or tough your situation may seem, I believe you can illuminate your world. In fact, I believe this is the only way the world will ever be illuminated, one bright act of grace at a time, all the way to the river.”

Thank you, Elizabeth Gilbert, for these elegant words.

And, so, are you the light? If you choose to be, you are.

May your Thanksgiving be bathed in light.

Have you ever had a moment when you felt like you were the light in someone’s life? Share your story in the comments below!

The post What if you are the light? appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

According to Webster’s, a goal is “the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.” Operative word? Object; i.e., intent, or hoped-for outcome. As important as your goal may be, it is still possible to remain detached from it. It’s “out there,” on the horizon, waiting to be realized. Sometimes, we reach our goals. Sometimes, we don’t. When we do, we feel the thrill of achievement and when we don’t, we feel disappointed. Still, life goes on. 

But goals are nothing compared to promises. A promise is defined as “a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen.” The difference runs deep. While a goal can be viewed at arms-length, a promise cuts to the bone. It is a commitment, a covenant between you and someone else, or even with yourself. There is no room for ‘maybe.’ In the words of Yoda from Star Wars, “Do or do not. There is no try.” 

About a year ago, I read an article by James Hall, the editor of Bassmaster Magazine. (Yes, fishing is one of my passions.) The title of the article was I was wrong. The piece still haunts me. Here is a passage that explains why.

“My brother, Gary, used a tight-line technique with a weight. I used no weight and kept my line slack. I chided him, as only a 10-year-old could, for being “dumb.” We kept count that July and he beat me by more than a dozen fish. I was wrong and not happy about it.

We had grand plans this year to get together to re-create the fishing pursuits of our youth. We hadn’t fished together in a couple of years. I lived in Alabama; he lived in Texas. Work and trivial activities kept pushing aside our next fishing trip. Not this time. We would nail down a date and see it through. I thought this would become a tradition, something we could look forward to every year.

But, on March 1, 2021, I was again proven wrong. Gary had a heart attack in his sleep and, at age 51, was gone.

There seem to be countless secrets to a happy life, but I’ve only been smart enough to nail down one: Minimize regret. 

What would bring you heartbreak if not accomplished, assuming tomorrow never comes? I’m making a list. As for those items I no longer have control over, pushing aside one weekend over the past two years to meet Gary is at the top.”

Which brings me to the power of a promise. I recently heard a talk by Alex Sheen, founder of Because I said I would, which bills itself as a social movement and nonprofit dedicated to the betterment of humanity through promises made and kept. Alex is nothing short of inspiring in his passion for how promises create and deepen relationships, benefiting everyone involved. One of his most memorable comments was, “I don’t have to, I get to …” Feel free to fill in the blank: I get to take my child to school every day. I get to visit my ailing father once a week. I get to drive my best friend to work for a month while she recovers from an accident. What I learned from Alex is that making and keeping promises is a privilege that makes us larger in who we are.

The name of this newsletter (aka viewsletter) is Identity Insights. So, you might be asking, what does making promises have to do with identity? In short, everything. The promises you make are acts of integrity and integrity is at the root of identity. In a sense, your identity stands as a promise you make to others – about who you are and what you can be counted on to do and not do. I am Larry Ackerman and I promise to help people to see – to see the power of some actions and the futility of others. To see their innate potential as revealed by their identity. This is who I am and what I do.

Whether big or small, make promises that will matter to others and to yourself. Then, keep those promises before it’s too late. I promise I will.

The post Promises, promises appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

Underneath this seeming impasse, however, there are profound similarities that transcend our declared differences and which make us kin. In short, most of us want the same thing: to make a contribution in the world and be rewarded for it in return. However you define it, we all want to attain a rich life.

(Don’t) sweat it.

Asking yourself whether your life will be rich is one of those questions that makes us sweat. Some people sweat from the anxiety that comes from simply not knowing the answer. Others sweat from the burning hope that, maybe someday, they will make it big, cash in, hit the jackpot. Any reference to “rich” instantly conjures up images of money and the things money can buy. These things can range from luxury cars and fancy homes, to fine educations for our children and, perhaps most of all, to the supposed freedom from worry being rich implies…

Still others sweat because they realize that if they stick to the course they’re on, the answer to the question, will my life be rich? will, probably, be no. Their well-meaning efforts to protect what they’ve accumulated, or to acquire more of it, have taken over their lives. Along with their jobs, their days are governed by “to-do” lists, mortgages, tuition payments, soccer games, lawn mowing, bake sales, dance recitals, church suppers, and on and on. Despite the satisfaction many of these experiences may bring, they have squeezed out any hope of giving voice to the deeper passions that keep us alive inside, as the individuals we are.

People are sweating the wrong things. For all the time you invest in trying to “know” how things will turn out in your life, what actually happens in the future remains a mystery. For all the effort you may put into getting rich in financial terms, unforeseen circumstances can derail your dream. For all the energy you invest in owning up to the fact that you’ve left no room in your life for you, regret will accomplish nothing.

What is worth sweating is whether you do right by yourself and others. This sequence – first, you and then other people – is deliberate. It is only when you build relationships that reflect who you are at your core that you can “do right” by others. Your identity — the unique contribution you’re capable of making — is the living lens through which you can most confidently make informed decisions, engage the world, and thereby, fashion a life that you and others can believe in.

It is also worth sweating how you define rich. There is nothing wrong with money. Yet, as much as wealth may be about money, it is equally about those things that, like a magnet, draw people to you — and you to them — over and over again. For instance, the love you share with family and friends, the heart-felt recognition you receive from co-workers that fuels your determination to redouble your efforts at whatever you did to win that recognition in the first place.

Here today, here tomorrow

The idea of attaining a “rich life” is an invitation for you to decide what truly matters. What are the things that, when combined, will add up to a life you will be proud to call your own? In this vein, it’s also worth sweating what your legacy will be. Will the commitments you make and the actions you take today leave people better off because you were here? The question, will my life be rich? isn’t just about today; it is equally about tomorrow. It is about how you will be remembered and what you will be remembered for.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to build a rich life through the lens of your identity:

Clarify what “rich” means to you. Consider every aspect of your life in terms of the relationships that frame it. Write down the “ideal state” for each of these relationships – how you envision each might change, if it were fully informed by your identity. What would be different? What would stay the same?

• Your relationship with work — your job, your colleagues, your career
• Your relationship with your partner, or spouse
• Your relationship with your family
• Your relationship with your friends
• Your relationship with your community

It is intriguing to think about how our irreconcilable differences might fade, at least a bit, if we were to talk in terms of the rich lives we want to build, rather than the lives we want to tear down. We all work (or did). We all have, or seek a life partner. We all have families and friends whom we rely on, just as they rely on us. It would be no surprise if what we aspired to create in each of these vital relationships were uncannily similar.

We should start there.

The post Will my life be rich? appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

In my last Viewsletter, I referred to the Book of Joy, published in 2016, which condenses a week’s worth of discussions between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama into a compendium of wisdom. In today’s complicated world, I believe it’s worth looking at joy, once again, not just as the theme of a book, or even an emotion; but, as a framework for living that can help us weather the storm we’re all in.

With that in mind, I’ve taken the conversation about joy beyond Archbishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama to include other luminaries and near-luminaries, whose words add texture, depth, and color to the subject.

Here are eight quotations, which speak to each of the pillars of joy described in the book and what I see as the meaning of the quote…

1 Perspective

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”

― Frances Hodgson Burnett

It is. The question is whether it’s filled with flowers or weeds. Underneath perspective lies choice. We choose to see what’s there, or what isn’t. As hard as it is at times, I choose to see flowers.

2 Humility

A great man is always willing to be little.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don’t believe there are many great men, today, which is unfortunate. We need more of them: great men and great women, to stand as role models for all of us. I believe humility is fueled by true self-confidence and stoked by courage; the courage to let go of the ego that keeps us tethered to insecurity. There is power in a humble voice, because it acts like a magnet, drawing us to it, closer and closer, until we can finally hear what is being said. Sometimes, it’s big to be small. 

3  Humor

“There is more logic in humor than in anything else. Because, you see, humor is truth.”

— Victor Borge

And, the truth hurts. Does that mean that pain is funny? I don’t believe so. I do believe that the truth, when pointed in our direction, is a mirror of our imperfections as human beings. If we can find humor in our imperfections, if we can find the strength to laugh at ourselves, our ability to navigate life sharpens. That’s not funny; it’s true.

4 Acceptance

“The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

― Maya Angelou

It is a special place, that home, and it is hard to find, but it is there, always there. That home is your identity, that soft rock at the center of all things human. That home is no less than your sanctuary, where you can be — must be — simply, you. There is no rent or mortgage to pay. The only obligation is to pay attention. Safe home.

5 Forgiveness

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

How big are your muscles? I’m still working on mine. Forgiveness is a two-edged sword. On one hand it is liberating, like cleaning out a closet long overrun by useless stuff. On the other hand, part of what you’re clearing out is the pain you’ve kept alive by not forgiving. Forgiveness frees you from pain, allowing you to fly.

6 Gratitude

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”

― Epicurus

Contrary to the popular saying, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Nor, is it really worth keeping up with the Joneses. Especially, today. Gratitude costs nothing. If you’re loved, if you are healthy, if you can eat, sleep, and peer into the eyes of nature from behind your mask, be grateful. More isn’t necessarily more.

7 Compassion

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

― Leo Buscaglia

Compassion is like a magic act that amazes in its seeming impossibility. Yet, we choose to accept it because it moves us. It causes us to suspend disbelief and marvel at its power to make us believe. I am always heartened when I can offer a random act of kindness that lift someone up, even a little. The joy in the voice of the hospital coordinator, whom I called simply to say thank you for helping me cut through red tape. The weekly dollar I gave to the guy at the corner of Madison and 49^th Street, who nods his head in appreciation. What he does with that dollar doesn’t matter. I try.

8 Generosity

“You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

― John Bunyan

I see compassion and generosity as kissin’ cousins. They are two sides of the same coin. Both call for giving without asking for something in return. ‘Live generously’ is an expression I learned from a friend whose successful career reflects this idea. I believe there is a mountain of gold waiting for you, when you do something for someone, simply, because they need it; no ulterior motive, no tit-for-tat, no negotiated, mutual back-scratching. Just, because. Live generously.

Do any of these quotes move you? If so, please weigh in. Let people know what joy means to you.

The post What does joy mean to you? appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

The other day, I came across a book I haven’t read in a while, The Book of Joy. It is based upon a weeklong conversation between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu that is woven into a revealing narrative. The two men reflect on their personal experiences and outline what they call the eight pillars of joy. In re-reading the book, I was struck by how relevant these pillars are today as we navigate a new way of being in the world.

Here are the eight pillars, what each suggests for where we are today, and my own take on them…

!. Perspective — We have a choice in how we see things right now. We have the ability to reframe our situation more positively, and the way we see the world is how we experience it. In turn, how we see the world changes the way we feel and how we act. As hard as it is, I choose to believe that some good will come from our suffering. Perhaps, we will mature as a nation and as global citizens and realize that we really are one people, that our most essential needs, for health and economic security, are the same. Perhaps, then, we can forge policies that help us meet those needs.

2. Humility — The Coronavirus has brought us up short. In forcing us to change our ways, the virus makes it hard for someone to consider himself or herself above it all; somehow, better than everyone else, or more deserving. Like it or not, we have all been humbled. I like the feeling that humility brings. It is slowing me down. It is leading me to spend more time inside myself, rather than “out there.” I am reminded of how I feel when I look at the Rocky Mountains, or the Grand Tetons: I feel small, knowing that the forces around me are greater than I am. I am okay with that.

3. Humor — The past few weeks have seen an explosion of hysterical jokes, videos, and postings spawned by our predicament: for instance, dogs telling their owners to please go back to work soon, so they can have the house to themselves, again, and all kinds of wry spoofs on the bumpy relationship between President Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is leading the charge against the virus here in the U.S. I thank God for these jokes and thank whoever comes up with them for doing so. They are helping to keep me sane and grounded, and laughing with family and friends.

4. Acceptance — Acceptance is a close cousin to humility. In the Book of Joy, the Dalai Lama says, “Why be unhappy about something that can be remedied? And what is the use of being unhappy if it cannot be remedied?” At the moment, we have no choice but to accept our situation as it stands, so, it makes no sense to stress over it. Every day, I surrender a bit more to our new reality, letting it sink in and slow me down. I feel better when I accept the situation, but I do believe it can, and will, be remedied.

5. Forgiveness — Many mistakes are being made every day by people we’re looking to, to lead us out of this mess, first and foremost, politicians of all stripes. Mistakes are also being made by ‘regular folk’ who are ignoring the warnings to maintain social distancing, if not for their own sake, then, to protect others. They either don’t care, or are living in denial. However, like the rest of us, they are only human. I’m angry and frustrated with all of these people. But I’m working on forgiving them, for they know not what they do. I’m not there yet, but holding a grudge won’t help anyone, least of all me.

6. Gratitude — In times like these, it may be hard to find things to be thankful for. Or not. Maybe, the best time to express gratitude is when circumstances appear dark and dire, like now. And yet we can count our gifts: We are fortunate to be alive. We are fortunate to be loved. The Dalai Lama points out that, sometimes, we’re given a “difficult gift,” which can be an opportunity to rise to the challenge. With this in mind, I am grateful to be able to witness history in the making. I’m grateful for finding small ways to help others who have less than I do; for instance, taking food to the local homeless shelter. I am grateful for having many blessings I can count.

7. Compassion — Self-preservation is the order of the day. Putting yourself and your family first only makes sense. But there is more. We are social animals. We need each other in order to survive — that is a central definition of community, and this is a time of community, writ large. Practicing patience and showing genuine concern for the welfare of others may help everyone, most of all, you. When I’m upset with somebody, or a group of people, I find that being compassionate toward them helps me exhale. I try to understand “where they’re coming from,” their pain, troubles, and limitations; all the things that make them human, just like me. Sometimes, I succeed, sometimes, I don’t.

8. Generosity — Social distancing is, in itself, an act of generosity. I don’t know that we see it that way, but we should. It is a form of giving, of honoring the lives of others. There’s an expression in the fund-raising business that you should “give ‘til it hurts.” Yet, today, people are taking as much as they can. They run around buying up toilet paper, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, hoarding them like squirrels hoarding acorns in autumn. They leave little for others. In fact, they don’t even think about “others.” Why not? I went into a supermarket last week for bottled water. There were six one gallon containers left on the almost-empty shelf. I took two and left four. I could have taken them all. (Yes, I could also have taken just one.) As I walked to the car, I felt as though I’d done the right thing and a sudden warmth snuck into my bones. I hope someone will leave a little for me, someday.

Clearly, these eight pillars are all connected, just like we are. And, they stand strongest when they work together, just like we do. I hope these eight pillars bring you closer to the joy you deserve in these difficult times.

The post A time for JOY appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

It is common knowledge that politics is a business that, for the most part, lacks integrity. Politicians will do or say almost anything to stay in office. Yet, there has never been much disagreement about the facts of a given situation. You may not like them or agree with them, but they are what they are. Until now.

Writing in The Week magazine, William Falk, editor, talks about A Moral Imperative to Deceive. He asserts that “there’s a growing bipartisan conviction that virtually anything — lying, cheating, and spying — is justified because, well, the other tribe is so evil.”

This “anything goes” attitude has become a widespread phenomenon. It belongs to politicians on both sides of the aisle. Most striking is that the new Democratic super-star, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, is more than comfortable with this deceit. Falk writes, “when (she) was recently questioned about her fuzzy math and exaggerated claims about Pentagon waste, she shot back, ‘There’s a lot of people more concerned about being precisely, factually, and semantically correct than about being morally right.’” In short, the end justifies the means. At 29, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may already be lost…

There is an old adage that all politics is local. Today, we can modify that and say that all politics is personal. The politicians are just the catalysts. The people who sign up for this view – that nothing matters but what we believe is the moral imperative, truth notwithstanding — spread the destruction of integrity.

Here’s the irony: Once you ignore the truth, and the facts that give rise to it, you lose the power of argument – the ability to put together a cogent and credible case to support your views. All you have left is opinion, mine vs. yours – a flimsy substitute for a well-reasoned claim. In essence, you have zilch.

There is nothing cool, admirable, or trustworthy about anyone who is afraid of the facts. No matter how much the truth may hurt, or not align with your priorities, it is the wellspring of integrity. Your ability to face the facts is a measure of your strength of character. And, at the end of the day, character and integrity are all you have.

Almost.

Where does integrity come from?

The roots of integrity and the character it spawns are found in your identity — the unique, value-creating characteristics that define the special contribution you are capable of making in the world. Your identity doesn’t come from your affiliations, or your labels — your gender, color, sexual orientation, religion, profession, etc. It comes from the core of your being, the ‘sacred center’ of what makes you human. This center — it resides in each of us — is fueled by a “truth” about who you are that is inviolable. It is this truth that gives rise to integrity.

When you step away from the truth in any form, what does that say about you? What is your identity then? Do you no longer need to be grounded in reality? When you lose touch with your essential identity, you lose touch with your humanity, your truth.

Having the courage to embrace the truth tells us a great deal about who we are. Without this foundation we become unmoored. We become separated not just from “the other side” but from ourselves. When you betray the truth, you betray yourself. When you diminish the truth, you diminish yourself. When you ignore the truth, you ignore yourself.

As there is with all ships, each of us has a keel that keeps us steady, even in the stormiest weather. Our identity is that keel, holding us secure as we navigate our personal journeys. It ensures that we possess the wherewithal to act with integrity. If that keel is lifted, or broken, we are in grave danger of hitting the rocks, no matter where we choose to aim our rudder.

Why do we fear the truth, the facts? Are we afraid they won’t work in our favor? If so, we are cowards; we lack the very moral requirement we now blithely invoke to support our actions.

Justifying lies, exaggeration and deceit, on the grounds of some high-minded moral imperative constitutes an ethical failure on the part of the individual who claims it. Doing so marks the end of integrity, for integrity is fueled by truth, no more, no less. When truth is gone, integrity dies.

And, so, does a part of you.

The post The death of integrity appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

With this in mind, I’ve decided to make opposites the theme of this end-of-year viewsletter …

Before getting into the meat of the matter, let’s warm up. Let’s take a peek at last year’s viewsletter, which focused on what is topical and what is timeless. I’d like to share a few responses that include the amusing, the distressing and the reassuring:

What is topical …

I believe fake news is boring

I believe The U.S. Constitution is under siege

I believe social media is turning children into robots

What is timeless …

I believe grace is about going slow to go fast

I believe hope feeds possibility

I believe nature deserves a fighting chance

OK. Now, on to the opposites!

Here you will find 12 fill-in-the-blank statements. As before, there is one for each of the 12 days of Christmas. This year, these 12 are organized into six pairs of opposites, so you can reflect on them, together.

Fill in some, or all of them with whatever comes to mind. Fill them in, in your head, on a piece of paper, on your computer, and/or send me an email, or post your answers as comments on this blog.

Ready, set …

• I believe joy _____________________________________
• I believe sorrow___________________________________

• I believe blame___________________________________
• I believe praise___________________________________

• I believe abundance________________________________
• I believe scarcity___________________________________

• I believe bravery___________________________________
• I believe cowardice_________________________________

• I believe guilt _____________________________________
• I believe innocence ________________________________

• I believe captivity___________________________________
• I believe freedom___________________________________

Got your own idea about opposites that shed light on the world we live in today?

What are they and what do you believe about each? Fill them in here:

I believe________________________________________________

I believe________________________________________________

I’m looking forward to learning what you believe.

May 2018 be a year you can believe in.

The post (What) do you believe? v.6 appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

So, here’s my proposal: Let’s launch a new party — a decidedly unpolitical party — dedicated to celebrating the stuff that makes us who we are at our core, and that we can all get behind. Further, I propose we name that party the Ubuntu Party.

Ubuntu is a term meaning “humanity,” whose origins trace back to Southern Africa. According to Wikipedia, Ubuntu is often translated as “humanity towards others,” but is often used in a more philosophical sense to mean “the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.”

One of the key markers of Ubuntuism is what is termed “extroverted communities” — the idea that there is sincere warmth with which people treat both strangers as well as members of an existing community. (Translated for today’s rabid climate, this refers to the people who don’t agree with me and the people who do).

There is an Ubuntu deficit in America today and we’re all suffering for it. There’s just too little appreciation of the fact that we are one, human community, our differences notwithstanding. This is not a political statement. I do not care which side of the political spectrum you lean into or who you voted for. I do care about how we treat one another, how we speak to and listen to one another, how we build communities that will be productive and self-sustaining.

According to a recent CBS News poll, 7 in 10 people — regardless of party affiliation — say the country is losing its identity. The article opens with these words: “We can’t even agree what it means to be an American.” That may be the case. But can’t we at least agree what it means to be human? I’d like to think so.

We’d do well to bring a little more Ubuntuism into our lives.

The post For the sake of humanity, join the Ubuntu party! appeared first on Larry Ackerman.

This time, I find that experience to be especially challenging, given the insanity going on in the world today. But, that’s life. So, this year, I invite you to tell me and others what it is you believe about a variety of topics — some comforting and others clearly bot. Here you go:

I believe Donald Trump ____________________

I believe compassion ______________________

I believe family ___________________________

I believe wealth ___________________________

I believe truth ____________________________

I believe freedom _________________________

I believe ISIS ____________________________

I believe denial ___________________________

I believe America _________________________

I believe evil _____________________________

I believe good ____________________________

Got your own idea? Fill it in here _______________

The post What do you believe? (v.4) appeared first on Larry Ackerman.