Emotional Waistline

This is a wonderful parable I should read more often.

The story is about a man and his grandson. He reminds the young boy that we have a battle of two wolves inside of us; one that is filled with anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other wolf is filled with joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, compassion and faith. The grandson then asks a simple yet critical question; "Which one wins?"

The wise man replies; "The one you feed.”
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We are What we Feed

I often go back to this story when I'm struggling with something. I'm facing a decision or a feeling and need some guidance; this powerful lesson helps immensely.

The story is about a man and his grandson. He reminds the young boy that we have a battle of two wolves inside of us - one that is filled with anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other wolf is filled with joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, compassion and faith. The grandson then asks a simple yet critical question; "Which one wins?"

The older wiser man replies; "The one you feed.”
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Coffee and TV and Sleep

Here are some interesting facts about how we spend our lives from Distractify.

Twenty five years is for sleeping. We’ll work about 10-12 years in real time. This is discouraging, only 48 days having sex – keep in mind, it’s an average. We’ll watch about 9 years of television. Close to 3 years cooking, another year cleaning, and just over 4 years driving our cars.

We’ll drink 12,000 cups of coffee, 48 pounds of tea, and a measly 14 days kissing. Tack on another year of our lives deciding what to wear, 8 years shopping, 5 years sitting at a desk, and we’ll swear about 2 million times.

Life Gets in the Way

Interesting stats but if the average person in North America lives just over 78 years, it doesn’t leave us much time for reflection. But we’re far too busy for that. We have stuff to do, places to go.

When was the last time you gave your team a few minutes off, during the day, at work, to just clear their heads? Yes, quiet time at work. Life is an instant yet we take so little time for ourselves. You just spent about a minute reading this post.

Give yourself the next moment to reflect.
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Watch Your Diet

I often go back to this story when I'm struggling with something. I'm facing a decision or a feeling and need some guidance; this powerful lesson helps immensely.

The story is about a man and his grandson. He reminds the young boy that we have a battle of two wolves inside of us - one that is filled with anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other wolf is filled with joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, compassion and faith. The grandson then asks a simple yet critical question; "Which one wins?"

The older wiser man replies; "The one you feed.”
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Year of the Rooster

Today is the Chinese New Year and the beginning of the Year of the Rooster - more specifically the Fire Rooster. It is also known as the Spring Festival in China. It is said that 2017 is going to bring fresh challenges requiring quick wit and practical solutions.

If you were born in 1945 or 2005, you are a Wood Rooster which means you're engergetic and tender. Fire Roosters born in 1957 and 2017 are (will be) trustworthy with a strong sense of timekeeping.

Earth Roosters born in 1909 and 1969 are generous and trustworthy. Gold Roosters who were born in 1921 and 1981 are determined and brave. And Water Roosters born in 1933 and 1993 are quick-witted and compassionate.

Roosters are resilient, brave, loyal, hard working, astute, charming, and witty. They are also complex, creative and artistic. Problem solving is their special talent. It's been suggested we make room for our Roosters as they will give us the fire we need to get through challenges and establish creative solutions.

May the coming New Year bring you joy, love and peace.
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Happy Christmas

Tezze Iliniz. Yahsi Olsun. Vesele Vanoce. Tchestita Koleda. Gladelig Jul. Roomsaid Joulu Puhi. Mitho Makosi. Sretan Bozic. Feliz Navidad. Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova. Bada Din Mubarak Ho. Joyeux Noel. Merry Keshmish. Mele Kalikimaka. Merry Christmas. Hyvaa joulua. Buon Natale. Wesolych Swiat. Bozego Narodzenia. Feliz Natal. Craciun Fericit. Krismasi Njema. Froehliche Weihnachten. Srozhdestvom Kristovym.


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Happy Christmas

Feliz Navidad. Selamat Hari Natal. Joyeux Noël. Gleðileg jól. Nollaig Shona.
Wesołych Świąt. Fröhliche Weihnachten. Merry Christmas. Vrolijk Kerstfeest.
Hyvää Joulua. Buon Natale. Feliz Natal. Boldog Karácsonyt. Namaste.





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Credits: Walt Disney, Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Marilyn Manson, Sting, Brian Sezter, Dropkick Murphys

Scott Weiland – Remembering a Beautiful Soul

Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart

The first 20 years of my career were spent in radio; programming, music, marketing, promotions, building teams, overseeing events, building new stations, and I had the unique privilege of meeting and interviewing over a thousand alternative rock artists and bands. Most were fantastic, some were terrible,  many were fun, and a couple of them were haunting.

One of them was Scott Weiland. 

The news of his death has been met with mixed reactions. Grief, of course; but much of the feelings being shared are sprinkled with comments about the lack of surprise. He battled drug addition his entire adult life, so many aren't surprised he died young. We often call them demons, as if they aren't to be given the same care and respect we give a physical injury or chronic illness and that's wrong!

I first heard Scott’s band Stone Temple Pilots in 1993. It was thick and melodic; the lyrics haunting and later telling of a tortured soul searching for peace. It was a time when grunge had slid into a rebirth of bombastic arena rock drenched in glam and escape. It was a release from the angst of Nirvana and Alice in Chains while borrowing some of their tones and feeling.

Big Empty

Scott was the showman, the clown, the sad man, a riveting force on stage with his lizard dance. He was an artistic man who couldn’t quench his never ending thirst for harmony in the pit of his soul and much of it was right out there for the world to watch. I saw him perform five times. He was mesmerizing.

I met Scott in 1999 when I was at The Edge in Toronto. The band came into our street-level studio for an interview and to perform acoustically. The original plan was three songs. Between the fourth and fifth, Scott came over to me and said; “Sorry for hoggin' your studio, man.” I said; “You guys are welcome to play all night.”

The studio was about 600 square feet. We were crammed in there; it was as if the biggest band on the planet was performing in our living room.

Interstate Love Song

Meeting him afterward, he was exactly what you’d expect; arrogant and dismissive, he could hardly make eye contact yet screaming for attention. He was the star of the show shrouded in a cloak of debilitating self-doubt. As we were gathering for dinner, he turned and looked right at me and said; “Do you like the new album?” I said; “Yes I do”.

He paused like the kid waiting for mom to approve his latest finger painting. Not to be over dramatic, but I felt like I saw a glimmer of Scott rather than the lead singer of a band. A second later, the rock star reappeared and he said; “Cool, thanks dude” and he got into the van. At dinner, he was the life of the party. I suspect sitting quietly wasn't his strong suit.

Plush

A while later, STP band mates Eric Kretz and Robert & Dean DeLeo were in town with their side project Talk Show. Scott was serving time in prison. The pain his brothers felt for him was palpable. After dinner, we talked for hours. It was a human moment, not a radio programmer hanging with rock stars’ moment.

During that period, it was funny that I seem to run into Dean and Robert in the oddest places; at a video shoot in LA, a festival in Atlanta, and a show in NYC. They are lovely people certainly missing their family member.

Vasoline

During and after STP, Scott had Velvet Revolver, Camp Freddy, The Magnificent Bastards, The Wondergirls, and Art of Anarchy. He was found just before his band The Wildabouts were to hit the stage at a show in Bloomington, Minnesota; still on the road, still chasing and running, while the adoring fans cheered on.

We know Scott Weilland because he was famous but his struggle was far too common.

Like millions, I loved his music; still do. We didn’t know how to have the right conversation of the struggle he and far too many others are facing. This is not a story of yet another drug induced rock star found on a tour bus. This is a lesson that what we see in front of us is often not what is there at all.

Scott Richard Weiland – Rest in peace.
Oct 27, 1967 – Dec 3, 2015


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Finding the Quiet

Here are some interesting facts about how we spend our lives from Distractify.

Twenty five years is for sleeping. We’ll work about 10-12 years in real time. This is discouraging, only 48 days having sex – keep in mind, it’s an average. We’ll watch about 9 years of television. Close to 3 years cooking, another year cleaning, and just over 4 years driving our cars.

We’ll drink 12,000 cups of coffee, 48 pounds of tea, and a measly 14 days kissing. Tack on another year of our lives deciding what to wear, 8 years shopping, 5 years sitting at a desk, and we’ll swear about 2 million times.

Life Gets in the Way

Interesting stats but if the average person in North America lives just over 78 years, it doesn’t leave us much time for reflection. But we’re far too busy for that. We have stuff to do, places to go.

When was the last time you gave your team a few minutes off, during the day, at work, to just clear their heads? Yes, quiet time at work. Life is an instant yet we take so little time for ourselves. You just spent about a minute reading this post.

Give yourself the next one for some quiet.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

openheart

Thank-You Maya

The world lost a great mind and mentor this week. Dr. Maya Angelou was 86 when she passed away in her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The St. Louis native and Pulitzer Prize nominee gave us a seemingly endless list of great works and shared her thoughts and wisdom through her books, poems, speeches, and tireless inspiration.

We'll let her have the last words.

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it. 

My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return. Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Nothing can dim the light which shines from within. Nothing will work unless you do. 

You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it's all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. 

One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.


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getty | voavideo

A Gift Idea

Canadian television personality and comedian Rick Mercer has a wonderful gift idea this year for all of us. We have enough coffee mugs.

Watch this


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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

Rick Mercer

Imagine | 30 Years Later

At approximately 10:50pm on December 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman killed John Lennon in the entrance of the Dakota apartment in New York City.

Thirty years to the day, Lennon’s message is louder than ever and he is missed as much as the day he died.

John Winston Ono Lennon was a human being with flaws like everyone else. He was angry at times, extremely creative at times, he fought hard for freedom and peace and wrote a good song or a few hundred.

Lennon didn't act like a rock star beyond reproach. He was outspoken and refused to be politically correct. He stood up for his beliefs and that resonated with millions.

Lennon’s music is played at every moment of every day somewhere in the world and some predict that may never change.

In his own words…

If everyone demanded peace, instead of another television set, there’d be peace.

The more real you get, the more unreal everything else is.

All we are saying is give peace a chance.

I don’t believe in killing, whatever the reason.

A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.

You’re all beautiful and you’re all geniuses.

knealemann | email


image credit: Lennon archives

Two Wolves

Which One Wins?

A good friend sent this to me yesterday.

Immediately I sent to it to some other friends and thought I’d share it with you.

You may have seen this before, it's been around almost forever and it’s worth another read.


One evening a man told his grandson about a battle
that goes on inside people.

He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.”

“One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

“The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, compassion and faith.”

The grandson then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”

The man simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Which one do you feed?

@knealemann
marketing and social media strategy

image credit: firstpeople.us

Remember | Never Forget

Remember those who have fought with their most precious gift of all.

Remember fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, cousins and friends who did not come back and have the time to cherish the freedoms we enjoy.

Remember that our problems pale in comparison.

Remember women and men who continue to defend our right to say and do what we want.

Remember those who helped shape our ideals and freedom.

Remember souls who give us hope and perspective
to what is really important.

Remember to say...

Thank You