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Dear Reader,  

Our relationship to time is a funny thing.  Too often, the way that we approach life is anchored firmly in the past, preventing us from making strides in the direction of the future we really desire. As a coach, I've been trained to see that the future is the domain of possibility, the present is the domain of action and the past is the domain of story. I bet if you listen to friends, family and colleagues, you'll notice that the majority of conversation and emphasis is on what already happened.  When we are overly focused on the past, it's impossible to envision the future we want and take the present-day actions that would get us there. We stay stuck in our story and limited by our beliefs and assumptions.

Next week's radio show guest has envisioned and lived a completely different relationship to time. She walked out on her executive career in the high tech industry and walked into a completely different life, a life focused on teaching people all around the world to live the future they want right now. Deborah Freize and her pioneering and renowned colleague, Meg Wheatley, authored a book called Walk Out Walk On, which introduces us to the incredible true stories of communities around the world who have walked out of limiting beliefs and assumptions and have walked on to create healthy, resilient communities who create what they need out of what they already have. 

Deborah's true story and her potent work make Walk Out Walk On a book that's hard to put down. Please join me to discover where the future is already happening.
Kate Ebner

Very best,

Kate Ebner
CEO
Nebo Company
Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life

Monday, December 12   

11 AM Eastern Time On VoiceAmerica Business Channel

  

 

Envisioning Community as the Answer: Deborah Frieze of the Berkana Institute  

Listen Live on Monday.  
Deborah Frieze 
Deborah Frieze

In this era of increasingly complex problems and shrinking resources, can we find meaningful and enduring solutions to the challenges we face as individuals, communities, and nations? On Monday, December 12, 2011, Visionary Leader Deborah Frieze of the Berkana Institute proposes a bold solution to the seemingly unsolvable problems around us. Deborah challenges us to walk out of limiting beliefs and assumptions and walk on to create healthy and resilient communities. Co-author with Margaret (Meg) Wheatley of the book, Walk Out Walk On: A Learning Journey into Communities Daring to Live the Future Now, her vision is based on the core belief that our communities have the intelligence, ingenuity, caring and inventiveness to solve our toughest problems -- and we can do this by stepping into a new paradigm for living. Learn More.

  

 

Missed the Live Show?

Past Episodes are available On Demand and Podcast Ready via itunes or RSS feed.

Creating Communities of Action
Wendy Philleo of The Center for A New American Dream

This week on Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life, guest Wendy Philleo shared the inspiring vision of The Center for A New American Dream: to cultivate a new American dream-one that emphasizes community, ecological sustainability, and a celebration of non-material values. Wendy explained how the power of collective action can help members of communities to set shared goals and to hold each other accountable for achieving the new dream. If you have a vision to change in how your community operates, Wendy's tips below can help you to make your vision real.

  1. Take a look at your own values. What are they? Do your daily activities align with the values you hold dear? 
  2. Step into your own values. Define what you can do to ensure that your values are present in what you do each day. This may require a change in attitude, or even a change in your regular work or activities.
  3. Reduce the advertising in your life. Advertising has the ability to cause us to forget our own values and to think we value something else. When possible, reduce your exposure to advertising by muting commercials.
  4. Get together with local neighbors to create a shared community. Start with a potluck dinner. Invite others in your community to join in creating a community that unites around shared values. The Center for A New American Dream is currently developing an action-kit that will help community leaders to organize their communities to create local and regional change. Learn more
Simplify the Holidays
Wendy Philleo of The Center for A New American Dream

Social science research suggests that an overemphasis on materialism does not make us happy, but rather to less life satisfaction. The research suggests we are happiest when connecting with friends and family and participating in activities that have meaning to us.  On this week's radio program, guest Wendy Philleo, Executive Director of The Center for A New American Dream, encouraged listeners to take The Center for a New American Dream's Simplify the Holidays Challenge.

 

A few tips for simplifying the holidays include:

  1. Reflect. Talk with your family and friends about what is most meaningful this time of year. Set expectations around not only gifts, but also around time, energy and commitment to various holiday activities.
  2. Give experiences rather than gifts. The best moments in life are most often around experiences. Think of fun experiences to give or share, such as pottery or photography classes, a lift ticket for skiing, a homemade dinner for six, etc.
  3. Set a budget. It may be frustrating to set, and at times you may feel limited, but if you stick to it, it will make your holidays more enjoyable.

Learn more about the Simplify the Holidays Challenge.  

How does your career vision help your employer?
The Inspired Leader Blog On Kidscreen.com

Inspired Leader BlogYour personal career vision helps you to understand how your current job fits in with a bigger plan for your life and career.  Read More.

Find all blog posts here.

Do you need to work on the vision for your career? Learn more about our workshop in NYC in February. 
What are you celebrating?
excerpted from Unplug the Christmas Machine by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppack Staeheli

No one celebration can do it all -- strengthen family bonds, lift your spirits in the dark days of winter, stimulate generosity, help you connect with far-flung friends, confirm your deepest religious beliefs, show off your host and hostessing skills...the list goes on! This values-clarification exercise will help you decide which parts of Christmas are most deserving of your efforts. Once you've decided that, you'll be able to plan a celebration that is in harmony with your deepest beliefs and most expressive of who you are as an individual. 
 
As you do this exercise, keep in mind that there are no "right" or "wrong" values.... There are no right and wrong answers.  No "shoulds." The message of this exercise is that Christmas is rich in meaning, and you need to decide what is most important to you in order to have the most satisfying hoilday season. 
 
To complete the exercise, read through the following ten value statements, cross off those that have no importance to you, and add any equally important ones that we have not included. Then decide which of the remaining values is most important to you. Put a "1" beside that sentence. Then, find the one that is next important to you and put a "2" beside it. Continue in this manner until each statement has been assigned a different number. Even a value that has a low priority can still be important to you. Remember: 1 is highest and 10 is lowest. 
  • Christmas is a time to be a peacemaker, within my family and the world at large.
  • Christmas is a time to enjoy being with my immediate family.
  • Christmas is a time to create a beautiful home environment.
  • Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ.
  • Christmas is a time to exchange gifts with my family and friends.
  • Christmas is a time for parties, entertaining, and visits with friends.
  • Christmas is a time to help those who are less fortunate.
  • Christmas is a time to strengthen bonds with my relatives.
  • Christmas is a time to strengthen my community.
  • Christmas is a time to be relaxed and renewed.

Have fun with this exercise. We hope it helps you to see what matters most to you this year.   
Nebo for Leaders    

Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life 

A One-Day Special Event to Develop as a Leader with Kate Ebner and Donna Friedman Meir

 

Kidscreen SummitThis one-day program will take place on February 6, 2012 in NYC.  Designed to provide a complete career visioning experience, women and men who participate will learn how to make their careers happen by design rather than taking a passive stance.  

 

Are you looking for a special opportunity for professional development in the new year?  We invite you to register now and bring home a deeply meaningful career vision -- and a practical plan for getting there.   

 

This unique program is being offered as part of the annual Kidscreen Summit, but we are offering open registration through The Nebo Company.  Please join us! 

 

When: February 6, 2012 

Where: Hilton NY, New York

 

Learn more!

December 9, 2011 
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In This Issue
Deborah Frieze on Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life
Creating Communities of Action
Simplify the Holidays
Kate's Blog on Kidscreen.com
What are you celebrating?
Nebo Workshops for Leaders
Create Your Vision!
Missed the last show?
Recommended Reading and Videos
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Create Your Vision!
 
We have designed a quick  and easy visioning exercise just for you! You will receive your own personal vision statement immediately upon hitting "submit."
To create your vision statement, CLICK HERE.

Radio Show

Missed the last show?   

 

Wendy Philleo
Wendy Philleo

Listen to Wendy Philleo, Executive Director of The Center for a New American Dream, on the December 2 episode of Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life with Host Kate Ebner. In the midst of the holiday season, Wendy shares how New Dream is working to bring forward an American dream that focuses on more of what matters, rather than just more.   

Be inspired. 

Become inspiring
Featured Links

Recommended Reading
by: Jo Robinson and Jean Coppack Staeheli 
 
Recommended Videos
The High Price of Materialism 
The High Price of Materialism
The Center for A New American Dream 
On the American dream... 

   

You could say that "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" has now become "Work, debt, and the pursuit of stuff" and the citizen has been replaced by the consumer. 

~ Wendy Philleo 

Nebo Has Moved!
  
Please note our new contact information:

Phone: 301-657-3201
Fax: 301-657-3204

The Nebo Company
7201 Lenhart Drive
Chevy Chase, MD 20815