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How is humor an indicator?

January 7, 2017

Science and mathematics have never been my strong suit, but I am convinced the reason the Earth doesn't fall out of orbit is that you and I each spend our days carrying it on our shoulders. We each lug around one quadrillion, seven hundred fifty-six trillion pounds on our back. It is no surprise we have lower back problems. God forbid someone trips.

Think I am wrong? Tell me how you feel on those days when nothing is working for you.

What does your sense of humor look like on these hard days compared to your best days?

The absence of laughter and jokes are the first indication...

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In Inspiration Tags Humor, Burdens, Laughter, Christopher Reeve, Robin Williams, Inspiration
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September 14, 2018
The Home Of Inquiry Has Moved
September 14, 2018
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September 14, 2018
How have cultural expectations shaped you?
April 30, 2017
How have cultural expectations shaped you?
April 30, 2017

People like us don't do things like that. You should or shouldn't do what you are about to do.

Our culture provides an onslaught of must do's and better not's, but are they really for our good or just a set of guidelines to be considered.

I am a fan of "men being men" and the differentiation between the sexes, but what did the common refrain from the John Wayne era movies, "boys don't cry" actually deliver? Did the fruit of this mindset give rise to the silent veteran forbidden from openly...

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April 30, 2017
How do you fast?
April 23, 2017
How do you fast?
April 23, 2017

Fasting is generally received with a sideways glance of disapproval or a beeline for the ice cream cooler. We rarely seek out the uncomfortable and saying no to food is on the list of taboos.

Ten years ago I fasted every Tuesday for a year. Somewhere in there, was a 5-day fast. Tonight I conclude a 72-hour water-only fast (I did cheat at hour 62, with two tsp of coconut oil). The weekly fasts were for spiritual reasons and the last few days have been primarily to understand the physical implications for me.

Compounding scientific studies conclude...

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April 23, 2017
What are your family memories?
April 16, 2017
What are your family memories?
April 16, 2017

My how times have changed.

I borrowed the family history from a 96-year-old friend. She recorded the stories of her husband and his sisters, in 1996, before they passed away. The story started with a wedding in 1909 and chronicled life growing up on a Maryland farm outside of DC.

The first description to capture my imagination was from a rare trip to West Virginia to visit family. "There were no surfaced roads in the mountains, just wagon trails. The kids would get out of the car, and stand on the running boards, on the upper side of the car to keep it from...

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April 16, 2017
How are others showing love to you?
April 9, 2017
How are others showing love to you?
April 9, 2017

A review of our social media highlight reel makes it easy to recognize how lovable we are. After all, look at all the selfies in just the right light, with the perfect smile. We have curated just the right online profile that shows us at our best.

We may be working on being generous to ourselves, but at least we know how we give and receive love.

What happens when we think we deserve love from those around us and it...

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April 9, 2017
How do you know your commitment will last?
April 2, 2017
How do you know your commitment will last?
April 2, 2017

I have read a lot of books and attended countless conferences. My emotions carry me away with each turn of the page or charismatic speaker. I make grandiose plans to stop doing some things and start others. The resulting commitment lasts about as long as a New Years resolution.

The newest lifestyle decision I made that stuck, had a notable characteristic. I have dabbled with the gluten-free choice for several years. Two months ago, I decided to move forward and restrict gluten from my diet. The notable feature was the...

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April 2, 2017
When do you expand your vocabulary?
March 26, 2017
When do you expand your vocabulary?
March 26, 2017

Every new job comes with a new round of acronyms and the secret language of the existing culture. The new love interest is different than the last and leaves one yearning for King Ptolemy to commission another Rosetta stone and share the cryptic expressions of love. Learning a foreign language is well, like learning a foreign language. We listen intently to piece together the unknown and known.

A friend was reflecting on her relationship with her daughter and wanted to take decisive steps to improve this connection. She decided to start with...

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March 26, 2017
How do you forage for positivity?
March 19, 2017
How do you forage for positivity?
March 19, 2017

Buried treasure was just waiting to be found. I knew it had to be true. Inside the back cover of my comic book shined a full-color advertisement, of the perfect metal detector. Dials, lights, and gauges decorated the shiny control panel. The muscle-bound treasure hunter, walked down the beach, with the prized metal detector in one hand and a bag of riches in the other. The surprised expression of his bikini-clad girlfriend squealed another discovery was imminent.

The possibilities were endless, and I knew the beach would reveal its buried treasure. However, my beachcombing dreams were dashed. My father...

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March 19, 2017
What are you encouraged about?
March 12, 2017
What are you encouraged about?
March 12, 2017

The world presses in with news of pending doom. The evening news can only afford 30 seconds to the uplifting because there is too much bad news to tell you before bed. The Internet trolls somehow know the precise words to get you riled up. The month seems to have more days than the account has funds. The tendrils of darkness are too strong to resist, and you sense the slide down the slippery slope is inevitable.

With all the rust, decay, brokenness and messed up circumstances swarming around us each day; what breaks through the gloom?

What are you encouraged...

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March 12, 2017
How can you use your constraints as an advantage?
March 5, 2017
How can you use your constraints as an advantage?
March 5, 2017

The professor asked us about our working environment. We spent five minutes outlining all our challenges. The constrained budget, compressed timelines, suppliers failing to deliver on the requirements, and a myriad of other problems.

This discussion was during the first class of an executive crash course at a top-tier business school. It felt good to get this off our collective chest, as we shared the common difficulties. Knowing the school's reputation, we were counting on the answers to all our problems.

The professor paused and asked, "how can you use these constraints to your advantage?"

The question stripped us of...

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March 5, 2017

Engage

These INQUIRIES are here for you.

My intention is for you to ask better questions and think deeper.

Our fast paced, always on, society provides little time for reflection. 

After answering the initial inquiry, dig a little deeper and follow-up with a bit more thinking:

What do I think about it?

How can I make it better/worse?

How does this influence my life and those around me?

How can I be more generous?

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© Kenneth Woodward and Inquiry Of The Day (IOTD) 365 (IOTD365), 2016.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kenneth Woodward and IOTD365 with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Give me a chance to say "Yes".

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