according to
Who do you listen to?
the lake
becomes
the desert
…
our friends
our family
the internet
and artificial intelligence
our level of trust
in each of these groups
will change overtime
talking to
Who are you talking to?
here and now
the robin scurries
across fallen snow
…
someone on the phone
someone over email
someone on video
the mediums may change
but our voice should
stay the same regardless
if we show our face or not
surplus and shortage
What do you have a lot of? Not a lot of?
after awhile
the sound of the train trails
behind the mountains
…
whether or not
we have a lot
or a little
of something
being grateful
for what we have
is more important
asking price
When have you negotiated for something?
green petals
redirecting rain
from the house
…
not everything in life
is absolute or fixed
from time to time
we may find ourselves
with an opportunity to negotiate
and talk things out with those who are
interested in what we have to say
heading north
Where are you in your goals?
pine needles
wistfully playing
in the gutter
…
on our way
towards a destination
we can get thrown in
all sorts of directions
north, east, south, west
yet no mater what it’s important
for us to keep our barings
chicken coop
What are your traits?
feathers rustle
the rooster calls out
as the sun rises
…
some of us leave early
some of us put all of our eggs in one basket
some of us are the mother hen
some of us are in the pecking order
some of us rule the roost
some of us walk on eggshells
some of us are spring chicken
showing up
Are you present for others? Yourself?
yellow school bus
flashing red lights
kids cross the street
…
perhaps we’re tired
perhaps we’re busy
perhaps we’re lazy
whatever the reason
being present for events
others, and ourselves
is something we face everyday
past, present, future
What questions do you want to ask others?
slipping away
soap bubbles pop
as water falls
…
when we ask
our partners
our parents
our peers
open-ended questions
about their lives
their answers may surprise us
from the first
What journey are you on?
the frog leaps
from the maple tree
to the pond
…
post on this blog
to the most recent
a lot has happened
and whether or not
we anticipated it
the journey has made
all the difference
listing off
What are your values and beliefs?
change
the mountain awakens
after the snowfall
…
what we consider
to be core values
to what we believe in
is the first step
to define and align
with becoming
true to ourselves
with or without
What do others expect of you?
falling snow
sliding down
the roof
…
crowd or no-crowd
equipped or unequipped
prepared or unprepared
the bottom line remains the same
people expect us to deliver
no matter our circumstances
or consequences we live in
the same place
What did you notice today?
tea at the garden
a column of steam
calms the rain
…
we tend to take note
of our surroundings
when outside variables
like the weather
bring clouds and rain
or passing sunshine
to the places we go
planning for
How do you plan?
sifting dirt
the gardener tends
to eager kids
…
winter
spring
summer
fall
takes time
but is worth it
for forming our memories
create then follow
Are you a leader or a follower?
circling ants
around and around
and around we go
…
follow then create
the choice is ours
and one day
we will find
which path
led us towards
where we wanted to be
reaching our limits
What happens when you reach your limits?
the fog rises
a sandpiper rushes
to the open sea
…
we can only hold
so much information on
past, present, and future events
inside our heads
until it’s saved into
long-term memory
or lost with time
our shadow
What causes you stress?
a tangled rope
continues to tighten
around the mouse
___
just like stress
will continue to follow
and stay with us
until we find out
what and where the source
comes from for us to
acknowledge and accept
pick apart
How do you analyze things?
collecting
the morning brew
in our cup
…
and separate
all the things
that make a business
run and be successful
is a good idea
for when we want
to start one of our own