"If one truly desires to learn, they must teach." ~Unknown

Well it’s been a couple weeks since the last news letter. I was on the road learning more to share with my clients.

1. 5 days resourcing at this years NLP Coaching Program
2. 5 days at Train the Trainer, learning the latest in Accelerated Learning Techniques, where I lost my voice
3. an evening with Dr. Wayne Dyer
4. 3 days resourcing NLP Master Practitioners in learning Belief Changing processes

The title quote kept playing in my ears the whole time. It also touched on one of my deepest beliefs, "we are here on earth to learn". "Learn what?", you may ask? I suggest we’re all working on our Spiritual Degree in Love. Big idea, right?

In watching all of these groups, one deep truth was obvious. The most important element of learning is connection with others. We are definitely social animals. Try living on an island, like Castaway, and you’ll agree with me.

And so, as Tim Gallway, the grandfather of modern coaching says, "The greatest seminar on earth is life. Question is, are you enrolled?" And since we’re all students, who are the teachers? Well, some are writing the books and giving seminars. Here’s a bigger truth, since we’re constantly learning, we are learning from everyone we come in contact with. Every encounter. We are building beliefs, making decisions, we can’t help it. Our brains are designed to learn.

So if we are learning from everyone, then every one of us is a teacher. Ya you! You’re that important to the world and everyone around you! Question is, "what are you teaching?" Is your life an example or a warning? Are you teaching others about compassion, strength, playfulness?

The next time someone reacts to you in a way that’s different than you expected, maybe you’ll imagine asking yourself, "Hmmm, what are they teaching me?" Maybe I need to learn more about patience. Maybe empathy. The lesson is usually deeper than the first thought.

No stress here. Have some fun! Since you can’t help but teach, pick your message, imagine a simple lesson plan for your day, own your power. Look in the mirror and say, "I can do that!"

An Exercise

Notice the people around you. Notice how they are learning from you. You can just smile. Do it long enough, and others will pick up the lesson. They may even ask why you’re smiling so much and you can share a lesson like, "the sun’s out, and that’s a great reason to smile." Treat your waiter unusually well, and you may teach him that customers can be really cool. Notice how, if you’re frowning, you’re teaching others something about you.

And have some fun! Notice how being a teacher is really cool. I was on a train to Paris years ago. A young guy got on and started singing American show tunes in a heavy accent. The whole train lit up. Though we were in a gloomy part of Belgium, he taught us how to smile and laugh. The whole train was singing along in 5 minutes.

Remember when we were young and really went for it. Give someone around you the gift of really going for it and teach them to be young again.

Using your Inherent Excellence

Again, I think of Merriam Williamson, "…You are powerful beyond measure…" Realizing that we are all teachers to those around us, we can stand in our power. We have the power to change the state of those around us. Singers know this. They can take an entire auditorium on a journey just with their voice. Every time you speak, you are using this power. Even a facial expression is more powerful than you imagine.