NEWSLETTER : November 2005

Dear friends,

Today I am writing from a quite remote place, finding it rather a difficult task to compose an upbeat newsletter when there are so many sad news reaching us from all over the world.

Let us work from the outside in?

Earthquake in Pakistan, aftershocks, death, destruction and despair.

Continuing violence in Iraq (for various reasons), Syria, Iran, Lebanon etc., etc., etc..

Bird Flu ante portas, Europe growth uncertain, UK retail sales dwindling, economy looking somewhat unhealthy (yet not hopeless I think), worries all round and in some European countries people are still unprepared to enter the age of globalisation, rejecting sensible reforms yet legislators slowly but surely dissolving loyalty and solidarity inside families and relationships with their latest "systems" to administrate those far too many unemployed, disenchanted and unhappy people. If that is the best they can come up with...

So much bad news. Plus a fair helping of scaremongering. And moan, moan, moan...
Let me say this: fear is a cold bedfellow (Celtic saying) and dancing to the homespun tune of doom and gloom quite a brief pleasure.

Oh yes, almost forgot: oil and stockmarkets!

In my book, the former is the sad product of speculations and outdated strategies, turned into an economic burden for all of, the bigger circles still on their way, the latter should be made redundant, as I personally think that this "culture" is neither acting responsible nor humane anymore.

Why?

Profit and shareholder only orientated concerns, creating abstract forms of basically non-existing values and new breeds of cruelty trained sheep, plus a system of even more nebulous "truths"- no, I'm proud to state that they hold no place in my heart.

And I say that with the absolute highest possible lack of respect.

Let me just climb down carefully from my very tall soapbox...more on that subject later...not Helena's gigantic soapbox of course, but the afore mentioned yukky topics.

Life is hard! No doubt about that. Nobody said that it's a joyride or never ending walk in the park. Life is a big fight and who fights is alive.
Yet the sun always rises...

But there is more to a successful life than fighting and sado-masochistic running against any tough edge available.

Counteracting everyday's growing coldness, fears and falling prey to manipulation and scullduggery, how can that be done?

How to continue to feel, to be valuable, "worthy" in a world where streamlined success is everything and how to get dressed for it is the topic of countless books, programs etc..

Actually, the world should be heeving with rich and happy sleekers...

By the way, what is success?

Only being young, fitter than a Nike, slim, fully functioning and looking the biz, omnipotent in any way and wowee - sexy, 24/7 ?

I don't think so!

Also I feel, that this particular success is measured by material and visible aspects too much, the title on a name card, bigger house, bigger car, bigger mortgage and even bigger pressure.

Standing on other peoples fingertips, trying to be strong and effective, sqeezing and downsizing instead of creating? Keeping emotions at bay all the time? Not to mention conscience?

Courtesy "Patron Saints": Prozac , Valium and Viagra - Shortlisted: Tamiflu.

What kind of parents, partners, kids and decision makers do we get here?

And what happens to them if they fail?

...all the king's horses and all the king's men...could'nt put Humpty together again...

The result of that deplorable system is what I like to call SUCKcess.

No matter how "fit" you program yourself (or invite others to do so) to act, one time, sometime, something is out there to weigh things up and revisit your dance cards.

NLP that.

I believe that there is more to life, an element ever so important, a fact that distingishes (hu)man from any other form of life - the ability to love, to hope and to be GOOD.

We are not a part of the animal kingdom!

Goodness in everyday life to me is real success. Big time.

Without being in constant denial about our core needs and calling those gifts weaknesses, as being good does not mean being soft or disfunctional, rather the reverse. You can be GREAT and GOOD.

Did you ever hear the story about angels being born without wings? Legend has it, that wings or their equivalents come only with a certain degree of merit.

Being good may never make you rich, it may never make you look cool, but it will make you internally glamorous and strong in that very certain way that makes all the difference.

It is not easy, but it is far from impossible and I find the effect, don't call them reward, amazing.

I decided to share the idea of MIZPAH in the sure knowledge, that it is that little blue window in the grey to allow a good view on how things could be, how the world should be one day.

The MIZPAH dream brought out the best in me.

It may do that for anyone who has the courage, dares to dream and find that inner success, climbing mountains one by one and helping to bring out that adventurous and yet even pragmatic approach to goodness in others.

That is how I like to see things run, giving the title MANAGER a complete new ring.

The MIZPAH Management. (Ah well, whatever I try, I'll never sound anywhere near cool...)

I rather prefer to call MIZPAH the "be-good-factor".

You'll feel it anyway, but with the difference you will be able to pass that feeling on, and on, and on...

And that is nothing short of being simply GREAT !

It is an active, a practical, a useful way to live a good life, be important, be a success in every way that really counts.

No dogma but chance, no squeamishness but true zest for life, no limits of the useless kind but tolerance coming from an open heart and mind.

True values that nobody can ever take away from us.

Yours truly

Helena Lind

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