The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – perfection.

Read Brené Brown’s, The Gifts of Imperfection. A classic guide to find empathy, hope & self-compassion to overcome our fears, to strengthen our connection with the world, to believe that we’re worthy of discovery, joy & abundance. It aims to bolster our self-esteem, creativity & personal development through heart-felt storytelling.

With plenty of encouragement, it helps us release our definitions of imperfection to fully embrace who we are. Offers benchmarks that help us find compassion, beauty & balance in a perfectly imperfect world. Simple techniques to let go of self-defeating thoughts, so we can naturally embrace our imperfections & vulnerabilities. Positive, inspiring & motivational.

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – perfection.

“Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it!” – Salvador Dalí

“The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection” – George Orwell

“Perfection is the enemy of progress” – Winston Churchill

“There is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in the proportion” – Edgar Allan Poe

“Perfection is overrated. It’s the cracks that let the light in” – Leonard Cohen

“The pursuit of perfection often impedes improvement” – George Will

“To be perfect is to develop unfolding perfection within imperfection” – Dōgen Zenji

“Striving for excellence motivates you, striving for perfection is demoralising” – Harriet Braiker

“Done is better than perfect” – Sheryl Sandberg

“Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough” – Julia Cameron

“There is no perfection, only beautiful versions of brokenness” – Shannon L. Alder

“Imperfection inspires invention, imagination, creativity. It stimulates. The more I feel imperfect, the more I feel alive” – Jhumpa Lahiri

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – perfection.

Perfection is the quality or state of being totally flawless, freedom from any fault or defect. An exemplification of supreme excellence. The philosophy of perfection explores the idea of an ultimate or ideal state of being – emotional, intellectual, physical or spiritual. It dives into what it means to strive for, achieve or even question the concept of perfection.

Plato advocated that perfection exists, but only in the non-material realm. Believed in Forms – perfect or abstract ideals of all things. All physical things are imperfect copies of these eternal Forms. According to Aristotle, perfection is dynamic not static & and rooted in function. He saw perfection as fulfilling one’s telos (purpose or end). A thing is perfect when it fully actualises its potential. In Christian philosophy, earthly perfection is impossible. Only God is perfect. Human perfection is about aligning with divine will or grace.

Immanuel Kant said that humans strive toward perfection, even if it’s never fully attainable. Perfection comes from a community where all treat each other as ends in themselves. Nietzsche saw human perfection as authenticity. We’re perfect when we are authentic. In eastern philosophy perfection is achieved through Nirvana (Buddhist ideal of letting go, surrendering to the divine) or according to Taoism, perfection is attained through harmony, flow & balance.

Is perfection truly achievable or even desirable? Human nature is fallible & finite. We are limited by our biology, environment, emotions or knowledge. Perfection often implies finality, but life is dynamic. Growth, learning, failure & adaptation are part of being human. If we were perfect, would we still change or evolve? Perfection is also subjective. What is perfect to one may not be to another. A perfect society or job is idealised, but can’t be universally defined. Perfection can suppress creativity, fluidity & vitality. It negatively impacts our passionate spirit, our sense of hope & happiness.

Yet, some precious moments or situations can be perfect. A memorable experience, a beautiful creation or a fulfilled purpose. Striving to fully engage with life, acting with integrity, authenticity, focus or compassion can be seen as a form of perfection. Just striving for excellence can foster creativity, joy, imagination & innovation. “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence” – Vince Lombardi.

Flaws, unpredictability & even failures are often what make life meaningful, relationships real & people relatable. The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi values beauty in imperfection & impermanence. The pursuit of perfection, if done wisely, can shape us into more conscious, compassionate & capable beings. “You are perfectly imperfect and that’s what makes you beautiful.”

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word co-creation.

Read Brave Together. How did Apple overcome a culture of secrecy? How did Pixar out innovate Disney? Why do companies kill creativity? A timely guide that helps leaders be more creative & creatives be better leaders. Many workplaces are experiencing uncertainty & fear, the exact opposite of what a healthy culture is all about. How can we shape cultures that people love? There is hope in co-creation. Renowned leadership & corporate culture consultants Chris Deaver & Ian Clawson present a proven framework to ignite organisational success & innovation.

Brave Together delivers a set of meta-principles that leaders can leverage to unleash the potential & possibilities of co-creation. The power to be brave enough to shape the future with others, in any domain. These principles include – leading with questions, turning pain into learnings, making others the mission, defining success, creating context & following our true north. Brave Together confirms that a bright future isn’t just self-made, it is shared. When we’re in it together, really united as a team, anything is possible.

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word co-creation.

Here’s a selection of powerful & thought-provoking quotes on co-creation, collaboration & the shared experience of creating value or meaning together, drawn from leaders, thinkers & creatives across disciplines.

“When we dream alone it is only a dream, but when many dream together it is the beginning of a new reality” – Friedensreich Hundertwasser

“None of us is as smart as all of us” – Ken Blanchard

“Co-creation means engaging people emotionally & intellectually to participate in the process of creating value” – Venkat Ramaswamy

“Creativity is a collaborative process. There is no lone genius” – Twyla Tharp

“We are not separate from the world, we are a co-creative part of its unfolding” – Charles Eisenstein

“We co-create our reality through our thoughts, beliefs & actions” – Gregg Braden

“The best things happen when people work together. When two people create something that neither could have created alone, that’s magic” – Neil Gaiman

“Art is not created in isolation, it is a co-creation between the artist & the world” – Rick Rubin

“The only way to win in the future is to stop delivering products & start co-creating experiences” – Venkat Ramaswamy

“Co-creation turns stakeholders into innovators” – Gary Hamel

“True innovation happens when silos fall, ideas flow freely between departments, teams & customers” – Satya Nadella

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word co-creation.

Co-creation is about engaging with our environment to create incredible ideas, brilliant services & meaningful experiences that deliver shared value. ”The philosophy of co-creation is rooted in a shift from traditional models of value creation to more participatory, inter-dependant, inclusive & relational approaches. It’s not just a strategy, it’s a worldview that emphasises on collaboration, shared meaning & mutual appreciation in the process of creating value. Co-creation isn’t linear, it’s dynamic, decentralised & open-ended. Creativity is collective.

“I am because we are.” A core idea in Ubuntu philosophy, aligned with the concept of interconnectedness. It taps into the collective intelligence & insights of a group. “Creativity is not the domain of one person, but of many people working together to build something new” – Ken Robinson. Co-creation is the new form of innovation. It’s no longer about building things for people, but building things with people.

Knowledge & innovation evolves through unique interactions with our world. “Collaboration allows us to know more than we are capable of knowing by ourselves” – Paul Solarz. Co-creation is based on respect, reciprocity & shared responsibility. It values the journey, as much as the outcome, based on the principles of honest participation, trust & sustainability. Co-creation is important because it leads to new inventions, diverse perspectives, deeper engagements with our community & shared ownership, all of which are crucial for lasting success, joy, fulfilment & social impact.

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – water.

Classical music inspired by both the sea & minimalism include pieces from the late 20th & 21st centuries that use repetitive figures, sustained textures, hypnotic rhythms to evoke the vastness, the power, the mystery & the serene timelessness of the ocean. Composers have been dramatically drawn to the ocean for its emotional depth, playfulness & the atmospheric inspiration. Mesmerising masterpieces that emote the vivid & vibrant moods of the sea.

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – water.

Read The Philosophy Of Water: How To Live Lightly & Resiliently by Marcus Shiva. What if the secret to a balanced, resilient & fulfilling life was hidden in the nature of water? Water flows effortlessly, adapts to obstacles, carves its way through even the hardest rocks, not with force, but with passion, poise & perseverance. The Philosophy Of Water invites us on a journey of self discovery, using the sacred wisdom of water as a powerful metaphor for personal growth & transformation.

Through engaging storytelling, philosophical insights & practical exercises, we explore how we can learn from water to navigate life’s challenges with grace, flexibility, faith & resilience. We discover how to adapt without resistance, how to cultivate emotional clarity & flow with life’s uncertainties, how to develop resilience through persistence, how to deepen our connection with nature & the world around us.

Drawing from ancient philosophy, eastern wisdom & modern psychology, The Philosophy of Water is an inspiring guide to living with greater freedom, joy, reflection & compassion. Just as a river flows spontaneously, we can embrace life’s natural currents with softness, sensitivity & a shared purpose. Ready to flow?

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – water.

2.2 billion people still lack access to safely managed drinking water. 4.2 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services. Climate change is making water scarcity worse through droughts, floods, fire & changing rainfall patterns. Pollution & mis-management of water is fast depleting fresh water eco-systems. Each year, millions die due to preventable water borne diseases.

The United Nations plays a crucial role in promoting water sustainability as part of its global sustainable development. Water is fundamental to human survival, eco-systems & economic development. The UN’s efforts are primarily framed under the Sustainable Development Goal #6 to ensure availability, sustainable management of water & sanitation for all.

Targets include universal supply of safe & affordable drinking water, access to adequate, equitable sanitation & hygiene, improved water quality by reducing pollution, increased water-use efficiency, integrated water resources management, protection & restoration of natural water eco-systems.

UN Water is a co-ordination mechanism that brings together 30 UN organisations working on water related issues. It ensures that efforts are aligned, efficient & effective, avoiding duplication of work. Integrated Water Resources Management is a holistic approach that balances social, economic & environmental needs. Nature-Based Solutions promote the use of wetlands, forests & natural infrastructure to manage water sustainably. Financing & Partnerships help mobilise investments, encouraging public-private collaboration. Capacity Building is supporting countries in monitoring, reporting & managing water data effectively.

UNICEF works in over 100 countries with women & children to ensure access to safe drinking water, access to basic toilet facilities & promotion of hygiene practices like handwashing in schools, healthcare & emergency settings. Reached over 23 million people with water, sanitation & hygiene services in humanitarian situations by 2024. Please donate here to UNICEF generously.

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The blog will pick a word of the week, to share & explore the selected word. Here’s an expression for the word – water.

Nature embodies water, fire, air & earth. Specifically, water. Water is synonymous with grace, humility, fluidity, stillness & serenity. Water falls from the sky, melts from the ice glaciers, streams down the hills into rivers & seas. Similarly, we’re born with defining characteristics & unique gifts. We meander buoyantly through life encountering all sorts of twists & turns. 

When a river brilliantly breaks at a boulder or barrier, it only gains the empathy, endurance, enthusiasm & energy to keep flowing. Likewise, we encounter our own barriers, may fall hard but keep moving with a resolute will to succeed, to find meaning. Water inspires us to just be, to flow naturally with strength, passion & belief. “I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.”

Water generously fills all empty & dark spaces. It’s inclusive, playful & rejuvenating. Similarily, we face our dark moments calmly, creatively, courageously & compassionately. Water gives life, joy, adventure & abundance without any expectation. Eventually, a river happily merges with the sea without any fear or resistance. Each time we move beyond our individual identities or limitations to become a part of something truly beautiful or meaningful, we follow the lead of water. Water is the essence of life, without it we simply wouldn’t exist. Incredibly inspiring. Gratitude.

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