Do you remember the movie The March of the Penguins? If you've seen it you didn't forget it. If you haven't seen it, watch it!
Most of us go after what we want in life with force, we make big plans, we spend a lot of time striving and forget about thriving. We want what we want, when we want it, even if we have to use force and manipulation to get it.
Then before you know it, we're on to the next best thing.
I don't think I'm the only one who falls into this, right?
I've gotten a lot better. And when I forget, I watch the movie again.
One of my teachers, Jacob Glass, says we only need to stay in the present moment, go with the flow and take penguin steps. Yup, penguin steps. That's it!
Here's what gets me going about the Penguins.
1. Penguin Joy
What stood out in the movie are the beauty and the joy of the penguins. They waddle! They take my breath away. They bask in their own beauty. And it's only black and white.
If we owned our beauty (inside and out) and expressed more joy, how would that look in our lives?
2. Penguin Steps
Penguins don't hold themselves back. They aren't stuck in doubt and fear. For 20 days and 20 nights they march in order to find a mate. They begin the large task in front of them with a small penguin step. They take another and another.
Take your biggest problem or task today and break it down into penguin steps. Proceed forward. Waddle while you're at it.
3. Penguin Patience
They don't compete. They don't notice how fast anyone else is moving. They don't question if they'll get there. They do what they need to do, to make it happen. Freakin' amazing. I think this puts the penguins in the flow... and it's at these moments that they slide!
I think we humans need to compete less, and partner up more. And enjoy the slide...I mean ride.
4. Penguin Focus
They focus. They are persistent. They do what it takes. They enjoy themselves. Nothing side tracks the penguins. Nothing.
What can you focus on for the next 20 days? Nope. I'm not going to give you permission to work nights too. That's striving.
5. Penguin Huddle
They keep each other warm. They take turns occupying the coldest and most exposed outside positions of the march. Without huddling they would die from the combined conditions of bitter cold, hurricane force winds, and fasting. Breeding would be impossible.
Families and friends huddle as well. We help each other, stand by each other, and grow through life together. We have each other's backs. If we didn't we would die from the combined conditions of isolation and lack of human contact, connection, and love.
In our high-tech and low-touch world, I think we all need to huddle more.
5. Penguin Moments
They move in the moment, one step at a time. They refuse to quit because the going is tough or slow. Part of their beauty is the present moment living. No worries, no hurries and no stress as they trust the process.
What worry or hurry can you let go of today? Just breathe!
7. Penguins are Bold
Because of the conditions of the South only 19% of the chicks survive their first year. Yet the penguins march on year after year. They are bold and passionate. They risk everything and carry on.
What are you willing to risk? What would you do if you knew that you could not fail? What's your dream? Go after it with delight and abandon.
8. Penguin Love
The penguins run on love like a car runs on gas. The penguin is propelled forward by their inner desire to mate and create. They aren't driven by fame or power. They don't compete and compare. They move at their slow pace with love-filled penguin steps.
Celebrate where you are on your path today. Celebrate your slow deliberate penguin steps. Celebrate the highs and the lows.
9. Penguin Community
They make the most important journey of their lives in community. If they walked alone many would die on the way. Others may come upon a carcass and give up as well. It's too painful to march through life alone. We need each other.
In the movie you can see penguins nudge one another along. When we travel in community and share each other's burdens, we ease each other's pain.
Most of us go after what we want in life with force, we make big plans, we spend a lot of time striving and forget about thriving. We want what we want, when we want it, even if we have to use force and manipulation to get it.
Then before you know it, we're on to the next best thing.
I don't think I'm the only one who falls into this, right?
I've gotten a lot better. And when I forget, I watch the movie again.
One of my teachers, Jacob Glass, says we only need to stay in the present moment, go with the flow and take penguin steps. Yup, penguin steps. That's it!
Here's what gets me going about the Penguins.
1. Penguin Joy
What stood out in the movie are the beauty and the joy of the penguins. They waddle! They take my breath away. They bask in their own beauty. And it's only black and white.
If we owned our beauty (inside and out) and expressed more joy, how would that look in our lives?
2. Penguin Steps
Penguins don't hold themselves back. They aren't stuck in doubt and fear. For 20 days and 20 nights they march in order to find a mate. They begin the large task in front of them with a small penguin step. They take another and another.
Take your biggest problem or task today and break it down into penguin steps. Proceed forward. Waddle while you're at it.
3. Penguin Patience
They don't compete. They don't notice how fast anyone else is moving. They don't question if they'll get there. They do what they need to do, to make it happen. Freakin' amazing. I think this puts the penguins in the flow... and it's at these moments that they slide!
I think we humans need to compete less, and partner up more. And enjoy the slide...I mean ride.
4. Penguin Focus
They focus. They are persistent. They do what it takes. They enjoy themselves. Nothing side tracks the penguins. Nothing.
What can you focus on for the next 20 days? Nope. I'm not going to give you permission to work nights too. That's striving.
5. Penguin Huddle
They keep each other warm. They take turns occupying the coldest and most exposed outside positions of the march. Without huddling they would die from the combined conditions of bitter cold, hurricane force winds, and fasting. Breeding would be impossible.
Families and friends huddle as well. We help each other, stand by each other, and grow through life together. We have each other's backs. If we didn't we would die from the combined conditions of isolation and lack of human contact, connection, and love.
In our high-tech and low-touch world, I think we all need to huddle more.
5. Penguin Moments
They move in the moment, one step at a time. They refuse to quit because the going is tough or slow. Part of their beauty is the present moment living. No worries, no hurries and no stress as they trust the process.
What worry or hurry can you let go of today? Just breathe!
7. Penguins are Bold
Because of the conditions of the South only 19% of the chicks survive their first year. Yet the penguins march on year after year. They are bold and passionate. They risk everything and carry on.
What are you willing to risk? What would you do if you knew that you could not fail? What's your dream? Go after it with delight and abandon.
8. Penguin Love
The penguins run on love like a car runs on gas. The penguin is propelled forward by their inner desire to mate and create. They aren't driven by fame or power. They don't compete and compare. They move at their slow pace with love-filled penguin steps.
Celebrate where you are on your path today. Celebrate your slow deliberate penguin steps. Celebrate the highs and the lows.
9. Penguin Community
They make the most important journey of their lives in community. If they walked alone many would die on the way. Others may come upon a carcass and give up as well. It's too painful to march through life alone. We need each other.
In the movie you can see penguins nudge one another along. When we travel in community and share each other's burdens, we ease each other's pain.
