How Positive Learning and Community Motivate Change

Appreciating Positive Change, Learning and Community 

Finding meaning in your work, creating your art and gathering knowledge are pursuits that transform personal well-being, businesses, and society a like. The movement forward requires imagining possibilities, perseverance, and hope of a bright future. There is learning, sharing of this knowledge, and mindful awareness of each step on your journey to realize your dreams. This requires bringing your strengths to the table; the best version of you and what you provide to your tribe, community, or workplace.

There is a process of motivating change called Appreciative Inquiry(AI). The focus of AI is targeted learning from a positive frame to accelerate the behavior-change process. This process can be applied to individual or group settings.

Principles of Appreciative Inquiry

There is a underlying question as you move through the AI change process. This question is, "How do I get that?"

• Choose the Positive as the Focus of Inquiry
• Inquire into Positive Moments
• Share the Stories
• Create Shared Images of the Future
• Innovate and Improvise to Create that Future

Personal Learning Journey

http://sachachua.com/blog/2013/10/what-do-i-want-to-learn-about-learning/

It was 10 years ago that creating a personal learning environment  became an idea. Around this time I was introduced to expanding my physical therapy practice to include wellness and coaching. The book that set this in motion was written by +Lynn Grodzki, Building Your Ideal Private Practice: A Guide for Therapists and Other Healing Professionals (2000). In this book was content that opened my eyes to delivering information and service to my clients, further defining how I do my work, and continuing to find my niche. 

The Journey always begins with now, an attention to the present moment. Awaking to the positive images, details and richness of what is right before us; mindful and aware.

"Our standards change when we are infected with a new awareness." 

 +Ryan Nicodemus (www.theminimalists.com)

A mindful awareness of the present gives positive movement on the journey. This rewards us with health and well-being, creativity and meaning in our actions.

Mindfulness has continued to be a personal learning influence first inspired by the readings of Jon Kabat-Zinn(Full Catastrophe Living) and Saki Santorelli(Heal Thy Self). These books, initially just foot-noted resources in the Building Your Ideal Private Practice, would not have been discovered without some openness to learning and attention to the small print.

Through my work as a physical therapist, learning resources, and exposure to social influences, I have continued to build on this personal learning environment, and my journey to now.

The Future: Always Forward, Never Straight

It is now thirteen years later. The social media networks and platforms that are available for learning, sharing and networking with others, has expanded my personal learning environment, and the possibilities of what the future may(will) bring. Being exposed to and taking part in the +Google+ movement of content curation, social sharing and communities, learning opportunities and business networking, is a shift in learning and a new way of doing business. I am constantly inspired by the stories of those on their own journey, and the kindling of my own. 

+Robin Good (masternewmedia) is a wealth of knowledge in content curation, as seen by following this link to his scoop.it page.

He makes an excellent scoop of Ben Bett's content on  Framework for Using Content Curation in a Learning Organization.

These insights include:

Inspiration through curating community feedback and insights.

Aggregation of curated resources are better than courses.

Integration, or Personal Knowledge Management(PKM), for curation and critical thought as a core to the teaching and learning processes. 

Application of curation as a personal "learning locker".

See the Personal Knowledge Management White Paper, by +Harold Jarche  at:http://www.jarche.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/PKM-2013.pdf

The PKM framework elaborates on capturing knowledge by using:

Seek > Sense > Share

• Seeking to find things out and keeping up to date.

• Sensing is how we personalize information and use it.

• Sharing includes exchanging and collaborating within our networks and colleagues. 

The social platform of Google Plus, Scoop.it has enabled the sharing of daily learning and thought provoking experiences in communities and the social stream. Finding purpose and making sense of the information is the creative challenge.

Fitness and Nutrition

Because Fitness is not a Coincidence

Fitness & Nutrition Community

+Ryan Hanley
Providing valuable content with his +Content Warfare podcasts. I recommend listening to his podcast with +Dino Dogan on Human Engine Optimization.

+Neila Rey 
Providing valuable content and inspiring infographics with tips on health, fitness and personal challenges.

+Plus Your Life! 
+martin shervington has been a valuable resource for learning all things Google, and his quotations provide a dose of motivation, inspiration and thought.

When we anticipate the future with positivity we become more creative, resilient and resourceful. This is strengthened with a positive vision that is proleptic.

These communities and individuals provide social engagement with positive questions and reflections that can be re-purposed in your business, health or lifestyle pursuits. 

'Words do not create worlds 

unless they are shared with others.'

There is a positive shift in conversations and interactions that allows participants to flourish. The moment that you ask a positive question, share a positive story, or share a positive reflection their is the possibility of change in the world that you live. Positive relations and engagement are vital to the well-being and quality of life.

Circle of Giving: Why Give Away Your Expertise? from +Mark Traphagen 

There is a positive change that when you create or design content and share this knowledge, perpetuating the circle of giving.

In the words of Jim Rohn,

"Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by Change"

The possibilities and seeds of change are everywhere. Magnificent work that strengthens the resolve to do better business, take better care of your health and nutrition, provide motivation and inspiration are all at your finger tips.

Positive energy and emotions lead to positive actions and outcomes. We can not do this alone. Through these interactions and conversations there are stories and frameworks developed. In the words of Zander and Zander,

"We might as well invent a story or framework of meaning that enhances our quality of life and the life of those around us."

Whether you are listening to the health of your body, business, or life in general, positive change can take place if there is a focus on strengths. Inherent in all of us is the strength that exists in some aspect of our life; a best version of what there is to offer, shared in the form of expertise, action toward a bright future, and well-being, as an individual and as a member in a thriving community. 

I would appreciate any feedback that you may have regarding Appreciative Inquiry, Personal Knowledge Management, Personal Learning Environment, and how you use content to learn, share and expand your pursuits in business, health and wellness.

What do you want to change?

How will you get there?