Want Minutes 1-16-08

W.A.N.T. Meeting Minutes

January 16, 2008

 

Present:          Gina, Barb, Seanne, Troy, Jim, Doug L.

 

I.                WANT Group Hello

 

The best thing that happened to each of us since last we met: 

 

Gina connected with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and ordered information in preparation for becoming a certified personal trainer.  She is making great strides in setting up her business.

 

Troy has been looking for a volunteer project about which he is passionate.  He found it somewhat by accident.  The organization called One in Ten is a gay youth program that provides support and assistance to gay teens as they deal with personal issues.  Great cause, Troy!

 

Doug L. admitted that he is experiencing some professional setbacks and he was not fully engaged with the group last week.  He typically maintains that "when one door closes another opens" and was struggling to maintain this mantra.  Over this past week he went to Kansas and spent time with family and reflected on the situation.  He had a great day today and is now retooling and focusing his energy on the positive again. 

 

Barb just re-hired a former employee who will be a great contributor to the success of the flight scheduling team at West Coast Charters.  She is highly optimistic for her business in 2008.

 

Jim is "quietly doing my thing."  He had a great day with the four boys from the foster home.  They went to lunch and a car show.  They had a day full of fun and energy.  Jim is a role model for these boys and is finding the experience personally rewarding, as well.  He also had his first day of class that was initially a little uncomfortable; he made the choice to fully participate and ultimately the first day was a good experience.

 

As Seanne mentioned last week, her mother is finished with her chemotherapy treatments so the travel to Santa Barbara has slowed down.  Seanne is reveling in "me" time and is working on personal projects that have been neglected.  As Seanne put it, she is reveling in her "OCD-ness."

 

II.              Elements of the Dream Circle

 

Gina and Troy reviewed the elements of the Dream Circle as shown in our retreat booklets.  There are seven elements; over the next several weeks we will review these elements individually.

 

#7 – Celebrate.  This element is self-explanatory.  As you reach this stage of the circle, celebrate; you deserve it!

 

#1 – Identify WANTs.  Troy and Gina have created some new processes to help you identify your WANTs.  There are no limitations to what you may want.

 

#2 – Limiting Thoughts/Belief System.  This is the first filter in the circle through which your WANTs will pass.  We have put limiting thoughts in place to keep us safe; as we grow and mature we must be able to adjust these limitations and open our minds.  We may need to overcome the fear of the unknown.  We will be working on this element at our meeting next week.

 

#3 – Purpose & Balance.  This element has changed positions on the Dream Circle.  We must ensure that our WANTs are in harmony with our purpose in both our conscious and sub-conscious mind.  For success, our WANTs must meet the criteria to stimulate our RAS. We will work on a process to help each of us define our purpose and core values.

 

#4 – Additional Possibilities.  Your initial WANT may be a stepping stone to a larger, deeper want.  We must explore how smaller wants may give way to the core desire.  As Gina put it, the shallow want scratches the itch; the deeper want cures the source of the itch. 

Book Recommendation from Gina:  The How of Happiness; a Scientific Approach to getting what you want.  By Sonja Lyubomirsky.  The premise of this book is that we are all born with a happiness set point which accounts for 50% of our happiness level; 10% comes from life circumstances; leaving 40% that is within our control.

 

#5 – Determine Success.  In order to successfully program the RAS you need to know when you have achieved your want.  Where will you be in your life; what will it feel like?

 

#6 – Successful Outcome Statements.  What is the outcome you really want?  State this in the present tense as if you already have it.  Here is a review of the SMART method of goal setting (your subconscious must believe the A and R):

      S – Specific

      M – Measurable

      A – Achievable

      R – Realistic

      T – Timed

 

The Dream Circle should be visited often and you may find that your WANTs evolve as you go around and around.  We will work on the elements of the circle on our own and will discuss at our meetings to support and assist one another. 

 

 

For our next call, bring your WANTs and dream lists and we will review a process to break through our limiting thoughts and belief systems.  Also, if you come across any applicable books or articles that may be of interest to the group, please share.

 

NEXT MEETING IS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

See the WANT website for the agenda.

 

Sign offs . . . see you next week.

WANT Minutes 1-8-08

W.A.N.T. Meeting Minutes

January 8, 2008

 

Present:          Gina, Barb, Seanne, Doug H., Karen H., Troy, Jim, Kitty, Doug L.

 

Note:  Gina and Karen are looking into options for a new duplex phone to be used by the Newport Beach group.

 

I.                WANT Group Hello

 

The best thing that happened to each of us since last we met: 

 

Seanne's Mom is officially finished with here chemotherapy treatments and is doing well.  She was very appreciative of Seanne's selfless support through her entire treatment process.

 

Kitty is making progress on changing her business model from teaching to consulting.  She made a great new contact in Ft. Collins that may present some future business.

 

Doug L. received his Nevada contractor's license and is ready to bid.

 

Doug H. is working with an orthopedic specialist and his ankle pain has been diagnosed.  He is embarking on a treatment program to prevent the need for surgery.

 

At three weeks since injury and two weeks since surgery, Gina's wrist is healing at lightening speed.  Also she was shopping in her favorite airport (SEA) and found a sweater she had had her eye on.  It was on sale so she bought two J

 

Barb just returned from spending time in Florida with friends.  Tradition says that how you bring in the New Year may predict how the year will be.  Off to a great start!

 

Karen and Doug spent time with friends wine tasting in Santa Barbara.  They caught up with old friends and also started the New Year off right!

 

Jim will start school next week.  He also has committed to spending quality time on a monthly basis with four boys from a foster home.  Go Jim!

 

Troy went to San Salvador for his grandfather's 100^th birthday.  He reconnected with family and the party turned out to be quite a family reunion.

 

II.              Discussion of Purpose Statements - Gina

 

Members were to review the section on Purpose Statements in our retreat handbooks and discuss the process.  Here are comments:

 

Seanne completed the process and found that once here statement was complete she wanted to make changes to some of the verbs provided in the model.  She believes here statement would be more accurate if she selected some of her own verbs that may not have been included in the model.

 

Barb followed the process and found it to be quite helpful in defining a purpose statement.

 

Troy did not follow the process in the handbook as it had too many steps and details for his liking.  He had a moment of clarity on his own and came up with his purpose.

 

Gina went through the process and thought it fun and introspective, though not inspiring.  She, too, created her own purpose statement.

 

Doug H, Karen, Doug L and Jim are still reviewing the process and working on their purpose statements.  (We lost Kitty on the phone call).

 

We can all post our individual purpose statements on the WANT blog.

 

III.            Discussion of Successful Outcome Statements (SOS) - Troy

 

Troy provided guidelines for creating SOS's:

A.    It should elicit excitement and an emotional response.  This will stimulate your RAS.

B.    It should be specific enough that you are able to "get your arms around it."  It must be "owned" by you and be specific enough for YOU.

C.    It can be as short as a sentence or as long as a paragraph as long as it meets the A & B above.  It should be written in present tense; as if you already have it.

 

IV.            Announcements

 

We will now have weekly meetings on different days and times to accommodate different schedules.  It is understood that each of us may not be able to attend every meeting so please keep up on the WANT website so as not to fall behind.  The weekly meetings are intended to provide each of us with more support, more structure and more accountability.

 

NEXT MEETING IS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

See the WANT website for the agenda.

 

Sign offs . . . see you next week.