[OSFA] 2014 OSFA Conference

[FLOWERS Clayton A]

Good Afternoon,

We are forwarding information from Fariborz Pakeresht and Stephanie Holmes who were our keynote presenters.



Greetings OSFA conference attendees,
In this email we want to summarize some of the wisdom that emerged from our conversation and offer some additional ideas and resources.
Connection, Meaning and World-view:  No doubt much has transpired in your lives since our time at the informative OSFA Conference last week.  Given the nature of our human experience and its busy-ness, it may be that you have slightly forgotten that you attended a conference and that you reflected on important matters of your life. That is how it is with us humans - we discover something important and we forget it.  We resolve to practice something and it gets lost in the details.
One of our intentions for the keynote and the workshop was to have us recall our natural ability as humans to listen, connect, create meaning, explore our views, to learn and to choose.
CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS
CONNECTION
As humans we are wired for connection - to care, to join, so share. Connections with others are how we learn and grow. Connection is where we find meaning, strength and an extra pair of hands to open the door, lift something heavy and compassionately hold our hand. It's natural to have places where we want to disconnect. These moments are also an opportunity for us to learn about ourselves.
 MEANING
Meaning is the value/significance assigned or intended for something. Meaning relates to everything,-- the  meeting you just attended, flowers in your garden,  and of course, YOUR LIFE. You have a life purpose. Your life has purpose, your life has meaning.  The sages say "Our work in life is to find our purpose, and do it everywhere."  It's a lifetime journey to understand your life purpose so it is possible that you are clear, or you are just considering this, or you are skeptical.  Start where you are.
 WORLD-VIEW
This encompasses the views that each of us individually chooses about every thing and person we experience.  These views influence our actions. At the core of this, remember,  "I choose my view."   One's view/perspective/ interpretation/story can change if one chooses to change it. There are many reasons why we might want to change a view -- we received new information about the context, we see that it limits our options, we see it tends to produce results we don't like. It's helpful for us to observe and examine our views.
 Viktor Frankl, who survived the Holocaust offers us this wisdom in his book A Man's Search Meaning.


      Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

      Every day, every hour, offered the opportunity to make a decision, a decision which determined whether you would or would not submit to those powers which threatened to rob you of your very self, your inner freedom; which determined whether or not you would become the plaything of circumstance.

      What was really needed was a fundamental change in our attitude toward life. We had to learn ourselves ...We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life - daily and hourly.
      Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks, which it constantly sets for each individual.


In closing, we think these topics are relevant to having a rich and fulfilling life and this includes our day-jobs. Numerous studies show that workplaces are more productive when they help foster connection, find meaning and examine perspective and world- views.
 While we may see structures, processes and even people that "should be changed" to make life a bit easier; we would offer this: It starts with you.  Our trillions of moment-to- moment choices ultimately compose our lives and the results we leave behind.
We were enriched by meeting you and by the conversation we shared.  We welcome hearing your thoughts, questions and efforts
All the best,
Fariborz and Stephanie

INTERESTED?  If the idea of meaningful life and meaningful work intrigues you, please stay in contact with us.  Welcome hearing your thoughts, questions and efforts.  If you would like to receive a notice/invitation to future conversations that we host, please send an email to us with "YES I want to be invited" in the subject line.

All the best,
Fariborz and Stephanie
-----------------------------
Fariborz Pakseresht
Director, Oregon Youth Authority
fariborz.pakseresht at state.or.us<mailto:fariborz.pakseresht at state.or.us>

Stephanie Lee Holmes
consulting | coaching
stephanieholmes2012 at gmail.com<mailto:stephanieholmes2012 at gmail.com>



Clay
Clayton Flowers, CGFM, OPMA
Financial Policy and Compliance Manager
503-986-3967
FAX 503-986-4141


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