FRESH VIEWS - Vision (06/19/2000)
The Power of Vision. Clear visions act like magnets, pulling individuals and groups toward their realization.

FRESH VIEWS - Get more time (07/21/00)
A powerful way to get more time for yourself is to get more space.

FRESH VIEWS - Systems (8/23/00)
Each of us is part of many systems, but we are usually blind to them. Learn to "see" systems. Then disrupt them!

FRESH VIEWS - Celebrate! (9/19/00)
Celebrate what you want to see more of!

FRESH VIEWS- Metaphors (10/25/2000)
Let your whole brain speak to other whole brains. Use metaphors!

FRESH VIEWS - Instead of New Year's Resolutions (1/5/2001)
Instead of New Year's Resolutions, try this 5-step guide to give the new year zest!

FRESH VIEWS - More Joy; Less Stuff (1/25/2001)
Working toward a new shared vision of holiday gift-giving that results in more joy and less stuff

FRESH VIEWS - From Blame to Accountability (2/21/2001)
Moving from blame to accountability can get you and your company unstuck!

FRESH VIEWS - Managing System Delays (3/28/2001)
System delays are frustrating. Here is a guide to managing delays to optimize systems. (It's more about you than you might guess.)

FRESH VIEWS - Difference & Curiosity (4/24/2001)
People are different. They really are. Get curious about those differences.

FRESH VIEWS - Systems Thinking in Action (5/25/2001)
The Systems Thinking in Action Conference is a yearly event not to be missed!

FRESH VIEWS - Effortlessness (6/24/2001)
Effortlessness - sound good? Shift a few things you think and do!

FRESH VIEWS - Ask, "What's Right?" (7/25/2001)
Instead of asking, "What's wrong?" ask, "What's Right?" The question helps us tap an intuitive part of our brain that releases creative energy.

FRESH VIEWS - Coming Back to Ourselves (8/18/2001)
We may never get where we want to go unless we stop and check the map along the way.

FRESH VIEWS - How Do We Go On? (9/13/2001)
Following the terrorist attacks on the U.S., who are we and how do we go on?

FRESH VIEWS - Wake-up Call (10/13/2001)
Many people have called the Sept. 11 events a wake-up call. What does that mean?

FRESH VIEWS - Living With Terrorism (11/18/2001)
People in other countries have more experience living with terrorism than we do. What can we learn from them?

FRESH VIEWS - Do less; Be More (12/11/2001)
Are you too busy doing things to be the person you want to be?

FRESH VIEWS - Make Room (1/16/2002)
It's a New Year. If we want to start new, we need to make room.

FRESH VIEWS - Fresh Views (2/20/2002)
Going to another culture can help us see ourselves more clearly, solve problems creatively.

FRESH VIEWS - "Solving Circles" (3/13/2002)
Discover the power of solving circles, the result of combining two powerful insights.

FRESH VIEWS - Don't Seek Balance (4/19/2002)
People often say they need more balance in their lives. Here's a simple approach.

FRESH VIEWS - Learn and Forget (5/13/2002)
Recognizing the four stages of learning can help us live with ourselves and others.

FRESH VIEWS - No Sniveling! (6/12/2002)
Complaining is sometimes fun but usually non-productive. Cultivate some alternatives to complaining.

FRESH VIEWS - Limits to Growth (7/18/2002)
Denial that systems have limits contributes to current unethical business practices. Sustainable business systems must acknowledge and work with natural limits to growth.

FRESH VIEWS - Self-Discipline (8/21/2002)
Although self-discipline is thought of as something we do with ourselves, it is actually helped along by the presence of others.

FRESH VIEWS - What We Focus On Grows (9/18/2002)
We can only see one thing at a time and what we focus on grows. These truths matter!

FRESH VIEWS - Success of an Intervention (10/21/2002)
"The success of an intervention depends on the interior condition of the intervenor." What on earth does this mean?

FRESH VIEWS - Make Up a Better Story (11/24/2002)
We all make up stories to explain reality to ourselves all the time. Why not make up a good one?

FRESH VIEWS - Peace On Earth (12/15/2002)
What can we do to create peace in the world?

FRESH VIEWS - Resilience (1/16/2003)
In these uncertain times, cultivating resilience in ourselves and our children may be one of the most important things we can do.

FRESH VIEWS - Stop! (2/21/2003)
Most of us are juggling a lot of balls, while trying to stay focused. The paradoxical help is: stop!

FRESH VIEWS - Go to the balcony (3/20/2003)
To see difficult situations more clearly, practice "going to the balcony" in your mind.

FRESH VIEWS - Be grateful for small things (4/24/2003)
Gratitude for small things can sustain us when the big things are too much!

FRESH VIEWS - Trust (5/23/2003)
Growing trust in families and organizations assures that energy will be available for productivity and innovation.

FRESH VIEWS - Aging well (6/19/2003)
We're all aging. How can we do it well?

FRESH VIEWS - Thinking Styles (7/22/2003)
People really do think differently. It can be the source of conflict or celebration. You choose.

FRESH VIEWS - Perfecting Evironments (8/14/2003)
Improving the environments you live and work in can dramatically enhance your life!

FRESH VIEWS - Do Something Different (9/19/2003)
Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Do something different and enjoy the amazing results.

FRESH VIEWS - Manage Transitions (10/18/2003)
You will live longer and be happier if you learn to manage transitions in your everyday life. Here's how.

FRESH VIEWS - Invitation to Thanksgiving (11/17/2003)
Noticing things to be thankful for can have surprising results.

FRESH VIEWS - Life - a work of art (12/19/2003)
Instead of the usual year-in-review, think of the year just ending as a work of art!

FRESH VIEWS - Improvise! (1/21/2004)
Life is one improvisation after another. If we learn to 'Say, "Yes, and..." we can enjoy our creations and flourish.

FRESH VIEWS - Maintaining Systems (2/23/2004)
All systems need maintenance. This includes cars, computers, bodies, families and companies. There are a couple of key steps.

FRESH VIEWS - Stuck? (3/23/2004)
If you're stuck in any area of your life, cleaning a closet or a drawer or the top of your desk will help you get unstuck. Try it!

FRESH VIEWS - Silence (4/21/2004)
Grow the silence in your life and increase both your effectiveness and your comfort.

FRESH VIEWS - Kindness (5/25/2004)
Kindness begets kindness. Try it.

FRESH VIEWS - Decision Making (6/22/2004)
Making decisions can be agonizing. Here are some sure-fire, slightly unusual methods that work!

FRESH VIEWS - Deepening (7/21/2004)
Deepening some area of your life will give you new energy - and it's contagious!

FRESH VIEWS - Attention Not Energy (8/26/2004)
When you face something difficult, give it your attention but not your emotional energy - it costs too much.

FRESH VIEWS - Chew, Chew, Chew (9/20/2004)
Chewing has many benefits - both literally and metaphorically. Explore them here.

FRESH VIEWS - The Serenity Prayer (10/21/2004)
The Serenity Prayer is so familiar we may lose sight of its power. Ponder it and see how it is a powerful, systemic prescription!

FRESH VIEWS - Classic - More Joy, Less Stuff (11/15/2004)
Holidays have become so commercial - here are some alternatives.

FRESH VIEWS - Generosity (12/20/2004)
Generosity is the ultimate win-win system.

FRESH VIEWS - INITIATIVE (1/21/2005)
Demonstrating initiative has been found to be a key quality that differentiates intelligent, average workers from intelligent, star workers. Be inspired to take initiative!

FRESH VIEWS - Learning From a Penguin Trainer (2/25/2005)
Penguin trainers know something most people don't know....and it is powerful! This edition spells out the secret.

FRESH VIEWS - Penguin Training II (3/24/2005)
Noticing and rewarding the behavior you want to see more of works with penguins and people. But intermittent reinforcement is even more effective!

FRESH VIEWS - Layers (4/20/2005)
There are layers everywhere. Notice and marvel!

FRESH VIEWS - Do What You Say You'll Do (5/20/2005)
Here's the secret to earning trust and ensuring the success of any relationship: Do what you say you'll do!

FRESH VIEWS - Playing PEANUT (6/24/2005)
PEANUT is an acronym for an almost automatic behavior everyone falls into at one time or another. It seems harmless but can be very destructive. Learn to spot it and then refuse to play.

FRESH VIEWS CLASSIC - Get More Time For Yourself (7/21/2005)
The amazing connection between time and space described by physicists can be experienced! Clean a closet; feel your time expand.

FRESH VIEWS - Appreciate (9/1/2005)
Appreciating is an easy shift of mind that can make a huge difference - to the appreciator and the appreciated. Appreciating appreciates!

FRESH VIEWS - Breathe! (10/6/2005)
We usually are unconscious of our breathing. However, it is the ultimate systemic activity, and becoming more aware of it can enhance our whole system!

FRESH VIEWS - Wabi-Sabi (10/27/2005)
Wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept that honors the beauty in things imperfect, incomplete and impermanent.

FRESH VIEWS - The Gift of a Story (11/30/2005)
Stories have the ability to teach, to inspire, to transform. Stories have always been important, but they are being recognized again as valuable tools for businesses and organizations. A sample story
illustrates the gift.

FRESH VIEWS - Exercise (1/4/2006)
Regular exercise can improve both physical and mental health! The beginning of a new year is a perfect time to commit to an exercise program. I share my experience of doing just that.

FRESH VIEWS - Pulse Driving (1/31/2006)
Pulse Driving is a counter-intuitive way of driving that helps the new hybrid cars get very high gas mileage. I think there may be an analogy for getting high mileage out of life.

FRESH VIEWS - Be Early (3/1/2006)
Being early can be like visiting a foreign country if that's not your usual style. The results may be worth a shift or two.

FRESH VIEWS- Seasons (3/29/2006)
The seasons of the year change in significant ways, and so do the seasons of our lives. Being mindful of the seasons can help us move through them.

FRESH VIEWS - Tolerations (4/27/2006)
Tolerations are those things we put up with that annoy us and sap our energy. Eliminating them is worth our effort because the payoff is big.

FRESH VIEWS- Reframing (5/25/2006)
Reframing is a way of looking at things from different perspectives. Practicing this process will make you happier and more attractive.

FRESH VIEWS - Systems Thinking (6/29/2006)
Why is systems thinking important? Because it may be the only thing that can save us!

FRESH VIEWS - Walk a Mile (8/30/2006)
Walking a mile in another's shoes can expand perspective, grow understanding and increase empathy. What a better world we would have if we all practiced it.

FOCUS: Gifts from the Heart (10/4/2006)
Gifts from the heart take a little thought. They are worth thinking about early, because they enrich both the giver and the receiver.

Calling for Action (11/2/2006)
The Greater Pittsburgh Coaches Association is offering a remarkable day of free coaching teleclasses!

Fresh Views - Gratitude (11/30/2006)
Cicero calls gratitude not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others. It is a feeling, an attitude, a practice, and best of all a wonderful way of life!

Birth of a Book (12/7/2006)
Buy Liberating Greatness, The Whole Brain Guide to an Extraordinary Life. You'll be glad you did!

Fresh Views - Kindness (1/18/2007)

Fresh Views: Celebrate Differences (2/20/2007)

Fresh Views from Sharon Eakes - Make Mistakes (3/28/2007)

Fresh Views from Sharon Eakes - Thinking (4/26/2007)
Most of us don't spend much time thinking. Stopping for deep thought and reflection either alone or with others can improve our lives immensely.

Fresh Views from Sharon Eakes - Habits (5/31/2007)
Habits are created by repeating thoughts or actions over and over. The good news is we can create new habits by repeating new things. Brain research shows that it takes about 3 weeks to create strong, new neural circuits. And we can do this until the day we die!

Fresh Views from Sharon Eakes - Purpose (6/27/2007)
To live "on purpose" is to use one's gifts and talents to the fullest, benefiting others as well as ourselves.

Fresh Views from Sharon Eakes - Sleep (7/31/2007)
Research shows that sleep is more important that we may think. When we are overtired, we are more like toddlers having tantrums than we'd like to admit. There are some things we can do to get more sleep.....

Fresh Views - Contribution (8/28/2007)

Fresh Views - Enough (10/25/2007)
"Enough" is an exquisite distinction - a state of mind that allows us to stop yearning for more and more, to stop fearing there won't be enough, and enjoy the miracle that there is enough for everyone!

Fresh Views - Emotions (11/29/2007)
Emotions are with us all the time. Learning to name and manage them can help us navigate our worlds!

Fresh Views - What are you carrying? (1/8/2008)
We are often weighed down with the baggage of our lives. How can we lighten up by shedding this heavy burden?

Fresh Views - Novelty (2/14/2008)
In order to stay young, the brain needs novelty, but it also resists change. How can we keep novelty in our lives to stay mentally sharp?>

Fresh Views - Developing Ideas (3/25/2008)
Ideas get better when they are molded with the help of many minds.

Fresh Views - 10-10-10 Rule (5/1/2008)
Tired eyes account for more of our daily weariness than you might imagine. The 10-10-10 Rule can help keep your eyes refreshed! Learn it and teach it to your friends and family

FRESH VIEWS - Questions (6/12/2008)
The ability to formulate great questions is more important than the ability to come up with answers.

Fresh Views from Sharon Eakes - Take a Break! (7/10/2008)

Fresh Views from Sharon Eakes (7/31/2008)
To hear is not to listen. Listening is a skill worth cultivating. To be truly listened to is a gift everyone remembers.

Fresh Views - Relationships (8/26/2008)
The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives.

Fresh Views - Geese (9/24/2008)
Geese know how to lead, follow and care for each other. There is much to learn from them!

Fresh Views - Cycles (10/29/2008)
Cycles are part of life and learning to live with them comfortably is part of personal mastery. Trusting cycles and learning to disrupt them are both essential skills.

Fresh Views - Stuff (12/4/2008)
Maybe the current economic crisis is our opportunity to shift our way of thinking about "stuff." The Gross National Happiness Index in the US may improve if we focus more on the spiritual and relational sides of life and less on the material.

Fresh Views - Stopping and Starting (1/15/2009)
Maybe there are two types of people - those who never stop and those who never start. Instead of resolving to change whichever of these you are, this Fresh Views suggests a novel possibility for changing course.

Fresh Views - Navigating Your Experience (2/26/2009)
Navigating Your Experience is a simple, profound process for successfully moving through situations. I've found it helpful in making difficult phone calls, running meetings, having challenging conversations, and visiting my 85 year old uncle. Try it.

Fresh Views - Shifts of Heart (3/24/2009)
When our heart shifts, everything changes. This matters. Explore ways to open yourself to a change of heart.

Fresh Views - Inspiration (5/7/2009)
Short, inspirational quotes can remind us who we are and help us be our fullest selves.

Fresh Views - Transitions and Systems (6/12/2009)
Transitions are happening all the time - and each transition disrupts the systems with which it is connected. So how to handle transitions gracefully?