Why is it so hard to pin down Nobility?
I was reflecting on the notion of human nobility, trying to think of individuals who I consider “noble” – women in particular. The first person that came to mind was Mother Teresa, but then I got stuck and had to think! This made me wonder why it doesn’t come easy to...
Empowered Women Empower Women
From the 4th of October to the 6th of December, 2020, I ran a 10-week SILKMentoring Empowerment Cycle for the Asia Pacific Region (Australia and Philippines). It was an intensive 25-30 hour program with individual, peer-to-peer and group discussions, activities,...
“Knowledge is powerful, but true power lies in Action.”
It is a bit of a cliché; nothing changes without some action. Yet many of us spend a disproportionate amount of time thinking and talking about acting, but not doing it. And when we act, we often do so half-heartedly. It is a pretty solid rule of life, those who fail...
Through the Lens of Service to Others
The idea of offering a “societal contribution” may appear too large when imagined for the first time. Humans are social beings, so we all can give back a little to society, the size of our efforts not withstanding. To manage this intention consciously, you can do the...
The Interconnectedness of Creativity and Wisdom
What is the interconnectedness between creativity and wisdom? Creativity is when an individual uses their imagination to create something that wasn’t there before. Brené Brown talks a lot about creativity. She believes that "unused creativity is not benign. It...
Self’s Awareness of its Nobility
Self-awareness is the recognition of one’s own potential nobility.
Decision Making vs. Lingering Indecision
People make decisions all the time, some more complex than others. Sometimes decision making can be really hard while on other occasions it can feel natural and spontaneous. Some people make impactful decisions on a daily basis, such as closing down factories, letting people go (firing) or sending soldiers to war. Others make less weighty decisions, such as what movie to watch or where to go for a vacation. Irrespective on what is being decided on, good decision making processes share some common characteristics. Solid decisions are based on three key characteristics, namely action, reflection and consultation.
Negotiation…finding common ground gracefully.
When you think of negotiation, the first image that may come to mind is a business or professional setting where parties are sitting at opposite ends of a conference table, fighting for their cases and trying to get what they want. The image SILKMentoring envisions on...
Boundary Setting: I respect me, I respect you
The concept of boundary setting is probably as old as humanity itself – “that is your cave and this is mine”, “that’s your family, and this is mine”. Anyone who wants to use something that’s yours will have to ask for it, share with you or fight for it. This basic...
Storytelling: Ripples that become Waves
The virtues of storytelling have been rediscovered recently in business, leadership, personal growth context etc. Fact is that storytelling is an ancient tool, used for thousands of years by countless generations to preserve and pass on wisdom and culture. No wonder...
Authentic People are Irresistible
Look around you while you ride the train or bus – who is really “seeing” you? In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, our social relationships come immediately after our physiological and safety needs are met. Technology has multiplied the way we interact with others. We have...
Observing as a Form of Listening
Have you ever been in a situation where you aren't being heard when you talk to someone? You're pouring out your heart but your audience looks distracted. Bryant H. McGill tells us "one of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to...
Everyone can grow their Confidence
Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing. -Theodore Roosevelt. In a casual survey carried out on 40 women, we asked them about the one capacity or skill they want to master personally and professionally; confidence was...
Cultivating the Power of Presence
“One of the best feelings in the world is knowing that your presence and absence both means something to someone.” - Anonymous Human beings want to be seen, heard and understood; this is a basic need. When we enter any social space, others feel our presence, and...
You are no less creative than I
All children love creating. They color, paint, dance, sing, doodle, sculpt with play-doh, build sandcastles, tell stories, act, etc. They cannot wait to create 1st thing in the morning. They refuse to go to bed at night until their work is done and probably hanging...
Empathy is a Virtuous Cycle!
Empathy is understanding and connecting with the feelings of another person; trying and seeking to see things from their point of view. This connection helps create safe spaces that facilitate meaningful and transformative conversations. In a talk given by Brene...
Intuition: HEAR your inner voice!
We are complex creatures exposed to complex situations. On a daily basis, we make multiple decisions that affect ourselves and the people we encounter. In much of our decision making, we subconsciously rely on our intuition. Considering that some of our most important...
To Empower is to Grow in Wisdom
What is Wisdom? SILKMentoring define wisdom as “the mindful application of what is True or Right to facilitate the discovery of our own truth and putting it into action”. Wisdom Applicable to Everyone: True and Right are at the level of universal laws, referring to...
Self-awareness takes time, patience and perseverance.
What is Self-Awareness? Lots of people talk about self-awareness, but what is it and how do you know you have it? Self-awareness is a conscious process of constant and vigilant self-check and self-appreciation. When it is well practiced, self-awareness has the...