By Deepak Chopra and Annie B. Bond
“I am Responsible for My Relationships”
Since relationships are two-sided, you can be responsible only for your part. To take responsibility, a few guidelines help:
• Clearly see the difference between past and present.
• Don’t inflict past relationships on present ones.
• Relate on the basis of shared positive values. Avoid relating on the basis of prejudices and shared bias.
• As a leader, try to relate equally and impartially.
• Avoid making the other person wrong.
• Follow the Golden Rule: other people will sense when you are treating them they way you would want to be treated.
• Increase the other person’s self esteem.
Adapted from The Soul of Leadership, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2010).
Green Chi: Your Relationship to Place
Being connected to your community is a mainstay of psychological health. What better way to connect than through food? Really knowing local maple syrup if you live in New England is a matter of pride, as is really knowing a good gumbo in the Gulf South, or wild rice in the Great Lakes areas. Place-based food traditions celebrate diversity and community, while exploring the natural and cultural history of the region. Saving endangered culinary cultures also helps save indigenous plants and animals.
Adapted from True Food, 8 Simple Steps to a Healthier You, by Annie B. Bond, Melissa Breyer, and Wendy Gordon (National Geographic, 2009).