May you create, share, and savor powerful moments in the coming year and beyond.

~~~~~

Video recommendation for the week:

A short gratitude video from me to all of you who have read, shared, and commented on my blog posts.  I appreciate you.  May you have a healthy, prosperous, and meaningful 2022.

~~~~~

While sitting in an Austin hotel room at the end of May 2010, I wrote my first post for this blog. At that time, I had three goals:

• Experience a new (for me) aspect of social media (remember, it was 2010).
• Develop and flesh out new ideas.
• Provide something of value—not just another cyber rant.

I believe I have accomplished the first and the second. It is up to you whether I have accomplished the third. My blog posts contain videos, book recommendations and summaries, questions to ponder, and always a takeaway to apply immediately to life.  I have remained true to my commitment to publish one blog post per week.

This post marks the 605^th consecutive week— a little more than 11½ years.

And I know that I am #alwayslearning!

Since that first post (May 31, 2010 on Blogger), this blog evolved into www.thegrowthandresiliencenetwork.net. 

Thank you for reading, commenting, and sharing. 

I would love to hear what you find of value on this blog. And, please feel free to share any ideas you have for future posts.

Over the life of this blog, I have had the honor of close to 100,000 views from nearly 300 followers. Thank you for your interest and comments. And this year I added a new page: “Community Bright Spots!” And don’t forget Roxie’s blog—wisdom from a dog. It moves into its third year. I remain grateful for this opportunity.

As has become tradition, this last-of-the-year offering lists each of the posts I added this year. See the listings and links below. Along with each title, you will find a teaser. Perhaps a nugget or two will provide inspiration. I have linked each title to the actual blog should you want to read it, re-read it, or share it. Thank you for your continued support and comments.

*Top Six All-Time Posts by Views on this Blog (Since 2010)* 

(#194) Honor the Past. Celebrate the Present. Embrace the Future.
(#86) A Model for Critical Thinking
#18 Crab Pot Mentality!
(#93) SQ4R: Strategic Reading Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond
(#219) The First Day of Class: People Before Paper! (#134) Marshmallows, Teaching, and Learning

*The 2021 Blog Posts in Chronological Order from January through December*

1. (Issue #554) Active Listening: A Refresher * We move from collective monologues to authentic dialogues through active listening.
2. (Issue #555) Tags And Quotes To Ponder * Ten concepts that help guide us.
3. (Issue #556) Gratitude. Pride. Lessons * A quick strategy to acknowledge thanks, achievement, and growth. All of which help with resilience.
4. (Issue #557) Agree to Disagree: A Conversational Fire Extinguisher? * “We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace.” ~Amanda Gorman
5. (Issue #558) Curiosity as a Literacy Skill * Curiosity stimulates basic literacy skills, nurtures conversations, builds collaboration, and opens our minds to what could be.
6. (Issue #559) Who Me? Write a Book? * Why not you?
7. (Issue #560) Renewal of Vows * A reminder that it can become too easy to say, “Oh, I said that. She/He knows it.”
8. (Issue #561) Age and Wisdom: Questions for Your Consideration * Circumstances change. Does wisdom and the vessel of that wisdom change as well?
9. (Issue #562) Sacrificing Self for Space? * Do we have encouragement to be bigger, bolder, brighter, and better?
10. (Issue #563) Your Future Self * What do you want to say to your Future Self?
11. (Issue #564) Perspective * A change in perspective might help us see variety, beauty, glory, and hope.
12. (Issue #565) Offering a Hand or an Opinion? * At that moment they might not need to know how much I know but, rather, how much I care.
13. (Issue #566) I Will * Seventy years ago, Marie and Dominic had dreams. One reaching beyond and the other attempting to create a comfort zone.
14. (Issue #567) Purpose: Collecting or Connecting Dots * None of us knows for sure where we will be in 10 years or 10 days. Are you marking time or making a difference with your time?
15. (Issue #568) Community As a Pathway to Dreams * One’s dreams, goals, desires, and vision, connect to one’s overall journey.
16. (Issue #569) Stayca * On August 22, 1998, The Florida Times-Union (Shorelines) published an article of mine titled “Best Vacations Are Those At Comfortable, Easy-to-Reach Sites.”
17. (Issue #570) Purpose and Meaning * Teaching was the how of my why?
18. (Issue #571) Determining Relevance: Three Words * Consider three words—three questions—when determining the relevance of your actions.
19. (Issue #572) Determining Relevance: Three Words * Consider three words—three questions—when determining the relevance of your actions.
20. (Issue #573) Minding Your “To Don’ts”  *  What do you have on your “To-Don’t” list? What would you like to add?
21. (Issue #574) Did You Really See That? * What we know we saw, we may not have seen at all.
22. (Issue #575) Eleven Years Ago * As you look at the titles and snippets below, has the past informed the present? What have we learned and what do we still need to master—or at least face?
23. (Issue #576) Imagine the Karma of Nobody Told Me * Or maybe we chose—and choose—to imagine that what we heard and saw would be a passing thing with no immediate consequences.
24. (Issue #577) The Legacy of a Legend * Recognizing the talent in yourself to help another find the talent within them. What a way to celebrate and give back.
25. (Issue #578) That Was The Longest Twenty Minutes Of My Life! * When I put the audience first, I succeeded.
26. (Issue #579) Awakening * As I read these seven habits I could see how they interrelated and supported each other.
27. (Issue #580) What If Teachers… *  It comes down to seeing the person as someone in need of what you have to offer. And finding a respectful many in which to connect with that individual.
28. (Issue #581) Curiosity * Without curiosity we become a little duller and a little dimmer.
29. (Issue #582) When Strangers Become Friends and Friends Become Strangers * “A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.” ~attributed to Donna Roberts
30. (Issue #583) The 7Rs and Public Health * Public health is a community good that connects each of The 7 Rs. How can we remain good stewards for our community?
31. (Issue #584) Wisdom of the Ages * Do you think a twenty-something and a seventy-something,
    for instance, share life lessons, questions and advice?
32. (Issue #585) Sharing Wisdom Across the Ages * “Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.” ~attributed to Immanuel Kant~
33. (Issue #586) Good, Not-So Good, and Why * Go beyond listing a goal statement. Before acting, make sure you understand the why of your what.
34. (Issue #587) Serendipity, Beshert, and The Red Thread * Does serendipity lead to destiny or create destiny?
35. (Issue #588) A Different Kind of Principal’s Office  *  Got me thinking of the good-natured fun you could have naming drinks in your workspace or community group. Maybe even for a family get-together.
36. (Issue #589) Fill the Gap * When we reach out to fill a gap in our community (large or small) what we do is see a need, acknowledge that need, and act to address that need.
37. (Issue #590) 115 Years Ago * Little did they know in 1924 that, in about the time it took them to finish high school, they would enter sixteen years of sacrifice.
38. (Issue #591) Offering a Question or a Judgment? * We do not start the dialogue discounting the other person….
39. (Issue #592) Me or Us? * A functioning community provides a safe place for its members to explore, learn, fail, and grow. That requires the community members to make room for aspirations beyond their own (self-centered?) biases.
40. (Issue #593) What You Want to Be or What You Want to Do? * Remain curious as you connect your passion, purpose, and pursuits. What might you be denying? What is your true self? What is your true identity and what is a mask? Where is the thin place that may help you gain perspective?
41. (Issue #594) The Sunrise is the Experience * Color. Texture. Sound. Feel. Location. Sea Life. Energy. Self.
42. (Issue #595) Just Call My Name * We are fortunate when we have some we can call on. Others are fortunate when they can call on us.
43. (Issue #596) Caregiver or Care Taker? * Caregivers have clear boundaries and limits. Care takers do not—and the results can be heartbreaking.
44. (Issue #597) Whackin’ Your Thinkin’ * We let go of cherished ideas and begin to seek new ways of thinking, listening, collaborating, and doing.
45. (Issue #598) Spirituality and the Ocean * The ocean does not judge. It is. And the is provides a sense of now and the future.
46. (Issue #599) A Reminder About Our Non-Negotiables * Do not allow your non-negotiables to become negotiable.
47. (Issue #600) A Thankfulness Alphabet *  May you give yourself time to reflect on your list of thanks and appreciation.
48. (Issue #601) The Hypothesis of Generosity * So, I pulled myself off the too-often-climbed-on ledge of self-righteous upset and took a deep breath and waited.
49. (Issue #602) What is Your Story? * Establish who you are as a person; boundaries and all.
50. (Issue #603) Counting Things That Matter * Rather than counting why you’re right and I’m wrong, or I’m up and your down, or they’re out of bounds and we’re right on target, can we count on the times/things/topics on which we agree?
51. (Issue #6044) Identifying What You Love * Enhance your community bright spots because you ARE one of those bright spots!
52. (Issue #605) A Blogger’s Retrospective for 2021 (This post.) * May you create, share, and savor powerful moments in the coming year and beyond.

~~~~~

Make it a wonderful week and HTRB has needed.

You will find my latest book, Roxie Looks for Purpose Beyond the Biscuit, in
eBook ($2.99) and paperback ($9.99) format. Click here.

My dog Roxie gets top billing on the author page for this work. Without her, there would be no story. Please, check out her blog.

And you can still order:

• Community as a Safe Place to Land (2019, print and e-book). Available on Amazon. More information (including seven free podcast episodes that spotlight the seven core values highlighted in the book) at the above link.
• Stories about Teaching: No Need to be an Island (2017, print and e-book). Available on Amazon. One college’s new faculty onboarding program uses the scenarios in this book. Contact me if you and your team are interested in doing the same. The accompanying videos (see the link above) would serve to stimulate community-building conversations at the beginning of a meeting.

You can find my podcasts (all fifty episodes) here.

You will find more about me at www.stevepiscitelli.com.

All photos (uness otherwise noted) ©Steve Piscitelli. 2021

©2021. Steve Piscitelli
The Growth and Resilience Network®
Atlantic Beach, Florida