Monthly Archive

I am participating in a radio show every monday on the national radio of Norway (http://www.nrk.no). The program is called Østafjells, and runs every weekday between 1100 and 1300 CET. Unfortunately, the programs are only in Norwegian language.

I discuss motivation and inspiration - how to find and use the energy you have within, or harvest it from your surroundings. The purpose is to give the audience tips on how to turn a grey Monday into a great start of the week. 

My participation started last week, June 22. You may listen to my insights here: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/507051

This weeks contribution where just aired, and is found here: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/508831

Please note that the recordings are only available the first three weeks after the program went on the air.  We are considering making an english version for podcasting here. Do you think we should? How can we make that a great value to you? Also, please continue to share your tips on what motivates you in the daily life!

I am visiting Latvia again. This time purely for vacation. I am attending Ligo, the celebration of midsummer.

The radio stations are competing - who can play most Ligo related songs? Who can turn the traditional music into a modern tune? Who broadcast the worst version?The stations broadcast an amazing variety - from quasi heavy tunes to sarcastic versions. And inbetween they manage to play the traditional ones too. And those are pretty nice.

Along the road are people. We pass them in our car, and I notice that the traditional dresses they wear serves a purpose other than looking nice. They all have vast collections of flowers, and oak leaves. The purpose of dressing up is to put up a show of marketing. Making sure the passing drivers realize that the flowers are for sale.

We stoped at a field and picked us some flowers. Flowers in the hair, mine is behind the ear.

We arrived at an eco farm where the family brewed their own beer. I later learned that every farm make their own beer for Ligo. The diversity in taste where impressive. I liked them all.

People in all ages attended. Ligo is a family event. We camped by a small lake, swim in the morning and danced throughout the night.

The mosquitos where pretty bad, until you got used to all the females wanting your blood. And speaking of ladies - they dressed up in their national dresses, and had flowers in their hair. As you can see, they where amazing!

Such beauty, joy and love of life is a great reminder of why one should remember to celebrate life in all it's incarnations and variations. I truly enjoyed this visit. My thanks to the Dolmane family for inviting me and so many others to attend this spectacular event! Here they are, mother and daugther.

-- Post From My iPhone

I am sitting at an airport, again. Plane leaves in several hours, I am stuck. At least they have decent beer here, my glass is filled with Guiness.

My mind starts drifting. Back a week, back to Budapest. Back to the JCI European Conference 2009. Where I conducted two of my trainings, namely Active Listening, and Coach to Lead.

Here are some pictures from the trainings, counting more than 100 participants in total.

And some pictures from the parties! The first is from the opening party, the second from the galla dinner.

Time for me to find some food. Enjoy your day!

- Post From My iPhone

As you all know by know, I travel a lot. And I love learning about new cultures, food and perseptions around.

When you start traveling, and keep your eyes open to the differences, you inevitably come to notice that all countries in Europe have some issues - friendly and not so friendly - with some other European country. This post by Dail Candor sums it up pretty well, with an ironic tongue. It is a bit thin on some parts, still a good read and fun learning experience. Even the comments offer some great insights!

Ever applied for a job you did not get, only because you where over qualified? I have, and I promis, it is not so fun. Especially when you know you can do the job very well.

Liz Ryan offers some very nice tips on how to land the job even when you are over qualified. It is a good and valuable read! 

I have just made available the Participants manual for the Active Listening training.

You can find it in the Download section !

I am on my way to the airport, leaving Budapest and returning to Oslo.

This week has been amazing! I have conducted two of my own trainings here, a milestone I set three years ago finaly reached. I have met a large number of highly amazing people. I have reenforced friendships with people from around the world. I have participated in some great trainings, and I have hailed Line from JCI Oslo when she won the Public Speaking Competition in Europe. Congratulations!!

Such an event is a huge energy boost. It creates emotions out of this world, and this energy gives me strength to move forward another year! 

Thank you all for so much fun, so much learning and so much friendship!

I am sitting by the Danube river. At the eastern bank looking over to the Citadella on the mountain.

It is sunday morning, 10am. I got up early today, seems like I am developing some kind of a morning insomnia. Not too bad today, got up two hours ago. Considering that this is the end of the JCI European Conference 2009, with partying and dancing all nights, and trainings and meetings all day, I expected to sleep in today.

Not so. I have spent the morning running the streets of Budapest, taking in the smells, sounds, heat and light. Just running on random, no target or destination to reach. Feeling my body is working lightly, the breath is easy and my legs enjoying the run.

In the immense heat (at least to a Norwegian), I run slowly, and deside to take a break in the shadows on the east bank of the river Danube. Sitting here, I start reflecting on life, love and the conference that now is over.

When arriving here, I had a number of expectations. I wanted to spend time with the girl I love, that live in a different country. I expected to have fun and dance at parties, meet my friends from all over the world, make new friends. And I expected great results from the two trainings I conducted here.

As with life, where some expectations come through and others not, so is the case of my expectations to this conference.

I had wonderful trainings - both according to my own critical sense, and accordning to the participants. I met again some of my very best friends, friends who are so busy I hardly ever meet them. I met new people who some I believe will turn into nice friends. I met some extraordinary people, with great life experiences, fascinating stories to tell, and life philosophies that really make you realize how spectacular life can be.

As in life, there where also disapointments. One person that I really looked forward to meet, turned out to be self centered to such an extent that it started to amuse me. Several people offered feedback to her, and she would simply refuse to have it. To me she said "is it positive or negative?" I was set aback by her question, and her defense. I wanted to tell her that feedback is offered as a service, it is not an obligation. That the purpose of feedback is to help her, not to reduce her. Short version - she did not want mine, nor others, feedback.
This kind of disappointment merely amuses me.

More important was the fact that the woman I love did not want to see me at all. I knew she would be busy, but we can all make a small effort to embrace the ones we care about. I believe that when you care for someone, you will make room - if only a little - to encourage, support and embrace the life of the other. To help energize, inspire and motivate him or her to achieve their ultimate life goal.

It can be as simple as a txt message, a hug and a smile, a dance with your partner. We can all find time for this in our lifes. I guess it all comes down to if the other person is you significant other or not. If it is, these small efforts in your day is no longer a matter of priorities and duty, it becomes the joy of life both to give and to recieve.

It is getting chilly by the Danube river. A wind from North is cooling down the air, making it too cold to sit still in the shadow. Like the world keeps turning after immense disasters, life goes on even when your heart break. I am grateful that I am able to fill my life with love.

Just as I am grateful that my legs are able to carry me further towards my life goal.

--------------- Edit:

The fact that my love did not have time to do these things does not mean that we do not communicate - it was just my disapointment at the time of resting by the bank of the Danube River. Life is still fine, and so are we...

---------------- /edit

-- Post From My iPhone

Today is Thursday. Second day of the EC 2009. I am filled with energy. And so are most of the others here. These are todays pics!

Here National President of JCI Norway, Thomas Flinskau shows an invitation to the Norwegian National Congress october 23-25.

This pic shows some of my Finish friends, and followers on Twitter. At the opening party last night!!

This is OPi and Mr. Freeze having super hero fun!

Here we see Cathrine Williams from JCI USA giving here leadership styles training this morning.

And here is wonderful Dorothee Wiebe from JCI Germany doing her PR training. There where 120 participants in a room for 60!!!

Now I am off to party, and tomorrow there will be my Active Listening training before i will be interviewes on NRK Radio.

Yes, I love what I do!!

-- Post From My iPhone

I arrived in Budapest yesterday, and spent the evening with fellow JCI Trainer Cathrine Willams from JCI USA. We enjoyed a local restaurant serving local food along with live Gypsie music. In the pics you see the band flirting with Cathrine!

Who can blame her for enjoying this? We felt really special!

These pics are from the ballroom at the HQ hotel, where the trainings take place. I can only hope to have this room as my training room!

These pics show a few of the organizers team, making sure everything is working smoothly. And they surely do a great job!!

And a few pics from the hotel too!

More updates to come!

-- Post From My iPhone

A nice post on things that keeps you away from success . I know most of these by personal experience, and by being focused on not falling in those traps again, I seem to get further than ever before.

What are the things in your life that keep you from the success you deserve?

I am now ready to go to Budapest for the European Conference at JCI. It will be fun, and more importantly, I will conduct two of my trainings: Active listening, and Coach to Lead. I will also participate in other trainings, so I can learn and develop myself too.
I will try to post some updates during my stay there. Look out for pics :)