connectingpoint
The Monthly
E-Newsnote for Centerpoint Institute for Life and Career Renewal February
2007
…inspiring people to discover
creativity, passion, and renewed commitment in life and at work
"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come
to you without leaving happier."
-Mother Teresa
In
this month of valentines, we’re reminded that everyone’s life can be powered by
passion. What ways have you found to bring more heart into your life? Please email us… we’d love to hear your story
and include it on our website!
If
you or someone you know is looking for a way to live life more fully and
consciously, please read on for the many ways that Centerpoint can support and
challenge you.
In this issue
Click on the
following links in order to jump ahead
At
Centerpoint, we are humbled and awed by the outpouring of support, ideas, and
offers to help from our last e-newsnote. Thank you SO much! Every one of you is
so very wonderful and talented… but we always knew that about all of you! We
do, though, have to offer our apologies to those we told we’d get back to but haven’t
as yet followed up with. Well, you know how these things go… we start asking
about on-line registration and find that the website needs overhauling in order
to do this more easily and elegantly, so then we start investigating the best
platform for the website and we find that there are mega-choices out there, so
we start researching the myriad software applications and test one out that
looks really promising, but then we find that it somehow has disappeared off
the server, and… you get the picture. Things are never as easy or smooth as we
think they’ll be in the front end.
Then
I ask myself, where did I learn that all things should always be easy and
smooth? Whoops… another one of those silly myths that we all buy into at one
time or another. When I gave this section a title, the old TV series “Get
Smart” came to mind. As a kid, I didn’t realize the significance of the plot:
that the good guys “Control” were in constant conflict with the bad guys
“Kaos.” Control, in the end, always outmaneuvered Kaos, not because they were
smarter or had the better plan, but because of some odd mistake, error, or
fluke that worked in Control’s favor. Those writers had great, albeit corny,
senses of humor! J
I
often have to remind myself that life is naturally chaotic and isn’t prone to
order… and that chaos isn’t bad! The chaos and uncertainty are there to keep me
on my toes so that I don’t get complacent or presumptuous or end up
sleepwalking through life. Life is too short to put off living fully and being
truly alive at each and every moment. I’m committed to learning, growing, and
figuring out a way to derive benefit from the unknown instead of fighting
against it. How about you? How do you react when things aren’t easy? What do
you want to do differently today?
Carol
Vecchio
co-Founder
and Executive Director
Love, warm fuzzies and power
Happy
Valentine’s Day everyone! We have been
so grateful for all the love you’ve been sending Centerpoint’s way. I’ve received
several emails regarding facilitators and/or classes that people couldn’t stop
raving about and after our last e-news note the offers to help came flooding in.
It is so great to have such a warm, friendly and giving community to interact
with. You all are so special, keep it
up!
Let this day
be a reminder for us all to spread kind, loving words and actions to those
around us. Whether it be a stranger, a
friend, partner or family member don’t forget how much power we have to help
people feel good. So get out there and
make people feel good!
Peace,
Megan Murphy
Front Office
Manager
New Office Hours!
In
order to provide the Centerpoint community with more opportunities to visit us
and to use our facility we will be trying out a change in our office hours
beginning March 5th. The new hours will be Mon-Thurs 12:30-7:30pm,
Fri 12:30-5pm and Saturdays: March 17th, April 14th
9-1pm. These new office hours will not affect Wednesday orientations or
Thursday job search clinics beginning at 12pm, they will remain as previously
scheduled.
The
evening and Saturday hours can be used for individual career counseling
appointments, for a venue to get together with your current or former workshop
group, or simply for a relaxing place to get focused and centered after a long
day or week of work. Please let us know what you think. We look forward to
seeing more of you beginning in March!
Technology
First
of all, we wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to the number of people who contacted
us after our last e-newsnote regarding our cry for help. We have been doing so
many things here to “get with the times”, it’s absolutely amazing!
What’s
happening:
-
We
have two new, much faster, computers in the library. No more napping between
internet search and load! J
-
A
new website is in the works which should be able to help us with our newsletter
and registering online.
-
We’re
also getting wireless (a little later than we previously expected but still
soon none the less).
How
great is all of that! With the new office hours and updates on our technology
we sincerely hope that you’ll stop by to check out all of the cool changes
going on at Centerpoint.
Don’t Miss These!
KPLU Advanced Degree Fair
Click here to check out the podcast from Carol Vecchio’s
workshop "How Does an Advanced Degree Fit into Your Future" at the
advanced degree fair in January!
Career Forum on March 29th
Thanks to help
from the fabulous volunteer working on this forum we have a full panel! There
will be 5 people speaking about their different backgrounds and various
experience in the writing field. If you are still interested in helping the
night of the event, Thursday March 29th from 6:30-8:30pm, or with a
few minor details we would love to have you. Contact Megan at 206.686.LIFE
(5433).
If you’re interested in registering for this amazing event, please call or email. Tuition: Free to Centerpoint members,
$22 for the public.
Birthday Bash/Alumni Reunion on
March 24th
Since Centerpoint will be 15 years old on April 1st we’ve decided
that, not only will this event be a chance for all of the alumni and new
members of Centerpoint to network, but also an opportunity to celebrate its
success and birth. So get ready to party and call 206.686.LIFE (5433) or email us today to pre-register!
We
are still in need of help for this event; right now there are 3 people on the
committee. Again, the date of the reunion/birthday party is Saturday March 24th
from 6:30pm-9:30pm. We’ll have food, drinks and live entertainment. If you want
to get in on the fun, let us know!
Learn
the tools to take your vision out into the world and explore how to make your
work/life vision come alive. Join
- I gained support in testing out new
career/job ideas.
- I found support to take concrete action
steps that have been difficult since taking the Passion Search workshop,
even though there has been energy to take that action.
- It helped me create new opportunities
and paths when a host of others had already been explored.
- It allowed me to stay open to new
ideas, unconventional paths, and new perspectives.
- I built self-confidence by creating and
recognizing smaller "stretch steps" and increased a feeling of
commitment to my true self.
- I created value driven guidelines for
my career/life decisions while in transition.
- It increased my ability to recognize
"what I need right now" in order to sustain my movement and
growth.
- I tapped into the creative group energy
that makes the exploration process more interesting, fun, and less
intimidating.
- I developed empowering relationships
with other participants that provided accountability, encouragement, and
recognition.
- I shared fears, successes, resources,
and laughter with others of diverse backgrounds, histories, and stages of
exploration.
Call
206.686.LIFE (5433) or email
Megan to register today! This is a 7-week, 21-hour workshop series. Tuition: $498
non-members, $415 associate members.
Professional Sabbatical: You Can Take One!
Do
you dream about taking time off? It doesn’t have to be just a dream! Join
Passion Search
Uncover what
gives your life meaning and purpose.
Create a clear, compelling vision for your next chapter. Upcoming
classes: Beginning Thursday February 22nd with Catherine Follett
from 6:30-9pm or join
LifeWork Renewal
If you or
someone you know is in need of gaining a fresh new perspective on the changes
you have been experiencing in your life and work then this just might be the
right fit! Upcoming classes: The
condensed session will be on Wednesday February 21st from
6:15-9:15pm with
There
are no more excuses and no need to put this off any longer! On March 2nd-4th
join us for an accelerated and intensive weekend format to jump-start your life
and career planning. It helps you to reconnect with what’s essential for you
and to define specific steps for fine-tuning your focus and your choices. If you’d
like, you can call to set up a 20-minute, no-cost consultation to evaluate how
the mini-retreat might meet your specific needs. 206.686.5433
If you are interested in
a class but have scheduling conflicts, Centerpoint keeps track of requests for
date and time changes or additions.
Individual sessions are also available. Please contact us
for more information.
Concerns about affording
the classes you want? Click here or contact us to find out how you can fit our services into
your budget!
As
a non-profit organization, Centerpoint strives to serve the community in every
way possible. We need your help to do that. Following is a list of items that
Centerpoint will need to help us move forward technologically and in our services.
We would love it if you could donate an actual item, but of course we’d also
accept a cash donation to cover the costs! Besides the tax deduction, you or
your organization will be publicly recognized by Centerpoint Institute for your
contribution.
Digital
Audio Recorder (2) (~$60 each)
Digital
Camcorder with Internal Hard Disk Drive (1)
Adobe
Creative
Upgrade
to FileMaker Pro 8.5 (1)
FileMaker Pro 8.5 (3 @ $299)
Centerpoint Institute for Life and
Career Renewal
4000 NE 41st Street
Building D, Suite 2
Seattle, Washington 98105-5428
tel/fax: 206.686.LIFE (5433)
www.centerpointonline.org
...inspiring
people to discover creativity, passion, and renewed commitment in life and at
work
Office Hours: Monday –
Thursday 10am to 6pm, Friday 10am to 3pm
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Copyright ©2007 Centerpoint Institute. All Rights Reserved.