Yin and Yang (Part 3)



I read a fantastic paper recently by Duleesha Kulasooriya and Maggie Wooll called “Unlocking human potential…Proactive practices for individual elasticity.”

They suggest that for optimal learning we engage in roots and shoots activities and like yin and yang, you can’t have one without the other.

Roots activities involve taking time for ourselves and stepping back from the busy-ness of life. Examples of roots activities include reflecting and doing yoga. In a podcast (which you can find within the paper) the authors suggest that when we engage in roots activities, we allow ourselves the time to figure out the meaning (and inter-connectedness) of things. 


Shoots activities involve doing things that promote learning and growth like taking a course or going out of your comfort zone and taking an improv class or attending a meet-up.


I was encouraged by the paper to try out more roots activities like thinking about your core values.

Thinking about your core values is a lot to think about!

I concentrate on one of my core values which is being kind to others. 

I think being kind to others (like yin and yang) also involves being kind to yourself. 

How can you show up being kind to others?

1.       Being present. Focus your attention on the person you are talking to. Listen. Respond. Maintain eye contact. Words matter. Think about what you say before saying it. Show an interest in others. Be curious.  Spend time with people who matter to you. 

2.       Wow someone. Do something nice for someone that they don’t expect. 

3.       Servant’s mentality. Do something that others might not want to do like mopping the floor. Be of service to others. Offer to help someone.

4.       Common courtesy. Saying “please” and “thank you.” “Blessing” someone when they sneeze! Offer to hold the door open for someone. 

5.       Share. Share what you know with others. Don’t let others flounder if you can help them with information. Collaborate.

6.       Be happy for others when they share their good news with you.

How can you be kind to yourself?

1.       Letting go. Avoid self-recrimination like “I should have done this” or “I should have done that.”

2.       Recharge your batteries. Take time for yourself by getting enough rest or doing things that help to recharge your batteries like going for a walk, enjoying nature, engaging in a hobby, etc.

3.       Don’t wait for another day to do the things that you want to do.  I wanted to take an improv class in 2017. I didn’t want to put it off to sometime in the future. The time was now. I looked around and enrolled in a course with the Bad Dog Theatre Company. I finished an 8-week course in March 2017.

4.       Self-development. Learn something new. Take a course or network with people who you don’t normally hang with. It’s important to network with people who have different perspectives,   because it broadens your horizons. Maybe they have an interest that piques your curiosity. What is their interest becomes your interest.       

5.       Take time to reflect. Slow down your mental processes so that you’re not on overdrive all the time. Take time to think and to think about what’s right for you. 

6.       Don’t take things personally. I know this is easier said than done. Rather than catastrophizing, ask to clarify what another person’s intentions were. Try to put yourself in another person’s shoes (empathize).

7.       Give yourself a break. If you feel down sometimes, allow yourself to feel down and remember that tomorrow is another day. You’ll feel better tomorrow.

8.       Vulnerability. Share something with someone even if you feel vulnerable doing so. Showing vulnerability deepens your connection with others. It shows your humanity. 

9.       Help. Ask others for help and don’t shoulder a burden all on your own.

Why reflect on your core values?

It’s helpful to know who you are and what your internal compass is.  For example, if you are a job seeker and know your core values, you can determine if your core values align with the core values that an employer may list on their web site.  

Knowing your core values may help you to figure out your purpose in life.    

Does knowing your core values resonate with you?
Also Published on LinkedIn on April 9, 2017
Image Credit: Pixabay 


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