Right Brain Journeys

13/08/2023

Enjoying rest and pleasure on my Summer Savoring retreat in Italy. I hope to inspire you to slow down and take in positive emotions and experiences, too.

In this photo I am savoring two gelato flavors that are new to me — Pulcinella and Fior Di Latte with basil and mint. Pulcinella is ricotta, orange peel, chocolate chips and pistachios.

The third flavor you see is Pesca (peach). It’s also delicious, but I’ve had it many times in the past.

The flavors are pure, fresh, bright and intense — they immediately focus my attention on the sensation of taste. And I Savor the pleasure of each little spoonful.

Check out my full Summer Savoring Series of about a dozen posts of photos and videos on LinkedIn (profile = Gino Perrotte). I share most of my content these days on LinkedIn.

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One of my key strategies for self-care is SAVORING. This allows me to consciously slow down to rest, relax, and revitalize.

As an educator and coach, it’s one way that I keep my cup full so that I can continue to GIVE to my students and clients through deep and active listening, insights, information, encouragement, and inspiration.

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“Savoring" is "an emotion regulation strategy that focuses on the positive and can result in an emotion uplift." It is "a way to slow down and take in positive emotions and experiences."

"When we savor, we aren't only feeling pleasure but also acknowledging that pleasure and extending our enjoyment of that moment. According to psychologist Fred Bryant, savoring can become 'an acquired skill' with time and practice."

Quotes and information about Savoring from:
Eva, A.L. (2022). "Surviving Teacher Burnout A Weekly Guide to Build Resilience, Deal with Emotional Exhaustion & Stay Inspired in the Classroom." pp. 15-16.

14/05/2023

Perfect weather

08/05/2023

Karl Lagerfeld exhibit at The MET. Fabulous!

3 of 3 posts.

08/05/2023

Karl Lagerfeld exhibit at The MET. Fabulous!

2 of 3 posts.

04/05/2023

Rainy week here in NYC. While I don’t enjoy the rain, I do love the flowers.

And so, I’m learning to appreciate the process that creates the results that I love. To embrace the rain as much as I do the flowers.

How have you learned to embrace the process?

24/04/2023

We GET what we THINK.

Is the way that you are currently thinking helping you to move in the direction you desire? Or are your thoughts a roadblock standing between you and your goals?

Mindset matters. Mindset is a combination of our thoughts and our emotions which influence each other. Change our thinking, change the way we feel. Transform the way we feel, transform our thinking.

If you’re ready to shift your mindset to new, productive thoughts, send me a message. Let’s chat about how I can support you on your journey.
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Photo: a tray from the gift shop at the historic Hotel del Coronado, San Diego that I bought as a spring break 2023 souvenir.

26/03/2023

These pretty much capture what springtime in the park feels like.

One of my favorite parts of living in NYC is getting to experience the diverse beauty of four seasons in Central Park.

20/03/2023

Loving this new book. I’ve known for over a decade now that I am a sensitive person — someone who is more responsive to my surroundings and experiences than average.

I’ve learned ways to tap into the power that comes from being sensitive (and to no longer apologize for it) and also how to create spaces for rest and revitalization, so that I can avoid overstimulation.

Could you also be a sensitive person? See the photos of the (partial) checklist from page 19 (full checklist in the book) and chart that they offer from page 21 of the book. I relate to these phrases so much.

Highly recommend this book. Here’s how the publishers page describes it:

“Everyone has a sensitive side, but nearly 1 in 3 people have the genes to be more sensitive than others—both physically and emotionally. These are the people who pause before speaking and think before acting; they tune into subtle details and make connections that others miss.

They tend to be intelligent, big-hearted, and wonderfully creative; they are wired to go deep, yet society tells them to hide the very sensitivity that makes them this way. These are the world’s ‘highly sensitive people,’ and Sensitive is the book that champions them.”

“…Sensitive teaches us how to unlock the potential in this undervalued strength and leverage it across the most important areas of our lives: in friendships and relationships, the workplace, leadership, and parenting.”

“Weaving together actionable advice, relatable anecdotes, and the latest scientific research, Sensitive shows readers how leaning in to their sensitivity unlocks a powerful ‘boost effect’ to launch them ahead in life. It hands them the tools and insights they need to thrive as a sensitive person in a loud, fast, too-much world.”

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/677714/sensitive-by-jenn-granneman-and-andre-solo/

05/03/2023

Daffodils 🌼 for days. Ready or not, spring wants to be here.

11/02/2023

These caught my eye.

1. At The MET
2. At the Brooklyn Museum

10/02/2023

03/02/2023

"I hope to own a successful business one day."

During this first full week of the academic semester, I have my business communication students create and present a short autobiography. One of the assignment prompts asks them to tell us about their short- and long-term career aspirations.

Some students talk about making "a lot" of money or earning a "high" salary. And several say that they want to be "successful" or "happy.." One specific student says that they hope to own a successful business one day.

And so, I'm asking you now as I asked them in my feedback on their autobiographies --

How do you define:
-Success?
-Happiness?
How will you know when you are successful or happy? Is it a feeling? Is it a destination? What has influenced your definition? What emotions do you attach to your definition of success?

How do you quantify:
-A "lot" of money?
-A "high" salary?
Is it only money? Are you envisioning other benefits, too? Do you think that your concept of "a lot" or "high" might change over time? If so, why? What emotions do you attach to your definition of money?

This is the work of what I call Conscious Communication. It's digging deeply into our abstract ideas and unconscious beliefs. It's taking ownership of how we define and experience our lives. It's having intimate conversations with ourselves so that we can really understand our deepest desires and the meaning and purpose they have and bring to our lives.

Conscious Communication is important because it's how we begin to connect our head with our heart. And when our thinking (head) and our feeling (heart) are aligned, we are powerful actors who bring our deepest desires to life.

I'd love to know your definitions to the above questions. Let me know in the comments below.

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31/01/2023

Why is a worker experiencing burnout? "The answer to why lies in the relationship between the worker and the workplace, and whether that relationship constitutes a good match or a bad fit."*

"Mismatches in workload and control compromise people's capability to complete job tasks effectively. Mismatches in reward and community produce a socially toxic environment in which it is difficult to work well with other people. Mismatches in fairness and values strip the workplace of its moral character, which undermines people's goals to do the right things in their jobs."*

Are you experiencing any of these mismatches?

*Maslach, C. and Leiter, M.P. (2022).The Burnout Challenge Managing People's Relationships with Their Jobs, Harvard University Press, p. 173.

28/01/2023

The drama of dusk.

27/01/2023

It’s always nice to enjoy a retreat away from the city. And it’s also always great to come back home to NYC.

Recently back after a five week winter retreat, I split my time between Central Florida, Paris, and Central Italy.

During this retreat, I got to visit with family and friends, see incredible art and architecture, taste new foods and wine, and lend my expertise in higher ed to the outstanding Media and Communications program at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.

07/01/2023

Are you in working, striving, trying, and pleading? These are the energy of push and force.

So, in other words, are you in push and force or are you in PULL and FLOW?

Let me know in the comments what you believe the difference is between force and flow and how this has mattered in your life.

This quote from which I first posted to Facebook in 2013 is still one of my favorite of all time.

06/01/2023

City of Lights 💡

31/12/2022

Closing the year with these two good reads. Grateful to have leisure time now to enjoy reading for pleasure… I’ve made the space for it.

I’ll be sharing insights from these books (and others) throughout the coming year.

Cheers to a fabulous 2023. 🌟 🎉 May our lives be filled with love, growth, inspiration, rest, and revitalization.

Reflection questions for the New Year:
-What are you grateful for?
-What good things are you making space for in your life?
-Are you satisfied with the balance of rest and growth in your life?
-What or Who are you inspired by?
-What do you desire your 2023 to look like? To feel like?
-What true and positive words do you speak about yourself out loud daily?

If you’d like to share with us in the comments below, I’d love to hear your response to any of these questions.

With love,
Gino ❤️

20/12/2022

In case you needed to hear this today. We often don’t see the value we offer through the lens of other people’s eyes.

And we’re worth far more than we may realize.

recognize this?! 😉

16/12/2022

5th Avenue festivities 🥳🌲

09/12/2022

Not a bad view for the evening commute.

27/11/2022

Merry and bright 🌟🎄

27/11/2022

Magical 🌟🌟🎄

27/11/2022

"Maybe the most beautiful things in this life are felt and never seen” *

We are in the fullness of our power when we are tuned in to our feelings.
Have you cultivated the skill of being able to translate feelings into meaningful insights?

Emotions drive our behaviors whether logical or illogical. As we know from persuasion and influence studies, it’s a powerful piece of the Human Behavior Equation, Think + Feel = Do. Emotion is information. It’s a type of data that speaks to our histories, lived experiences, values and beliefs.

Here are reflection questions that we can use to gauge the consciousness of our feelings:
-Are we aware of how people feel when they are in our presence?
-Do we notice the emotional impact that the words we speak have on others and ourselves?
-Are we using both logic AND our emotions to make more fully informed decisions?
-Are we present for our lives? Or are we moving forward on autopilot?
-Are we tuning in to how we're feeling about our lives?

Interested in learning how to translate your feelings into meaningful insights which can power you to create positive change in your life? Send me a message to learn about coaching options.

*Lyrics from "The Most Beautiful Things"
Song by Tenille Townes

Thanks for introducing me to this beautiful song during class.

26/11/2022

Soaking in the sun ☀️ and drinking in the grapes 🍇

11/11/2022

I facilitated a masterclass workshop today at Baruch college with Caitlin to help graduate level students:
1. become aware of what success looks like for them
2. learn how to intentionally seek out successful opportunities, and
3. discover how to align with work that matters.

Love delivering this “Connecting Purpose to Profession: Strategic Success Planning Workshop” that we created and facilitate together! 😀

If you’re interested in bringing this workshop to your school or work, please, reach out to me.

08/11/2022

BE as you SEEM. Move beyond appearance to actual embodiment. This is authenticity.

We become what we CONSISTENTLY think, feel, and do. Authenticity is when we align our thinking, feeling, and doing with our values and beliefs.

Who we ARE (and who we can become) is created by our:
-Thoughts
-Emotions
-Actions

And these are anchored in our values and beliefs.

What are you consistently thinking, feeling, and doing? Are these aligned with who you want to BE?

04/10/2022

Check out October‘s issue of my Conscious Communication LinkedIn newsletter. You’ll find the link in the bio at the linktree.

And I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter on LinkedIn and connect with me (Gino Perrotte) there, too.

This month, we focus on SELF-PERCEPTION. Self-awareness is a valuable professional skill, especially for leadership.

In this newsletter, I'll:

1) introduce the Johari Window (a model that helps to improve our ability to more fully perceive ourselves) and

2) offer resources to help us gain greater consciousness about our open, hidden, blind, and unknown "areas" so that we'll be empowered to transform our self-perception as we evolve through life.