storytelling - Bee Now, soft skills training, coaching, mental health professional, Chengdu, china, foreigner, Advocate for mindfulness. Arya Salehi

05Jul 2017 by aryask@gmail.com

A good look in the mirror

“Knowing others is intelligence; Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; Mastering yourself is true power.” - Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher For many years I struggled with self-doubt and social anxiety because I held too many distractions. It's a classic self-shame story: I used to suck and now I suck less. Eventually, I realized that we live in a noisy world and many people talk, yet few communicate. What I grew to accept and love was the gift of conversation. It became clear that deep connections are not based on take or blame, they are full of joy and empathy. A friend once told me, "Time flies when the senses are full." Leading an inspired path means doing what makes you come alive. And it is the way…

02May 2017 by aryask@gmail.com

Lavender trust

gratitude, self-awareness, self-trust, storytelling

Lulu just lost her job and with it a messy break up. It’s like a sinking ship in her gut and exploding rocks in her chest. She faces a new chapter in her life. She feels terrible uncertainty and self-doubt. She decides to go on an adventure and winds up in a forest. It’s dark and she finds a hut by the river. She steps in and an own is sitting there with books and a lit candle scented like Lavender Trust. The owl welcomes her in as though expecting her. Lulu tells him of her lousy state and the owl says, “Get super clear about yourself and how you want to grow. It’s not that you have to overcome uncertainty, but to examine the negative beliefs you’ve attach to it. Trust your…

03Nov 2016 by aryask@gmail.com

You got $10 on your pump

gratitude, leadership, storytelling

I'm driving and realize I'm super low on gas. I pull up to the nearest gas station and see that my wallet is at my house and no cash in my car. After clawing at my self worth and incompetence, I remembered that my card info is in my laptop. So I bring it over to the clerk and tell him the story. The dude listened and says he can't enter it manually. He then says, "go ahead, you got $10 at your pump." At the edge of disbelief and in deep appreciation, we chatted a bit and I learned his story and his work schedule. I figure returning later with $20 is the least I can do.

18Oct 2016 by aryask@gmail.com

You got a a lotta room brah

gratitude, mindfulness, self-awareness, storytelling

Reading a book in my car and a guy is trying to parallel park behind me. dude's got alot of room to work with, like 5 cars length, but after an initial bad lean he struggles to slide in as though its a tight space, so he bumps my car three times in the process. not sure if he knows im in the car, i get get out to examine the challenged fellow. i tell him "you hit me 3 times, you got a lot of room to work with bra," gesturing to the space he has. he gets out, apologizes and asks if there's any damage. i said, "na no worries, but you got a lotta room brah."

03Oct 2016 by aryask@gmail.com

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play, storytelling

I met Gary Ware at a storytelling event last month where he gave an engaging talk on play, improv, and storytelling. Gary is an all-around creative: by day he is the Chief Strategy Officer of Tower33 Digital and he is a comedian by night. I sat down with him last week and after an unfortunate vanishing act by technology, our 30min podcast gem of a recording went amiss. Below is some of what I would briefly pen to words. Play is a natural state of being. It’s the feeling of aliveness when immersed in an activity. And you don’t need a goal to be engaged in it. The feeling, the process, is the endgame itself. The journey is the treasure. As children we instinctively crawl with toys in our boundless field…