Where’s Waldo?

Do you remember those childhood games where you really had to use your mind in order to win? They were the games that you really didn’t like to play, but were the ones that your parents thought were good for you. Remember Memory, I Spy, and Where’s Waldo? As an adult and parent I now realize their importance, not only as games, but as a way of helping children look past what was presented and focus on what was meaningful to win. I pulled the following article off a very popular internet news site a little while ago. (Courtesy of Yahoo News)
“NBC is pulling the plug on “My Own Worst Enemy” and “Lipstick Jungle,” two of its more high-profile young series, according to two network executives who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the decision.”
You have heard that old saying many times, “It is not what a person says, but what they don’t say that is important.” What message did you take from the above paragraph? Go ahead and read it again. Where is Waldo in this example? What is the message that is really being conveyed? On the surface it could be that two shows are being cancelled. What is the deeper message that is sent? There are several messages that are not immediately obvious, but are interesting if we look below the surface.
• “Why are “two network executives” giving interviews when they are not authorized to speak publicly about the situation? What does that say for their level of personal integrity? What message does that send to the people they manage? What behaviors are they re-enforcing as “OK” by their actions and behaviors? How does that affect their business’s culture and workplace?
• What message is this reporter sending as he/she reports the leaked information from the network executives who are not supposed to be commenting? What are message are they sending to their readers about what is acceptable news? What ethics are they and the newspaper condoning in order to sell papers? How are they representing their industry to the public as providers of information?
• When you combine both the executives and the reporters together, what are they saying about what is considered healthy news for the general public? Is reportable news something that needs to show a lack of integrity from the source and the presenter? What is meaningful news for the readers? How does that shape the world as a whole by what they present as worthy news information? Does it empower or dis-empower the public during the current economic times?
My point is this, “Are you really aware of what is being presented to you every day through media, your relationships at work and your relationships at home?” Are the messages consistent with the level of ethics you aspire to? What standards in your life are you just accepting without a second thought? Be aware of what you are accepting to believe at truth.

If you are not happy, take a deeper look at what you are accepting as a standard for your life today. Do we have to be in a recession or could this be one of the greatest moments in life to invest in the market for your retirement long term? Did you know that more millionaires were born out of the depression than any other time in American history? “It was the best of times and the worst of times,” that is the first line from a very famous book. Stand guard at the doorway of your mind, for what you let in consciously and unconsciously, is what you will think and create for yourself. Be aware of it!
Change starts with you. Be aware of those situations where the underlying ethics are questionable – they won’t always be obvious! Focus on what represents integrity, goodness, and carries a positive meaning and impact for those it is presented to. The world needs it now more than ever before. Make sure that you tune into those channels of integrity for yourself and share with others. Broadcast happy moments of gratitude, love and joy. Find the opportunity in today’s world to be a source of inspiration to those around you. These times may test you, but the picture you consistently paint will end up being the masterpiece of your life. How will that help to change the world? Make the news you report on positive today!