Roger K. Allen's Blog, page 24

Go For It!

All of us have experienced stress, fear and anxiety. These feelings are unpleasant and so we set our lives up to avoid or minimize them as much as possible. We do this by creating routines and conforming to other’s expectations so we can feel safe and minimize problems, stress and worry.

This is good to a point. We need stability and predictability in our lives. We need to feel a certain degree of comfort and safety. But sometimes we fall into such a routine that we miss out on much of what...

Gross National Happiness

Gross national what?

We’re always talking about gross national product as a measure of a country’s wealth and even well-being. Countries around the world vary significantly in terms of their GNP as well as per capita income or GNP number of citizens. The percapita income of India, which my wife and I now call home, is $1262 per year. Compare this with a percapita income of $46,405 in the United States or $6844 in Russia and $5970 in Brazil. How it varies around the world.

Well, in 1971, the...

The Poor–What is My Responsibilty?

Most Indians are inventive, self-sufficient, and resourceful. I’ve been amazed by the creative ways so many find to make a living and provide for their families. And yet, not surprisingly, we’ve encountered some who beg for money or food.

Most sad is watching little children in the streets who come up to cars and ask for handouts. Although some may be orphans, most likely their parents have sent them on this daily errand either because they have not chosen or been able to find their own empl...

Handling My Negative Feelings

We are rational and emotional beings. We often assume that our ability to reason is our highest attribute. Perhaps. But I’d suggest that we’re more than thinking machines. We feel, and from our feelings emerges the depth and richness of our lives.

As you know, I’m a student of happiness and believer in the field of positive psychology and science of happiness. We know a lot about what makes people happy and most of us can increase our happiness by understanding and applying these strategies....

On Saying Our “Goodbyes”

We are continually coming and going and so “Hellos” and “Goodbyes” are a natural part of our lives. Even though small, these are actually quite meaningful moments as we greet and depart from each other.

I’ve had my share of “goodbyes” lately as Judy and I prepare to leave family and friends for India. Of course, we’ll be back and so many of our goodbyes are not forever. But we never know what may happen to our loved ones or how things might change over several months, including where we migh...

Simplifying Your Life by Getting Rid of Stuff

As you may be aware from my last blog post, my wife and I have shed most of our possessions, sold our home of the past twenty three years, turned off our phones, and scaled back our professional, community, and church commitments as we get ready to move to India.

For the moment, our lives are simpler. Of course, this will soon change as we begin a new life in India and take on new responsibilities. But in the meantime, the process we’ve been through has made me think about the value of a sim...

India–A New Chapter in our Lives

I’ve mentioned in recent blog posts that my wife and I are going through some big life transitions. We have now sold our cars, most of our furniture, and are in the process of selling our house. Everything we own is now in a 200 square foot storage unit or four suitcases.

The reason for our move is that we have been called to serve as missionaries for our church in New Delhi India for the next 18 months. We leave for training on October 5th and travel to the country on October 12th and are s...

What Kind of Leader Are You?

Many people have weighed in with different definitions of leadership. Mine is pretty simple—influencing others to accomplish meaningful results. Leadership is not only about what we do on our own but how we influence others to raise their standards and performance to accomplish results. The best leaders inspire, empower, and unleash internal motivation and commitment so people willingly expend effort towards the accomplishment of a meaningful goal.

Considering this definition, I want to intr...

The Goal of Parenting

Isn’t technology wonderful? When I was a boy if I wanted to change the channel on the TV, I had to get up and go the TV. Now, all we do is point a remote in the general direction of the TV, press a button and change the channel. It is easy.

Then I began thinking how nice it would be if someone would invent a remote for our children. After all, with our life experience and wisdom, we know what is best for them if we could just get them to listen and follow our good council. How nice to have a...

How to Stay Up Beat at Work

Last week my blog was an interview with a friend who was complaining about becoming a grumpy old man due to the increasing demands and expectations put on him by his employer. This is a pretty common phenomenon for a lot of people these days as companies cut costs and run lean, expecting their existing employees take on more responsibility. So, what do you do if you’re in such a situation? How do you stay motivated, upbeat, and positive and avoid becoming a “grumpy old man/woman” as my frien...