The Art of Giving

The frenzy of activity that marks the month of December is unmatched.  End of year parties and activities, gift buying, and holiday shopping can rapidly merge into an experience which is taxing and depleting emotionally, physically and financially.

In our desire to give materially, we are unaware of the toll that we unconsciously exact on our spirits and our bodies.  The truth is that wholesome giving cannot be primarily defined as a material activity although it may manifiest in a physical material form such as money or gifts.  In its highest context, giving is a spiritual activity which can manifest in any number of forms for the intended recepient.

To explore this concept further, let's take a more intimate look at different levels of giving.  The most basic form of giving is simply giving something material.  Although this is valuable, if thought and intention particularly loving intention is not added to the material, such giving can be incidental and lack warmth or in some situations be detrimental or dsyfunctional.

Some examples of purely materialistic giving include parents who don't want to invest time in relationship with their children and opt to give them things instead.  Another example is giving aid to corrupt and broken systems, organizations or governments without oversight or concern that the intended recipients are afforded the opportunities promised.  In both of these situations, the outcome is depleting. 

Incidentally, the results of this type of materialistic giving may deplete at a number of different levels.  The least obvious but most devastating being the depletion of the soul and spirit.  Recipients of this type of giving are not uplifted by the spirit of intentional generosity, but rather are objectified.  The results of giving at this level are limited in the power to effect lasting change.  For a child this  lack of intention and attention can be profoundly harmful emotionally and psychologically, for giving of this nature slams a huge wrecking ball into the basis of self-esteem, one of the major pillars of what it means to accepted as fully human and appreciated for who you are.  Donors of this type of gift are usually unaware of this type of impact or may simply be lazy or so deflated by guilt t and exhaustion themselves that they are incapable of giving in any other way.  For both the donor and the recipient, wholeness is needed.

A higher level of giving is demonstrated by being intentional and paradoxially grateful.  Gratitude is a characteristic which we often associate soley with the recipient of a gift and not with the donor.  But, I would suggest that intentional giving starts not simply with being thankful, but being humbly grateful.  Focusing on the privilege of being able to give changes the platform.  To give is to be truly blessed.  To truly give to anothers need or bliss requires that I focus my attention and intention on being grateful for the opportunity to bless another, to essentially empower another.  It also requires a humble gratitude for the gift of their presence in my life.  Thereby changing the equation for the "potential giver" from an elevated position to a recipient of grace.

Giving of this quality transforms the nature of what is given.  All material forms have a predecessor in the unseen realm.  The Celebration of the Birth of Jesus at this time of year was a gift that was prophesised centuries before he arrived as a minute embryonic cell in Mary's womb and eventually manifested as a baby born to rule, but lying in the extremely modest environment of the manger.  The intention of this gift was clearly the love of God for humankind.  The transformation afforded through the gift of Jesus Christ literally redeems life and provides reconnection to God through acceptance of His gift of life.  Now that is radical, the Giver of life being so full of humility and love that He would humble himself to take on a physical body with all its weakness to ensure that through His death, we could live.  This is the spiritual nature and meaning of Christmas.

How can understanding this transform our giving?  Firstly, the focus is not on what you give.  The "what" objectifies giving.  Some of life's most profound gifts come through the giving of in service to another, sympathy, friendship, love, and a listening ear. I am reminded of the fact that at this time American soldiers throughout the world, but particularly in the Middle East are giving the most precious gift of all, their lives in service to our country.  This is truly a gift for which all Americans should be deeply grateful and support with their prayers for safety and protection for these brave individuals.

Giving of ones self is the highest form of giving particularly when it is done to enable the highest good of another.  The grace of this type of giving transforms a simple cup of cold water to the least amongst us to a gift which resounds in the heavens and impacts life far beyond the limited dimension of what we can readily see, measure or understand.  It is this type of giving which Mother Teresa employed through her work in the slums of Calcutta, India where the most forgotten, destitute and dying in society were blessed with dignity and comfort. 

This year, I encourage you to transform your giving by exploring the art of intentional loving awareness and gratitude as you buy and give presents.  But in addition, be mindful of the wealth of opportunities for giving which explode the boundaries of the material and provide truly rich opportunities to litterally create goodwill and peace here on earth.

©2006 Audu Real Estate All rights reserved

There are New Giants in the Land...

Zillow.com & Homegain.com Announce Plans for New Nationwide MLS System.

Yes, it is happening.  A very profound event took place on 12-07-06 with the announcement that two very big players are forming a new MLS system.  

This announcement was picked up from Inman News service,

Inman News

"Founded by former Microsoft executives and the co-founders of Expedia, online real estate firm Zillow is destined to shake-up the real estate world with its announcement today.

 Zillow.com will now allow homeowners and real estate agents to post homes for sale for free. Additionally, in redefining what it means for a house to be "for sale," Zillow is enabling any homeowner to post a "Make Me Move" price."

 There are several interesting and important elements of this event.  Over the past decade the real estate industry has led the nation in e-commerce in the sense that as MLS systems went on-line there was a radical and rapid redefinition of what it meant to look for a home.  The "guardians of the gate" mentality which was the vanguard of the old way of doing business in which Realtors were the sole recepients and source for home listings was replaced by a more egalitarian approach to sharing information through Broker Reciprocity agreements with members of the public and other entities. 

Although the transfer of information to on-line systems has not been without its set-backs, by and large it has enabled a much more efficient method of communication and marketing and has in my opionion contributed significantly to the increase in the number of transactions completed successfully.  This increase can be documented in the growth of the industry locally, nationally and internationally.  With this type of spectacular success, it is not surprising that this would attractive attention from some "unconventional sources". 

As a real estate agent, I am somewhat disappointed that as an industry we did not fully recognize and understand the enormity of the change and challenge the Internet would have on our industry and have therefore been slow to capitalize on its' unique opportunities.  Data from NAR (National Association of Realtors) indicated that almost 90% of potential buyers consult the internet during their search for a new home, yet even on my Multiple Listing System, I still see a significant number of homes without any sort of visuals- media or slide-shows and some agents don't even have e-mail addresses.  That is like being in business and not having a phone.

At a recent Broker conference I attended, the presenter indicated that the changes which were coming into the industry would radically re-make and re-engineer what we have traditionally understood to be the standard way of doing business.  When he asked if the Brokers present had heard of Zillow, most of us had not!  He was speaking the the "experts" in our business and we did not even know what the public had readily discovered...options!

I think the traditional real estate industry will have to re-imagine what it means to sell real estate in order to thrive and perhaps even survive. This is not necessarily a bad thing.  It is true that there may be wisdom in not tinkering with something if it isn't broke, but if is foolishness to ignore the fact that something obviously broke a long time ago and needs to be transformed.

That is the key, changing the focus from reformation, our current approach, to transformation.  Reformation speaks to a change which is initiated by external forces, transformation is a reflection of a radical process that starts in the interior and shapes and molds the environment it engages with.  Transformation is powerful because it is proactive, not reactive.

The truth is that Realtors have the greatest knowledge base and experience base in successfully selling homes.  The Code of Ethics, the standard of conduct which governs Realtor transactions places a high mark of excellence and integrity on the real estate process which has been a tremendous benefit to members of the public.  There are very few professional organizations which mandate that their members ascribe to a Code of Ethics to conduct business.

In addition, the key to success in the industry has and continues to be exceptional service.  I have to remind myself sometimes that I am not a Doctor when clients call at all hours asking for advice, encouragement or important details.  Most Realtors truly enjoy helping others and this is further evidenced by the extraordinary recepients of the the "Good Neightbor Awards" handed out locally and nationally on a yearly basis for Realtors who are serving their local communities in excpeptional, self-sacrificing ways.

But, the industry has not understood the nature of change and has largely ignored the possibility of other business models being viable for real estate.  This, I think if a mistake which is serious though not necessarily terminal.  If we choose to fight it by obstructing the progress of others it will be like throwing good money into a failed cause.  The world has changed, our industry has changed, Realtors must change!  If we embrace change as an opportunity for innovation and creativity we can capitalize on the natural advantage we have of skill, experience, knowledge, information and client interaction to achieve extraordinary success.

I think we must start by acknowledging the true state of affairs.  The industry is bogged down by many who profess to be Realtors but are not really practising.  Can you imagine the accounting industry, engineers or physicians having large numbers of their active membership who are not  engaged in the practice of their profession on a consistent basis?  The sort of rapid and innovative thinking which will be required by Realtors necessitates full engagement, not part-time or less status.

It is sad to think that most individuals who practise real estate are completely unware and uninterested in the important ways in which their livlihoods are already being affected.  The discussion when I go to real estate gatherings usually focuses on the local market or lack of it. I find it rare to hear discussions on how to facilitate Internet based transactions, yet this is the single biggest thing affecting the industry. It may seem expedient to put our heads in the sand like the ostrich and hope things blow over, but....I don't think they will. Change is the New Constant.  It is here to stay!

You can click on the link below to read an article on the announcement and reactions from the real estate community

http://www.realblogging.com/default.asp?item=222637

Lola Audu, CRS  Associate Broker  Audu Real Estate

Lola welcomes your thougts and comments on this article.

© 2006 Audu Real Estate All rights reserved

Are You On Track for Success?

The "On Track for Success"  Real Estate Agent Training Program was developed to launch new agents into a successful real estate career and to facilitate on-going professional and personal development in established agents. Lola Audu, CRS the program developer and facilitator recognized that a lack of training and guidance was a primary reason for new agent failures within the first 2 years.  Lola was instrumental in working with mentor trainees for eight years and during her time at Five Star successfully trained many new agents in the necessary skills to be competent agents. 

Through the years, the "On Track for Success Training Program" has been refined and enhanced.  Agents are trained in the 6 Pillars of Real Estate which include:  Prospecting, Lead- Generation & follow-up, Listings, Working with Buyers, Negotiations and Business Management.  In addition agents are given the opportunity to "shadow" an experienced agent and be mentored for a period of 1-2 years.  This hands-on, real life experience is invaluable in the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of situations and learn to facilitate creative and appropriate solutions.

The program is anchored by weekly meetings which cover a variety of topics in detail.  The meetings allow agents to practise in a non-threatening environment and to ask relevant questions.  The meetings also include inspirational coaching designed to facilitate personal and spiritual growth.  At Audu Real Estate, we recognize that powerful agents are healthy  and prosperous professionally and personally. 

The "On Track for Success" real estate training program is one of the most Cost Effective Programs available to Agents who are starting out in the real estate industry.  The program is designed to produce a fully functioning agent as quickly as possible.  To learn more about the Program and Benefits, please contact us at :  info@auduhomes.com or call 616-791-0511.

©2006 Lola Audu All rights reserved

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  Poet Patricia Jabbeh Wesley

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Patricia Jabbeh Wesley is a prolific and powerful poet from Liberia, West Africa.  Before the Palm Could Bloom: Poems About West Africa is a collection of poems about her country and how her life was changed and affected by the Liberian Civil War.  The poems engage you with their simplicity and poignancy about how the normal mundane elements of life can be transformed symbolically when life and circumstances change dramatically.  They resound with hope, expectation and courage in the midst of danger and despair.  The lyrical quality of Ms. Wesley's work is punctuated by African prose, idioms and sayings which add richness and flavor to her writings.  For those who have traveled or lived in West Africa, these touches will make you smile and remember.... 

I highly recommend Patricia Jabbeh Wesleys books and encourage you to branch out of your comfort zone even if you are not a poet enthusiast.  Her writing will make you think, reflect, laugh and perhaps cry.  You can also purchase her books at good bookstores and on-line at www.amazon.com.