I'm not sure when it happened, but somewhere around second or third solid day of sweeping, something began to shift inside me. I was doing sweeping same way but I think that I must have surrendered to job or something. I guess I stopped judging what I was doing and just did it. And in midst of simple and mindless act of sweeping, my mind came to rest...and began to reflect and review on my life to this point. It began to reflect on my place in world...my relationship to my parents, my sibling, my friends, my desires, my memories, my actions... thoughts and experiences all seemed to flow past in a continuous panorama of insights and healing. I actually began to experience a sense of peace, maybe even joy.

As coworkers walked by on their way to their next task, heads down, serious and unhappy looking, I found myself smiling big and yelling, "Good morning Jim! "How's it going Ralph? What are you up to today John?" I think people were a bit confused as to why I seemed so happy sweeping whole damn factory.

That job took an entire week to do. Five days, eight hours a day of nothing but sweeping. In reality, five days was probably quite fast considering scope of job. Big John was even a little surprised when I returned to him a week later with brooms in hand and smiling said, "All done!" To which he replied, "Already?"

I think that once I began to embrace job I noticed that I became very efficient and focused. And I could tell he was happy with how I handled this job. I think it was a bit of a test. What may have been a test for him actually turned into a "quest" for me. One that I would have never undertaken voluntarily. And one, results of which, I would never have been able to anticipate.

Why did I tell you this story and how does it relate to facilitation? I guess I just wanted you to know me a little better. And to maybe be reminded of some things you may have forgotten in your own lives. And as a facilitator, though I could venture a guess as to what you got out of this story, I wouldn't dare do so. Instead, I hold it up as a mirror for you to reflect upon yourselves. I look forward to your hearing about what you saw in this mirror.

Action This week, use story telling in some way with your groups or in your life as a gift to others. Also, I'd love to hear what this story brought up for you and any insights around story-telling and facilitation that you'd be willing to share. Please email your comments to us.

1060 words.

About Author Steve Davis, M.A., M.S., is an Facilitator's Coach, Infoprenuer, and free-lance human, helping facilitators, organizational leaders, educators, trainers, coaches and consultants present themselves confidently, access their creativity, empower their under-performing groups, enhance their facilitation skills, and build their business online and offline. Subscribe to his free weekly ezine at www.MasterFacilitatorJournal.com. Contact him at mailto:steve@facilitatoru.com.

Copyright 2003. FacilitatorU.com. All rights reserved.

As a result, they need a psychiatrist to help taper their turbulent emotions. Instead of learning from past, they unlearned anything.

I know an elderly man who becomes obsessed with past. He blamed his parents for his inability to finish school, blamed his friends for his low grades, his wife for his bad occupation, and his co-workers for his misfortunes. When I saw him, he was a bitter man and full of rage. He later became very depressed.

On further evaluation, I realized that this elderly man could have done something differently if he bothered to review his past. He could have corrected his unproductive patterns and ways early. Almost close to his death bed, it’s now too late.

How can you benefit from past?

Review your life every few weeks or months. Some people even benefit from a daily review.

Check for patterns, habits, attitudes, behavior, and mindset that are counterproductive. Correct those unproductive ways of living your life. Do you need to change your life’s perspective? Please do so and do it quick.

Learn from these reviews. These lessons can’t be acquired through expensive formal education.

Who needs a rear-view mirror? All of us! Only those who don’t want to have positive change will do otherwise. Remember, living a life is more important than driving.

Life is product of actions and reactions interwoven in our daily existence. Life therefore requires a meticulous review of past.