Serenidad Consulting® & The Peace Ranch® Peace Bites™ Podcast

Thank you to everyone for their patience since our last Peace Bite.

Nola Hennessy is delighted to finally share the lovely story of her ‘alliance’ made with a younger Korean couple who shared a flight from Houston to Los Angeles late in March. She also highlights the importance of ANZAC Day (April 25th) for Australia and NZ.

As Nola explains “…we have to build that concept of alliances so that people understand the importance of working together rather than against one another.”

“Alliances are the only thing that’s going to be the glue for us to achieve a level of global peace. We have to identify and nurture alliances, whether they’re the same language speaking entities or not; it doesn’t matter. We’ve got to identify those alliances and grow those alliances over time. We’ve got to work together for outcomes. We’ve got to work together unselfishly, and selflessly, for outcomes. Otherwise we’re going to (continue to) have the push-pulls we’ve got at the moment, and huge power and control struggles that are going on.”

Nola Hennessy describes a recent circumstance with a client whose workplace was founded in narcissism, bullying and maintaining ambiguity. In highlighting the negative impacts of this kind of culture Nola emphasizes the need for people to remove themselves from workplaces like this, and practice positive attitudes and behaviors towards others instead.

Nola reads from Part 2, Chapters 1 and 2 of her multi-award winning and the USA’s Best Inspirational book of 2011, “No Boxing Allowed”, sharing some of the many traits of Great Leaders with her listeners.

She also re-emphasizes from January’s Podcast: “Personal power is only of benefit to you and the human race if you use it willingly, wisely and with good intent.”

In this first episode for 2024, Nola Hennessy reads from key sections/chapters of her first book “No Boxing Allowed”, including the Author’s Special Note, Introduction and Part One Chapter Two (“What is Personal Power”). She emphasizes the importance of applying emotional intelligence to achieve positive relationships.

Key highlights from the sections and chapters noted above include:

“All leaders, and those who grow to become Great Leaders, will need to remain focused on peace, stability, integrity and compassion, for without them we are likely to invoke our own extinction.”

“The system of universal justice will always support your positive efforts.”

“The energy you put out into the universe has both an immediate and strategic impact….”

“Personal power is only of benefit to you and the human race if you use it willingly, wisely and with good intent.”

In this last episode for 2023, Nola Hennessy provides an overview of global threats, sharing information on specific countries (per Australia’s Dept of Foreign Affairs’ Smart Traveller Updates issued to date) and presents her thoughts on how we, as a global community, can be empowered to change things for the good of all.

Nola emphasizes the need for every person not subjected to war, starvation, homelessness or other major challenge, to take some time to reflect this Christmas season, and be thankful and grateful for everything you do have. Many people are so fortunate to have a home, a bed, a job, food, water, safety and comfort, whereas many others do not.

Nola urges people to slow down and stop pushing…………….”and just enjoy what we have……….. right here, right now”.

Nola poses several positive ways for us to achieve global harmony and minimize risks, and raises the question “why is that?” multiple times in relation to (e.g.) civil unrest, unstable security situations, terrorism, violence, kidnappings and unstable economies.  Nola strongly suggests that people en masse can influence and affect change.

“Governments have to start doing the right thing”, to protect their citizens and residents. “We have no excuse for allowing these situations to continue……………things are not improving …………… people are actually living out their agro’ with a weapon in their hand”. “We’re walking towards a humanity where anarchy becomes the norm………..and we can’t afford to do that”. “We have to get out of the mindset that war will fix things.”

Nola’s advice in relation to countering terrorism: “We need to be controlled and happy and calm, and live empowered rather than fearful.”

And in relation to personal relationships, Nola suggests people heal themselves of their emotional baggage and “pay the positive forward, not the negative”.

Starting on Christmas Day, Nola asks that people make change within their own spheres of influence, work for good, and be empowered to affect change whenever possible.

In this episode Nola Hennessy provides a guide for younger adults on how to delve within, understand who you are and your motivations, understand what needs resolving and prioritising, and how to journey from Self Awareness to Self-Intelligence© whilst applying discernment and wisdom along the way.

Her fundamental message: “Once you know what you need and what you want……. and how you want to be…….. you’re more likely to achieve it.”

Nola also emphasises the importance of having contingencies, writing down your goals, and being realistic about your strengths and deficiencies, while you join the dots between what you offer, what you’re good at, and what the world needs.

Nola Hennessy has taken the opportunity, in this episode, to honor Matthew Perry’s integrity, courage and determination.

By so doing, Nola makes observations of Matthew’s life and his choices through multiple lenses – as a natural therapist and traditional medicine practitioner; as a Clinical Hypnotherapist; as a Rehabilitation Specialist; and as a Global Thought Leader on Peace (in this instance how people can gain inner peace).

Nola sums up the intent of this episode with the following statements: “I hope that the toxicology reports for Matthew don’t give people a reason to doubt his integrity. I think the man did his absolute best to resolve his stuff and, you know, the kindest thing that he did was………….not load another human being with his stuff, and lock her in whilst he was still healing himself. And… if everybody who was in that situation didn’t commit until they were healed, we’d be a lot better off.”

So many of us “have watched him struggle, and watched him rise above, and watched him work hard to make it right. And, it’s almost like his physical body just gave out; and that is the saddest part because I think from an emotional and mental health perspective he was certainly coming to the end of his journey of realisation as to how to make it right and how to fix things for himself, and to have a happy life. It’s so incredibly sad that he didn’t get to that next chapter (in life).”

International Peace Day, UN General Assembly & Empowerment of Youth:

In this episode Nola Hennessy speaks on three key topics:

·     the International Day of Peace on September 21st and what it means;

·     the current status of the world and UN goals through the eyes of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly; and

·     her two recommendations for effective and lasting empowerment of youth – (i) teaching them how to identify threats and hazards and risk manage (Ref ISO 31000)’ and (ii) teaching them how to communicate in a positive way, how to actively listen and how to help others to do likewise.

In her involvement with the UN Association of Australia over many years, particularly her involvement as Strategic Advisor to the Peace and Security Program, Nola emphasizes that the International Day of Peace “(is) not just about one day where we’re all peaceful, and there’s no fighting, and we have a ceasefire. It’s actually about living and breathing the principles of peace everyday and a way for us to reinforce that peace is actually the best way to go.”

Nola believes that our current status (as highlighted by the UN Secretary General) is “centred around egos, power and control struggles, greed, corruption, and a blatant disregard for how personal power, when used in a bad way, has a knock-on effect, a strategic effect.”

Nola explains what strategy means and how strategic impacts are felt – laterally, into the future, and through all levels/layers. Nola emphasizes “this is really fundamental time for us and (I know) we are saying it about the climate, we’re saying it about relationships." If we ignore people like David Suzuki, we will make ourselves extinct.

“So we have a collective responsibility, and that’s why I want to talk about you (as a parent, a caregiver, teacher, guardian, supervisor, manager, volunteer or influencer) …… and what you’re doing to empower youth (8 yo to late teens)….”.

“It’s really two important things that…you (must) stay consistent with i.e. how they risk manage situations, and the hazards and threats that present to them”; and active listening.

Nola refers listeners to International Standard ISO 31000 to learn about how to implement 31000 principles and teach their youth; explains the fundamentals of risk management and how to stay in control of ‘self’ under any circumstances.

In relation to developing interpersonal skills, helping youth to understand their personal power and how, when it’s used positively or negatively, what the impacts will be, is vital. In relation to how to manage situations, helping them identify hazards and threats in their own environment, is also vital. “Start getting them into that (risk management) mode when they are very young, you will empower them to not only manage any risk event that may present as they go through their youth years, you will also embed a risk management approach in them, so by the time they go into an employment situation they’re actually going to ‘live and breathe’ risk management – which is so essential to effective decision making, and good health and safety, and good relationships in the workplace.”

Teaching youth how to actively listen is the other vital aspect of empowering youth. Nola explains active listening from the context of self and others (the communicator’s and communicatee’s perspectives). “In terms of youth, the value in teaching them how to listen is, first of all, to understand themselves (including their own internal dialogue)……………….(and secondly to) teach them how to paraphrase (what they hear)…….and improve the tone (of their own communication).” This will enable both parties to achieve clear, unambiguous, unemotive, factual communication, which ultimately creates a positive improvement in communication and relationships across the board.

Welcome to the second episode where we explore the first E in P.E.A.C.E. - Empowerment.

In this Episode Nola focuses on Empowerment of Young Children, the importance of them being positively 'programmed' from conception to age 7, the root of empowerment, the link between the conscious and subconscious minds and the importance of memories.

This period of development, when children are essentially blank tapes, is critical to establishing the empowerment framework from which they will function for the rest of their lives. Influenced by those who form their inner sanctum (their family, friends, caregivers, teachers and minders etc.), it is during this 7+ year period that every aspect of a child's foundational values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors will be 'programmed' in.

Nola gives specific examples of what to do and not do, in relation to empowering young children, quoting from No Boxing Allowed on many occasions.

Further, she speaks about there being no failures in life, how each person is a miracle: by virtue of 'being' a complex system of systems in their own right, contributing to humanity, and having a soul, people simply cannot fail.

Nola speaks at length about the General Adaptation Syndrome and Homeostasis; how limiting unnecessary stressors from young children while they are in their primary 'programming' period is so critical for long term positive outcomes; and how children's early experiences and resilience built, can greatly influence their ability to manage stressors and feel empowered later in life.

Nola also explores some more general aspects of empowerment, provides examples of the misuse of information (e.g. plagiarism) by many people, and in the closing minutes poses what could be.....where if we imagine children not being so readily criticised.....where we imagine children being taught that caring, compassion, selflessness, honesty and doing the right thing is 'good'..................what would our world be like?

Whilst this podcast episode does end mid sentence c 30 seconds ahead of when Nola did end the session (due a technical limitation with our filming equipment), nonetheless the key messages are still available to listeners.

In this episode Nola explains Empowerment, being the first E in her New Model for P.E.A.C.E., its intrinsic link to Human Rights, and each human's right to achieve a meaningful life filled with positivity and purpose.

Nola draws key references about power and control, positive use of both types of power, and the need to "Don't Suffer It, Change It" from her first two books ("No Boxing Allowed" and "From Pre-Menstrual Syndrome to Positive Mental Attitude").

Nola provides her opinions and recommendations for change and offers suggestions to all, to help improve the likelihood that individuals achieve inner peace; so that we achieve harmony in societies and become one with and truly respect Mother Nature; and so that we can eventually achieve a sustainable global peace.

In this special episode, Nola Hennessy pays respect to Tina Turner by recalling the time when they met in the late 1970's in Canberra, Australia's capital, and a small snippet from the woman-woman conversation they had that evening. Tina had just finished performing at The Canberra Theatre, venturing across the road to a late night restaurant-turned-nightclub called "The Mahogany Room". Nola was on duty managing the bar for her friends, who owned the restaurant.

Nola speaks about what she learned that night, her lasting impressions of Tina, and how the synchronicities of their chance meeting that night in the late 70's becoming crystal clear on May 27th (last night) as Nola watched the last 90 minutes of the Tina documentary that screened on Aussie FTA TV.

A special episode indeed. RIP and in your strength, Tina.

In this Easter episode Nola reinforces how it's OK to be honest, full of integrity, compassionate, and deliver quality in all you do and say.

"It's up to all of us to be the best version of who we can be" because, if not, we risk a self-fulfilling prophecy that builds a humanity that is discompassionate, truly selfish, non-entrepreneurial, over competitive and overly assertive (even aggressive).........ultimately creating a future humanity that is destructive.

In this inspiring episode, Nola Hennessy's reads from the Epilogue in her 2014 Memoir "The Peace Angel", referencing key points about how to overcome spiritual deficiencies such as ego, selfishness, addictions and control issues, to name a few. Nola also refers to an interview given by Shirley MacLaine, to whom she dedicated (in part) her first two books "No Boxing Allowed" and "From Pre-Menstrual Syndrome to Positive Mental Attitude" (in short "From PMS to PMA"), in which Shirley speaks about synchronicities being important for people's life path. Nola also speaks about the advice provided in these first two books.

Nola provides examples of how synchronicities occur in our lives and emphasizes how humanity is (in fact) interdependent 24/7/365. 

Nola gives her words of wisdom and advice on how to manage communication.......the most important factor being to always 'pause' before speaking or doing. 

In closing Nola speaks of the ongoing inequities for females and older workers achieving due recognition for their capabilities, and highlights the long journey humanity still needs to take, until all humans become devoid of bias and allow each other to be valued for what they bring.

In this episode Nola reinforces the positive power outcomes in people doing their 'best'; the causes of and risks associated with mediocrity; and the crucial need for accountability in every context. 

Further information about Nola's books can be found at www.serenidadconsulting.com.   

In this episode Nola reflects on the joy of Christmas Day, those who have left the deepest heart prints in her life, and the enduring importance of humanity nurturing relationships with our natural world as well as with each other.

We wish you peace and happiness as you ring in the New Year, and hope that 2023 brings you everything you most desire. 

In this shorter podcast Nola Hennessy shares her thoughts on Queen Elizabeth's wonderful contribution to humanity, welcomes King Charles III as King of Australia, and pays respect to those who are left to mourn the loss of their loved ones on 9/11.

Happy Easter Monday 2022!

In this episode Nola Hennessy reads from two important books – her first ever academic textbook “Earth” (written by Frank Press and Raymond Siever, published 1972 by Freeman and Co San Francisco USA) and her first international and multi-award winning publication “No Boxing Allowed” (originally published in 2009). 

Nola discusses the “P” in Her New Model for P.E.A.C.E. - people and the planet - and how the two are closely interlinked.

Welcome to our first episode for 2022. With the grave situation unfolding in our Northern Hemisphere, Nola Hennessy takes this opportunity to introduce a New Model for Peace based on 5 key attributes illustrated through the acronym P.E.A.C.E.

We welcome new guests and speakers to share their stories and views on peace, and look forward to hearing from you via email (business_support@ the Serenidad Consulting domain).

A video version of this Podcast will also be available via our Serenidad Consulting® Peace Bites YouTube channel.