💎 Friday Gems #12 (Inclusive Writing, A Repair Manifesto, The Power of Listening)
💎 Friday Gems #12 (Inclusive Writing, A Repair Manifesto, The Power of Listening)
Three gems of ideas to unleash your potential!
Communication is key to helping us move our ideas forward and to make the impact we want in life. Today’s gems are about writing, repairing, and listening. All of which are important as they help us live a more intentional and purposeful life. When we are fully present with ourselves, with what we choose to do, and in our communication with others we can achieve more happiness and satisfaction in life.
Let me know if any of the gems this week resonate with you. I always love to hear from you.
💎 Inclusive Writing
Writing is an important part of our daily communication. Whether we're writing emails, reports, presentations, or messages, we are writing for an audience, and the words we use matter. To ensure we convey our message by being respectful of others and in the best possible way, we need to make sure we are writing inclusively.
Apple's guidelines for writing inclusively are good reminders to help us convey our ideas using the right words.
The guidelines are:
Think inclusively - Do the words and phrases have harmful or negative associations?
Research words - Did the words arise from oppressive or exclusionary contexts such as "grandfathered in."
Consider the context - A word could have a negative meaning in one context while being acceptable in another context.
Avoid terms that are violent, oppressive, or ableist - Don't use terms like kill, hang, or sanity check, which could lead to unintended consequences.
Avoid idioms and colloquial expressions - Sayings such as "on the same page" or "backseat driver" may be difficult for people who are learning English, plus these phrases are difficult to translate.
Don't use color to convey positive or negative qualities - Words like "blacklist" and "white hat hacker" use color to convey good or bad values and equate black with bad and white with good.
Err on the side of caution - If you're not sure how a word will be received by others, then find a different way to say it. There may be another term that expresses what you meant just as well, if not better.
Source: Apple Inclusive Writing Guidelines
💎 Repair Manifesto
Definition of Repair
a: to restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken : FIX
b: to restore to a sound or healthy state : RENEW
2: to make good : compensate for : REMEDY
Source: Merriam Webster
If you can’t fix it, you don’t own it!
Reduce, reuse, and recycle helps us, our communities, and the environment by saving money, energy, and natural resources. To make sure we minimize the products that are sent to the landfill and to help us develop a DIY mentality, a fourth R is needed, which is Repair.
We believe that a repair mindset enables and emboldens people to care more deeply about the world, the people, the objects, and the systems in which we’re all interconnected.
The Maker Education Initiative
iFixit's repair manifesto is a call to take back our right to repair because repairing makes a global impact; it reduces e-waste and saves us money.
Repair saves the planet. Repair is a creative challenge. Repair inspires pride in ownership. Repair is about independence.
The question now becomes how can you begin to develop a repair mindset?
Notice > Explore > Reflect
All behavior change begins by noticing. Developing a repair mindset also begins with noticing what needs to be fixed on an object and becoming curious about what is needed to repair it. Once the object is repaired we begin to develop agency and confidence which can help us take ownership of the things we use and be more mindful and intentional in our consumption.
Are you ready to join the repair revolution?
Source: iFixit's Repair Manifesto
💎 The Power of Listening
Listening is a powerful skill that can open up the world for us. It can change our lives by helping us understand and connect with others, even the people we disagree with. It is easy to dismiss others when they disagree with us, but if we want better outcomes for our ideas, it is crucial to listen.
In this Ted Talk, musician Daryl Davis shares his inspiring story about how he befriended a Ku Klux Klan member, and over time the Klan member renounced and left the organization.
When we disagree with others, instead of dismissing their ideas, what if we take a moment to understand their point of view to make them feel heard and to open communication with them instead of shutting them out?
Imagine what active listening and open communication could do for our relationships, both at work and at home.
Source: TEDx Nashville
Let me know in the comments if any of the gems resonate with you. I always love hearing from you.💜
Thanks for reading, and have a fantastic weekend!
Rizwan