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Beyond Chocolate Bunnies
Spring has sprung in all its spectacularness. The cherry tree has finished weeping its delicate pink blossoms, and now the crabapple takes
Anchoring to steady your life
I find myself teetering on the edge of overwhelm a lot these days, and I suspect I’m not alone. It feels
Wither art in times of turmoil
“This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need
How to Feel In Control (Even When the World Isn’t)
The Buddha suggested that our need for control leads to suffering. But who, among us less enlightened beings, doesn’t want to feel
Loving the flowers (a pause)
The News: Everything is Bad The Poet: Okay, and what if we still fall in love with the moon and learn something
America 2025: Finding Your Role in the Performance of Our Lifetime
Given the appalling daily news from Washington, D.C., I’ve heard many ask, “What can I do?” and “What’s my role in turning
The “Dunno” Card: Your permission to not know
Back in my school days, I was rewarded for knowing things. And the world, as I understood it then, was knowable—even if
In Case of Catastrophe—Calm
When the news bombards us with calamity after calamity, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, our minds caught in a never-ending spin
Be Subversive: SMILE (and then act)
Given the nightmarish news, you may wonder why I suggest smiling—when the appropriate emotional response might be RAGE. I don’t like for one
Balance Out Don’t Tune Out
I did that thing I tell myself not to do: I read an email headline too early in the morning. It
Health Alert: Inauguration Despair Virus is Surging
No one needs reminding that it’s been a tough month: fires, bombings, and an inauguration many of us never thought possible. It’s
Finding Joy in Baby Gratitudes
As you might know, I’m a big proponent of small steps—even micro ones—that keep us moving toward what matters most. At this
The Future Needs Us to Go Deeper
Einstein once observed that our problems can’t be solved at the same level of thinking that created them. My take? To address
The Art of Unknowing
When I was growing up, school rewarded us for what we knew. We were tested on facts and praised for correct answers.
If you need a hug—or some light today
This isn’t the blog I intended to write. I’ll skip any analysis of the world or elections and instead offer you my
Because it’s complicated
High-end AI systems can now process a gigabyte (billion bits) of data per second. In contrast, human attention spans have declined to
We’re in this together
Fear and worry can constrict us, prompting us to hold our energy protectively when we sense danger. These feelings can separate us,
Celebrating The Muse—A One Year Anniversary
Candles and Balloons—Celebrating One Year of Meeting the Muse After Midlife As I reflect on the one-year anniversary of publishing Meeting the
Seven Steps for Surviving Election Season
If you’re prone to anxiety, the pre-election period can feel like an endless source of heart-thumping drama. The state of the world
Expand Your Joy by Listing What You Love
Last week, I mounted my horse for the first time in six weeks. For most equestrians, mounting is second nature—we forget about
The Power of Kindness (First lessons from recovery)
I’m five weeks into my recovery from hip replacement surgery, and things are going well. By well, I also mean SLOWLY. It
Hip, Hip, Hooray
The last couple of weeks have brought much to celebrate: An amazing change in the race for the US Presidential Elections. A
Letting Curiosity Guide Us When Things Fall Apart
Last week I lost my neighbor and riding coach, a friend I’d known for thirty years. Hearing the news of her death
Time to shout “no” to misogyny
I wish it were easy to just say no to a force that has been weighing us down for centuries—affecting our bodies
Got Anxiety? If not, why not? (with lessons from Inside Out 2)
One great takeaway from Inside Out 2, Pixar’s summer blockbuster, is that we are all entitled to a full range of emotions—from
Stumbling in the land of too-much-ness
While we’ve kept our national attention on Covid-19 and its variants, another pandemic has slipped into town: too-much-ness. You can see it
What’s growing now (a pause)
What’s growing in your garden? Not just in your outside garden, which I hope is flourishing, but in your inner garden as
Letting life “cure” us
Every day, life burnishes and “cures” us —sometimes by the unexpected and dramatic, sometimes by the routine and ordinary. We feel, we
An Unlikely Path to Humility and Mindfulness
When I taught several groups of Japanese managers near Tokyo, one of the qualities I most admired was their humility and consideration
Have you taken the AI challenge
(Hint: It helps to be human) The rapid advance of AI technology feels dizzying, exciting, and terrifying. New technology is outpacing our
A Gift from an Unusual Source
What if you could strengthen the qualities you need by feeling your connections with friends who have died? I know this may sound
Sparking creativity with curiosity and joy
Words from a creative genius Maybe the essence of creativity isn’t complicated. Or maybe we should replace the word “creative” (to help
There Goes the Sun (da, da, da, da, da)
In a world that’s full of darkness, it’s nice, even miraculous, when something pulls us into the light together. Usually, it takes
Playing with Paradox
To be able to hold a paradox requires holding the tension between opposites—seemingly contradictory forces. When the world appears too chaotic it’s tempting to want to
The Glory of New Growth (A Pause)
I find it a miracle that despite what is happening in the world (and thanks for the well wishes about the loss
When who we are is how we are supposed to be
Last week I received the latest episode in my ongoing series, “Lessons in Loss and Grief.” A close, dear friend died after
What’s Age Got to Do with It? (Thank you, Tina Turner)
In 1984, Tina Turner celebrated one of the biggest comebacks in music history. She hit the stage at 44 with her “Private
When stuff doesn’t make sense
Sometimes, what I expect to make sense doesn’t. And what feels a little crazy might make most sense of all. As a
What to say (or not say) to a friend who is dying
Thanks for reading—it’s not easy to think about losing a friend, let alone what to say. I’m not thinking today about the
Small Acts Can Light the World
All around us tiny acts of kindness are happening daily. You have done some of them. Big or small, they bring light
All You Need is Love (but skip the roses)
I’m writing this on the National Day of Loving, aka Show-People-You-Love-Them-By-Spending-Money-on-Them Day, aka Valentine’s Day. How did we get started with this
Eight Books Someone Should Write
The uber-creative illustrator and drawing coach, Wendy MacNaughton, issued a challenge this week to the folks following her on Substack: come up with imaginary
And now, a brief view from the land of the ordinary
The world’s been a bit gloomy, so I thought we needed a change. A little visit to main street, real life, the
Changing at the Speed of Slow
Question to a rancher: What’s the fastest way to move cattle? Rancher: Slowly On Monday, Martin Luther King Day, I thought about
Set Up Your Day With Morning Rituals and Routines
In these tumultuous times, as I wrote about last week, morning rituals and routines set the direction for our days. They offer a base
Fasten your seat belt—it’s 2024!
“Live with skillful nonchalance and ceaseless concern.”~ Prajnaparamita Sutra ~ Fasten your seat belt, it’s 2024 and we’re in for a wild
Coping with (collective) grief during the holidays
The holidays can be challenging when we’re feeling grief, especially after personal losses—even those from long ago. This year many of us
The exquisitely beautiful and difficult
“To me, this is so much of life: holding the really beautiful things and the profoundly hard things in the same palm.”
The Gift of Ordinary Kindness
When readers tell me that they are enjoying my book, it makes my heart sing. If it inspires them to expand their
Blessing the glad and the sad
Thanksgiving in the US is almost here, the day we sit around the table, hopefully with family and friends, and share with
Eight ways to help your brain chill (and not be a boiled frog)
Peter Senge taught me the lesson of the boiled frog in his 1990 book, The Fifth Discipline. He described how, if you
Completion challenge: Surviving and thriving at harvest time
I always thought harvesting was the fun part of the growing cycle. I still do; I just didn’t realize that it could
Do you need a “mistake pass”?
A vocal coach in Australia described her method of helping the participants in her classes sing more freely: she gives them each
When clouds get in the way
Does it ever happen to you that—when things are going great—blue sky and fresh breezes—some small thing derails you and lets a
What’s in your manifesto? (Is it time to share what you believe?)
These days, a lot of people are so busy saying what they’re against that we never hear what they’re for. Throughout history,
Growing high/growing low
Most trees and plants grow by reaching upward toward the light while sinking roots into the darkness of the earth. We grow as
Storying a more meaningful life (and a tribute to Juliet Bruce)
Stories teach. Stories heal. Stories transform. Working with stories, both ours and others, can help us find meaning and live a more
The Courage to Be Mediocre
Does the idea of being mediocre stop you from trying to do the creative thing you’ve always wanted to do? If so,
Overwhelmed? It’s OK to “Cry Uncle!”
I had tea this week with a close friend, one of the most kind, competent, and generous people I know. Also one
Surviving Mile 19
“Hitting the wall” is the term runners use to describe the moment when the bottom seems to fall out of their stamina,
When crazy is sane (or a dog’s life)
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the craziest things we do turn out to be the most sane? Acquiring an animal can
Enjoying the dog days of summer (a pause)
The dog days of summer are here, but as our temperatures in the Northwest head toward 90 (remember, few of us have
How to Celebrate a Birthday with 72 Delights
Birthdays are a funny thing. When I was six, a birthday expanded my world. It meant more adventures, a later bedtime, and an allowance. But
Beyond Barbie (What would you say in your speech?)
When I was eight, the girls in my neighborhood loved playing with dolls. I didn’t. I preferred to explore the Connecticut woods
Let these quotes about the creative process inspire yours
While I know that reading about creativity isn’t the same as making something (and reading about writing isn’t the same as writing),
The one tool you need most when you want to create
We’re all creative—and can express our creative spark in endless ways. Yet when it comes to expressing ourselves we’re often handicapped by
When things feel out of control—try this
Growth. Time. Change and the idea of flow in nature. When I make a work I often take it to the edge
Freedom’s Not Just Another Word
On the Fourth of July in the United States we celebrate freedom. That is if anyone stops to think about it. Our
To bless the cyber space between us
What if you had a friend with whom you spent a sizeable portion of your life, yet you treated the relationship like
Here Comes the Sun (a solstice pause)
On the Summer Solstice, the longest day in the year, as the sun reached its highest point in the sky, I took
The Gift of the Ordinary
Grief knocked again—or, more accurately, knocked me off my feet and left me wailing. You’d think after writing about grief, I’d know
Are you “too sensitive?”
Did anyone ever tell you, “You’re being too sensitive” when you were growing up? Maybe they wanted to help you by offering
Nine Lessons from Grief’s Playbook
First off, thanks to everyone who sent words of condolence and compassion for my sister’s death—which I shared last week. I loved
Wordless
Words are beautiful but sometimes need to waitLest they be out of place.The world must be experienced before it can be described. I tread
Letting the tulips sing
Can flowers sing? No way to prove this but recently they sang to me. Finding new colors I recently returned from visiting
Friendship in a Post-Pandemic world
Did friendship change during the pandemic? It’s hard to say. But I know what changed for me: I don’t take it for
To practice receiving
A dear friend living in the shadows of cancer, With death on the horizon, Sat with me and said, “Throughout my life,
Nine Reasons NOT to Write a Book* (*unless you must)
1. Writing a book takes time—more than you can imagine. Whoever purports: “You can write a book in ten days” (or two
Bringing light into dark
Monday morning, my husband asked me to read a heavily researched article about a small pack of men who had been systematically
Tiny beautiful acts—a 100-day creative challenge
Could devoting yourself to tiny acts of beauty, gratitude, or creation for 100 days change your life? It did for Suleika Jaouad,
Six questions to expand the creative you
Does your creative spirit ever feel tamped down or just-around-the-corner-but-out-of-reach? When that happens to me, I have two approaches to rediscovering my
How to be embodied in a world that’s increasingly not—eight simple steps
The signs of disembodiment are everywhere. Our 24-7 culture seems better suited to constantly-turned-on robots than to humans who do better when
Dropping “should” for “I prefer”
Yesterday, I faced a blank blog post without an idea of what to write. No ideas. It was too late in the
Six Easy Ways to Improve Your Storytelling
Last week, during an informal presentation I gave on storytelling, a man asked me a fabulous question: ”I can tell that you’re
We Don’t Need to Know Before We Go
One of the cool things about artists is that they often start their pieces (and I’m defining artist in the broadest possible
Message from the Matrix: “You are not creative”
In the movie The Matrix, the hero faces a choice. The blue pill or the red pill. Stay with the known world
Give your brain a break—extend your mind
Where does the mind live? In our brains? Our bodies? The environment? Each other? Some mix? Or, as philosophers Andy Clark and
Look at the past—bring in the light. Happy 2023
2023 is here. Happy New Year. The light is returning—a good time to reflect on the year that was and, as we
Embracing darkness/celebrating light
We’re on countdown to the winter solstice next week—the darkest time of the year. I have mild seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and
Stop the delivery mania: An Open letter to Santa
I don’t want to seem ungrateful, Santa, and I hope all is well at the North Pole. I know this year’s supply
Planting hope
This week I planted daffodils. There’s nothing remarkable about this, although some might question why I waited to dig holes in the
Stepping back from the precipice of stress
I blew off a meeting this week, a short talk I was to give, and my mistake left me humbled. As awful
The art of waiting
Waiting. We do a lot of it. Waiting in traffic, in the checkout, or for that blankity-blank Amazon delivery. Sometimes there’s a
How to let go before the elections
If, like me, you’re prone to even a little anxiety, the days prior to the midterm elections in the United States can be
Finding magic in my pencil
There are many ways to get to know someone, even someone we haven’t met, and this week I’ve been playing with one
Should I say, “thank you” to “Alexa?”
Are chatbots making human interaction transactional during a time when human civility is increasingly endangered? I put the idea to the test
Lessons from the Harvest
I love fall with its colors, coolness, beauty, and the poignancy of knowing that winter is coming and the rains will start.
Cracking the code on living longer
What if there were a remedy available that could extend your life by more than seven years? And be even better for
Today. This Day. Right Now.
Today as I sat quietly, sort of meditating, preparing to take my husband to physical therapy, five words came to me: Today.
Setting Myself on Fire, or the Power of Moments
Some events in our life stand out like none others–so disorienting that they challenge us to know where we are and maybe
If you hang in there, things will (probably) work out
Lesson number two from my time in Italy: Things may not work out the way you wanted or expected, but hang in
The art of nothing-ing
September is here, school bells have rung, and I’m here with my first blog since leaving for Italy. I missed you even
Finding human in a transactional world
I stood at the parking meter, fuming. I had just scored a parking place near the Seattle hospital where I planned to
Are we crazy?
I’ve had it. Another shooting. And children, for god’s sake. .Let’s call this for what it is. Insanity. We talk about mental
Creating “normal”
Years ago, you wouldn’t have heard me craving “normal.” Picturing myself as creative, I’d have called normal too dull, predictable, and routine.
Living in Limbo-Land
y husband has Covid, and I may be next. I’m officially in limbo (call it quarantined). Overnight, life changed. I canceled plans and
Sing the Song that Wants to Come Through You
Last week, a friend thanked me profusely for a two-word expression I shared with her seven years ago: “both/and.” The words helped
Finding the Secret to Magic
Magic was a way, for a moment, of stepping away from what other people taught me, to a place where a different kind
STOP!
STOP!Fermati!Arrête !СТОП! STOP! is a good word to have in your pocket. It’s short, abrupt, and good in emergencies. When I ride
If Trees Could Weep
If trees could weep, would they send sorrowsinto the groundthrough roots, mycelium,into rivers and seas? Blending stories from birch and beech, spruce and
Life as improv–Nine rules for a better performance
In my sixties, I did a number of improvisational theatre classes, until the pandemic hit. I miss the fun, but no matter.
Nobody’s Going to Steal Our Joy
May the light prevail..
The fog from war
I’m feeling foggy and overwhelmed again. Dang. After two-plus years of Covid-brain, I thought the fog had lifted. But another fog has
To care without despair
How to avoid depair as we continue to care? And create without hate? I’ve had to meter my news so that I
Use that anger so that it doesn’t use you
Anger is a natural part of life. It comes and goes, like the wind, unless like a broken fan in the summer,
Using the fire of anger to create beauty
Uncontrolled anger kills. Combined with political motives and manipulation it starts wars. It’s challenging not to be angry and scared by Russia’s
Discover before you plan
“It may be that when we no longer know what to dowe have come to our real work,and that when we no
Imagine a new world–through song
“It’s a bold day.Let’s create a world where everyone can thrive.A together day when the joy of one is the joy of
Coming back to our senses (in the year of the tiger)
Humans are born reactors. Living in a world of saber-toothed tigers, we learned to know danger when we sensed the animal was
Walk slowly (RIP Thich Nhat Hanh)
“Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment
How to invite Beauty into your life
I’ve been craving Beauty as we pass through the darkest time of year. Fortunately, she’s everywhere when we seek her, send her love,
Can the pandemic crack us open?
By some reports, we may be in for another two years of the pandemic. I recently heard it referred to as an era,
Let your imagination inspire reality
Sometimes what comes out of our imaginations can seem truer than the accurate words the dictionary knows or the facts we’ve held
Brain still foggy? This can help.
It’s happening again—brain fog. I need to write things down to remember them. Then, I forget that I need to write things
Wiggle your toes to calm your mind
Recently, I wrote about “Breaking the grip of self-judgment.” This week, I discovered some tools that can help. In Positive Intelligence Shirzad Chamine writes that we
Breaking the grip of self-judgment
Self-judgment is a nasty critter. Under the guise of inviting us to learn, it amplifies any mistakes we’ve made and makes it
Are we becoming Zoom zombies?
I’m about to do my first talk as a presenter at a Zoom conference. I’m not worried about what I’m going to
Can we think about that, please?
Tapping my deep knowing or intuition helps me navigate life from a place of inner-directedness. The question, “What am I feeling called
Pausing for fall colors
Labels are tricky. When we view the world through our labels, we may never see it as it is. Yet, names and labels
Did Darwin Get it Wrong?
At the suggestion of a friend, I recently watched Fantastic Fungi. Normally, a movie about mycelium and mushrooms wouldn’t be my top pick
How to become expert at beginner’s mind
I’m in that lovely stage of discovery, in which I’m not expected to know anything. I have room to play, make mistakes,
How to love what you don’t like (to do)
Doing what you love and loving what you do opens the door to more creativity, insight, and fun. But what happens when
To Bless the Space Between Us
“What good could live between you and me for the sake of us?” I remember the first days after the Twin Towers
Time for the Turning
Years ago, I loved to listen to Gordon Bok singing “Turning Towards the Morning” on well-worn Folk-Legacy LP. I could listen for hours to
We always have choice
Somedays, it’s easy for me to feel powerless as Covid ramps up again and Afghanistan collapses. I need reminders that I always
Finding beauty when you’re feeling beastly
“We respond with joy to the call of beauty because in an instant it can awaken under the layers of the
Finding our way across choppy seas
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work” Wendell Berry I
Does age matter?
I remember an experiment from a class in business school. The prof asked us to line up by age. Then he asked: “Does
Fail often/fail better
I love the words of Samuel Beckett, inspirational even as they came from a dark piece of his prose: “Ever tried. Ever
To see the familiar with new eyes
To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower William Blake “Auguries of Innocence” For
Heat wave
As the heat inched past 100 Our Northwest hubris We don’t need air conditioning, We can sit under trees Melted away. I couldn’t
MMMMMMMMM your way to calm
Given the stresses of daily life combined with growing uncertainty about our global future, I’ve been collecting remedies and techniques to use
The past is never past
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” William Faulkner Faulkner’s words were written to describe how the history
Balance continuity and change
In these times of turbulence and rapid change, when areas like the environment, voting rights, and immigration demand immediate, constructive action, why
A gem of joy in the news
Sometimes in the murky waters called the news, one finds a gem. I did last week when I read a story announcing
Anxious in America
Hopefully, the pandemic is receding and so, too, is the spike in national (and global) anxiety it provoked. I suspect, though, that
How to say no, nicely
For some of us, the pandemic brought a guilty pleasure. We were released from the burden of having to say no
Create the tension for change
When we work in a problem-solving mode, we remain limited. Our energy stays focused on the problem, instead of what we want.
To gain perspective, turn upside down
The tragedy of George Floyd invited many of us to wake up, to see the world as it is and not what
Seven keys to deep learning from The Octopus Teacher
I finally watched My Octopus Teacher, the much-celebrated Netflix documentary that chronicles the year film-maker Craig Foster spent swimming with a wild,
Find rhythm in a pause
I’ve been loving my spring walks athrough our woodlands. They help me to pause when I’m wound up or feel
Playing as an ensemble
April is an exciting month for me as I get ready to watch the great performances that will be taking place over
Want more of Einstein’s brainpower?
Colossal intelligence that he was, Albert Einstein had a relatively small brain. It measured 1230 grams, on the smaller end of average.
Can we celebrate now?
Are you celebrating? It may be long overdue. Life without celebration is like hiking across a snowfield during a whiteout when the
Is it time to start returning?
It’s time to start talking about APAD: Anticipatory Post-pandemic Apprehension Disorder. Unless it’s just my issue. I was so excited to have
How to use anger to fuel your creativity
With a new year, new, very different, President and Vice President, vaccines rolling out, and spring on its way, I thought we’d be done
Zoom fatigue? It’s real and what to do
Many of us have been experiencing a chronic condition since early into the pandemic: Zoom fatigue. It’s growing worse. Last November, Psychiatric
Confessions of a judge-aholic.
The poet Rumi once wrote: “Out beyond right and wrong, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” How I’d love to
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a fiercer love
I’ve been learning about a new face of love reading Valerie Kaur’s See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love.
Let’s sing a new revolution
In Estonia, people sing. An Estonian woman I heard speak in an online singing class talked about Laulupidu, Estonia’s choral song festival.
If you need more time
Even though last week I wrote about seeding a new beginning, I’ve had trouble starting up again. The air feels fresher, yet
Seeding a new beginning
“Stories are like seeds. It pays to know what you want to harvest from your garden so you can plant the right
Why not let life be complex?
This US Presidential Inauguration Day, a group of riders on white horses wearing white coats will ride into Washington, D.C. to assume
To tame a raging bull
It is rare that I consider aborting a blog I have almost completed. But how to keep writing, let alone think, when
Let’s celebrate 24 new hours
When you rise tomorrow it will be a new year. Or perhaps, where you are, it already is. For many, the turn
Your presence is a light
A friend shared a quote this week. It moved me so much I tracked it down, to Kent Nerburn in his
Light up a bleak midwinter
“In the bleak midwinter” could be my theme song these days. I’m tired. The weather is glum. I’ve had enough election news.
When is dementia not a tragedy? (Hint: most of the time)
Earlier this year, I wrote about saying “yes/and” to dementia with a very cool approach that includes improv theatre. But last month, it wasn’t cool
How loss can make us grateful
Thanksgiving was different this year. My husband and I ate alone for the first time in thirty-plus years. Of course, being the
Feeling safe
A lot of people aren’t feeling safe these days. Three million people in the US keep open-carry weapons with them at
Stay calm–and vigilant
Last Saturday, as elections results were finally announced. I celebrated. Relaxed. Cried. Then I looked up and knew, “It ain’t over yet.”
Time for trust
We hoped it would be over. It’s not over. Maybe over was just a fantasy. The same forces that existed before the
As we move through countdown
Are you on countdown this week? I keep ticking away days as if life is being divided into BE (before elections) and AE.
What if the animals were our partners?
If you need a break from election-mania, here’s something different. (I voted Saturday!) I watched the video below about a scientist, Nan
What’s in your emergency joy kit?
The poet David Whyte has offered a series of soul-nourishing talks during the pandemic. After the most recent, he offered a
This revolution will require love
Is it OK to rage when we’re committed to practicing love? How do we love someone whose words and actions have lead
Is your head stuck in the sand? (Hint: neither is the ostrich’s)
How much news can one take? My working answer is simple: it depends. My friend Dan used to work as a crime reporter.
Pray for justice but not from fear
This week was struck by the first line from Wicked Game, Chris Issak’s iconic mega-hit from the early 90s. “The world was
Fuel the fire within
Here on the U.S. West Coast, we’ve had a tough week. Fires raging, and the whole coast socked in smoke. With hazardous
Tinker Bell needs us: let’s clap for the light
I’ve been in rich conversations recently about how life has been changed by the pandemic. The question, “How am I doing?” is
What comes after a “staycation?”
When we were told to shelter-at-home at the beginning of the pandemic, I heard many friends talking about our new lives like
Celebrate the messy ordinary
I just finished Nina RIgg’s uncommonly beautiful and ultimately uplifting memoir of the last year of her life, The Bright Hour. Nina,
Saying “yes/and” to dementia.
Saying “joy” and “dementia” in one sentence could sound like an oxymoron. Like many, I have a fear that I might someday
Taking time on higher ground: John Lewis
In the Pacific Northwest, I love to go up into the mountains, the Cascades or the Olympics, where I can breathe cool,
Are you feeling exhausted?
A second pandemic is sweeping the nation. I don’t know how contagious it is, but I know it’s spreading. Exhaustion. You recognize
Do you know these (mostly) new words?
Words create worlds. Words in turn have lives of their own. I used to think that the words in the dictionary had
Fuel your creativity with silence
As part of my stretch-my-creativity-during-the-pandemic campaign, I’m taking an online course about voice called “Express the Music of Your Soul” from
A deep breath, a moment of pause
We’ve been through a lot recently–no need to remind you of that. You deserve to take a deep pause to breathe
Resistance, resilience, and great women–a formula for hope
What if women, in this county and around the world, were to link arms across divides, including color, class, faith, sexual preference,
To change our systems, remember the body
A post on racism by Resmaa Menakem jumped out at me last week, so much so that I had to immediately read
A champion for justice who deserves to be known
Last week was tough, for me, for many, filled with horrific images and the sadness that my country, the United
Saying yes to life, even then, even now
In these crazy times, as the world changes in unpredictable ways, where do we turn to find meaning? I don’t mean
Zoomed out? Time to Zoom back in.
Zoom’s emerging as a technical hero of the pandemic. Millions of people are connecting in ways no one would have thought possible
Time to think long haul
On the trail Some years ago, on a sunny day hike with a friend in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, I started running
Find the heroes you need
The Netflix movie about Michelle Obama has just been released, and I cried watching the trailer. Like millions of others, I miss
Devotion will change your life
I watched a charming video this week, one of those lift-you-up-in-the-storm pieces, about a man, Stjepan Vokic, in Croatia, who has spent the
Honor Earth Day with delight for the small
I woke up early on Earth Day to the song of a white crown sparrow. It seemed fitting that
Pausing to let the heart expand
This week, the cherry tree began its two week run of glory, set against a backdrop of near perfect Seattle weather. The
In case of panic, try this.
Anxiety is hovering in the air, like a cloud that might let loose with a storm of bad news at any moment.
Finding the art of the “new normal”
First of all, it’s OK. Whatever you are feeling, or doing, it’s OK Life today is not normal. How can we hope
Stop demonizing when there’s so much to learn
My go-to default for almost anything, miserable or exciting, is learning. I would have rephrased Descartes or Hamlet or whomever to say,
Make your own heart sanitizer
You, like me, may be feeling overloaded by news of COVID-19. People are stocking up on hand sanitizers, (Hopefully not like the bloke
COVID-19 can teach us more than handwashing
This post is not another list of precautions about the coronavirus. You doubtless have them already. I won’t deny the enormous cost
“All shall be well again” (I hope)
Trust. It’s not the easiest quality for me to find in these dystopian-feeling days. So I turned to a fourteenth-century mystic who
How to sing our arms back open
Darkness makes the light stand out. When I was traveling in France after my mother’s death, I sought out the prayer candles
Why I won’t “manage” my rage
I ran into an artist friend of mine before a concert last weekend, a gracious, considerate, soft-spoken woman. In a brief “how
3 steps for handling environmental stress, bird by bird
On Sept. 19, 2019, the New York Times published a devastating statistic about declines in the bird population across North America,
Finding more of enough
How do we know when we have found “enough?” That question propelled me to read prize-winning author Shauna Ahern’s just-published memoir: Enough:
Eight tips to interview like a pro (and have more fun talking with people)
These ideas come from four years of interviewing a captivating group of guests on my Vital Presence podcast. If you’re not recording
An easy way to discover more delight, daily
How might your life be different if, every day, you tracked on delight? I stole this idea from a poet. One of
Before you resolve, absolve (plus a gift for you)
I hope I’m not too late. I wanted to catch you before you make any…resolutions. Tonight, before the clock strikes twelve, whether you’re
Finding hidden madonnas everywhere
Next week, we enter a new decade. This week, as we move through the days between the years, it seems a good
How to welcome back the light
Welcome to the season of light. Whatever your faith, the light, in the Northern Hemisphere, can shine in radiant contrast to the
Before you give, learn to receive
Did your mother ever tell you, “To give is to receive?” She was partly right. What she forgot to add was, “To
How to find Magic in the Ordinary
Last weekend, our furnace quit. That meant no heat and no hot water. We warmed the house by turning on our stove’s
Three crazy super-easy ways to add thanks to your life
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.4″ z_index_tablet=”500″] Many of us in the United States are preparing for the November marathon known as Thanksgiving. While
Finding fiery hope
“Hope locates itself in the premises that we don’t know what will happen and that in the spaciousness of uncertainty is room
Where in the cycle are you?
To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) And a time to every purpose, under heaven Pete
When life goes to the dogs
Sometimes the things we do that are crazy might be the most sane.
Put the hallow back in Halloween (plus five freaky facts)
Halloween is coming, that once a year fest of spooks, villains, princesses, and pumpkins–a merchandiser’s dream. If we could ignore the overdose of
What if, sometimes, there is no reason?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” z_index_tablet=”500″] Does everything happen for a reason? Even
How to change your past without fudging the facts
Do you ever wish that you could go back to the past and tweak a few memories? The past can be changed.
If fear knocks: 8 ways to survive an anxious day
Today I’m waiting for the outcome of a friend’s surgery, and whether that’s fear or anxiety, it’s pretty hard to take because
Finding your true “yes” and your true “no”
One thing I have noticed in recent years is that my “no’s” and my “yes’s” have gotten stronger and clearer. Being able
Learning Tips from a 74-year-old Unicycle Rider
With so much to learn in life, I’m always on the lookout for new tips about learning. This week’s lesson came from
Got Rhythm?
We all have rhythm. It’s built into us through our heartbeats and the circadian (24 hour) rhythms that influence when we feel hungry,
Heal the burn
It’s so difficult to watch the pictures of the Amazon burning, knowing that there’s so little that can be done, at least
3 Reasons not to think about death (and why you might reconsider)
What if thinking about death could bring you more life, more beauty, and more connection to the people you love? Most
My husband is under house arrest
My husband is not guilty of crimes against the state. The state may be guilty of crimes against him. The news about
Is it time to create your “Joy List?”
This week, I’m balancing writing an article about coping with life’s little losses by remembering all the joys that I’m finding. I’m
Play your way into presence
How does one learn to be more present–in that state of being in the moment, open, receptive, and curious? And how do
Peeking into the lives of others
I’m fascinated by how others live, not just by the face they show the world. Living in Paris, I’d spend hours
Freedom’s not just another word
“Freedom’s just another word for nothing else to lose.” Kris Kristofferson Last week I lost a piece of my heart: our foster
When the tail stops wagging
Today, as this post is being published, our dog, the irrepressible Jackson, is being put down. Perhaps dementia was triggering his increased
The power of deep hope
Last year a good friend went through a true dark night of the soul brought on by medical circumstances. The prednisone she
When you’re feeling climate despair, give nature a face
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” z_index_tablet=”500″] I’m feeling pretty despairing about climate change these days.
When good enough beats great
When the late William Stafford, one of my favorite poets, was asked how he managed to write one poem (or more) every
Does it spark joy? If not, create your own.
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” z_index_tablet=”500″] I fell in love with Marie Kondo,
To hold as we are held
My Mom was not the perfect Mom. I was far from being the ideal daughter. I constantly challenged her during the late
How to move your creative potential into practice
We’re all innately creative. Creativity, like love, is a force field that surrounds us and comes through as it’s needed. As writer
How to Spot Your Inner Critic
Why is it that when we’re totally qualified for a job, totally right for a project, or totally entitled to a big
Spring for a Pause
If you want proof of the complexity of the world, come visit my garden, a mélange of good and evil, light and
Find Your Inner Porpoise
The books written about Purpose or “Finding Your Inner Purpose” on Amazon have it almost right. They just spelled it wrong. Change
When Paris Burns: Finding the seeds of resilience
Last Monday, as I stumbled past my husband on my way to bed, he looked up from reading on his Ipad and
Images of imagination
This week, I’ve been thinking about the power of imagination, especially as we age. Imagination provides a spark for creativity. Creativity feeds
How to keep your attention in an age of distraction.
Your attention is precious. Me, I could always use more. I need it to write, finish reading a book, plan a project,
Attention! Yours is at risk!
You know how it starts… You’re trying to concentrate on the computer, perhaps reading an article, writing a document, thinking through a
When you’re feeling the weight of the world
Another week, another tragedy. I was up before dawn to drive to a conference when tragic news, from the far side of
What are you devoted to?
Remember the Everly Brothers hit “Devoted to You?* Darlin’, you can count on me Till the sun dries up the sea Until
How to Do More by Juggling Less
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] X Do you ever feel as if you have too
How to rebound from rejection
Got Rejection? One of my writing buddies inspires me with her ability to not let rejection stop her. We’re part of an online
A midwinter’s night pause
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] My article for the winter issue of 3rd Act
Marie Kondo, Will you be my Valentine?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Dear Marie, I know my invitation may come
What does real accountability look like? (It might go beyond what you think…)
What does it mean to be fully accountable, taking responsibility for one’s actions as well as for one’s legacy? The business world
Improve your day a click at a time
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″] What if one click of acknowledgment could reinforce the skill, craft, or project you’re working
Is Your Story Fact or Fiction?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] When the waves of change are high, stories
Create a daily oasis with ordinary rituals
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] “We humans remember trauma better than pleasure, it’s the way
Cultivate kindness in small doses
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Don’t we all need a little more kindness
As the earth rises in 2019, we’re still in this together
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] We’ve just closed out 2018.
Welcome back the light
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] “There is a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how
Fill with joy and arrest the stress in the holidays
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Does it ever feel to you that someone
Taking the small steps back to thriving
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”22px|0px|15.2557px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] What do we do when we keep
Sweat your way to community
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Sometimes you build community by talking, finding common interests, and
Expanding our thanks
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row custom_padding=”13px|0px|12.7415px|0px|false|false” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Thanksgiving, that holiday of family, friends,
Small talk
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] Red alert: The holidays are coming! Thanksgiving in the U.S.
When Grief comes to call
Grief is a tough master. When you don’t run from him, he’s can show you a way to your deeper creativity.
What you can and can’t afford to forget
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Do you forget things? I do…and it bugs me,
When wonder beats words
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] After a productive day writing, I was burnt out on
Ask a better question…create a better world
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Whenever I lose my glasses, which, I’m
Don’t Photoshop Your Life
Over the past weeks, we’ve been forced to listen to a public biography that was photoshopped and edited to a polished, plasticized,
The Dummies Guide to Disrespect (15 tips)
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Enough!! I hate to add anything to the pantheon
A wedding to remind us what matters
This weekend I went to a wedding that broke my heart apart and made it sing. I don’t think I ever, Laughed,
How to support a friend in need
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] As I’m writing this, my friend Susan Partnow’s husband
Want more time? Go slow…
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] A colleague once shared a Montana saying.
Do you have FOF? (Fear of feedback?)
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Turns out a lot of us are
How to keep your creative spirit from getting buried
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Last week, I received this letter from a dear
12 Great Quotes on Creativity (with a few you haven’t heard)
When I was moving into my fifties, I was consumed by an enormous hunger to express myself creatively. It wasn’t that I
A question to guide your birthday
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” inline_fonts=”Abhaya Libre” background_layout=”light” disabled=”off”] I’m writing this on
Does your work make you better?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] In her stunning collection of essays (highly recommended) This
A little retreat from the heat
Some like it hot. I do not. Or at least, not anymore. When I was a kid, swimming was my passion.
When to invite your heart to think (or, How I got a dog last weekend)
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Have you ever been wracked by a decision
Three words that can change your life (they’re not what you think)
If I asked you for the three most powerful words you’d use to change a situation, what would you offer?
Let’s Swap the Ladder of Opportunity for an Open Circle
Is freedom, independence, and opportunity only for the privileged? How can we invite and bear witness to the stories at the margins that need to be heard?
How often and when should you take a break?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Who needs a break from
The Secret Key to IGNITING Performance
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Picture this: a lively
Before you deny your age, think about this
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] This Thursday, as this blog post launches,
Who ate your time?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Every day, an army of invaders enters
Got rest?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Despite an otherwise admirable record in my
What’s your legacy (story)?
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”13px|0px|54px|0px”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”0|0px|27px|0px”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”] I’ve spent
How to start that big project (or how to get the camel to stick his nose under your tent)
Do you have a big project waiting in the wings that you can’t get started? Maybe it’s de-cluttering part of your house,
When you can’t always get what you want…
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] You can’t always get what you
What community do you dream of?
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light”] Sixty plus years ago,
What about your work do you love, love, love…
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.63″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”] It’s been a hard week.
Pause for the light
i thank You God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of
Could we retire retirement?
Did I tell you that I’m writing a book? Maybe not, because saying I’m writing a book means so little until you
The ultimate guide to tidying (Marie Kondo, you didn’t go far enough)
As I was cleaning my closet in anticipation of my daughter-in-law visiting, (visitors are always an incentive for cleaning my
What to say when you don’t want to say anything
I woke up this morning thinking about what to write and…and my brain was empty. What do you say when your
Five Reasons Advice Doesn’t Work and When It Might
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On Valentine’s Day: How to skip the sugar and give some real appreciations
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Is patience your key to moving ahead?
Patience Is NOT my middle name. As I age and am aware of the years passing, I still want to do so
What will you stand for?
What do you stand for? Isn’t it time to get a little bolder, to speak up for the truths you hold
A surefire way to add joy to your life
I usually love the turn of the year, when I set time aside to do visioning and planning, think about the big
Taking time between time
Now is a time between times, this week between the end of one year and the start of the new one.
Finding Lightfulness
‘Tis the season of light in many faiths. But not all of us are feeling jolly. This is also a time of
Why you should be dancing
My horses dance. You might say they’re just driven by instinct. But when you see them run into the field on a
How to find more light this season
How are you preparing for the holidays? The December holiday season, at least in the United States, requires so much preparation: shopping,
Take time out of time during the holidays
It’s officially holiday season in the United States and we’re off to the races! We watch the scorecard tick away telling us how
My gift to you: Five minutes, five breaths
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. What could be better than the spirit of giving and thanking? But the week before Thanksgiving Day
Weaving community–through stories
Last week, I had the privilege of once again participating in a Story Bridge event in Seattle. A very diverse group came
After Me Too
The chorus of voices chanting “Me too” keeps getting louder. Hearing people finally speaking out against sexual harassment has been great,
Inviting death back into Halloween
Happy Dia de los Muertos, the end of the three-day festival from Mexico that celebrates the souls of ancestors, friends, and family members who
Honoring fall
I love fall with its bittersweet splendor. Months of dark rain lurk just around the corner, yet the leaves today are at
Is empathy wearing you out? (And what you can do about it…)
Do you feel exhausted after listening to just ten minutes of news? Last week, as I was driving to the ferry and
Cultivate the space for creativity
You know the adage: “The past is the past,” often spoken as if the past is over and no longer a dynamic force
When times feel senseless, work artfully
I woke up early Monday morning enjoying that magical moment before the dawn, when the earth lies resting, undisturbed, my mind is
When you’re fogged in, follow the markers
There are mornings, here in the Pacific Northwest, when the fog covers the fields in a sheet of gray, and I can
Create a world. In six words.
Remember when you were in grade school and you returned from your summer break, knowing that your new teacher would ask you,
Do you suffer from email apnea?
When you return from a vacation, does anticipating all those waiting e-mails make your stomach twist? (I’m just back from my staycation.) Or,
How to plan a staycation that will make you want to stay home
Update: I wrote this during a summer when the smoke from fires was such we had to stay
Working from the vulnerable void
Brené Brown did the world a great service when she shared, from her research and experience, about the importance of being willing
Four insights from the solar eclipse
In Seattle, we didn’t see the total eclipse; at 92%, it seemed not even close. Light continued to pour over my property
This is not the New Normal
My heart breaks with Charlottesville. I am still grieving Charleston and so many other sites of senseless violence. Hate crimes wound us
When “I” Becomes “We:” Letting our stories connect us
I’m looking forward to helping a new friend work on a grant application for his nonprofit. He does critically important work inspiring
Improve your daily game with focus
Last week I wrote about developing your imagination. This week I thought I’d balance things out with a left-brain productivity booster. Normally,
When concise can cripple
Get to the point In my business writing class in B-school, I learned to be succinct, concise and make my point quickly.
How much is enough?
This week I‘m having a blast designing a business storytelling class for a client, interspersed with writing my blog. Working on two
Dare to ask a bigger question
Several years ago, when I started to reinvent my business, I faced a sea of unknowns and many questions. I wondered: What was
Freedom! Let’s get the job done…
My fifteen-year old granddaughter and her BFF cousin spent last week with us (such joy) and entertained us by singing most of the songs
When One is More than Enough
Did you know that Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime, and it was to his brother? Throughout Van Gogh’s
When a Story Becomes a Game-Changer
If you ever needed proof of the power of story to set a direction for an industry, take a look at The
Is this it?
Sometimes I open the door to my mind to write and there’s nothing there. Depending on how I’m sitting (or what I’m hoping to do),
Are you rolling the rock uphill? (Or Sisyphus in the garden)
Do you ever feel like you’re just rolling the rock uphill? As I face that huge to-do list of things-that-have-to-be-done, I’ve been
What is your creative work?
What does it mean to work creatively, and to know that you are doing the creative work that is uniquely yours to
8 reasons not to tell stories (a warning for consultants and trainers.)
“Storytelling is dangerous.” I wrote this in my chapter in Sakile Camara’s book for trainers Communication Training and Development (Kendall Hunt Publishers, 2017) that
How to (not) Play Squirrel
Some years ago, I was walking my beloved Springer Spaniel, Lady, to the dog park. She was pretty well trained to heel
A chance to live dangerously
Since you’re going to get older, why not get a bit bolder? I heard those words last week from Dr. Bill Thomas
Spring for some new reading
Spring is hitting the northwest, almost in time for summer. We broke Seattle’s rainfall record for April, But now it’s oh-so-beautiful, as the
Finding the essential in aerospace and art
I recently had an opportunity to tour Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ privately-funded aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company. Tucked in an industrial area
How to Birth a Dream—Gently
Before a dream can be transformed into a project in the world, it has to be born. We talk about “making” dreams come true, but
Why Some Meetings Fail Before They Begin
If you work in an organization or business, or volunteer regularly in the community, how many hours do you spend weekly in
A Manifesto for Disruptors and Manifesto-makers
Recently, I had an opportunity to interview two cool, world-class disruptors who are challenging society’s beliefs about aging: Dr. Bill Thomas, author
The Soul of an Old Machine
Tracy Kidder once wrote about the soul of a new machine, describing a breath-taking computer development process. Today I want to
Finding an Anchor in Changing Seas
In a couple of months, I’ll be going to a gathering where the theme is “Sea Change.” The title reflects the
Ten Leadership Lessons to Steal from Springsteen
Creative Commons photo by GabboT Steal if you want to, but I think Springsteen would let you drive away with any insight you’d like from his
The Subversive Pile Next to My Bed
Words can be dangerous, sentences subversive. At a time when many of us are asking, “What can I do,” I’m starting a very undercover
Four Words to Help You Bridge Divides
Have you noticed how the fault lines between our values in the United States are becoming chasms? The distances separating conservatives
Structuring Your Time Without Killing Your Muse
As a creative entrepreneur, I often wrestle with how to manage my time, get things done, and nurture my creative zeal. I
Comfort Yourself in a Warm Blanket of Words
Sometimes I like to wrap wisdom around me like a blanket when it’s dank and sleeting outside. When the news makes me cold
Why Music is Subversive
As I was mid-way through the Women’s March Olympia, (capitol of the other Washington), a woman near me burst into song: “This little
Is It Time to Dare More Greatly?
Dr. Martin Luther King dared to believe. His words still offer truths that are bold and aspirational to guide us in political times that
Dreaming Big: Daring to want what you want
A friend of mine recently confided that she hasn’t been able to do the artistic work that fills her spirit because of
Why Positive Thinking Can Have Negative Results (and what to do about it)
In last week’s post I wrote: “Wishful thinking actually decreases our possibility of meaningful action,” as I explored why dedicating ourselves to what
Forget New Year’s Resolutions…try this instead
The fact that resolutions are made by Congress should make them suspect. (I wouldn’t choose Congress as a role-model of effectiveness …) The
Seven Great Last Minute Gift Ideas—for those who are broke or tired of buying stuff
With Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa on the near horizon, I want to offer some support in case you, like me, suffer from seasonal I-don’t-know-what-to
Music for Times That Need to Change
Dylan in 1963, Public domain photo. This year the Nobel Committee gave the prestigious Prize for Literature to Bob Dylan, the first prize ever
A Secret Bullies Will Never Know
Illustration from a video by Association Jean Vanier. My head is foggy with a bad cold this week, so I have to keep
Stepping back and moving on
What a November it was! For those of us caught in an emotional whirlwind after the elections, I wrote this triptych: Navigating Your Way
What Makes You Feel Abundant?
The classic Thanksgiving feast, in the United States, is a table of abundance, overflowing with food that beckons family and community together. But
You Can Do This Hard Thing
During this time of recovery and even trauma, I chose poetry over punditry, philosophers and theologians over politicians. Listening to the meaning-makers who speak through their hearts helps me to heal and to stand in my deeper values and higher
Navigating Your Way Across Grief
Today, the morning after the elections, I woke up in deep grief, needing some comfort – to just keep going. Chop wood.
Launching a website (or take that Russian trolls!)
Today I launch my website 2.0. New. Pared down. Beautiful (I hope). Designed to be useful. But perfect. No. It should have been
When you want to explode, maybe don’t
We see so much fear and anger playing out on the national scene this fall. It’s led to some pretty ugly diatribes.
Breaking the Spell
Is our country under a spell? After the last presidential debate, I felt the need to wash away a residual toxicity, so I
“Tell Me Your Story.” How to Elicit GREAT Stories From Your Clients (and Friends)
Many years ago, I was sitting in a doctor’s private office, waiting to meet a holistic practitioner who had been highly recommended
7 Questions to Ask When Challenged by Evidence
Last week, I heard a chilling term for a world where facts get distorted, taken out of context, and manipulated at will: “The
Isn’t it time to share your story?
Your story matters. Or more accurately, your stories. I know because I’ve been working on a project this summer, helping dozens of nurses
Are You Counting What Counts?
So God just sent his chief publicist down to help Jesus and he says, “You’re doing good work, Jesus, but I’m worried about your counts.
Finding the space for spaciousness
This week I’ve been working on deadline, caught between two big projects I love, primed, a bit more than I’d like to
9 Steps to Take When Your On-line Software Stops Liking You
Do you ever start treating your cool online software programs like a friend you can’t live without? They are so uber-friendly, with
Five books to match your summer moods
Summer’s passing – too fast, I’m afraid, but hopefully you still have time to take a vacation or a few extra moments
What You Said: Celebrating Aging Your Way
Last week I posed the question, “What does aging mean to you?” and listened to what you told me. It was
Does Your Age Mean Something to You?
This week I did it! OMG. I finally made it to Medicare – in one piece – and I’m celebrating! And even
The Perils of Working from Passion
Do you ever get so excited by a project that you can’t wait to work on it? You bounce out of
Discover Your Stuff-Handling Personality with This Free Test
It’s fashionable these days to talk about giving away stuff, thanks in part to the wisdom of Japanese tidying fanatic, Marie Kondo.
Honoring our true colors in a violent world
Black lives matter. White lives matter. Pantone* shade 316 – 6C lives matter. *a system printers use for matching colors Like you, I’m
Don’t create your legacy – claim it
Near the end of the movie Schindler’s List, there’s a gut-wrenching moment when the Jews who’ve been kept alive by Oskar Schindler
Make meetings memorable with graphic facilitation
An alternative to death-by-meeting If you’ve worked in organizations, you probably know the drill: You drive to a conference site, arrive
8 new words that will open up your world (warning: they’re more than 2 syllables)
I heard recently that on-line copywriters should write at a third grade level. That’s five grades down from the 8th grade level recommended to
What to do when an opponent labels you?
Do you remember hearing, “sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me?” Maybe your Mom, like mine,
Are we rating ourselves crazy?
It’s a sad day when a presidential candidate publicly rates women on a scale of 1 to 10. Are we really
Try a magic wand that can shift your perspective
Despite calling myself, at times, a “change agent,” I still stumble on one irrefutable fact: most of life is outside of my
Restore Thinking to Her Place of Honor
My friend Thinking is one of the world’s great unsung heroes and a good friend of mine. But she’s been looking depressed recently.
How to survive Mercury (retrograde) poisoning
Mercury has gone retrograde. Oh baby. Hang on to your electronics, your communications and your relationships. I don’t know much about astrology
Why you SHOULD sweat the small stuff (Hint: Do the math!)
Have you ever noticed how fast the small, regular stuff of life accumulates? I’m not talking about the big-maybe-you-didn’t-really-need-it-stuff like the toaster
Learning to love the in-between
A story has a beginning, middle and end. But in the roadmap for our life’s stories, how do you describe the space
5 ways to tame your inner critic
I just heard a quote by actor, author, teacher, impresario, Michael Port: “You can be a performer or a critic but you can’t
Living, for a moment, in the small stories
Last month, I described a path towards finding your big story, the narrative you can use to make your career or business
Five questions about your bio your clients are secretly asking
Your bio isn’t your resumé. Its purpose is to help people decide whether they want to connect with you. Let it sing with your
8 ways to find your vision – and what to do when you’ve found it
A vision is a curious thing – living in the beginning, middle and end of your heroic story. In the beginning of our story,
Finding the magic in the middle of your story
Stories have beginning, middles, and ends. Last week, we talked about exploring the beginning of your story, the Origin Story. This week
How your Origin Story reveals the art in your life
How many of us have secretly felt, from time to time, like we were frauds in our professions? In 1978, Dr. Pauline
Finding gratitude in every moment (with Brother David Steindl Rast)
Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk and teacher, has been writing and teaching about gratitude for over 30 years. I’ve been a
Are you a try-aholic?
Last week, I found a book by Edward Slingerland with my name on it: Trying Not to Try You see I’m Sally
Looking behind to step ahead
To start my new year, I took a day of looking back to step ahead. Unlike the vision day I took last
Create an eco-system to support your goals (or, What I learned driving past slums in Mumbai)
It’s January, when we often launch the year with goals and aspirations. If you’re like me, you took time over the holidays to
Finding your calling or what I learned from a warrior prince
Have you ever had moments when you felt stuck in your tracks, unable to decide, caught between alternatives you didn’t like –
Finding Hope in the Holidays
I’m just getting back in the saddle after an amazing trip to India. There’s so much I want to share with you
Thanks for the light and the dark
“THANKS” is a poem for this season and for these times. My friend Anne shared it with me recently, introducing me to the work
A learning journey to India
It may be easy to believe that your culture is the one right way when you’ve grown up in just one culture,
Money can’t buy it (a story)
When Mary sat down at the table for coaching, I could tell that something had changed. With her sandy hair, impish face,
Time for tea and reflection
Welcome to November, the time of long nights and cold rain in the Northwest. Our glorious Indian Summer, which I celebrated in
Is the word “leadership” dead?
My close B-school buddy, Lori, and I have been having a debate about leadership. She thinks the word has gone flat. I, however,
My favorite fall things
Raindrops on dahlias and nuzzling my horses Leaves that go crackle and new on-line courses, Wearing yummy old sweaters and starting to
Know How You Feel to Change How You Think
Lots of self help gurus preach that we can change what we believe (and then act) by changing how we think. Powerful stuff,
Are you ready to unmask from “appropriate”?
Did anyone ever tell you, as a kid, that you needed to be appropriate? Sure, it’s important in our civil culture to
Embracing what we might not choose
Life is full of things most of us don’t ask for – like old age, if we are lucky enough to get
Getting ready to fly
Fall brings change. The days shorten. The air cools. The migratory birds will soon take off. It’s a beautiful site to see them
In praise of an audience of one
Despite the buzz about content marketing, and writing for your audience, the words of Kurt Vonnegut, as quoted by the brilliant Maria Popova, live on: “write for an audience of one”.
Want to practice BEING vulnerable? Try clowning!
The words “be vulnerable” are now becoming mainstream, thanks, in part, to Brené Brown. In her brilliant TEDx talk, she talked about
Beware the NPR trap (and thank you Ira Glass!)
On the eve of launching my podcat, I’m thinking about NPR and how big the GAP is between my interviews and what I’m hearing on air. But the words of Ira Glass, from four videos he did in 2009, are
Comparison Kills Creativity or Why You Need to Play
Creativity can be thwarted if not killed by comparison. One powerful antidote is play, for children and for adults. Viola Spolin knew this as did one of my teachers long ago.
How to write about yourself when the future is foggy
Writing about one’s self when you’re in the midst of re-invention can be daunting. But with every step, the path gets clearer. “We make the road by walking.”
Do you choose high seas or a safe harbor?
Action heroes are always taking risks, daring greatly and saving the planet. They’ll probably always choose high seas over safe harbors. But for the rest of us, managing the balance of risk and safety is a skill to cultivate.
The Résumé’s not dead – just boring (or why you need more story in your bio!)
Sure, we all need to have a résumé. But a bio can be a lot more interesting to read – especially if you know how to bring it together with the power of story!
WHY we should stop asking “HOW?”
We live in a culture that values efficiency, productivity, and action. All good…if we’re doing the right stuff, the stuff that matters
Find Your Best Frame
Last week, I gave a workshop on Strategic Storytelling at a conference of fundraisers. Strategic storytelling is the vivid use of stories
How to pick out what is essential
How do we know what’s essential? Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism, has some ideas. I’ll use his emphasis on principles or priorities as a reference point. But I still need to figure out what’s the most important thing to get
When change comes in a moment
I’m offering a different piece about change this week, very personal, about how suddenly the world can change – and did – in just one moment.
Be In Your Future Now: A conversation with Robert “Jake” Jacobs
Why wait when you can step into your future now? Feel it. Taste it. Put it on like a wrap. Look through it
Embrace Your Creative Edge: Lessons from Ann Randolph
Last week, I attended a writing/performance workshop conducted by the inimitable actress Ann Randolph – known for her award winning solo performances in Loveland and Squeeze Box. Here are some take-aways!
To Unplug or Not to Unplug: Is That the Question?
Last week, I wrote about How the Internet is Warping Our Brain and what to do about it. I told you I’d
How the Internet is Warping Our Brains (and what to do about it…)
Our use of computers is shaping our common vocabulary. (Heard on the street, boy to mother: “When are you going to upgrade
How a Beloved Institution is Re-storying Itself
A library in the Netherlands has reinvented and restoried itself – with some amazing results.
7 ways to climb out of the pit and get back your mojo
Sometimes when things aren’t going exactly right, you can keep yourself going by taking the step that leads you to the next step, and then the next step and the next step.
How to ask a better question: how does space make you feel?
Good questions lead to interesting answers. I’ve been questioning why some spaces make us feel good while others make us feel empty and dull. And in the air, I find a couple of examples.
How NOT to Ask a Question
Questions can be life-changing. They can help you: See the world with new eyes Redefine a problem Find options that
How a Mapmaker Imagines the World
What’s in a map? Is it a literal representation of reality or a way to see the future? Explore ideas with seasoned map-maker Annie Brulé.
The Perils of Having a Vision
Edward S. Curtis was a visionary. He was also obsessed. He created a monumental legacy at great personal cost. And so it is with visions – engage at your own marvelous risk.
On Facing the Void
Facing a void means standing in the unknown. it can feel potent, full of possibility, or paralyzing. Without answers, a poem can provide comfort.
Finding Fierce Humility
Nobody I knew in business school used to wander around asking “How can I be humble?” But there’s a fierce humility that may well be at the heart of leadership.
Mind Your Cues to Change Your Habits
Habits are useful. They help us not to think. Like checklists they help us navigate complexity. But changing a habit we don’t want can be hard — and understanding cues can help.
Why Some Conflicts Will NEVER Go Away
Who likes conflict? I don’t! But sometimes within our conflicts, we can spot the forces that are in tension – that will never go away – and learn to live with them!
A simple tool for managing complexity
I’m not a to-do list obsessive kind of gal. So you wouldn’t think I’d get excited by a book called The Checklist Manifesto. I’ve become a believer in his main premise: In a complex world, the simple checklist can be
Finding the bigger story
Are you feeling tired of hearing all the government-bashing by the punditry? Isn’t it time to create some bigger more empowering stories about the institutions and causes we care about?
The secret reason you need to dance (or get moving!) Hint: it’s not fitness…
I’m a dancer. Who stopped dancing. But now I’ve a new reason to move – and it’s not about fitness. Do you
Coping with three flavors of fear – with help from Tara Mohr
Not all fears are created equally. With help from author Tara Mohr, I’ve identified three different kinds. When we’re on the verge of a big project, it’s good to know whether to move despite the fear and let it go,
How to change your pose to change your life
Can body language, and specifically your posture influence how you think, how you feel, and how you are perceived in the world? Dr. Amy Cuddy thinks so – and presents her findings in her popular TED talk. I do too,
How to give advice people want to hear
Ever wish that you could give people a piece of your mind and have them wanting more? Or, give feedback that someone really used because it was both tough and compassionate? The best model I’ve found recently for balancing straight
Celebrating you
In this season of gifts and celebrations, wise men and pilgrimages, the dark of night, and the light of new beginnings, I
When Nurses Speak
Last week, with a partner, I guided 6 nurses to be able to share their stories on stage. The group represented 180 years of nursing experience. Add six stories and you had one big miracle. As a participant with more
Doodling about leadership with Lynda Barry
Lynda Barry doesn’t write or draw about leadership. She’s an award-winning cartoonist, known for her comic strip “Ernie Pook’s Comeek.” Yet in her recent graphic book Syllabus, she shows us how she led her students on a path of discovery
How I found gratitude in the back of my closet
This weekend I cleaned my closet. Not an earthshaking event, but a task I’d avoided. Yet this weekend, as I sorted scarf after scarf, bag after bag, I realized that I didn’t even know what I had. And I discovered
50 Shades of Introversion
This week I have a new coaching client and I’m so excited: he’s smart, he’s competent, he listens well and….he’s an introvert.
Try the Appreciation Diet Before Thanksgiving
Appreciations are the low-hanging fruit of communications that build better relationships. Yet most of us could offer so many offer. Why not go on an appreciation diet to build your gratitude muscle for Thanksgiving?
When Nurses + Stories = Tranformation
Nurses are taught to listen. But in a profession so key to our health care system, they need to speak out as well – and tell their stories. That’s what Nurses Speak is all about.
Find the courage in your unique legend
When life feels particularly challenging, you might be experiencing the middle, turbulent phase of an extraordinary, legendary journey. Your legend is waiting for you to claim it, and to create it as you live it.
When it’s time to go small
Even a good loss, like the departure of a friend, can bring deep feelings. How do we create rituals and give ourselves the opportunity to grieve yet still keep going – by doing something focused and small.
Let Hollywood add some sizzle to your stories
Do you hear “Lights! Camera! Action!” at your business presentations? Maybe not. But do you think about “Conflict! Emotion! Transformation?” According to screenwriter and story consultant Michael Hauge, those elements can make your business stories start to rock. Join us
How to create your legend (when your name isn’t Hilton)
The word legend is often associated with celebrities, notorious fame-seekers and dead heroes. But there’s a new legend: someone who follows an authentic path, courageously following the call s/he knows to be true. You, too, can be such a legend…if
Is technology making you feel dumb?
I wanted to take a four-minute clip from a video interview. It should have been easy. But somehow nothing that involves new software or new technology ends up being that easy. There’s always some question I can’t answer – which
Mining the mind of a millennial
Do millennials think differently than baby boomers?
I decided to ask a recent college grad, who is living with us for a few days. A desire for the freedom to move about, wanting to be fulfilled at work, and the
Should we lose or use our anger?
How do you live with ANGER? Would you rather avoid it? Move beyond it? Or use it as a fuel for action? Of all the emotions, anger is the one that I like least. So I was interested in some
Have You Done Enough Today?
As we approach Labor Day, have you ever wondered if you’re doing enough? Or, do you, like me, find it hard to stop? Wayne Muller, author of “A Life of Being, Having and Doing Enough” has some insights that were
How to pick the perfect email closing
I’m taking a break from teaching about conflict to explore this life defining if tongue-in-cheek topic: email closing salutations!
What Robin Williams teaches us about leadership
We can find our inspiration for leadership in many places. Last week – for me – it came from Robin Williams, whose untimely death I deeply grieve. He was a wild man who taught us the beauty and power of
How to take some emotional heat without getting scorched
Conflict and deep emotion often go together. Recently, I’ve been learning how hard it is to stand in the fire and take the heat, when a disagreement turns strongly emotional. Here are a few insights I pulled from the embers
A Secret Tool to Help You with Difficult Conversations
If you’re like most folks I’ve worked with, handling conflict, especially when it involves messy emotional conversations, is not your cup of tea.
Conflict comes with the role of a leader – and it’s important to be able to
12 Ways to Find or Build a Tribe
Recently, as part of launching my website, I’ve had great fun re-connecting with members of my tribe of colleagues who I haven’t seen for a while. We still share so much. I’ve also been relishing making connections to new tribe
Use Your Story to Find Your Tribe
My delightful colleague and operations guru Lauren Lizardo took a big risk last year and told a candid story about being…bald. Out of the story and her willingness to stop hiding came new connections, new work, and a new tribe.
Why I Need a Tribe and Why You Might Want One Too
Having a group of colleagues (aka tribe) with whom to share dreams, ideas and interests can be a big boost to our professional lives. And for the solo-preneur, independent consultant, or innovator forging a new direction within a company, it’s
How to Get Back in the Saddle When You’ve Been Thrown Off
Have you ever found yourself in the sand after being bucked out of the saddle by a particularly hard life lesson? We can’t avoid the hard bumps that come with any heroic journey. But we still need to dust ourselves
Managing Creative Chaos
We all create in different ways and for some, like me, the creative process is accompanied by a certain amount of chaos. How can we avoid being overwhelmed when our creative juices are running?
After the Tragedy: A circle of support
In the wake of tragedy, we can tap the tremendous potential for healing and support that occurs when we stand by each other in the circle.
Unleash the Creativity Within Conflict!
We may want to avoid certain conflicts, but learning to manage conflict is necessary for creativity. Besides, it makes a better story.
How IGNITE Seattle! Ignites…
I had the opportunity to speak at IGNITE Seattle! this week. Watching the organizers having fun and working as a team, I took away a few leadership lessons of my own.
How to Stop But-ting
When we say “yes, but” in our controversial conversations we can escalate conflict and decrease listening. Last week, I taught about a way to reach a better outcome. Just don’t say what I did!
Take a vision day
As a self-employed professional, I need time away from the day-to-day demands of work to reflect, refuel my creative inspiration, and think about the future. That’s why, as the new year begins, I’m taking a Vision Day. Learn how you
Spark Your Thinking by Going Visual
Visual Goal Setting is a way of tapping your intuition and giving additional power to your goal setting and planning efforts. I spent a great evening with Patty Dobrowolski, author of Drawing Solutions, learning how to make use of this
The Eyes Have It – Use Them to Connect!
A foggy beach walk on Thanksgiving became an opportunity to practice one secret of great presenters: the ability to make eye contact. And I practiced smiling, too!
Is it Time to Get Your Hands Dirty?
Planning and improvisation often go together. And you can’t start a business unless you are willing to plan….and then improvise, or as we say in the garden “go get your hands dirty”.
Does Your Contact List Need a Spring Cleaning?
Do you ever wonder – who is your data base, really??? Or feel the urge, as you begin a new project, to let go of what you are dragging around from the past. I did….and it started with my contacts!
