It’s Not About the Words #54 Some things in life you have to experience to describe. As I write about this, I’m sure I won’t do it justice. We attended Ali’s choir concert recently, and it’s always an uplifting experience as we enjoy choral music. We enjoy most forms of live music, but when it’s also one of your kids performing, it’s special. When…
Hard Work Pays Off #53 Hard work pays off. You don’t always know when, but it does. We were doing Spring yard work recently. It was mostly raking and removing leaves, sticks and debris from our gardens. Last year, we moved away from a suburban lot, slightly wooded, mostly landscaped and straightforward. It didn’t require too much and was something…
Stop Seeking Balance #52 Balance is a myth (or as I wrote in my book, Chasing Perfection, balance is bullshit!). It’s the incredible illusion of our work and home life being “balanced” in some magical way that the world around you sees as an enviable reality being experienced every single day. It’s a topic that cycles around during specific times of the…
There’s No Win in That Game #51 We set a lot of rocks and goals during our EOS sessions. We talk about setting them in terms of being “stretchy and attainable.” This is a challenge at times. You must consider the time of year for the business, your own commitments within your role, the people you need to partner with…
Pushed to a Place #50 One of the hardest things for competent, successful, motivated people to do is ask for and receive help. There is often a ton packed into that well put together exterior, and no amount of life circumstances can ding, dent or slow it until a health event kicks in. In my 40s, life handed me more…
What Stories Are You Invested in Keeping? #49 When I looked up quotes on comparison, I wasn’t surprised to find they were all negative. Here are a few of them: “Comparison is an act of violence against the self.” Iyanla Vanzant “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt “Happiness is found when you stop comparing yourself…
5% to Goal #48 As I’m approaching 50 consecutive blog posts (5% to goal!), I’m making my first round of observations. These are my key take-aways so far. This may happen again as things synthesize. Other than making physical time, it’s getting easier to blog daily. Having an agenda to write publicly daily is making me a better observer. It’s…
The Luxury We Crave #47 What if you treated every conversation as if it were the last opportunity you had? How would you relate differently to them? How would you listen? What difference would it make in your relationships? As I worked with a team recently about communication, I was reminded of how challenging it is to balance the demands…
Windows to The Soul #46 Eye contact. For some it’s easy, for others, it’s uncomfortable. I was working with a team today learning about communication. We did a brief exercise which involved one minute of eye contact. Nothing more, simply eye contact. Once completed, the participants discussed their experiences. It’s always interesting to hear the range of what’s occurred for…
The Right way to Resolve Conflict #45 Conflict. No one likes it; some provoke or evoke it, and some avoid it like the plague. The word itself triggers people and causes a reaction; often protection, defensiveness, or counter-attack are the methods. We brace for it and nervously laugh or fidget when it is present or needing to happen. It can…