Saying no can be easy. I realize it’s easy to say no to things you don’t like – for me, that is running. If someone asks me to run, it’s an easy no. I don’t enjoy it and never have. Then, Amy Ronneberg asked me to run a 5K with her. She was dealing with health issues and was intending to run this 5K as a fundraiser one…
Validation is underrated. When you are a knowledge worker like I am, it can be lonely. Not just running your business, but in validating that the content you’re sharing matters in any sort of way. As I create the blog, podcast, video, and new courses, I wonder at times if it matters. Does it matter beyond the discipline of doing…
Focus. We sometimes talk about it like a talent we can call upon at will or an elixir we can consume. Sometimes it feels like you’re right on track, incredibly focused. There’s a flow and ease with all you’re doing. Then, there are the other times. The times when you feel scattered, overwhelmed, anxious or distracted. It feels more productive to be focused, and if you, like me, have an orientation toward being a doer,…
I’ve begun several blogs with “how are you?” followed by “no, really.” It seems appropriate again, which I interpret to mean we’re all tired. Tired of the pandemic, tired of change, tired of politics, tired of solving problems that feel unsolvable in the near term (like labor and supply chain) and tired of feeling like we have to navigate everyone’s…
Does anyone else feel like it’s rough right now? I do. It seems like the veneer is really thin for many people; me included. Finding ways to continue to know what renews my own resilience, compassion and care is trickier these days and frankly it seems to be changing. I’ve become more sensitive at times because I’ve absorbed more or less of…
Extending grace offers new pathways. When you can remain curious during challenging times keeping an open mind and an open heart, a new space for trust emerges. The world is not either/or. The mindset necessary to traverse great divides in opinion, perspective and beliefs is a tricky balance of suspending what you believe long enough to consider an alternate point…
When things are challenging, do you dwell on them? Me too. At least some of the time. What can you do to reframe your thinking? You can begin by taking responsibility. Reframing your thinking is exactly that – owning the thoughts as your own, not the truth. Your experience in the world is only a fraction of what’s available – in…
How much of my self-worth is tied up in what I do/produce? My immediate response: too much. In fact, it might be how I measure all my worth based on what I do/have done. The good news, I can change that. What if I tweaked my thinking to offer the world something more valuable? What if I changed my beliefs…
She said “I never thought I’d make new friends, let alone a best friend, later in life.” And then it happened. We didn’t seek each other as friends, we met and learned about each other through WPO. She was an amazing listener, wise beyond her years and always offered forwarding comments, learning and connection. She made everyone feel seen and heard. And I…
What are your most important sources of energy? In learning to work with your own natural pace, preferences, productive times, and patterns, have you slowed to observe yourself? It’s a worthy exercise. I took the time to pay attention when my life was falling apart in what seemed all ways. I’d recommend doing it before that happens if possible. Hopefully, you’ll never…