Resiliency is the ability to stand strong through a storm, not buckle beneath the weight of adversity, problem-solve under pressure, remain calm even as others may not and, I would add, maintain integrity through challenging and shifting circumstances. The most admirable examples of resiliency I’ve witnessed include: getting through a tough situation with an awareness and concern for others; exhibiting the self-control and discipline necessary to stay focused on the best possible outcome; and, … [Read more...] about Resiliency in Action: Keeping Calm, Saving Lives
business cents
Invest in Yourself: Practice Your Craft, Buy the Dress
A few years ago, I called up a friend I’d known since grade school and asked her if she would go shopping with me. As the mother-of-the-groom, I needed a dress that would not embarrass my son and would fit with the colors and style of his large, formal wedding. Turns out, my friend, Claire, needed a dress for her sister’s wedding, which was in another state amongst people she had not seen in ages – or ever. Neither of us had shopped for a monumental-life-event dress in years and all I could … [Read more...] about Invest in Yourself: Practice Your Craft, Buy the Dress
Appreciating the Value of Knowing Yourself
There is so much to be said about knowing yourself. What do you care about? What interests you? What are your talents? What makes your heart skip a beat? Knowing and honoring your authentic self sets you up for a lifetime of fulfillment and helps you steer away from pain. John Mellencamp says, “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.” And we should listen to John, even though he smokes and rides a motorcycle without a helmet sometimes, because falling for anything in … [Read more...] about Appreciating the Value of Knowing Yourself
Letters We Will Never Send
The teddy bear cholla sure sounds cuddly, but don’t let it fool you. The spines on these prolific desert plants are often barbed, like a little fishhook. The cactus itself grows in a collection of smaller pieces. The pieces easily disconnect from the main stem and their needles are designed to catch and hold onto anything that comes near them, like you. It’s not unusual to find them hitching a ride on your shoe, ankle, backpack or bike tire. Once they grab on, you really don’t want to use your … [Read more...] about Letters We Will Never Send
Encouraging Yourself: Can You Go Three More Feet?
Kyle Maynard and his long-time friend and business partner, Joey Leonardo, know all about failure. Before becoming world-class mountaineers, they weren’t even campers. “We didn’t know how to put up a tent,” said Leonardo. Today, they have over-the-top memories of viewing the world from some of the highest peaks. But, getting there took a rocky path and a mountain of challenges. Their climb in every endeavor is strewn with seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Their success across slippery … [Read more...] about Encouraging Yourself: Can You Go Three More Feet?
Know Yourself: Honor Your Heritage, Embrace Your Environment
Knowledge is power. And knowing yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, is critical when embarking on a career path, climbing a mountain, choosing a friend and needing a go-to answer in an interview process in which that annoying question about your strengths and weaknesses is still asked. What you know and believe about yourself likely will impact every important decision you make in every aspect of your life. In his book, “Self Matters: Creating Your Life from the Inside Out,” Dr. Phil … [Read more...] about Know Yourself: Honor Your Heritage, Embrace Your Environment
Creating Space for the New Normal
COVID-19 has been a horrific ongoing nightmare for many many people, and it is not my intention in any way to make light of its truly awful impacts that have caused such vast suffering. But there are some take-aways from this global experience that may help us as we move forward into the new normal. Cleaning Up, Clearing Out As many of us have been forced to remain mostly in our homes and make sense out of our office spaces, we’ve learned we can’t just close the door and go off to work or … [Read more...] about Creating Space for the New Normal
Considering Cuomo, Cranberry Juice and COVID-19
Americans are creative and resourceful. Right now, I have no doubt there are novels being written, movies being imagined and start-ups being developed. Many individuals are using this time of uncertainty to re-assess, re-tool and re-invent themselves and their careers. I’ve talked to entrepreneurs who are filling the unexpected time they have now with online courses to improve their skills; some are refreshing their investment properties to make them more attractive for when the market … [Read more...] about Considering Cuomo, Cranberry Juice and COVID-19
When Bad People Happen to Good Jobs
My mom once told me, “Nature’s laws are God’s laws, and they must be followed.” In her wisdom, she recognized the need to respect and adhere to the forces that aren’t going to change one iota – like gravity. One of my favorites is balance. This Law of Nature is demonstrated everywhere in the Universe: day and night, hills and valleys, good and evil, push and pull, plain and peanut. If there’s a depression, like a wash in the desert, at some point, it will fill with water. That’s just how it … [Read more...] about When Bad People Happen to Good Jobs
Are You Hiding in the Conference Room with Noise-Canceling Headphones?
Walking through a building of scientists one day, I noticed a sign taped to a door that reminded me of a handmade “Keep Out” message hanging from a child’s treehouse. The words said something about “Writing Time” and “Please Do Not Disturb.” At first glance, the sign felt harsh and almost rude, but then I realized the archaeologists behind the closed door were trying to set boundaries and carve out some uninterrupted space where they could think and document their research. I noticed I was … [Read more...] about Are You Hiding in the Conference Room with Noise-Canceling Headphones?