A Shoulder to Lean On A true story about life I am a bystander – a new friend – and an American colleague who has come to work in her country. Just for a moment, in the late afternoon’s dusty air settling on a few minutes’ worth of freshly fallen rain, we are family. It can happen to anyone. The police report said he had come from the eye doctor and had his pupils dilated. Instead of waiting for the appropriate time to allow his eyes to see clearly, he got up from the hospital bench and walked into the […]
Encouragement for Your Life
We Each Write the Story of Our Lives
I am not sure what it is about my theme today that captures me. I guess it’s because there is such truth in the simple statement that we each write the story of our lives one choice at a time. Regret or joy, we make choices every hour, every day, every month, every year, and will do so for the rest of our lives. And those choices will be a reflection of what we love or once loved, care about, have decided to toss out, have fought for, or have fought against. The choices we make will, for the most […]
If You Want to Leave a Footprint
If You Want to Leave a Footprint, Don’t Drag Your Feet I came across today’s theme by accident while looking for information about leaving a legacy that I spoke about last week. If you want to leave a footprint, don’t drag your feet. —Arnot L. Sheppard This quote just stuck with me, so much so that I couldn’t shake it to work on something else. There is just something about the phrase that makes me stop and think…probably because I am very mindful that we will all leave a legacy of some sort. Still, in addition to that, the […]
Take A Chance
The poster headline is “Take A Chance,” and each ticket says: “Chance.” I’ve seen this poster a hundred times on school bulletin boards, coffee shop information boards, and the community board at Whole Foods. It was just recently, though, that, for some unknown reason, it finally caught my attention. It’s an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, and the bottom of the sheet is clipped so you can “pull a ticket.” Interesting to see how many little slips of paper just hang on the sheet, waiting to be taken. I guess some folks don’t see it as anything they’d be […]
People Will Kill You
“People will kill you over time, and how they kill you is with tiny, harmless phrases like be realistic.” Dylan Moran I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate it when people give backhanded, up-front, or behind-the-back slights to one’s life, dreams, hopes, and ambitions. And yes, I used the word “hate” because, like you, I heard these phrases from others as I wandered through my early work years. And because it frustrated me so much, I made a mental note to stay away from those who would be so bold as to say something so ridiculous to me […]
The World Needs You to Share Your Gifts
“The world needs you to share your gifts and go for your dreams. There aren’t enough people who have the courage to go for it.” Lewis Howes As your friend, I want to ask you a question: “Do you have courage?” I mean, really, do you have the courage to do the thing you keep talking about, wishing for, or hoping one day will come true? I sincerely hope you do, and I celebrate your success if you are living the dream. That being said, I also know by watching countless people run to the edge of success, look into […]
Dreams are Free
Dreams are Free But you have to start dreaming I have a lot of great opportunities, but one I’m privileged to be part of is TEDx, where I am the speaker coach. TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment, and Design converged, and today it covers almost all topics—from science to business to global issues—in more than 100 languages. For several years, every Sunday, it was my practice to choose and watch five […]
Everyone Thinks of Changing the World
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself Change is a funny thing. We all want it for about a week, then it loses its shine, and we’re back to being the same. Not that being the same is all bad–we seem to revel in it since that is “who we are” –but remember that for a fleeting minute, we dreamed a bit higher and considered the option of being a bit more noble and a bit more… well… better, but, alas, it was just a quirky consideration best left for another day. How is […]
Oh, To Be Remembered
Oh, To Be Remembered This time of year, I often think about Lucille Ball. We lost her 20+ years ago, although it doesn’t seem that long. I can remember coming home from school and watching I Love Lucy, laughing along with the cheesy laugh tracks on the screen. Or, when I was homesick, I could still find her show on some off-channel for reruns. I often use her life adventure in one of my leadership talks. If you know her story, it is an amazing tale of survival. To have the star power she had for over 30 years in Hollywood […]