I’ve seen this poster a hundred times on school bulletin boards or coffee shop info boards and at Whole Foods on the community board. It was just recently, though, 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.” The poster headline is “Take A Chance,” and each ticket says: “Chance.” 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 […]
Everyone thinks of changing the world
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself – Leo Tolstoy. 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 […]
Today is a new day
Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it…If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, there is always another chance for you. And supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. Mary Pickford I like the thought for today. Maybe it’s because I just got back from speaking at a conference where I heard, once again, how failing in the past is messing up […]
What is taking up space?
What is taking up space? (The parable of the fig tree) During the Easter weekend, I came across a reading about the parable of the fig tree, and it got me thinking about the truths that were in the story and how they relate to me and maybe to you. (Mark 11:12-14) The story relates the incident of a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit, and since it was not producing, it had no value. Was it a beautiful tree? I suppose so, but it had a larger purpose, and that was to bear fruit. How disappointing to […]
Do what lies clearly at hand
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? That is a question that has come up a lot lately with some projects that I am working on. Sometimes, despite my best intentions, I look down the path of life and wonder – what do I do next? I am sure it is an issue that many face since, in our world of plenty, we have many great choices. And sometimes, there are more ways than one to get to the finish line. But how do you know what road to take? And what measurements should one use […]
Opportunity is Everywhere
Opportunity is everywhere if you know where to look…. The funny thing about opportunity is that it seems to follow other people and not those who seem to need it…or does it? I have been pondering that thought for some time now. Why does it seem that some people just seem to luck into the best jobs, the best relationships, and the best opportunities more than others? Or do those who come across opportunity seize hold of it and make more out of it, so it seems effortless and looks as if they tend to win over and over in […]
They Broke Your Expectations
No matter who you attribute the quote to, the idea that Expectation is the root of all heartache speaks truth to a level that most of us would rather not see or ever have to deal with, yet it is a daily occurrence, one that can fell the mightiest of men and women who, under the weight of innocent hope, will crumble when expectations (real or perceived) are not met. It’s true in life and love: They didn’t break your heart; they broke your expectations. They broke your expectations, that expectant hope that something or someone you held dear and […]
Mend the part of the world
“Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.” ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estés I have the great fortune to be a TEDx speaker coach. And with every TEDx presenter, I am blessed to hear about topics I never knew about or even considered–that’s the beauty of TED (Technology, Education & Design). This year, one of the speakers gave a talk about how we all have implicit bias; whether we know it or not or whether we admit it to ourselves or […]
Walking Away
“When faced with senseless drama, spiteful criticisms, and misguided opinions, walking away is the best way to stand up for yourself. To respond with anger is an endorsement of their attitude.” ~ Dodinsky How many times have you thought about walking away from the drama, the words, and the noise, but you stayed to play one more round, hoping it would not be as bad as you thought? No doubt, it ended up being pretty awful. And the worst part is you knew it would end up poorly, but you just had to speak your mind one more time, or […]
