Your story isn’t over yet. In praise of the humble semicolon I know it seems odd to write a post about a punctuation mark, but recently, I was at a restaurant, and my waiter had a very pronounced semicolon tattooed on his arm, and I asked about it. He told me that the semicolon is now the symbol to recognize those who have struggled with depression, anxiety, addiction, and/or suicidal thoughts. I had not heard about this trend of using the semicolon as a symbol of hope. The waiter went on to explain that the semicolon represents “a sentence the […]
Leadership
Where You’re Heading
“Even though there are days I wish I could change some things that happened in the past, there’s a reason the rearview mirror is so small, and the windshield is so big, where you’re heading is much more important than what you’ve left behind.” –Unknown I’ve had this quote on my desktop for a few months now, and while I like it very much, there never seemed to be the right time to turn it into a show…until today. I have been forthright through the years with you about my desire to be the perfect person, but alas, that was […]
How to be Lucky
I have always loved the quote, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” It has been attributed to just about everyone, but the one who is consistently listed as the author is Samuel Goldwyn, a TV and movie producer. Interesting when you think that he might have said that line, considering that he was–in a sense–the star-maker in Hollywood, but even he understood the long view of success or luck (as you’d like to believe). Just think back on your favorite movie star and then research how many times they had to do cheese ball commercials or TV sitcoms […]
All Together Now
When I watch the birds outside my office window, I am reminded how they seem to work all together. Right outside my window, I have the most amazing birdbath. What makes this resting place so awesome is the many visitors who come to drink, wash, and play… at least, I think they are playing in the water. When a bird lands on the rim of the bath, I will stop what I’m doing and watch… watch them peck at the water, jump in and wiggle, flex their wings, and groom themselves. It’s a good thing the bath is not near […]
Be Gentle with Everyone You Meet
If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is this: Be gentle with everyone you meet — you have no idea what has happened to them on their life’s journey. As most of you know, I am a speaker. I stand before audiences of 100 to 1,000 on any given week, and it never fails–really, it never fails–that someone who looks like a million bucks or who is the life of the party or who carries themselves with such apparent ease is the one who carries the deepest scars. Over the years, I think I’ve developed something […]
You Can Dwell on it for the Rest of Your Life
You Can Dwell on it for the Rest of Your Life Or you can change it. One of the great joys of doing this radio show is all the nice people who call or email me and tell me how a certain show was meaningful to them, from how much they liked a certain guest to some asking questions about who to turn to for help. Since I am not a licensed counselor or an HR person, I like to suggest some good people I know who may be able to help those who reach out to me seeking answers. […]
Add A Word – Get A Third
This has to be one of my favorite learning experiences. Add a word, get a third? I have a client who is going to be a country music star. I’m working with her on interview skills so that when her time comes, she’ll be ready for the bright lights, big hair, and big city. One day, while we were working together and I was looking at her CD cover, I asked who the other people on the CD were since they were not backup singers. I knew they didn’t write her songs – she told me how she learned some […]
Wouldn’t It be Great if Everyone Was Happy to See You?
Wouldn’t it be great if everyone were happy to see you? I mean, I’m really happy to see you every time you come around. Recently, I saw a photo online of the most adorable little boy at an amusement park, where he met someone in a costume who looked just like Tinkerbell. She was beautiful and looked very kind and sweet as she knelt down to hug him and speak to him. The look on his face, captured by his parents’ camera, was one of pure joy, glee, thrill, elation, and excitement. When I posted the photo on Facebook, I […]
Do Not Rush
Without a doubt, most of us feel we are on a limited time, so to fill every minute of every day, live life to the fullest, and then overflow, we rush. We rush from the moment our feet hit the floor in the morning to when we crash into bed at night, and then we do it all over again for the next five days. Then the weekend comes, and we rush to fill every minute with fun, family, food, and football. It just seems that most of our lives are structured. And while I understand the need to get […]