It’s not what happens to you but how you react to it that matters. Epictetus There is no easy way to say it, and no need to sugar coat the truth that, for many, could be life-changing, so I’ll hit you straight up and remind you that “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” You know this to be true, and yet it is so hard to let offenses, real and imagined, go without a fight or at least a great put-you-in-your-place-amazingly-smart-aleck comment. Recently, I was speaking at a leadership luncheon, and I […]
Leadership
Is your life a grand adventure?
I’m reading a great book about a lady’s travels throughout the world, and each page takes me to another outdoor café, museum, or cathedral. I have walked alongside this lady as she tries new foods, buys tiles and trinkets, and smells the scent of the city where she and her husband are exploring. I can get lost in a book pretty easily, and I have found that I tend to like books that have an element of education for me and not just a sappy story. I admit I spend a lot of time reading, and it’s a habit I […]
Generosity of Spirit
Like many of you, I like to think of myself as a generous person, or at least that is the ideal I have in my mind about who I am and those I associate with. I have come to believe that we all hope and trust that we have a place inside us that realizes that it is good to be thoughtful, kind, and generous to others, and it’s at that foundation of our deep moral makeup that reflects who we are at our soul level. Now, I know that some people do not feel this way. While I don’t […]
Feeling stuck is a FEELING, not a fact
If I have heard it once, I have heard it 100 times, “You know, Deb, I’m stuck in life, and I don’t know how to move forward.” Well, I say usually, one step at a time is a good place to start, and soon the feeling will pass, and you can get started again. Why? Because feeling stuck is a FEELING, not a fact, and, for many listening today, you’re wallowing in a feeling that is not based on anything but your emotions at this time and for whatever reason you’ve chosen to give. No doubt some days, weeks, or […]
What would you do if you knew you would die today
Not the headline you’re used to seeing, but recently, I was catching up on my reading and came across my AARP magazine (you know, the magazine that reminds us all that we’re over 50 and are on the slippery downhill slope) and the words of the question about having just a few more hours to live jumped off the page at me, and I thought to myself, well, what would I do in the 9 hours I have left? Honestly, I was torn between organizing who would get what and feeling sorry for myself for not having eaten my way […]
May all your dreams come true… even the ones they laughed at
I recently came across a phrase that made me smile when I thought about it… because the truth it holds can be life-changing. May all your dreams come true…even the ones they laughed at. There is something about this phrase that captures me… maybe it’s because I’ve had 1000 dreams, thoughts, and ideas that I’ve tried or have pursued – some to success and, some that are still in my attic and a few that are just sweet memories… but let the record show that at least I tried. I hear a lot of polite snickering when someone verbalizes their […]
Just Apologize
I don’t know what it is about having to say you’re sorry, but it is, perhaps, one of the hardest things many of us have to do or should do if we’ve crossed the line or intentionally (or not) caused harm to someone else. Now, no worries about me…I haven’t done anything that I need to do a shout-out apology for, and certainly not here on my blog or podcast… but lately, as I have been listening to some of my friends talk about their hurt feelings, it occurred to me that we would all do better if we’d just […]
Start and Finish
Recently, a client called me about entering a competition – she was not sure she wanted to go through the hard work, early mornings and late nights, and stress, pain, and hassle of it all, so she called to ask me what I thought. Realizing that she would have a lot of work to do to win the race – I was tempted to let her off the hook this time – to focus on her work – to build her career – to push her to the top but then I realized looking back over our last year together how far […]
Don’t Complain About Things You Are Not Willing to Change
I have just about reached my limit with people who complain about things they are not willing to change. You hear it all the time from someone in your group. They are the ones who whisper loudly that someone else didn’t do their job, or someone else didn’t tell them some tiny bit of useless information, or someone else said something to someone. And you know the rest of the excuses of the one person who blames their lack of accomplishments on everyone else but themselves. Today, I have a lot to say to those people. What are we supposed […]
