Are you using all your strength?
A mother and her daughter are walking on a trail. They come across a fallen branch blocking their path. The daughter asks the mother, “Do you think, if I use all of my strength, I can move the branch off the trail?” The mother thinks for a moment, then looks …
Read More
What humans and cheetahs have in common
Would a cheetah win a race against greyhounds? A cheetah was brought to a greyhound racetrack to find out. The dogs, and the cheetah, were positioned at the starting line. When the gates opened, the greyhounds darted out. The cheetah remained laying down in her pen. The observers were shocked. …
Read More
Recovering checklist addict
I was the Queen of check-lists. I crushed the workday as I sailed down my list. A hit of dopamine rushing through me as I tick one box after the next. As the list whittled down, my sense of accomplishment and satisfaction soared. My checklists weren’t confined to work. Oh …
Read More
Handle yourself with care
Unless you are one of the .000001% of humans living out your existence as a hermit in the woods, you are not an autonomous island unaffected by others. Every one of us is a walking energy field that influences those around us. And each of us, in turn, is influenced …
Read More
Where are the defiant rule-breakers?
If there was an award for the most detentions attained during an elementary school career, my brother Ben would have won it. Ben had a judicious approach to rules. If a rule didn’t make sense to him, or didn’t seem just, he didn’t bother to abide by it. While that …
Read More
First they came
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— …
Read More
It’s time to redefine “better”
If you’re like most people, you want your kids to have a better life than you. This dream for “better” is intertwined with our belief in human progress. Better is the reward for your personal sacrifices and hard work. In the past, better meant more money. Money is the way …
Read More
Lessons from a stand-in weatherman
You are a sports reporter for a local TV station. You’ve worked hard to get where you are, and you love what you do. Then, the unexpected happens. You’re asked to cover for the morning weatherman. You have to show up at 3 am and stand in a blizzard, freezing …
Read More
Life’s tango. Want to dance?
I love to rewatch old movies. Movies become a beautiful mix of the familiar and surprise once they’ve hit that magical place where it’s been long enough that I don’t remember much of the storyline. Recently, I rewatched Father of the Bride, a Steve Martin film with the perfect balance …
Read More
The problem with catfishing
Catfishing means falsely representing yourself on dating apps. That picture from 20 years ago or 50 pounds ago. The filter that makes you unrecognizable even to your mother. Slightly exaggerating your height….by 6 inches. The reason someone falsely represents themself in the first place is because they don’t believe their …
Read More