We’ve all been there. It can happen on a mountain trail, in a parking lot, on a neighborhood or city street. You’re walking along – minding your own business – when you notice that you have a rock in your sock. Where did it come from? How did it get there? The level of discomfort associated with this circumstance can range from mild irritation to excruciating pain, and the reaction to the discomfort can vary as well. If the irritation is minor, you may continue to walk, thinking that the annoyance will go away. Perhaps the rock will move to a place where it won’t be as uncomfortable. Maybe you can convince yourself that it’s not too bad and that… [Read More]
Elevate the Everyday
Last week I heard someone suggest that we should “elevate the everyday,” and I’ve been thinking about that ever since. What does “elevate the everyday” mean? And how can we benefit from doing it? The term simply means to pay attention to the little things, the small changes you can make to feel better, lift your spirits, improve your job performance, upgrade your health, find more pleasure in living, and thus, enjoy life more. So, I started thinking about what I could do, about what small changes could I implement that wouldn’t cost much – if anything – and would make me feel better about myself, my work, my environment. Here’s my list – some of which I am already… [Read More]
Response-Ability
We live in a blaming world. We want to point the finger and put the blame on others. We blame the Democrats, the Republicans, the economy, the weather, the traffic, the company, the boss, co-workers, the past, family – the list goes on and on, doesn’t it? We want to blame the circumstances and people in our lives for what we perceive to be the misfortunes that may have come our way. In the workplace, we want to blame messes, mistakes, misunderstandings, mishaps, miscalculations, and mismanagement on anyone and everyone – anyone, that is, but ourselves. If it’s your tendency to be a finger-pointer or a blamer, you also may have the tendency to take the role of a victim…. [Read More]
Promised Land
I recently met a lovely woman whom we’ll call Sofia. Sofia grew up in poor family in a foreign country. Because she worked hard and was very bright, she was able to attend college, paying her own way as she went. After college, she married, had two children, and secured a job in her field of study, and again because of her hard work and business savvy, she became a very successful executive in a large organization. She and her husband had plenty of money, lived in a high-rise condominium in the capital city of her country, and enjoyed “the good life” – at least as much of a good life as her country could afford. But Sofia’s life was… [Read More]
Out of Balance?
Balance. We desperately want it. Our bodies are made to seek it. When riding a bike, walking on a log, navigating over slippery rocks in a stream, water or snow skiing, hiking a rocky path, or doing yoga, the goal is balance because losing it can cause a crash…and most of us aren’t too fond of crashes. During these activities, we concentrate on our actions and do everything possible to keep our equilibrium. Staying balanced can be hard work. We also seek balance in our lives, a balance of work and relaxation, and that can be hard work, too. Interestingly, the term “work/life balance” first appeared in the late ‘80s, about the time that people started being tethered to electronic… [Read More]
