I learned just minutes ago that a good friend died yesterday. She was over a decade younger than me, and we had little in common except for our very broad and eclectic interests, an intense interest in curiosity about how people behave and a shared sense of (very dry) humor. And that was enough. I … Read more
I’m not a big believer in New Year’s Resolutions. Most people fail at them within a few weeks. So then they give up… until next year. But hold on! Maybe there’s a better way to approach self-improvement, one goal at a time. The start of the new year, in my opinion, just one occasion for … Read more
Today, I celebrate colored socks. Two months ago I offered my newsletter readers 13 ideas for changing the world, starting with themselves. One of those ideas (and the one most often commented on) was, “Wear Colored Socks (or something that adds a splash of color, flamboyant, or “wild” to your wardrobe). The concept is that … Read more
So, we saw two movies this past weekend (Doubt, and Seven Pounds) and enjoyed them both. Yet they were so very different that I find it impossible to compare. I cannot say, “this one was better because…” They were just too very different. I do not want the job of a movie critic, who must … Read more
<If, dear reader, you believe me to be a perfect human being who never does anything inappropriate… please stop reading now. I don’t want to tarnish your image of me.> For the rest of you, I have a confession to make. Yes, at the risk of being picked up by the Cinema Police, I confess … Read more
I recently re-discovered a fabulous article originally published by Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge site, way back in June. It’s a research-based report on the concept of spending and Happiness. Selected excerpts from the article: Can money buy you happiness? Yes—so long as you spend the money on someone else. According to new research, giving … Read more
I received a Christmas card from someone whose name I did not recognize. Inside was one of the most poignant messages I’ve ever received from a workshop participant: “Jim, I attended your Happiness Seminar at the Cleveland VA Medical Center in October. It could not have come at a better time for me. I had, … Read more
After my post ten days ago about this movie, several people wrote me (or commented on the blog) to ask for my opinion AFTER seeing the movie. Well, my wife and I finally got to see it on Saturday afternoon. I went into the theatre with high expectations. Sometimes expecting too much of a film … Read more
I’m in love! With my new headset, that is. I do a LOT of phone work, and recently more and more I’ve had people saying, “could you repeat that?” “What did you say?” and so on — especially when I’m leading group calls, where we also have to factor in the Echo Factor, ambient noise, … Read more
A recent Saturday Night Live skit revolved around a family of grown siblings gathered for Christmas Dinner. Their interaction moved from the sharing of warm moments and singing carols to screaming tirades based on sibling “issues” from childhood. The humor came out of human moments. How many of us have a similar “love ‘em/can’t stand … Read more