DUST MOTES OF WISDOM

During my search for past writings on Optimism, I came across this article from 2012, LONG before pandemics and 2020’s turmoil – and I was struck by how much of the wisdom from a “normal” year still applies, but feels different, in a pandemic year. With minor tweaks, I share this from the archives. My ambition for this newsletter was …

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Special Request from Jim – What did you learn in 2020?

What did you learn this year?  In a normal year it is a common practice to look back to reflect on accomplishments before looking forward to plan for the next. Janus, the ancient Roman god of beginnings and endings, represents this duality. As this Dumpster Fire of a year blessedly draws to an end, I’m looking forward to 2021 and …

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DO I BELONG HERE? REFLECTIONS ON MY WHITENESS

Lily Tomlin saying: I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.

DISCLAIMER: This post moves into territory I have never before addressed publicly. I recognize that for some this topic may push into what they experience as polarizing space. I offer this essay as MY reflection on MY experience in the world right now, and I make no judgment whatsoever about you and your position in the world. I invite you only …

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Strategies for Personal Change

This Too Shall Pass

This too shall pass. Now would be good.

  ARE YOU AN OPTIMIST OR A PESSIMIST? It is said that an eastern monarch once charged his wisemen to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and all situations. They presented him with the words: “and this, too, shall pass away. “How much it expresses! How chastening …

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Strategies for Personal Change

COVID Brain Part 3: Awesomeness

COVID Brain Part 3: Awesomeness One of my favorite writers has been posting daily bits of Pandemic Awesomeness. Inspired, I’ve been working on my own list. Discovering that I DO have the motivation to exercise even though the gyms are closed Having fresh baked bread twice a week for the past 20 weeks – because there’s no place to go …

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Strategies for Personal Change

COVID Brain Part 2

COVID Brain Part 2: Coaching Conversations I have a client who has struggled w/ depression in the past and is struggling with isolation now. In a recent coaching session (in which he wanted to “work through some of the negative shit”), I asked him this question: What are you learning about yourself as a result of having to live in …

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COVID Brain Part 1

COVID-19-Affect-Brain

Part 1: From The Pandemic Lockdown, Day 159 How long have you been in lockdown, or working from home, or having to balance kids and job and worry about the return to school, or feeling separated from loved ones? Too long, right? I thought I was doing OK. Then two weeks ago (day 143, but who’s counting?) I had a …

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Leadership and Workplace

IT’S NOT YOU

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Since mid-March, every conversation touches on the pandemic, at least for a second. But the topic’s been consistently held as a temporary situation. Then last week happened. Plans for return to work in July shifted to year-end 2020. Conferences in 1Q21 started getting the “let’s go virtual!” treatment. Three months is temporary. A full year is, “We gotta figure this out, …

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A Few Resources For You-June 2020

Just For Fun A Few Resources For You You Can Do This Hard Thing. I really enjoy the “virtual choirs” that have existed in social media and on artist platforms for years. Physical distancing has encouraged more people to experiment with that art form, and I found this folk song by Carrie Newcomer hit just the right notes of collaboration, …

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