Strategies for Personal Change

Book Reviews – Top 2 for ’21

I used to curate an Annual Reading List, but after a while I learned two things: 1) a LOT of people and organizations do the same, to the point where mine felt redundant, and 2) based on click-tracking, I determined what people most appreciate is the surfacing of the BEST of the best. So I stopped publishing lists of what …

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Leadership and Workplace, Strategies for Personal Change

ThanksGETTING – How do you receive a Gift?

As the saying goes, It is better to give than to receive. But if you pour water into a leaky glass, it won’t slake your thirst. So, let’s look at the receiving end of the process.  Do you have a friend who is impossible to praise? If you say, “I appreciate the work you did,” might they say, “thank you for saying that?” …

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ThanksGIVING – How do you offer it?

As the American Thanksgiving holiday approaches, our thoughts turn to Giving Thanks and the emotion of Gratitude. This emotion is so foundational to the experience of all the Positive Emotions that I believe it is impossible to oversell its importance or speak of it too often.  Gratitude is defined as, the quality of being warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; …

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Strategies for Personal Change

I GOT A BALLOON!

happiness lessons from Disney

7 Happiness Lessons from my Disney Experience Yes, I took another holiday. One of the benefits of being a freelancer is that my boss (me!) gives me six weeks of vacation every year, and since 2020 was a year of lockdown, I have much to catch up on in 2021. On the flip side, a freelancer has no income when …

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My Origin Poem

The Origin Poem This second origins exercise (as mentioned in my previous post on Cultural Bio) — a fill-in-the-blanks worksheet — took far longer to complete and required that I decide which memories really define me. ‘twas a mostly positive and joyful exercise. I’ve uploaded instructions here if you’d like to try it (Word file) Why bother? Sharing who you …

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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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