Is a politician who changes their view “thoughtful” or a “flip-flopper”? If your partner changes their philosophy, are they “growing” or “not the person I fell in love with”? If a friend changes sides in an argument have they been convinced, or are they a traitor? Change is scary. Humans like the people around them to be constant, consistent. We Read More …
In a recent conversation with my friend Guy Windsor, he shared a useful thought with me. When you put your work out into the world there are three basic kinds of response you may get: 1. Positive and supportive. “What a great article/book/art piece you’ve shared. This is what I have been looking for.” 2. Critical and supportive. “What you Read More …
I have written a couple posts recently that have received many positive comments and a handful of negative ones. Positive comments generally come from a thoughtful place born from a desire to explore and discuss. They are not necessarily expressing viewpoints that agree with mine but share a viewpoint in a way that encourages further thought and discussion. Negative comments Read More …
This talk by Dan Gilbert (http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_you_are_always_changing) describes how we believe that our present self will remain essentially the same 10 years into the future — and how we’re wrong. Dan’s talk explores how we often make decisions now thinking that we’ll be happy with those decisions 10 years from now. This stems from an illusion that who we are now Read More …
When you’re freaking out or about to take a terrifying leap; when failure looms and you feel like freezing up; when you’re afraid your best might not be enough; free yourself up from the clutches of worry by leveling with failure. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Sometimes just asking this question is enough to dismiss the worry. You Read More …
To have a fulfilling life it is essential that you grow. Yet growth is rich with challenge and challenge is inherently uncomfortable because it moves us away from where we are at ease. Operating in this realm of unrest comes naturally to very few, those who are good at playing in this space have developed the skills to do it Read More …
“I did a really good job today, I deserve to buy those shoes.” “This has been so rough, that TV will make me feel better.” “Things feel so tight, there’s no way we can afford that cookbook.” “I got paid today! Time to buy those skis I always wanted.” Your feelings are not the best director of how you should Read More …
Entrepreneurs and independents are highly valued in our North American culture yet behind every entrepreneur are dozens if not hundreds or thousands of supporters. These supporters are the workers, the contributors, the backers, all the people who really get the things done. However their role is under-appreciated. It’s not sexy enough to make the front page of newspapers so many Read More …
In partner dance our physical connection with another dancer can be a point of support, of direction, of communication, and of energy transference. All of these connections have tone, they create a connection from our partner directly to our core. They receive the presence of our partner and give our physical presence in return. However a connection does not need Read More …
Our mind is constantly monitoring our safety and security both emotional and physical. Fast reactions to surprising situations can provide us with the adrenaline, reflexes, and responsiveness that we need to create safety. As astronaut Chris Hadfield shared in his recent TED talk at Ted Vancouver, these animal responses can also make things much much worse — especially in space. Read More …