Reader, are you feeling bombarded? I've never been big on New Year's resolutions, but in the past few years, I've found this tradition especially cringe. Part of this response is having enough decades on the earth to know that I have never once followed through on my previous New Year's resolutions in a sustained way. The other part is the proliferation of marketing messages exploiting this tradition to reinforce messages of scarcity and insufficiency. Who needs more of that sh!t in your...
11 days ago • 2 min read
Reader, if you need someone to give your permission to prioritize you, read this This week's #ShowUpPositive Spark is GIVING, starting with you. It's Thanksgiving week in the US, so I've seen many articles about giving. However, I noticed that they are all focused externally. But you and I know, Reader, that in order to give to others, your own cup can't be empty. That is why you need to prioritize yourself this week. I have a few ideas to encourage and inspire you. Get outside and clear your...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Reader, let's dispel a huge lie This week's #ShowUpPositive Spark is ENOUGH.. Early in my career, every publicly traded company I worked for eventually hired one of the big management consulting firms to help them figure out how to increase productivity and profit. At first, it was a helpful exercise. Tightening up processes, automating, and leveraging people in better ways were the right decisions. Unfortunately, the hamster wheel chasing more and more and more never eased. Workers became...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, these tips are 🔥 This week's #ShowUpPositive Spark, BEHOLD, is inspired by my colleague Gary. Childhood was my introduction to the word behold. The contextual use was something of magnificence or splendor. Thus, I always interpreted behold to mean see something amazing had to be present. Then I met Gary during one of my early LinkedIn audio events, Talk Me Off the Ledge, and he opened my eyes to a whole new perspective. BE = Present, attentive; HOLD = Pause, be still. BEHOLD was not...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Reader, are you getting enough rest? I'm not just talking about sleep. Rest is space from people who zap your energy constant demands grinding at your computer all-day the hampster wheel of productivity back-to-back meetings cleaning up someone else's mess overwhelming commitments being enslaved by obligation masking your true self I don't know about you Reader, but just reading that list makes me want to curl up in a ball and hide. And here's the truth -- the holidays are just around the...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Reader, thanks for pausing to celebrate with me! This week's #ShowUpPositive Spark, WISDOM, is inspired by my age. After walking upon this earth for five decades, I have definitely gained some wisdom. There is no denying experience is a mighty teacher. With each success and humility, there is an opportunity to garner more wisdom. Reader, I also notice that much of this wisdom goes unnoticed until it is shared with others. In telling our stories and collaborating with others, we access the...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Reader, I have great news! This week's #ShowUpPositive Spark, GERMINATE, is inspired by my newly planted tulip bulbs from the Keukenhof Gardens. Moonblush Tulip Bulbs My husband and I recently took advantage of the cooler weather to plant the bulbs I purchased during my trip to the Netherlands this spring. The instructions assured me that my bulbs already contained all the nutrition to germinate. All I needed to do was plant them at the appropriate depth in loose, well-drained soil. We...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Reader, I know we are supposed to hate change, but do you ever think it would do you good? This week's #ShowUpPositive Spark, RECALIBRATE, is inspired by my seventeen year old daughter. Here's the story. Sarah is a competitive equestrian rider and works on a horse farm. She has a whole circle of people in her life who are unknown to my husband and me. So when one of these folks asked her to stay at there farm and take care of the animals while they were away on vacation, we were a little...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, I've got three words for you: mindset, meaning, and MacGyver. It turns out that MINDSET + MEANING + MACGYVER is the secret to this week's #ShowUpPositive Spark, RESILIENT Let's start with MINDSET and break it down. The first common trait shared by resilient people and companies is their staunch acceptance of reality. Rather than adopting a baseless optimism and being disappointed repeatedly, resilient people accept the reality of their situation, no matter how brutal, while...
4 months ago • 1 min read