When I find myself having the same conversation in the same week with different people, that’s often my cue to share the topic with you. This happened recently with two people of different generations: one a Gen Xer and one a millennial. Read more
(#2 in the series: Trust is an Essential Element)
Today’s feature continues the theme introduced in: Trust is an Essential Element. I wrote this article in 2006; the now-ubiquitous quote from Steve Jobs aptly addresses the question of trust and clarity. Rixt Kuiper, the friend referenced below, tells me how much it affected her when I first shared the idea of trusting decisions you’ve made “in the light.” She says it’s something that has stayed with her to this day. Read more
Talking about a problem or describing a frustration is easy. What’s harder is getting ourselves to do something about it. Often, we just get really good at describing the problem. We convince ourselves that we can’t do anything until we figure it all out… which is pretty tough to do without taking any action. And that’s how we stay stuck. Read more
I’m Aunt Ginny to seven young women and two young men, plus honorary aunt to a few others, and stepmom to my two guys, Jake and Jordan. And since Aunt Ginny is also Coach Ginny, I’m occasionally tapped for some on-demand guidance. Last week I spoke with Natasha and Mary Grace who are both in the process of finding the entry points to their careers.
Clark Terry: Musician, composer and educator
A few weeks ago while looking for a movie to rent and in the mood for something uplifting, my husband and I opted for Keep on Keepin’ On, a documentary about trumpeter and jazz legend, Clark Terry. With a career that spanned over 70 years, Clark Terry is one of the most recorded musicians in the history of jazz. Read more
In the last issue, I told the story of the red cardinal bird who visits my friend. I offered the metaphor of “flying into the window” to represent the behaviors that hamper your effectiveness. I stated that the important thing is to get yourself to try something new. In order to do that, you’ve got to “bang on the window” in the moment you recognize that you’re caught up in the old habit and flying that familiar pattern. It’s the awareness and the ability to catch yourself in the moment that’s key. So how do you do that? Read more
These three incidents happened about 11 years ago, within a period of 12-18 months: Read more
In life there are plenty of unknowns, so it pays to practice “being okay with” those times that are full of questions, even realizing the benefits to these periods such as learning to get curious and to be open to new paths. While some introspection is appropriate during these times, you’ll still need to act on what you know. Hanging out in I Don’t Know Land for longer than necessary is often just avoidance and an excuse for inaction. When your I DON’T KNOW has more to do with fear, it can become a strange kind of mantra that only serves to keep you in place. The remedy? Take note of what you know for sure. Read more
“Man is free at the moment he wishes to be.”
— Voltaire
Madeline¹ is a client and health care professional who is realizing the power of communicating more effectively with her patients, staff, and others. Recently she summed up the benefits of what she calls “communicating clearly while holding my peace”: Read more
Marlena had a name for her tendency to defer to her father’s opinion. She called it: running it by the committee. In wanting her father’s approval, she had become accustomed to having him tell her what to do rather than take responsibility for her own decisions. Read more