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It’s Time We Talked About Them
Now, some might say I’m a stickler when it comes to the liberal use of pronouns. And, I’ll concede that perhaps the moniker is earned. The topic of pronouns is appropriate to Mother’s Day as my mother was ever vigilant regarding our grammar. In my defense, I’m less a proponent of the conservative use of pronouns and more an advocate for clear communication. In a world where our exchanges are often stripped of non-verbals, emotional tone, and, in some cases, semi-silent letters (e.g. thx, tho, thru), it’s never been more important to avail ourselves to the remaining tools and rules of effective discourse. Pronouns, like other short cuts, are born of familiarity and…
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Listen…Do You Smell Something?
We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say. — Zeno of Citium, ancient Greek philosopher The world is full of voices. They come to us from our families, friends and co-workers. We are bombarded through social media, talk radio, and TV. The struggle is real in the Age of Distraction. If we aren’t intentional about what we are listening to, we can end up with the intellectual equivalent of a junk food diet and a very real headache at the end of the day. Many voices are just noise. Others have merit. Choosing which voice to listen to presents an endless challenge. The most difficult are those…
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Swimmers
Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own heart. –Albert Einstein Swimming is not intuitive for most humans. Our physiology isn’t designed for it–no webbing or gills. And yet…with a longing for water, we learn to swim. We practice. We take lessons and swim laps. Until, the unnatural becomes natural. Knowing our own opinion and expressing it, can require a similar discipline. With competing voices seeking our loyalty, it is at times difficult to discern our own preferences. If we are able to sort through the clamor to a singular idea or focus, there comes a second challenge…expressing it. Not all corporate waters are welcoming pools. Some are the organizational equivalent…
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Forgiveness
In an age of an eye for an eye, holding grudge or exacting revenge can feel like a right–maybe even a duty. You hurt me, and I will show you… Whether on the national stage or across the kitchen table, this same thinking can exist. Some time ago I learned to ask myself this question, when does losing my temper ever make things better? When faced with a betrayal, feeling threatened or maybe just incredibly frustrated…when my instincts tell me to lash out, I remember the question. When does losing my temper ever make things better? The answer is never. On occasion, it is helpful for me to play the tape all the way…
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Respond or React?
On the eve of a holiday that brings people together in various delicious and obligatory situations, I’ve been thinking about the difference between responding and reacting. Regardless of the degree to which our present company is beloved, the holidays can be a bit of an emotional mine field. Our expectations are proportional to the size of the turkey or number of chairs around the table. Out of our routine and off of our schedules, we can revert to toddlerhood quickly. We’re not sure what we need, but we know it doesn’t involve eating another random cranberry salad or playing a 4-hour game of Monopoly with a banker that should be under federal investigation.…
