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Shiny Nickels
“I am never gonna think my way into being a shiny new nickel. I have to go out and do something about it.” –Anonymous New ways of thinking and paradigm shifts are hardly ever birthed out of our new thinking alone. Self-reflection is powerful, but it is rarely enough. Real change is experiential, and it starts with discomfort. Like a few grains of sand in our shoe. Something doesn’t quite work the way it used to. It doesn’t feel right. Maybe we’ve changed. Maybe the situation has changed. Maybe we’ve gotten new information. Maybe…all of the above. Whatever the reason, what once was okay is no longer. Our period of discontent may last moments or…
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Contribution vs. Investment
There is an oft told fable about a chicken and a pig discussing a meal of ham and eggs. Full of ideas about the future, the chicken suggests they should open a restaurant together. The pig considers the idea with less enthusiasm and points out to the hen that, while she would be involved in the effort to purvey ham and eggs, the pig would be committed. This story is generally used to illustrate the differing levels of commitment people can have to a situation often with the intent of securing deeper commitment from the audience to a particular cause. However, in the context of a discussion about peace of mind, it becomes a cautionary tale. Involved vs.…
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Other Duties As Assigned
Life happens. Unless you own your own business, the details of your resume are subject to change without notice or permission. This is particularly true large organizations. Decisions are made that affect individuals’ lives without input of those that are impacted. Sometimes it’s referred to as a realignment of work (rather sterile). Other times, it’s the more generous “opportunity for development”. Regardless of how it’s packaged, apple carts are upended. We can go from being an expert to a novice with a mouse click. Our initial reaction is fear. We wonder how we will learn it all. Will we look foolish? Can we perform to the level that’s expected by others? By ourselves? Some of us are plagued with self-sufficiency. Like perfectionism, self-sufficiency is a deficit…
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The Force
“Luminous beings are we…not this crude matter.” – Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back Who wasn’t enthralled by the Star Wars movies growing up? The decade in which you were born dictates which trilogy first captured your attention. While the franchise itself is cinematically exceptional in its own right, it would never have made the cultural impact it has if it weren’t for the fundamental human struggle that is represented in each installment. Not one of the characters central to the plot is exempt from some internal discord or, at the very least, dissonance between behavior and beliefs. It is this tension that makes the stories so accessible and beloved. And no one…
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Whistling In The Dark
I’m having a wonderful time but I’d rather be whistling in the dark – They Might Be Giants In the face of something truly daunting, sometimes whistling in the dark is the only way to keep moving forward. To pretend that we’re not facing the impossible or at least the improbable. To project that the challenge we face is, in fact, no challenge at all. When will we be ready to take action? When we are ready. For an impatient person, ready doesn’t often come as quickly as the desire for change. (whistling) When will you be ready to speak your truth? Present your idea? Drop the habit? Looking in the rearview, we can see…
