Sometimes you just have to celebrate that you made it through. Forget the battle. Forget the headaches. Forget the fatigue. And be glad it’s not worse. You’re all safe and sound. All in warm beds with fluffy pillows and blankets. The sound of the rain outside cloaking the night in a comforting pitter patter....
Continue readingGuiding Light
It’s not always necessary to know exactly where you’re going. Sometimes not knowing leads to unexpected delights and discoveries. Sometimes you set out trying to go one place and you realize you wanted to go somewhere else all along. It took the journey to get you there. But a guiding light helps to keep...
Continue readingHidden Gems
Sign up for that workshop. Attend that panel discussion. Moderate a fireside chat. Email someone you find interesting. Start conversations. There are so many opportunities to find inspiration. So many chances to see your work from a different perspective. Simply by showing up, listening, observing, or engaging. If your work matters to you seize...
Continue readingStill Searching
I attended the Pair Camp at the University of Washington in 2002. I had only been rowing about a year and a half and my coach suggested that I attend to get some more experience. It was the last camp that Jan Harville coached (how incredibly lucky was I?) and I can still hear...
Continue readingWhy Did I Wait So Long?
“Why did I wait so long?” How many times have you done something in your life that when you finally did it prompted you to say that? If you can look at the decisions in your life and frame them in this context what would that mean? What is something you’re deciding on that...
Continue readingThinking Twice
Before you make a decision you might regret. Think twice. Usually our first instinct is muddled by emotion, which can sometimes cause us to behave less than our best. Thinking twice gives us space to consider how we really feel. To weigh pros and cons. And to make a decision that we can feel...
Continue readingIt’s Possible
To just let it go. It feels so bad to be pissed off. To clench your jaw in anger. It builds to a point of frustration but with nowhere to vent it it gets stuck. But you can just choose to let it go. I’m doing it as I write this. Because I don’t...
Continue readingSome Things I Love
Lemon Cream Yogurt Lou dancing Julian’s smile Kady’s laughter Good beer Really good red wine Walking Daydreaming Growing zucchini Picking apples Baking Swimming Listening to podcasts Reading Hugs Scones Butter Heavy cream New clothes Changing someone’s life Passionate discussions All the coffee The morning from 5-8 am Sunrises Sunsets Sleeping in Thinking of my...
Continue readingWhen The Noise Stops
We live in a noisy world. People talking too loudly. Open offices. Traffic. Music. Sirens. Television. Social media. So much noise. We spend our time trying to block it out so we can focus. But then when we do have a quiet moment we can’t think. It’s feels too empty. Maybe we need the...
Continue readingThere’s No “We” In Quitting
Why do we complain? Why do we get frustrated Why do we quit? We can’t solve a problem. We don’t see a way out. We become demoralized. But I say that’s the perfect time to pioneer a new way. To step up and lead. To do. The common trait of complaining and being frustrated...
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