What are the Lessons of Your Life?
As I’m watching my husband bundle up to “battle the elements” for his walk to catch the train on his way to work, I’m reminded of my childhood. As some of you know, I grew up a world away from where I find myself now (just outside NYC), on a cattle ranch in northwestern Montana. My dad […]
A New Kind of Leader
With her head cocked to the side, her eyes fixed on some mysterious spot on the floor, I couldn’t tell if she was annoyed or just indifferent, but it was clear that she was not a happy person at that moment. I will never forget how Julia appeared on that stage, waiting to begin. She […]
Creative Thinking and Making an Impact
What seems like a lifetime ago, in the summer of 2001, I got one of those crazy ideas (for those of you who know me, you know that this is not terribly unusual). I was in Seattle at the time, running my corporate events company, and I found this breathtaking spot at the foot of […]
Expectations, Caring and a Tale of Two Trees
As my husband and I were comparing schedules this morning, trying to figure out when we will get the chance to get the annual Christmas tree, I was reminded of the contrasting experiences we’ve had in the past and how critical it is to deliver on expectations and show that you care. Year-before-last, we put […]
The Power of Surrender
“We must continue to open in the face of tremendous opposition. No one is encouraging us to open and still we must peel away the layers of the heart.” – Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, Tibetan Buddhist master There are books that you read, that reach down and grab you by the soul and shake you, and […]
Bridging Courage
When I was growing up we lived about 10 miles out town (I was a country mouse) and I rode my bike everywhere. I thought nothing of pedaling the 7 miles each way to my best friend’s house to hang out, when her family moved closer to town. I did what a kid had to do […]
Are You Committed? Really?
We went to satisfy nostalgic curiosity. Having grown up in the 80’s, even though we were raised on opposite ends of the country, my husband and I share memories of big hair, Van Halen, and the Lake Placid Olympics. So when we found ourselves in upstate NY a few years ago, we seized the […]
How’s Your Filter?
Early in my career I was idealistic, opinionated, and I’m pretty sure that my mouth’s filter was defective. I remember sitting in meetings in my early 20’s, voicing my thoughts and ideas with abandon, not questioning how they might land. I of course thought I was “right” about most everything, and wasn’t afraid to say […]