Have you ever bought a piece of art? Perhaps a print or a painting or a sculpture? If you haven't bought any art yet, you're in for a treat. You can become an art collector even if your resources aren't great. Off and on through the years, when we've seen a piece of art we liked, we've bought it. Not for thousands of dollars... but for modest amounts we could afford. We've made a practice of buying directly from artists. When we can, we visit their studios to … [Read more...]
The Power and Importance of Being Kind for a Healthy Life
Posted by 6 Comments
Do You Consider Yourself Kind? I’ve always had a sense that kindness is important. And now, in this wonderful article in The Atlantic, I see how and why kindess works. (Do take a few minutes to read it from beginning to end. This is one of those life-changing articles that is well worth the time to read!) Turns out that kindness is the glue that keeps relationships together and contempt is the wedge that drives them apart. For many years, I’ve tried to become … [Read more...]
Working to Deadlines: How to Build Up a Head of Steam
Posted by 1 Comment
My piece for the GuideStar blog was due yesterday. And I spent the two weeks before that deadline fretting and in a state of anxiety. Don't worry... I did write the piece and I got it in on schedule. In fact, here it is! But it wasn't easy. Deadlines Make Excellent Fuel I never find it easy to be highly productive. I write, and do many other things, to deadlines. I seem unable to function any other way. I know some people who simply do what they're supposed to … [Read more...]
The Fragile Fabric of Trust
Posted by 5 Comments
Trust me! Has anyone ever asked you to trust them? It's an empty request. Either you've earned someone's trust or you haven't. And if someone asks you to trust them, there's probably a reason you shouldn't. Trust is a Quality You Earn You build trust over time, by being trustworthy. Literally 'worthy of trust.' You create it by doing what you say you're going to do; by behaving consistently and in a way that fits into a coherent framework. You also build trust … [Read more...]
What’s Your Impact in the World?
Posted by 2 Comments
Every once in a while, a few words can change the way you think. Here are the words that recently rocked my brain. My work is more impact." That's how Seth Godin responded in an interview when asked to describe his work. He didn't say his work was writing books, or selling books, or starting internet companies, or creating internship programs for budding entrepreneurs. Yet, he does all of those things. Instead he said, "My work is more impact." And that caught my … [Read more...]
Get a Response with Curiosity, Persistence and Humor
Posted by Leave a Comment
Have you ever submitted a proposal or applied for a job and then waited... and waited... and waited to hear if you were selected? If that's ever happened to you, I'll bet dollars to donuts that the longer you waited without a response, the more sure you were that you didn't make the cut. Right? You probably figured that if you got the job, someone would let you know as soon as the decision was made. It's fun to deliver good news. But if you didn't get it, they'd delay … [Read more...]
Little Suggestions Can Make a Big Difference
Posted by 2 Comments
My friend, Linda Cunningham, runs an art gallery. Last year, she asked me if I would sit at the desk at the gallery for an hour while she ran some errands. I was happy to help. While I was tending the gallery, a young man walked in and was looking at the exhibition. I went over to say hello and talk with him about the art. He told me that he was an artist and that he would love to exhibit his work in the gallery. How, he asked, could he get a show there. Now, it’s … [Read more...]
Focus Your Mind and Get Your Work Done!
Posted by 4 Comments
It’s time to get something done! Stop emailing. Stop cleaning up. Stop filing unimportant papers. Stop procrastinating. Let's get down to some serious, focused work. How Do You Focus? Do you focus for small bits of time throughout the day? Or are you one of those people who can zoom in on a project and emerge hours later dazed, wondering where the day went? Regardless of which camp you fall in, getting down to work requires you to change the magnification … [Read more...]
What it Takes to Create Something Truly Remarkable
Posted by 2 Comments
Remarkable is not a synonym for perfect. Far from it. In fact, some of the most remarkable things in life are remarkable because of their imperfections, not in spite of them. (Think of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.) For the kind of remarkable I'm talking about, it's your commitment and effort and energy that makes it special... and truly remarkable. What do Remarkable Things have in Common? Here's a personal list of some remarkable things I've seen. A drummer on the … [Read more...]
A Hankering for Kindness
Posted by Leave a Comment
I keep wanting to be kinder. When I was a young, ambitious woman, someone planted the seed in my mind that kindness was worth more than I had thought. And as I become older and (perhaps) more mature, kindness seems ever more important. But again and again, I make quick judgments and give short answers that eclipse the kindness that lurks in my heart. The Importance of Kindness I can't resist sharing with you this little animated video illustrated by Tim Beirbaum, … [Read more...]