Home Archives for Increasing Awareness

Do You Feel Safe Sitting on a Bench Enjoying a Summer Day?

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I was away on vacation last week. We rented a car and drove to the Berkshires where we stayed in a lovely house overlooking the Housatonic River. The water was high and fast, making splashing and rippling sounds as it went by. Birds came and went from the feeder. We had plenty to eat and wine to drink. We enjoyed the beautiful days and gentle camaraderie of friends. We didn't give a thought to the luxury of feeling safe and unscathed by the world around us. But on … [Read more...]

Categories: Increasing Awareness, Overcoming Challenges Tagged: ,

See Your World With New Eyes

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On Friday, my husband Tyko and I are going on vacation. We've rented a wonderful house in the Berkshires for ten days. We've rented a car. And we've invited a series of friends to join us for a night or two. I'll be bringing my computer and block out two or three hours each day to work. So, what makes this a vacation? I'll be cooking and working and writing. I'll be doing what I do. My friend Clemetin who, despite his lack of experience with vacations, had exactly … [Read more...]

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A Simple Way to Make Your Neighborhood More Friendly

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Recently while walking back from Saint Mary's Park where I exercise in the morning, two women I didn't know were standing on the street corner near my apartment. As I passed them by, I said, "Good morning." They each greeted me in kind. And then one of them said, "This is friendly neighborhood, isn't it?" And that made me wonder. Are Neighborhoods Friendly? I've been thinking about her comment ever since. Do you think neighborhoods are friendly? Or is it just the … [Read more...]

Categories: Increasing Awareness, Kindness and Generosity Tagged: ,

Become an Art Collector and Create a Lifetime of Memories

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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...]

Categories: Building Relationships, Increasing Awareness

Working to Deadlines: How to Build Up a Head of Steam

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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...]

Categories: Increasing Awareness, Managing Stress, Productivity Tips

What You Can Learn From Knowing How Other People See You

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In last week's post, I suggested an exercise to develop a word portrait of yourself as seen through the eyes of your friends. All you had to do was to invite five friends to send you a quick list of six words that come to their mind when they think about you. I promised I'd let you know my results from this little exercise. So here goes--though I must confess that sharing it makes me feel exposed. Seeing Myself Through the Eyes of Others I found myself a bit anxious … [Read more...]

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A Simple Way to Find Out How Other People See You

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Have you ever caught yourself glancing at your reflection in a mirror or glass as you walk by? Does Your Mirror Tell the Truth? Do you have a sense that what you see when you look in mirror might not be telling you the truth? Or at least not the whole truth? The question you’re probably really wondering about is not how you look to yourself, but what you look like through the eyes of others. And the way others see you is often not what you see when you look in the … [Read more...]

Categories: Building Relationships, Increasing Awareness Tagged: , ,

Understanding Your Finishing Style

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Do you celebrate at the end of a big project? Or like me, do you have trouble with endings? For the last two years, I've been working on a new book with my friend and colleague Andy Robinson. And this week, it came back from the printer. Our book, Train Your Board (and Everyone Else) to Raise Money, is DONE and about to be launched into the world. I'm super proud of what we've accomplished. Our new book, is better -- much better -- than I had envisioned. With … [Read more...]

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Imagine Being Homeless

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Where do you store your precious items? Where's the old photo of your mother? Your social security card? A sweater your daughter gave you that you no longer wear? Or how about the diaries you wrote when you were a teenager? Do you have a box of precious things packed away in the back of your closet somewhere? What would you do with them if you were homeless?  What would you do if the only storage you had for your things was a shopping cart or two or three that you … [Read more...]

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Reading Someone Else’s Story to Strengthen Your Relationship

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We all love a good story. That's the appeal of movies and novels and theater. A good story takes you on a journey and touches your heart. And we all have our own stories -- private stories that shape the way we behave. Finding the Deeper Story Get to know those deeper personal stories about the people you work with and you'll start building powerful, effective relationships. Here's an example: I get excited about ideas. And once an idea takes hold of me, watch … [Read more...]

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