35 Things I’ve Learned
As of a few days ago, I’ve been on this earth for thirty-five years. The math is stunning — 12,775 days, 306,600 hours. The logic of the numbers doesn’t disguise the bittersweet. My body is tingling with fear and excitement and loss. There is no way to know what percent of that time was spent doing things I loved, felt obligated to do, or were necessary. Those ticks on the clock matter, and they cannot be re-spent. Perhaps they can be made more meaningful by reflection in hopes of coming to a deeper understanding of their meaning. All those days on earth have given me a little perspective. And when…
27 Black Activists and Anti-Racism Allies Sharing Knowledge and Power on Instagram
It shouldn’t have taken another death to act as the catalyst for change. No one should have had to see the life be pressed out of George Floyd. We shouldn’t have needed the gut-wrenching 911 call from Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend. We shouldn’t have needed another death, another battle. But we did. People are speaking out and speaking up, learning how to become better allies, and promising to change the way we do business. Social platforms like Instagram have given rise to all voices, including black activists screaming that black lives matter. White people need to be there to listen. If you’re white and you weren’t listening before, now is the…
11 Good Email Habits for Working from Home Productivity
Working from home is the dream that allows your already good email habits thrive. Slip out of bed, grab your coffee, meditate, go for a run, and settle in at your computer for the most productive day you can imagine. It always works like that, right? Right…? Of course it doesn’t. Especially now — maybe you’re parenteaching, or your closet needs decluttering, or your dog expects a hella of a lot more from you now that you’re RIGHT HERE, or you’re now going to tackle healthy food prep at the same time, or, or, or. Whether you’re in the loving or hating wfh cohort, good email habits are likely a…
Meaningful, Connected Goal Setting
We’re broaching the time of year when the pressure builds to do some goal setting. Make promises. Elevate expectations and maybe get a rush of energy (or anxiety!). I love this kind of stuff. But… Over many goal setting sessions, failures and achievements, I’ve realized that the normal goal setting I do has a way of burning me out rather than igniting a new fire. It’s driven by list making and not my deepest, most real and intense motivations. I have lists in notebooks with few things checked off, walls with peeling sticky notes and a burning desire to do be and see more. I want more. And that old…
47 Creativity Exercises to Inspire and Motivate
Creativity is one of the most important skills you can possess. The word is casually thrown around to the point of being insignificant, but the ability to connect parallels and see things differently is crucial. For me, my creativity has been the crux to my survival. Or at least the advancements I’ve seen in my career. Creativity exercises are a great way to hone this skill. Connecting disparate ideas and embracing the unusual sets us aside as employees, and also as humans. No matter your profession, you are always facing new challenges. The tools are changing and the resources we have on hand are unimaginably vast. In a world where…
