-
Watering and Waiting
“Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) My wife and I recently re-seeded a large portion of our yard. It was arduous work that left us covered in dirt, manure, and sweat. After we finished laying it all down, however, the most difficult part remained: watering and waiting. When would […]
-
Who’s Your CEO?
“If you don’t run your own life, somebody else will.” (John Atkinson) Authority is a tricky thing, really. Sometimes we crave it over somebody else, like a child we think needs to behave, or a co-worker who needs to get something done. Sometimes we crave it over ourselves, like whenever we’re that child, or we’re […]
-
Winning At All Costs
“He who wrestles with us strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skills. Our antagonist is our helper.” (Edmund Burke) One of the simplest ways to stimulate your mind and your body is to enter into competitive situations. This is why games that pit one person or team against another are so appealing to us. The […]
-
Grace Us with Your Presence
“We are always getting ready to live, but never living.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) When you’re young, you can’t wait. You can’t wait till Christmas, or till your birthday, or till junior high, or till graduation. We’re so eager to get bigger and older, and our hearts are full of hope. At the same time, children […]
-
Tell Me, Don’t Show Me
“Revenge is often like biting a dog because the dog bit you.” (Austin O’Malley) Funny thing about revenge — in an effort to heal our hurt we decide to hurt right back. Whenever we choose to do the same behavior in retaliation, it’s as if we deem the other person’s bad behavior not bad in […]
-
Run, Luke, Run
“The wildest colts make the best horses.” (Plutarch) Among the most destructive labels we apply on our kids are those having to do with their perceived disobedience. We call them “rebellious,” or “defiant,” or “out of control.” They may even get officially diagnosed with “Oppositional Defiant Disorder.” These labels are especially sticky, and we shouldn’t […]
-
Just Say No
“If I’d listened to customers, I’d have given them a faster horse.” (Henry Ford) It’s easy to say yes. Saying yes feels good. Saying yes makes you well-liked. The problem is you quickly have a pile of things you’ve said yes to, and you can no longer see what it is you started out to […]
-
Real Mature
“Maturity is both a static and a dynamic concept.” (Leo Buscaglia) It’s generally understood that mature people have a strong sense of who they are, separate and apart from others. They understand their need for intimate relationships, but they are not dependent upon others to give them their identity. In this way, maturity can be […]
-
Mentor Yourself
“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” (Eleanor Roosevelt) Very few of us are ever actually taught how to live. We’re not taught what it means to be fully alive. There’s no curriculum for […]
-
Embracing Uncertainty
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mystery.” (Albert Einstein) Turbulent times of uncertainty cause us to grasp for control. We amass fortunes. We climb corporate ladders. We collect degrees and titles. We do all of this in the hopes of conquering our fear of the unknown, anything to feel secure in ourselves […]