To the Mind that is Still, the Whole Universe Surrenders

“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”  – Lao Tzu How much is too much when it comes to emotion?  Many people fear emotional implosion or explosion.  Some fear a complete disintegration of the ego – control is necessary to hide and tame one’s inner demons lest they tear you apart.  These [...]

Orange Crush… and Other Moments That Change Your Life

The longer I’ve been in social work and psychotherapy, the less I hear that surprises me and the more things strike me as truly poignant.  One statement and, more often, one metaphor can say it all. Case in point is a recent exchange I had with a patient being treated for brain cancer: I asked [...]

Love What You Do… RIGHT NOW.

Life is too short to hate what you do.  Why is it that such a huge percentage of people are willing to sell their souls to the devil by working in a job they hate?  The answer is just one word: survival.  People tend to dwell in survival and use it as a justification for [...]

Are You Really Listening?

Christopher David, MSW, LCSW,  is one of my coaches.  He is currently working as a Social Worker for Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – All Saints.  He has over 19 years experience in social work and he is extraordinary.  After my cancer diagnosis in June of 2008, he kept me sane and authentic and has continued to guide [...]

Count Your Blessings… and Count Them LOUD!

I always say that gratitude is an important part of balance and joy in one’s life.  But how many of us are grateful, on a consistent basis, that we are Americans?  How many of us roll out of bed in the morning being conscious of the quality of life we have, just because our feet [...]

Connection is Key

Last night, I sat with a childhood friend in Boston having a conversation that COULD HAVE changed a life, but it missed the mark.  My friend and I were sitting in the kitchen with a group of her close friends (new acquaintances to me) talking deeply about my diagnosis of breast cancer last year and my experiences [...]

Speaking Possibility in a Survival World

  Every time I turn on the news I hear:  AIG needs more bailout money, Big 3 about to go bankrupt, Limbaugh hopes Obama will fail, unemployment soars, Dow at the lowest level since cavemen, highest levels of blah, blah, blah… it’s all so loud, it could drown out possibility for even the best of [...]

Recessions are BS

Let me say it again: recessions are bullshit.  My interpretation of a recession is a bunch of business people getting together and looking for excuses for why they are failing.  Their answers come from outside of themselves.  They do not consider their own greed, poor management skills and bad business models; they look to the [...]

When you present yourself, do people see your vision?

I heard something so brilliant yesterday, and believe it or not, it was on a clothing makeover show.  It just goes to show you that you can get great coaching anywhere, if you’re ears and your mind are always wide open.  The stylist on the program had some great coaching: “You can’t control how you [...]

Why are we so willing to live uninspired?

Why are we so willing to live uninspired? When is the last time you asked yourself what you REALLY wanted to be when you “grew up?” How about what you REALLY wanted your life to look like? Have you ever wondered why most of us are so willing to live a life that is uninspired, [...]