It's time to stop nurturing helplessness in our society and start encouraging respect, collaboration and personal accountability
You can hardly watch the news without seeing some report of radical, violent behaviour. Protests and uprisings are surging, fuelled by anger, ignorance, resentment and clashes of emotional need. How did we get here? Researchers say we are wired to thrive in small villages of about 150 people. The Hutterites know this and still practise…
Congruence, a deep honesty about who you are, is immensely attractive, draws people to you and reinforces your goals and ideals
Being successful has a great deal to do with having your ducks in a row – or being congruent. At a meeting recently, one of the organizers explained how networking helped him go from redundancy to a lucrative business that he loved in less than two years. I could see why: there was something about him that…
A plane is no easy place to calm a crying child. Have compassion. Yelling won’t improve things. But there are ways to change the environment
My husband spotted the situation first. Right next to him on the plane was the most adorable infant, possibly seven months old. “Oh no,” he mumbled. I smiled. He has headphones and we have grandchildren. Perhaps she would sleep the whole way. Not this time. She started fussing even before the wheels left the ground.…
All lasting change has to happen in the subconscious mind if you're going to get meaningful results
Choosing new paths in life, and finding the confidence to stay on those paths, is all a matter of programming. We all promise ourselves we'll take action in areas of life, yet fail to find the inner resolve to follow through. The inner conflict can carry on for years, undermining our resourcefulness and confidence in getting new behaviours…
Snow throws a lot at us. Our response to it can be seen in how we navigate the challenges of building a business, writing a book or tackling a project
The sun is shining, even if the air is still frigid, so I’ll take it. After several days of digging out my huge driveway – 100 metres, to be exact – and coping with drifting snow, even my most optimistic “Shovelling is a great full-body workout strategy” is feeling less than enthusiastic. I love the…
Tolerance is about how you treat people who disagree with you, even when you may not respect their point of view
“Tolerance isn't about not having beliefs. It's about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.” – Pastor and theologian Timothy Keller There is much focus on teaching tolerance and respect these days, but what's this doing to society? Perhaps it’s best to start with what we mean by the terms…
The recent federal election offered us a lesson on how the manipulation of a narrative can have dramatic impact on how we think and behave
Like many Canadians, I was amused and entertained (and appalled) by the recent Canadian election. But beyond the entertainment factor, there was a lesson here about human behaviour which we need to take to heart. The spate of scandals (#MeToo, political interference in the legal system, racism, lapses in ethical behaviour, the Norman Affair) surrounding…
As a new year dawns, it's important to know that the resolution game is a losing one unless you're willing to be positive and focused
Most of us have a new year resolution in mind, even if we won't say it out loud. The trick is to make it stick. We want to accomplish something or make some improvement. Perhaps we want to lose weight, change jobs, stop consuming alcohol – or even find a life mate. Sadly, most of us probably already…
When your ego is taking a bashing, staying objective and true to who you are can be difficult
When your ego is taking a bashing, staying objective and true to who you are can be difficult. But as Dr. Seuss said, “Be who you are and say what you want, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” A good friend of mine has been struggling with leading a…
Victim stories negatively affect us and our attitude towards others and life, yet we all carry them around
As much as we hate to admit it, we've probably all told victim stories. We've certainly had them told to us. It's time to banish them. The victim story is the one you auto-share that alerts everyone (including yourself) that you've been wronged by someone or some unfair situation. The telling (and retelling) confirms the need to feel…
In the world of sports for example, becoming successful is contingent on positive habits
When we talk about habits, most of us immediately reflect on those we wish to break or remove. Habits like smoking, overeating, alcohol consumption, gambling and chewing ones nails, etc. seem an easy pattern to fall into, but stopping them somehow seems so much harder. We start out with such great intentions towards daily exercise…
The greatest gift you can give yourself is to accept your limitations and honour those activities that make you feel good when you do them
Canadians are expected to spend significantly less this Christmas season – or so the story goes – but that doesn't mean the holiday stress will melt away. The other night, my husband and I headed to the local mall to see what we could check off our Santa list. In spite of the mall being nearly…
Getting your message across effectively can be difficult while giving a presentation, or during a job interview or when dealing with an upset person
Communication can be a real challenge. When you're feeling pushed, it's that much harder. Whether you’re giving a presentation, attending a job interview, dealing with an upset person, or simply conversing at work or in your personal life, ensuring you get your message across – and, equally important, hearing what the other person is saying…
One of the real pluses of being an Empty Nester is that you are no longer on view as a role model 24/7
Free at last, free at last! The children have grown up and moved away, your house is your own to do with what you will and your schedule is now open to anything you wish to pursue. So why are you so divided in your feelings? Empty Nest syndrome hits when your daughter or son…
Intuition is your unconscious self recognizing circumstances before your intellectual self does. You should be listening to its voice
I once spoke at a conference where a lot of pre-seminar chatter was about the need to trust one’s intuition, especially when it comes to safety. This is a great discussion point, but a lot of people simply don’t allow intuition a chance to alert them or they ignore the obvious signs when intuition is…
You can hardly watch the news without seeing some report of radical, violent behaviour. Protests and uprisings are surging, fuelled by anger, ignorance, resentment and clashes of emotional need. How did we get here? Researchers say we are wired to thrive in small villages of about 150 people. The Hutterites know this and still practise…
