If you are like me, fortune tellers are scary! Tapping into some secret knowledge, they make pronouncements about my future. It is as if they are taking away my free will and I no longer have any power to change my life. I am trapped in my life, rather than master of my life. In …Read More
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Too good to be true
An unexpected email arrived in my inbox. “I would like you to perform at Oxford Storytelling Festival…” Wow! How did they find out about me? I’m a famous storyteller. I’ve been doing this for a while. Working hard on stories. This is so cool! Maybe they saw me perform at one of the festival new …Read More
#19: Heart Transplant (Sonja Greene-Smith)
“It is our stories that make us human.” In medical school, I learned all the technical details about heart transplant. I studied the medical criteria that makes you a candidate, the drugs required post-transplant, and the labs and physical symptoms to monitor. Yet, what I did not yet learn were the stories. Those stories came …Read More
Count Your Blessings
Gratitude is a tool that keeps us in the present moment. As we count our blessings, we point our compass towards more joy in life. Here is a contemplative exercise based on Celtic-tradition. As you stand in the center of your life, each of the cardinal directions brings a different blessing. Contemplative Exercise Take out …Read More
Poem: “The Box” by Victor Caroli
The Vietnam War drafted many young men, including Victor Caroli. While he did not end up in Vietnam, many of those he trained with in bootcamp did end up there. Many did not come back. Many came back injured. As he contemplated this war during his time in the military, he created this poem so …Read More
For Grief by John O’Donohue
For Grief —by John O’Donohue When you lose someone you love,Your life becomes strange,The ground beneath you becomes fragile,Your thoughts make your eyes unsure;And some dead echo drags your voice downWhere words have no confidenceYour heart has grown heavy with loss;And though this loss has wounded others too,No one knows what has been taken from …Read More
#18: Everyday Espionage (Andrew Bustamante)
“One Life. No Compromises.” says Andrew Bustamante in his workshop series. As a US Air Force combat veteran and former CIA intelligence officer, he now brings the skills of international espionage to everyday life. When you change your perspective to “see your world through the eyes of a spy,” you can leverage the skills of influence, intrigue …Read More
Physician Meeting: Who’s in Charge?
At a recent physician meeting, the doctors in the multi-specialty group were deciding on how to split the profits and who should lead the group. The neurologist said, I take care of the brain. Without the brain, nothing would happen. Clearly, I am the most important and should be paid more. The hematologist said, I …Read More
#17: Control Your Clutter, Move Your Life (Mary Jo Zeller)
Are you in control of your stuff? Or is your stuff in control of you? Mary Jo Zeller is a moving consultant. She has supported thousands of families in downsizing, relocating, and getting organized. She received her Masters Degree in Gerontology in 1978 from the University of Illinois, Springfield. Her service record with older adults spans …Read More
Anne Lamott – 12 things I learned from life and writing
All truth is paradox. Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes – including you. There’s nothing outside of you that will help in any kind of lasting way… Everyone is screwed up, broken, clingy and scared, even the people who seem to have it most together. Chocolate with 75% …Read More