In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the three witches predict the future with double meanings and duplicity. The clever predictions spur Macbeth towards heinous choices and into murderous actions. The famous incantation echoes, “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” We know that no good can come from listening to the witches, but Macbeth’s ambition …Read More
Category: Books
Telling the Difficult Story
“We know from the testimony of both victims and perpetrators that silence makes abuse possible.” ~Loren Neimi and Elizabeth Ellis, Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking About Difficult Stories We tell our difficult stories to make the world a better place. In therapy or therapeutic safe space, sharing our raw stories allows us to process emotions, …Read More
The Why Engine ~ Ridgely Goldsborough
“WHAT do you do?”“HOW do you do it?”“WHY?” At any networking event, it’s the “WHY” question that stumps most people, including me. There are many reasons to do what you do: fame, fortune, family, fun…. I’d like a dose of all of them, but instead I struggle to come up with a “socially acceptable” reason. …Read More
Play as a Cure for Anxiety ~ Charlie Hoehn
“The paradox of play is that it recharges us, refreshes us, rejuvenates us, and allows us to go back an do great work. If we don’t allow ourselves to play, we become joyless. We become serious. We have to take pills just to sit still and focus. Human beings need play. It is not a …Read More
Hair Love ~ Animated Story
“Life is too short to have boring hair.” Storytelling is a powerful vehicle to convey emotion. Matthew A. Cherry goes beyond words with a short animated film that is virtually silent. “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart” ― Helen …Read More
Josh Bernoff ~ Writing Without Bullshit
How can you be more present in your writing? Use the Zombies Test! The Zombies Test will tell you if you are falling into the trap of passive voice. Here’s an explanation from Writing Without Bullshit: Boost Your Career by Saying What You Mean by Josh Bernoff: “Attention must be paid to the state of …Read More
Creativity is like washing a pig
“Creativity is like washing a pig. It’s messy. It has no rules. No clear beginning, middle or end. It’s kind of a pain in the ass, and when you’re done, you’re not sure if the pig is really clean or even why you were washing a pig in the first place.” ~ Luke Sullivan Read …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
“Have you ever been to a LGBT Pride parade?” – Dear Sugar
June is Pride Month to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City. This event sparked the civil rights movement for the LGBTQ community. Each year following this historic event, marches and parades are organized across the country to honor the courage of the original Stonewall participants. In her advice column, “Dear Sugar” describes …Read More
Mindfulness in Medicine, mindfulness for everyone
“I believe that the practice of medicine depends on a deep understanding between clinicians and patients, and that human understanding starts with understanding oneself.” ~ Ronald Epstein, M.D., Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity Occasionally, I enjoy walking through bookstores in the same way that I enjoy walking in botanical gardens. I slow down, sink into …Read More