It’s easy for conversations to become politicized these days. A discussion of vacation plans turns to vaccines and masking; a comment about the weather turns to climate change; a concern about how remote learning is affecting students becomes a debate about lockdown policies. In other words, even the most innocuous subjects can quickly turn political. This often leads to…

We often forget that the way we see or hear something is unique to us, and that the person next to us is processing through a different set of experiences. Any meaningful interaction must therefore include reflection and inquiry about context. What is the context of the other person, and how might it differ from mine? When we cultivate stillness, we are better able to explore these questions.

I am being pulled to write in a different way. A family memoir has been percolating in the back of my mind for years, not simply as a recounting of events, but to reflect on current issues, such as identity, using a different framework. For example…

How can we feel grounded when the world seems so topsy-turvy? We have natural disasters and manmade disasters, each with their concomitant humanitarian crises. The climate is changing faster than predicted and wreaking havoc all around the world. We periodically uncover…

I attended a beautiful wedding last month, and in the days that followed I wondered: Why do we only share what we like and appreciate about someone at weddings and funerals? Imagine the impact if we did it every day. We don’t have to write a long speech; it can be one sentence.

My TED Talk is now up on YouTube and the TED website. YAY! You can watch it anytime (10 minutes long), and then join me for a conversation over Zoom on June 7, 2021 to discuss the ideas further. I’d love to talk with you and hear your comments and questions. Links to register for conversation and watch the TED Talk are in the full blog post.

When we are stressed, grace is one of the first things we drop, yet it is a pivotal skill that actually helps relieve stress because we are better able to get what we need, whether it is more privacy and alone time, or concrete help, or emotional support. It sounds counter-intuitive…

I am delighted to share with you that I will be a speaker at TEDxWilmette on April 22. It will be virtual, so you can watch from anywhere!

The theme is CONNECT, and I know you will want to tune in. My fellow speakers are amazing women; I feel honored to be among them. Every one of us brings a unique perspective to the theme.

January is a time of year when many people make New Year’s resolutions. We talk about what we want to change about ourselves, what we want to accomplish, and how we want to improve in some way. “I’m going to eat more healthily, exercise more regularly, and get moving on that project that has been on the back burner for so long.” Sound familiar?

‘Tis the season of goodwill towards all people. This is when we open our hearts and wallets with more generosity. We donate to our favorite charities; we give toys and warm coats to those in need and we write holiday greetings to the people we care about. But this moment also calls on us to be radically generous and open-hearted towards those who think differently than we do.

So much to say, and nothing to add…. That’s how I feel as we careen towards the U.S. presidential election on November 3. The only thing I know for sure is that we have a long road ahead of us regardless of who wins, because electoral outcomes will not heal the many fractures and fissures that run through American society right now. That work is on our shoulders, not on the shoulders of a particular person or administration. “We the people…” means us.

I am shifting gears: I will be writing these posts less frequently and offering Zoom workshops more frequently, with a discounted rate for newsletter subscribers. I am really excited about this shift in emphasis, as it will give me more opportunity to engage with you in real time. What are my workshops about?

When in doubt, be kind. That’s it. Just be kind. Kindness is one of the most effective mediums of positive change — within ourselves, in our relationships, and for the greater good. We live in unusual times (that’s an understatement!) and I find myself regularly cycling through different moods and concerns, alternately wondering how to stay safe, how to stay sane, and how to contribute to the greater good.

Here in the U.S., we are not just dealing with the global pandemic; we are dealing with a pandemic that has been politicized, leading to a chaotic and uncoordinated response. Similarly, the economic fallout from the lockdown is being exacerbated by political maneuvering that puts party over policy. And police brutality is coming to light as never before. There are days when I feel so inadequate for this moment. Who cares about developing higher-level communication skills when other issues are so much more urgent?

Over the past many weeks of coronavirus lockdowns, we have heard or participated in beautiful stories of caring — for friends and strangers alike. But as I write this, protests and riots are burgeoning in cities across America in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a police officer, while other officers looked on nonchalantly.

How do I write here when I have no idea how you have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the worldwide lockdown? Some of you might be inconvenienced but otherwise okay. Others are living on edge as your employment and source of income are shape-shifting. Some have lost jobs. And some of you are on the front lines, putting your lives at risk every day.

Even though we are all experiencing the coronavirus pandemic, it is easy to forget that we are experiencing it differently. Our own lens may not be the lens of others.

There is no question that we live in challenging times. But if we malign large swaths of people indiscriminately because we are frightened, we are making the problem worse and we need to own our part in this mess.

The most common refrain I hear these days is something akin to: “They are destroying the country that I know and love; we have to stop them!” This is said with equal fervor by people on the right and left. Thus, the vast majority of Americans share a fear of losing something essential to their identity as Americans. The two sides assign blame differently, but the underlying concern is the same.

Did you know that there is a strong correlation between per capita cheese consumption and the number of people who die by becoming tangled in their bedsheets?