Worrying takes the fun out of everything — Worry can get the best of us. For many, living in a state of mental apprehension is a fact of life. As Gilda Radner often said and explored in her book of the same name, It’s Always Something. We just can’t seem to get away from all the niggling barbs of life poking their way into our…

Life is a teacher, if nothing else — I spend a lot of time wondering about what I’m doing, where I’m headed, and whether I’ll ever realize my dreams. I’m sure you can relate. Days, weeks, months, even years of searching for answers to the kinds of questions that burn in the soul — the kind that leave us feeling restless, confused, and empty. Perhaps we’re waiting for our subconscious to spew forth some brilliant message — one that…

The guise of convenience often carries a price — I never realized the danger that lay hidden under the guise of convenience. For many years, I relied on bottled water for everything — cooking, coffee, tea, and everyday drinking. My shopping list always included a couple of cases to restock our water inventory. …

What will you be thinking about when you approach the end? — Many years ago, I worked for a large corporation. The company manufactured electrical control parts, and my job was to support the salespeople and engineers by reading blueprints, creating a list of components, and pricing out the jobs. The salespeople called on customers, negotiated volume pricing, and managed distributors’ inventory. Our team had several large clients who were loyal…

Get out of your head and into the real world — We all do it — daydream about how much better our lives would be if only … Typically, the mental exercise is a fun, relaxing past-time. Until we realize most of those daydreams may never come true. And instead of bringing a sense of excitement or possibility, we’re left feeling anxious and uncertain by a lack of results. Still, our active imaginations wander, creating wishes and fantasies…

Talking to strangers takes awareness and skill — In his book, Talking To Strangers, author Malcolm Gladwell argues that something is very wrong with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don’t know. And because we don’t know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have…

When in doubt, question everything — Good news: The door to change is always unlocked. Sometimes we turn the knob and peer into the future with curiosity and questions. Sometimes it swings open wide, inviting us to step through. And occasionally, life’s circumstances give us a needed kick from behind, sending us sailing over the threshold. Why so many options in how we approach the future? Our willingness to acknowledge and accept the inevitable changes…

Are you leaving yourself open to verbal assault? — These days, it seems like just about everyone has some form of advice to offer. Pick a topic. From where to shop, to the best podcast to listen to, to which restaurant serves the healthiest food. …

It’s time to get a grip on reality if you want to survive the profession — You want to be better than good. You want to be great and have the Success Trophy to prove it. Others have attained such notoriety, and they’ve promised they can show you how to do the same thing. Except they’re wrong. Why the dismal prognosis? Face the facts: If you expect to walk in the footsteps of another writer’s path to…