Humor – particularly the ability to laugh at one’s own faults, foibles and circumstances – combined with determination is a powerful combination. I found this TED Talk amazing because comedian, actor, writer, philanthropist, and advocate Maysoon Zayid is just that: this unstoppable force of humor and determination. I won’t say much more, because I don’t want to spoil your fun. But I can almost guarantee that you will enjoy — and inspired by — her 14 minutes of candor, humor, and unquenchable spirit. Note: If you are receiving this post by email, you may need to click the title at the top of the post to watch the...

I love New Year’s resolutions. They have this way of making you feel like anything is possible. Part of it is the wholly arbitrary and yet incredibly powerful event of the start of a new year itself. Even though we could conceivably start a new year on any day (February 1…or 28th, for that matter), once you choose to count from a certain place, it gives the impression of a new start. January 1st, of course, flows with absolutely no disconnect from December 31, but that’s beside the point. What matters is that we’ve decided to count 1/1 not simply as a continuation of 12/31 but as something new. The other delicious part of New...

Anyone who has read this blog for long knows that I’m a huge fan of Brené Brown. I love her work on the centrality of vulnerability to authentic living. So I was delighted to see on her blog that the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA for short) recently hosted Brené for a presentation and then illustrated a portion of her talk. RSA Animated Shorts are a delightful way to bring a concept or idea to life and invite us to see it differently. The portion illustrated below is about empathy. One of her key findings is that empathy – the willingness to go where someone else is living...

Ever wonder what to get that special someone for Christmas? Especially when that special someone doesn’t particularly need anything? In that case, let Kid President help you out. I’m a huge fan of Kid President and have been enchanted with the story of his struggles, perseverance, and spirit. Today, given that we’re just a little more than 10 days from Christmas, I thought I’d offer you his words of wisdom on giving things that really matter – hugs, love, time, the chance to do something awesome, and the opportunity to make the world a better place. It’s this last one that Kid President gives most of his time to, inviting you to...

It’s not to much to say that David Steindl-Rast is the ambassador of gratitude. The Benedictine monk is known worldwide for his teaching of practices of gratitude. “Practices” may actually make it sound more difficult or complex that it needs to be, however, as Brother David’s counsel in this TED Talk is really rather simple. Reminding us of the three instructions we were given as children when approaching a street corner, he tells us to “Stop, look, and go.” Stop – slow down, take a break, pause long enough to take a breath. Look – notice and pay attention to just how many things are given to us freely and without...