Creativity – Thought Changer

The sun was a glowing orb framed by dark-rimmed clouds. Ever present the sun. The light. I was reminded again about how the light of the sun is always there. It doesn’t have to try, it’s ready to show up, to shine through as the beacon for all that is and will be. It’s comforting. Light was my word for 2022. As I was filling the dishwasher about a year ago, the phrase flowed into my mind: 2022, the year of light. My intention for the year was to seek the lightness of being, to follow the light of my spirit in all areas of life. Today, there is much to ponder and reflect on. To share. So, what has come to light? In random order, here are a few things that have bubbled up and stayed with me. Perhaps it will spark in you things that have come to… Read more →

Dinner guests were arriving when the electric igniter went out on my oven. And, then a few minutes later I discovered the igniter on my gas grill was also out. After a momentary panic attack I re-thought the evening, ordered in and we got a laugh out of it. But, being aware of metaphor and the subtle epiphanies it can bring, it got me thinking about where in our lives the igniters go out from time to time. For both the grill and the oven it was an easy fix to re-ignite the mechanism. What about re-igniting our lives and careers? It’s a powerful act and allows you to live your life rather than your life living you. Taking it a step further, it got me thinking about the impact other Re’s can have on us and all we do. Think about your own life and career for a moment…. Read more →

“Seeing is believing.” ~ American Proverb The past weekend symbolized for many, new beginnings, re-birth and revitalization. It seemed the perfect time to create a vision board. So, my two best girlfriends, Ferrell and Kelly, and I spent Saturday exploring our goals, dreams and visions and then created vision boards full of images, words and phrases that brought those to life. Yes, mimosas were involved, but we took this very seriously. So much of this process is changing your mindset from one of “maybe, if and possibility” to one of “yes, now and probability.” Possibility is awesome; but probability is the seed of certainty. We brought the goals and visions that we had each laid out at the beginning of the year, educated ourselves about vision boarding principles and then spent an entire afternoon supporting each other’s bold, dream-big-live-big visions. And, what was truly beautiful about it, in that ‘yes,… Read more →

“Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking.” ~ Leo Tolstoy Today I saw the riveting film, “THE LAST STATION” chronicling the final chapter of Leo Tolstoy’s storied life. Simply put, what I find so fascinating about Count Tolstoy is that he lived his life by a very strict set of rules, yet later in his life he was considered a prophet by those who considered themselves freethinkers. As a celebrated novelist and essayist known for his theories on pacifism, he eventually walked away from his previous set of rules and developed a devout group of followers of his theories on freethinking, thus creating a whole new set of rules. It got me thinking about rules. Do… Read more →

The challenging words Ronald Reagan uttered 22 years ago, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,” still echo today, even 20 years after the actual fall of the wall, this week marking the two decade anniversary. But, who would have guessed then that the “wall” would still exist today for many people in Germany? That being the “wall in the mind.” An article by NBC news producer Doug Adams brings to light how many people in Germany, both in the East and the West, are unable to tear the wall down in their minds. They are locked into the East vs. West mindset where, as Kipling said, “never the twain shall meet.” All sectors, from media to business to government, still compare the two sides which in and of itself fosters the lagging dividing line between them. This particularly clicked in for me after coincidentally visiting the Reagan Presidential Library over… Read more →

Strokes of genius, flashes of brilliance, inklings of inspiration. Do those phrases intimidate you? Here’s the thing. We all have those moments when a thought or notion comes seemingly out of nowhere and sparks a new idea, gives a fresh perspective to a task you need to complete or sends you off in a direction that provides a solution. So, then it’s all clicking and perhaps you get some recognition for your great idea or perhaps it even becomes something huge that really changes the course of things for you. What happens next time you come up against a problem you need to solve or you’re ready for the next project to be born. Do you feel pressure to continue to have those flashes of inspiration for another great idea? Does that stop you sometimes from moving forward? My friend Brian told me about a wonderful talk that author Elizabeth… Read more →

There was an interesting piece recently on Good Morning America about flowers, and how using a drop of ordinary bleach in flower water keeps the flowers fresher longer. Who knew? So, I wondered, did the first person who tried this do it by accident or by design? It got me thinking about how there’s always an alternative way to get things done. In other words, if the conventional approach is tired or no longer working, look for an unconventional approach that many times will accomplish even more. You may surprise yourself! As Thomas Edison said, “I never failed once. It just happened to be a 2000-step process.” He kept trying different approaches and each one sparked a new idea for the next approach. This most certainly applies when it comes to your personal brand. After you’re solid on what your brand’s core values are, look for the unconventional ways of… Read more →

I recently took an on-line quiz that tells what color crayon you would be – if you were a crayon. I was yellow. Okay, it’s a silly quiz but it got me thinking about a person’s true colors. Are you showing your true colors to the world or are you a chameleon, changing colors depending on the perso n you’re meeting with, or because of a certain image you’re trying to project in business or at work? The expression, “showing true colors”, stems from the time of the fighting sail when ship captains would fly the enemy’s flag in order to infiltrate their territory. Then, before attacking, the offensive ship would change its flag to the true colors of the ship’s country. In today’s social terms it means showing your true self and in some connotations where your loyalties lie. The same principle applies when it comes to your personal… Read more →

HOW TO MAKE SHOW-STOPPING PRESENTATIONS Here’s a piece of news that may surprise you. Some of our best and most Award-winning actors are indeed methodical planners, contrary to wide-spread belief, and the way they get to the performance is through a careful, tried and true method of breaking down a script and peeling back the layers of their character. They break it apart scientifically and then put it together in a way that is unique to them and them alone. Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day Lewis & Meryl Streep are three brilliant examples of analytical actors who dissect their roles like a med student to a cadaver. And, their performances are renowned. Who can forget Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lector’s chilling persona in “Silence of the Lambs?” That came from studied analysis and rehearsal. Thinking like an actor will enable you to make bolder, more interesting and enticing presentations or pitches. This… Read more →