Thought Changer

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Welcome! If this is your first visit or if you’ve been here before but haven’t had a chance to subscribe, would love to have you as a part of the Thought Changer community which has moved to Substack! Just sign up in the box to the left. You’ll get a welcome email from me at Substack. Don’t forget to click the confirmation link. Thought Changer looks at everyday life metaphors. We explore new ways to think about what we do, improve our mindset and live more consciously. And, if something moves you, please share! Thank you and enjoy this Thought Changer.

“You’re a good papa.” The 7-year-old son in the movie PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS whispered this to his father, Chris Gardner, as he tucked him into bed at the homeless shelter they frequented while Chris, played by Will Smith, struggled to build a better life for them. His father’s story became the foundation for his own. Our stories live in our bones. In our cells. In our hearts. In our minds. In our guts. In our memories. In our mothers. In our fathers. This Father’s Day week, as I was picking out a card for my dad, one that will honor him and what he means to me, it got me thinking about how entrenched he is in my own story, and about how our actions, decisions, attitudes, beliefs and our very lives, are a culmination of all of our stories as well the tales of our greatest influencers, including the… Read more →

“Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Words to live by! Read more →

CBS Sunday Morning one week featured a sweet story about a magical little button shop in NYC, Tender Buttons. There are buttons upon buttons for every garment imaginable, with prices ranging from 50 cents to $2000. Some of them are works of art and many are vintage with a full back-story imbedded in between the buttonholes. Storeowner and button collector, Millicent Safro, is very proud of her museum-like button empire and watches over them protectively, preciously, until someone else falls in love with them and takes ownership of them. Oddly, it got me thinking about a discussion I recently had with a friend who was dealing with some boundary issues with a co-worker who really knew how to push her buttons. Out of that dialogue came the mantra: “Be in charge of your own buttons.” When you push a button such as an elevator button, a website button, etc., it… Read more →

Today I’ve been sitting in the sweet aftermath of a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and these Michelle Shocked song lyrics keep running through my head: “When I grow up I want to be an old woman…” And, when I’m that old woman, what I want to reflect on the most are my life’s connections, both the fleeting and the lifelong connections that made up the rich, elegant and profound fabric of my being. This takes me back to this recent weekend, which was full of just that – connecting; connecting to dear, old friends, to interesting new friends, and to faraway friends and family. And, on Saturday morning I volunteered at Operation Gratitude which is a wonderful organization that sends care packages to the troops. I went hoping to contribute something in a small way and walked away with an amazing feeling of global connection to the 4,000 men and… Read more →

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” ~ Napoleon Hill Read more →

“Then the time came when the risk it took to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” Anais Nin Read more →

The memory of the original 3 R’s takes me back to grade school, when “Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmatic”, meant the basics in education. The idea was if you nailed the 3 R’s you had a good foundation for learning. And, undeniably, you couldn’t effectively learn other subjects if you couldn’t read or write. Wish it were still so simple today! Now, in an ever-changing era of career re-invention and diversifying industries, the following 3 R’s describe essential qualities you must possess to stay current in your career. § Resilient – bouncing back from a layoff, or watching an industry transform before your very eyes, means you must be ready and willing for the change. Resilience involves building your coping skills, including stress management and a willingness to look at change as opportunity. Robert Brooks and Sam Goldstein in their book, The Power of Resilience, call it a “resilient mindset” because… Read more →

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you make look back and realize they were the big things.” –Robert Brault Read more →

“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” John Wayne Read more →

Mercury Retrograde – Why does the thought of Mercury retrograde petrify people in their tracks and at times make us feel like nothing is going right? Things can feel chaotic and confusing. It’s likely because they don’t understand the meaning of Mercury retrograde and how it can really help our lives, causing us to pause and take stock of upcoming decisions, contractual obligations, new beginnings, etc. According to alphalifetrends.com, “Mercury retrograde provides the opportunity to adjust our thoughts, attitudes and decisions about our issues and adjust our new direction as we move into 2009.” It will take place four times in 2009, and the current retrograde starts today and ends on May 30. So take this time to reassess, review and reconnect with where you are. Wait until after May 30 to make any decisions about where you’re going. 2. Santa Barbara’s Fire Dept – These fearless men and women… Read more →