Work Life

"We build too many walls and not enough bridges." – Sir Isaac Newton

The Cau Vang Bridge in Vietnam seems like something from another world or another time. Suspended 4,600 feet above sea level, the bridge combines eight sections and stretches 500 feet long. The hands appear weathered as if constructed centuries ago. As you walk along the bridge, you have uninterrupted views of the rolling Truong Son Mountains. The massive scale of the bridge is truly inspiring, and the hands seem to symbolize …

"Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul." - Vincent Van Gogh

I recently checked out the Imagine Van Gogh exhibit at the SoWa Power Station, an architecturally stunning building in the South Washington district of Boston, Massachusetts. I have been fascinated with the idea of art immersion for the past few years, so when this came to town, I had to go. The scale, the colors, the movement, and the music all come together to transport you into an impressionist pain…

If you are anything like me, you have probably had times where you felt a sense of belonging with one group of people, and when you are with other groups, not so much.

We are wired to seek belonging. In fact, humanity probably would have failed if it weren’t for tribes that become communities, and then eventually become societies and gradually became nations.

Today, we have tribes in the form of Meetup groups that offer everything from stamp-collecting to skydiving. People love to be with peop…

What is in Your Top 10 For 2021?

"Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead." – Yvonne Woon

Before we jump into the new year, I want to take a moment to do one more reflection on 2021. I am sure you have seen your fair share of Top 10 Lists lately (Top 10 Movies of the Year, Top 10 Artists of the Year, Top 10 Stocks to Buy, Top 10 Predictions for the Future, etc.). I want to change things up and challenge you to create your own Personal Top 10 List for t…

Have you ever heard a quote that just stuck with you?

The moment you hear it, it resonates with a deep inner-knowing, and you immediately feel the truth of it? Some of the greatest quotes are the most concise.

One of my favorites is only seven words, and it says, “Your energy speaks louder than your words.”

There’s a lot of talk about authenticity these days, and I think this quote simplifies the concept. People tend to confuse the difference between what it means to SOUND or LOOK authentic w…

Are you stuck on a particular problem and need a creative solution?

Edward de Bono is a physician, psychologist, author, inventor, and philosopher who became known for the concept of lateral thinking. His book "The Six Thinking Hats" offers a practical approach to making decisions and exploring new ideas. De Bono suggests organizing the thinking process into "six thinking hats":

• White Hat: Neutral and objective, concerned with facts and figures
• Red Hat: The emotional view
• Black Hat: Carefu…

"All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances.” – William Shakespeare

If a movie was made about your life, what would it be called?

This was a question I recently posed in a group coaching session. I love this question because it puts you in a creative mindset and gets you thinking about the key scenes that would be played out on the highlight reel in your head. The defining moments, the moments that would elicit reactions of shoc…

One of the most inspiring destinations I have ever visited is Spain, and especially Barcelona. If you have been there, then you know what I mean. One of the hidden surprises for me was discovering the Palau de la Musica Catalana in the Sant Pere district of the city. It was built by the modernist architect Lluis Domenech Montaner as a home for the Orfeo Catala (a famous choir). The building is a classic example of Catalan Art Nouveau. At the center of the main auditorium is a metal structure cov…

Another year comes to a close, and it is time to pause and collect the stories from 2021 that have shaped who we are today and who we want to be as we enter the new year.

Who do you want to be in the new year? What can you do today to move you in that direction?

Those questions can be a stumbling block for even the most forward-thinking person. With that in mind, I wanted to offer everyone on my list the chance to give the Gift of Coaching (either for yourself or for someone else) to help them…

Did you know that time is elastic?

If you had two weeks to pack for a flight, the process of thinking, organizing, and eventually packing could easily elongate itself to fill that time. But time can also be condensed because if you suddenly realized your flight left in two hours… you would get hyper-focused and still get it all done, right? This is part of my theory behind the four-day workweek.

What if it has nothing to do with working harder and instead everything to do with our ability to f…