Month: December 2015

Posted on

Bloom where you’re planted – or sleep where you find a bed

Floof, the cat, sleeping in a board game box lidOur cat, Floof, sleeps whenever he feels tired, which is the vast majority of every day (and night). He doesn’t need a bed to enter kitty slumbers. In this case, a board game box was a great place to begin his nap.

I find myself looking for the perfect bed before I begin my sleep. Or the perfect situation before I dive into a big project, begin that talk with a friend I’ve been putting off or start a challenging exercise regime that I know will pay off in the long run.

May we all be more like Floof – and just dive in, even if only into the world of dreams.

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Posted on

I can’t change your mind

Chipping away at a mountain

There’s a lot to get upset about these days. If you’re an American, the massive ego and questionable ethics of various presidential candidates is quite disturbing. But I’ve given up on saying anything about them on Facebook, Twitter or this blog. It’s just not worth the time or frustration.

Even face-to-face discussions can be frustrating. I make assumptions that my conversational partner will interpret the solution to a problem the same way I do. That’s not always true. And reaching a place of difference is rarely fun.

But small change can happen.

A good friend said, “Small change is a thing to be celebrated!” He has a very challenging relationship that’s incredibly complex and difficult. He celebrates when he sees a very small change.

I occasionally tackle little issues with my little blog, like the value of recycling, bringing your own cup or being part of a community. Maybe no one changes their attitudes or actions as a result of such posts. Or maybe, just maybe, one person will do something different.

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Posted on

A single focus

a medicine bottle in the darkMy molar was still aching, even though the dentist with a thick accent completed the filling a week ago. So it was time for ibuprofen.

After the drug was consumed, I returned to our medicine cabinet to place the bottle on its shelf. Being of orderly mind, I attempted to turn the bottle where others could quickly determine its contents.

Not an easy task. In the dark, the front of the bottle looked like the back.

A simple design choice could have solved this problem. If the designer had made “Ibuprofen” in large type with strong contrast, users could speedily identify the contents in low light or daylight.

That points to the idea, dear readers, that whatever communications piece we are creating, whether a simple email or a lengthy novel, we need to focus on our main point.

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Posted on

We need the perspective of others

face made up of trash cansHipster coffee shop. Fun visit with family.

My daughter noticed the face that their trashcan and recycling bin made.

I never would have seen that on my own. But after seeing her perspective, I never can look at that corner the same way again.

We need others to show us things we don’t see.

Sometimes I need to ask, and sometimes another perspective is volunteered. Either way works fine.

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Posted on

Give yourself variety

Don Henley in Rolling Stone MagazineWe all need variety. It keeps our brains firing properly.

One area of intentional variety in my small life is my whiteboard at work. I really don’t use it as a whiteboard, but I do tape interesting things to it, in my attempt to provide some changing scenery.

I would urge you to look for areas you can change – to give your average days a little extra spice.

By the way, Don Henley is no longer on my whiteboard. The latest tenants are a band called Public Access TV.

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail