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Dickinson was prolific, but private.  As the legend goes, she wrote nearly two thousand poems, but only about a dozen were published during her lifetime. Emily believed that publication was the auction of the mind.  Meanwhile, one of her colleagues scolded her refusal to publish with the following. You are a great poet, and it is a wrong to the day you live in that you will not sing aloud. …

Taoists monks believe that words obstruct understanding.  When there is naming, they say, the name is mistaken for what has been named. As it reads in their holy scriptures: The name that can be named is not the eternal name.  But here’s the issue. Things persist as long as we have no name for them. It is the name that makes the invisible visible and, therefore, easier to discuss….

Each of us has our breaking point.  It’s that dreaded moment of surrender when we’ve hung in there for as long as we possibly can, but we just can’t take it anymore.  And so, we give up. Or break down. Or run away crying. And that’s okay. We’re all human. We all have limits. The intensity of the environmental stress necessary to reach this moment may vary from person…

Everything you ever wanted to learn about acceptance, surrender, letting go, forgiving yourself and finding peace can be summarized in five simple words.  Get on with your life.  Consider all the examples that play out on a daily basis.  Instead of trying to argue with reality, walk away in kindhearted acceptance. And get on with your life.  Instead of obsessing over labels and minor details, remember that it won’t…

The first twelve years of my career were spent building a business that wasn’t designed to sustain me over the long term.  Which, at the time, was fine. When you’re single, in your twenties and filled to the brim with hungry youth juice, it’s not an issue.  But over time, priorities evolve. Grey hairs accumulate. Markets change. And into the second decade of my business, something occurred to me. …

Expecting to get what you want isn’t optimism, it’s immaturity.  That’s one of the worst pains of growing up and becoming an adult. Learning to face reality. Making friends with what is. And not allowing yourself to be seduced by childish thoughts about that reality, simply because they’re more comforting.  It reminds me of a compelling question from a book about interpersonal communication.  Can you name the stress that brings you…

As creative people, as thinkers and observers and reflectors and renderers of the world, it’s tempting to take an antisocial vantage point outside of society.  Because doing so makes us feel heroic. And special. Like we’re somehow being responsible to our artistic gifts by separating ourselves from the herd.  But there’s a very real difference between observing life, and being observant in a way that always keeps us just…

The most unexpected part of being in a committed relationship is, you’re forced to become fully acquainted with the most repulsive sides of yourself.  Sure, everybody can hide for a while, doing their nice little song and dance for the first few months or even the first few years.  But eventually, love pulls back the velvet curtain. And our relationship becomes this constant mirror, reflecting back to us all…

A friend of mine who is a youth development consultant has this great question he asks the students: How much of yourself, percentage wise, are you able to bring to this activity? It’s a powerful filter for kids to use in any endeavor they pursue. Because it challenges them to search for places where they don’t have to keep their intellect on hold or their personality in check.  Where…

Each of us has, in one way or another, been programmed to deny our own desires.  And if we have any intention of living authentic, integrated and fulfilling lives, we have to transform our relationship with our own needs.  In four separate areas. Accepting, assessing, expressing and applauding.  Each of which requires us to shift from one state of being to another.  First, there’s accepting.  Instead of shutting down…