Babies are remarkably resilient. Without our coaching they manage to learn to walk. They learn by falling. They fall again and again and again. And every time they fall, they get up and try again. Somewhere along the way, some…
One of my favorite vacations was sitting by a wood stove in New Hampshire—alone. I had a glorious view of the mountains, a book, and hot chocolate. My travel companions spent the days hiking, and I spent the days alone…
It’s been a big week. Super Bowl Sunday. Tie games are not an option; neither is splitting the Vince Lombardi trophy. There are winners and there are losers, with no other options. Americans are good at games. So good, we…
If we listen to our bodies, we often know exactly what our most important habit of resilience is. Mine is sleep. If I don’t get enough sleep, I am less creative, less fun to be with, and less energetic. It…
Happy New Year. 2019 feels so fresh, so full of possibility. Like new spiral notebooks on the first day of school—clean and open to creativity. You’d think with all our practice at New Year’s self-improvement, we’d be practically perfect by…
The old canard goes, "Don't miss the forest for the trees", an admonishment to take in the big picture. But don't miss the trees. In our desire to understand the pattern of the big picture, we miss tiny, beautiful things…
Santa and Mrs. Claus showed up at Chick-fil-A two days after Thanksgiving, looking totally relaxed. Perhaps all their holiday cookies are made and in the freezer; presents are wrapped and ready to go. Now their only job is to greet…
Saturday was National Hammock Day. Not that I needed encouraging. I own three. I’m a fan of Hatteras Hammocks, the traditional cotton rope with an oak spreader. My favorite is a single hammock on our screen porch. I nap in…
In the very first book of the Bible, we discover something essential about hospitality. It’s not optional. When strangers pass by Abraham and Sarah’s dwelling, Abraham quickly provides provisions, food and drink, a place to wash and stay. In Abraham’s…
How do today’s Millennials prepare for a resilient life? David Brooks wrote a marvelous column recently on the value of “thick” organizations. In “How to Leave a Mark on People,” he described an institution that “becomes part of a person’s…
