Words of Wisdom – Page 10

The Benefits of Failure & Imagination

In her 2008 Harvard commencement speech, J.K. Rowling spoke candidly about failure—not as something to avoid, but as a powerful teacher. Drawing from her own life, she reframed failure as a formative experience that can clarify purpose, build resilience, and ultimately lead to a more authentic life. This is the ...

The Power and Responsibility of Imagination

This post is about the key takeaways from J.K. Rowlings Harvard Commencement Address in 2008 where she talks about the power and responsibility of imagination. In the second half of her speech, Rowling spoke not about imagination as creativity alone, but as a moral force—one that carries both power and ...

The Experience of Being Present

Years ago, when I first learned about being present, I had some vague intellectual idea of what the phrase meant. I had heard that it was the key to self-awareness and becoming more conscious, so I asked a number of gurus, meditation teachers and people who claimed to know ...

Experiencing Craving and Aversion

The other day I walked into my closet and looked at all the clothes hanging there. I saw the bright pink sweater I’ve never worn and remembered the craving I experienced when I bought it. I just had to have it! I looked down at the bright gold stiletto sandals ...

Beginnings and The Power of Intuition

There’s no better time for new beginnings than the first of the year. It’s the beginning of a new cycle, the root of the musical scale for the year or the “do” of the octave. However you see it, it’s a start, and with all new beginnings, comes energy. ...

The Benefits of Changing Perspective

This post is about the benefits of changing our perspective. When we’re in the middle of something, it can be difficult for us to see with any relativity or context. For example, when I’m tallying up my monthly business accounts for my bookkeeper, it’s difficult to see how the columns ...

The Power of Telling Stories and How They Help Us Shine

“Playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.” Marianne Williamson, spiritual activist, author, lecturer and founder of The Peace Alliance My sister sent me this wonderful quote a ...

Innovation and How Technology Inspires Us

Years ago, I read a Wired article by TED curator Chris Anderson titled “Film School — Why Online Video Is More Powerful Than You Think.” In it, Anderson explored how online video was beginning to reshape the way people learn, connect, and innovate. At the time, platforms like YouTube were ...

The Benefits of Exploring Nature

This post is about the benefits of exploring new places in nature. Recently, my husband and I went for a long walk in an unfamiliar area. When we started out, all we could see was the road at our feet, a creek to our left and woods all around us. ...

Inspiring Quotes From The Great Coach, Vince Lombardi

As we move into the time of year when professional and college football teams schedule their play-off games, I’m sharing some of my favorite quotes from the famous Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. Take a look at some of his quotes and see which ones inspire you the most. ...

How Your External Actions Align With Your Values

This post is about integrity — the alignment between what we value and how we act. Integrity shows up not in what we say, but in the choices we make when circumstances become difficult. In recent years, the volatile real estate market has tested many homeowners. One friend’s experience stands ...

Which Wolf Do You Feed?

This is one of my favorite posts. It comes from an old Indian tale, “Two Wolves,” which was shared with me by a coaching contact. She heard it from Lou Tice, chairman of The Pacific Institute, an organization dedicated to transforming peoples’ lives through education and training. “One evening, an ...

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