Decluttering

I love the character of an older home but I can’t say I’m a fan of the small closets.

As a result, closet culls are part of my routine — typically as the seasons change.

During my most recent clothes purge, I realized my criteria for decluttering was no longer effective and needed to be tightened.

Like many others, I was probably only wearing about 20% of my clothes on a regular basis.

The rest stayed there because they fell within my rather loose criteria of thinking I might wear that article of clothing “some day”.

Since “some day” rarely… More Posted on 11-19-12

Can Your Life Work Actually be Your Play?

I often think about my late stepfather Joe and how for years he prodded and encouraged me to pursue my community building work under my own umbrella.

While I’m not sure exactly why, I resisted the idea of being self-employed for a long time. And yet, life seems to come at us with plans of its own.

So here I am owner of my own company and an emerging tech start up. What is most amazing is that after all these years I finally seem to have landed where I’m supposed to be, doing what clearly is my… More Posted on 11-11-12

Is Leisure Literacy a Bullying Antidote?

I’m probably not the only one who’s been thinking about bullying this week.

It’s heartbreaking when anyone gets to the point where they have lost heart and hope. It’s even more horrific to think that someone with so much of their life ahead of them sees suicide as their only option.

Such was the case last week with 15-year-old B.C. teenager Amanda Michelle Todd who committed suicide as the result of cyber-bullying. 

Both the cause and her state of mind were clear as the result of a video she had posted on YouTube in September.

In… More Posted on 10-21-12

Can Retail Therapy Move Online?

While on some level I hate to admit it, the truth is I like to shop. I jokingly refer to it as my retail therapy and as my contribution to supporting the local economy. 

A friend of mine recently made me feel better about shopping by suggesting that for me it was primarily a creative outlet. She also pointed out that it wasn’t a problem because I never spent more than I could afford and always managed to find a deal.

As a result, it was surprising to realize that these days I am shopping as much online as… More Posted on 10-14-12

Vulnerability: Birthplace of Innovation, Creativity, and Change

More interesting than one might anticipate, two separate incidents this week left me thinking about research in a very different way.

The first happened as the result of watching a TED talk video by Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston who has spent the past ten years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. She’s also the author of the bestselling book called Daring Greatly. If you haven’t watched her videos or read her books, know they are well worth the time.

However, it was one of her comments about how she approaches her research that… More Posted on 10-08-12

What the Heck is a MOOC?

September signifies back-to-school but, despite the best of intentions, I didn’t sign up.

I came pretty darn close this year in that I found an MBA being offered in Community Economic Development that caters to those in the workforce. Additionally, it was the only MBA I’d ever found that acknowledged what I’ve already learned and published, providing me with credit for 6 of the 15 courses that would be required. At $2000 per course that meant saving significant money as well as time.

Regardless, something still kept niggling and holding me back from completing the application forms despite the fact… More Posted on 09-16-12

Is There a Silver Lining in Sadness

I thought we were past the boomerang generation—kids moving out and then back in again as their job possibilities ebb and flow.

But, it was not to be.

While it was at our invitation, our youngest son moved in for the summer after his roommate moved out and he found himself at loose ends. Living with us he was able to work hard at a daytime job and pursue his passion for music while building a bit of a nest egg.

While in the end I’m not sure it’s a good idea for adult children to move back… More Posted on 09-09-12

It’s Not About the Money

Visiting my old office stomping grounds recently, I exchanged greetings with a colleague I hadn’t seen in a while.  As we connected, she asked what one might typically expect, “How are you doing?”

I’m not sure who was taken aback more when I bypassed the standard “Fine thank you” and instead answered with a somewhat surprised tone in my voice saying, “I’m happy. I’m really happy”.

I was taken aback because I hadn’t really thought about it much until the “I’m happy” popped out of my mouth.

It’s not that I’ve been particularly unhappy, it’s just that I’ve… More Posted on 08-31-12

Youth: No Decision About Us, Without Us

Youth Outmigration. 

Although the term was new to me, it turns out our family has experienced it firsthand.

It happens when young people fail to see opportunities in their communities and move out–typically to a larger community where they see more job potential.

Sadly it happened to our family as all three of our sons have now moved away from our hometown and don’t show any signs of returning.

This summer, US President Barack Obama addressed the issue of outmigration as well as other compelling and urgent issues relating to youth when his White House Council… More Posted on 08-19-12

Sport:Training for the Game of Life

I’m soooo confused.

I thought my family would be inspired by the Olympics. Instead, they have become T.V. toads. Recently, exercise has consisted of wrestling for control of the channel changer or sprinting for snacks during the commercials.

Ironic isn’t it? Many have been so busy watching television coverage of the Olympics they haven’t had time to “just do it” any more.

I for one am crossing my fingers hoping that with the London Games being over, my family will be motivated to let their own games begin.

Sports are important—not just for the health benefits (that would… More Posted on 08-12-12

Social Media is Here to Stay

I’ve recently come up for air after spending four years managing a mega provincial initiative.

Although I was contracted as a private consultant to direct the initiative, its all-consuming nature meant in addition to ignoring the importance of a balanced life, I also neglected many other aspects of my consulting business.

Now that I have time to focus on, and rebuild my company, it has become increasingly clear that a more extensive use of social media is necessary.

Apparently I’m not the only small business or organization thinking along those lines.

Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube,… More Posted on 08-05-12

Jogging for the Soul

It was just one of those magical evenings.

Pulled together at the last minute, three girlfriends and I decided we needed to spend some time together catching up.

The weather was gorgeous and we ended up having dinner on a beautiful restaurant patio, eating extraordinarily good food, served by one of the best looking, charismatic and wittiest servers I’ve met.

That in itself was enough to make it a great experience but what I hadn’t counted on was the amazing amount of fun and laughter we shared and how good it felt. 

As I paused to reflect during and… More Posted on 07-23-12

The Common Sense of Ordinary People

Obama’s status as a leader was reinforced for me during an authentic and transparent interview he did this past weekend with CBS.

In it, he said he was most frustrated by his inability “to change the atmosphere” in Washington “to reflect the decency and common sense of ordinary people” who want their leaders to solve problems.

Obama also said, “I think there’s no doubt that I underestimated the degree to which in this town politics trump problem solving.”

Why are those remarks resonating so strongly?

I’m quite sure it’s because he nailed it.

Citizens would agree that… More Posted on 07-15-12

Social Media: Changing the Game for Government

This week I heard yet another person tell me that as a government employee she was discouraged from using social media.

I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised. While working for a municipality some years ago, I brought a laptop to my office in order to expedite my work.

While granted this was before the mainstream office use of computers and the laptop did cover most of my desk surface, I wasn’t commended for my initiative.

Instead I was told that if I didn’t remove the computer, a grievance would be filed against me by the union.

Not known… More Posted on 07-09-12

Canada Day—More than a Day Off

I almost took Canada Day for granted. Like many other Canadians, I was starting to think of it simply as another day off.

That is until I received an email from my good friend Ian Hill. Although well known within the 140 plus communities across Canada where his philanthropic efforts focused on supporting local leaders to build playgrounds and skateboard parks, he was actually born in Iran and adopted as a newborn by an American couple stationed there. He was raised in Arizona and now lives in Nevada.

In the email he sent on Canada Day, Ian wrote, “In… More Posted on 07-01-12

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