On Summing It Up, Volume Two

I hope this July brings you some of these Tiger vibes. Source Unknown.

For what it’s worth... it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you’ve never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start over again.

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

Dear friend,

Miraculously, this month marks two years since I’ve been popping into your inbox with my Notions & Contemplations. Twenty-four whole months! I remain deeply grateful for your time and interest. In what is now an annual tradition, this month’s newsletter is a rundown of the topics I’ve covered over the last 12 moons, each one merely scratching the surface of how we can better show up at work and in the world.

Want to go deeper on one of these areas? Drop me a note! As I return from maternity leave next month, I’d love to talk about how I can help you and/or your team.

On Speaking vs. Sharing | August 2023: We’ve all heard about active listening; but what about active speaking? Bringing more intention to how you share information goes a long way towards making sure your message lands.

On Presence | September 2023: When confidence and humility come together in one person, energy shifts–for you and those around you. Cultivating that kind of presence is foundational to effective leadership at home, at work, and in the world.

On Assets & Aspirations | October 2023: What would it be like for us to consider the motion and direction of our lives as much as we did our seasonal wardrobes? Each of us can set and fulfill a personal strategic plan when we align our aspirations with our most valuable asset (time).

On “Help” “Thanks” and “Wow” | November 2023: Somewhere in the process of growing up, we tend to forget the skills of asking for help, grounding ourselves in gratitude, and being astonished. Engaging in all three can help navigate the emotional swings of being human in a bewildering world.

On Loving the Question | December 2023: There is always an Answer. It may not be what you think it is, wished it would be, or on the timeline you anticipated, but there is, indeed, always an answer.

On Nuance | January 2024: In an exceedingly complex time, our brains (and media diet) encourage us to oversimplify, generalize, and deal in absolutes. What we need more than ever is a return to nuance: the slowing down in our analysis; the modulation of our perspective; the appreciation of naturally-occurring discordance.

On Checking In | February 2024: How often do we take the time to check in on ourselves? We can (and should) build the muscle to ask ourselves tough questions and lean into anxiety, rather than away from it.

On Human Perennials: Performance | March 2024: Whether we are judging ourselves or a colleague/friend/family member, we are constantly operating under a set of standards related to performance and behavior. We can find freedom from this perennial problem by interrogating our “facts.”

On Human Perennials: Perspective & Perception | April 2024: The ability to proactively navigate conflict with humility and empathy is one of the most meaningful leadership attributes we can cultivate. We can often find a way through by pausing to question our perspective and perception.

On Human Perennials: Procrastinitus | May 2024: Procrastination is one of those perennial problems that pops up when we need it the least. When we investigate the source of our disinterest and delay, we can reframe the task and trick ourselves into productivity.

On Human Perennials: Different Doesn’t Mean Wrong | June 2024: Many of us have been trained that there is one “right” way to communicate effectively. We have been misled! Naming the differences in our communication styles can eliminate recurring interpersonal tension.

Onward,