We all have them—distractions that keep us from listening to our own inner voices. They include the ones we might suspect—drugs, alcohol, sex, and television. But distractions can come in other forms not so readily noticeable. Sometimes we can really fool ourselves into thinking we’re being productive, when really we’veContinue Reading
Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple Computer) said in his commencement address at Stanford University on June 12, 2005: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” This is what listening to your own inner voice is all about—living your own life. But how do you knowContinue Reading
In the throes of an Idaho winter, on Superbowl weekend, I learned that I was expected to watch the game. I was asked by friends, family, and co-workers what my plans were for “Superbowl” weekend. While grocery shopping I was surrounded by families picking up goodies for the great event,Continue Reading
Why do so many of us get into relationships that are bad for us? It all comes down to whether or not we’re listening—to ourselves. If you’re still single and dating, you may wonder how best to tune into that wise person inside. The following tips may help you out.Continue Reading
“One minute you’re standing strong,” writes Adam Appleson, founder of ZenTactics, “and the next minute a cutting remark or something they do just rips you apart emotionally. “You’re trying your best to break new ground in your life, and all of a sudden someone is saying ‘you can’t do it’Continue Reading
I was recently reminded of the serious consequences of not listening to my own inner voice. That reminder was painful. My exercise of choice is running. In sixth grade, I joined the cross country team, and couldn’t believe it when I crossed the finish line of my first race inContinue Reading
I’m currently reading a story that illustrates the difficulty in hearing and following one’s own inner voice. My older brother introduced me to the Gregory Maguire books—titles like Wicked (the novel upon which the musical was based) and the more recent A Lion Among Men. Right now I’m in theContinue Reading
Science has proven that setting goals helps us achieve what we want to achieve, from weight loss to financial success to surgical recovery to academic honors. Why, then, do so many people find the process ineffective? I’ve always been a committed goal-setter. Every year I create a Word document thatContinue Reading
In our culture, we’re told that at the age of 65, we should retire. Just who came up with this number? Who are we listening to, if we decide to comply? German Chancellor Otto von Bismark was the first to declare 65 the official retirement age back in the lateContinue Reading
Back in the late 1930s and early ’40s, King George the VI of England had to be the voice of the nation through the dark days of World War II, and he had to do it via various speeches delivered over the new “wireless”—what radio was called in those days.Continue Reading
Over the holidays, I spent a week babysitting my two nephews, ages four and two-and-a-half. They’re still learning and experimenting with language, and their special ways of saying things are inventive and original—though they may not seem so after the hundredth time hearing them! An example: We played a countingContinue Reading
I learned something today at my haircut appointment: the stylists who are successful may or not be good at cutting your hair. What they are good at is making people feel good. And that’s no accident. It’s a calling. Take my stylist, Melissa. Her initial education was in the medicalContinue Reading