People talk all the time about turning mistakes into learning experiences. But, when I stood in the lobby of a fancy hotel, wearing nothing but my tighty whities, learning was the last thing on my mind. It was about two...
Articles
Awkward Conversations
I was having a conversation with some friends the other day about talking to people after a keynote. When I told them that I'd rather be on the stage than talking to people one on one, they looked quite surprised....
The Spelling Bee
A young child practiced spelling for weeks. Thinking of words in his head, writing down how he thought they would be spelled, then looking them up to see if he was correct. The image of the kid who had won...
Finding Value in Strengths
We all benefit from each other's strengths. Think of all of the things we get to do on a daily basis that are possible because of someone else's strengths. From the lighting in your house to the apps on your...
Laughing Through the Tears
Laughing through the tears, So much of grief, in my view, is an uncomfortable form of gratitude. When you're in the middle of grieving something or someone you've lost, it's not very easy to see it this way. But seeing...
“How Much Time?”
“How Much Time?” Two weeks. I didn't believe it when she told me. We were at an event for counselors where a professor was sharing research findings on studies about at-risk kids. They were looking at factors that consistently showed...
What Kids Hide in Order to Fit In
When I was a freshman in high school, my theater teacher talked me into participating in an acting competition. She had seen how engaged I was in the class and thought I would like the challenge. She was right. I...