New Year’s reflections on gentleness and resolutions It’s 3 p.m. on New Year’s Day and I’m seated at my desk to repeat my semi-annual ritual of taking stock. Resolutions get a bad rap and I get why. I heard yesterday that just 4 in 10 people manage to keep theirs, and there have been many […]
Personal Authentic Self
10 Months Living in Pittsburgh’s South Side
Ten months ago, three days before Christmas, my wife and I moved into our new (old) home in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood. Throughout our first year here, I’ve often thought about writing about our experience as new residents. Honestly, though, I haven’t known what I want to say. My history with the neighborhood goes back […]
Town Mouse, Country Mouse?
Recounting 16 Years of Life Yesterday, I had dinner at a restaurant I first tried nearly 16 years ago when I was just getting started in my community development work. I was 24-years-old and new to Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood the first time I walked through the door at Dish. Yesterday, while sitting on one […]
Getting Clear on Vision
February 23 Workshop at Whetstone Workgroup Vision boards have been all the rage lately. I held one myself the first week of January (here’s a write up on it in Pittsburgh Magazine). The New Year is always a good time to reflect on where we are and where we’re headed. At the request of some […]
My Best Gifts this Year
Most weren’t “things” at all As the year comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about the best gifts that I received this year. Four that touch both my personal and professional lives (and which generally involve the idea of “connecting”) are: The gift of nature. I recently took stock of the parks and trails I’ve […]
Days like this
I’m going to share something with you. I cried about money today. I’m not a frequent all-out crier, although I do get teary-eyed from time to time. But this was a full-fledged cry of frustration and embarrassment. It brought to mind a similar incident last year at a Phoenix International ticket counter. I had missed […]
Business Lessons from My Brother
One of the last conversations I had with my brother, Jim, before he died was one about our respective businesses. I had ideas on how he could professionalize his construction business of 10 years – things like a website and Facebook page. Sadly, we never got around to these things, not that I’m convinced […]
A Cycle Forward client makes space for play
One of my amazing coaching clients recently suggested trading posts on each others’ blogs. I couldn’t be more thrilled with what she chose to share. Anyone who want to make more space for play will want to continue reading for Rosslyn Kemerer’s insights on play: For the past few months, I’ve been receiving thought-provoking […]
Are Communities Performing the Grand Seduction?
I watched the movie The Grand Seduction recently and have been thinking about it in the context of community ever since. Somehow this little indie movie about a Newfoundland village that tries to lure a doctor to plant roots has permeated my thinking in consulting projects. The premise of the movie is that the village […]
Taking stock and setting intentions
What can you do this year that makes you come alive? Yesterday, I spent part of my New Year’s Day with 35 spectacular people kicking off 2015 in down dogs and Savasana. Thanks to Kimberly Musial of The Yoga Hive, I had the opportunity to take part in the Hive’s fifth annual New Year’s Day […]
