“Rumor has it you got advisor of the year. Congratulations.” This was a sterile email I received from my boss in 2008. I still wonder why my boss didn’t walk the 50 feet from her office, to my office, to personally congratulate me on this statewide award. Well, I actually know why. I worked in
A girl was taken to a garden by her grandmother and was told to pull out a tiny plant that was growing from the ground. The girl easily plucked the plant from the ground. The grandmother then told the girl to pull out a larger plant close by. With effort, the girl plucked this plant
Completely drained and in tears, I realized I had been doing a terrible job setting boundaries. My time was no longer my own because every time someone needed me I said, “Yes”. It wasn’t that people intentionally violated my boundaries, it was that I was teaching them do it, allowing them to do it. I
People are fascinating, don’t you think? I’ve yet to meet a person who isn’t fascinating (yes, that includes YOU). Part of what makes you fascinating are the reasons you do what you do and the reasons you don’t do what you don’t do. It has a lot to do with your brain and how your
Grad school was no picnic for me. Not only was I required to conduct research and write a 63-page thesis (not including the appendices and references), I had to pass a 4+ hour comprehensive exam that required citing sources. It was A LOT of work AND totally WORTH IT! Years later I still find myself
I’m seeing it, hearing it, and feeling it. I’m guessing you are seeing, hearing, and feeling it too (even if you don’t think you are). We can easily point to current events like the election, COVID-19, social justice movement, Supreme Court confirmation hearings as reasons for our stress-laden communication. Yes, it has been a difficult
Last week I wrote about how to vocalize LESS often, and I had a lingering feeling that I needed to address the reverse: vocalizing MORE often. WARNING–jumping to the conclusion that this lesson is only for people who need to speak up more (a.k.a. the introvert) is inaccurate. Even the frequently vocal persons out there
Giraffes aren’t very vocal creatures. In fact, giraffes are often silent, and when they do vocalize, it’s quite quiet, like humming or snoring. I’m not suggesting you take up snoring at work (but humming could be okay). What I AM suggesting is that there are benefits to being a little more silent and more selective
Giraffes have two gaits: fast and slow, or more specifically galloping and walking. Their bodies move differently for each. When galloping, both front legs move at the same time and both back legs move at the same time. When walking, the legs on the same side of the body move together. Giraffes know when to
Giraffes can see close, far, and wide thanks to their large, bulging eyes. Their amazing eyesight allows them to see what is in front of them AND what is in the distance and around them. (Did you know giraffes can see their feet when they look straight ahead?) Imagine having giraffe-like vision in your personal
