"I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up." This is a common reaction from people, especially after hearing our speaking programs and realizing that to truly live with a childlike heart (aka Adultitis-free) one must be pursuing his/her passion. The next statement is usually, "I'm not even sure what my passion is." To quote Dwight Schrute from The Office... "False." You know what it is. You may need to uncover it, but it's there somewhere inside of you. It's often buried under layers of hurt and disappointment, or it's safely hidden so deeply protected from fear and self-doubt. …
Archives for July 2007
The New American Dream
When success is equated with excess The ambition for excess wrecks us As top of the mind becomes the bottom line When success is equated with excess If your time ain't been nothing for money I start to feel really bad for you, honey Maybe honey, put your money where your mouth's been running If your time ain't been nothing but money I want out of this machine It doesn't feel like freedom …
Dog Days of Summer Giveaway
I decided it would be fun to participate in the Dog Days of Summer Bloggy Giveaway dreamed up by Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer. Between this and the free ice cream promotion, it appears that I have lost all sense of what it means to run a profitable business...but what the heck. So here's the deal: We're giving away a Tea Time for Mom Gift Set, valued at $55. First, a little bit about the prize: Everything Mom needs to make tea-time a much deserved me-time with this lovely basket featuring a 5x7 version of our popular "Mother" Print in a black frame. A variety of fine teas complimented by …
11 Things Kids Must Do During Summer
Summer is coming to a close, so you need to make the most of these last few weeks. When school starts the harsh reality for most kids is that their small amount of free time will soon be filled with homework, soccer, music lessons, church classes and sleeping. To read more about how overscheduled kids are destined to become perfectionist adults (riddled with Adultitis), check out this article. It's time to cross-reference your recent summertime activities with my list of 11 Things Kids Must Do During Summer. If you would like more ideas, I highly recommend the awesome book, "101 Things …
Songs for Ice Cream Trucks
There's something about the tunes signaling the approach of your friendly neighborhood ice cream man. I don't care if you are seven or forty-seven years old, if you don't experience at least a small tingle of excitement when you hear that high-pitched jingle jangle melody, you are dead inside. Dead, I tell you. Definitely suffering from a full-blown case of Adultitis. So where do ice cream truck drivers get their Pied Piper-like music? I always though that maybe the trucks were custom built by Willy Wonka in a mysterious factory somewhere. I'd like to believe that is still a viable …
Step Back to Move Ahead
"If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention, than to any talent." - Sir Issac Newton Are you experiencing patient attention? Humor me for a few minutes with this analogy. Put your hand in front of your face, with your palm about a 1/2 inch from your nose. (Thank you to my cooperative husband for being my model today.) …
The Best Day Ever
Imagine standing in front of a room full of one hundred people. You tell them to raise their hand if they consider themselves optimistic. How many people have their hands raised? Yep, all of them. Everybody thinks of themselves as optimistic; nobody will admit that they are pessimistic. When pressed by someone who knows them and thinks otherwise, they might admit, "I'm not pessimistic. I'm realistic." You'll never hear anyone say, "Yeah, that's me, pessimistic. I see the worst in every situation, my best days are way behind me, yesterday will always be better than tomorrow, and if …
Five Things I Remember About Home
I remember packing for a full day of outdoor adventure, exploring the ravine next to our house. It's funny how small it looks now, but back then it was the size of the Amazon rain forest. I learned that you are only limited by the size of your imagination. I remember falling to sleep on cool summer nights to a chorus of locusts and various other nighttime bugs. I learned that nature makes the best music. …
Travolta Ditches Adultitis for Hairspray Role
The secret of success for the most serious (and respected) actors in the 'biz, is that they don't take themselves too seriously. Jason and I have been talking about this a lot lately. These remarkable actors get out of their own way by putting their pride on the shelf. They take big risks and let the character come alive, no matter how foolish or strange they may feel. This is the common denominator for the handful of actors I appreciate most. The poster boys for this are John Travolta, Johnny Depp, Robin Williams, and Tom Hanks. Ever notice how these guys also make the top of the list for …
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Just Don’t Collect Adultitis
We're now just a week away from the BIG MOVE. Next Friday we shall begin loading up a U-Haul and commence moving the Kim & Jason corporate headquarters to a renovated old brick house on the isthmus. I'm excited about the wood floors, skylights, cathedral ceiling, a front porch -- I haven't been able to sleep for three days! There are lots of things to do between now and then. One of the most underrated and thought-intensive aspects of the move revolves around my...buddies (I stole this label from my nieces. They use it to describe all of their tiny character-driven toys.) Like most …