Sometimes I long for the days when an Etch-a-Sketch was the most technologically advanced gadget I owned. Yes, I love my shiny iPhone and all the wonderful things it lets me do. But I hate when a family is out to eat and I see them all face down in their smartphones. I hate it because it reminds me of how the pull to check email or send a tweet or scan status updates on Facebook pulls ME away from actually being present in my real life. It often distracts me on my dates with my daughter. And it sucks up the mental space that could have been used to pray or think or -- gasp! -- just …
Maintain Perspective
Grammys, Mushrooms, and the Practice of Patience
You know what there isn’t enough of these days? No, not Twinkies. Patience. Here in Wisconsin, it appears that Spring didn’t get the memo about showing up. The weather suggests that Old Man Winter is holding on for dear life. I can’t help but wonder if the slight sense of panic that is bubbling up among citizens of the North is partially caused by our lack of patience. With smartphones keeping us constantly connected, our DVRs editing out commercials, and information on Twitter speeding by at warp speed, patience is more scarce (and valuable) than ever. Marketers promise and the …
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How to Make Big Decisions
When I was a kid, I had a hard time making decisions of any sort. It’s the stuff of family lore, and I am regularly reminded of how often I’d come to tears over having to choose between chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Fourteen years as an entrepreneur has sharpened my decision-making abilities, but that doesn’t mean every choice is easy peasy lemon squeezy. We all face the tough choices from time to time. The ones with no easy answer and no certain outcome. How do I handle my suddenly rebellious teenager? Which job offer should I accept? Is it possible to make ends meet if I stay …
It’s a Good Morning
It's a good morning, isn't it? If you're having a hard time agreeing with that statement, let me ask you some questions... Are you alive? Can you see? Smell? Hear? Talk? Walk? Do you have a job? Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have something to eat today? Does someone love you? Do you have a dream in your heart? Is today a chance to let go of yesterday and start fresh? No, you may not have said yes to every single one of those questions. But you only need to say yes to one of them for it to be a good morning. …
Shake it Up
Andre Cassagnes, the dude who invented the Etch-a-Sketch, was an electrical technician. Cassagnes came up with the idea in his garage when he peeled a translucent decal from a light switch plate and found pencil mark images transferred to the opposite face. Initially dubbed the Telecran, the toy was renamed L'Ecran Magique, or 'The Magic Screen,' and made its debut at a toy fair in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1959. Funny thing about Etch-a-Sketches. Using one is ridiculously easy. (Especially if you want to draw, you know, stairs.) But making anything worthwhile with it is really, really hard. …
You Should Have a Mid-Life Crisis Every Week
If it means reassessing your achievements in terms of your dreams and, if necessary, instigating a desire to make significant changes in core aspects of your day-to-day life or situation, then you should have one at least once a month. It's the best way to stay out of the ruts that lead to a story you never intended to live. …
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The Seasons of Life and a Stress-Reducing Secret
I became a father a little over four years ago. Before that, my wife and I had been married for eight years and worked together on our small business. We were used to working long days, coming and going as we pleased, and eating out at nice, quiet restaurants. We used to have a Cheerio-free backseat in our car. But now we have two kids, which practically makes me an expert at parenting. An expert at knowing how little I actually know about it, that is. …
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You Can’t Have it All. So Choose What You Want Wisely.
Does the more time you spend with your family lessen the impact you can have through your career? Since becoming a father, that is a question I have struggled mightily with. …
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Savoring Details (And a Reminder from Ferris Bueller)
One of Kim’s favorite words is “savor.” The dictionary defines the verb this way: “to have experience of, to taste or smell with pleasure, or to delight in.” …
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The Sweet Spot of Somewhere In Between
Some kids get more attention at school than they ever do at home. And not the positive kind. They spend more time watching television than they do talking to their parents, who feed them junk food, allow them to run wild, and don’t show up for parent/teacher conferences. Other kids are sent to the best schools and feel pressure to score high marks. They participate in a dizzying array of extracurriculars, with the goal of gaining acceptance into a prestigious university in order to embark upon a lucrative career they'll only marginally enjoy (if they’re lucky.) Both seem pretty extreme …
