Stories of everyday remarkable confidence, courage and connection

Looking for the best life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness? Include women.

elections inclusion women Jan 30, 2019

It’s a familiar feeling for women in these United States. We live in the best of times, we live in the worst of times. We live with a president who shows little respect for women. We see violence and division grow each day.

But then we see the faces of the winners in the 2018 mid-term elections and oh! We are so powerful--we are making the changes.

Women made history in this week’s elections: Our new U.S. Congress will have more women than ever before in the history of our nation.

Great, right? So how many of our 535 seats available will now go to women? Half--the percentage of women in the country--would be 267.

But the best we've ever done is more like 22 percent

Results are still coming in, but we know it will be at least 118—up from the previous high of 107.

It’s great! We are right to celebrate our progress. It’s also not enough.

If the numbers were to reflect the composition of our country, half women and half...

Gratitude 2012

art clarity community connection family gratitude women Nov 22, 2012

For firm mattresses and soft down comforters. And mango with sticky rice. Voicemail messages cheering me on. Unwavering love. The sound of small feet making their way down the stairs in the morning.

For the salty water of the sea. And fresh water lakes. Expansive, fast flowing rivers, especially the Mississippi. For tiny rivulets, and creeks running through the woods; for cold, clear springs; for the pond in Sheila and John’s backyard. Clean water for drinking; hot water for renewal.

For exercise balls in meeting rooms. And camaraderie of colleagues. For my office painted to match the sky. For chair massages and yoga and tai chi offered by my workplace. For children and dogs wandering the office and the resultant delight of my coworkers. For working together to change the way we have food.

For clean food, lovingly tended, and abundantly available. For the comfort and community of our coop. For a piece of hearty bread toasted, covered in avocado, a bit of salt and pepper,...

Small groups: the most hopeful thing around

group hope personal development women Oct 10, 2012

“Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

I recently completed a year-long commitment to self-development work called the Wheel of Initiation. I’m left in wonder at the power of a small group of people to change the world.

We did change the world. For fifteen people, the world became a shade brighter, a bit easier to accept, and a less random and confusing place.

The world became what it has been all along: a beautiful, supportive place where people can see all of us and find us more than worthy of love and respect. Most importantly, we were able to see ourselves in this way.

What this means is that fifteen people will move out into the world differently. We’ll be more connective and less combative. We’ll accept more and resist less. We’ll find ways to get to places where we want to be more and figure out how to stay out of...

Looking for the best life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness? Include women.

Gratitude 2012

Small groups: the most hopeful thing around

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