Growing up on a ranch, I gained a lot of respect and admiration for animals. Talk about listening to your own voice. Most animals are instinctual creatures. They can’t help but do exactly what their inner voice tells them to do. They don’t question, or second guess, or worry aboutContinue Reading
I remember being taught how to do a lot of things when I was little. How to wash a dish. How to take care of a dog. How to pick out an outfit for school. I was one of the lucky ones who had a parent interested in teaching meContinue Reading
In April 1950, Einstein’s article, “On the Generalized Theory of Gravitation” was published in Scientific American. In it, he wrote: “Once a theoretical idea has been acquired, one does well to hold fast to it until it leads to an untenable conclusion.” Ideas can be fleeting things—especially if they ariseContinue Reading
You may remember a television show that was popular in late 70s and early 80s—Fantasy Island. It starred the handsome Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalban) as the island’s host, and his sidekick, Tattoo (Hervé Villechaize). It ran for seven successful seasons on ABC, ending in 1984. In case you missed it,Continue Reading
Have you noticed some changes in your thinking lately? Are you tired of the same old routine? “If a professional loses the love of work,” wrote artist Ada Bethune, “routine sets in, and that’s the death of work and life.” “It’s not that some people have willpower and some don’t,” writes Dr.Continue Reading
We all have them—distractions that keep us from listening to our own inner voices. They include the ones we might suspect—drugs, alcohol, sex, and television. But distractions can come in other forms not so readily noticeable. Sometimes we can really fool ourselves into thinking we’re being productive, when really we’veContinue Reading
In the throes of an Idaho winter, on Superbowl weekend, I learned that I was expected to watch the game. I was asked by friends, family, and co-workers what my plans were for “Superbowl” weekend. While grocery shopping I was surrounded by families picking up goodies for the great event,Continue Reading
I’m currently reading a story that illustrates the difficulty in hearing and following one’s own inner voice. My older brother introduced me to the Gregory Maguire books—titles like Wicked (the novel upon which the musical was based) and the more recent A Lion Among Men. Right now I’m in theContinue Reading
In our culture, we’re told that at the age of 65, we should retire. Just who came up with this number? Who are we listening to, if we decide to comply? German Chancellor Otto von Bismark was the first to declare 65 the official retirement age back in the lateContinue Reading
Back in the late 1930s and early ’40s, King George the VI of England had to be the voice of the nation through the dark days of World War II, and he had to do it via various speeches delivered over the new “wireless”—what radio was called in those days.Continue Reading
Over the holidays, I spent a week babysitting my two nephews, ages four and two-and-a-half. They’re still learning and experimenting with language, and their special ways of saying things are inventive and original—though they may not seem so after the hundredth time hearing them! An example: We played a countingContinue Reading
I learned something today at my haircut appointment: the stylists who are successful may or not be good at cutting your hair. What they are good at is making people feel good. And that’s no accident. It’s a calling. Take my stylist, Melissa. Her initial education was in the medicalContinue Reading