Speaking of happiness, happy birthday, Mom! You are the best. For anyone curious, she turns 39 this year (haha). Happiness. Impossible to define for many, hopefully available to all. I rely heavily on my own experiences and perspective to bring you a great start to your Monday each week. Maybe I read more than I typically do this past week, or maybe I thought I would change it up this Monday. Either way, I threw in a few extra sources…
Small But Mighty. The 3-Foot World. In the last week or so, I have been to 3 states, plenty of work meetings, and read two books. I have also been to more playgrounds than I can count, I jumped in roughly 9 different puddles, and built some serious block towers. My best effort at architecture. Whether the day is dictated by work, young kids, or uncontrollable distractions, it has become clear to me that the day is won or lost…
One of my current job responsibilities includes traveling to colleges and universities to meet with students about the program offerings at Dartmouth College. One of my favorite conversations always starts with, “What is your biggest dream?” or “What do you want to accomplish?” Students talk about consulting, investment banking, and starting their own businesses. Some want to be professors or work in the medical or technology fields. These answers are great in their own way. These industries are associated with…
Monday, February 6, 2023 I just got back from a long weekend in Chicago. It was a nice change to have some quality family time with no distractions. We went to the aquarium to see the Beluga whales, we got the best donuts I have ever tasted, and we watched the Chicago Bulls play the Portland Trailblazers. I always love going to NBA basketball games. The stadiums are designed really well for the viewer experience. Since I have started this…
Listen with intent. Listen to understand. Ask for clarification. Then speak or act freely. In 2019, I lived behind the Supreme Court Building at the top of the national mall in Washington, D.C. I was working my first job after grad school at an education startup in Arlington, Virginia. As the only full-time employee at the company, I worked daily from 7am-7pm and was tasked with writing and implementing educational programming for our growing pool of clients. There are several…
Weekly Optimist Newsletter Attila the Hun; barbarian, cruel, powerful. Pope Leo I; spiritual, authoritative, unifying. By 452, Attila had led sieges across Western Asia and Eastern Europe, resulting in a broken treaty with the Romans and mass destruction throughout the region. His ambition was relentless. He wanted more land, more power, and more control. By 452, Pope Leo I, also known as Pope Leo The Great, had arbitrated several disputes between religious leaders, and acted as a trusted advisor on…
One instance of thought does not define us. Live by a process of thought. It is the process of thought that makes us who we are and what we will become. Commit. Have you decided what you will dedicate 2023 to yet? Resolutions can be great. They start us down a fresh path to health or well-being. Sometimes they lead to success. But how many success stories begin and end in the same year? Ok, maybe not end. How many…
Doing things can get in the way. But there is so much that needs to be done. And all that needs to be done gets in the way of all the other things we need and want to do. How is it possible to pick the first thing that must be done? What comes second? Productive procrastination is a trap. When we wake up in the morning there are priorities. When I wake up, my priorities are exercise, reading, and…
Monday, January 2, 2023 Happy New Year! Welcome to 2023. Thank you for reading in 2022, I am very excited for what the new year will bring. If you typically follow the newsletter but do not navigate to practice-optimism.com, please make sure you take a look at some of the new material on the website. There are new articles, children’s stories, and more in-depth conversations about the topics we cover every Monday. Thank you again and enjoy! Don’t, You Can’t,…
Other people will always surprise you. Not always in frequency, but in their talents, interests, kindness, and life experiences. Credentials and appearance allow for first impressions and levels of understanding just below the surface, but rarely do we get the whole story. As we approach the new year I’d like to emphasize the importance of meeting new people and the importance of taking the time to learn more about them. Ask questions. Be surprised. Learn and grow together. When seeking…