My Blog
Believe You Can Be a Horse. Or a Shark.
When our son James was two or three years old, my husband asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Without hesitation, James said, “A horse. Or a shark.” He said it with absolute conviction and without any hesitation. At that age, he absolutely believed he could grow up to be a…
The Good Old Days
At a recent family dinner, we were talking about our childhoods, and I said that my childhood in the ’70s and early ’80s was quite different from our children’s, who are now 22, 20, and 18. We had so much more time to be bored. We did not have iPhones, streaming services, and constant access…
Communication Lesson Learned from Diapers
When our daughter Natalie was a baby and she had a dirty diaper, my husband Ed would ask, “Do you want me to change her diaper?” After saying, “Yes, please” to this question a couple of times, I finally said, “Whenever you ask me if I want you to change a diaper, the answer will…
What Makes a Good Life?
What make a good life? This age-old question has been asked for thousands of years, from ancient Stoics to modern-day philosophers. While listening to Day 196 of the Bible in a Year Podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz had an answer that I think just absolutely struck the nail on the head. The lesson can be found…
Energy for Living
I do not need a lot of sleep—give me 5–6 hours a night, and I am ready to go in the morning. I just generally have a lot of energy. I have often wondered why this is so, especially since some family members require much more sleep. Why was I made so that I do…
Joyful v. Happy
I do not know about you, but I am getting tired of all this talk about happiness—finding happiness for ourselves…keeping our employees happy…raising happy children…making others happy. The thought of trying to be happy all the time exhaust me. Joy, on the other hand, is something I can get behind. To me, joy is a…
Is Anyone Looking?
I had a great ride on my Peloton bike this morning. I love that thing! It got me thinking about showing up and doing the work, even by yourself. When no one is looking, and it is just you, do you push yourself harder? Do you push yourself further? Do you show up, just for…
One Body, One Life
We all only get one body and one life. In this way, every human on earth is the same, no matter the country where they were born, the color of their skin, or the amount of money in their wallet. What are we doing with these two precious resources? Are we nourishing or poisoning? Are…
Setback or Setup?
I have been listening to the podcast “How I Built This with Guy Raz” for some time now. Their tagline is spot on: “How I Built This” weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.” It is fun and educational to listen to stories of successful entrepreneurs and the journeys…
The Infamous China Trip
Seventeen years ago, when Ed and I had been married for 10 years, we were living on Okinawa, a small Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean. (Ed was stationed there as a Navy pilot.) Since we were living in Asia, I thought it would be a great opportunity to travel a bit and see that…
