What We Learn from Mirrors

Every semester I hold a special class for my students.  It’s special because it’s not about business, it’s about life.  It’s about taking a moment to talk about something more important than management, accounting, marketing, logistics, and ethics, it’s a class about them.  I teach in the college of business where I spend the majority of my classes teaching my kids the language of commerce and how to create a venture from nothing more than an idea.  One day each semester I devote entirely to them.  I metaphorically hold a mirror up to them and ask them to gaze into it deeply and study the person on the other side of the glass.

Get Rooted This Fall

Fall is a time of transition.  Transition of season, schedule, daylight and often, mentality.  September marks “back-to-school” for students and for the rest of us, a renewed focus on our work.  From reconnecting with classmates and colleagues to fourth quarter meetings, conferences and trainings, it’s easy to let the busyness of the season get the best of us. These 5 simple strategies may help you stagrounded and enjoying one of the greatest seasons the Northeast has to offer.

Identity Through Social Media

Several months ago, I had the privilege to visit one of my dearest friends in another city. Since we so rarely get to see one another, we tried to take a photo together, and I planned to put it on Facebook and Instagram. It took no fewer than 15 tries to get a good shot. Every time my eyes were open, hers were closed. When both of our eyes were open, I wasn’t smiling. In the next shot, she was distracted by someone to her left. Finally, we were both smiling, with our eyes open, and looking into the camera, but there was a huge group of tourists in the background, blocking the entire landmark we were standing in front of. Finally, we got a halfway decent picture with both of us and the landmark all in the picture.

Please… Don’t Come Out!!!

One of the aspects of my job that I love – probably more than anything else – is when I know I have helped someone to be their very best.  When someone comes to see me because they want to resolve a personal conflict or to find a path forward for a more authentic life, I will often encourage them to envision what life will look like on the other side…when they have done the work and can see a different way of being.  This is often challenging.  Many people can’t see what the other side looks like…they can only see the mire they are in presently.

Using Social Thinking to Teach Mindful Eating to Kids

Social Thinking is a technique used to teach social skills to kids with social learning disabilities, particularly those on the autism spectrum.  In fact, many school systems use this model to teach ALL kids about social construct.  Developed by Michelle Garcia Winner, this model teaches students to think about how others perceive them in the world using concrete analogies. For example, check out this video looking at “super-flex thinking” vs “rock brain” thinking.  I reference the zones of regulation (one component of Social Thinking) a lot when working on food choice with my clients who are on the autism spectrum.  The system allows kids to evaluate how “regulated” they are using visuals; green is optimal.

The Importance of Difference

The flashing lights of the cop car were in the rearview mirror, and I felt a wave of fear wash over me.  I had absolutely no idea why I was being pulled over.  I tried to ground myself by getting a clear picture of the situation:  My body was in a rental car in Texas, my heart was in my throat, my stomach was in a knot, and all of a sudden my mind was with one of my clients.