Lifelong Learning Makes Change Easier

Everyone knows change is hard for most people.  Even when faced with ultimatums from their doctor, most people fail to make lasting changes. Life coach Jack Bennett  says engaging in lifelong learning can help make change easier for us.  When we’re accustomed to learning new things, our brains are used to creating new neural networks […]

New Employee Culture Shock

Last week I talked about the four stages of culture shock that anyone can go through, especially new college students, employees changing fields or industries, and people relocating.  Years ago I accepted an HR position at a unionized pharmaceutical plant where I had my own bout of culture shock.  Little did I know at the […]

Have You Experienced Culture Shock?

Years ago I was hired as an HR Administrator working at a unionized plant, an environment I had never experienced before.  To make matters worse, I was the first person to be hired in three years; there was virtually no turnover or growth at that location.  It took me several months to acclimate, and I […]

Timing is Everything

They say timing is everything, and I certainly think that applies to dating.  Just as so many things are fast-tracked today (the Internet, hiring procedures, college courses, and weight loss, to name a few), for many people dating is also in the fast lane. I continue to watch sitcom characters have sex on the first […]

The Value of an Education

I’ve been teaching college for over ten years, and for the most part it’s been a great experience.  I’ve learned a lot from my students and the course material, and it’s especially rewarding when I come upon a student excited about learning. Unfortunately, they’re not that common. Most students seem to be taking courses to […]

Be Proactive

“By the time a partnership dissolves, it has dissolved.” ~ John Updike Authors Thill and Bovée, advise managers to use proaction as means to resolve conflict in the workplace (2009, pg. 47).  We may be able to avoid conflict by staying in the moment and being aware of others’ reactions.   Let us get ahead of […]

You are a Role Model

I know some athletes and other superstars resist the idea that they are role models, but the truth is we all are.  It’s up to us to mentor our youth in the practice of peace and nonviolence. Being an example to others is a responsibility that comes with the privilege of getting older, and with […]

It’s Never Too Late

  It’s never too late to say you’re sorry or to say thank you.  I have received both apologies and thank you notes well past what would be considered socially acceptable, and I was still touched by the expression.  In fact, it made an even greater impact because I imagine the sender was not just […]

Go on a Cruise

One way to have the courage to make the first move and do what is right is to adopt what I call a “cruise mentality.”  One of the reasons I love to take cruise vacations is the sense of freedom I have knowing I’ll never see my fellow passengers again. It enables me be authentic […]

Make the First Move

For peace and nonviolence to be present, someone must make the first move in their direction.  Too often we hold back, waiting for confirmation of what we already know.  Peace in our world begins with us, right where we are, right now.