On this particular morning, near Delphi, the sun was bright but not yet scorching. I was squinting to see up the road for the bus that would take me and my recently acquired travel companion south to Athens. I remember feeling the cool air warming up and hearing the insects buzzing in the trees. Over […]
It’s 5 PM and you’re exhausted from another day of nonprofit leadership. The board meeting was brutal, your inbox exploded, and a major project partner just ghosted you. Your hand reaches for the wine bottle almost automatically. Or maybe it’s the snack drawer. Or online shopping. You know these habits aren’t serving you, but somehow […]
Last week, I had the privilege of recording three short “chats” about resilience for students in the University of Toronto Arts Management Program. This newsletter is based on my remarks. 🌻🌻🌻 In 30-plus years working in the arts, I’ve seen too many talented leaders hit a wall. Not because they weren’t capable or committed, but […]
Some post-Thanksgiving reflections on how to cultivate gratitude As Thanksgiving fades in the rearview mirror, some of us return to our regular lives feeling grateful for family and friends, delicious food, and opportunities to gather together. But what happens when that feeling of gratitude dims? Or maybe we struggled to find any feelings of gratitude—when […]
In my last post, we explored how to identify your saboteur patterns—those internal voices that keep you safe but small. Maybe you recognized yourself postponing that major donor call, over-researching instead of writing, or talking yourself out of personal experiences you actually want to try. Now that you can predict how your saboteurs operate, you’re […]
Congratulations! You’re making progress with setting boundaries. You’re saying no to time-wasters and energy drains. You’re saying no to tasks and people who violate your principles or don’t contribute to your vision and goals. Now, you see space opening up in your calendar and more mental bandwidth for what matters most. So why aren’t you […]
“Thank you for thinking of me but I’m not available at this time.” This is all I wrote when I declined to write a graduate school reference letter for a former colleague I had worked with briefly. I had been brooding over my reply for a couple of weeks. I was surprised by how resentful […]
Pop quiz time! On Saturday, you promised yourself to walk every morning before work to improve your health. On Friday, you realize that you forgot to walk for the last two days. You: Criticize yourself for being forgetful “as always!” Commit to double-up your steps this weekend because “no pain, no gain!” Give yourself a […]
Sitting at brunch, I was stunned to hear my friend tell me exactly what kind of friend and colleague she thought I was–a terrible one. “You missed my 40th birthday party,” she said. “You haven’t been there for me at all; not at home and not at work. I don’t even know why I bother […]
As I headed out to work elsewhere, I ran into my neighbour in the condo lobby. “Must be nice to be able to go out for fun instead of sweating all day like I have to,” they said in a unfriendly tone. Yikes! My face got hot and my stomach flipped over. Two signs that […]