Trust is an important word to know and use properly. Do not use it in a negative way. For example: “I just can’t trust you!”  It’s just too value laden…too judgmental…too harmful.  Usually we use the word trust for effect or impact when are upset. Instead, when...

Last year, Cindy and I took a wonderful trip to Tanzania—our first trip to the Africa. We came home with lots of impressions and new perspectives, but one of the most striking was seeing small children watching over goats and cattle far from home. It made us think...

This past week, we had both family members and friends stay overnight. We happened to have a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle laid out on a table. It was a wonderful place for people to drop in, find a few pieces, and then be replaced by someone else. It was also a great...

This morning I had breakfast with Joe and Martha. Joe and I go back a ways. Martha and I just met this morning, and she started the breakfast conversation with this: “I remember when Joe came home from your class and declared we were only going to have one...

I remember when my kids were about 9 and 10. I began talking with the parents of teenagers about what to expect. “Just you wait,” was a common answer. And this response was often accompanied by a sense of resignation for the loss of relationship and open conversation...

The idea of agreements has been around for a long time. Don Miguel Ruiz made it widely available with this book, The Four Agreements, in which he outlines four paths to personal freedom: Be impeccable with your word. Don’t take anything personally. Don’t make...

If you want something to happen, begin to track and measure it. The awareness that comes from tracking and measuring is part of being both mindful and intentional. This applies to counting the number of steps we take each day, or the number of fairways hit when we...

  “We have to choose to slow down, to actually see the time and space that we are in…. To truly see people and accept them in their priceless moments.”     —Jodi Hills, artist and writer We were learning machines once—when we were four. Children are amazing when...

We all hate to disappoint or upset people who look up to us—especially our children. The point of this post is to remind us that we can create unwanted reactions in others without realizing it. A colleague varied his normal routine at home recently. Normally Rich...

My perspective on raising kids is based in surrounding them with a set of conversations that enable them to believe in themselves and have a sense of how to be great in the world. Today, let’s highlight one conversation that we just need to hit the delete button on...