I was listening to a podcast yesterday with Celeste Headlee titled “Having better conversations” A segment on the power of voice grabbed my attention – here’s what I roughly transcribed… Empathy is the most important skill for human beings, yet empathy has fallen in recent years due to technology. Nick Epley, author of Mindwise and … Continue reading Voice
Author: Distillations.blog
Embarrassing…
In recent months my dad has taken to playing his keyboard in the park. He finds a shady tree and knocks out tunes to his heart’s content. Not having to worry about “keeping it down" for the neighbours – it’s a place for him to play freely. Dad’s lizard brain would argue he needs to … Continue reading Embarrassing…
Words matter
I remember a story Joyce Meyer told once about how she and her husband were having a fight one afternoon when the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Joyce recounts how when she opened the door to see her pastor standing there, she was able to immediately switch from being angry at her husband to all smiles and … Continue reading Words matter
Financially fitter
Getting financially fitter is like getting physically in shape. Both require a level of commitment, but the good news is it just takes small actions done regularly to make a difference. And although someone might demonstrate to you how an exercise should be done or how to budget, the key is to do the version … Continue reading Financially fitter
Reflection first
Today I got to be part of a zoom call with the wonderful, Shannon McCaffery, where we reflected on the past year. Some of the prompts included: What was remarkable about 2022?Who came into your life?What were your best achievements/accomplishments?What were your favorite times/moments?What was your best surprise?How do you want next year to be … Continue reading Reflection first
Prayer
I have a prayer practice every day. It takes a while because there are many people whom I pray for - family, friends, and people I connect with throughout my day whose stories capture my heart. As I was praying yesterday a thought popped into my head. “What if there is no outcome to these … Continue reading Prayer
No more questions.
Last week my son wasn’t feeling well, so I asked him a series of questions about his symptoms. Within minutes, he said, “No more questions”. As I reflected on that later I realised that my enquiries into his well-being were also driven by a need in me to hear that he was ok. If he … Continue reading No more questions.
Beautiful as we go…
David Whyte was interviewed on the Crazy Good Turns podcast, and he said poems often invite a deeper understanding to life’s questions. He gave an example from David Ignatow’s poem, “Three in Transition” I wish I understood the beauty in leaves falling. To whom are we beautiful as we go? When I reflected on the first … Continue reading Beautiful as we go…
Well to work
My brother had a bad case of food poisoning this week. He was so sick; he couldn’t remember what feeling “well” felt like. When he started to come right, his first thought was, “Good, I’ll be able to get back to work.” As he reflected on those words, he questioned his thinking. Was being “well … Continue reading Well to work
When things break…
My partner has a 2007 hard-top convertible. The other day when he pushed the button to bring down the roof, he heard an almighty crack. The normally graceful Transformer-like mechanism had come to a sudden and dramatic halt in midair. He came home very disappointed that it happened “today”. Not helped by the fact that … Continue reading When things break…
