Ever wonder whether or not it’s possible to get there from here?
These encouraging words from a signpost in the French countryside assure us that it is indeed possible to get pretty much anywhere from here.
‘Toutes’ means ‘all’ in English.
Would that life were just that easy!
Posted under Life in General
This post was written by Pat Katz on August 31, 2008
REFLECTION: Clients often ask me, “How can I put some distance between my work concerns and my personal life?”
So I was intrigued when one of the Overload Survey respondents commented that he had learned to separate work from family life and turn off the ’static’ of work when he gets home. I wanted to know more. When I inquired how E had accomplished this, he described a process that partners specific actions with sound intentions. Read More…
Posted under Pause E-zines
This post was written by Pat Katz on August 26, 2008
I could see by the name on the phone display, that the caller was an old and ailing friend. We hadn’t spoken for quite some time. Given that a mutual friend of ours had just passed away, I knew the call would be a long one.
I looked longingly at the breakfast bowl of Special K with Vanilla Almond bits (my crunchy favorite). I had just flooded the flakes with milk – and experience told me I was about 5 minutes from soggy.
My thinking went like this.” I hate soggy cereal. I love my friend. There’s more cereal in the box. Friends are much more precious than corn flakes.”
I picked up the phone and took the call. When the visit was over, I dumped out the bowl of soggy slush and poured a fresh one.
It was the right decision.
Posted under Life in General
This post was written by Pat Katz on August 22, 2008
REFLECTION: Last week over lunch with a friend and colleague, we chatted about conflict and confusion in the workplace. It’s a common thread that’s surfacing in the Overload/Overwhelm surveys that so many of you (over 900 in fact) so kindly and thoughtfully completed earlier in the summer.
My friend described how one of her business partners approaches these situations. He believes that when conflict and confusion arise, that expectations and communication are at the root of the problem. Read More…
Posted under Overload & Overwhelm, Pause E-zines
This post was written by Pat Katz on August 19, 2008
REFLECTION: Take five! The phrase is usually attributed to movie sets and recording studios. Give the talent and crew a break, and they’ll come back ready to roll – or rock ‘n’ roll, as the case may be.
As you no doubt can guess, I’m a Take Five fan.
ACTION: Take five to heart this week and see how often and in how many creative ways you can apply a fiver in everyday life – to lighten up and liven up your world.
Let these ten Take Five action suggestions spur your imagination: Read More…
Posted under Overload & Overwhelm, Pause E-zines
This post was written by Pat Katz on August 12, 2008
REFLECTION: Finding myself hooked into a nostalgic frame of mind, I can’t pinpoint just one thing that is making it difficult to settle down to work this week. I can say that there are more than a handful of possibilities.
Maybe it was the extended family gathering last weekend that celebrated one sister’s 40th birthday and another’s 50th. Maybe it was the fact that for the first time ever, all six sisters spent an afternoon together – without any parents, spouses, children or grandchildren at hand.
Perhaps it was having two daughters, one son-in-law, and a grandson under our roof over the long weekend – all headed back in the directions of their respective homes by Monday afternoon. It could have been the passing of two aunts in the same week.
It might have been the trip I took down memory lane as I junked out the address cards in the family rolodex – seeing the names and picturing the faces of my daughters’ school and sport friends – youngsters who used to be a part of our family life on a weekly basis. It could be the planning we are doing for my husband’s milestone birthday trip this fall.
Whatever it is, when the emotions simmer so close to the surface, it’s somewhat unsettling. At the same time, it’s a very strong reminder of what it really means to be alive in this hectic, changing world of ours. Relationships and experiences come and go throughout our lives, sometimes faster – and occasionally slower – than we might hope. Read More…
Posted under Life in General, Pause E-zines
This post was written by Pat Katz on August 5, 2008
