It’s Never Too Late
I’ve had some weird conversations in my life, but one conversation on a flight eight years ago was the strangest. On this particular flight, I sat next to a guy who told me that he always wanted to be an author. When I asked him if he was pursuing his dream now, he looked down…
My Favorite Notebook
I’m taking notes today in my favorite notebook. Here’s why. If you’ve been following me on social media for a while, you know I’m a kindness extremist who proudly stands ten toes down on this kindness life. However, on days when things get tough, I need an extra edge to keep me going. Case in…
The Meeting With My Younger Self
I met my younger self for coffee today. He was late because he needed to drop our kindergartener off at school, and of course I understood. He laughed at the fact that I wear glasses with transition lenses now, and I laughed that he believed that wearing a navy blue suit and tie was “fashion…
The One Thing Kind People Do Differently From the Rest of the World
Here’s something that kind people do, that the rest of the world does not: They give a damn about issues that don’t affect them personally. In our increasingly polarized world, this kind of expansive empathy has become not just uncommon, it’s damn near revolutionary. Sadly, too many people operate from a place of self-interest most…
There is no Power in Your Silence
Years ago, I saw a deeply troubling encounter at a large department store that changed me forever . Long story short, I was waiting in the checkout line to buy a new digital camera, when a woman in front of me started verbally attacking the young cashier over something trivial. It’s hard to explain in…
The Lesson That Took The Longest to Learn
I’m a 50-year old man, and I’m not embarrassed to share that it took me close to 35 years of my life to get just ONE lesson burned into my consciousness. For most of my life, I freely gave my power away to anyone who wanted it. Actually, even if you didn’t want it, I…
The Invincibility of Small Moments
Earlier this year, I received a message that brought tears to my eyes. A former colleague wrote to tell me about a small act of kindness I showed her when she attended my New Hire Orientation presentation years ago. She mentioned that I shared some encouraging words with her in the hallway afterward that ended…
The Danger of Brutal Honesty
Have you ever noticed that people who claim to be “brutally honest” rarely, if ever, share honest opinions that are uplifting, encouraging, or kind? Being “brutally honest” isn’t an achievement—it’s just being mean and tactless under the guise of authenticity. The world is plenty stocked with brutality, y’all. There’s no need for more of it.…
Why I’m a Kindness Extremist
People often ask me why I call myself a “kindness extremist.” Here’s why: In a world that celebrates being “brutally honest,” I choose to be courageously kind. In a culture that rewards being “savage” on social media, I choose to be intentionally uplifting. In workplaces that normalize toxic behavior as “just business,” I choose to…
You Have Nothing to Prove
After a recent keynote talk, I was asked a very powerful question from an audience member during the Q & A session: “What is the single most important lesson that you have learned in your entire life?” There are a lot of lessons that I’ve learned on my 50+ trips around the sun, but I…