Engraved Invitation

I have always heard that you don’t need an engraved invitation to show up to your life and do what you are called to do. But I want to offer you an engraved invitation to your life’s passion. Literally, here is an engraved invitation.

Figuratively, I invite us all to pay attention to what makes us tick, what inspires us, what brings us joy. We all seem to have time to make “to-do” lists, what about making a “to-be list”? Consider yourself invited to do so. I invite you to show up to your life. Today. What are you waiting for?

I was thinking earlier that all we have is the present moment and while it may be hard to live in the moment presented, it really is all we have. The following reflection by Byron Katie speaks to loving where you are....

Love Where You Are

We do only three things in life: we sit, we stand, and we lie horizontal. That's about it. Everything else is a story.

Life is not difficult; it's your thinking that makes it difficult. That's where you happiness or misery comes from.

There are two ways to sit or stand or lie horizontal: you can do it comfortably, or you can do it with stress. If you don't love where you are, I invite you to question your beliefs.

~ Byron Katie

Curious?

I am reading a terrific book by Todd Kashdan called Curious? This is an excerpt from his website about the book:

"When we think about seeking daily joy and lasting fulfillment, cultivating curiosity is rarely the first thing that comes to mind but based on groundbreaking research, clinical psychologist and George Mason University professor Dr. Todd Kashdan will show you that this is the engine behind achieving a life that is most worth living."

I am curious about the origin of orchids.

I am curious about laughter and why as we age, we laugh less than when we were younger. Isn't life just one hilarious moment after another? If we can't laugh, then wouldn't we all cry?

I am curious about vocational calling and passion. How come some people are able to identify a calling and throw themselves into their vocation while others don't even begin the search?

I am curious about the role of technology in developing deep, meaningful relationships? Do social networks increase connection or do they detract from in-depth, authentic relationships?

I am curious about what people eat for breakfast on a daily basis and want to try some new things.

What are you curious about?

Saying Yes To Life!

“One of the most effective means for transcending ordinary and moving into the realm of extraordinary is saying yes more frequently and eliminating no almost completely. I call it saying yes to life."
~ Wayne Dyer

The Power & Joy of Community

This I Believe

I believe in the power of community. Living and working in community—specifically a university community—for the majority of my life, I have seen how community can heal, celebrate, educate, and transform.

I believe in the power of community to heal, comfort, and help. In the last 16 years, I have experienced the power of community to heal tragedy. The most tragic—a student death by accident or suicide or unexplainable reasons—requires communities to rally together to heal one another. I believe in the power of community to hold hands, listen, and be present during times of tragedy.

I believe in the power of community to celebrate joys and triumphs. One of my favorite days of the year is commencement where I stand at the back of Brookings Quadrangle to watch all of the undergraduates march by. The entire residential life staff cheers and celebrates this significant milestone for the students we have observed and interacted with over the last four years. I believe in the power of community to laugh, celebrate successes, and experience joy with one another.

I believe in the power of community to educate about the differences and commonalities of ideas, cultures, and people. Both the formal academic community and the out of the classroom community have the power to teach faculty, staff, and students about self-awareness, human respect and dignity, interpersonal relationships, personal wellness, and global citizenship. I believe in the power of community to reflect, dialogue, grapple, serve, lead, follow, and seek understanding from one another.

I believe in the power of community to transform. Communities are about people living, learning, and growing together. Young people “come of age” during college, and the university community has the power to transform lives and ideas. Ultimately, those transformed and those transformations have the power to heal and change the world for the better. I believe in the power of community to not only transform the world, but to also continuously transform me.

“Things and conditions can give you pleasure but they cannot give you joy—joy arises from within.” ~Eckhart Tolle

Student Connections!

"Only connect." --E.M. Forster

Connecting with students brings me joy. I have enjoyed meeting my six first-year advisees, the KY frosh, and students that I randomly sat by and introduced myself to at the Danforth University Center!

It has also been a great joy to reconnect with the Brookings Seminar, my junior and senior advisees, the RA staff, CS40 execs. and committee chairs, the WUSAs, and many other student leaders.

I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know students by name and story.