May 18, 2020
This is the Too Many Trees newsletter, where I share what I’ve been writing and reading in the realm of leadership and personal development. My coaching practice is centered around the idea that we are more effective in moving towards our goals when we become more conscious and intentional in focusing our time and attention.
With that in mind, thank you for sharing your attention with me by reading this! And if you want to continue getting this update every two weeks, you can subscribe here:
On to the content!
Webinar: I gave a talk a couple weeks ago for the MIT Alumni Association on the topic of Resilience and Mindset in Challenging Times. I talked about how to focus on what’s in your control, and how to build resilience by taking care of your body, your mind, your relationships, and connecting to your meaning. You can watch the webinar on YouTube below:
LinkedIn: My LinkedIn posts the last couple weeks have been on the theme of being thoughtful about how you choose what to do each day:
Links:
A simple manifesto for making good things by Joan Westenberg: "Every time I go to create something, or build something, I think about who I know that would benefit from what I’m doing."
Empathy starts with curiosity by Peter Bregman: "What if we resist the urge to act — to just do something — and, instead, stop doing? Just be present. What you discover may surprise you."
Sorry, I have a walk scheduled then by Andrew Richdale: “When our bodies align with the movement of the world, our minds light up." -- wonderful reminder on the value of going for a walk outdoors
Provocation: What is something you have been avoiding for a few weeks? What do you notice in yourself when you consider starting on it?
For me, I’ve been avoiding dealing with my taxes even though I have an accountant and all I have to do is send him some more paperwork. It feels like an unwanted imposition on my time, and part of me is rebelling against having to do anything I don’t want to do. That rebellious part feels like my teenage self trying to assert independence by passive-aggressively not doing what I’m told, even though this is a situation where it’s not helpful or productive. What parts of yourself are showing up as you consider what you have been avoiding? Are those parts serving you?
That’s it for this edition. If somebody you know might be interested in this sort of content, please share this with them using the button below - thanks!