Last week I blogged about being an Optimist. This week, I want to share a speech I gave yesterday on the same topic, featuring two examples from the past week. Funny how, when you think about a subject or a point of view, your subconscious finds examples in everyday life. This must be some kind…
What do you think of when you think of an optimist? Probably since I first heard the story of Pollyanna, I thought it meant someone who was Pollyanna-ish, being foolishly or blindly optimistic. And that is definitely not me. But a few weeks ago, I heard something that made me re-think my position and I…
One of my “faults” is I tend not to celebrate my successes. From the time I was a child, I was expected to do well. Into adulthood, I continued that habit. I would beat myself up when I failed but when I succeeded, I acted as if nothing special happened. As part of the new…
Did you know that improv training can help employees in a business environment? I was surprised when my guest on Thursday’s Stand Up & Speak Up radio show, Viet Hoang, pointed out a specific connection between the first principle of improv, listening, and the 5th habit in Steven Covey’s the 7 Habits of Highly Effective…
I want to apologize in advance to all the divorce attorney’s who read this blog. I just found the cure for divorce. Or at least reduce the number of broken relationships. But first, a little background. At my Improv class this past week, we played a game called New Choice. Two improv performers create a…
I love Christmas. The spirit of giving. The connection with family. The atmosphere. The traditions. I hate political correctness. In the spirit of Christmas, enough said! Enjoy this poem by Harvey Ehrlich that shows what happens when something I hate meets something I love. Twas the Night Before Christmas Politically Correct Twas the night…
What’s up with the cartoon’s, you ask? Since I restarted the blog in November, I made a choice to use original stick figure art in my blogs. Here’s why: Over the last few years, I have been fascinated with the concept of visual thinking. Ever since I read Dan Roam’s “The Back of the Napkin”,…
You never know what will happen when you share your thoughts with others. A few days ago, I received a Facebook message from a friend. Hi Walt, I was reading my “Advantages”* magazine and there was an article by you! The editor even spoke about you in her article. Congratulations! Whoa! Someone, that I recently…
One of Walt’s Rules is “When Opportunity Knocks, Answer the Door”. One aspect of this rule is that, when you say YES and open the door, behind that door lie other opportunities that you would otherwise not know about. During last Thursday’s Stand Up and Speak Up radio show, the importance of this rule hit…