the blog
The story of No and Yes
No was very powerful at one time in the world. That’s all anyone heard others say and that’s all that was said. No, I can’t do this. No I disagree with that. No, it is not possible to have that now. And on it went. Parents said it to children. Children said it to parents. Bosses said it to their employees and on it went …
Want to add a little more play into your life as an adult – at work? at home?
Play is often trivialized, however, it is a wonderful tool for learning, growth, self-development, connection, relationship, innovation, creativity and so much more. In some ways it can be thought of as a language. Here’s some resources to help you build a play practice ….
If a story was a marshmallow – here’s a game to keep in your back pocket
This is one of my very favorite games. In my life, this little game has now risen to the level of a practice! I’ve done it so often now that it is simply a part of my life. Here’s an example where I compare story(s) to marshmallows … this exercise of taking one thing and comparing it to another is wonderful for gaining perspective in a number of different ways. It’s a game with legs and you can bring it to your story work, the invitations that are presented to you in life, or you can use it to add a little humor to your day. It’s a great little learning tool to have in your back pocket.
When you play – does it mean you’re smiling?
When we think of play, we often imagine ourselves or someone smiling or laughing. But one of the first things I noticed when beginning my story work was that I could also feel sad, satisfied, lonely, happy, irritated, intrigued, frustrated, joyful, angry, curious, etc. while playing with stories. My emotions were real and yet if you’d asked me what I was feeling overall I would have said I was feeling playful …
Storytelling Tip # 9: Shadow Play
My shadow waves back at me as if to say hello. It beckons me to be playful, to stop and share, to consider and reflect, to become more open minded. Shadows are varying shades of grey, they are metaphorical, they follow you and they light the path. They are long and short. The distort and they eccentuate. Shadows ask us to drop assumptions, or see or do something new – they invite inspection.
Listening Tip #1: If you are the listener – own the role fully
When it’s your turn to be the listener, own it fully. What does this mean? It means remembering that we have responsibilities too. For example as listeners we can choose to ….. pretend we are listening, nod our heads, say uh-huh or yes in the right places, etc. Pretending might fulfill …
When you can think of nothing to say
Don’t force it. Leave it be.
When someone we love chooses silence
I like silence, there are times I love it. Silence is often beautiful, but it can be perplexing. Especially when it comes out-of-the-blue and there is simply no answer to a text, a call, or why the silence is so loud and long lasting. I have a loved one who has stopped talking, gone their own way. And the thing is I’ve actually benefited from their choice to be silent … What has helped me is to look at what I really want …
Field Notes: To mask or not to mask? Is that the question?
To mask or not to mask? Is that the question? I gassed up my car the other day … wearing one or two masks, a face shield … I walked into this place and the first thing I saw was a person stocking shelves and their mask was hanging from one ear. Their face was totally exposed …
Storytelling Tip #8: stories don’t have to have words
I'll tell you the truth. I thought this picture was a bit of an embarrassment at the time I posted it, because it had no polish, no technique. But actually that is the point of it. We don't have to know how to draw like "the artist" or paint like "the painter" or...
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