The school my daughters attend has a beautiful graduation tradition. Teachers stand at the lectern, one at a time, and read a poem to each graduate. The poem begins and ends with the graduate’s name, and contains snippets and memories that encapsulate the experience the faculty have had of that student through his or her years attending the school. This artistic acknowledgement is a vehicle for [Read more…] about Father’s Day Poem
Relationships
Being Radically Responsible
“I’m not connecting well with this person,” I said to a friend. “I need to get a handle on it because I can tell it is affecting how I show up and interact during meetings and in casual interactions. I am opting for less and less contact and, while I am not being rude, I am also not being particularly friendly.”
My friend listened for a while, allowing me the space to sort out what was at the root of the issue, and then spoke. “You have to talk with this person. You know that, right?”
Not the answer I wanted to hear. Yes, of course, I knew that. I train other people in situations like this. I am also human and sometimes [Read more…] about Being Radically Responsible
Gifts
I wrote this poem of gratitude for Hannah, my mother-in-law, in 2002. Many aspects of our life and family structure have changed through the years, yet the love and appreciation that inspired this poem are as strong as ever. In honor of all the love and relationships that are celebrated today, I share this poem with you.
Gifts
Raised to care passionately
Respects life
Teases and laughs
Responsibly dedicated
Uniquely wonderful
None other compares
From your womb to this home
Acceptance
of this girl he brought home
As if I were your own
Sincere love
Never making me feel I should be
more than I am
Embracing me
Bringing me into your family
Space
to live our own lives
make our own mistakes
believe we know what we are doing
even when we do not
To be part of a whole
and yet separate
Celebrating our new family unit
in our own way
and with you
Tolerance
of my quirks
of our needs
requests
wishes
Love
To be present
but never stifling
Helpful and eager
but never intrusive
Caring and supportive
and always so gentle
You worry about the kind of mother-in-law you are
I worry about the kind of daughter-in-law I am
You are just right
I strive to be better
You are all I need
and I am so grateful to have
this family
you
– Sarah M. Kipp 2002
Stink Grumpy and Mama Grump II: How to Get Moving When We Just Don’t Wanna
Most people will agree that if you want to get something done, counting on motivation alone is not enough. Even when we are working on something we love, there are days when we do not feel like showing up. There are times when something else–or everything else–will feel more important than what we committed to do. Anne Lamott’s recent Facebook post on May 1, 2013 traveled around this week reminding us that “There is no good time to write. It will never be easier. If you won’t find an hour a day now, you won’t find it then.” Her writing, as always, is a good read, and she both calls us to action and gives us the first steps to get going.
Before I began writing this, I sat down with my two young daughters to map out our day. There were several jobs that each one of us needed to do and did not want to do. There were other things we preferred to be doing. To say we had ‘an absence of motivation’ would be a gross understatement of our actual state. Both children sprawled out in front of me like a big life lesson.
What do I believe works best when we are in full-blown resistance or avoidance? Three things rise to the top and survive the rigor of quality assurance tests.
1) Add humor immediately. I used to think that reviewing ‘why’ I had committed to something was the most important step. When a person is in resistance though, even the most noble intention and the most inspiring call to action sound like utter hogwash. My daughter did not need to review the many reasons she needed to take a shower before heading out to socialize tonight. She knows all about the importance of hygiene, and still did not want to shower. Instead, I asked if I could break our family rule of no name calling, and wrote an impromptu rap piece for her on the staircase called “Stink Grumpy and Mama Grump II.” When I added chest thumping and pathetic dance moves, the tone shifted and we began to move forward.
[Read more…] about Stink Grumpy and Mama Grump II: How to Get Moving When We Just Don’t Wanna
Family Meetings
Regular meetings are essential when people work as a team to accomplish a goal. Meetings are the vehicle not only for exchanging information with each other, but also for creating a sense of support and connection among the members of the team.
One of my favorite teams in my life is my family. We are a dynamic and diverse group of individuals with a shared passion for living a life full of joy. During our team meeting last week, I enjoyed seeing how, by slightly adapting the same strategies I use in my business, we navigate charged and sticky situations, create solutions, and build team support and connection along the way.
Here are six success strategies we use for team meetings. [Read more…] about Family Meetings