Tag: family
-
The One Blog Post You Should Read Today
I have a confession to make. I begin by admitting that last week I told a friend of mine she should get a new accountant. I told another friend she should read a certain book during her vacation. And I told another he should quit a board he’s sat on for years. Oh, and I…
-
A Request to PLEASE Do This Important, Simple Thing Already
So I’ve noticed a trend lately, and it’s not a good one. In fact, it can be hurtful for all involved. I being with a few examples from just the past few weeks. See if you notice a pattern. Friend #1 recently won a major cooking competition. When I excitedly told him how proud I…
-
Why You MUST Do “That Thing”
Last week I found myself having a coffee chat with a woman I met at a recent event. It was meant to be a “let’s-get-to-know-each-other” kind of coffee. But then…she started talking (a lot) about her work. It’s the kind of business where she sells a product that she believes in, then recruits other people…
-
3 Words to Stop Making People Mad at You
A few weeks ago Hubbie and I found ourselves traveling to Prague for a quick weekend of touring before a work project began. All was going just peachy for the first 11 hours of our first flight…until we realized we were landing very late. And our already tight layover time…was now super-duper tight. Which led…
-
How to Stop Making Your Life Worse
So I had a bit of a revelation last week. It began first thing one morning, just as the alarm went off. As my arm swung over to shut it off, the following thought rushed in… …Man, that was a terrible night sleep. I’m going to be off my game today. I then began thinking…
-
How to Have a Crappy Conversation
This week brought an interesting theme. Two of my colleagues – and me – all found ourselves in a universally dreaded situation. We had to have crappy conversations. And they Stressed. Us. Out. (Nooooo sleeping here.) Colleague #1? He had to tell his somewhat-non-performing staff member who really loved working from home…that he would no…
-
Why You’re Scared About the Wrong Thing
So…things have gotten slightly anxiety-ridden in the Maloney house. The culprit? Well…I wrote a play. Yes, the theater kind. The last time I did this was back when I was in college. As in undergrad college. As in a looooong time ago. Oh, and I’m also going to produce the play this year. The last…
-
But Not Today
Well this is a tricky time, yes? Let’s count a few ways… There are the holidays, which often come with a multitude of festive moments…and a multitude of non-festive moments. Think traffic, crowds, and, potentially, a few forced smiles around that carefully-set dinner table. There’s also…and let me say first that I am in nooooooo…
-
The Boomerang Effect
A recent work trip found me networking with two women I hadn’t met before. It didn’t take long before I noticed a pattern pop up. Let’s see if you catch it. Woman #1: Whew, it’s so great to be here because I thought I might not make it. My daughter just had her wisdom teeth…
-
The Pesky Mind Game You Don’t Know You’re Playing on Yourself
Last week I went to see the new Star Trek movie. On a Wednesday. In the middle of the afternoon. It was lots of fun, even though we didn’t take the whole things as seriously as…other couples. While I’m not a big Star Trek fan, it turns out that Hubbie is. And partnerships are about…compromise.…
-
The Three Letters That Change Everything
So here’s a bit of random Deirdre trivia for you (which, I promise, will lead to a greater point). I can’t cook. I’m not a good chopper, I’m not good at putting flavors together, and I’m impatient…which means I hike up the oven temperature to save time, leading to messes like this: I’ve staked my…
-
The Happiness Ratio
I recently found myself chatting with a woman I hadn’t met before. She was working a whole lot of hours. She had several kids. She didn’t sleep much. At all. I was overwhelmed just listening to her, and asked if it was all worth it, if she was happy. She turned the question around and…