Tag: creativity

The Stories We Hold

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“Tell me facts, and I’ll learn. Tell me truth, and I’ll believe you. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” – Native American Proverb

My 11-year-old daughter, Miss O, came home from the second week of middle school with a story she was carrying. She said that there’s a 6th grade boy with ADHD. He’s short with short hair and wears purple glasses. She felt bad for him because her friends said that a teacher in a class stood behind him doing the hand motion for a chatterbox. You know – the talking with your hand kind of motion.

But then this kid got up to do karaoke at lunch. Apparently, they do karaoke on Fridays every week at her middle school. He picked a song and totally rocked it. He just gave it all he had and did great. She started crying as she told me this part because she was so impressed that someone could live out in the open like that, especially as a new-to-middle school 6th grader.

And I told her a story I was carrying. I was out walking Cooper the other day and from a block away saw my neighbor, Ken, out weeding. He lives one block west and one block south of us so not a close connection. But I have spent enough time walking with my dogs and children in the 26 years I’ve lived here that I’ve gotten to know these neighbors.

I watched as their kids left home. Then when they subdivided their lot and built a small house in the yard so their daughter and her husband could live in the house she grew up in. And then the daughter had two babies. We gave them our playhouse and our pink plastic “Fred Flintstone” car. So we’re close enough to be touched by each other but not in each other’s lives.

When I saw Ken, I wondered for a moment if I wanted to walk a different way. Not because I don’t like him, but because I knew in my gut something was wrong. The other day he was weeding his driveway and he didn’t look up. I haven’t seen his wife in a few weeks.

I chose to stay the course and used the block to just open my heart to hold whatever was coming. When I approached, Cooper leaned into him. As Ken threaded his fingers through Cooper’s fur, he quietly said, “I don’t know if you know but Marilyn passed away in June. She had pancreatic cancer.”

Oh dang. I remarked that she was young. Ken said she was 2 days younger than him – 75 years old. When I asked, he told me they’d been married for 48 years.

Both Miss O and I were crying by the time I finished telling the story. Two stories of the quiet struggle and courage of people living out loud. So many different ways to be courageous. The common denominator is that for all those that are watching, there’s not a dry eye in the house.

(featured photo is from Pexels)

If my work has encouraged, inspired, or helped you try something new, consider supporting it with a small “cup of coffee” donation. Your support helps me keep creating conversations, stories, and resources that cheer people on as they do brave, meaningful work.

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram wynneleon

Please check out the The Life of Try podcast Where trying becomes the spark for personal growth, discovery, and re-invention!

Blogroll

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“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall

Last week I put a call out to all you fabulous people so we could create a blogroll (like Ally Bean used to do). Here are the results in rough chronological order (by the age of the blog, not the blogger… 🙂 ). I hope this helps make new connections or re-ignite old ones. Please introduce yourselves and let bloggers know that Wynne Leon sent you.

P.S. – I’ve done my best to include all the details accurately. If I’ve made a mistake, let me know in the comments and I’ll correct it. Also, if you aren’t on this list and would like to be, please drop your blog name, URL, year blog was founded, and blog description in the comments below.

2006 – Fred – Abba’s Art
Description: Wandering among Nature’s vast wilderness wonders and majestic mountain cathedrals enhances my “Love to live…” and “Live to love …” My infinitesimal smallness before my Abba’s immeasurable grandeur humbles me knowing I am forever loved beyond measure.

2007 – DM – I also live on a farm 
Description: I write about living on a little acreage in the Midwest. I also have a 2nd blog – Heart To Heart that is more personal and is where I process life 

2009 – Mark Petruska – Mark My Words
Description: An (unpaid, dang it) ambassador of All Things Wisconsin nowadays.

2009 – Dr. Gerald Stein at Dr. Gerald Stein
Description: I hope to help all of us think and learn, myself included.

2010 – Clay – Making the Days Count
Description: Start May 2010 after a horrendous school year when I was fortunate enough not to be on the evaluation cycle. My cheese had been moved and I spent the better part of the first semester figuring out what I was teaching and recovered on the downside of the school year’s arc. After the year ended, I decided if I wanted to teach writing, I needed to know how to write. So, began blogging / writing about how I make the days count.

Four years later, the administration had the bright idea that I could teach science and unfortunately I WAS ON the evaluation cycle! The same thing happened – lousy first part and recovery at the end. Every year (and day) I get a little better than the day before.

Always, learning, always growing, making the days count.

2010 – Darlene – Darlene Foster
Description: For writers, readers, travelers, dreamers, friends, and friends I haven’t met yet.  I believe everyone has a right to dream, and with hard work and imagination, can make their dreams come true. 

2010 – Deb – Closer To The Edge
Description: My tag is “Journeys Through the 2nd Half of LIfe” and I think that’s pretty appropriate to what I most often write about- a new home in CO, my family and changes associated with aging.

2011 – Lauren – baydreamerwrites.com
Description: The name came from where I live in the Bay Area and from the fun fact that I’m a dreamer and always will be. My little corner is for sharing my poetry, stories, photos, reviews on books I’ve read, and my book updates. Most importantly, I hope my readers will take away something special during their visit that prompts them to return. Maybe they’ll find a poem, a phrase, or a story that resonates that they can call their own. 

2012 – Brad – Writing to Freedom
Description: Themes around inspiration, poetry, and photography.

2012 – Nancy Ruegg – From the Inside Out
Description: A place where we celebrate inner impressions from God, and aspire after outer expressions that bring delight to him–changing for the better “from the inside out!”

2012 – Beth – I didn’t have my glasses on…
Description:  My blog is a collage of sorts- mixing the human story, personal observations, humor, knowledge (often obscure) and the arts, all mashed and remixed together into what i hope that my readers enjoy.

2013 – Dale – A Dalectable Life
Description: Doing my best to keep it on the bright side

2013 – Esther – Esther Chilton
Description: Fun challenges and inspiration for writers

2014 – E.A. Wickham – Bleuwater
Description: What began in 2014 as financial advice focused on women turned into a parenting blog. Now as an empty nester I highlight daily life — then took a turn to highlight my photography after taking photography classes in 2025. 

2014 – Sharon – Just call me Sharon
Description: I tell stories and use it as my personal free therapy; it’s cheaper than going to my therapist.

2016 – Dom – Covelli’s Take   
Description: I only came back to blogging two months ago after 10 years, In fact, it was one of my daughters who suggested i come back to it. I woffle on about everyday issues, usually from a Gen-x angle, not grumpy though! I like to keep it light-hearted.

2016 – Rose – Of All the Things I’ve Ever Dreamed
Description: Started in 2016 to combat the terrible negativity in my country and families caused by the rage of politics. I wanted to share a different voice – one filled with hopes for a better, more creative, inventive, equal future. And I want this now more than ever for my grandbabies. My blog contains a random variety of stories about: what makes my life awesome, family, travels, air shows, motorcycle rides, books, happiness and good work, math, science, nature, learning, state parks, maps, and opinions on topics that hit my heart and home….

2016 – Brian – Writing From the Heart with Brian
Description: I tell stories and share what’s going on in my life. I usually try to bring a little bit of relatable humor to my blog. Life is hard enough. We all need a laugh or an understanding smile once in a while.

2017 – Cristiana – Crisbie Coach
Description: Started in 2017 as a blog for self-development. Now it has evolved towards the improvement of well-being starting from what one eat.

2017 – Rhonda – Pollyanna’s Path
Description: Since 2017, I’ve been writing essays about life, parenthood, grandparenthood, and sharing my thoughts and ideas on what’s going on out there in these wild times as an elder GenX woman in America today. And, as an avid music lover, I almost always include a tune at the end of my blog posts that suits the mood I’m channeling through my writing.

2017 – Khadija – She Knows All
Description: I am still becoming. And I decided to write about it while it happens.

2018 – Todd Fulginiti – Five O’Clock Shadow
Description: A blog that began when I quit my previous career and found time to start writing again. Besides observations and stories about Life, I feature several columns like Old Man Rants (comedy), Who’s On Your Hero List? (interview), RebEarth (sustainable living), Music and more.  

2018 – Erin (Esoterica) – Existential Ergonomics
Description: A warm, candid space for stories of chronic illness, infertility, love, resilience, and growing braver in the messy middle.

2018 – Ab – My Life with T
Description: About 2 dads raising an amazing 11-year-old boy with FASD.

2018 – Tamara – Tamara Kulish – Helping you move through life!
Description: I started out in 2013 with “On Becoming a Lemonade Maker” but switched in 2018 to my current site under my name. If anyone remembers my old blog name and lost me, hey, hey, here I am!

My original purpose for blogging was to sell my book; I had read advice that an author needed to create a platform to gather an audience in order to make sales. That plan didn’t work out the way I had hoped, so instead I decided to just dedicate my blog to writing posts that each contain a helpful and doable life lesson for healing, for growth and for becoming a better version of ourselves. This is the place I like to share thoughts and lessons that seem important to me during this time we’re going through together.

I welcome new people and your comments to my blog. I hope to be able to share some nice, helpful tidbits with you!

2019 – Michelle – Boomer Eco Crusader  
Description: Helping you live your best life with practical tips on decluttering, simplifying, and living sustainably.

2018 – Mary – Awakening Wonders
Description: In May of 2018, I started “Awakening Wonders” as a hobby to awaken your senses to the simple wonders all around us. I share my heartfelt discoveries.  

2019 – Dana – Mindful Caravan
Description: I write about the joys and challenges of pursuing peace, love, and faith in self-care.

2019 – Pete – Pete Springer
Description: Passionate Teacher and Future Children’s Author

2020 – Gwen – Gwen Thinks
Description: Reflections on everything, According to me. I always look for the story, and try to understand how things relate to one another. I write about my past and present life, travel adventures, music adventures, contemplations, humor, and whatever else pops into my head.

2020 – Ganga – Special Mom’s Blog
Description: My name is Ganga and I have a 29 year old severely autistic son! I started blogging six years ago to do something for myself! It has really transformed me and given me so much confidence! The blog has a mixture of so many things and just not special
needs!

2021 – Outrageous Monk – Virtuous Improvement
Description: Exploring life, creativity, and finding extraordinary moments in the everyday hustle.

2022 – Vicki – Victoria Ponders
Description: I love writing about wellness, authorship, writing for wellness and inspirational stories.

2023 – Edward Ortiz – Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Description: A lifelong learner who loves to share what I’m learning along the way.v

2024 – Hazel – Seven Sisters Love
Description: Sharing my personal and professional life from the Philippines

2025 – Rosie Meadow – RMMeadow
Description: Meadow seeds today, flowers and maple trees tomorrow. The focus is on dropping seeds in the life garden.

2025 – Bruce – Swan Song Apocalypse
Description: Life, Movies, Shows, Sports, Stuff

(featured photo is from Pexels)

If my work has encouraged, inspired, or helped you try something new, consider supporting it with a small “cup of coffee” donation. Your support helps me keep creating conversations, stories, and resources that cheer people on as they do brave, meaningful work.

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram wynneleon

Please check out the The Life of Try podcast Where trying becomes the spark for personal growth, discovery, and re-invention!

This is How I Blog Roll

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“Friendship is born when one person says to another, ‘What! You too?’” after all. ‘I assumed I was the only one.’”  – C.S. Lewis

Ten minutes into writing my post for last week’s podcast, I knew I was in trouble. I was writing about all the ways we share experience and knowledge on WordPress and had started a list of the fabulous bloggers I follow and their themes. What I quickly realized was that I could spend all day and still not be able to list all the wonderful blogs I follow. Plus my one-line summary may or may not match their goals or purpose. Does Mark blog about manifesting, mosquitoes or moving? Hmm… all three?

So I’m borrowing a page from Ally Bean and doing a blog roll. Ally was a wonderful connector of people is no longer but is no longer blogging on WordPress (The Spectacled Bean). But her words and impact remain.

In the comments for this post, please leave your blog name, URL, a one or two-line description, and the year you started your blog. Think of it as a dinner party and I’m really excited to introduce you to each other. Don’t even think about hiding in the corner – I will come find you. It’s a fun way to network in this inspiring and generous community. And when you go visit any blog on this list that is new to you, please just let them know that Wynne Leon sent you.

Next week, I’ll publish a final list. Thanks for coming to my dinner party!

(featured photo is from Pexels)

If my work has encouraged, inspired, or helped you try something new, consider supporting it with a small “cup of coffee” donation. Your support helps me keep creating conversations, stories, and resources that cheer people on as they do brave, meaningful work.

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram wynneleon

Please check out the The Life of Try podcast Where trying becomes the spark for personal growth, discovery, and re-invention!

Creating Lift

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“If you see someone without a smile today, give ’em yours. ” – Dolly Parton

I think one of the most charming aspects of this WordPress community is the generous willingness to share knowledge. Topics like:

P.J. Gudka sharing blogging advice
Dr. Gerald Stein’s insightful essays based on a distinguished career as a psychologist
Edward Ortiz provides Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
Tamara Kulish shares notes about soul-healing
Ab offers a window into disability advocacy
Todd Fulginiti shares his music
Michelle provides tips for and inspiration on decluttering
Dr. Yvette Prior creating incredible anthologies with contributors we know and love,
Shaun sharing daily encouragement
and on and on. It is a remarkable wealth of experience, information and knowledge available to everyone.

This incredible wealth of sharing and curiosity is right inline with my recent Life of Try podcast conversation with Bruce Dorey, PhD. In his book, Lift: Passing the Craft, Bruce provides a research-based framework for how we can mentor and provide lift to others.

A few key takeaways from this conversation:

  • Lift, whether it be for an airplane or in our interactions with others, does not happen in a vacuum. We need to engage with others to have the opportunity to pass on our expertise.
  • Bruce talks about how many of the master artists like Rodin were part of a guild and employed many young artists in the making of art. He surfaces the craftsman model: journeyman, apprentice and master for passing on knowledge. He shares ways we can do that in business, not just the trades.
  • We delve into the power of awe and the innovative way that Bruce uses virtual reality (VR) to incorporate awe into his work rhythm.

If you’re interested in how to become a better mentor, build resilience, use technology more intentionally, find flow, overcome burnout, or create more meaning in your work, this episode offers practical inspiration and a new way to think about growth.

Here are more ways to listen and subscribe:

Links for this episode:

Creating Lift: Leadership, Mentorship, and the Courage to Keep Growing transcript

Lift: Passing the Craft by Bruce Dorey, PhD on Amazon

A Whole New Way to Work: A Map to Freedom and Success by Bruce Dorey, PhD on Amazon

Bruce Dorey, PhD on LinkedIn

 Other episodes you might enjoy

Brand Strategy for Humans with Nancy Martira

⁠Identity Before Strategy: How to Break Through Invisible Ceilings with Kevin Yoder⁠

How to Embrace What Makes You Different | Finding Your Purpose with Kym Gordon Moore

(featured photo from Pexels)

If my work has encouraged, inspired, or helped you try something new, consider supporting it with a small “cup of coffee” donation. Your support helps me keep creating conversations, stories, and resources that cheer people on as they do brave, meaningful work.

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram wynneleon

Effort Keeps You Eligible for Opportunity

Posted in thelifeoftry, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , 48 Comments

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe

Golf is the sport that proves that I love my family. That is to say, it’s not my favorite sport but I’ll play if my people want to. So the other day I was playing with my almost seven-year-old son.

We were at a local city-run pitch and putt course where we can play nine par three holes for $12. I stepped up to the tee on the eighth hole, swung hard, and…completely and embarrassingly missed the ball. After a moment to regain my balance and composure, I swung again. It was my best hit of the round. The ball landed two feet from the hole and I got a birdie.

It made me laugh, and it also brought me back to a question I’ve been sitting with. What if coming in second, or a getting a second chance, is not failure but preparation?

In this episode of The Life of Try, I explore the hidden power of effort, persistence, and staying ready when life does not put you out front.

Through a business lesson about losing a big opportunity, Nathan Martin’s dramatic 2026 LA Marathon finish (thanks to Brian from Writing From the Heart with Brian), and the long-build success story of Dutch Bros Coffee, this episode is a reminder that effort keeps you eligible for the opening when it appears.

Key Takeaways:

  • Second place is not always failure; sometimes it is the place where patience, preparation, and readiness are built.
  • Effort keeps you eligible for opportunity, even when you are not out front or visible to everyone else.
  • Staying in the race matters because the opening often appears after most people have already slowed down or stopped trying.
  • A disappointing loss can still position you for a future win if you keep showing up with humility and persistence.
  • Nathan Martin’s dramatic LA Marathon finish is a reminder that you do not have to be in the picture early to have a meaningful finish.
  • Long-term success, like the Dutch Bros story, is often built through years of unseen work, reinvention, and consistent effort.

If you are learning how to keep going, build resilience, try again after disappointment, or trust the unseen work behind personal growth, this episode will encourage you to stay in position, keep showing up, and keep trying.

Here are some other ways you can listen and watch this episode:

Links for this episode:

Why Second Place Might be Preparation, Not Failure transcript

➡️Brian Hannon’s post ⁠It’s a Sprint to the Finish and the Winner Is… ⁠

🎥  Other episodes you might enjoy

➡️ ⁠Encourage Effort, Not Results | How to Build Resilience and Confidence⁠

➡️ ⁠The Courage to Try Something New with Lindsey Goldstein⁠

➡️ ⁠How to Write the Book You’ve Been Dreaming About with Dr. Vicki Atkinson

(featured photo from Pexels)

I’m Not Broke, I’m Short of Cash: There’s a Difference

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“If we can be peaceful and happy not only we, but everyone, can profit from it.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

I recently discovered the difference between being broke and being short of cash. Coming home after our recent trip to Europe, I thought I was broke. I fell for a scam in processing a travel authorization for the UK that added hundreds of dollars of processing fees. And then there was the day that I had to re-buy the train tickets for a train because we got lost and missed our scheduled one.

So I came home and thought I was broke. However, I have a hard time remembering that. Because I feel rich when:

  • A friend came by and said, “I want to hear about your trip.” And then really listened to the stories my kids and I told her.
  • My mom volunteered to do yard work to get ready for the next round of guests. It happened to rain hard during a thunder and lightning storm while she was working so she came in for a cup of tea and soup and we talked.
  • My almost seven-year-old son kicked a football at the local wading pool and it nearly missed a squirrel which did a hilarious jump. His narrative after the fact made me feel warm from the inside out because of his love for family, “I feel bad for that squirrel. Because I think it comes from a small family. Doesn’t even have cousins.”
  • My almost 11-year-old daughter brushed by me at breakfast and said “I love you, Mom. You are the best Mom.” When I asked why she was compelled to say that right then, she just smiled and shrugged and said, “Because it’s true.”

That’s just a partial list from last week. Just naming these things makes me feel blessed all over again. I learned years ago to never go grocery shopping after meditation class. When I’m filled with the abundance and inner peace that comes from cultivating my connection to God, I forget I have a budget.

And so it is in this case. Since I am self-employed and do contract work, I don’t get paid when I’m traveling. But I’m not broke. I’m just short of cash.

(featured photo from Pexels)

If my work has encouraged, inspired, or helped you try something new, consider supporting it with a small “cup of coffee” donation. Your support helps me keep creating conversations, stories, and resources that cheer people on as they do brave, meaningful work.

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram wynneleon

Please check out the The Life of Try podcast Where trying becomes the spark for personal growth, discovery, and re-invention!

The Smell of Rain

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“It’s the closest thing we poor creatures have to magic, my dear – the ability to be transported through time by a waft of scent that unlocks a memory.” – Jason Fry

On a recent warm Spring Friday night, my kids and I walked up to a local burger joint. It’s six city blocks away and the walk held its own sense of nourishment as we looked at flowers, stopped to talk with neighbors, and chatted about some of our favorite memories that this route holds. Like the time when Miss O was three-years-old and got a Wonder Woman shaped balloon made for her by a balloon animal vendor at the farmer’s market. Then as we walked home, she rubbed it along a picket fence, popped one of Wonder Woman’s legs, and burst into tears for the rest of the way home.

The weather was in the high-60’s and we scored an outside table under the awning at the local burger place. As we sat there waiting for our food and watching the other people in line, ten-year-old Miss O noticed big splotches of rain dotting the pavement. She said, “I think it’s raining.” A surprise because it wasn’t in the forecast.

And then I was hit with the smell of rain, noticeable even amidst the odor of the bacon and burgers emanating from the restaurant. I replied, “Oh yes, I can smell it.”

Miss O questioned, “Rain doesn’t have a smell. What does it smell like?”

Her query launch a flood (pun intended) of sense memories. The sound of the wooden typhoon boards being slotted into place when we lived in the Philippines when I was a child. The electricity in the air when the weather shifts on a mountain. And from Eastern Washington where I went to high school, the smell of a crop field absorbing the first drops of rain.

As I contemplated the words to describe what rain smells like, she exclaimed, “I smell it!” And I smiled knowing that she was starting her own memory file named The Smell of Rain. The first entry is a warm Spring Friday night in the neighborhood she grew up in.

(featured photo is from Pexels)

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram @wynneleon

Please check out the The Life of Try podcast Where trying becomes the spark for personal growth, discovery, and re-invention!

The Mindset to Write a Book: Gratitude, Risk, and the Courage to Try

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“Self-consciousness is the enemy of all art, be it acting, writing, painting, or living itself, which is the greatest art of all.” – Ray Bradbury

Writing is hard. But that’s not news on WordPress because you all are the ones that are doing to the work to write and post content on a regular basis. But sometimes we forget to pat ourselves on the back for actually doing the work – especially when we are part of a community like this of like-minded others who are doing the same.

So I love this Life of Try podcast conversation when I talk with professor, author, and my friend, Vicki Atkinson about the mindset, support, and creative courage it took to turn a long-held idea into a finished, soon-to-be-published novel.

Vicki’s new novel, Slivers, is set during a single week in the summer of 1973, when a quiet suburban neighborhood begins to crack under the weight of generational secrets—and an otherworldly presence that refuses to be ignored. Along the way, Vicki shares how unexpected family history research helped fuel the story, and why community feedback can be the difference between starting a draft and finishing a book.

  • How gratitude and loss can become creative fuel
  • What helps writers move from intention to action—and from draft to done
  • Why writing fiction requires a different “writer brain” than memoir or academic work
  • How genealogy and family stories can deepen your characters and plot
  • The role of community, readers, and a publisher in staying the course

Here’s a short clip of our conversation that highlights the stats of how hard it is to get a book to the finish line – and Vicki’s great answer:

Pre-order Slivers (link below), and if this episode resonates, share it with a friend who’s been carrying a book idea for far too long.

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this motivating episode:

Pre-order Slivers (link below), and if this episode resonates, share it with a friend who’s been carrying a book idea for far too long.

Growth Takes Energy| How Rest Helps Habits Stick – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

Why does growth feel so exhausting—and could rest be themissing ingredient that helps new habits stick? In this episode of The Life of Try, Wynne Leon connects Carol Dweck’s growth mindset research, Adam Grant’s ideas about habits and identity, and the restorative power of sleep,fewer decisions, intentional breaks, and creativity. Through stories from the first day of school, middle-school drop-off, mountain climbing, and her daughter’s crochet project, Wynne shares three practical ways to protect yourenergy while building sustainable change. If you’re navigating a transition, working on personal growth, or trying to avoid burnout, this episode is a reminder that rest is not stepping away from the try—it is what helps you return.Listen next: Identity Before Strategy withKevin Yoder, a conversation about why lasting change begins with who we believe we are—not simply with a better plan.ABOUT MEHi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying.Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com
  1. Growth Takes Energy| How Rest Helps Habits Stick
  2. When You Know You're Not Going to Make It
  3. Creating Lift: Leadership, Mentorship and the Courage to Keep Growing
  4. Brand Strategy for Humans with Nancy Martira
  5. Identity Before Strategy: How To Break Through Invisible Ceilings with Kevin Yoder

Links for this episode:

Slivers on Eckhartz Press – Order Now!

Vicki’s blog: Victoria Ponders

Transcript for How to Finally Write the Book You’ve Been Meaning to Write with Dr. Victoria Atkinson

The Creatures in Our Lives

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“Character is like pregnancy. It cannot be hidden forever.” – African Proverb

When we went to the Oakland Zoo this past week, they had this incredibly creative display of the animals that are native to the area. With a shout-out to the Silicon Valley vibe, they classified them as different characters.

The Influencer: I think these might be crows in my neighborhood in Seattle.

The Engineer: This nails it for the raccoons in my neighborhood.

The Creative: We have coyotes in Seattle as well and it always surprises me how they can adapt to a big city.

The Free Spirit: We have a lot of wild bunnies in our neighborhood and I think they might be our free spirits.

The Foodie: I think the foodies in Seattle might be the Sea Lion. We had a famous one named Herschel who liked to park himself next to the fish ladder to get a parade of snacks that just lined up for him.

Do you have these animals or characters like these in your neighborhood?

(all photos are mine from the Oakland zoo)

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram @wynneleon

Please check out the The Life of Try podcast Where trying becomes the spark for personal growth, discovery, and re-invention!

A Recipe for Life

Posted in life lessonsTagged , , , , 75 Comments

“Dreams are the souls pantry, keep it well stocked and your soul will never hunger.” – Shirley Feeney

I tried not to wince when I walked into the kitchen the other day and my 10-year-old daughter, Miss O, pointed to an appliance on the counter and asked “Is that an air fryer?”

Cooking has been a new interest for Miss O. She’s been finding recipes that she wants to try, mostly fruit bowls, oatmeal concoctions, and the occasional air frying two pieces of bread together. Then she gets into the kitchen, opens all the cupboards, makes a holy mess, and gets frustrated when she doesn’t like the outcome.

Cooper the dog, however, is a big fan of Miss O’s cooking projects. There’s usually at least one thing that falls on the floor or ends up in his bowl.

The other day when I asked her to clean up after her experiment in the kitchen, she wailed, “But you make it look so easy!” She was so exhausted from the effort that one more step felt overwhelming.

As I’ve been trying to help her, I’ve realized there are so many things I’ve done so long that I’ve forgotten how essential they are.

  1. Start with the ingredients you have. Last weekend when we were at an AirBnB, Miss O asked if we had something like almond flour. She needed that along with chia seeds for a recipe.

    A recipe that doesn’t take into consideration what we have on hand is like facing one “no” after another. It’s demoralizing and frustrating. When we start with the ingredients that we have on hand, it’s so much easier to find flow.
  2. Make sure you have the time and energy to both cook and clean. I think cooking is a little like mountain climbing — it’s a round trip sport. Understanding the time considerations to both cook and clean didn’t come naturally to Miss O. Allowing time to prepare and then make something, especially if it needs to set or bake helps to make room for the creative juices to flow. Also to clean up when the juices flow all over the kitchen. 🙂
  3. Don’t try new recipes if your goal is to impress. One motivation she’s had to try something in the kitchen is to impress her friends. So she’s trying to handle cooking and entertaining at the same time. Then when she tries something new that no one likes, it feels crushing. If she’s experimented ahead of time so it’s something she likes and is familiar with, it’s far easier for her to riff on it or even make it look easy.

It’s funny as I write these things out – these basics seem like a recipe for life, not just cooking.

(featured photo from Pexels)

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