Trying to Stay Awake in a Sleepy World: Parenting, Leadership, and Personal Development
By Angela Noel
June 30th, 2016
A little more than four years ago, a leader of his church pulled Doug Timothy aside for a pleasant but purposeful conversation. Doug wondered if he would be asked to serve the church community in some way, perhaps as a teacher or a youth advisor. But the leader had a different, far scarier, role for young Doug in mind: leadership. Continue reading “Leadership Should Feel Like This”
By Angela Noel
June 23rd, 2016
Confucius said, “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” This sign, posted in an alley in my neighborhood, made my day. The sign maker took the time to not only witness the turtles experiencing the first journey of their lives, but commemorated it for others, like me, to see. Confucius would be proud.
Simple things, like seeing beauty in baby snapping turtles and telling others about it, can change the world, one story at a time.
I don’t know who made and posted this sign. But he or she gave me, and any others who saw it, a whimsical and poignant memory. Below is a tiny tale about the turtles and their human, my way of paying that gift forward. Continue reading “Beauty is Everywhere: Be the One to See it”
by Angela Noel
June 16th, 2016
Julia Zhang sparkles. Not because she has an addiction to the Bedazzler, but because, in her words, “I think everything is kind of awesome.”
Dragon Boat racing? Yes, she’d like to do that. Hot Chocolate 5K? Yes. Deliver Meals on Wheels? Yes, but she might be late for happy hour/book club at Sushi Tango. Julia lights the spark, inviting others, like me, to follow.
In 2012, when a new job, divorce, putting my dog to sleep, and selling my house had turned my life upside down, I had a choice: become an ostrich, head in the sand, or embrace the disruption as opportunity.
Fear of stagnation and regret overcame fear of newness and change; my “Say Yes” phase had begun. But I needed help. A near lifelong practitioner of saying yes, Julia wordlessly offered me mentorship in the art of openness.
Later, I would learn that this occasional Forest Gump impersonator had powerful “Say Yes” mentors of her own. Continue reading “Change is Hard: a “Say Yes” Mentor Can Help”
by Angela Noel
June 9th, 2016
Is this wise, little creature a chicken or an owl? I’m going with owl. Either way, this doodle is awesome. It both makes me smile and reminds me that creating happiness isn’t like making a chocolate fudge cake. My happiness doesn’t depend on a mix of specific ingredients, baked at just the right temperature, then only enjoyed at birthdays and special occasions (or when the grocery store has free samples, in my case). Continue reading “Happiness is Not a Chocolate Fudge Cake”
