My father was an artist, so we never purchased holiday cards. Instead, he painted this Dove of Peace. At the bottom right, he added in elegant, white script, "PEACE from The Colan Family." It became our family's signature holiday card for many years. So today I wish you peace in your heart, peace in your…
The holiday season is hectic, so we will keep this post even shorter than usual. Here is our favorite poem that keeps things in perspective for us. We hope it does the same for you . . . Yesterday is History,Tomorrow is a Mystery,Today is a Gift,That’s why they call it the Present. May you…
Inheritance is what we leave to others. Legacy is what we leave in them. Here is my favorite true story of living and leaving a legacy. In the early 1900s, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn’t famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for entangling the Windy City in everything from bootlegged booze and…
As a youngster, I always thought Rose Colan, my beloved mother, originated the phrase, “This too shall pass.” She used it frequently to help me keep perspective during challenging times. Since then, I have learned that this saying appears in the works of Persian poets and in Jewish folklore from King Solomon ... quite a…
We work on a project for months hoping to get recognized after it is completed. What if recognizing our own growth during the project work was the real payoff? We jump on a plane to get somewhere. What if one of the best parts is the plane ride? We train for a competitive event. What if…
A leader is a beacon of hope. She is the first one in line to take actions to support her followers. She looks at the horizon to anticipate opportunities and obstacles so she can clear the path for her team. She is all about serving others. She exists to make individuals and teams their best.…
Although we look forward to the holidays, it can be a time of overwhelming stress at work and at home. This address given by Wallace A. Kennedy, Professor of Psychology at our alma mater, Florida State University, is powerful and practical. He was talking to the students of Maclay School in Tallahassee. One of their…
It’s great to always learn and look for ways to improve ourselves. It's just as important to enjoy the moment, to have a laugh, and be a human being (vs. a human doing). So we thought mid-summer was a good time to keep it light. Baseball is not only the great American pastime, but it…
There is one statement that validates your integrity when stated by another, and we have all heard it before: "He really walks the talk." Sure, it's a statement of personal alignment — that your actions match your words. Unfortunately, in today's world of loose-lipped leaders in all arenas, talk has become quite cheap. So, we…
Contact with green space is known to have beneficial effects on mental health. In fact, this study suggests that it may also play a positive role in preventing cognitive decline in the elderly. In particular, this research shows that the loss in cognitive functions expected as part of the aging process is slightly slower in…
