Why are the two words “I’m sorry,” often considered the most challenging combination of words for us to mutter? Is it because we care so deeply for other people that we feel just that bad when we hurt or disappoint them and we can’t face […]
You have a voice unlike anyone else on this planet. Your knowledge, understanding, and experiences help you form your beliefs and values, and therefore your voice. As we get older, our voice changes and evolves. We also become more aware of the voices around us, […]
We shot and released this video September 1, 2018, as part of our monthly theme: Monday Gets Brave. Today, August 2020, we are starting the monthly theme of Monday Gets Courageous. In the wake of everything happening in our world today, we thought this video nails it. These brave men have a message that we ALL need to hear.
The year 2020 has asked a lot of us. We have had to process so much change and uncertainty. We have had to get creative and find new ways to make things work. We have suffered loss. Whether or not we knew one of the over 150,000 people who have lost their life to COVID-19, we have all felt it deeply. We have had to face century old systems that don’t work for everyone the same, and come to terms with our own personal, as well as systemic, biases. And we are about to head right into the eye of another storm—the 2020 Presidential Election. Of course there have been glimmers of hope and joy and celebration, but there is no question that life hasn’t been the same this year. However, in all of the chaos and confusion, let’s not lose sight of the fact that we have all been asked to step up to the challenge to make things better… and most of us have accepted the mission. We have worn our masks, we have kept our distance, and we have found new ways to work from home and support online learning for our children. We have taken a knee and joined the movement in order to make it clear that, yes, Black lives do matter to us. But there is still work to be done. The “we” needs to be bigger. It needs to include more people. So, this month, let’s lean even harder on the thing that has driven us so far. It’s called courage. You have shown it all year. Now let’s take it to the next level. Being courageous matters.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a laundry list of things that definitely fall into the category of “This has not been fun at all.” Hopefully that is a general enough bucket to capture everything from the most heartbreaking developments to the simplest, and everything in […]
The words “civil” and “civic” both come from the Latin word, “civis,” which means “citizen.” “Civil” relates to the concerns of ordinary people, or citizens, and helps to establish a guide or model for our behaviors towards one another. “Civics” relates to how ordinary people, […]
The human race, much like any organism, is greatly motivated by a survival instinct or wiring for self-preservation. We want to be safe. We want to have food to eat and water to drink. We want to avoid pain or situations that might inflict it […]
You are a powerful force. Your actions ripple other actions. Your words speak loudly. Your thoughts create vision and futures. Have you ever really reflected on this before? Yes, you even impact people you don’t know, as they witness your behavior throughout your day. They […]
As you know, we have been changing several of our monthly themes this year, because we’ve felt that the themes we selected for this year, back in October of 2019, were not as relevant. Obviously no one could have predicted the events of 2020 and the impact they have had on our lives, but we could change our themes and Monday strategies to be more timely… so we have.
Interestingly enough, for July 2020, the theme we picked back in October 2019 was MONDAY GETS PLUGGED IN. So we are back on track with our original programming. However, we looked through our video library and came across this video that was shot for the theme of MONDAY GETS REAL. After watching the video, we felt that it was just as timely today as it was when we shot it over five years ago. We all need to get even more plugged in, so that five years from now this video might not feel as relevant. Check it out and hopefully that will make a ton of sense. You matter.
There was a time when the majority of the electrical sockets in our homes were mostly left unused, other than the occasional lamp here or there and a toaster or alarm clock. Those days are a distant memory. Now we have power strips in most of our sockets in order to have more access to electrical power. We need more sockets for more gadgets—cell phone chargers, Internet modems, Wi-Fi extenders, computers, home security systems, air purifiers, Smart Home devices, and the newly famous Instant Pot, now with a Wi-Fi option. So, literally, we are plugged in more than ever before. Additionally, we have emailing, Facetiming, texting, instant messaging, and social media posting that seemingly allow us to be more plugged into one another’s lives. Toss in a virus, home exercise equipment, and a robust home delivery industry, and we have created the perfect culture of cocooning and isolating. No need to leave the house, no need to see a single soul, no need to shower, no need to get dressed for the occasion. However, as we hunker down and do our home improvements, two things are greatly suffering… our communities and us. We need our community and our community needs us… especially in times like this. If you are already plugged in, then let’s take it to the next level. If you have disconnected, it’s time to re-engage. We are designed for this. Getting plugged in matters.
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. shared his dream and placed it on our hearts. And although the “I have a dream…” statements towards the end of his speech get the most attention, it is the middle of his timeless speech that might […]
There is a process we all go through to make sense of things. As we go through life and are surrounded by infinite data points and bits of information, we start to notice certain things and place meaning on them. From that initial meaning, we […]
