I had heard stories that seeing a total eclipse can change a person’s life. Paul Piff, a professor at University of California Irvine, has found that awe-inspiring experiences can promote kindness and improve health outcomes. An eclipse “connects us to things bigger than ourselves, motivates us to care for others, and the greater good.”    

“America’s Exhausted Majority wants to see the opposing tribes move beyond constant conflict,” write the authors of the report Hidden Tribes: A Study of America’s Polarized Landscape. No, we don’t need to always agree – that is unrealistic. But we can disagree better, including conversations and really listening to those with different perspectives. My hope is that the Exhausted Majority can rise and demonstrate ways to lead our country better.

I was honored to facilitate a retreat for the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust, a 24-year-old nonprofit with a mission to acquire, protect, and manage special places in parts of New Hampshire and Maine. Afterward, board member Ken Olson wrote, “Everyone I spoke with liked how you handled things. You guided us sensitively but also with a strong direction to get us to consensus on important actions.”

On January 1, I was blessed to be on NH’s Mt. Moosilauke for my 29th New Year's Day, a personal tradition going back to 1988. Reflecting on the experience, I am reminded of the rollercoaster of emotions I faced that day and how emotions impact our life and work.  Managing emotions and self-awareness of how they impact us increases well-being and sustains relationships. You can read the full column at:   https://read.nhbr.com/nh-business-review#2024/02/23/?article=4201307