I don’t miss anything about the darkest days of the pandemic.

I do, however, miss appreciating the beauty in everyday things.

When every day and every moment was dangerous, our worlds became small. This forced us all to spend more time at home than we were accustomed to. For me, that meant embracing routines that our pre-pandemic lives didn’t leave time for. One such routine was walking around with my camera and finding things to take photos of.

Now, I’m under no illusion that I’m even remotely proficient when it comes to the art of photography. Mainly my approach is that when I see something I like, I attempt to take a picture of it. Or at least, that was my approach in the depths of the pandemic.

These days, my camera sits mostly unused on my desk, save for the occasional dusting. These days, I feel like I need a reason to take it with me, and even when I do, I tend to walk past what I used to take great care to notice.

While things have certainly taken a turn for the better in terms of the pandemic, and we have vastly more opportunities to get back out in the world, the noise of everyday life has also returned, crowding out the mindfulness needed to slow down and take in the world we were in such a rush to return to.

I never want to relive the difficulties of the last few years, but I do want to take what I learned into whatever comes next. And perhaps, all too simplistically, the first step is to grab my camera and start appreciating everything around me again.

“Quiet Eyes” by Sharon Van Etten & Zachary Dawes LISTEN NOW: https://a24music.lnk.to/Quiet_Eyes MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS DIRECTOR: Celine Song EDITOR: Shannon Fitzpatrick POST SUPERVISOR: Jennifer Di Lullo From director Celine Song and starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro. PAST LIVES – Now Playing. #PastLives

Here are five articles that have had me thinking over the last few weeks:

Gallup Workplace:

How Fast Feedback Fuels Performance

Employees crave feedback, and they don’t need a special occasion to hear it. Learn how to give meaningful feedback in a few minutes.

Read More

http://www.gallup.com

The Atlantic:

Scientists Found Ripples in Space and Time. And You Have to Buy Groceries.

We’ve just learned that the whole universe is humming around us. Now what?

Read More

http://www.theatlantic.com

Harvard Business Review:

13 Principles for Using AI Responsibly

The competitive nature of AI development poses a dilemma for organizations, as prioritizing speed may lead to neglecting ethical guidelines, bias detection, and safety measures. Known and emerging concerns associated with AI in the workplace include the spread of misinformation, copyright and intell…

Prosci Change Management:

Why Organizations Need To Make Change Management a Core Competency

Building organizational change management competency targets the foundation of how the organization operates and how individuals relate to change.

Read More

http://www.prosci.com

The Guardian:

Eat at regular times, take three minute breaks and hum – how to fight feeling exhausted

In the age of hyper-fatigue, a good night’s sleep is often hard to come by. Here are eight ways to get through the day when you’re knackered

Read More

http://www.theguardian.com

Think about a big goal or dream that you have. What’s one small action you can take today to move closer to achieving it?

We tend to think big things happen with big efforts that result in big steps toward big accomplishments. But that tends not to be true. More often, big things happen when we muster up the courage to take the first, often small, step. Then next and the next.

Strength is found in getting started, not necessarily in waiting for the perfect moment.

So where can you take that first step?

“A year from now, you will wish you had started today.” — Karen Lamb

Even if you’re unsure about the broader goal, there’s almost nothing to lose in taking a small action. You might find that that first step is painless, opens the door to new possibilities, and makes each forthcoming action easier and easier.

Big goals and dreams happen by committing to small actions. And if you string enough of those together, you will find yourself making real, significant progress.

So where can you start? What can you do today?

Do it.

I’m incredibly excited to share the conversation Laurie Ruettimann and I had recently, where we talked about work, change, pets and potential. It’s always an honor to have the opportunity to talk shop, but even more so with a great friend.

Give it a listen or read the transcript below!
And be sure to connect with Laurie here!

How Change Unlocks People’s Potential With Carlos Escobar

Everyone has potential. Some need help to unlock it. Today we learn how Carlos Escobar, HR leader, is helping people move forward.

Read More

laurieruettimann.com

Here are five articles that have had me thinking over the last few weeks:

The unseen forces that can cause your great new idea to crash and burn

How do you get people to embrace a new product, program or concept of yours? Turns out, enticing features and compelling messaging aren’t enough, say innovation experts Loran Nordgren PhD and…

How Your Body Posture Communicates Feelings to Others

New research suggests that body postures can reveal our emotions to other people—and maybe even change how we feel inside.

To Improve Your Work Performance, Get Some Exercise

Although the benefits of physical activity on general well-being are widely acknowledged, there has been a lack of research on how it impacts outcomes at work, including job performance and health. Approximately 200 employees from the UK and China participated in a 10-day study in which the authors…

Advice | Happiness is fleeting. Aim for fulfillment.

Fulfillment can be achieved when you accept who you are, are making the most of what you have and are optimistic about the future.

A Year After a School Shooting, Divisions Run Through Uvalde

Tensions have flared over new rifts between victims’ families and the police, and between gun owners and newly minted gun-control activists.