A natural dopamine booster. Rated E for everyone. — “Music has charms to soothe a savage beast.” - William Congreve’s 1697 play The Mourning Bride There’s a thin line between multi-tasking and procrastination. Imagine having a dependable ‘kick starter’ for the tasks that don’t really spark any excitement or motivation for you in the short term. Speaking from personal…

A 60 second mindset practice you need for bringing more joy into your week as you size up your life and progress — If your joy is reduced, negatively altered, or non existent after an observation of someone else’s success or life, comparison isn’t the thief that has stolen your joy. Your action quality may be the real bandit. Compare is an everyday word for one of the most significant steps we find…

Releasing the trauma of grind and hustle — Pursue creative endeavors. Fully grown adults can take a gap year, play an instrument, sculpt, speak another language, compose music, vacation, create a recipe, write poetry, bird watch or take a pottery class. Living a lifetime of hustling is not a match for the human design. …

Do an end of year personal bookshelf assessment (Plus 5 book recommendations you need to consider) — Doing a bookshelf assessment is a fun, albeit harrowing, activity for booklovers. As I look across the bridge of my eyeglasses with a judgmental glare of my neighbor’s closet and her shoe and clothing hoard, I have an epiphany; She and I should host a swap party. Unfortunately, the very…

’Cause ain’t nobody dope as you — Dear Prince and Princesses of knock offs, You are inspired and an inspiration. The epitome of a high class imitator. Your 70% alcohol content has not prevented you from carrying an inappropriate price tag and we could care less. The season is upon us when you have your greatest influence…

A 5 minute pre-write idea — The intensity of contrasting symbols adds the greatest spark and drama for any storyline. Sometimes, an overview of a well-known story can provide a strong example for writers. So, we will take “Beauty and the Beast”. This is a classic fairy tale that has variations in differing cultures. The version…

It’s better than “day by day”, and less morbid than “when I retire” — While sipping my favorite coffee and enjoying the company of a colleague, a rhetorical question floated to the top of the conversation: “How would things change if there were only 30 more days to live?” I’d already known my answer, but, I’ve perfected the art of word choice in recent…

Solo or Not, There Is A Benefit — I’ve come to embrace my cynical side. Here’s my first rant. I roll my eyes (deeply) when someone mentions a theme focused retreat. I know some of the biggest names in entertainment have hosted excellent ones over the years: Tom Joyner’s Fantastic Voyage (HBCU scholarships and fundraising) and Oprah Winfrey’s…

Here is what you should replace them with — One of the most annoying things about being a teacher in this decade is how quickly things change. On the flip side, one of the most exhilarating things about being a teacher in this decade is how quickly things change. By now, if you homeschool or teach for a district…