· Create a workspace that nurtures your soul. Whether it’s filled with pictures of grandkids or flowers from your garden, this space must speak of you.

· Exercise to burn off stress.

· Allow 15 minutes in morning just for you. This is quiet time for centering, breathing, preparing for day. You’ll be glad you did.

Remember: you are captain of your ship. Pay attention to wind and waves.

© 2000 by Eileen McDargh. All rights reserved. Reprints must include byline, contact information and copyright.

If this day of infamy is to be truly life changing, we must tell ourselves truth. The truth is that evil can be done to others when one feels no connection with victim. The hate crimes that have been perpetrated in our country are same evil. The difference is scale and fact that we have witnessed horrific killings first hand from a televisions lens.

To truly honor memory of men, women, and children who were murdered in yesterday’s attack, may I suggest that we explore our own connections with others. Whose voices do we turn off because of prejudice? Are we willing to explore another point of view? What words of vindictiveness and cruelty do we stand by and hear without comment?

Can we make our workplaces open for give and take of ideas, opinions and honoring of differences? With whom do we need to reconcile so that our space on this earth is not splattered with bitterness?

Let us not hide behind fear of vulnerability for such fear leads to either bluster and posturing or hunker-down and retreating. Rather, let us be courageous and use this event as a catalyst to connect human web in our work, our community, our nation and our world.

Consider this plain talk for painful times.

© 2001 by Eileen McDargh. All rights reserved. Reprints must include byline, contact information and copyright.