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Browse published articles attributed to Karen Van Cleve, with full-archive search.
Did you know that your brain is changing at the rate of 1,000,000 connections per second? Impressive, isn’t it? Most of us are so busy with our lives – responsibilities, relationships, what to have for lunch – that we don’t even think about the part of us that makes it all possible: Our brains!
People often ask me what I've noticed in working with people during the recent difficult times. Even though I work with very successful, empowered people, I see them struggling to stay at their best - focused, positive and productive - in this climate. And I must admit that my gremlins are more active and rowdy than usual! However, the other thing I notice is people are still thriving. When my clients do stay focused on what they can control and manage their reactions to bad news and media hype of situations, they find that there is still good news and abundant opportunity, even now.
Recently I had the pleasure of seeing Dianne Reeves in concert (www.DianneReeves.com). Dianne is a jazz singer who grew up in the Denver area in a poor family. From those humble beginnings, she is now a four-time Grammy award winner! In the entertainment world of ego and puffery, however, she remains humble and dedicated to her craft. She is a true master.
In the classic book Think and Grow Rich, author Napoleon Hill labels the eighth step toward riches as persistence, which he describes as "the sustained effort necessary to induce faith." That seems backwards from the way most of us think about persistence. If you have enough faith, you are more likely to be persistent. But Hill reminds us that if we continue to take action, even (or especially!) through the obstacles, we will see enough evidence to believe. He points out that we must have DESIRE in order to take the kind of action that leads to success.
Long ago I heard a powerful quote: "If you do what's hard today, life will be easy tomorrow. If you do what's easy today, life will be hard tomorrow." For me, that was a great reminder that often when I thought I was taking the "easy way out," ultimately that choice would make things harder in the future. Several years ago when I was working in the high-tech consulting business, I earned a fantastic bonus. I had never received that much in one lump sum before, and it was such
The news has been in for a long time about how important exercise is to keep your body healthy. We know that getting regular exercise reduces cardiac disease and reduces the risk for diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The newest news about exercise, though, is its tremendous impact on the brain. For those of you who "hate to exercise," this may teach you to like it! If you aren't currently exercising or fit, there's good news for you at the end.
I was on my way to an appointment last week and suddenly had one of those moments that is happening more frequently over time. Speeding down the highway, lost in thought about a variety of things, I suddenly thought: “Where am I going?” Then once I remembered, said to myself, “I can’t believe I forgot!” Maybe you’ve had those moments too? Maybe you were calling someone and while the phone was ringing, you suddenly realized you forgot who you were calling? Or you studied and studied for an exam, but when you sat down to take it, your mind was blank? You can’t believe you forgot.
January is unofficially the month of "hope." It's a month that begins with a focus on a new year, resolutions for new and wonderful things, as well as excitement and hopes for the future. Then "life" sets in again, and too often the hope slides into "same old, same old" by the time we get to February. Are you finding that happening to you and to your new year's resolutions and goals? After that initial burst of enthusiasm, do you find it hard to sustain the momentum, especial
âStart by doing whatâs necessary, then do whatâs possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.â --St. Francis of AssisinnHurricanes. Flooding. War. Budget cuts. Escalating gas prices. The world feels like a very hard place to be these days. More and more the people I talk to are just weary. Theyâre tired of running faster and getting further behind. I know that at times like this, itâs hard to make changes in your life to pursue your own goals or take time
Are you a "resolutionist?" My definition of a "resolutionist" is someone who sets resolutions for the new year and begins in a burst of energy and enthusiasm, but then fades by February. Or maybe after too many years of being a "resolutionist," you said, "why bother" and now you've just settled into a comfortable rut. If either of those examples describes you, here are some tips to avoid the biggest traps that get in the way of achieving any important goal. "Resolutionists,"
âA day merely survived is no cause for celebration. You are not here to fritter away your precious hours when you have the ability to accomplish so much by making a slight change in your routine. No more busy work. No more hiding from success. Leave time, leave space, to grow. Now. Now! Not tomorrow!â Og MandinonnHow do you begin your day? Do you wake up to the amazing new possibilities that await you? Or do you have your own version of âGroundhog Day,â where each day
I think we all, at some time or another, find ourselves at what appears to be a dead end. A dead end can look or feel many different ways, but the important point is that we feel stuck in moving forward, there's pain involved in being stuck, and like the old Western movies where the hero finds himself in a box canyon, we don't see any way out of the situation. What we choose to do, as we contemplate that "dead end," can determine how successful we are not only at getting unst
Have you discovered one of the most important secrets to happiness? Here's how to know. nnOne of the few TV shows I watch is "Men in Trees." It's a comedy/drama about a relationship coach who moved from New York City to live in a very small town: Elmo, Alaska. Obviously, the cultural contrasts between the slow-paced, friendly, rustic Elmo and New York City are staggering. On the show last week, Patrick, a "home-town boy" from Elmo, visited New York for the first time. Hired b