Hope is precious and a curious mix of fragile and tenacious. It can be dashed with a few simple words or survive the most intense oppression. At some point in the last few weeks or months I seemed to lose a lot of hope. Yesterday, after chatting with a dear friend who reminded me of past accomplishments, I found it again. Or, it was created … Continue reading A new hope

Get up again and again. What’s the alternative? Pleasant and purposeful don’t always go hand in hand and the purpose (when there is no pleasure) might not be what you had in mind. The purpose might be no more than finding enough strength to take another step. Step by painful step, you can work toward greater purpose. Pleasure will be found on the journey – … Continue reading Fall lots of times

My beloved has recently started studying towards an MSc, having left full-time education over 15 years ago. The course subject is tough and the prerequisite level of knowledge wasn’t made clear. Understandably, my beloved is concerned about keeping up (indeed, catching up) and passing. Hoping to help, I’ve shared my view that their attention is aimed squarely at the deficit in knowledge. This almost guarantees … Continue reading Attend to learning

…but difficult to look further than we can see, said Winston Churchill. Without a contraction, I’m sure. For me, the difficulty of looking too far doesn’t stop me trying and in doing so, losing sight of the present. I’m enjoying reading ‘Happiness by Design‘ by Paul Dolan, who explains the role of attention economics in our everyday happiness. In essence, how much pleasure and purpose … Continue reading It’s always wise to look ahead…

The starting point for automation is to reduce an operation or process to a finite number of concrete steps that can be repeated with the same inputs to produce the same outcome. Algorithms are the basis for the astounding amount we can accomplish with computing power and often disappointing results we get from humans abiding by them. They are, of course, very useful when deployed … Continue reading Algorithms and business

When we disagree with people, we can be quick to label them. ‘They’re idiots’ is one of the kinder statements we might use for folks with radically different views. Particularly as we talk with those whose who share our own views, we get tribal and alienate the other. This is natural human behaviour – tribalism has evolutionary roots. It’s also behaviour we should work at … Continue reading They’re idiots

One of my blog crushes, Rohan Rajiv, wrote a post wondering ‘what makes it worth paying the tax‘. To succinctly paraphrase, every job has its downsides – the tax. What are the upsides that make it worth paying? Focus on those. It’s a variation on a theme that resonates strongly with me, even if I often struggle with it. Focus on the positives and keep … Continue reading Paying the tax

It’s not always possible to put right what you’ve got wrong. That’s not to say you can’t do anything – a sincere apology demonstrating genuine empathy, understanding and remorse will likely help. Actions speak louder than words though, as always. This doesn’t mean spending money to make it better. It doesn’t mean bake a cake and expect things are patched up. Giving your time and … Continue reading Making amends

If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly This may not be true for everyone; it is absolutely true for me and I’m struggling massively with being motivated at the moment. Not (as was the case when I was severely clinically depressed) with getting out of bed or doing household tasks, but with my day job. … Continue reading Motivation is a fire from within

Twice recently, I felt that some interpersonal difficulties have been overcome with little direct effort. In both instances I wasn’t get through to the other person and I was frustrated that something apparently innocuous, had become contentious. The solution was simple and I believe came about as a benefit of meditation. I gave the other person space and I listened more the next time the … Continue reading Listen and understand