Sunday Journal Prompt

“You’re beating the drum for justice!”

– Old man in wheelchair to equal rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy

Injustices big and small happen daily, and it’s tempting to sit back and not engage. In my case, the actions of my colleagues inspired me to go out of my comfort zone to help plan an event promoting awareness of the plight of contingent labor on college campuses.

Most students have no idea that some of their instructors earn surprisingly low wages and may lack job security and medical benefits. Exposing students to the negative consequences of inequitable employment practices within higher education is a step toward change, a step toward justice.  

How might you beat the drum for justice?

Sunday Journal Prompt

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

– Milton Berle

For over a year, I’ve been working toward the goal of teaching yoga-writing workshops on my own. Although I have taught writing for years and am now a registered yoga instructor, no job postings exist for the position I seek. It’s something I need to create for myself by meeting with people I know—friends, yoga teachers, studio owners, gym administrators—to share my vision and ask for guidance.

When graduating university students tell me they aren’t finding job postings at the companies where they want to work, I encourage them to request an informational interview with an employee—a chance to learn more about the firm and discover how others found their way to work there. 

What steps can you take to build a door to the life you envision?

Sunday Journal Prompt

People often “come up with a solution to their own problem halfway through writing.”

– Jordan Harbinger, talk show host and social dynamics expert
 

Talk show host Jordan Harbinger used to have a live Sirius XM satellite radio show that took callers, but now he fields audience questions through a segment called Fan Mail Friday on his podcast. “I love making people detail their questions in writing,” he says. 

He sees a benefit to having people think things out not in real time while on the phone but by actually sitting down and writing. People often “come up with a solution to their own problem halfway through writing,” he notes. He then helps them with the “how to” tactical planning process and/or comments on how they’re handling their current situation. 

What problem are you facing? Invite writing to shed light on a solution.

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.”

– Anonymous

It’s tough not to compare ourselves to others, especially when our world seems set up that way. The percentile results from standardized test scores are based on performance relative to that of other test takers. Sports teams enter competitions with expectations based on rankings compared to other teams. In our daily lives, we see people who have or do more of whatever it is we want for ourselves.

For some, comparison can serve as a motivator. “If she can do X, I can too.” For others, however, comparison is counterproductive, leading to frustration. By focusing on incremental steps to foster growth in whichever area we want to succeed—going for a walk after work instead of sitting on the couch, making a healthier eating choice than yesterday’s, writing a paragraph a day toward a book, we take the reins and move closer to what we want for ourselves. 

What small step can you take today to get closer to what you want for yourself?

 

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Yes, me too!”

– Dr. Vogel, Carnegie Mellon University physics professor

 

During a recent college visit, my son and I had the opportunity to meet with a Carnegie Mellon University physics professor. Alex said, “Physics changes the way I see the world.” In response, Dr. Vogel’s face lit up as he inched forward on his chair then raised his hands. “Yes, me too!” 

And they were off—chatting about physics principles and how they apply to everything around us. The energy in the room elevated, and I relished witnessing their engaged exchange. After we left, Alex was shocked to learn that we’d spent forty-five minutes with the professor, as to him it had seemed like less than fifteen. 

I’d had the chance to observe flow in action—the mental state of full immersion and absorption in which one loses a sense of space and time. Often I associate “flow”  with sports or hobbies, but this reminded me how powerful it can be when human connection is at its core.

 

With whom have you experienced flow in a conversation—an experience that seems to suspend time and space?