This year asked a lot. Wishing you a Christmas that restores what was stretched and steadies what still matters most.

As Christmas approaches…

This week, everything around us insists that we should be joyful. The music. The festive lights. The ads. The LinkedIn posts filled with perfect families, perfect tables, perfect lives. But that story leaves a lot of people out. Click and read my latest LinkedIn post for more:

The National Football League 2025 playoff picture became a bit clearer tonight. With the San Francisco 49ers win over the Indianapolis Colts, there are now three more entrants into the postseason dance: the Jaguars, Chargers and Bills all have clinched playoff spots.

If you’re feeling a little "behind" as you watch the 2025 victory laps, here is My Two Cents on “The Year In Review” trap for your Sunday. Let’s head into these final days of this year focused on our own watches, not everyone else's. Infographic by Dr. Michelle Gastón on Instagram.

Once upon a time, there was someone who stood at the edge of familiar ground. He had been there long enough to know the view by heart - long enough to realize that staying had slowly shifted from intention to inertia…. My latest little Once Upon a Time story on LinkedIn today:

First released in 2006, “Christmas Is 4 Ever” by Bootsy Collins remains a truly unique and amazing Christmas album. Highly recommended! Put some funk in your holidays! Give it a listen. Thank me later.

You Can Be Busy All Day and Achieve Absolutely Nothing To escape the trap, use the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize your tasks by Urgency and Importance. Most people spend their lives in the "Urgent" quadrants. The most effective leaders live in the "Important" quadrants. Read more here:

Why does the President of the United States feel compelled to share his every thought and opinion on social media? Doesn’t serving as President keep him sufficiently occupied? Here’s what classless looks like:

It seems like lot of people are frustrated with LinkedIn right now. The algorithm. The content. The feeling that the platform has drifted away from what it “used to be.” But change is not necessarily a bad thing. Here’s my LinkedIn post today. Just my two cents….

After blowing a late 14-point lead, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said something worth listening to: “The coaches have done everything they can do. This is a player-driven team now. Until they start holding each other accountable, it’s not going to get right.” That applies beyond football:

Mindfulness Challenge: See if you can "catch" the complaining voice in your head today. Recognize it not as you, but as the voice of the ego - just a thought. The liberation is realizing you are the awareness observing it. #Mindfulness #EckhartTolle #InnerPeace #SelfAwareness

Quick Thought: You can’t ‘optimize’ your way out of exhaustion. It’s no surprise so many people feel worn down right now. But here’s the part we often forget: Exhaustion isn’t a productivity problem. It’s a capacity problem. For a bit more, click and read my LinkedIn post:

In a sit-down interview with Politico published on Tuesday, President Donald Trump declared the U.S. economy is strong and holds an "A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus" (A+++++) grade under his leadership despite inheriting a "mess" from the Biden administration. How would you rate the current economy?

Random Thoughts: Mid-December Perspective, Resilience & Hope Every December, we try to finish strong - but maybe finishing whole is the real goal. So here are a few random thoughts for anyone who needs a moment to breathe, reset, and remember what matters two weeks before Christmas:

Play big today.

One Minute Insight: The Real Foundation of Culture A great culture isn’t always positive. It’s dependable. Positive cultures come and go. Consistent cultures last. People don’t need cheerleaders. They need leaders they can trust - every time, not just the good times. My LinkedIn post today:

That “free” rewards program you've signed up for - the one that pretends to reward your loyalty - isn't really free. They are collecting data and tracking you. Data has become the real profit center. Loyalty programs are simply the friendliest on-ramp. Click and read My Two Cents:

Two simple words. “I’m sorry.” Real leaders aren’t afraid of those words. Neither are parents, teachers, supervisors, employees - or partners. Say the words when they’re needed. Mean them when you say them. And watch what happens.

As the clock ticks down on 2025, the tendency for many is to coast. I get it. But the best professionals know that the real work - the work that builds momentum - is often done in these final weeks. Here are my "random thoughts" on how to finish 2025 strong and start 2026 faster and smarter.

Have you ever heard of the Counterclockwise Study conducted by Dr. Ellen Langer in 1979? This mind-body connection research is fascinating and really worth your time, I promise. Read about it in my LinkedIn post today:

I first read these thoughtful words by the poet Elayne Griffin Baker and found myself nodding like a bobblehead. They made me think. I find myself going back to read them again and again. I’m still thinking about them. Read them yourself and tell me what you think.

One last thought: generosity doesn’t need to be big or loud to matter. Even a small act of giving has a way of shifting your day - and sometimes someone else’s. If today simply reminds us to stay generous in the weeks ahead, that’s a win. #givingtuesday #makeadifference

If you were sitting on Santa’s lap this year, what’s the one thing you’d ask him for? I still believe in Santa - in the spirit of possibility, generosity, imagination. But I’ve also lived long enough to know he isn’t bringing me the one thing I want most. Here’s how you can prepare for 2026:

It’s the first game on the #NFL Thanksgiving Day menu: the Green Bay Packers (+3) at the Detroit Lions (-3) Who wins? Final score? Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 Whether you're celebrating with family, friends, or just cozying up at home, I'm sending all the good vibes. What are you most grateful for today? Who wins today’s NFL games? Who ya got? Share below! 👇 #Thanksgiving #NFLFootball #Community

My LinkedIn post today is a “Once Upon a Time” fairytale for Thanksgiving. I like to think it’s a small reminder of what Thanksgiving is meant to be… and why it still matters. If you get a moment, give it a look. I hope you enjoy its message. Wishing you a beautiful and blessed Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving carries its own kind of magic: a mix of gratitude, honesty, reflection, and hope that reminds us how connected we really are. It’s my favorite holiday. For several reasons. Here’s My Two Cents on why Thanksgiving still matters. Give it a read if you get a minute….

The secret to success is falling in love with the system, not the goal. Focus on the habits, and success will follow. A great reminder! 👇 #Motivation #Discipline

Someone sent me this image in a text today. WHAT DOES THE WORLD NEED RIGHT NOW? It’s a great question, right? What would your answer be - in just one word? Me? I’m torn between “Empathy” and “Tolerance”. But given just one word, I’ll go with “Empathy”. You? #oneword #worldneeds

If you want 2026 to look different than 2025, you can’t think about it the same way. A lot of people confuse motion with progress. They stay busy, stay reactive, stay overwhelmed - and then wonder why nothing changes. Here are 12 thoughts to help you begin planning a successful 2026:

Historians will look back in bafflement not at the greed of the elite, but at the fervent loyalty of those they exploited. The ultimate con isn't breaking the law; it's convincing people the poison is the cure.

One pattern I’ve seen over and over again: The strongest cultures aren’t always the healthiest ones. Some are powered by fear, pressure, and unspoken rules - and those can be incredibly hard to change because everyone has quietly adapted to survive. Today’s Quick Thought on LinkedIn…

Even as pennies vanish, sports scandals erupt, and society feels stretched thin, one truth remains: small things still matter. My Two Cents post on LinkedIn today is all about small things and big lessons. Give it a look when you get a moment!

Don’t let “tomorrow” become the reason you don’t live fully and intentionally today. We all have a list — the conversations we avoid, the dreams we delay, the people we love but rarely show it to. Start with one thing. Then the next. Then the next. Read my “Once Upon a Time” story here:

Be honest — when you hear “a trillion dollars,” do you even blink anymore? Your Brain Can’t Process a Trillion. Let’s Fix That. Click and read my latest LinkedIn post:

Yes, a handful of senators capitulated. But this isn't the time for "whatever will be." This is the time to get LOUDER. These challenges demand the strongest resolve. Let the anger galvanize, not paralyze. Find your resolve and find your next step. Do not quit. #StayInTheFight #NoKings

Uncertainty doesn’t just weigh on leaders - it wears on everyone. Employees feel the tension even when no one names it. Leaders feel the pressure to hold everything steady. Employees are anxious. Leaders feel the pressure to stay composed. That’s the topic of my One Minute Insight today:

November and December were once seasons of gratitude and stability. Now, they’re open season for layoffs and restructurings. Efficiency has become a shield. But efficiency without empathy doesn’t build strong companies - it builds fragile ones. That’s the subject of my LinkedIn post today:

Surely there must a few minutes each day, however brief and fleeting, when our President thinks of something or someone else other than himself, right?

The coffee tastes better, the blankets feel softer, and the air smells like magic. Sending a little warmth your way on this gorgeous fall Saturday. Hope yours is cozy. ☕️🍂

The Supreme Court on Friday night paused a federal judge’s order that the Trump administration must pay full SNAP benefits to 42 million Americans for November by the end of the day. The Trump administration is doing everything possible not to pay SNAP benefits to the most vulnerable among us.

AI isn’t coming - it’s already here. And it’s rewriting how companies think about headcount, cost, and capability. Here’s the paradox: many early AI efforts are struggling. Some applications are failing outright. Yet that hasn’t slowed the workforce impact. Give my latest LinkedIn post a read!

This is not getting enough attention! • October layoffs: 153,074 - the highest for any October in more than 20 years. • Year-to-date: over 1.1 million announced job cuts - up 65% from last year. • Hiring plans: at the lowest level since 2009. For more, click and read my latest LinkedIn post:

Today’s “shiny object” distraction: the President announced a deal to expand coverage and lower costs for obesity drugs. Meanwhile: • Government still shutdown • US employers announced 153,074 job cuts in October 2025; 1.1 million YTD • FAA reducing flights • SNAP benefits • ICE brutalities

We all need a halftime speech now and then. Because we all lose momentum. We all drift. We all take our eyes off the goal for a while. Today, my LinkedIn post is your halftime speech. Give it a read and I hope it gives you a little motivation today….

Pennsylvania & 20 other states use a Retention Election where judges face a "Yes/No" re-vote every ~10 years. It keeps them accountable without a partisan opponent. Isn’t it time to seriously consider adopting this state-level accountability check for SCOTUS Justices?

The quietest kind of quitting doesn’t happen when someone leaves. It happens when they stay. Quiet quitting can happen at every level in the organization - even at the top of the org chart. Here’s my LinkedIn post today:

“Reputation is like fine china: Once broken it's very hard to repair.” - Abraham Lincoln

Neuroscientists have spent years scanning the brain to understand addiction. They expected to learn more about drugs, alcohol, and gambling. What they found instead was something far more common - and far less discussed. Revenge. Worth a read: