Finding Your Groove With Kathleen Thompson

We humans have an amazing capacity to imagine a future and then create it.  How often does our imagination run amok?  Imagining the worst-case scenario.  One that’s hardly likely to happen.  Is there a way to channel that creative imagination for good?  Yes.  That’s what we’re talking about on this episode. Play Episode   |  Subscribe in […]

How big is your emotional vocabulary? The average is 3 words: mad, sad, and glad. One hallmark of Emotional Intelligence is the ability to identify and handle a wide range of human emotions in yourself and others.  On this episode we talk about that, and specifically relating to how we’re feeling right now in the […]

The world has turned upside down.  Some of us are fighting a very real battle every day.  And some are practicing social distancing to help in the cause.  We’re all feeling it in one way or other.  The world looks very different from how it did a few short months or weeks ago.  So now […]

What happens when things change, are challenging, or even become a crisis?  We often hunker down, avoiding each other.  Yet, it’s exactly in these times that someone with emotional intelligence will communicate more rather than less.  Here’s how to navigate the times of difficulty and communicate with honesty and empathy. Play Episode   |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe […]

Have you ever tried positive affirmations, thinking they would help you think your way to a new life?  And it didn’t work?  On this episode, we’re talking about what’s more powerful than affirmations to make change happen.  How to use what our mind naturally does to help us succeed at what’s most important to us. […]

Financial acumen, programming, storytelling, empathy.  All traits people tell us are or were a success superpower.  On today’s episode, we explore a superpower that is stronger and more comprehensive than all of them put together: Emotional Intelligence. Play Episode   |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher   On This Episode Rhythm of Life – The First Big Test […]

Is everything really figureoutable?  And haven’t we already talked about it?  Yes and yes.  This book by Marie Forleo was so good that I wanted to share what I learned in the second half.  After you listen, why not buy the book and try this yourself?  No matter where you are in life, if you’ve […]

Can you actually summarize the year with one word?  Not really, but you can have a theme for the year that’s one word.  That’s what we’re talking about on today’s episode.  How my 2019 One Word impacted my life in ways I never would have imagined.  And how you can do it yourself. Play Episode […]

You know, I always hated the end of year performance evaluations I did on myself and my team.  The format was so restrictive.  It didn’t really tell the whole story.  So this year, I turned the annual review on its head.  I tried it on myself, and thought I'd ’hare it with you.  You might […]

What if you could figure out everything you wanted?  Like how to create a business and life you love?  Make the best of a bad situation?  Deal with something you can’t change and move on?  Well, according to Marie Forleo, you can.  On today’s episode, I’m giving you the low-down on Marie’s book “Everything is […]

Some tell you to have an “attitude of gratitude”.  That sounds catchy.  And it’s not the same as practicing gratitude.  Practicing implies intention.  Work.  Even doing something you don’t always want to do.  Because you know it’s good and right.  Because it ultimately makes a difference in how you feel…and succeed. Play Episode   |  Subscribe in […]

Self-help books.  Some people love them.  Others hate them.  Think they’re fake.  That there’s nothing new under the sun.  That they spend half their time convincing you that you need fixing so you pay them to help you do it.  What’s the reality?  We’re going to explore some together to find out.  It should be […]

When I returned home from traveling, I was so excited to work on my creative project.  Days went by and I hadn’t seen any progress.  Does that ever happen to you?  You have every intention of making great strides, and then you wonder “What happened?”  If so, this episode’s for you. Play Episode   |  Subscribe in […]

“Houston, we have a problem.”  This has become so famous that we say it ourselves, even though we don’t work for NASA.  Problems come up almost every day.  Some as small as breaking a dish when it drops on the kitchen floor.  Others require us to drop everything else to deal with them.  Like most […]

Stories.  They’ve captivated and entertained us since humankind has been able to communicate.  They help us see things we never saw before.  Cause us to feel anger.  Outrage.  Empathy.  Joy.  Some of them, anyway.  Others?  We wonder when they’re going to end.  Wish we hadn’t heard this one 60 times already.  Want to escape the […]

We’ve talked in our Built With Love series about your product, marketing, culture, and leadership.  Today we’re talking about something that’s foundational to all – relationships.  Imagine how beautiful the world would be if all our relationships were built with love.  You can start to build that world right where you are. Play Episode |  Subscribe […]

We’ve talked in our Built With Love series about your product, marketing, culture, and leadership.  Today we’re talking about something that’s foundational to all – relationships.  Imagine how beautiful the world would be if all our relationships were built with love.  You can start to build that world right where you are. Play Episode |  Subscribe […]

We don’t usually speak of marketing and love in the same room, never mind the same sentence.  Yet, what if that’s what it was like, for both parties?  Well, it’s not only possible, but will someday what makes the difference between success and failure. On this episode we talk about how it’s done. Play Episode […]

My brother-on-law made me an Irish whistle holder that was work of art.  What made it different?  It was built with love.  You know it feels when you buy or are given something that’s made with love?  It’s completely different from something that was made to be purely useful – or cost effective.  Today we’re […]

Culture isn’t what you say, but rather the total of what each one who’s part of the culture actually does.  Many cultures are built with fear, or without intention.  It just sort of happens, based on how everyone chooses to engage with the others.  To build a culture with love takes intention, practice, and diligence.  […]

In Episode 116, we asked the question: “What would it feel like to go to work every day where people treated one another with love?”  On today’s episode we’ll talk about what that looks like, and some principles to build a team with love. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On This Episode Rhythm […]

What is love, really?  It’s a word we toss around so much.  “I love ice cream.  I love the Yankees.  I love my mother.  I love my work.”  If we’re going to build with love, it’s important to know what we mean.  On today’s second Built With Love episode, we ask and answer the question, […]

If I asked you what you love, what would you say?  And then, what does your life say you love?  What do your actions say you love?  Because you build what you love.  And sometimes what you build may not look like what you say.  I know that’s at least partly true for me.  Today […]

Today’s episode marks the end of our Artisan series – at least for now.  We’ve talked about craftsmanship, creativity, and community on these last 20+ episodes.  This episode brings us back around to why it’s so important to be an Artisan.  Because that’s how you are created – to create.  And because the world is […]

As interesting as your work may be, sometimes it isn’t enough to keep you motivated.  There’s an element of service.  To your own community, as well as to the greater community.  On this episode we explore different ways to serve with your work. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On This Episode Rhythm of […]

What do you think of when you picture an artist?  Someone working away in their studio alone for hours on end?  Well, what about artisans throughout history – like Antonio Stradivari – who made his iconic Stradivarius violins in an Italian community?  Or the 29 scientists at the 5th Solvay Conference in 1927?  Community can […]

Collaborating with one or more other people is a great way to have community as an Artisan.  On this episode, we’ll explore 4 characteristics of collaboration that you can use to magnify your talent and skill. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On This Episode Rhythm of Life – A Bucket, a Trowel, and […]

What can a history lesson from 11th century England teach us about creativity?  Plenty as it turns out.  Just like the first seal made it clear who the message’s writer was, your seal can identify you and your work.  In this episode we talk about how you can use this to make your work stand […]

On one hand, there’s nothing new under the sun.  On the other, we’re created to create.  How can two apparently opposing ideas be true?  On this episode, we’re talking about 3 ways you can create new from something old. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On This Episode Tune-up Tip – The Mystery of […]

The Lord of the Rings trilogy starts with these words: “…One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them…”  That ring, the ring of power, was the cause of untold destruction, and also forged heroes out of humble hobbits.  On this […]

It’s tempting to add features or embellishments to our art.  What we make.  But true creativity is often shown in its simplicity.  Because when you strip something down, the true quality is revealed.  On this episode, we talk together about sealing your creativity with a KIS. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On This […]

We so often believe that constraints are stifling our creativity.  Yet, often it’s the presence of constraints that fuels our creative fire.  Listen to this episode to learn how you can use constraints to boost creativity. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On This Episode Tune-up Tip – Don’t Say “Nuts” to Nuts Random […]

Happy New Year!  We ring it in with a bang.  And then we have 365 days to live it out.  The universe began with a big bang.  And now it’s just…life.  We so often think life is meant to be a series of big bangs.  Bang! It’s done.  But once the bang has faded, we […]

Today we bring our Artisan Series together with celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas.  What are we talking about?  Taking time to wonder.  Recapturing that sense of wonder we had when we were children helps fuel creativity.  And gratitude.  Wonder feeds your soul. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On This Episode Feature Segment – Time […]

Creativity isn’t something you either have or don’t have.  And believe it or not, you were born creative.  On this episode in our Artisan Series, we’re talking about 4 habits you can develop that will help your creativity to flourish. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On This Episode Rhythm of Life – Finding […]

One key to building craftsmanship as part of the Artisan Life is to practice.  And not just any practice.  Because as you’ll hear on this episode, practice doesn’t make perfect.  It makes something else.  Something you might not want.  Here’s how to practice in a way that actually develops your skill. Play Episode |  Subscribe in […]

Being an apprentice has historically been a route to craftsmanship.  Yet, formal apprenticeships have fallen by the wayside, except for some of the trades.  On this episode we talk about how you can reap some of the same benefits of an apprenticeship using modern technology and programs. Play Episode |  Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher  On […]

This is a special episode.  Number 100.  So let’s celebrate!  Celebrate this milestone.  And even more important, celebrate you.  For showing up.  Investing in yourself.  Engaging with big questions, little questions, and in-between questions.  We're not just celebrating today.  We’re also looking at three key principles we’ve explored together in these last 99 episodes.  And you know […]

As an Artisan, your tools are an important extension of your craft.  They enable you do perform your craft.  So it’s important to keep them in good working order.  On this episode, we focus on how to take care of your tools.  And that includes the most important tool – you! Play Episode |  Subscribe in […]

Building craftsmanship isn’t for the faint of heart.  It takes fortitude to keep working at your craft.  Especially when it gets hard or it’s not fun.  True craftspeople work commit to working through those hard times to get to the other side.  On this episode we talk about 3 actions you can take to help […]

We’ve spent some time talking about what it means to be an Artisan.  To make it easy to understand, I told you there were three C’s that marked an Artisan: craftsmanship, creativity, and community.  We continue our focus on Craftsmanship.  Today, it’s about how practicing change keeps us sharp and continuously evolving. Play Episode |  Subscribe […]

An Artisan develops craftsmanship.  And it doesn’t stop even at mastery.  There’s always room for more growth.  What’s one way to develop craftsmanship?  By following your curiosity.  How do you do that, you ask?  Well, it’s all explained in this episode.  Not only that, but we’re talking blueberries and how sometimes quotes get just a […]

We’ve spent some time talking about what it means to be an Artisan.  To make it easy to understand, I told you there were three C’s that marked an Artisan: craftsmanship, creativity, and community.  Today we’ll dig deeper into Craftsmanship.  You’ll learn that there are three support structures upon which craftsmanship is built.  Not only […]

Whether you know it or not, you have a signature scent.  It’s not your perfume or after-shave.  It’s the emotions you come in the door with.  And that linger when you’ve left.  How to know what your signature scent is, and change it if it isn’t as sweet-smelling if you’d like. Play Episode | Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe […]

You want to create.  Want to live a life as an Artisan.  But how do you start?  Or if you already started, how do you know you’re on the right path?  With a MAP.  Not a roadmap that anyone can follow.  This is a special kind of MAP.  One you create for yourself.  On this […]

We are created to be creators.  When we stop creating out of fear or external circumstances, we often turn into consumers or critics.  On this episode, we explore what creating looks like (it’s not necessarily what you think), what stops us from creating, why it’s so important to keep doing it. Play Episode | Subscribe in […]

What are the hallmarks of an artisan?  What makes them stand out?  In this episode we explore the 3 C’s of artisanship – no matter what your walk of life. Play Episode | Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher | Subscribe via RSS On This Episode Rhythm of Life – I’m Not Singing Random Riffs – At a Loss […]

In November, 2017, a painting sold for $450M at an auction.  It was more than 250% of the previous record.  Why?  Because of the artist’s reputation.  In this episode, we talk about three reasons why it’s important for you to be an artisan – no matter what line of work you’re in. Play Episode | Subscribe […]

Maybe you’ve heard people tell you that you have to “burn the boats” to really succeed. That if you believe you can turn back, you will. I’ve always hated that advice, as it was often given to encourage us to “follow your passion”, which seems naïve and risky. Yet, there’s something to this advice. Here’s […]

Your voice is the most powerful communication tool you have.  Yet you may not be harnessing its power.  In fact, your voice could be holding you back.  Today we explore how you can use your voice to help you break free. Play Episode | Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher | Subscribe via RSS On This Episode Rhythm of […]