Tweak Your Perspective. Transform Your Life.

Shift, swing, adapt, and don't forget to stick the landing.

I slip into a business meeting when my phone buzzes. It’s my wife:

“The school nurse called. Our daredevil flipped off the swings, blacked out, and might have a concussion.”

This kid visits the nurse often, but we never got a “you should have him checked out” call before. Luckily, he only had a few scrapes, a rogue wood chip in his nose (ouch!), and doctor-ordered “no sports” for a couple of days. Meanwhile, the texts from other parents were amazing:

• “He did a double flip mid-air and landed in a pile of woodchips, right?”

• “Rumor has it he swallowed 15 woodchips.”

• “Word is he was 20 feet in the air before he fell on his neck!”

  
  

Lunchtime legend status: unlocked. But there I was, missing half a day and sprinting from that meeting to the school to his doctor. Good thing he was ok and nonprofit leaders are super kind.

Running a business is hard enough without surprise school pickups, “forgotten” lunches (spoiler: they were in the wrong pocket), and impromptu plumbing emergencies. I was frustrated.  My wife gently suggested hiring a sitter. But honestly, when your kid calls at noon about his missing lunch, you grab pantry snacks and make the school run yourself.

Then it hit me: what if these daily interruptions aren’t burdens, but blessings? Sharing a parfait with my son at 3:30 felt like freedom, not frustration.

That parfait-fueled moment sparked a mindset shift: work-life flexibility can be an incredible advantage. Yes, school breaks can be brutal, but when I choose to see the upside of each interruption, I’m kinder to myself, and I do better work. I also have more empathy for working parents.

Why Leaders Should Love This

Teams thrive on momentum and morale. Would you rather work with Negative Ned… or Positive Pat? Research shows optimism boosts productivity, slashes burnout, and sparks creative solutions. Leaders who reframe setbacks as stepping-stones inspire their teams to do the same, fueling long-term success.

From Lemons to Lemonade

We all face our share of “lemons”: missed meetings, tough personnel decisions, budget hiccups, deadlines… But every lemon hides a perk:

• Stuck at school pickup? Clean out your inbox or outline tomorrow’s priorities.

• Deadline extended? Polish your presentation and sneak in a coffee chat with a colleague.

• Meeting canceled? Tidy your desk and call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.

  
  

Reframing doesn’t erase bumps—it turns them into chances for resourcefulness.

Spread the Sunshine

Positivity is contagious. Be the person who lightens the mood when budgets tighten or asks, “What’s the silver lining here?” For many of us, optimism doesn’t flow naturally, it’s a muscle we can strengthen. Start by reframing one small irritation each day, then watch how that mindset ripples through your work and home.

Your Daily Prompt

Today, spot one frustration and ask yourself, “How can this work to my advantage?” That simple tweak can brighten your day, and perhaps uplift your entire team.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a very important “hug-my-kid” break to take. 😉