Welcome!

"The Gift" by Robin Jackson PearsonYou've just discovered a site that I hope will one day become an uplifting hub of encouragement, networking, celebrations, inspiration, and all kinds of positive ideas.

You're here now like the first guest at a party, where the hostess is throwing the vacuum in the closet on her way to answer the door. You come in and offer to help. She hands you some task or another while she finishes those last touches. In that short space before the crowd arrives, you enjoy some terrific conversation and bonding time that wouldn't happen if you weren't there early, pitching in and helping out. She is ridiculously grateful, and then all the other guests come in and the party's suddenly in full swing.

So, welcome! Make yourself right at home. Sure, you can help, thanks! Please relax, get comfortable, and take a moment to ask yourself one little question...

What went right?

Photo by L Bowman, copyright 2010, all rights reservedIt's much too easy to find fault. Finger-pointing is an automatic reflex for many of us. But how often do we stop and ask ourselves, "What went right?" And, when we are fortunate enough to notice that something is working for us, how often do we take time to delve into why and how it is working so well?

Now's a great time to do just that. I invite you to take a moment and consider what has gone right for you recently, especially in the areas of your life that matter most to you.

Wasn't that fun? Want to savor the moment a bit longer? Then please, tell me your story! If you've found any ways that work, this is the place to share. To help you get started, I've created a story map with questions for facts and prompts for feelings, so you can collect your ideas before writing them down.

Whether you're here to celebrate a success or simply to see what has been working for others, welcome to the Ways that Work party. I hope it will be a refreshing break from fault-finding and finger-pointing -- a place where success is shared freely, celebrated fully, and multiplied continually. You're an important part of what's going right in the world!

Why post?

This site is an exercise in positive psychology. It is all about looking at real-life success and understanding how to make things better. We all have subconscious images in mind of how we expect our roles (i.e., parent, worker, spouse, neighbor) to look. We've built our behavioral templates based on what we have seen modeled from earliest childhood up until now. Then, at key decision points, we fall back on these models to tell us how to act. So building better templates can help us improve our lives. The more positive experiences we can call on (even vicariously), the better equipped we are to succeed.

People who grew up with great models and who have many effective tactics have a lot to offer. But so do others who grew up with limiting experiences but are now finding ways to overcome that disadvantage. Either way, I know stories affect most folks more powerfully than theories, and I want to create an opportunity for people to share and grow and build each other up through storytelling. I believe these types of interactions can help build a healthier, happier society. Your story can help make the world a better place, if you share it.