As I’ve challenged myself physically, I noticed I’m talking out loud, coaching myself. My most frequent word is “Okay.” Okay is short for: “Okay, you finished that piece. Now, it’s time for the next step so you can accomplish this entire thing.” I try to keep my self-talk positive because I want to reinforce finishing […]
How Do You Use Your Self-Talk to Finish Something You Want to Accomplish? Read More »
This is Johanna Rothman’s May 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. I’m in the midst of a gigantic life roll. That’s the name for when life picks you up, rolls you in a carpet, and throws you off a cliff, bumping down rocks all the
How Can We Use “What’s Next” and “Now What” to Offer New Options? Read More »
Once I learned to read independently, I read everything in sight. Cereal boxes at the breakfast table, books, anything with writing on it. And yes, I was the kid who used a flashlight under the covers to read after my parents thought it was bedtime. At the time, I thought reading was a guilty pleasure.
How Can Reading Help You Think, Live, and Solve Problems Better? Read More »
When you think about where to invest your money or time, what do you consider? Winning? Losing? Maybe reducing the chances of losing too much? Many of us do not want to lose, a classic case of loss aversion. Yet, that is not the same as playing or choosing to win. I’m not suggesting that
How Can We Play to Win, Not Just Manage Possible Losses? Read More »
This is Johanna Rothman’s April 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. While the global politics continue to maintain our never-ending chaos, something wonderful happened this week: Artemis II’s mission and the amazing images they sent back to us. (For all the images, go to this
When and How Can We Choose Wonder Over Drowning in Chaos? Read More »
How do you decide what to do next? Most of us find it quite tempting to continue whatever we have done, up until now. When we continue, we don’t need much adaptability or resilience. But what do you do when Something Happens? That something might be wonderful, such as a lifecycle event, or when you
How Can You See Your Adaptability and Resilience as You Make Decisions? Read More »
This is Johanna Rothman’s March 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. I’ve been drinking green tea in the morning since 1998, when a fellow workshop participant introduced me to it. It’s now part of my delightful morning tradition. Before then, I drank coffee or black
How Can You Create a New Perspective on a Problem? Read More »
This is Johanna Rothman’s February 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this email. Steve, a long-time colleague, described how he feels about his career: “I feel as if I’m balanced on a small ball and it won’t take much to push me off. One bad management decision—poof!
Three Ways to Reduce Your Uncertainty by Reinforcing Your Human Value Read More »
It’s the “dark” time of year here in the Northern hemisphere. Especially for those of us in the eastern parts of our time zones, the sun is low in the sky much of the day. Sunset is quite early. It feels dark. (Worse, if you pay attention to the news, life seems quite dark.) We
How Can You Bring a Little Light Into Your World? Read More »
Most of my communities feel as if the world is in disarray. The agile community wants to “go back” to when Scrum ruled the world. Too many politicians want to “go back” to a supposedly simpler time. When I hear, “go back,” I am pretty sure we are in a time of cultural change. While
How Can You Solve Problems When the Real Problems Are Cultural Changes? (Part 1) Read More »