Category Archives: 9-to-5er

SOAPBOX of the week: the sign says PULL, folks!

Posted on by
Reply

“Act without doing; work without effort.”     – Tao te Ching by Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu

Did you ever push too hard only to have the metaphorical swing come back and hit you dead-on in the chin?  Liken this to the self-inflicted searches for insight and inspiration from a bag of stale fortune cookies.  Sometimes you’ve just got to let the meaning find you.  Forcing profundity or comedy is like putting spoiled cream in your long awaited morning cup of coffee.  It tastes like crap… and wastes a perfectly good setup.  Be you.  Be open.  And sip slowly.

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.

COMING in late ‘09: Network TV talk show  and SOAPBOX® video subscriptions  for mobile (Click for sneak peek!)

SOAPBOX of the week: justification of just-in-case

Posted on by
Reply

“Plan ahead.  It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.”     – Anonymous

If you answer the call of spontaneity without hesitation, then more power to you!  Jumping into a new adventure with your hair on fire has its perks.  The endorphin rush of new exploration.  The excitement in your gut from pure curiosity.  But, many times a poor or quick decision interrupts the fun guessing game, derailing you back to square one.  And, when you’re delayed and deflated, the idea of planning doesn’t sound so nerdy after all.  Flying by the seat of your pants has its place, and is key to keeping the kid in you alive!  But pull out a notebook for the big rides, folks.  Research your clever ideas, concoct a strategy, and arm yourself with tools to survive the sharp turns and steep drops… and you’ll thrive on those fast straight-aways.

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.

COMING in late ‘09: SOAPBOX® video subscriptions  for mobile & a network TV talk show

SOAPBOX of the week: life’s tapestry of teachers

Posted on by
Reply

“For every person who wants to teach there are approximately thirty who don’t want to learn – much.”     – WC Sellers, author and humorist

Ain’t that the truth!  And I wouldn’t doubt for a second that every one of you could rightfully confess a time when you indeed were that aggravating, non-receptive student.  But at some point, I hope, you’ve dropped the rebellious, disinterested, lazy attitude to embrace not only the teachings…but also the teacher.  Who, by the way, aren’t all huddled up in crowded middle school classrooms.  Folks who are driven to “teach” are everywhere.  They’re in boardrooms, churches, libraries and at conferences… just as they’re at the flea market, performing on stage, or cooking at a local restaurant.  That said, if you seek to learn, those who bless you with their experiences and worldly knowledge, will in turn watch their very own horizons expand.  Give them a chance to share and you’ll both profit for life.

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.

COMING in late ‘09: SOAPBOX® video subscriptions  for mobile & a network TV talk show

SOAPBOX of the week: the fallacious fame game

Posted on by
Reply

“Blessed is he whose fame does not outshine his truth.”     – Rabindranath Tagore, Bengali polymath and poet

Like history’s icons, today’s rising starlets rush the limelight, shoving, sacrificing and scratching to bask in the pedasteled, gilded glow.  If only for the clichéd 15 minutes, they still choose golden-calf glitterati over admired greatness in anonymity.  And like starving plants, unyieldingly bent towards the sparkle, they contort themselves into heinous weeds.  Drinking themselves drunk, they kill their flowering inner beauty and poison their roots with vanity, greed and conceit.  Ironically, the hotel heiress and reality show wannabe might not be so different from the new executive, neighborhood hotshot, self-crowned gym Adonis or mid-lifer avec arm-candy!  For behind the inflated ego and pompous presence lurks the withering truth of who they really are and who they wish they were.  When fame facades one’s genuine identity, failure and fear-filled days aren’t far behind.   Folks, regardless of the stage or summoning, lies beget banishment, but truth begets blessings.  So choose wisely, when you take a bow.

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.

COMING in late ‘09: SOAPBOX® video subscriptions  for mobile & a network TV talk show

SOAPBOX of the week: fears take flight

Posted on by
Reply

“There are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror.”     – Orson Welles, actor-director-producer

Puddle-jumper and jumbo jet alike, you’re packed in like sardines encased by fake air, fake food and fake hospitality.  Seated cheek-to-cheek, you resume the practiced process of popping gum and punching last minute texts.  Amidst a motley crew of complete stranger, you can’t help but wonder why each is traveling on the same skycap cruise and what they’re thinking as you taxi toward takeoff.  So what are YOU thinking?  Will the turbulence reek tremors in your tightly-wound mind?  Will you sit idle and unfazed?  As your own “shift” sets in, be it anxiety or apathy, you look for comfort in numbers.  But, whether you white-knuckle it or wade through it like a boring movie, the only common denominator in the used-to-be friendly skies is collectively surrendering your “control card” for a fake sense of security.  And that, my friends, puts us ALL on the same planet.  Whether you leave Earth or not, feeling a loss of control or not caring about having it all -is in every moment of this thing called life.  The flight ain’t the deciding factor at hand here; your choosing how to face the journey is.

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.

COMING in late ‘09: SOAPBOX® video subscriptions  for mobile & a network TV talk show

SOAPBOX of the week: full-throttle wellness

Posted on by
Reply

“Your body is the only thing you are guaranteed to keep for a lifetime; if you have your health, anything is possible.”     -Dan Millman, author

YOU are the sole driver of that intricate vehicle called your body …whose care instructions are written clearly on the inside:  Fuel with nutritious foods and water; rev it up and run it outside daily, get regular check-ups, and rest when needed. Simple, huh?  Yet too many of you ignore the GLARING RED SERVICE LIGHT and wonder why the other crucial “parts” of your life …like family or career…are sputtering along as well.  Folks, if you want more LIFE out of your life, ante up at least the same amount of preventative maintenance you give your car!  Rewire your mind and body.  Get a tune-up.  Heck, get an overhaul and enjoy an even longer ride in luxury!  After all, there’s no such thing as being too healthy!

Copyright 2000-2009 by Kimberlie Dykeman
Pure Soapbox available nationwide online and where books are sold.
A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.

COMING in late ‘09: SOAPBOX® video subscriptions  for mobile & a network TV talk show