Welcome to Misti's Insights
How To Do The Work That Makes You Come Alive
Most of us have been taught to say and do things in a particular way. Fear of not fitting in, or worse, failing to please those we care about, often drives us away from doing and saying the things that make us come alive. Rather than risk the possibility of...
A Simple Practice To Increasing Confidence, Courage, and Empowerment
“We need to feel seen and affirmed—it creates a sense of security,” Gayle said, as I sat across from her trying to figure out how to help my brain to stop kicking off stress hormones. With the sudden passing of my beloved father-in-law, my wife, who has been a solid...
What To Do When Feedback Leaves You Feeling Like A Jerk
“Be nice,” Louisa said, defending her husband. “Nice? That was nice,” I shot back, joking, of course. Be nice,” she repeated, furrowing her brows, letting me know that she wasn’t messing around. “Wait, you’re being serious?” I asked. “Yes, you need to be nice.” ...
What to Do When Your Company or Boss Is Disrespectful
Have you ever seen a sign or heard a message similar to this? If you have, know that what the note really means is that your employer is afraid. Here are a few of the things they’re afraid of: — Losing employees, which they need to do the work, for better pay —...
Avoid Saying This When You Receive Complaints About Salary
Do you have a team member coming to you frustrated about their salary, or some other aspect of their work that you can’t do anything about? The frustration makes sense, but your hands are tied, at least for the immediate. What do you do? Let’s begin with what not to...
5 Keys To Handling Emotional Outbursts Pointed In Your Direction
Sometimes life puts us in undesirable situations that can challenge us to the core, leaving us on the verge of kicking someone in the shins. Or, at the very least, shredding them with verbal kung fu. No matter how emotionally advanced we may be, there are situations...
Before You Fire Them, Try This
We loved Olivia from the moment we met her. While she spoke very little English (still, way better than our Spanish), her work communicated for itself. It’s not an exaggeration when I say that it felt like they (Olivia and her cleaning crew) had hugged our home. In...
Avoid This Mistake When Hiring In This Market
Are you struggling to find and keep good employees? What strategies are you using? Some people have already resigned... others are staying, but just doing enough to get by... resigned with a paycheck, if you will. Meanwhile, you’re left trying to figure out how to...
44 Lessons in 44 Years of Life
May 24 marks my 44th year of life. In reflection, I thought about the top 44 lessons I’ve gained from my journey so far. Here they are. Enjoy! No one does better by being made to feel worse, yourself included. Generous people have more. Life is painful when we’re...
10 Simple Strategies To Boost Your Mental Health
(If you know someone who is struggling with their mental health, please send this to them. It could be the difference-maker in their lives.) Sixteen years ago, a therapist strongly encouraged me to see a psychiatrist. I couldn’t sleep, and I was persistently...
Investigating Solutions For Reducing Stress
Four weeks after gaining feeling back in my ear (it had gone numb from tension), Yvette, my wife, and I headed up to Shenandoah National Park. It was the weekend of July 4th, and I was hoping that being in the backcountry would save me from having to experience the...
1 Simple Question to Get Your Team to Go From Resign to Engage
I was 14 years old when Mr. Wiser Changed my life. The previous 14 years I had been resigned. On this special day, which I talk about in the video, I began the journey to full engagement in my life. Every one of us has the possibility of both getting engaged in our...
Can You Feel The Wobble?
Years ago, a physical therapist put a bosu ball in front of me and told me to step up onto it. I tried, but I couldn’t find my balance and so I stepped off. “We’ll stick to the doing exercises on the floor,” he said, putting the bosu ball off to the side. A few years...
What To Do When You’re Feeling Empty Despite All Of Your Successes
Are you tired of getting to the end of a challenging project only to wind up feeling insufficient, empty, and craving the next big win? Do you have a constant ache--need, really--to achieve... to get to the next level, and unable to enjoy your how far you've come. Are...
How to Help Your Team Members Overcome Crippling Self-Doubt, Fear, and Even Depression or Anxiety
Do you have someone on your team who is talented, but seems to keep sabotaging themselves? Maybe you’ve noticed that they struggle with anxiety and/or depression? You can see they have potential, and you want to help them overcome their fear, but how? fear, doubt, and...
How to Get the Best Out of Annoying People
At the end of a recent podcast interview, the host asked, “What is the number one leadership principle you live by?” Without thinking, I said, people really are doing the best they can. I call it The Best Principle. As he repeated my words, I could sense that a part...
How To Deal With Irritating People In The Midst of COVID: Rise Up
Irritation washed over me yesterday afternoon as someone at my gym insisted that I wear a facemask. “Doesn’t she know that you don’t have to wear a mask if you’re exerting yourself?” I wanted to scream out, as if I even understand the current rules. “Besides…” I...
How To Help Those Who Are Grieving
It was a Thursday evening toward the end of January 2022, Yvette and I were sitting across from one another, preparing to enjoy one of our favorite meals out. It had been weeks of trying to come to terms with the progression of her father’s cancer. We needed a change...