If you're a regular reader, this new collection of essays will feel comfortably familiar. It's a curated collection of 48 of the best stuff from this blog in 2023, plus three brand new missives on purpose, passion and talent.

Mickey Mouse, the ever-optimistic icon of the Disney universe, has much to teach us about leadership. Let's revisit some classic chestnuts that embody the "house of mouse".

Gratitude to the rare individuals who carry invisible burdens, yet walk against the tide of personal hardship to be present for others. In humility they lighten two loads: that carried by the afflicted... and their own.

Science tells us that parts of our body are in a constant state of regeneration. Our marvelous machine discards what is no longer useful replaces it with something fresh.And so it is with the world around us. Jobs come and go. Relationships evolve; some friends grow with us while others grow away from us.Those who consistently thrive anticipate change and reinvent for it.

Giving hearts can be trapped in un-productive relationships. The flip side of compassion can sometimes be a tendency to hang on to someone when you should be letting them go.

It’s that time of year for listing achievements and outlining soon-to-be-forgotten New Year's Resolutions. How many past “successes” can you remember?

John 3:16 posits the ultimate gift of love is offering ourselves and our offspring to the world to make it a better place. On the eve of Christiandom's big event, I've been pondering this question: What is love's real definition?

It's that time of year when we roll out Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. What enduring lessons does "It's a Wonderful Life" teach us?

Victimhood has always bothered me. Too many get addicted to it as a way to seek attention and forget its value as a reflective, temporary detour on a continuing journey of growth and contribution.

A message about unity may be at odds with the divisive sickness holding our republic and much of the world in its grasp. The chestnut, “United we stand. Divided we fall,” may be more important today than at any time in our ever-evolving experiment in democracy.

Believe in yourself through every challenge, regardless of the odds.

I dipped back into my former life for the first time in five years this week. What I learned from that experience surprised me.

Crazy is a word deployed by detractors to try to discourage those who envision a better world and aren’t afraid to do something about it.

My 50th high school class reunion inspired this short detour into the confluence of fantasy and fact. Does any part of Ella's journey resonate with you?

Mentors come in all shapes and sizes. They often appear when you least expect them.

Every defeat is just an angel, tugging at your sleeve, telling you that you don’t have to keep banging your head against the wall.

Those of us with an addiction to achievement often spend too much time pressing for more when we should be enjoying the now. If we're not careful, we will miss it.

Divisive politics and cultural violence will engulf us, unless we can re-commit to a shared dream: the quest for enduring peace.

Values can be good things, until you force yours on others without the desire to understand theirs.

I had an encounter this week with an academic who concluded his email with, "I wish you well." I knew he meant the exact opposite.