How intentional are you when you greet people, work with them, or console them? In this installment of Doing What Works, Katie and I share the best motivation for a conversation, and the one we hope you never have to have. We'll give you ideas

What is the point of conversation?

Feb 11th, 2020 39m 8s

What is the point of conversation?

Feb 11th, 2020 39m 8s

What's in a label?

Jan 28th, 2020 39m 8s

How quickly do you slap labels on people, places, and situations? In this installment of the show we talk about the wisdom of inserting a few beats between a situation and your judgment of it. Labels can limit, after all. Why not give it a litt

Can you be friends with your children?

Jan 21st, 2020 38m 43s

Our daughter, Katie, grew up in a conversation. To say she can hold her own with Darrell and me is a little bit of an understatement. And starting with this episode of a brand-new version of Doing What Works, we're letting you in on the fun we

What is your mission in life?

Dec 20th, 2019 39m 8s

Okay. So your life isn't perfect. But you have it better than a lot of people, so who are you to complain? If that sounds familiar, Jane and I suggest you don't call it complaining. Call it paying attention to the part of you that knows you're

Would it help to frame your days?

Dec 18th, 2019 39m 8s

What's the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Hit the snooze button on your alarm? Check your phone? Then you've started the day with (1) a fail, and/or (2) someone else's agenda. Why not design a routine that gently eases you

Can you break a bad habit?

Dec 17th, 2019 39m 8s

What do sugar, cigarettes, and complaining have in common? Right! They're habits, that's all. If you can figure out how to break them you're on your way to doing what works. The first step toward that, after all, is stopping what doesn't. We ho

How does a friendship die?

Dec 10th, 2019 39m 8s

Do you ever feel like you're putting much more into a friendship than your supposedly close friend is? Now what? Have a talk? Or take what you're sure is a hint, and back off -- at least for now, and maybe for good? How do you end a friendship,

Do you feel guilty about your clutter?

Dec 3rd, 2019 39m 8s

You may have heard the suggestion to keep only those things that spark joy. If you're trying to clear some clutter, Jane and I think it's worth asking if those things spark guilt. The sweater that itches but you'd feel guilty donating because M

How do you measure up?

Nov 26th, 2019 39m 7s

You manage what you measure, as the saying goes, and what you measure shows you what you value. Are you forever comparing yourself against others? Or is it some combination of steps taken, calories consumed, pounds lost? Here's an idea. Measure

Can improv make you happier?

Nov 19th, 2019 39m 8s

When we used to have a different guest on the show every week, experts in their respective fields, I was struck by how many of them had the same answer to my question about their best advice. "Take a class in improv," they'd say. That's one rea

Can you smash that brick wall down?

Nov 12th, 2019 39m 8s

You've probably heard all the adages. The brick walls are there to show you how much you want it. The obstacle is the way. Impossible just means it hasn't been done yet. True enough, but how do you muster the energy and the confidence to scale

Should you trust a first impression?

Nov 5th, 2019 33m 22s

If you get a bad feeling about someone, trust it. It's like what they say about intuition, that it's knowing something without knowing why you know it. As a casting director, especially for television commercials, Jane trusted her first impress

Are other people running your show?

Oct 29th, 2019 44m 13s

In the beginning, you only had to please your parents. You depended on them for survival, so they called the shots. Gradually you found other people to depend on -- and they, too, often wanted something from you in exchange for their approval.

Do you live your intentions?

Oct 22nd, 2019 39m 8s

You don't have to go into the woods to live deliberately like a certain poet did, but you'll need more than a quick pep talk if you want to live your intentions. Whatever else you can say about Jane and me, we put a lot of thought into how we l

Do your dreams feel out of reach?

Oct 15th, 2019 39m 8s

You're not going to regale your grandchildren with stories about when you gave up. So don't give up. Unless you've changed your mind about what you want. You're allowed to do that, you know. The trick is to figure out when your goals have chang

Can you trust your memory?

Oct 8th, 2019 39m 8s

You don't have memories so much as memories of memories. Ever heard that? If you have, does it ring as true to you as it does to us? And what do you commit to memory, anyway? The answer to that may well determine how happy you are.

Can you embrace the need to fail?

Oct 1st, 2019 39m 8s

You will succeed to the extent you're willing to fail. Easy to say, difficult to remember as you're suffering what feels like a permanent setback. That's why Jane and I devote an hour to the practice of failing. Yes, the practice. You can get b

What power do you give your emotions?

Sep 24th, 2019 39m 7s

Emotions are like the weather. Why get all caught up in them when the storm's likely to blow over anyway? In this encore edition of the show we encourage you to take a step back from those emotions. Before you decide your life sucks, for exampl

Do you have the guts to commit?

Sep 17th, 2019 39m 8s

On the next show Jane Brody and I will not be talking about commitment. Darrell Anderson, our producer, will step in for Jane. This show about commitment is inspired by a listener in Portland -- we love hearing from our listeners! -- and we hop

Do you have the guts to say no?

Sep 10th, 2019 39m 8s

When someone asks if you want to do something and you don't, just say, "No, thanks." Or, "It was sweet of you to think of me, but I'm going to pass. Thanks, though!" Whatever your version of "no" is, as long as it doesn't include an excuse. An

Where do you put anger?

Sep 4th, 2019 39m 8s

Where does your anger come from, and how do you deal with it? Do you dump it on other people and make an already tense situation worse? Or do you turn it inward, and get depressed? Jane and I have a few coping mechanisms for when you feel overw

Can you relax?

Aug 27th, 2019 39m 8s

It’s a serious question. Do you have the ability to relax so thoroughly into what you’re doing you’re focused on only that? So much that you have to set a reminder to take a break? What is it you do on those breaks, by the way? Do you reward yo

Are you teachable?

Aug 20th, 2019 39m 8s

You may never feel like doing the hard work of learning something new. What if you did it anyway? Before you know it you may feel like a brand-new person. Yes, it requires an admission you do have a lot to learn. Yes, it's worth it. How else ar