ISSUE 10 | PARAGONROAD.COM
Your Memories Are Yours Going to Be Lost and Forgotten?
+ PERSPECTIVE MAKES MEMORIES GREAT — BEING ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND PICK OUT PLOT POINTS THAT HAVE MADE UP THE NOVEL OF YOUR LIFE
THE VALUE OF A HANDWRITTEN LETTER + HOW NOTES FROM HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMA INSPIRED ARTIST YOSKAY YAMAMOTO TO BRING BACK THE LOST ART
Interrupted by a Cat + MAJOR LEAGUE HALL OF FAMER TONY LA RUSSA’S MISSION TO RESCUE ANIMALS
LEGACY ARTS Febuary 2016 www.paragonroad.com 3
Contents
20 6 8 10
Note from the Editor
Finding Meaning Amongst the Chatter
Family of Man
Bringing Unity Through Contemplating What We Have in Common
Family Legacy and Passing It on to the Next Generation
An Interview with Carew Papritz About His Book, The Legacy Letters
14
Creating a Philanthropic LegacyTODAY™
An Interview with Jan Ridgely, CEO of United Charitable
20 30
Re-Imagining Success
Japanese-born artist Yoskay Yamamoto Finds His True Creative Way as a Fine Artist
How Are You Going to Be When You Grow Up?
The Question Kevin Cashman Believes We Should Ask All Young People
24
Why It’s Easy to Lose Family Memories (Even If You Capture Them) How to Preserve the Little Moments that Add Up to the Novel of Your Life
32 32 34
40
Tony La Russa: How One Cat Changed Everything How the Animal Rescue Foundation Makes a Difference in the Bay Area
Passing on a Meaningful Inheritance
The Alchemia Group’s Tim Belber on Effectively Passing Wealth to the Next Generation
38
Fossil Group’s Ashley Nelson’s Pursuit of Something More
Honoring Our Elders Kelin Gersick Reviews the Pros and Cons of How Different Cultures View the Older Generation
Mindfulness in Business, at Home, and in the Community
41
Timeless Wisdom: The Golden Mean
Learning to Live Life in Balance
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ISSUE 10 | 2017
Paragon Road PUBLISHER Laura Roser EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brian C. Hailes ART DIRECTOR Marko Nedeljkovic DESIGN William Jenkins CONTENT DIRECTOR
Timothy Hutchinson
Tim Belber, Founder and Principal of The Alchemia Group Kevin Cashman, Senior Partner, CEO & Executive Development at Korn Ferry Kelin Gersick, Co-founder and a Senior Partner of Lansberg, Gersick & Associates Carew Papritz, Author of The Legacy Letters Jan Ridgely, CEO of United Charitable Yoskay Yamamoto, Illustrator, Artist, & Visionary at yoskay.com
Amanda Kelly Meg Oldman John Raith
Charity Navigator Paragon Road
Laura Roser
Share your product or service with thousands of financial professionals around the world through our digital magazine and main website. Email: advertising@paragonroad.com
Have a good idea for an article, feedback or suggestions for our magazine? Email the Content Director directly: william@paragonroad.com
What Is Legacy Arts Magazine?
Legacy Arts is dedicated to the journey of developing a great legacy and passing on non-financial assets (such as beliefs, values, & wisdom). It is produced by Paragon Road, the leader in meaning legacy planning. 6 LEGACY ARTS Issue 10 www.paragonroad.com
Note from the Editor
Finding Meaning Amongst the Chatter
W
e live in an era of distraction — buzzes, beeps, dings, pop-ups, Wikipedia tangents, news feeds, memes, videos of cats doing adorable things. It’s never ending. The average attention span is now 8 seconds (down from 12 seconds in 2000). Study after study shows that the typical person can’t resist the temptation of responding to a buzz from a smartphone or checking her Twitter account (constantly). Research by Gloria Mark at the University of California, Irvine, says the average office workers only get 11 continuous minutes to work on a task before an interruption. This isn’t only bad for productivity; it’s also bad for deeper thinking. To combat this problem, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong requires his executives to schedule at least 4 hours per week of uninterrupted “think time.” Whether you’re contemplating a business challenge or the meaning of life, it’s better done without distraction. Getting to the deeper meaning of things is difficult — if not impossible — when we’re slaves to this constant stimuli. I’ve interviewed many impressive people for Legacy Arts and, although there are exceptions, most express appreciation for the opportunity to think more deeply about their lives. I’ll ask them questions like, “What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?” and “What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind for the community and your family?” Even questions about their preferences — such as which types of music they like or books that changed their perspective — is something that many people don’t think about all that often. We tend to get to get stuck in a rut of responding to distractions: answering emails, picking up the kids from school,
chatting on Facebook, watching the trailer for the latest movie, responding to texts, going to meetings, and so on. But what about the deeper questions? What are all these distractions leading you towards? It’s worth spending some time thinking about why you do what you do and if there is a deeper purpose behind it. In this issue, we have some exceptional interviews and articles about people and their journeys through discovering deeper meaning. SVP of Fossil Group Ashley Nelson, for example, began incorporating yoga and meditation in her corporate and personal life and has seen its centering impact for herself and others. Yoskay Yamamoto came to the U.S. from Japan when he was a teenager. Although his family hoped he would choose a practical career, such as being a graphic designer, Yoskay pursued fine art and now exhibits his work in galleries. One of his most meaningful pieces was an installation in which visitors wrote on postcards because he believes there is something so special about receiving a physical letter. Alchemia Group Founder Tim Belber speaks about his methods for a heartfelt transfer of assets. Multi-generational business succession expert Kelin Gersick discusses his cultural observations of integrating the older generation. Author Carew Papritz speaks about his experience of writing a beautiful book about letters written from a father to his unborn child. The list goes on. In a life of distractions, it’s useful to occasionally ask, “What kind of impact will I make on the world?” All the best, Laura A. Roser Editor-in-Chief of Legacy Arts and CEO of Paragon Road
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FAMILY OF MAN T
hink of all the people you know, all the people you have ever met, and all the people you have ever seen. Now think of all the people they have ever known, seen, or met. How many generations do you suppose you would have to go back till all people living, or who have ever lived, are accounted for? Generation upon generation ago, some 3,500 generations, all the people you have known, seen, or met have ancestors who sat across the same campfire, shared their same meal, shared the same shelter, and harbored the same fears as your ancestors. Perhaps 3,500 generations ago, only 40 souls were found in all of the valleys, in all of the plains, in all of the mountains, in all of the jungles, in all of the islands, and in all of the places left on the vast expansive world. Imagine how all lives were precious and of vital need to each other. Each life was a hunter, a gatherer, a caregiver, a caretaker, a wisdom keeper, a teacher, a student, a babysitter, a source of solace, a fighter against oblivion, and no life was ever too small not to be needed. When we focus on our differences — a shade of melanin, a people’s faith or supreme being, a lifestyle, or a birth place — we curse our own ancient mothers who held your ancient self and kept you warm, kept you fed, and loved you … you. Celebrate differences. Learn from each other. Know that we are all far, far, far more alike than we are different. We are the family of man.n
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Timothy Hutchinson is a writer, historian, painter, avid reader, and former IT manager and nonprofit manager. He has been married 40 years, with two sons, a grandson, and another on the way.
Time’s Trick
Forty years went by in a blink of the eye Another Laguna sunset with Orange streaks in the blue sky My young bride smiles as I can’t help but stare My babies I bounce on my knee Are men now with wives and gray in their hair by Timothy Hutchinson LEGACY ARTS Issue 10 www.paragonroad.com 9
FAMILY LEGACY AND PASSING IT ON TO Multiple Generations An Interview with Carew Papritz About His Multi Award-winning Book, The Legacy Letters. LR: What gave you the idea
end. Twenty-five years had gone by since I had last seriously picked up the pen and, like a God-given for The Legacy Letters? divining rod, that pen roared back to life. For six CP: I was inspired to write The Legacy Letters months, I worked by day, washing in a horse trough, after an early mid-life crisis (best to have them cooking by campfire, and living in a tent. At night, I early!). I needed the opportunity to take my soul wrote by lantern light on the back of my pickup. out for a long walk. While working in Hollywood on feature films in the art department, I realized In a sense, I had come full circle. When I was that the celluloid bright-lights lifestyle I was living growing up, my grandfather had a small ranch in was making me materially richer but spiritually Washington State. And now, here I was, back on depleted. The long journey back to reclaim a ranch, working as a cowboy in the high my soul began with a series of “drivemountains of the Great Sonoran Desert. abouts” throughout the Western United Imagine a place where the stars are so Sates and ended up in a small bar in bright at night that they almost hurt your Southern Arizona. I asked an old cowboy if eyes. Imagine not seeing a soul for days on there was any work nearby, and he told end. Imagine what true quiet is — the me about a fencing job “far from the noise of wind and rain, coyotes and heck and gone.” birds, grass rustling, and the chink of the pickaxe against the hard soil. Thirty miles by dirt road, and without a house in sight, I ended up I had come back home to write at my job on the open range putting this book. This is where I reclaimed up post holes and barbed wire my soul and began the life I was fence — mostly alone for days on always supposed to live — but
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The Legacy Letters
never knew quite how to find. Only by giving up the security of everything I knew could I then begin to discover everything I was meant to know. The Legacy Letters was the genesis of this amazing journey that I am continuing to the present day.
LR: What did you personally
learn from writing it?
CP: I grew as an artist — as a writer. My rule became heart first, hammer second. If you write what you love, then you have to translate this love into words — and that is the craft of writing. You can have all the heart in the world but if you don’t have the craft — the ability to translate emotions and ideas into words — then forget being a writer. And the craft is tough — the rewriting, rewriting, and more rewriting to discover the perfect balance of words, clarity, and emotion. And craft takes time. More time than you would ever imagine to really become a good writer. What do you ultimately owe your audience? Your mastery of the craft of wielding words that excite, move, and inspire your readers.
Separated from his loved ones through tragic circumstances, a dying father discloses to us his most intimate and hopeful thoughts about life and love through private letters to his wife and children. Ultimately revealed within the letters is the father’s extraordinary emotional and spiritual journey. Writing with inspired clarity and passion, the father transforms his words of self-discovery and wisdom into the practical, moral, and spiritual guidebook for his children he’d never live to see and, for his wife, his redemptive act of love. Combining the best elements of such popular bestsellers as Tuesdays with Morrie, The Last Lecture, and Chicken Soup for the Soul, author Carew Papritz creates with his awardwinning book, The Legacy Letters, a timeless gift, filled with a hopeful, positive, and powerful message for all generations..Learn more at www.thelegacyletters.com
the book is extraordinary. People seem to be hungrier than ever to rediscover meaning in their lives, and the book seems to fill that need. In a 24/7 technology-filled world, where we’re living faster than ever, the book reminds people to slow down — a “go-slow” book filled with timeless ideas and values that never go out of fashion. I think another reason the book resonates so well with people is that it guides by example — the same way the father in the book uses his life stories as examples of how to live — how not to live. But what really fills me with wonder is the way people will open up to me, with countless amazing, beautiful, and powerful stories about their life’s trials and tribulations. The honesty with which I was inspired LR: How has it helped others? to write the book now become the gift of honesty Do you have any specific examples? returned — an ever-fantastic journey of revelation CP: The response I receive from people who read that continually humbles this author. I grew as a person and found I was becoming a philosopher (something I never dreamed I would become). When you leave the everyday world to become the lone cowboy on a desolate ranch in the high mountains of the Sonoran Desert, you begin to realize what it means to really live life to its fullest. The solitude, the aloneness, teaches you about yourself in the most fundamental way imaginable. And when you write about the most essential practical, moral, and spiritual issues in one’s life, with words that must contain the deepest of emotions and wisdom and humility, you cannot help but be changed by the experience.
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LR: Do you believe it is important for parents or grandparents to have their own version of The Legacy Letters to pass on wisdom to the next generations? CP: I love Valentine’s Day because I get to get on my soapbox and orate about the importance of writing a “real” Valentine’s Day letter. What holds true for a Valentine’s letter holds true for a legacy letter —they are both written for love and with honestly. Here’s what I wrote recently about why all generations still need to write letters — love or otherwise . . . “Why do you need to send a letter? A letter takes time. Your time. And your time becomes part of the letter — part of the gift you give to your partner. For time is not a thing you can buy. It’s the most precious part of our lives to give to one another. Real romance takes time. It’s not instant. There’s a dance involved, and the dance of love take time. All of that time and dance and love is woven into this love letter of yours. To then give to the person you love. Letters are real. They are made of paper and the paper holds the time that you place into the words. And the paper can be held. It is humansized and made for hands to hold and touch. It is not electronic or made of electrons. And because letters are real, they can be saved and cherished for a long time. And you can always feel the person in the way they write. Over and over again. Now if that isn’t romantic, I don’t know what is. Besides, who saves a love text and prints it out? Or a love e-mail? You get the point.”
Carew Papritz is the bestselling author of the five-time award winning book, The Legacy Letters. Though fictional, The Legacy Letters has won acclaim as a life lessons book for all generations, gaining the distinction of being the only book in publishing history to win awards in both fiction and nonfiction categories. A Renaissance Man in an age that lauds the specialist, The Huffington Post says Papritz “intrigues and enlightens, charms and catalyzes change for every reader.” Carew loves to speak to groups about all aspects of “living a legacy life.” To learn more or about Carew or to have him speak to your group, please visit: www.carewpapritz.com As part of his many innovative and adventurous first-ever book signings, Carew truly lives his book’s central message to “live life to the fullest” while signing books from the top of volcanoes to the back of horses. These events and other YouTube videos, such as the “I Love to Read” series and his annual literacy-driven charity event, “The Great Book Balloon Launch,” inspire kids and adults to rediscover the joy of reading! Find his videos at: http://bit.ly/CarewPapritz_YouTube_Channel
Creating “Legacy Moments.” Moments that contain the deepest of meaning, happiness, and thoughtfulness. And by creating these moments, we once again become true to ourselves. These moments can be as small as smelling a flower after a summer rainstorm or as amazing as holding hands with your lover atop the Eiffel Tower. We forget how LR: What kind of legacy do easy it is to create meaning in our lives. It’s so easy you hope to leave behind? and doesn’t cost a thing except to make a decision. CP: I’ve really thought long and hard these last And that decision is to live your life to the fullest. years about the meaning of legacy. I’ve never been satisfied with just the leaving behind philosophy And when you stack up enough of these “legacy of it. That’s why I choose to think of legacy as how moments,” you will have created a legacy life. A life you live now. truly worth living and a life truly remembered as well lived. Sometimes I will talk to groups about my legacy “Regret Test.” Imagine that you are now 95 years Lastly, I was asked two questions in a recent old and are looking back at your life. What regrets interview. The first was, “What advice would you give would you have? to your younger self?” I answered, “I wouldn’t give him advice. I would give him a big pat on the back and And now imagine being your age at this moment even bigger thank you for staying true to himself for and watching the beginning of these-regrets-to-be. all these years.” That’s a wake-up call to change your life. To get living now! At the end of this game called life, you better The second was, “For your own reading, do you have more delights than you do regrets. prefer e-books or traditional paper/hard back books?” I answered, “I’m biased. I like my football in So live your legacy now. It’s not just capturing the the fall, my Scotch to come from Scotland, and my moments in your life but creating the moments. books to be made of paper.”n
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CREATING A Philanthropic TM LegacyTODAY An Interview with Jan Ridgely, CEO of United Charitable
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I
met Jan at a charity awards event in San Diego, California, last year. Shortly afterwards, we had a call about her work and the advantages of Donor Advised Funds. I knew I had to invite her to be interviewed for the Legacy Arts magazine. Whether you have millions of dollars to give away or much less than that, Jan and her organization have worked with givers of all sizes and with all kinds of visions.
LR: What personally got you started in this
business and why is it so important to you?
JR: My parents were social pioneers. Both my mom and my dad have their PhDs — my mom’s is in early childhood education, and my dad’s is in economics. Mom was a trailblazer in the early days of child care for low-income, working families. Dad focused on philanthropy, and he created what would eventually become United Charitable. Dad spent innumerable hours walking the halls of Congress during the 1970s, pushing for legislation that would allow ordinary folks to create philanthropic initiatives, instead of allowing old models of private foundations from reserving such activities for the mega-wealthy. After a career in the early days of the IT/tech boom, I spent the 1990s raising my two children, earning a master’s degree and living overseas for several years. Settling back into life in America, I started helping in the family business, which at that point was a comprehensive philanthropic services charity bringing in $20MM per year. I literally learned the business from the ground up, supporting the myriad operational challenges of running a complex, national organization. It allowed me to combine my early career in marketing and communications and product/brand management with the mission orientation of a thriving non-profit.
When Congress created the Pension Protection Act of 2006, I was in the right place at the right time. For the first time, Congress strictly defined donor advised funds and required a separation of fiscally sponsored programs and donor advised funds. We were one of the few national independent charities to offer both. Taking quick action to conform to the new rules, I became an expert on this aspect of the Pension Protection Act and took on a more prominent leadership role in the organization. One thing led to another and, with the retirement of my parents and a re-organization of our business plan following the Great Recession, I am now the CEO of a national, public charity devoted to helping philanthropists and charitable program managers to grow and thrive.
LR: Why is a philanthropic component so important to someone’s legacy? JR: I believe strongly that the world is a better place when we give, rather than hold and horde. So much has been written about the personal, communal, and even spiritual benefits of giving that confirms my own view that people have an inherent need to “do” something to try to make the world a better place for others. And I am in a position to help make that happen in very practical, do-able ways. It very much is a personal mission for me.
LR: How do you involve family or the younger generation in your philanthropic vision? JR: I know from experience about the power of learning philanthropy at the dinner table. It was our family business and our family mission at the same time. With five family members working together for decades, we saw everything — the ups and downs, shared (and sometimes differing) values, fights and make-ups — and it played out through all the intergenerational dynamics at home, in the office, down the block, and at every family gathering. This experience truly helps me in counseling our donors and program managers about their personal mission, values, and family dynamics, which can be fraught with emotion, and
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ultimately one of the best tools to inform one’s philanthropy. Getting along in the world is, after all, learned from family. So, to me, it makes sense that helping others through philanthropy also may be informed by the family experience. With so many families engaging multiple generations in giving, it raises some interesting needs. Being a business woman, daughter of a founder, manager, mother, and nonprofit executive with fiduciary duties, I bring it all to the table — board table or dining table — to help our donors and program managers do their best, find their niche and excel in it, and engage those they care about in a shared vision.
LR: Do you have to start big with philanthropy? How do you start smaller and baby-step your way to something bigger? JR: United Charitable has one of the most accessible platforms available in the market for practicing philanthropy. We have very low thresholds for our donor advised funds: $1,000 to open a donor advised fund in cash and $25,000 for your donor advised fund to be invested in the market. And you get to keep your existing financial advisor! We have always believed that philanthropy is for everyone, and we are uniquely capable of helping folks to create their philanthropic legacy from the ground up — we call it LegacyTODAYTM and we created it as a flexible tool that can be customized for any age and any stage of life.
LR: Do you have an example or two of a family or private wealth holder who has used a donor advised fund to do something exceptional?
Jan Ridgely, CEO of United Charitable, aligns mission and passion with sound financial and estate planning partners to create integrated, approachable plans for clients and donors who want to create their LegacyTODAYTM. United Charitable is a public charity that manages donor advised funds and charitable programs, enabling people of all ages and stages of life to have a charitable impact, locally, nationally, and globally. To find out more about LegacyTODAYTM, please visit www.unitedcharitable.org
JR: We have so many examples that come to mind. Most recently, we met with a family that came into a windfall of several million dollars — it completely changed their lives. They had distinct ideas for the philanthropy they wanted to practice, but didn’t know where to start. They figured out quickly that they did not want the burden and expense of a private foundation. We educated them about the flexibility and low cost of a donor advised fund, and we are working with them closely to ensure that their goals are met in an effective and efficient manner that will also involve their children and grandchildren. For donors farther along their philanthropic journey, we recently created a unique hybrid program out of a donor advised fund within a charitable remainder trust that, while it is more complex, will allow their chosen advisor and multiple generations to actively engage in both targeted giving and program management that they are finding truly rewarding. And, finally, there is the poet who came to America searching for adventure and ended up a celebrated scholar of Spanish language literature both here and back home. After successful academic careers, he and his wife, a noted artist in multiple media, came to United Charitable to help create and manage a scholarship program for future poets, writers, and artists to share and promote the beauty and wisdom of Spanish language culture to all the countries of the Americas. These are just a few of the many stories of impact that inspire us among our donors and program managers. These examples speak to the importance of creating a legacy during your lifetime – a LegacyTODAYTM, because it’s not about leaving a legacy, it’s about living your legacy!n
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How Will You Change Th Make The Most Impact With Charity
Animals
l Animal Rights, Welfare, and Services l Wildlife Conservation l Zoos and Aquariums
Education
l Early Childhood Programs and Services l Youth Education Programs and Services l Adult Education Programs and Services l Special Education l Education Policy and Reform Scholarship and Financial Support
Community Development l l l l
United Ways Jewish Federations Community Foundations Housing and Neighborhood Development
Arts, Culture, Humanities l Libraries, Historical Societies and Landmark Preservation l Museum l Performing Arts l Public Broadcasting and Media
Resources for Intelligent Giving: www.charitynavigat
he World?
International
Navigator
l Development and Relief Services l International Peace, Security, and Affairs l Humanitarian Relief Supplies
Environment
l Environmental Protection and Conservation l Botanical Gardens, Parks, and Nature Centers
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l Diseases, Disorders, and Disciplines l Patient and Family Support l Treatment and Prevention Services l Medical Research
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tor.org
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l Religious Activities l Religious Media and Broadcasting
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l Children’s and Family Services l Youth Development, Shelter, and Crisis Services l Food Banks, Food Pantries, and Food Distribution l Multipurpose Human Service Organizations l Homeless Services l Social Services
Re-Imagining Success Yoskay Yamamoto Finds His True Creative Way As a Fine Artist
By Meg Oldman
Y
oskay Yamamoto is the creator of a world of whimsy and tenderness. The hues of blues play artfully with faces, which appear on clay pots, on houses, and even emerging from ocean waves. As Yamamoto describes, his work involves two significant aspects: “My goal as an artist, at the moment, is if I can lighten up or brighten up somebody’s day. If I can put a smile on somebody’s face, I think did my job as an artist.”
Humble Beginnings Yamamoto’s world is shaped by his culture and family. He grew up in the small, seaside town of Toba, Japan. He came to California to study abroad at the age of 15. Originally, he was going to stay through high school; that plan became community college, followed by study of art and graphic design. A three-month internship in Southern California with a mentor, David Flores, who owned a gallery, drew him away from the commercial aspects of graphic design and into the creation of fine art
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instead. His mentor liked what he saw in Yamamoto’s new work; subsequently, Yamamoto participated in an art show at the gallery where he sold the first piece of his own work. Yamamoto decided this way of creative expression was the one he wanted to pursue, rather than the commercial work for which he was trained.
as a fine artist and still support himself. Originally, he told her he was studying to be a graphic designer; his change of direction into creating fine art works led to her to be hesitant about his choice of pursuit. Yamamoto sent her clippings of his successes and images of his works of art. “In the beginning, my mother kind of worried about me.”
Reflections of His Heritage and Family
Yamamoto carries his heritage with him from Japan as well. “I still like to consider myself, as in, like, in Japanese mentalities when it comes to craftsmanship, like working with hands. I think, in those terms, my heritage could appear in my art.” He realizes that only by stepping away
As parents are wont to do when their children are old enough to leave home, Yamamoto’s mother worried about him being able to make his way
from his own culture and family can he truly appreciate and embrace, “how precious and important it is to your roots or background, my friends, my mom, my mom’s cooking.” He found himself missing the simple things, such as family meals, once he was away from his home. He particularly remarked on missing the type of food cooked by someone who cares for him, such as his mom. Yamamoto seeks to bring that appreciation into his work. He puts the skills he learned in Japan to good use, and his ability to work with detailed, fine woodworking, and intricate painting shows in all his creations.
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Yamamoto’s Art Much of Yoskay’s work consists of geometrically constructed boxes, delightfully arranged, with personal-like items inside, and painted backgrounds of shades of lighter blues, bubbles, clouds, and portraits, to name a few. Then there are the pots with faces on them, painted in bright yellows, whites, and more, with plants growing in them; he calls them, humorously, “Potheads.” The most powerful influence in his work lies within the boundaries of an installation he built in the Vincent Price Gallery in Los Angeles. Inspired by the handwritten letters he received from his mother and grandma, he constructed a small house, 8’ x 8’, in which he included personal items, both from his home and his studio. The front of the house bears a simple face which adds to the personal feel of the installation; the overall effect has a
wistful, dreamy quality; the décor calls one to the main purpose of the house: a desk with postcards and writing tools. Visitors are encouraged to sit down and write a postcard home or to friends; the idea is to reconnect with loved ones far away in a traditional way: through handwriting a postcard, which then is mailed outside the house in a mailbox with a raised, red flag on it; his idea is the red flag is truly American. There is even a vending machine with stamps in it, entitled, “hope it will reach you eventually.” The installation attracted many visitors who responded to the desire to communicate through handwritten words. Current technology is leading away from the method of traditional writing; this trend makes the concept behind Yoskay’s installation a particularly poignant one.
Blending Cultural Influences and Imagery There is much symbolism at play in Yamamoto’s artwork; for instance, the moon is present in many of
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its phases. The relationship among the moon, sky, and water has deep meaning for the artist. The sense of longing and loss is palpable in much of the artist’s imagery, as well; for instance, the portraits of the women rising up through ocean waves carry that sense of being parted for loved ones and family. At the same time, there is the delightful, playful quality to Yamamoto’s works of art.
A Lasting Legacy Yamamoto sees his lasting legacy will be expressed in creating sculptures, as big as he can make them, for placement in public venues. This way, he can draw people into his world for their ultimate pleasure and reflection. He wants to communicate with others: despite the difficulties and challenges we all face in life, vision, delight, and play are some of the tools with which we can bring meaning to ourselves. Yamamoto brings those qualities to his work and shares them with all whose lives he touches.n
Born and raised in Toba, Japan, Yoskay Yamamoto moved to the United States at the age of 15. A selftrained illustrator, Yamamoto’s artistic tastes expanded as he fell in love with the urban culture of the West Coast. Yamamoto discovered a way to fuse the two different cultural backgrounds together into his work. Yamamoto nostalgically blends pop iconic characters from his new Western home with traditional and mythical Japanese elements, balancing his Asian heritage with urban pop art. To see more, visit yoskay.com.
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Why It’s Easy to Lose FAMILY MEMORIES (Even If You Capture Them) by Laura A. Roser
G
rowing up, I had a friend who became obsessed with scrapbooking. In high school, I remember going to her house, and she proudly showed me rows of family albums. She’d pull one from the shelf and say, “This was the year I was born.” Or “Here’s first grade.” She’d open the massive book and point to a class photo. You could pick her out immediately. She was the one with a winning smile and her signature curly brown hair finished with a perky pink bow. “There you are.” She’d point to the girl awkwardly standing in the back with blond bangs almost covering her eyes. “Look how cute you were.” A part of me thought it was a little odd that she was doing this in high school. Wasn’t she supposed to be hanging out with friends or obsessing over boys or something? But another part of me thought it was pretty amazing.
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My memory archiving consisted of old spelling tests, strange drawings of ducks I did when I was four, random photos, and unfinished journals stuffed in a see-through plastic container my mom had bought at some discount store. “I’ll get around to scrapbooking when I’m a grandmother,” my mother would say, while my dad would set up the camera every Christmas and take videos of us opening presents and follow us around at every soccer game and family event like he was our own personal paparazzi. By the time I had reached high school, my parents had boxes and boxes of photos of my siblings and me. As well as mini tapes with countless hours of video. And hard drives with gigabites of data. None of it was organized. None of it was accessible. And if I wanted to find my class photo in first grade, it would take me hours, if I even found it at all. I’ve spent years trying to find one set of my baby photos that mysteriously disappeared when my mother put them in a “safe place.” Every time I visit my parents, I look again without luck.
It’s great that my parents had the foresight to capture moments of us growing up and to store those for the future, but this barrage of information is overwhelming. I don’t want to spend hours viewing videos of me kicking a soccer ball around. Or watch recital after recital of me singing with a giant sunflower on my head. Not to mention, all the effort that’s involved in acquiring a VHS player or the proper projector. And what about as I get older? Will my kids or grandkids even understand the significance of any of these memories?
The Novel of Your Life Have you ever had the experience of digging through a box of old family photos – you know, ones from a few generations ago with black and white people with serious expressions? They’re neat, but how do you identify which one was your great-grandmother? After a while, these snapshots become meaningless because no one organized them or told of their significance. In order for your memories to last, you have to consciously extract the moments that had the most impact and explain what meaning they had for you. Of course, you don’t want to do this with every photo or Facebook post or YouTube video because you’d be bogged down with way too much information and your family would get sick of reading about what you ate for breakfast.
In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell said, “When you reach an advanced age and look back over your lifetime, it can seem to have had a consistent order and plan, as though composed by some novelist. Events that when they occurred had seemed accidental and of little moment turn out to have been indispensable factors in the composition of a consistent plot.” So, a lot of what makes memories great is perspective. It’s being able to look back and pick out those plot points that have composed the novel of your life. This can be tough – especially if you haven’t reached an advanced age or don’t really have enough perspective to see the inner workings of your own personal novel yet. But there are strategies to bring out these points and to keep refining this personal novel, now and in the future, no matter your age or state in life. So that what you pass on isn’t a bunch of spelling tests from grade school that have no significance or boxes and boxes of information that will be thrown out when you die. You want the highlights. You want the wisdom you attained. You want the lessons you learned. You want to pass on the best parts of yourself. Because those parts not only make your life more meaningful, they also become a source of strength and understanding for your family.
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Laura A. Roser is the founder and CEO of Paragon Road, the #1 authority in meaning legacy planning. For more information about meaning legacy planning services, visit www.paragonroad.com.
Questions to Add Perspective You may not always know what’s important as you’re going through an experience, but adding some perspective-enhancing questions will help with the process. As far as what you do with the information after you’ve asked the questions, that’s up to you. But I’d recommend keeping a journal, posting it on a website that makes it easy to archive, and save your most-important memories (which probably isn’t Facebook or Instagram, unless you’re really disciplined in what you post and you don’t care about privacy), or turning it into a video or book. When you’re archiving memories, you’ll want to look at the distant past, the not-so-distant past, and the current time.
Distant Past Questions The distant past is easier to put into perspective. Here are some questions to get you started: l What was your very first memory? l What period or event can you pinpoint as the happiest time of your childhood? l What have been the best times of your life so far? l What have been the best learning experiences so far? l What is your favorite possession and why? l What are your most cherished memories? l What was your most romantic moment?
Not-So-Distant Past Questions Consider what has happened to you over the last year and think about these questions: l What is the most significant thing that has happened in my life over the past year? l What stage am I at in my life and how is that impacting my viewpoints?
l What seemed important to me a few months ago that is no longer important? (You probably won’t archive this, but it will get you to start filtering events with a higher level of awareness as they happen.)
Current Events Questions These are questions to ask as you’re going through an experience. l In 100 years, when someone is reading about me, will this memory matter? (This one’s tricky, because what seems trivial — like how sweet the flowers smell when you walk to visit your lover — could seem insignificant now, but may be a beautiful detail when you talk about visiting your husband-to-be in the future.) l How can I make the most of what’s happening right now? What significance does it have? (i.e. a vacation, a hike, going to school, or other event) Not every event needs to have significance, and you don’t need to manufacture it. But there are places and times when everything seems to click. You know, when you are around a table with your friends, laughing and joking, and the night unfolds in an almost magical way. Or the times when the opposite happens — when you’re on your way to work, you get a flat tire, the tow truck is two hours late, someone helps you on the side of the road, and says one sentence that burns into your mind and changes your perspective forever. It’s those small moments. Those moments of reflection that make up the novel of your life. Your life’s novel isn’t significant because of the events that took place. It’s significant because of you and how those events shaped your inner development and choices. Don’t let pieces that make up the novel of your life get lost in your head, in a folder on DropBox, or at the bottom of a see-through plastic container under stacks of minutiae. Craft it into something beautiful that your family will want to read or look at some day.n
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ENDURING There are families of enduring greatness. They have achieved excellence in times past, yet continue to pursue what made them great. They have stories to tell. They embody high character, are celebrated throughout history and loved by all who know them.
What’s your legacy?
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How Are You Going to Be When You Grow Up?
The Question Kevin Cashman Believes We Should Ask All Young People by Laura A. Roser
“I
think there’s a fundamental flaw in how we look at careers,” best-selling author and well-recognized leadership consultant, Kevin Cashman says. “We shouldn’t be asking kids what they are going to be when they grow up. We should be asking them how they are going to be when they grow up.” “It’s not about being a fireman or a real estate agent, it’s about becoming in tune with who you are, where your passions lie, and pursing a career that helps you to become the kind of person you’d like to be.” Cashman has always been fascinated by human development. As a teenager, he studied philosophy, psychology and comparative religions. Soon he was meditating regularly. This habit of meditation and the pursuit of a spiritual life has followed him his entire career. “I find it humorous that some people try to split off spirituality from business,” he says. To Cashman, it’s all intertwined. In the early days of adulthood, he pursued a degree in psychology from St. John’s University. He also began mastering and then teaching transcendental mediation.
An Endless Fascination with the Growth of Leaders As Cashman’s education progressed and he began to work in the business world, he became engrossed with how to grow leaders. What he found is that great leaders knew how to focus on the larger purpose of an organization, not just profits. They also cared for the development of others and themselves, not just their business leadership skills. Now he consults with some of the top leaders in the world, spreading his guiding principle: “Grow the whole person to grow the whole leader.” Mr. Cashman has written six books including Awakening the Leader Within and Leadership from the Inside Out, named the #1 best-selling business book of 2000 by CEOREAD and is now used at over 150 universities globally. A new third edition with two new chapters will come out in Fall 2017. The Pause Principle: Step Back to Lead Forward, has been recognized as a Business Book of the Year finalist by both ForeWord Reviews and CEO-READ. He is also a senior partner at the global talent consulting firm Korn Ferry which touches the lives of 100,000+ leaders every month. When I commented on Mr. Cashman’s outstanding achievements, he said, “I tell my clients they should put bios aside. The real way to learn about a person is to interview their family.”
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Advice to the 20-Somethings Kevin’s years of struggle, triumph, growth, and wisdom can be distilled as these six life lessons:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Know your gifts. Know your passions. Bring them together to serve. Care more about significance than success. Endeavor to be healthy and fit your whole life. People will not remember your achievements. They’ll remember how you made them feel.
Life is short. Do something you’re passionate about now. Know the difference between serving vs. being served and loving vs. being loved.
Cashman prefers a core purpose statement on how your gifts serve others versus a legacy statement on how others may remember you. His core purpose statement is: Using creativity and inspiration to foster transformative growth.n
Kevin Cashman is a best-selling author, top-ten thought leader, keynote speaker, global CEO coach and pioneer of the “grow the whole person to grow the whole leader” approach to transformative leadership. He is the founder of LeaderSource Ltd and the Chief Executive Institute™, recognized as one of the top three leadership development programs globally. In 2006, LeaderSource joined Korn Ferry, where Kevin is now Senior Partner, CEO, & Executive Development. Kevin has advised thousands of senior executives and senior teams in more than 60 countries worldwide. He is an accomplished thought leader on topics of personal, team, and organizational transformation. He has written six books (some best-sellers) and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Chief Executive, Human Resource Executive, Fast Company, Strategy & Leadership, Directors & Boards Magazine, and other national media. He is a leadership columnist for Forbes.com and has been named as one of the Top 10 Thought Leaders globally by Leadership Excellence and one of the Top Ten Executive Coaches by GlobalGurus.org. Kevin was recently given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Executive Search Consultants for his contribution in transforming the recruiting industry through leadership development. He loves stories and consumes them whenever he can in documentaries, books, and films.
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Tony La Russa: How One Cat Changed Everything “A Legacy of People Rescuing Animals … and Animals Rescuing People.” by Amanda Kelly
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or over two decades, the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) has worked to strengthen the vision of founder and Major League Hall of Famer, Tony La Russa, to rescue animals from disadvantaged circumstances and give them a second chance at life. The story about how ARF got its start is almost legendary. In May 1990, a stray tortoise-shell cat interrupted a televised game between the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics. Soon afterward La Russa, then-manager of Oakland, and his wife, Elaine, discovered that not a single no-kill shelter existed in the Bay Area. Knowing the animal would likely be euthanized, the couple took it upon themselves to find it a new home. Their experience and passion for helping animals led them to co-found ARF a year later. ARF’s Executive Director, Elena Bicker, says, “When Tony found that cat on the field back in 1990, he had no idea this organization would grow to the level it has.”
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Making a Career out of Making a Difference Bicker came to ARF as a volunteer in 1993. It was a time when she still had aspirations to climb the corporate ladder. She volunteered for five years, assisting in fundraising efforts and serving as a puppy-foster home, before she took a sabbatical from her position at GE Capital to begin full-time work in animal welfare. “The truth is I never looked back after I started,” she says. “The need is too great, and you make a difference every single day. Sometimes that’s better than a retirement plan.” Bicker said that the single most important task ARF accomplishes each year also speaks to its core mission, and that is “People Rescuing Animals … Animals Rescuing People®.” Programs such as Pets for Vets, Pet Hug Pack, and more work to strengthen the humananimal bond not only to better people’s lives, but also to save the life of an animal. To date, the charity has re-homed more than 35,000 dogs and cats rescued from kill-shelters. “We take animals from some of the most horrific situations and bring their unconditional love to people in disadvantaged circumstances,” Bicker says. “This gives the animal an opportunity to have a career of helping people.”
Sustaining La Russa’s Legacy To establish a lasting legacy, Bicker says she prioritizes making ARF a solid, recognizable brand, as well as maintaining high levels of integrity. Her efforts have yielded good results, too.
Anthony “Tony” La Russa, Jr. made his MLB debut in 1963 and has continued to have a lasting impact on major league baseball to the present. During his tenure as manager of the Oakland A’s, La Russa led the team to three consecutive American League championships and the 1989 World Series title. In 2014, La Russa was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. At present, he serves as chief baseball analyst for the Arizona Diamondbacks. La Russa and his wife have two daughters, Bianca and Devon, and they reside in Alamo, California. Elena Bicker is the Executive Director of the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF). Bicker oversees the $6.5 million dollar day-to-day operations of the 37,700 square foot facility. She provides leadership to more than 100 employees and 600 volunteers for this national organization. Prior to following her dream into animal welfare, she spent 11 years with GE Capital. She resides in Danville, California, with her husband, her Labrador, and her Golden Retriever.
For nine-consecutive years, Charity Navigator, the nation’s top charity evaluator, has ranked ARF a fourstar charitable organization — a feat accomplished by only two percent of charities nationwide. “You want to contribute to an organization that you know is going to be there today, and be there tomorrow,” she says. “Because we all want to make a difference that has a lasting impression.” As far as cultivating and expanding the reach of La Russa’s original vision, ARF continues to work to provide state-of-the-art programs that enable animals to live out their natural life span. “The biggest thing is that all of Tony’s work over the years has reached a point of sustainability,” Bicker says. “That’s probably the best gift we could give him. He worked hard to create something beautiful, and it will be successful for many years to come.” For more information about ARF, its programs, or adoption services, visit www.arflife.org. n
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Passing on a Meaningful
INHERITANCE
Tim Belber, Founder and Principal of the Alchemia Group, addresses the tricky question of how to effectively pass on wealth through the generations. by John Raith
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hen Tim Belber graduated from Wharton, he went to work for a life insurance company doing business and estate planning services on the east coast at the age of 22. It was intimidating to the young man, but he quickly learned by working with entrepreneurs ranging, as he described, “All the way from a scrap metal business, to people who managed mailing lists, to magazines like The Economist” and subsequently found a love for helping people craft plans that were going to impact the coming generation. Tim went to night school and got a law degree in order to be better equipped to help his clients with their inheritance issues. He continued working with clients in the same way he’d been taught until, one day, he was talking with a family that needed help modifying their inheritance plans to accommodate the youngest member of the family getting married along with a subsequent restructuring. At the end of the conversation, they told him, “You know, we hate talking about this kind of stuff, but at least you’re pleasant to be around.” In that moment he noticed that he’d become a necessary evil in someone’s life and that just wasn’t the profession he wanted. Then Tim met Scott Fithian and Jay Hughes. Through their help and tutelage, he had an epiphany and changed his outlook on advising clients. He change from his old attitude, which was more like, “Worry about the things creeping up behind you” and “If you don’t work with me, all kinds of bad things will happen to your family.” Now he was advising families to look ahead and do what’s meaningful, will have impact, and create a legacy you will be truly proud of. From there the seeds of what would become the Alchemia Group were born.
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Primarily working with the group he calls G1’s, or the primary wealth creators/owners, Tim’s mission is “to help families construct multi-generational plans that are based on the people first, then using the assets to drive the goals for the people, both future and present generations.” Inspired by a conversation that he had with another family,
he started asking, “Wouldn’t you like to know that every member of your family always has a place to live, food to eat, and access to medical care, including mental issues and substance abuse issues?” With that question in mind, he built a way to help figure out what the needs and wants of a particular family are for their future generations and how to effectively put them into action.
How Much Is Enough? After years of helping families plan their inheritance, Tim noticed a quote credited to Warren Buffet, “Leave enough so the children can do anything but not so much that they don’t have to do something.” This sentiment was becoming the focus of the families that he worked with. This sage advice generally led to more pain than progress when, in Tim’s observations, the families chose to focus in on the negative consequences of handing their children money could have. From this, he developed four simple questions to help focus people on creating a legacy that is not fear based, but focused on future growth.
Since 1978, Tim Belber has been working with, “self made families, offering them a different, more expansive way of thinking about wealth.” Through his experiences he founded The Alchemia Group in Denver, whose aim is, “helping our clients think and act differently in regards to their wealth and its impact on their family.” He gives seminars for groups like the Purposeful Planning Institute, and has written the book The Middle Way, available on Amazon and in discerning book shops.
the theme of being mindful multiple generations out, but starts to scratch the surface of what kind of ethic they want their family members to live by.
Finally, number four, “If the world is to be a healthy place with healthy people in it, what is required?” nails home that we are all part of an interconnected system, and the impact that a family has goes beyond simply protecting what they have. These questions form the The first, “What do you want your children, basis for a meaningful inheritance that Tim then uses to grandchildren, and beyond to feel, think, and say when build a plan for the deployment of assets in a way that they hear your name?” leaves things open ended fits the family’s vision.n enough for people to answer in their own words, but focuses people on their intentions. Number two, “What do you want every member of your family to always have?” focuses them further, intentionally making them think about the necessities their future family members shouldn’t have to spend time struggling to get access to. The third, “What opportunities do you want your children, grandchildren, and beyond to have?” continues
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HONORING
Our Elders
How the U.S. Compares to the Middle East, Latin American, and Asia by Laura A. Roser
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usiness succession expert Kelin E. Gersick has consulted with families from all over the world. “All families have much in common,” he says, “but they vary in important ways.” One way he mentions is the status and attention given to the old versus the young. In American culture, we tend to value youth, for their new ideas, energy, ambition, and independence. In other cultures — such as the Middle East, Asia, and some parts of Latin America — the older generation is more honored for their wisdom and experience. Both cultural tendencies present challenges for the role of the senior generation in the last third of their lives.
Utilizing the Older Generation In the age-respecting cultures, seniors may hold on to organizational power too long, and the voices of the rising middle-aged generation get frustrated. In the youth-focused cultures, seniors may be expected to disappear after handing over the reins. “In many cases, the older generation is active, healthy, and vibrant. Every decade, the average number of healthy years expands. They don’t want to go play golf every day,” Gersick says. “They want to be productive for decades, beyond the time when it’s appropriate for the next generation to assume organizational leadership and authority.” We don’t have good models for all generations — young and old — to work together well in those ages. Creating a life structure for the senior generation to grow, thrive, and actively contribute is something Gersick is passionate about. He hopes to find solutions for these highly competent seniors to make an impact on the businesses they built while encouraging the growth of the upcoming generation.
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There’s a lot of wisdom there. A lot of passion. And a generation who aren’t quite done yet.n
Kelin Gersick, Ph.D. is a Management Fellow at the Yale School of Organization and Management, and Professor Emeritus of Organizational Psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology. He is also co-founder and a senior partner of Lansberg, Gersick & Associates, a research and consulting firm in New Haven, Connecticut, that serves family businesses, family offices, and family foundations.
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MINDFULNESS IN Business, at Home, and in the Community Ashley Nelson, SVP Americas at Fossil Group, on the Pursuit of Something More by Laura A. Roser
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shley never thought she’d be the devoted yoga type. She was far too practical. Far too busy. After all, she had a family to care for, an intense travel schedule, and an entire division to manage over at the Fossil Group. Then something happened. It was gradual, really. An emptiness that slowly filled her. She found herself wondering, is this all there is? She’d become successful in her career and loved her family, but this nagging emptiness wouldn’t subside. Certainly life had more meaning, didn’t it? And then she discovered meditation and yoga. “I wasn’t clear how yoga would satisfy that precisely,” she says, “but I just felt drawn, and as my practice deepened, it was clear that it was hitting a chord that resonated. Any type of spiritual practice that offers a deeper connection between mind, body, and soul can have a profound impact on our relationship to all that we experience, if we are open to listen.”
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That was almost 15 years ago and the beginning of Ashley’s path toward a deeper connection with herself and the world. At Fossil Ashley has been leading meditation, mindfulness, and yoga workshops to small groups across the Americas for several years. “Integrating the principles and benefits of mindfulness into Fossil and our corporate communities,” Ashley says, “is something that I believe in strongly as a way
Ashley Nelson is the Senior Vice President Sales Americas at Fossil Group. She is focused on leading, developing, and empowering a 100+ executive team to achieve over $1B in revenues across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Latin America for the Fossil Group. She’s also a certified yoga instructor, mother, wife, and mindfulness practitioner. Ashley serves on the Board of the Fossil Foundation and Girls in the Game. She loves traveling with her family and often takes special vacations with her children. Ashley’s next trip is to Switzerland, and her 18-year-old daughter is joining her.
to drive innovation, reinvention, collaboration, and productivity — ultimately one of the most important ingredients to facilitate transformation of leadership, corporate culture, and impact.”
What Teaching at a Prison Taught Her Whenever she can, Ashley teaches yoga and meditation at the local women’s prison. The first time she went to the prison, she was apprehensive and nervous. She thought she was there to teach them something, but realized, after the hour long class, what they taught her was far more valuable.
offered this definition from Jon Kabat-Zinn, the father of mindfulness based stress reduction programs (MBSR) taught worldwide: To pay attention, on purpose, to the present moment, without judgment, exercising a certain type of awareness. Being mindful isn’t always easy. Juggling work, home, and other responsibilities tend to create an environment of discord, if we’re not careful. “Pushing the pause button,” as she calls it, has been Ashley’s key to peacefully and joyfully embracing life as it comes —with all its ups and downs.
When asked about what kind of legacy she’d like “Sometimes our greatest lessons can be learned from people who might surprise us,” Ashley says. to leave behind for her family and community, “I learned about judgment, resiliency, compassion, Ashley says, “I hope to make an impact in this world by offering people a path that unlocks and about how closely connected we all are.” potential and transforms lives. By practicing mindfulness and integrating it into daily life, we On Mindfulness become more connected to ourselves and to each As Ashley has continued her journey of inner other. We are able to exercise actions rooted in development, mindfulness has taken a larger role insight, acceptance, and compassion, enhancing in her personal life and as a business leader. When productivity, empowerment, collaboration, and asked about what mindfulness means to her, Ashley positive outcomes for ourselves and our world.”
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Timeless Wisdom:
The Golden Mean Living Between Extremes by Laura A. Roser
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f you eat too much, you get fat and sick and die. If concept of eating in moderation so complicated. There you eat too little, you waste away and die. The key will always be a debate about what the proper balance is. is eating the right amount of the right foods. This The idea of living in moderation is found in many leads to health, vitality, and a long life. different religions and philosophical ideologies around Of course, the questions then arise, “What is the right the world. In the Western world, Aristotle is one of its amount?” and “What are the right foods?” There’s the most popular proponents with his concept of the golden rub. From Dr. Oz’s advice to the continual string of health mean. The golden mean is the desirable middle point trends (don’t get me started on the gluten-free craze), between two extremes. these two questions seem to plague us constantly. Why? Because moderation is on a continuum. Achieving the Aristotle postulates that courage is a virtue. If, right balance is a judgment call based on beliefs, cultural however, courage is taken to its extreme, it leads expectations, data, personal preference, availability of to recklessness. But to exercise no courage leads to resources, and practicality of implementation. There cowardice and weakness. Therefore, we must seek is no one answer, and that’s what makes this simple the middle ground in knowing in which situations to
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exercise courage and in which situations we should Otherwise, it turns to egoism. We must balance work back down. with play. Otherwise, we turn into workaholics. We must balance justice with mercy. Otherwise, our mistakes are According to the ancient Greeks, beauty extends far too much for us to bare. We must balance selflessness beyond the facade. Truth and beauty interplay to create with self-interest. Otherwise, we spend all our energy the ideal, whether it be a balanced painting or a political giving to others and burnout because we have not taken ideology. There are three components they used to care of our own needs. A virtue can quickly lead to vice evaluate beauty: 1. symmetry, 2. proportion, and 3. if it is not balanced with its opposite. harmony. Whether it’s eating well, building a business, or In striving to live in beauty we experience the true art cultivating relationships, when we operate within the of living. We must balance confidence with humility. golden mean, we experience harmony.n
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ISSUE 10
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