No wonder “new year, new me” ambitions can feel overwhelming on this first Monday of January. It is freezing cold, and the news cycle is gloomy and serves as a reminder of how much lies outside our control. In that context, sweeping transformation goals can feel unrealistic and emotionally tone-deaf. Perhaps this is precisely why …
Did you know that some of the most beloved Christmas carols in the world’s allegedly happiest country are incredibly sad? In my native Finland, many traditional carols are written in a minor key and often tell stories about grief, sadness and longing? There is the frozen sparrow that turns out to be a departed child, …
What Finnish Christmas Songs Reveal About Emotional Agility Read More »
Being laid off led me to adopt two Maine Coons – and start a business and career I now love passionately. Of course, it wasn’t quite that simple or that quick. There was a pandemic (remember that?), homeschooling, endless courses, frantic soul-searching, a newly bought house, and the usual worries about mortgages and “what now?”. …
For years, we assumed the adult brain was fixed; that once neurons died, they were gone for good. The idea that the brain could change, adapt, and even grow new cells after childhood was considered impossible. That view began to shift only a few decades ago. In the 1960s, researcher Joseph Altman first observed new …
Living Neuroplasticity: Why It’s Time to Rethink Work, Leadership and Age Read More »
A week ago, I found myself in an airport hotel outside Helsinki. I had just finished a long day of flying, leaving my children safely at home with my spouse (though never without the familiar logistical stress test of family coordination). The next day, I was set to continue my journey to celebrate the 80th …
A Snapshot of the Future (Already Present) of Learning – from the Sandwich Generation Read More »
A concept came to mind this morning: willful ignorance; the intentional act of avoiding information that reveals the negative consequences of one’s actions (Big Think, 2025). Research on willful ignorance shows that around 40% of people deliberately avoid information that could challenge their choices or self-image (Dr. Linh Vu, in Big Think, 2025). This “strategic …
Why Some Leaders Push False “Facts” – and Why It’s Damaging Read More »
“Our task is to educate their (our students) whole being so they can face the future. We may not see the future, but they will, and our job is to help them make something of it.”– Sir Ken Robinson, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything As the new school term begins for primary …
Educating for the Future: Beyond Standardization Read More »
I remember, almost in slow motion, the first time my mother completely lost her memory and sense of orientation. It was ten years ago, almost to the month. A sunny afternoon on the summerhouse veranda, I sat with my baby and toddler, slowly realizing that life would never be the same again. And also realizing …
Midlife and Memory: Why Women’s Brain Health Deserves More Attention Read More »
As vacations and long summer days draw to a close, many of us ask: how can I hold on to this energy a little longer? It’s not uncommon to feel a pinch of anxiety as shorter, darker days approach. For working parents, especially those of us in the “sandwich generation” balancing careers, children, tricky logistics, …
Energy Is Built in Moments, Not Just During Vacation Read More »
I recently came across a compelling article in the Greater Good Science Center, titled “What Is Cognitive Warfare and Why Does It Matter for You?” (Gisselsson Nord and Rinaldi, 2025), and it struck me as profoundly timely. It asserts that our cognitive domain -how we perceive, feel, and think – is fast becoming the latest …
The New Battlefield Isn’t Land or Sea – It is your Mind Read More »
