Curated Shares to Inspire Your “Better”

1. First there was quiet quitting. Then quiet firing. Now there’s quiet cracking. This from Business Insider: “Quiet cracking,” [is] when employees show up to work but silently struggle. A new study found 1 in 5 workers suffer from a constant or frequent state of workplace unhappiness. According to EY’s wellness chief Frank Giampietro, many are “either suffering burnout or close to it.” The report’s findings are consistent with a recent drop in global employee engagement, as companies push stricter return-to-work policies and performance metrics.”
2. Fighting the loneliness epidemic with… adult sleep away camp.
3. Ex-Google exec Mo Gawdat warns of a dystopian future not caused by AI but by people giving in to their worst impulses and abusing it. Forewarned is forearmed.
4. Most of us know people who exude “Executive Presence.” But did you know they probably weren’t born with it? If you’d like your personal brand to be more consistent, persuasive, and results-generating, consider talking with Michael Piperno of Comvia. He’s got 1:1 programs designed to get and keep your executive presence performing optimally for you.
5. Did you know 90% (!!!) of siblings grow distant after their parents die—and it’s not about money.
6. Here’s an easy to absorb lesson about letting go of anger (bonus if you cry).
7. Struggling to get outside? Here are reasons you need to get over yourself pronto.
8. I liked this quote shared by Ilona Goanos so much I paraphrased it in a video last week. Sharing here again: “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” – Edmund Burke
9. Are you besieged by a negative co-worker? I know from past experience how much that can affect your day. So here’s some great advice from the ever-brilliant Jefferson Fisher.
10. The team that studied bold business decision makers after the 2008 recession are sharing new data about those of us who are facing today’s chaotic business environment with courage and decisiveness. Read on for what’s winning (gift link so you have full access to this in Harvard Business Review.) Need a sneak peak? Here’s a quote, “In my research I found that individuals like these [brave leaders] develop courage in five ways: They create positive narratives, cultivate confidence, take small steps to boost their comprehension of the challenges they face, make connections, and stay calm, employing a variety of techniques to do each.]”

🥰Kindness is Contagious, Pass It Along!

Brad Aronson invited me to share stories of kindness from his best-selling book, HumanKind. Here’s a summary of one (Brad is a gifted writer, I am major league paraphrasing):

Brad tells the story of an immigrant from Haiti who drove a cab around Philadelphia. He brought his 20-year-old son to the US to have a better life but his son was having no success finding employment. One day the father mentioned this to a passenger in his cab, who told him and his son to meet him the next day downtown in the city, where he introduced them to the owner of a Salad Works franchise. The owner hired the young man as a dishwasher, and he did an excellent job, moving quickly from assistant manager to manager of the store. He did so well that he was invited to the company’s HQ in New York to be a part of a training video for new recruits. However on the way to the meeting his boss learned that another store’s manager was out unexpectedly and asked him to fill in at that location. It turned out to be a day from hell with food-fighting customers, a busload of people on a tight schedule, and more. The man stayed all day and handled everything with grace. Plot twist: it turns out the day’s craziness was all staged, played by actors and recorded by HQ. It was actually a contest between this man and 2 others and he won. What did he win? His own franchise! And it all started with someone giving him a chance to elevate.

If you want a heartwarming option to social media scrolling, HumanKind is for you. It’s filled with stories of small acts of kindness that blossomed into life-changing, heartwarming events. 

🌞 Do Good Shout Out to: The Autism Housing Network,

which provides supportive housing options for autistic adults and others with I/DD to achieve their highest level of independence. With a new residence set to open in Red Bank, NJ in 2027, this project really hits close to my NJ roots. Discover more and donate to the Autism Housing Network.

⏳Until Next Time…

What do you think, was 10 a lot to share? My goal with Niki’s Notes is to feed you a variety of ideas to help you vibe right and elevate to your best self. How am I doing?

Niki