With the chaos of back-to-school season in the rear-view, both for me as a university professor and for my school-age kids, October feels like the perfect time to catch my breath. It's like the quiet before the storm. The Holidays are coming and, like most women, I take on the majority of the shopping, cooking, and remembering all the theme days at school (looking at you, "Ugly Sweater" Day) from Halloween to New Year's.
📚 Every book leaves a mark. A line that sticks, a question that won't let go, a small shift in how you see the world. But unless you capture them, those traces fade as quickly as the last page turns. That's where a book journal template steps in-it's not about adding homework to your reading, it's about preserving the spark. Think of it as your personal vault for insights, favorite quotes, and those half-formed thoughts you know are worth keeping.
For Lubetzky, business begins with people. He recalled a South African proverb that says, "We're only human because of other humans," and argued that the same applies to companies. "Community is what makes us human," he said. "Create a community where everyone is in it together." Rather than focusing narrowly on profits, he believes leaders should prioritize building a sense of belonging among employees and customers alike - the kind of trust that sustains a business in good times and bad.
The challenge is that most plans are unnecessarily complex, which makes them difficult to execute. Instead, entrepreneurs can simplify this process by focusing their entire business vision on a single, powerful one-word theme for the year. This one-word business plan then acts as a strategic compass as opposed to a rigid map. Focusing on your one word will help the team stay aligned throughout the year and guide every action.
The grasses have now dried and turned golden, the air filled with the scents of fall. Eszter stops, "A moose!" Down in the willows along the creek, a single moose munches on the plants. We are far enough away to pleasantly observe the stoic creature in its home, a lovely spot in a high meadow tucked between mountains with no one else around except for us.
"Last month's article outlined three emotional buckets that contain most of life's experiences: Tears, Laughs, and Chill Bumps. These experiences enrich our lives and each is equally important in living a well-rounded emotional existence on this earthly plain."
