Linda Clark

04/25/2023

So much fun with Junior League of Oklahoma City earlier this month. How are you driving more confidence in your teams?

09/30/2022

Love.

02/17/2021

Please remember:

You are surviving a pandemic AND working from home. Surviving a pandemic AND raising kids. Surviving a pandemic AND going to school.

You may need extra support, extra rest, more boundaries. That is more than ok.

There is no award for Celebratory Exhaustion. You don’t need to justify needing rest, quiet, and resources.

Every time you try, it counts. You are doing the best you can and it may not be what you could do under ideal circumstances. Don’t let Perfectionism whisper in your ear too much.

You are not ruining your children. Especially if they see you being calm, taking care of yourself, and extending empathy to others. Guess what, you’re raising a calm and empathetic human - we need them. I hope you are finding the joy in how much more of their lives you got to experience this year.

Your animals think you’re the coolest human on the planet with the most potential. Believe them. Oh, that’s silly? You believe magazines that tell you what to be. You believe strangers that shoulda-woulda you. Go ahead and believe in the you that your animals believe in.

I wish I could just sit with you, look straight in your eyes and remind you that you bring strength and ideas and joy into this world, even in the toughest years, and you belong here.

Take a breath. Take a step forward. Take a nap.

01/13/2021

I’m reading Bob Goff’s Live in Grace, Walk in Love this year, it’s a daily devotion type structure. Interesting as we tackle 2021, and I’ve had the same tough year that y’all have experienced.

January has been all about being brave and comments that have stuck with me this month:

1. “...develop a greater fear of inaction than of failure” Whew! Perfectionists! That’s talking to us. We have to just try. Try and be messy. Try and innovate and try again!

2. “Go change the world from where you are while moving towards where you wish you were.” Stop waiting for ..... What is holding you back? What’s a baby step you could take now?

And today’s nugget for me? “Don’t let who you were decide who you’re becoming.”

Let go of mistakes - they brought you to this point. Let go of prior pain and love that new person with trust. Let go of what you “should” and think about what you want. Look at 2021 with hope and vision.

What are you reading? What are you thinking?

11/29/2020

Feeling a little successful. No, let me correct that, I hear the amazing Staci Jordan Shelton in my head. I feel devoted.

My first post-carbpalooza workout was a combo: a run followed by a strong row. (Also with the bonus package of dancing about to Cher’s Believe, because Cher.)

This is the sign of good and long-turn changes. I’m focused and on a countdown.

In 23 weeks, winter will be over and I’ll be in the Smoky Mountains facing down 5 days of whitewater. I cannot wait to be in those beloved and magical mountains and nothing but river and my thoughts.

In about 16 weeks, our local whitewater will open and I’ll be ready. Our new President and hell yes, Madame Vice President, will be 2 months into their terms and I am so hopeful for their vision, ex*****on, and compassion.

In about 8 weeks, they’ll take office, in the dead of winter. A season so reflective of the times. I’ve set a running goal for that week to celebrate along with them.

I am using winter in the way that Nature uses it. Faith the sun will come again. Rest. Recharge. Setting deep roots far below the surface. Nurture. Yield. It may look dead but abundance is already in motion.

I can’t help but think of Tenysha Haynes’ beloved butterfly metaphors.

I hope you’ll join me in a season of peace and kindness, hopes, dreams and visions. This, I will.

And still....wash your hands and put on your damn masks. Let’s get on about straightening our crowns, helping each other up, and walking forward together.

11/20/2020

This is the time of year that people tend to have more visibility on things like food bank donations. Please remember this isn’t a regular year and here in Oklahoma, we have a deeply food insecure population in a good year. 2020 has made that even worse. I promise you, you’ve spoken to someone recently and their tummy was growling. Just because you don’t know, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Come from a place of empathy and connection - you’ve had a tough time in your life where someone reached out and helped. Feel that. Don’t come from pity and sympathy. None of us know what is coming for us. We will want empathy when we struggle too.

1. Check on your neighbors. See if a little delivery would help. Ask what they like. Buy the brand they want. Our neighborhood has a lot of elderly living alone. Keep an eye out.

2. Do not donate things you wouldn’t eat either. I don’t mean you just don’t like them, but you know what? That can of peas and carrots you got on accident and took up space for 2 years in your pantry and now you’re donating it? No. Expired stuff? No. Things with dust on them? No. Things already opened? Nooooooo (and y’all, it HAPPENS!)

3. Don’t be a snob about donating either. I think that $9 box of organic noodles prayed over by an alpaca at a full moon is also nice, and clearly, you’re not familiar with hunger. $9 could buy several things with good nutritional value, including a good protein.

4. Don’t being the Practicality Police. Donate treats. Donate cake and icing for a birthday. A bag of holiday treats. Think of what might make you feel seen and noticed and cared for. Be careful that you don’t fall into the Good Savior mode and think you’re better than “those poor people”. Keep your motives in integrity not judgment. You do not know.

5. If you are struggling too, and still want to give, how I love you. Yes, 1-2 boxes of something still counts. Put it in a Dropbox or give it to someone. Your heart still matters. Your joy and sharing will matter.

6. Hooray on donating to food banks but check your friends too. Don’t expect that they are openly sharing. You may need to pay attention. Many families in our areas lost any kind of backup stash in the ice storm. Don’t underestimate pride and stubbornness. They hide a lot of suffering.

7. Behold the power of grocery delivery and perhaps you can surprise someone during this time. All of the holiday sales are happening right now. What love can you send?

If you have privilege and resources, please consider how you might make the lives of others easier right now. Every thought and deed matters.

10/21/2020

Tread carefully as we head into the holidays with harping on people’s goals, resolutions, and path to betterment.

Just getting through this year is plenty. Doing your pandemic best is plenty. You don’t need to survive plus learn a dead language or create a new art form to be allowed to participate in 2021.

This whole year is a damn well-earned sketchy carnival goldfish bowl that you spent $50 bucks in ping pong balls to buy. You are doing the thing!

10/15/2020

You know what is funny? When you can talk about talent and the future and work AND

zombies, ghosts, Rocky Horror, and being a ...

Of course I can’t tell you yet! But October 22nd....I can.

Because Dumpster Fire Talks by DisruptHR Tulsa & DisruptHR

DisruptHR Tulsa and OKC are now one happy family and Dumpster Fire Talks are the opening virtual event! Have your ticket for this virtual event? Fast paced 5 minute talks.

http://dumpsterfiretalks.eventbrite.com

10/01/2020

It’s my privilege to get to be a part of this event next Thursday. This is the world’s largest virtual HR event and has been virtual for years (not just adapting to pandemic life).

Registration is free AND HR recertification credits. Great topics all day, and topics are relevant to big conversations we are having right now around remote work, diversity equity and inclusivity, feedback, and the future of work!

30,000 attendees for learning together, networking and more. Check it out. Get registered. Come feed your professional development and growth.

Join us for the world’s largest virtual HR conference with hundreds of expert speakers—all for free!

09/23/2020

TW: NO visuals. But discussion of shooting trauma and vibrant wording around today’s news

This is NOT justice for Breonna Taylor.

The charge is you endangered a neighbor. Endangered. Point of fact. And it probably scared them too. Point of fact. But they aren’t dead. Breonna paid all of the prices for everyone on that night.

Breonna Taylor is dead.
In her bed.
Asleep.

Tonight, stay up a little later. Wait until your house feels the most cozy, the most safe, the most relaxing. If you share that bed, reach over and rub their back. Be so grateful they’re there and part of your safety. Listen to the sound of them sleeping quietly. And as you think about falling asleep, I want you to imagine multiple gunshots going off. Right now. You wake up to this. You are dying during this.

The police that will come to your house are a random selection from officers on duty. Stop thinking every single one of them is some idealized elementary school version of what serve and protect means. Mr. Rogers didn’t take off his cardigan and slide on some blue.

Your Ring light didn’t save you. No one knocked.

Your dog might have had a chance to wake you up. You would have just been awake when it started. No one was there to ask questions or investigate. I’m going to assume on that night, they would have shot Tao without thinking twice. He would have died trying to warn and help me.

Some got into it for the rush. They might come to your house.

Some got into it for the power. You do not matter. People choose different paths to power but they do choose them for a reason. They might come to your house.

Some got into it to carry on a tradition. It’s not like dying in faith where you can choose a priest or a rabbi - a person that aligns with your traditions. There are legacy service traditions. And violence traditions. And domestic violence traditions. Remember, you don’t get to know or choose the tradition. They might come to your house.

Like the rest of our population, mental health wellness has not been prioritized. Like many of us, a diagnosis may have been delayed or missed or ignored. They could be untreated and struggling and yet on duty. I want them to have the help they need but on your night, they don’t. They might come to your house.

Police forces like other businesses are struggling for talent. Understaffing means relaxed recruiting, fast training. They might come to your house.

Oh you believe in the 2nd amendment, and Castle Doctrine and you’ll handle this? A. You’re asleep, remember? B. It’s called suicide-by-cop when you think you can sail out of your bed, grab a weapon, and engage a home full of officers already discharging their weapons? Cool. Cool.

Self-awareness and trauma exploration hasn’t been a big focus for them. What if they’ve killed someone in the past and not done the work? What if they are abuse survivors, victims of violence and now armed? What if... what if... what if...They might come to your house.

You’re willing to bet that peaceful sleep that you will always get the balanced, well-trained officer with no struggles, no baggage, like Mr. Rogers in Blue? You want to bet everyone’s right to peaceful sleep without murder on this?

No?

Get involved. Understand that defunding police means re-allocating budgets for services. It means prioritizing good recruiting and training, it means social workers on some calls, healthcare providers on some calls, child care specialists on some calls. It doesn’t mean NO police force. It means better separation of duties. It means qualified responders from a range of responders. Not just “everyone with a gun go to this address”

Get involved. Think about what you would do if your door burst open and multiple people streamed into your house. Do you think they hung out in the foyer waiting for people to wake up and pull on pants? No-knock should NEVER be legal. Ever. You’re all about the constitution? Be about this as well. A couple of knocks and Breonna Taylor would still be here. Situational assessment maturity and she would still be here. Insistence on non-lethal interactions and she would still be here. A clear pattern of discipline and legal consequences for human rights violations and she might still be here.

Get involved. I don’t CARE that her boyfriend MIGHT have done something. I don’t care if he 100% did EVERY BAD THING EVER. It doesn’t mean that SHE DIES IN HER SLEEP as the penalty. Please don’t tell me you’re ok with that? If you are, just unfriend me. We can’t get to common ground if you believe innocent people should die in their sleep. Period.

07/04/2020

To be updated on the schedule, opportunities for registration, and other related content, send a text to 66866 with DTL2020 as the subject! We're sending an info-packed update next week!

Many of you have asked about Dare to Lead offerings, especially online. I'm excited to share we now have an amazing, expanded curriculum that has been updated based on 30,000 participants in the program in the last year! Including a VIRTUAL offering that is now available! We have several live events coming up in July, August, and September, and we begin virtual cohorts in August!

We can’t wait to introduce you to the group coaching environment that supports the 8-week virtual series.

06/24/2020

Being kind, generous, and compassionate has gotten me further in life than a GPA, perfectionism, and shame.

What can you do with intentional kindness tomorrow? And the next day? And the next?

Including for yourself.

Kindness is really important.