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David Westerlund
Mar 5, 20203 min read
the story I'm making up is...
I was walking with my friend and she read me a text from her ex-husband. She read it with great vigor and emotion and emphasis in...
168 views1 comment


David Westerlund
Oct 3, 20193 min read
Moving from Avoiding to Facing
START CLOSE IN by David Whyte Start close in, don’t take the second step or the third, start with the first thing close in, the step you...
63 views1 comment


David Westerlund
Sep 12, 20192 min read
Agreement vs Acceptance
A few months ago I was getting my hair cut and the stylist asked me what I do for work. I told her about the basics of improv and how it...
90 views1 comment


David Westerlund
Jul 20, 20192 min read
becoming more fully alive
Photo by mentatdgt from Pexels
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David Westerlund
Jun 5, 20192 min read
Holding our Stories with Open Hands
We are storytelling creatures. We create stories even more than we realize. Stories about who she is, how he'll never change, what a...
55 views0 comments


David Westerlund
May 30, 20192 min read
Your Basal Ganglia is Your Friend
Why do we resist change? There are various reasons. And this morning I want to focus on this idea: we want to conserve resources. And to...
73 views0 comments


David Westerlund
May 11, 20192 min read
At the Intersection of Joy and Fear
I have it posted over my desk. Here’s why: It's where I want to live. It's where juicy things happen. The intersection of Fear and Joy is...
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David Westerlund
May 2, 20193 min read
Speaking Up as Second Nature
When disasters occur like the recent Boeing crashes, or sexual abuse scandals like the one with Larry Nassar, the USA gymnastics team...
27 views1 comment


David Westerlund
Apr 18, 20193 min read
Building Resilience
There are so many people who go into non-profit work because they are passionate about the mission. Often they find themselves getting...
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David Westerlund
Apr 11, 20193 min read
Play is Essential
When we hear the word ''play'' or ''game'' we often relegate it to ''outside of work activities", right? Play is often seen as frivolous...
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David Westerlund
Mar 1, 20191 min read
You have what you need already
Imagine Soil. Air. Water. Seeds. Sun All separate. All in their own silos. The magic happens when they come together; when...
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David Westerlund
Feb 14, 20192 min read
Change Happens
Every day things do not go according to plan. Every day things change. How do you feel about that? Do you resist that reality? We can...
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David Westerlund
Jan 10, 20192 min read
An Artificial Sense of Constant Crisis
Good communication is central to having a high-functioning organization. Today I want to look at our cultural habit around email...
48 views0 comments


David Westerlund
Dec 6, 20185 min read
Addressing Homelessness through Presence and Play
"THEY DIDN’T BECOME HOMELESS FROM RUNNING OUT OF MONEY. THEY BECAME HOMELESS FROM RUNNING OUT OF RELATIONSHIPS." - Hans Erchinger-Davis,...
74 views1 comment


David Westerlund
Nov 29, 20183 min read
Overcome Fear by Facing It
Two weeks ago I was scheduled to perform at our local improv theater – The Upfront – here in Bellingham, Washington. And I was thinking...
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David Westerlund
Nov 15, 20183 min read
Visceral Trust is Foundational
Trusting and attuned attachment relationships are foundational to healthy child development. Trust is something we learn or don't learn...
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David Westerlund
Nov 8, 20182 min read
Anything Worth Doing is Worth Starting Small
Several years ago I decided that I was going to start a daily yoga practice as a way to get my blood flowing every morning. The key for...
33 views1 comment


David Westerlund
Nov 1, 20183 min read
Cultivating Presence
I attended the University of Pittsburgh in the 90s and I have a special affection for Pittsburgh and its people. This week’s post is...
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David Westerlund
Oct 18, 20184 min read
Unlocking Joy and Building Community with Public School Teachers
The word Cordata comes from the Latin adjective meaning ‘heart-shaped’. This heart love comes through at Cordata Elementary where staff...
46 views0 comments


David Westerlund
Oct 11, 20184 min read
Realizing our Full Potential
Wendell Berry has a dear friend, Wes Jackson. One day they were walking in Wes’s experimental land plots at The Land Institute in Salina,...
23 views0 comments
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