Creating Our Future with Organizations by Design

I like to live in my bubble. It’s comfortable and familiar, surrounded by people who think and feel just like I do. It feels great to be on the same wavelength with everyone, right? But sometimes, like this week, I have to admit, living in that bubble isn’t healthy. When we’re all nestled together in our little comfort zones, we can get blindsided by what’s happening outside our circle. It’s almost like wearing blinders—we become so focused on our own views that we start to miss out on different perspectives. The result? We could find ourselves caught off guard by changes or events that others saw coming. Plus, if we only engage with like-minded folks, we might not recognize the signs of bigger issues brewing beyond our bubble. Social changes, cultural shifts, and political movements can evolve without us even realizing it. Before we know it, we’re stunned when these things rip into our reality. So, while I love the coziness of my bubble, I know it’s important to peek outside every now...

Organizations by Design is committed to create the change we want to see in the world. Join us.  T his resource compiled by Launch. Educate yourself Learn about the history, contributions, and past and present experiences of Asian American communities. Watch: The PBS series  Asian Americans  about the history of identity, contributions, and challenges experienced by Asian Americans The Smithsonian’s video series  We are not a stereotype: Breaking down Asian Pacific American bias  which explores what it means to be Asian Pacific American and the impacts of Asian Pacific American stereotypes Asian Americans and Seattle’s Civil Rights History Read: America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens Books about Asian Pacific American history and experiences What is the Model Minority Myth? Anti-Asian Racism Exposes the Model Minority Myth Listen: Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast Self-Evident: Asian America’s Stories Asian Enough Speak up Silence is consent...

  Most people will leave several jobs during their career. Some are happy separations and some aren't, but whatever the circumstances under which you leave, it can be difficult to say goodbye. It's important to understand that, in the process of leaving, not only are you saying goodbye to co-workers, but also routines, places, projects that you've poured your blood, sweat and tears into, familiarity, even parking attendants and coffee baristas. Leaving a job can be just as trying as ending a romance. Career changes involve a good deal more stress, friction, disruption, and risk than simply staying on a more linear, traditional career path. When a good change happens, by your own accord or through job transitions, accept it with grace - for yourself and for others. You may not believe you deserve it, or you just may not be ready for it, even if it was of your choosing, but the way to move forward and get the most out of it is to embrace the positivity, however it shows up. L...

  Learning to face our fears is a powerful and essential element of resilience. The more practice we get at overcoming our fears, the better prepared we are for facing whatever happens in our life. As our resilience grows stronger, we are better prepared for the inevitable adversities that face us as we grow and change. Barbara Organizations by Design

I had reason recently to contemplate generosity. While we often think about generosity in gift giving, or tipping, there are many other ways to show generosity. Generosity in spirit or word isn’t spoken about much, but is so important in our interactions. Giving abundantly invites us to draw deeply upon knowing that our lives are plentiful. Within each of us, there is an unlimited supply of love and compassion. It is from this abundant heart space that generosity flows from. Consider this story told by Thich Nhat Hahn: There is a kind of vegetable in Vietnam called he (pronounced “hey”). It belongs to the onion family and looks like a scallion, and it is very good in soup. The more you cut the he plants at the base, the more they grow. If you don’t cut them they won’t grow very much. But if you cut them often, right at the base of the stalk, they grow bigger and bigger. This is also true of the practice of generosity. If you give and continue to give, you become richer and richer all t...