When we don't ask, we don't let others give. When we fear rejection, we don't let generosity arise.

I always tell people that if you get upset over what someone says, imagine him or her with a clown's nose on and you won't get so angry.

An English philosopher said that whatever is cosmic is also comic. Do the best you can and don't take it so seriously.

The extraordinary language of Nonviolent Communication is changing how parents relate to children, teachers to students, and how we all related to each other and even to ourselves. It is precise, disciplined, and enormously compassionate. Most important, once we study NVC we can't ignore the potential for transformation that lies in any difficult relationship - if we only bother to communicate with skill and empathy.

Don't make a whole to-do about it. Don't get down on yourself be- cause you're not an expert rower; don't start reading too many books in order to do it right.

We're creating a little niche for ourselves instead of working the whole canvas.

I honor businesses for what they do, I honor nonprofits for what they do, I honor government for what it does, and then I invite everyone to the table so that together we can come up with innovative and broad-based solutions that can serve as many people as possible. The fewer or less diverse voices you invite to the table, the smaller and narrower your solution will be and the fewer people it will serve.