When we do our interviews, or lead our programming, or share our stories, I always have three audiences in mind. Not to be self-serving, but the first audience is me. When I sit with people who have experienced things in life that are different from what I have experienced, I always come away having learned something new. No surprise there. When you start from a … Continue reading Montana public health
Last month we visited Big Sky, Montana for the third year running, to work with the Montana Summer Institute. Their Science of the Positive approach is rooted in the study of how positive factors impact culture and experience. In short, it is less focused on admiring the problems of the world, and more interested in fostering and growing the factors that lead communities toward the … Continue reading Montana Summer Institute
My friend Jason Anderson told this story during one of his sessions at The Montana Summer Institute in Big Sky last week. I want to make sure he gets the credit, and because I’m going to paraphrase it the best I can, there’s a chance I won’t do the story justice the way he did. I do remember that Jason got a little emotional as … Continue reading This is who we’ve become…
It’s one of my favorite questions, “When have you made the greatest impact?” It allows us to remember when we’ve done things right. It recognizes our successes. And it allows us a moment to pause and reflect on when we have been effective, so we can use that as our road map to move forward. More than anything, this question gives us the chance to … Continue reading Montana
Betsy Mulligan-Dague runs the Jeanette Rankin Peace Center in Missoula, Montana. She is also a Harley Davidson rider, a boxer, and an inventor. She believes it is important to explore different perspectives. Together, with Dan Gallagher, they found a way to bridge the divide that can exist between veterans and peace activists. “We have things that bind us together that we can fall back on when … Continue reading Betsy Mulligan-Dague
Dan Gallagher served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967 and when he returned home, he was met with protests and derision. At first, he couldn’t feel proud of what he had done, or even talk about it, but as time passed, Dan found it useful to discuss his experience. When people thank him for sharing his story, he is only half … Continue reading Dan Gallagher
Brandon Sheehan was born near Venice Beach, California. He says he grew up with sandy toes and salty lips. He studied fire ecology in college and worked for the forest service fighting wildfires. Brandon grew up Jewish, but eventually studied Tibetan Buddhism and was a resident at the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas in Arlee, Montana where he cast statues of the Buddha and helped … Continue reading Brandon Sheehan
