From Online to In Person

Ideas and tips to get along and get stuff done-------- --------January 20, 2025

People are responding in different ways to the changes afoot. Our federal government is changing. The climate is changing. Technology is changing. Many of us are not sure how to react, or who we’re supposed to be in this unsettling world.

My reaction is to do more in person and less online. More in-person gatherings. More in-person chats. More handshakes.

Statistically, we spend more time looking at screens than ever before. And there's a cost. The Surgeon General has reported that social media apps cause loneliness and that people who spend more time alone are not as happy as people who spend time with others. Americans of all races, ages, and incomes are spending less time socializing than ever before in recorded history. We spent more time alone in 2023 than in 2021, so it’s not just about COVID.

For more about this see the PBS News Story called The Anti-Social Century: Inside America’s Epidemic of Solitude. See also the Surgeon General’s Advisory: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.

Globally and nationally, things aren’t going my way. Environmentally and socially, I wish things were different. So how am I to respond?

I’ve worked on global and national causes and I will do more. Yet I can’t do everything. I have to make choices. This is how I’ve learned to prevent myself from feeling overwhelmed: I accept that I cannot dent 98% of what comes at me so I choose a focus and let go of the rest. It’s called strategic planning. Where am I gonna make a dent?

For me I suppose it's back to basics.

Make a difference where you are.
Grow where you are planted.
Love where you land.

My new strategic direction is to get together with people. And get people together. In person. Close to home. To develop relationships, build resilience, and have fun. I’m afraid I don’t trust the federal government like I used to. I’ve never trusted large corporations very much, and now even less. I’m afraid that ......

.....more here. And comments.

Below are some in-person events where we might cross paths. I hope so.

If you're local,

join me at Quaker Meeting for our first official Maker Cafe.

We will have live music and good food. And no screens. The Maker Cafe is an offline place.

If you can't come this month, please come on February 20 when me and my friend Frederik will be playing the music and Emily Bell- Hoerth will lead a session on Clothes Mending.

Learn more at MakerCafe.org

A Camden Conference Presentation

Monday, February 3, 6:30pm, Belfast Public Library, Maine

How to Talk to Each Other in Spite of our Differences

The future of our democracy depends on it

"The future of our democracy depends on our ability to engage in meaningful dialogue," says Freshley, winner of the 2019 American Award for Civic Collaboration and founder of Good Group Decisions. Drawing from his experience facilitating over 3,000 meetings and 40 Make Shift Coffee Houses across Maine, Freshley will lead an interactive program on how to navigate challenging conversations, handle misinformation, and respond to threats to democratic discourse.

This presentation is hosted by the Belfast Free Library and offered as a free community event in in anticipation of the 38th Annual Camden Conference: Democracy Under Threat: A Global Perspective. February 21-23, 2025. The mission of the Camden Conference is to foster informed discourse on world issues.

For more information, please visit BelfastLibrary.org and CamdenConference.org

In Collaboration with SGR, Strategic Government Resources

Thursday, February 6, 9am-3pm, Wethersfield Connecticut

Creating A Servant Leadership Culture

12 Principles of Servant Leadership

This in-person workshop equips town and city leaders with practical strategies to embed these principles into their organizational systems, laying the foundation for a thriving servant leadership culture.

In the first part of the day, we will discuss the 12 Principles of Servant Leadership and how they apply to each person. In the second half of the day, we will look at case studies and let participants discuss how well they are doing at living out those principles.

Click here to learn more. Limited capacity. Register by January 31.

A Program of the Unity Public Library

Friday, February 21, 12pm, Mammies Country Kitchen, Unity, Maine

How to Bridge Political Divides

Techniques, challenges, resources, and lunch specials

Many of us fear current environmental and political trends. Some of us are terrified. Many of us are retreating to our own corners, increasingly alienated from each other; increasingly afraid to engage with others who think differently.

Come for the specials. Leave with some practical tips and tools for navigating this scary world. Learn strategies to get along with others even when you disagree; even when you don't like what they believe.

Come get inspired and gain confidence to forge conversations and partnerships across divides; political divides, religious divides, wealth divides.

Presenter Craig Freshley has written a best selling book called Together We Decide, An Essential Guide for Making Good Group Decisions. And he has received the American Award for Civic Collaboration for facilitating conversations between Democrats and Republicans.

Hope to see you there!

A Program of Lewiston Auburn Senior College

Tuesday, March 18, 1pm, Auburn Public Library, Maine

How to Get Along in Spite of Our Differences

Stories, tools, tips, hope

As we are repeatedly told how divided and polarized our society has become, we may feel discouraged from trying to bridge those divides. This presentation is an antidote to that discouragement, providing practical tips for productive dialogue in divided communities. Drawing on his book Together We Decide, Craig Freshley emphasizes the importance of open-mindedness, inclusivity and cooperation as he shares inspirational stories and teaches practical skills for getting along and moving forward together.

Craig Freshley is a professional facilitator, author and public speaker who is passionately committed to peacemaking and draws on his experience with consensus decision-making to promote healing in our world. In 2019, he received the American Civic Collaboration Award for creating and facilitating Make Shift Coffee Houses, community gatherings that provided a space where individuals from diverse political backgrounds could come together to engage in dialogue and understand each other’s perspectives.

Learn more and register here.

Why not invite me to talk to YOUR group?

I do keynotes at conferences and author talks at libraries.

My talks are always interactive. I tell stories that people can relate to.

People learn specific techniques and tips.

People gain courage and confidence to try new things.

Please forward this email to friends and colleagues