The Joy of Stimulating Conversation
I got a chance to spend some time with #JoyMaker , former US Diplomat, Author, and Futurist Wilford Welch.
We were introduced through Shandy Welch.
Wilford and I had such an engaging and thoughtful conversation about climate issues and affairs of our country snd world as it pertains to happiness and joy.
I’m so grateful to be invited to his home this weekend to facilitate a small group discussion on the topic of Joy and how it impacts our lives and the things that get in the way of joy. Excited to share what we discover together in our conversations for the #JoyfulLivingProject
Here’s a little background on this accomplished man who has made significant contributions to our world and lives a joyful life.
Wilford Welch has been exploring the driving forces impacting our world for more than five decades as a U.S. diplomat in Asia; as economic development and business consultant in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S.; as the publisher of a world affairs magazine that appeared in 26 countries in six language editions; and as the leader of educational trips to numerous countries and cultures.
Wilford developed future planning scenarios for a number of multinational corporations and governments, including Citibank, Toyota, the U.S. Navy, and the Korean Government. He was the leader of a research team that developed the Wealth of Nations Index using 63 variables to measure each nation’s economic, information technology, and social well-being. He is the author of In Our Hands: A Handbook for Intergenerational Actions to Solve the Climate Crisis, published in 2018, and The Tactics of Hope: How Social Entrepreneurs Are Changing Our World, published in 2008.
Wilford has been deeply involved in outdoor and environmental education, including being chair of the board of the NatureBridge Golden Gate campus and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). In 1994 Wilford led the support team of NOLS instructors on Mount Everest, which removed 5,000 pounds of trash off the high camps and introduced the notion of “Leave No Trace” to Everest mountaineering.
Over the past decades, Wilford has created and led several large conferences exploring the issues addressed in In Our Hands, including two Quest for Global Healing gatherings in Bali, Indonesia, in 2004 and 2007 for over 1,000 participants from forty countries, and the Beyond Sustainability conference that took place at the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii in 2010.
If you are serious about the climate issues that we face, I invite you to check out my friend Wilford Welch’s book to explore ideas, stories. And innovative strategies.
He is not only a leading authority on this topic, but has passionately served countless communities around the world in various distinguished roles like US Diplomat.
I had the honor of meeting him, his wife, and friends recently on my visit to Sam Francisco. What a delightfully stimulating conversation!
Thank you for our joyful conversation, Wilford!
Joy of Comfort Food
Over the last week, I’ve been eating quite clean and healthy to stay energized and ground in my journey to discover joy here in San Francisco.
After a great meeting with a former US Diplomat, I looked on Google Maps to see where I was in the city.
Instantly, I was captivated by the possibilities of joy just block’s away. I read the reviews on YELP, and it affirmed my suspicion that Brenda’s French Soul Food Restaurant brings the joy of comfort food.
The timing was perfect as I was immediately seated in a packed dining room.
I ordered the crawfish beignets and their famous Brenda’s Fried Chicken with their creamy biscuit and side of collard greens. So damn good!
Those of us from the South know this kind of joy! #JoyfulLivingProject
Back to the salad and green smoothies tomorrow!
