Vital Connections

Politicians and corporations are now realizing they may not be able to succeed unless they understand what's in the hearts and on the minds of the burgeoning Latino population in America.
 

What does your community have to offer and what do you bring to it? Learn about five types of community and reflect on where you may find yourself in them.
 

As educators, we read a lot. Check out our recommendations for five books that have influenced our discussions during the year.
 

How many times have you laughed today? Watch and explore how laughter is good for your wellbeing and your community.
 

Retail is a mainstay for Minnesota’s economy. It adds to our economic output and jobs. Looking deeper shows shops and retail contribution is more than economic.
 

How can you reduce burnout in your workplace? Learn about six common drivers of burnout based on research.
 

A visit to Willmar, Minnesota's Vision 20/40 website makes creating community change look easy.
 

The year 2013 brought improved economic news to much of Minnesota, but a few towns took some hard knocks. Crises like these create tough times in local economies.
 

In the 1950's, most rural Minnesota communities could afford to go it alone. But in the 2010's, rural economies are growing more diverse, more regional and more global.
 

Five generations of Minnesotans are now living and working together in communities and challenging each other to work across differences.
 

How can living in the moment make you a more effective leader? Learn how mindfulness with kindness can help you become a more positive person.
 

In community leadership, having a good sense of self can help you relate well to others. But knowing yourself means spending some time looking inward.
 

Evaluating programs and initiatives is critical. Hear how listening to community members' stories and interviews can impact your evaluation process.
 

Questions that go beyond a yes and no response make conversations pop. Learn about the "what, so what, now what" questioning approach to better engage with others.
 

Two common reasons for people not attending meetings? Not feeling valued and poorly run meetings. Learn some tips for having better meetings and questions to ask to better involve others.
 

What questions can you ask to help with critical thinking? Read about a definition and learn a three-step tool to help your thinking process.
 

You could travel around the world to attract new jobs to your town, but you're probably better off staying at home.
 

No town is a one-stop shop anymore. We live, work, shop and play in a fairly large region. Read how rural communities are rewriting their narrative.
 

Learn tips for leading effective online meetings that will help you grow your skills and confidence.
 

How can you make your community more appealing to others? Hear how conversations in Campbell, Minnesota led to big community changes in appearance and pride.
 

Have you ever said something that you later regret? Get ideas on recognizing and controlling how you respond emotionally.
 

Is there a connection between being an introvert or extrovert and your happiness? Watch and learn more about research on extrovert behavior and positive well-being.
 

How often do you say yes to requests? Learn about improvisational theatre and how saying "yes, and ..." can lead to positive results.
 

Have you ever had a small rock in your shoe that continually irritated you? That small rock is akin to burnout. Learn about burnout and the six major drivers of it.
 

What type of emotions do you experience in a day? Learn how the ratio of your positive and negative emotions can help your well-being.
 

Two out of every three businesses in the U.S. are owned by a baby boomer looking to turn over the keys to the next generation in the coming years.
 

What does it mean to be an ally? Learn how you can support marginalized communities.
 

Minnesota is experiencing a child care crisis that directly affects workers and employers. Listen as Marnie Werner shares insight from the Center for Rural Policy and Development's research.
 

Reflexive thinking is having the ability (and commitment) to look inward and to see what some people refer to as a “standpoint.” Learn how you can practice reflexivity.
 

One in 10 Minnesota retail dollars (in taxable sales) is spent outside the state. Learn how the retail market is changing and the ways communities and businesses can adapt.
 

How are you doing — really? Your mental health and well-being are essentially your internal bandwidth. Learn how you can check that signal.
 

Newcomers to Minnesota sometimes joke that “Minnesotans will give you directions to everywhere but their house.” But community leaders across the state are trying to change that – in a big way.
 

Feeling overwhelmed? Watch and learn about a series of videos on stress.
 

What can you do to savor your positive experiences? Learn how recalling positive events and help you live and lead with intention.
 

How well do you listen to others in your community? Learn about the practice of capitalization and how to see its benefit.
 

Short videos on positive psychology research to help you live and lead with intention.
 

How can rural and urban communities work together? Learn about their similarities and building networks across boundaries.
 

Are negative emotions and thoughts undermining your leadership efforts and goals? Learn about emotional agility and four steps that can help.
 

How much do you know about the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders? Learn about their stories from a Minnesota perspective.
 

How do you thank others? Learn about a technique to hone your gratitude skills to increase your well-being.
 

How do you handle being rejected by others? Learn about rejection and small actions that can help lessen the pain.
 

How can your subconscious mind help your community? Learn about RAS (Reticular Activating System) and how it can help focus you on the positive in your community.
 

How can you handle feeling socially isolated? Watch our video and learn about oxytocin and ways to lessen that feeling and connect with others.
 

How do you manage stress? Learn about two resiliency taglines that help you center yourself and lessen negative self-talk.
 

Do you notice your everyday natural environment? Learn about nature and how it connects to well-being.
 

Many communities in Minnesota face workforce housing issues. Learn about Glenwood's housing study and how understanding existing workers' needs helped them plan for the future.
 

Do you intentionally create connections with others? Learn about creating micro-moments in your community through connections with others.
 

Are you easily distracted or struggle to make decisions when many things are on your mind? Watch a short video and learn three strategies to help you focus.
 

What are your top strengths? Watch a short video on using your strengths to fuel your energy. Learn about tools to assess your strengths.
 

How does a community become more welcoming for everyone? Learn some reasons to create change and read stories from communities that are taking action to be more inclusive.
 

How do you pass the time while waiting for news? Learn how flow can help you manage stress while you wait.
 

For leaders, creating public value and common good can be a daunting task. Learn how to find joy and simplicity while living in leadership.
 

How do you stay engaged during a difficult conversation? Learn about four steps to help you truly listen when having tough discussions.
 

Before a community event is a success or an economic development strategy is implemented, a community meeting takes place — or more likely, a bunch of meetings.
 

How often do you give someone some slack? Learn how showing and receiving grace can strengthen your community.
 

What would happen to the state's economy if rural Minnesota went away? Would the Twin Cities area notice?
 

Do you ever wonder what is your life’s purpose? Learn about a model to help you uncover your purpose and find more meaning in life.
 

Do you tend to fall into the trap of negative self-talk? Learn about self-compassion and three elements that can boost your resilience.
 

Have you asked others to take a survey or participate in a forum for your organization only to never consult them again? Learn how to engage with others in more meaningful ways.
 

To be a great leader you need to have strong followers. Learn about the four needs of followers using positive psychology research.
 

How can exercise help you connect with others? Learn about research on exercise and how it relates to our mental health.
 

When do you stop "doing" to "being"? Learn about finding informal moments to meditate can help you reset.
 

What makes something interesting? Discover two elements that make us interested or not.
 

50 great American towns. 25 best colleges. 10 top restaurants. Everybody seems to love lists. But are they useful?
 

When you start to notice your body entering a stress mode, what do you do? Learn about a grounding technique to help you stay focused.
 

What are your strengths? Watch our video and learn about using your strengths and find some tips to increase your energy.
 

More and more, a task of local leaders is to find the next generation of people willing to lead. This can be a challenge in rural Minnesota.
 

What helps you calm your mind? Learn about three ways you can cultivate your inner peace.
 

Are you willing to try something new and fail fast? Learn about building confidence by failing fast.
 

How do you inspire entrepreneurship in your community? Listen as we talk about a framework used to energize entrepreneurs in six southern Minnesota communities.
 

When’s the last time you did NOTHING? Learn about Boketto and why it is important for your leadership.
 

Why aren't people moving to our town? Extension is helping communities assess how newcomers are included in their community life.
 

How often do you spend time in nature? Learn how forest bathing can strengthen your well-being and help you reconnect with yourself.
 

Do your questions lead to change? Learn about appreciative inquiry and how your questions have the power to navigate change.
 

For community groups and organizations that are starting to meet regularly again, how healthy are your committees? Learn about seven common traps of committees to avoid.
 

It’s time to take a deep breath. Find resources about a simple breathing practice to give you a sense of calm.
 

What values help you focus on living and leading with intention? Learn about tools that may help you connect you with your intention.
 

How can you increase your compassion for others? Watch and learn three tips to build empathy and connection, even with someone you don't know.
 

Minnesota's workforce is changing. Our workers are aging and new employees are often newcomers to our country. Listen as we discuss the impact of immigrants in our labor market.
 

How do you stay connected with others who live or work away from you? Learn how a Virtual Coffee can help form better and deeper relationships.
 

Are you ready to lead and facilitate your next in-person and hybrid meeting? Start planning and get prepared by learning about the eight Ps to consider.
 

Minnesota festival themes often celebrate food, music and culture. Besides being fun, well-managed festivals and events offer many economic and social benefits.
 

Do you question your talents or intelligence fearing that you don't measure up? Learn more about growth and fixed mindsets and which one aids resilience.
 

It's not your grandparents' Greater Minnesota anymore. You know, the Greater Minnesota dominated by the industries of its founders - agriculture and mining.
 

Good intentions and investments in leadership training and education don’t always get us the results we seek. Two actions can help with your leadership education and development.
 

Can smiling help you through a difficult situation? Learn about the science of how grinning and bearing it can reduce stress.
 

Trust binds a relationship, keeps a team together, drives performance, and enables collaboration and coordination. Learn five steps to build it.
 

Do you feel stress during interracial interactions? Learn three tips for building your patience based on positive psychology.
 

Minnesotans in rural and urban areas help grow our diverse economy. Listen as we discuss current challenges and opportunities facing Minnesota's workforce.
 

What does civic engagement mean? Listen to Extension educators discuss its meaning and share best practices for working with others and tools to get involved.
 

How do you center yourself? Learn about a simple practice to help you become more present in your life.
 

Do you celebrate your small accomplishments? Watch and learn about how our brains are wired to respond to rewards and the benefits of celebrating the small stuff.
 

Lengthy report discussions can leave little agenda time to move from old to new business. Learn strategies to help your meetings be more effective.
 

Looking beyond a conventional analysis of rural Minnesota of decline and stagnation to one of a rural rebound.
 

How can drinking a hot beverage change how you think about others? Learn about research done on how hot drinks can build trust and empathy.
 

What do you intentionally do to grow your well-being? Learn about four key pillars of well-being that you can practice daily.
 

How much awe do you experience in your day? Learn about the power of awe and about appreciating the goodness around you.
 

How do you foster creativity and innovation in you and your community? Learn about the importance of playfulness.
 

Are followers just 'sheep'? Learn about followers, their characteristics and how leaders should work with them.
 

As we celebrate Earth Day, let's reflect on how access to the outdoors enriches visitors’ and residents’ experiences within a community.
 

Open your mind. Open your heart. Open your will. Learn about research that will help you be ready to listen for new possibilities.
 

Are social roots keeping people in Northeast Minnesota? Learn about the importance of community connections from ReGen, an Iron Range group.
 

How do you show compassion? Learn about cultivating compassion. Discover four steps you can apply to your work, leadership and community life.
 

Can stress be good for you? Learn about the benefits of stress and how to use it to connect with others.
 

Like most American institutions, the rural grocery store is facing change. Read about an Extension study of the future of rural groceries and how communities can help.
 

What does being an involved citizen mean? It isn't always about running for office. Hear from community members who helped protect and promote a hidden nature spot in Woodbury, Minnesota.
 

Can having positive emotions help you live longer? Learn about the Nun Study and research on positive emotions in this short video.
 

Local food growers are working to have their day in the sun. And rural leaders are anxious to see how local food production might diversify and strengthen their economy.
 

During times of stress, what can help you bounce back quickly? Watch our video and learn some tips and tools around stress and resilience.
 

How do you evaluate your community development work? Learn about ripple effect mapping (REM) and how it tells the story of a program through maps.
 

What makes you flourish? Watch our video on the PERMA model of well-being. Learn how to reach a life of fulfillment, happiness and meaning.
 

What do jobs and other economic factors look like in rural Minnesota? How about urban Minnesota? Listen as we discuss their top job industries and economic success.
 

In communities across Greater Minnesota, graduates of Extension's leadership education programs are stepping up to make a difference in the places where they live and work.
 

Why do you vote? There are so many reasons to vote. Watch and learn how voting is connected to your well-being.
 

Is there a cultural concept that is a part of your community? Learn about the Finnish concept of sisu.
 

Do you find yourself jumping from one activity to another without taking a break? Learn how creating nano transitions can help you find more balance and avoid burnout.
 

Leadership practitioners have an opportunity to reflect on ways to increase inclusion and integrate multicultural approaches.
 

Do you say "it is what it is," especially when in a challenging situation? Learn how saying "it is as I am" instead can help you live and lead with intention.
 

How do positive emotions help you? Listen and learn how experiencing positive emotions helps with your creativity and resilience both now and in the future.
 

How does gratitude fit in your life? Learn how gratitude can boost your happiness and hope.
 

You look at your calendar and there it is … your first in-person meeting. If some on your team are attending remotely, how do you facilitate the hybrid meeting?
 

How are your group projects going? Is everyone on your team contributing? Learn about group dynamics and well-performing teams.
 

Good communication is necessary for successful group work. Learn how to create guidelines to help your meetings be effective and fair.
 

What role does your brain have in reaffirming your beliefs? Learn about the Velcro Teflon Effect and challenging how you react to information.