My colleagues and I are pleased to announce a new 60-hour ICF accredited program on Resiliency Coaching.

I admit it has been hard to write during, and about the COVID 19 virus. My primary thoughts have centered around our interpretations of what it means to live in a democracy. Democracy as a concept is about governance by the whole. I’m struck at the persistent cries of those who assert their individual rights – “you can’t tell me to wear a mask.” True, being forced to wear a mask is called an autocracy, not a democracy. In an autocracy, if you are told to wear a mask, you do it or risk the consequences for non-compliance. It’s in a democracy where we have the luxury of acting for the good of the whole. I’m sad that many elected officials have veered away from the notion of acting for the good of the whole. OK, enough said.

On another subject, how has this pandemic tapped your resiliency? I’ve reintroduced myself to cross-stitching (it really can pass the time), zoom calls with friends, actually reading most of The New Yorkers I am accumulating, and taking long walks listening to audible. I’ve spent time doing absolutely nothing; binge watched Homeland – working on Ozark. I’ve made some complicated recipes with success. I’ve sat with my emotions and let them wash over me. I’ve missed hanging with my friends. I’ve enjoyed my time with Steve – a surprise. I love just sitting in the morning with a good cup of coffee and watching Morning Joe. And yes, I’m dealing with my restless soul that wants to see Baby Bailey, drive the Alcan with Wendy, and visit our VT. home and friends.

As we all continue to navigate this ongoing challenge, let us be mindful of the gifts we have, the challenges we face, and the choices we can make to care for our communities. In our most stressful time, pause and remember that kindness is contagious; kindness helps soothe a fearful heart; kindness is about all of us, not me and them. By caring for ourselves and others, we can be the leaders who guide us through this time of uncertainty.

For the first time in a long time, I am taking a break to talk about gratitude and letting go. I won’t bore you with all the details but suffice to say that the past few months of my life have thrown me some real challenges and some fantastic opportunities.

A big one was the heart attack my husband suffered this past Tuesday. Yes. And he is one very humbled and lucky person. Almost 15 years ago, my husband, Steve, went through a seven-way by-pass surgery. You read correctly – Seven! He was 59 and asymptomatic. He was “doing me a favor,” establishing a baseline as he turned 60. His lifestyle choices and a job requiring sensitive and expert navigation were indeed contributors to his health stressors. Whew, no heart damage, a little intricate plumbing, and off we go to our optimistic future.

This past Tuesday, we are both older and perhaps a bit wiser. Steve paid attention to the discomfort in his left chest. Rather than pushing through to his intended goal of playing pickleball that morning, he drove himself to the emergency room. Their doctors quickly administered nitroglycerin that mitigated a much more horrific outcome. An angiogram and other tests gave us the best possible outcome, and he left the hospital a few days later with new medications, including nitroglycerine, a new travel companion for us both.

These past few days, I have ramped up my practice of gratitude. I have stopped the car and looked at the sun coming up over the Green Mountains. I have told my friends that I love them. I have been generous with time and resources. And mostly, I have extended my gratitude for health professionals and their humor, tenderness, and seriousness.

Steve and I will readjust and reframe how we move forward together. One thing that Steve has agreed will help him accomplish his goals is his work with a coach and other professionals. My most enormous gratitude is the opportunity to rely on the talents of others, allowing me to go back to my most cherished role, being Steve’s wife, friend, and love.

As you think of closing out 2019 and moving into 2020, what goals do you have for your life, and who can help you achieve them?

Greetings. As I was setting up my new office in Boise, Idaho, I came across this document. Although this document came from a leaderhship training I attended almost 20 years ago, it's relevance and importance seems even greater for today's leaders.

The Highly Developed Person

From The New York Times:

Putting Down Your Phone May Help You Live Longer

By raising levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol, our phone time may also be threatening our long-term health.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/well/mind/putting-down-your-phone-may-help-you-live-longer.html

Simply put, words do matter. In the words of the late Dr. Judith Glaser, “Words create Worlds.”

This past weekend Steve and I were fortunate to spend time with two young college students. Shyann, a student at John Jay College, and Jana, a student at Sarah Lawrence College and the daughter of my dear friend Hadeel. Their visit left Steve and me feeling more optimistic about the future of this country. I hope you enjoy the article from Guest Author, Shyann Cooks. 

Below is the preface to an article by Alexandra Natapoff. I have attached a link to the full article. Why should we care about this subject? An acquaintance of mine recently contested her traffic violation with the Vermont Traffic Bureau. Her only avenue to fight the ticket was to appear in court. There are no other options.

Leaders making difficult choices should learn whether to listen to their head, heart or gut feeling says Karlien Vanderheyden.

My father was a politician most of my childhood. The right AND responsibility to vote was part of my upbringing.

  I took my car to the dealership where we purchased it for an oil change and routine maintenance.  The dealership owners keep a refrigerator full of 4-ounce water bottles – very considerate of them. I finished one and, and getting ready for my second, asked an employee if they had a recycle for the empty plastic bottle. He said no and told me to toss it in the wastebasket.

Over many years as a consultant, trainer, and educator, I have been asked to provide training to build teamwork among employees. I’ve done lots of these training over the years. Recently I had the unexpected experience of working as a team, and this blog will share my surprising learning’s from experience.

At some point in our lives, we all likely think about what we would do if we had a do-over opportunity. I’m no exception.

Donald Trump recently and publicly tweeted that he is against domestic violence. Since the opposite of against is approval, this position seems like a logical no-brainer. It is also a perfect example of binary thinking.

So much of our time can be caught up in the mundane  - just staying current on daily living with work and chores can be enough. My husband Steve and I decided to break our routine and head to Washington D.C. for the march. We were two among thousands of people who came out to protect our democracy.

Hypothetically, let’s say you go to your medical facility and they advise you that the medical professional you will see today is through medical school (accredited) and has decided not to take the licensing exam. The new medical practitioner will reduce the cost of your visit by 50%. What do you do?

Today, the 12th of November, I along with hundreds of others celebrated and grieved the life and death of Neil Taylor.

Misogyny: Looking Back

Alyssa Milano decided to elevate the Weinstein misogyny to a broader discussion of serial misogyny that has existed, and continues to exist, in what many of us hoped was a more enlightened society. Sadly, looking back,