A Formula for Smiles


Last March, I was in Chicago when I personally witnessed that city, the one I love so much, close down – right before my eyes. It was the first wave of the pandemic. Now, eight months later, we are in a second lockdown. Before last March, I never heard of words like lockdown, pandemic or self-isolation. Now they are part of my everyday vocabulary.

So, in order to survive and maintain some sort of sanity, I have found that reaching out to others brings some peace to my otherwise discombobulated life. Here are three ideas I’d like to share with you.

  • If you hear a song that brings back a sweet memory, send it to the friend you shared it with. It will bring some warmth and happiness to both of you.
  • Give someone a compliment. Tell them how much you admire something they have accomplished. Be specific, like: “I really admire how you helped your neighbor when they couldn’t leave the house to shop for food.†We all love being recognized and we all appreciate it when someone else takes notice.
  • Reach out to a friend and tell them that you are thinking of them and that you miss them. In this uncertain time, we are not sure when we can see each other in person or hug again, so use your words to reach out to people you care about. Bring up an occasion that will make them smile or send them a photo that will bring back a special memory.

If you have any other ideas on how to brighten someone’s day, even your own, please share it here. We can all use a little kindness and peacefulness right now.

 

Categories: Personal Development Positive Attitude Professional Development Professional Speaker
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Back to the 90’s?


As I was driving to meet a friend for lunch, I tuned into NPR radio for a little enlightenment. They were talking about the reboot of the TV sitcom Friends. It appears that Netflix paid nearly ½ billion dollars (yes, that’s billion with a B) for the streaming rights to Friends.

Why?

As the panel was trying to answer this same question, someone stated: The stories told are universal Young people today move away from home, form a new family with friends…and they’re still broke!

He then went on to say: And the show is nostalgic. We all want to go back to that person we were in the 90’s.

Really? I mean REALLY???

I didn’t even hesitate to shout my answer out loud: NO! No, I do not want to go back to the Nancy of the 90’s. Was life good back then? Sure. Did I have fun? Absolutely. But I have grown so much since then, forging new paths and becoming someone I never imagined possible. I would never give that up. Right now, today, I embrace my past and smile from all the lessons I learned along the way, both good and bad. I sincerely believe that everything I have done in my life has gotten me to where I am today, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Would you?

 

Categories: Personal Development Positive Attitude Professional Development Professional Speaker
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Friendsgiving


Friendsgiving – don’t you just love that word? 

Next week is Thanksgiving and for years my family celebrated this holiday with kids and grandkids and parents and everyone within our circle of relatives.  But as I grew older, I wasn’t always able to travel home and be with my family.  It was a lonely time and I did not look forward to spending the holiday alone.  And that’s where my friends came in.

At a time that could have been very empty for me, my friends would welcome me into their dorm room or apartment or house and invite me to join them in an evening of eating and drinking and laughing.  Some of my fondest Thanksgiving memories are with Mike and Christine and Destany and so many others.

So that’s why I love the word Friendsgiving.  It’s a time to be thankful to the many friends that have entered my life.  Some have stayed while others merely passed through, and all are a huge part of who I am today.  Because of them, I hope I welcome others into my life and make them feel welcomed, whether it’s a holiday or not.

So to everyone who is reading this post and to all the lives that you touch, I wish you a sincere Thanksgiving, a heartfelt Friendsgiving and a life filled with all the happiness your heart can hold.

Categories: Personal Development Positive Attitude Professional Development Professional Speaker
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Google Your Mind


I was listening to the radio the other day – yes, I still listen to the radio. My younger friends make fun of me, but I’m ok with that.

At any rate, the guy on the radio was talking about 2015, and mentioned the top five Google searches for this past year – Adele’s new album, the Paris attacks, Donald Trump, Caitlyn Jenner, and if you were searching today, you could probably add Star Wars to the list.

It got me thinking – what if I Googled my own mind for the events that made a difference in my personal life this past year?  What top five events would make my list?  Who are the people that I have touched and who touched me in return- possibly changing my life forever.

My list certainly would NOT be the same as the Google list. Even though I enjoy Adele’s music, I can’t say that it has made a profound difference in my world.

So I decided to take a few minutes, reflect and make a list of the top five positive turns my life has taken in 2015. I decided that I wanted to face the new year with a positive attitude, and that is where my focus lies.

At the top of my list, not surprisingly, are the new friends I have made along the way, and the old friendships that I have nurtured. And at the top of that list is my husband.  It’s so comforting to know that each and every day, there is someone who has my back.

Just as important is my family and the stronger ties that continue to build between my brothers and myself.  Rounding out my list would be having a profession that I love, going on my dream trip, and learning to live a more peaceful life.

Have you given any thought to what your personal top five Google list would be for 2015?  Even if you just have one, share it with me.  I’d love to hear what you absolutely loved about 2015.

Categories: Personal Development Positive Mindset Positive Thinking Professional Development
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Celebrate – Anything


Yesterday was my birthday, and I took the entire day off just to celebrate and do all the things that I love.

When was the last time you celebrated something – for yourself! Of course, we take the time to celebrate birthdays for our kids, and anniversaries for our parents, but when was the last time you really said “whoo-hoo†to yourself.

I’ve heard so many people say: “Oh, I’m too old for that†or “I just don’t celebrate birthdays anymore†and I think:

How sad!

How sad it must be to give up on celebrating your life – on celebrating being alive.

I have to tell you that the very best part of my birthday was all the good wishes I got from my friends and family. All the cards and phone calls really made my day, knowing that they took time out of their busyiness to just stop and say “Happy Birthday – I’m thinking of youâ€.

That warm feeling and that smile on my face, is exactly what I will return to them when it’s their turn to celebrate, whatever it may be. And there’s no excuse for forgetting anymore, thanks to Google calendar and all the other gadgets out there that help us remember everything that is important.

So go ahead, put your own birthday on that Google calendar and remind yourself that this is your day to celebrate, in any way you want – in any way that will make you happy. Take a moment and just yell:

Whoo-hoo, I’m alive!

Categories: Personal Development Positive Mindset Professional Development
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