From A Conversation With Martha Stewart

I’m not sure Martha Stewart would want me to call her the Queen of Quality, but “quality” is certainly signature to her brand, and I dub her that with all due respect for an amazing career which among other things, launched the “lifestyle” industry and continues to innovate it. In June, I was in Las Vegas, doing research at SHRM19—The largest convention for human resource leaders in the world, put on by the Society for Human Resources Management. There were over twenty thousand people, and I personally met many amazing and insightful people. One of the first morning keynotes was a conversation with Martha Stewart who was interviewed by the SHRM President and CEO, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. Martha looked…Read More

Set Yourself Free

I often counsel my students and mentees that all bad decisions are made for one of two reasons—fear or greed. For most people I know, greed is rarely the culprit unless temptation is in the form of gambling or investing. The real enemy if fear.   Fear of submitting a resume and looking stupid. Fear of doing a job interview and not having the “right” answer. Fear of rejection. Fear of being alone. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of standing up to a loved one lest they walk out. Fear of speaking up and being embarrassed. Fear of losing face. Fear of being exposed. Fear of shame. Fear of losing your job. Fear of losing your spouse. Fear…Read More

3 Tips To Help You Succeed With Your Goals

I’m a very goal oriented person, but when one also has the goal of being a better friend, wife, daughter, etc., how you achieve those goals is sometimes in conflict with our work goals. Too late people realize that work was never the goal, right? I think this is what sends many people spinning into a mid-life crisis. So while I’m about to talk about how to achieve work goals, first and foremost make sure you are living in a way that is true to you. When you are with family, be with them one hundred percent. When you listening to your partner, listen one hundred percent. When you are playing with your child, engage one hundred percent. If you…Read More

Survival Tips for Teens

Let’s face it, teen years can be hard—on the parents that is. For teenagers, they get lots of new responsibilities and freedoms, and their parents are financing the fun. It really doesn’t get any better even if you have to take SATs. So teens, if your parents are decent people—you know, they don’t beat you, or lock you in the closet under the stairs—then let’s be real and give them a break. And if they’re not, this blog does not apply to you. Why you should consider being a more fun and engaging housemate… 1 – COMFORT: It just makes day-to-day life more pleasant for everyone. Be polite to them the way you would if they were a celebrity you…Read More

Want a raise? What Women Need to Know—And Some Men Too.

There have been a lot of articles lately on how to ask for a raise and the best time to ask—probably because it is that time of year when many companies are doing their annual evaluations, and managers are getting their allotment of funds to be distributed to their teams. After reading a few of these articles I felt compelled to add my two cents. As an executive who has allocated funds and an executive who has asked for more and tried to navigate the corporate ladder, there are still unspoken rules and bias that can trip you up. An HR person will tell you that the right time to ask for a raise is during your annual review. Well,…Read More

When You've Lost Your Mojo - 8 Tips for Teens, Twenties and Beyond

Okay, aside from prayer, there is one thing you can always do to improve your life immediately no matter what is going on—and especially when something hard is going on. You might have lost a job, lost a friend, or lost your confidence, but not matter what trauma strikes, investing in yourself is never wasted time or money. And it pays dividends forever after. If you’re stuck and not sure what investing in yourself looks like, here are some ideas and most of them are free. 1 – Focus on your health. More sleep, long walks, lots of water. Do this every day and you’ll be ten steps ahead of most people.  When you are sick, it really does feel…Read More

4 Steps to Help You Become a Badass Version of You

The teenage years can be some of the best or worst of your life. Or you might just survive with a few good memories and not too much humiliation. But no matter where you are on the spectrum, this is the time to start determining and designing the kind of human you want to be. Yes, it’s up to you—no one else. Becoming awesome and being a badass takes intention – and years of it. If you don’t think about it now, you’ll more easily fall and follow, because you will be reacting to the world, not acting in the world. So what can you do to make the most of the awesome years ahead? You need to vision yourself….Read More

3 Attitudes that Hold You Back

Before I got my first publishing deal, I was attending conferences with zeal and trying to learn everything possible about the craft and business of writing. At one such conference there was a session you could sign up for, where in a small group, you would read the first ten pages of your manuscript, and an editor who acquired in your genre would give you notes. It was terrifying. I really wanted to throw up. The only comfort was that all the other writers were equally green – except for the one who went to drama school and couldn’t wait to perform her masterpiece. You know the one. We went alphabetically by title, so I was first. I read my…Read More

Friday was the day! My last day at Walt Disney Imagineering. It was another good one too—only the last one! After deciding to pursue my passion to write and create to full time, I put my notice into Disney earlier this month. I’ve been blessed with support and encouragement and when I drove off the lot it felt like the perfect ending to that chapter. I was relaxed and at peace. My farewells were positive. I hugged all whom I needed to hug, I thanked all I needed to thank, I wrapped up the loose ends, I prepped for the new person, and I even left them a little gift for their first day. Then I did a last round…Read More

Surviving Exam Season!

You are a student, you are stressed, and you feel the pressure put on my teachers, parents, and worse – yourself. It’s too much! It really is. Stop and take a breath. Give yourself a little credit. You are more than one exam, one grade, or one day in your life. Do the work you need to do, then get a really good night of sleep. And remember these basic truths! Education is a journey, not a race. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to get there, just that you keep going. Even if you fail, there’s summer school! No grade is worth your life, your health, or your sanity. Take it one test, one day, one hour at…Read More