For some reason I have a word of the year for 2023. Never has that happened before, as I am not a fan of new years resolutions, nor the practice of choosing a single word for the year. But as we turned the page from 2022 to 2023, there it was staring me right in the face: PACE
For those of you who are new to my blog, it has become a tradition for me each December to share a few of my favorite things as I reflect on the past year. The title is named after the song in the famous movie, The Sound of Music. Then commercialized by Oprah, when she would give away gifts of her favorite things to the audience once a year. It was a fun show to watch and I did end up buying one of her favorite things which turned out to be the best clothes dryer I have ever owned! This year, I am going to tie the tradition to the most popular workshops of 2022.
This is the time of year I often find myself asking, what have I forgotten? And that was certainly the case this weekend, as we head into the final few days before Thanksgiving, here in the States. This year, it was the turkey. We didn't forget to buy it, but thaw it! According to Siri, it takes a day to thaw for every 5 pounds. Gratefully I somehow remembered late last night...
After turning down the heat this summer (see previous blog, Summer Simmer) I was finally able to slow down a bit, and what a gift that was. More walks and workouts; less work and worry. More reading and reflecting; less running and reacting. And through it all I re-learned an important principle. About giving and receiving.
I don't know about you but for me it has been hot! Literally and Figuratively. It has been 90 degrees ++ for almost a month here in Nebraska. And 2022 has been busy. More travel, more meetings in person, more social events.
Even though March Madness has ended, I still have basketball on my mind. Perhaps that is because I missed a lot of the games this year, due to my own March Madness! Specifically, a busy work season, for which I am certainly grateful.
As February comes to an end, I'd like to share a valentine with you. MANY years ago when I was in grade school, we were asked to make a valentine for each of our classmates. My Mom helped me make a bunch...
Happy 2022! I hope you all had a fabulous holiday and were able to find some time to celebrate and also recover. What a year 2021 was - and we thought that would be easy compared to 2020. Ha.
Breathe! Take a breath. You made it through Thanksgiving (for those of you who celebrate) I hope it was everything you hoped for. Intended. Planned.
One and a half years into the pandemic and we still aren't out of it! Each time we get close and I think it is over, we have a set back. While I never expected this to last so long (which is kind of funny as who knows how long pandemics are supposed to last?) I am grateful for what I have learned.
Summer time. It's pool time, beach time, golf time, down time. And usually a time we look forward to...longer days, summer haze, vacation away or stay. Less on our minds, and often we are more carefree. So what's different about this summer? Maybe nothing for you. But it is very different for many, as we are preparing for re-entry and have started to jump in.
During a recent executive coaching session, a client used the phrase "soft skills" and I cringed. Gratefully, the Jersey girl in me didn't immediately confront the person. I have learned sometimes it is best to "stop, drop and roll." Not literally like the fire safety technique, but figuratively: Stop (don't react), drop (pause and take a breath) and roll (get some space out so I can dig into what bugged me).