Growing up I was known by my friends and family as the Queen of Imagination. In other words, I could out-lie just about anybody, including my four sisters. Just the other day, one sister admitted she\’d always admired my ability to “elasticize” the truth. It seems I had an uncanny ability to take the truth, bounce it around, stretch it this way or that, mold it to my liking, then serve it back to the recipient without ever cracking one facial expression. I was the master of deceit. This isn\’t exactly what I had in mind for a legacy, so after surviving my teen years, I decided the... Read More

One of the most difficult and emotional tasks a family faces whether because of a move or the death of loved one, is distributing the family possessions. If one person wants an item – no problem. But when more than one family member wants something, things can get very unpleasant very fast! Sadly, too many families find they\’ve accomplished the task but, in the process, create long-term, deeply held resentment which can destroy family relationships. How can you disburse family possessions in a way that preserves the future and the past? By being pro-active and making 6 preliminary decisions... Read More

When one\’s life is in transition, questions arise about wanting a gigantic change, an alteration or a variation of what is already there. Below are some questions to consider.• What are the “normal” thoughts and feelings during this cycle? How long does the “grieving” last? • Whether you are a parent who chose a career or not, you are a parent who is going through this major transition. A cycle of your life is ending. What are your dreams now? • How do you build a new community now that school days with your child are over? • How do you continue... Read More

Recently a dear friend gifted me with a birthday party. While it was a great success, some things did not go as she planned. Doesn\’t that always happen when we have folks over? Her response, however, has been to declare that she is never going to entertain again. My suggestion is that we break the experience down and examine what elements were successful and which could have been handled differently for a better outcome. In the case of entertaining, a better outcome is one where the hostess is so relaxed she\’s enjoying her own party. Here are some questions to help you create a Zen... Read More

Will you work after leaving your primary career? If the answer is yes, you will be in good company – an AARP survey reports that 80% of boomers plan to work full or part time after retirement. Finances are the biggest reason, but over one-third of those surveyed cited enjoyment of work as a factor, and doing something different enticed an additional five percent. There are a number of options for working during the second half of your life. Let’s look at several areas beyond the usual greeter, retailer, cashier, food preparer, and server positions. To begin, let’s look at the... Read More

You\’re a woman in business which, by definition, means you\’re one clever time and resource manager. You can balance the books, walk 3 miles a day, and volunteer at the blood bank in a single bound. And all while running a business. But who knew that running your business would be the easy part? Your service is top-notch. Your product almost sells itself. Making sure people know all that, however, is the hard part. Growing your business is what keeps you hopping. Women don\’t just wait for business to come our way; we go out and claim it. We network. We volunteer. We educate.... Read More

The terms of the lease will bind the parties for a considerable period of time and it is important, therefore, to carefully draft the lease up front. Also, often times, when the lease term is coming to an end and the parties want to negotiate an extension of the lease term, landlords are tempted to just amend the lease time and time again to extend the term. Certainly that is the quickest method to keep the lease going, but after a series of amendments, the underlying (original lease) may be 10 years or older. It may well be time to engage counsel, reevaluate the lease, and be sure it meets current-day... Read More

I once had a boss who informed me there was no such thing as company politics. At the time, I decided that depended on whether you were the person wielding power or influenced by it. In my career experience, I\’d categorize self-serving antics, sabotaging behaviors, information hoarding and artful manipulation under the heading of company politics. I\’d throw in veiled threats, perpetuated mistruths, finger-pointing and coercion. There\’s a long list of behaviors I\’ve personally experienced or witnessed in the workplace under the politics label. And I\’m sure you... Read More

“Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” – (Galatians 3:3 NIV) This morning when you started your day, did you have an agenda? Many people, at least the more organized ones, begin by consulting a ‘to do\’ list. In our society, being goal oriented is viewed as a good attribute. It seems as if I fight a continual battle to get and stay organized. I make out my list, marking off the more important tasks, dividing them into categories, and putting a checkmark beside each task as I complete it. Many times, I... Read More

Nearly everyone does battle with that pesky voice of self-judgment and sabotaging put-downs that chatters away in our heads. And, in response to a recent teleseminar we gave titled “The Fear of Being Fabulous” we received a request from a participant who said: “I would love to hear how you remove the head talk that keeps you from being fabulous. I can get so far and then I\’m stopped by my head talk.” Here\’s our answer . . . First, you\’ll know it\’s Head-Talk by the repetitive, nagging attack on who you are. Your self-respect and self-esteem can end up in the... Read More