Having a Pet Could Save Your Life

Pets Heal on So Many Levels

“Cathy, Eric and their son Michael Keesling had retired early after handling a flooded basement and setting up a gasoline pump to empty it. Their beloved mellow cat, Winnie, sat in the window enjoying the sounds of the evening. All of sudden, Michael passed out in the hallway. Cathy and Eric soon lost consciousness as well, because of a gas leak. The normally gentle Winnie sprang on Cathy, pulled her hair and yowled in her ear to wake her up. Cathy kept blacking out, but Winnie insisted. Finally, Cathy called 911 and the family was rescued. If Winnie had waited 5 more minutes, they would all be dead!”

Pets are amazing healing agents and powerful lifesavers. Trained dogs today can detect bladder cancer by sniffing urine and fire dogs can identify arsonists by smelling gasoline on their hands. Service pets save the lives of their owners every day. They are also great stress relievers.

One study cited on WebMD found that 48 stockbrokers who adopted a pet had lower blood pressure readings under stress than non-pet owners. Another study found that those suffering from serious diseases, such AIDS or cancer, are far less likely to be depressed if they have a strong tie to a pet.

According to the the University of Minnesota’s Stroke Research Center, simply owning a cat can cut the risk of heart attack. After studying subjects for 10 years, those who owned a cat were 40% less likely to die from heart attacks.

Pet ownership:

• lowers blood pressure
• prevents depression
• reduces incidence of stroke
• helps improve physical activity
• helps people be more social
• reduces loneliness.

So if you are battling stress like 80% of Americans, consider adopting a pet at a shelter. It could save two lives- yours and theirs.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The One Key to Great Presentations

One of the most common questions I hear as a professional speaker is how to overcome nervousness and anxiety when presenting.

The answer is simple and reliable: preparation. When leaders prepare deliberately, confidence follows. Anxiety fades. Presence strengthens.

Four Ways to Prepare for Great Presentations

1. Prepare Your Material

Know your message thoroughly. Research your topic. Understand your facts. Most importantly, develop meaningful stories. Stories create connection and help audiences remember what matters.

2. Prepare Your Audience

Learn who you are speaking to before you arrive. What challenges are they facing? What wins are they proud of? When possible, reference their reality so they feel seen and respected. Participation builds engagement and reduces distance between speaker and audience.

3. Prepare the Space

Familiarize yourself with the room and technology. Ensure sightlines are clear and audio works properly. Simplicity matters. Slides should support your message, not replace it. Worksheets and interaction often create far more impact than presentation decks.

4. Prepare Yourself

Practice out loud. Get feedback. Do not memorize, but be fluent. Allow space for humor and humanity. When leaders handle small mistakes with ease, audiences relax and trust them more. Dress in a way that reflects confidence and professionalism, and show up fully present.

These preparation habits do more than improve presentations. They strengthen executive presence, communication clarity, and leadership effectiveness in high-stakes moments. Explore how leaders develop these skills at Communication and Executive Presence.

Preparation turns nervous energy into grounded confidence. When you prepare well, you do not just deliver information. You lead.

Easiest Way to Make More Money

One of the most important dimensions of any marketing plan should be customer retention. The best way to keep your business healthy and keep your business growing is to take excellent care of your existing customers. They are your best source of referrals and future work.

Even if the primary work you have done for them has been completed, check in regularly- at least once every 4-6 weeks. Educate your customers, send them articles, post information on your web site, send out ezines, stay connected through social media. Have lunch when you can. Send them greeting cards. Be a constant resource for them.

Let them know you value you them. Always thank them for referrals- write personal notes and let them know how much you appreciate their business.

Never, ever, take them for granted.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Women are More Stressed Than Men

According to American Psychological Association’s Work and Well-Being Survey,women are more stressed than ever.

• 37% of women feel stressed at work, versus 33% of men.
• Only 48% of women feel work is an equal playing field for both genders, while 54% of men do.
• Only 43% of women feel they are paid enough, compared to 48% of men.
• Only 35% of women feel they have the chance to move up, versus 43% of men.
•To manage their stress, 34% of women say they have enough resources to do so versus 38% of men.
Women are under greater pressure in part because they are responsible for an increased share of their households’ earnings and because they are still trying to juggle more of the home workload.

How to Reduce Your Stress:

• Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Any less and the World Health Organization labels it a carcinogen. You carry an extra 20 pounds of weight and are 3 times more likely to catch a cold or flu.

• Drink water- lots of it. 80% of North Americans are dehydrated, and that leads to overeating, high blood pressure, and sleep disturbance.

• Exercise in a fun way, preferably with a buddy- at least 4 times a week. All it takes is 15 minutes. Exercise is good for you on so many levels, especially as a stress reliever.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Are You Getting Enough Hugs to be Healthy?

You Need More Than You Think!

Me and Cinderella- the woman who gave me my hugs growing up!

According to noted American pyschologist and educator, Virginia Satir, we need 4 hugs a day for survival, 8 hugs a day for maintenance, and 12 hugs a day for growth.

Most people are lucky if they get 1 or 2 hugs a day.

So up your intake and give hugs freely. Recently, I was visiting one of the non-profits I volunteer for and talking to a little boy, stroking his back. He just leaned in for a hug, which I was more than happy to give. We all need touch, and in this day and age, hugging can heal so much. Take the time to give full-on, heart-felt hugs to others as a way of sharing. The rewards for everyone are so worth it.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Feeling Stuck?
Why Lack of Motivation Is Often a Signal, Not a Flaw

Humans are wired for growth. When novelty, challenge, and progress disappear, motivation declines. What feels like laziness is often stagnation.

The brain thrives on engagement. Without it, energy drops. Creativity narrows. Performance plateaus.

A lack of motivation is not always about discipline. Sometimes it is about insufficient stimulation.

High-performing professionals often fall into routines that feel safe but slowly drain vitality. Over time, this can contribute to burnout, not because of overload, but because of under-engagement.

If you feel stuck instead of fired up, consider reintroducing structured novelty.

Why Novelty Restores Energy

New experiences activate curiosity and sharpen attention. When learning or exploring something unfamiliar, engagement increases and momentum returns.

You do not need dramatic reinvention. You need intentional disruption.

Practical Ways to Reignite Momentum

Create a 90-Day Reset

Every quarter, schedule a short experience that is different from your routine. Travel somewhere new. Attend a workshop outside your field. Change your environment.

Explore Unfamiliar Environments

Visit restaurants, neighborhoods, or events you have never tried. Exposure broadens thinking and perspective.

Expand Your Circle

New conversations introduce new ideas. Seek out people outside your typical professional network.

Develop a New Skill

Challenge stimulates growth. Whether it is a creative hobby or a professional certification, skill acquisition rebuilds confidence and engagement.

Motivation is rarely restored by force. It is restored by movement.

If lack of motivation is accompanied by exhaustion or emotional depletion, it may signal deeper stress. Explore how to prevent burnout before it escalates.

You can also strengthen sustainable performance through the Leadership Resilience System and practical stress management strategies.

Choosing growth is choosing energy.

The Surprising Source of Most Pain

Lack of Sleep Causes Many Serious Issues

sleepless

New research out of England shows that lack of sleep is the strongest predictor of pain for those over 50. Pain obviously causes more stress and makes you sleep poorly. It’s a vicious cycle. Restless or insufficient sleep has so many negative consequences and severely impacts wellness:

• the World Health Organization has considered labeling less than 7 hours a night of sleep as a carcinogen- cancer-causing agent
• increased risk of heart disease
• fewer new brain cells created
• premature aging
• excess weight- 20 pounds usually
• 3x more susceptible to colds and flu
• greater stress and less ability to respond well to problems

Three factors influence your ability to get a good night’s sleep:
• timing- try to go to bed at the same time every night
• duration- you need at least 7 hours of sleep
• intensity- which is impacted by whether you got 30 minutes of sunshine during the day and whether your room is nice and dark at night

Be careful not to look at your ipad®, phone screen or computer before bed- leave at last an hour before bed when you shut down exposure to visual stimulants from computer screens. Your overall health and wellness depends so much on good rest. Getting a good night’s sleep every night has a huge impact on your health, your stress levels, your body’s pain and more. Make it priority. Your body will thank you.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Sugar is my Nemesis- How about you?

I can’t be trusted around sugar. I know this about myself. Because I eat it. Even though I know better. So I never have it in the house. If it’s there, I eat it.

There are so many reasons why sugar is bad for you. Try reading Sugar Blues, which I did decades ago when I switched to stevia and stopped eating double-stuffed oreos.® (Sigh…I miss them.)

According to a recent article in Prevention, people with heavy sugar intake have a 58% higher risk of depression. Sugar weakens your skin and causes wrinkles, damages your kidneys, creates inflammation and can make arthritis much worse. Not to mention how it contributes to obesity and disease.

I had been doing so well for several weeks (after Christmas) and then I decided to throw a surprise birthday party for one of my best friends. This, of course, meant I had to bake her a cake, and I did. Not one but two cakes, since she told me she loved banana cake as well as chocolate. (Look it up- very similar to banana bread with icing.)

And that was my downfall. Because when I iced the cakes, some icing got on my fingers. And when we sang happy birthday and she blew out her candles, I cut the cake. I had to have some myself just to be polite. (LOL) They were good- wayyyyyy too good. So this morning I sent most of the chocolate cake off to work with my husband, where I thought he might give it away (although I knew better. He has the same addiction I do.)

I kept one piece for me to enjoy and savor. I threw the excess icing in the trash so I could not get to it. And after being out on the road all day, seeing clients, preparing for a speech, coaching a great lady, I came home to that piece of cake. And I savored it.

And tomorrow as I look at my swollen stomach, which has now pooched out in front by several inches, I will no longer eat the sugar. I will return to my normally healthy eating habits of organic food, fruits and veggies and protein. What can I say…I’m only human and I’m working on it. I forgive myself and move on. What about you? What are your guilty secrets?

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Success Lessons from Olympians

You Can Use Their Tools to Your Advantage

If you watched the Olympics at all, it was nearly impossible not to feel inspired. Beyond the medals and podiums were stories of resilience—athletes overcoming adversity, recovering from setbacks, and continuing to perform under extraordinary pressure.

What makes Olympians compelling is not just their talent. It is their ability to stay mentally steady, focused, and motivated over long periods of uncertainty, failure, and intense scrutiny. Those same skills apply directly to leadership and professional success.

All of us pursue meaningful goals and encounter moments when momentum falters. The question is not whether challenges will arise, but how we respond when they do.

One insightful perspective comes from an article on how Olympians sustain motivation over time. The core lessons are surprisingly practical and highly transferable to leadership roles.

Three Success Lessons Olympians Practice Consistently

Mindfulness and presence. Elite athletes focus fully on the moment they are in. When attention is scattered, performance suffers. Presence is one of the most reliable ways to access clarity and peak performance.
Constructive self-talk and support. Olympians are deliberate about how they speak to themselves and who they allow to influence them. Encouraging mentors and steady inner dialogue help them recover quickly after mistakes.
Optimism under pressure. Optimism is not denial. It is the ability to interpret setbacks without losing confidence or direction. Athletes who maintain a positive outlook rebound faster and perform more consistently.

These same practices help leaders remain effective when expectations are high and conditions are unpredictable. Resilience is not about pushing harder. It is about regulating focus, emotion, and energy over time.

If you want to understand how these principles fit into a broader framework for leading under pressure, explore the Leadership Resilience Hub.

Have a strong week fueling your goals with focus, optimism, and steady effort.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

The Worst Boss You Ever Had

Could Teach You A Few Things

Over 30 years ago, I had a boss who regularly came in and yelled at the staff. For no reason. He just vented his anger at the world onto his staff. And yet he was brilliant, creative, andvery effective at sales. But he was not so good at managing and retaining employees. No matter how terrific the rest of the job is, if you’re being screamed at for no reason, that verbal abuse will drive you away. Few people can tolerate constant demeaning.

Here’s what I learned from him:

• NEVER be a yeller. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t days when you’re stressed and frustrated, but don’t take it out on the people you work with. If you’re that upset, go for a walk, go workout, get in your car with the windows up and yell there. Just not at people. Ever. Really. It’s abusive.

• Positive specific praise and reinforcement goes a long way. Most people like public recognition and like being told specifically what they did well. If you really want to thank someone, give them a written note as well; these are rare and amazingly effective. Sticky notes work, too.

• Financial reward only works so far. Continual humiliation, denigration, verbal abuse and difficult work environment will drive out even the most dedicated achievers away. If you want to retain good people, treat them well.
Find out what is important to them and reward accordingly.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin