Did you know that leading difficult people can actually be beneficial to you? We have all found times when we’ve had to lead difficult people. In retail or business operations, they can deliver poor customer service to your patrons. In project teams, they can slow down the progress of creativity. In any setting, they can drive you up the wall!
When I was in the fourth grade, I was the new kid (again!), and this time it was close to the end of the year, so I wasn't going to bother making new friends. Well, to my surprise, my parents bought me a 64 pack of Crayola Crayons! This made me an instant hit in the classroom, and one girl, Esther, always wanted to borrow my crayons. The problem was, she kept breaking them! One day, with palm sweating and [...]
It’s one thing to call yourself “inspiring”, it’s another to be recognized by a local periodical as such. Like any “inspiror” (OK, that’s not a word), my motivation is to help people have hope in the possibilities of life. To have hope that their last challenge won’t take them out. To show them that life has seasons, and some of them carry some really ugly weather, but that with faith, hope, and love, they can weather that storm. So I [...]
I love the old adage "What you focus on grows". It speaks to investing our time and attention to the things that matter. And in return, you'll get dividends. Most times, people intend to focus on the important relationships, tasks, and projects in their lives, but it can be difficult. There are so many things vying for our attention, competing for our energy and focus. This can be especially frustrating when we talk about goals. Making goals is important, but sticking to [...]
Please don’t ask what you can do to help the Houston area. Just tell us what you are going to do to help. Texans are proud and this devastating flood has jolted us out of our comfortable lives and placed us in a very vulnerable position. If you ask what you can do for us, most Texans will point to those less fortunate than themselves. They may suggest you donate to one of the national organizations to show your support. [...]
I don't know about you, but I'm so glad Spring is here. And while I look forward to the warmer weather and the sunshine that it brings, that's not why I'm so happy about it. Three years ago, my husband and I suffered a tragic loss: our oldest son died from a rare form of bone cancer called Osteosarcoma (yellow is the ribbon color for Sarcomas). And because his passing was in January, these past few years have started [...]
Ahh, the new year. For my family and me, New Year’s Day is a time to enjoy family and black-eyed peas. It marks the end of the holidays and all the celebratory eating that seems to come with it, and it marks the beginning of new challenges. Over the Christmas/Winter break, I tend to rest, read, binge watch, and spend time with extended family. (there's nothing like a game of Taboo to get the blood flowing!) Then, I end the [...]
I discovered cruising in 2005 after going with family to celebrate a milestone birthday (it was my uncle’s 50th). We went on a 5-day cruise out of Galveston, TX on the Carnival Ecstasy and at first I was nervous and worried that I’d be bored. It was just the opposite. This itinerary made two stops; one in Cozumel, Mexico and then Progress (also Mexico) and we had a blast. It was my husband and our youngest son who was just [...]
One of my favorite movies is Ray, the feature film about Ray Charles. When Ray Charles was about five years old, he developed glaucoma and gradually became blind. One of the most pivotal scenes in the movie occurs in his mom’s home. He was stumbling around the humble shack in the darkness and began to get frustrated. He sat there and cried out to his mother who sat in the chair crying, wishing she could just take it away. But [...]
