Update 2021: We’ve now been in the pandemic almost two years. Vaccination rates are rising, restrictions in some areas are lifting, and there is the threat of the Delta variant worldwide. I was that university student who made it through the term and exams only to fall sick all through the holidays. Sound familiar? For…
Previous generations have had long periods of living under less than ideal conditions, such as world wars, famine, the Great Depression. Today’s adverse time is the ongoing pandemic. In Nova Scotia we are in the ninth month of restrictions and there are signs that these restrictions and possibly more will be with us for some…
A recent LinkedIn post from my colleague and friend Mary Jane Copps (aka The Phone Lady) got me thinking. Her post was about allowing moments of silence in conversation and how this can deepen a relationship. She said “The relationship resides in the silence I allow within my conversations.” Mary Jane got me thinking about…
My husband laughed the other day as I walked into my home office wearing my red cowboy boots. I was preparing for an exciting virtual meeting with a potential client in Texas. I wanted to feel joyful and confident, two things I feel when I wear these boots. Because the meeting was virtual, there is…
Last weekend I spent hours cutting up tiny, beautiful, red crabapples from the farmer’s market and hot peppers from my garden so that I could make crabapple-hot pepper jelly. As I’m new to canning, it took several attempts to get all of the jars to seal (thanks Elizabeth Peirce of the book You Can Too!…
It’s the start of a new season (fall in the Northern Hemisphere, spring in the Southern Hemisphere). For many people, this season represents a beginning of a new school year, the end of summer vacations and the fall harvest. This year, so much is different. There are many changes to how we move through our…
Thoughts about being a 60+ woman and COVID-19 as it relates to boundaries. Prior to COVID-19, I was writing in my journal about being a woman in her 60’s who is living life full on, with purpose. This life with purpose feels like confidence, expanding horizons. The ‘world is my oyster’ type of feeling. I’m…
We are in a period of prolonged stress and uncertainty due to COVID-19. In most parts of the world we are through the first wave of the virus. Some communities have begun to open up, and in some locations this opening up has led to a rise in the number of infections and a resulting…
Collectively and individually we are all going through a defining moment – the COVID-19 Pandemic. The pandemic has highlighted the inequities in our society, particularly those around economics and race. There are many lessons we are learning from this world-wide event, and it is going to take courage to fully implement them. What else is…
Many studies are citing engagement as a high-priority challenge during our global pandemic. From April to mid-June many of my clients completed a short survey on the challenges related to employee engagement they are experiencing with COVID-19. Results of the survey indicate the number one concern was the well-being and engagement of their team members….
What do we need in order to process and thrive following a defining moment in time? When I think of the defining moments of my life: moments that have had a before and after; moments that had an element of adversity, something to push through or get through; moments that involved change on every level….
Are you a team leader struggling with how to manage your team remotely? Or perhaps you are contemplating how to safely bring your team back to the office? How can you ensure they are all staying well, staying focused, staying connected to each other and to you? Consider Creativity Creativity is both the ability to…