Transitions

A Renegade Revolution

A renegade is a person who abandons the religious, political, or philosophical beliefs that he or she used to have, and accepts opposing or different beliefs. (www.vocabulary.com) Some definitions imply a renegade is someone who is disloyal, or who betrays an institution. What about the institutions that judge women on their youthful appearance? That render us…

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The year in review – a positive retrospective

There is more than enough doom and gloom in the news, on social media and in predictions for the coming year. What if we could start the new year on a high note? What great stuff happened to you this past year? Or since your last birthday? In early December on the day before my…

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Is grey the new burning our bras?

Is letting our hair go grey the new burning our bras or staging a sit down protest to be allowed to wear pants to school? (I’m definitely dating myself with these examples, I know.) Since the pandemic I’ve noticed more women with beautiful grey or white hair. I’ve heard that during the pandemic it was…

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Hand hooked rug in white, red, blue, orange, yellow, violet, pink and yellow

On a more personal note

This January has been a big month for me. Two big milestones. If you’ve been a reader of Heart Notes for a while, you may recall this post called Heart Opening from October 2018. In this post I shared my pain as my youngest son left to serve time in a federal prison. I also…

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bouquet of flowers, assorted whites and pinks

Falling in love again

If the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s about the importance of joy and the feeling of being in love – with my partner, with my art practice, with my business. Like most entrepreneurs, I’ve been working very hard to adapt my business to the online world, from offering interactive workshops to students all over…

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Heart shaped grey rock leaning against a tree trunk. Green grass with some red, fall leaves.

Soften & get curious

When life is not unfolding exactly as you expect it to, instead of resisting mightily, getting angry and frustrated, can you soften into it? Can you use your curiosity to understand the wisdom and the hidden gifts of where you are at the moment? This fall I expected to be doing lots of hands on,…

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Client team building results, hand-hooked wallhanging, individual hooked pieces mounted on wooden blocks and a framed vision statement and description of the process

Two Years Later

Some days my business feels like a dream job. Things are flowing, I’m in my creative zone and my clients are happy. Today was one of those days. I received an email from a former client. She wanted to tell me how much our project from two years ago meant to her and her team….

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White mug with a heart and sole design on a wooden deck table. Stash t-bag on the handle of the mug. Blue pen to the side.

Self care for uncertain times – my top 4 tips

Last week for the first time in five years I didn’t get my newsletter out on time. There was too much going on (all good) and I made the decision to follow my own advice and choose self compassion. Do you remember when I wrote about how things might fall apart when restrictions ease and…

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Red leather cowboy boots

What Red Cowboy Boots Taught Me About …

In this earlier post Red Cowboy Boots & other strategies for success I revealed my practice of wearing my red cowboy boots in my home office while doing virtual speaking engagements and workshops. These boots are my symbol for “I’m rocking it!”. They make me feel empowered in a situation where I may need extra…

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Corporate group working on vision wall hanging from team building workshop

Let's get out in front of this

– and be the company that has a thriving and productive workforce. What do you anticipate will be your biggest challenge in getting people back to the office post-pandemic? As discussed in this previous post, people who have been through a period of prolonged stress often fall ill after the pressure is off. As we…

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Author and facilitator Meryl Cook reads from her book, with two photos next to her of participants in her hands-on workshop

You want me to do what?

Challenges in transitioning post-pandemic As a business owner or corporate leader, what is going to be your biggest challenge in getting people back to the office post-pandemic? I heard today about an international corporation who sent out notices saying everyone would be back in the office by September 8. Period. No discussion. How do you…

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