I just found this in a 2011 file. Amazing how reading “old” words offers insights for resilient living for today’s crazy times. Might have written this 15 years ago, but the whatever muse whispered then is calling to me now. It reads... Insights for Resilient Living Just returned from a week above 10,500 feet: sleeping under the stars and clouds, battling mosquitoes and temps down to 25 degrees at night, plus gorgeous vistas and wildflowers. This year, while I wanted to go, I felt tremendously pressured by the economy and pending work NOT to go. After all, 7 days without cell phone and email.  What if someone needed me? Alas, no one did. Or let me reframe that—people figured out “stuff” on their own.  In the meantime, I figured out “stuff” that might very well help me cope with the current recessionary times: No one should travel alone.  In today’s crazy world, we NEED other people to share the decisions, sights, laughter, and burdens. Who travels with you?  Who has your back when the going gets rough? Don’t push the river.  We crossed many a cold, rushing river this trip.  I am not adept at standing upright and hopping across boulders that fit legs far longer than mine. The very force of the water intimidates me.  But it is what it is.  How often do I want something to be other than what it is?  I push against reality instead of just accepting and leaning into it. Surrender to the now.  How easy it was to suddenly find myself thinking about the work that had to be done when I returned. Every time my mind went there, I mentally pulled myself back. I realized I could do nothing about anything until I returned. NOW was all I could deal with. Great lesson to carry back to the base camp, I call my office. These are my insights for resilient living. Can you share yours?

One particular challenge I often face is facilitating a diverse team of professionals from various backgrounds— healthcare , pharma, education , and even the military —and integrating them into a cohesive unit capable of tackling complex projects with agility and creativity. The solution? Find a path with a future-focused, collaborative approach that celebrates differences while uniting everyone under a common goal. Here's how it's done: 1. Embrace Diversity Recognize that each team member brings unique skills and perspectives. Fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and heard makes a significant difference. 2. Encourage Open Communication Regular team meetings and open-door policies ensure ideas flow freely. This not only builds trust but also sparks innovative solutions to the challenges the team faces. 3. Focus on Continuous Learning Implement regular training sessions and workshops to encourage team members to share their knowledge and learn from one another. This enhances skills, keeps everyone future-focused, and fosters adaptability. 4. Celebrate Successes Together Whether it's a small win or a major milestone, make it a point to celebrate as a team. This approach strengthens a sense of community and motivates everyone to aim higher. 5. Leverage Technology Use collaborative tools to streamline processes and improve efficiency. These tools enable the team to work smarter, not harder, and stay connected, even when working remotely. By addressing this challenge, you not only enhance the team's performance but also create a work environment that is optimistic and supportive. This experience is a reminder that, with the right mindset and strategies, any challenge can be transformed into an opportunity for growth. Now, I’d love to hear from you! How have you turned challenges into opportunities? Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you found this post insightful, give it a like or share it with your network. Let’s continue to learn and grow together!

I have a dear friend, Sam Horn, who is the most brilliant wordsmith I know.  Part of her way to increase her wisdom is that she is constantly finding and memorizing quotes that capture the essence of a moment. Quotes of Resiliency to Close Out 2025 Here are a few quotes of resiliency that have I found that speak to the state of our nation and the world as we close out 2025. “Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.”  ~ Max Lucade “Behind the cloud, the sun is still shining.”  ~ Abraham Lincoln “Never attribute to malice or other deliberate decision what can be explained by human frailty, imperfection, or ignorance.”  ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner “If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each person’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.”  ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow “A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”  ~ Winston Churchill “When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge.” ~ Tuli Kupferberg “ The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life .” ~ Muhammed Ali

by Nancy J Carmody I am thankful for …the mess to clean up after a party,  because it means I have been surrounded by friends. …the taxes that I pay,  because it means that I’m employed. …the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means I have enough to eat. …my shadow who watches me work, because it means I am out in the sunshine. …the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means I am capable of walking. …all the complaining I hear about our Government,  because it means we have freedom of speech.  …that lady behind me in church who sings off-key,  because it means I can hear her. …lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing,  because it means I have a home. …my huge heating bill, because it means I am warm. …weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day,  because it means I have been productive. …the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means that I am alive.

I can no longer hold back from making observations that could have many of you casting me aside. But this is far too important. The majority of my friends on LinkedIn are professional speakers, master facilitators, teachers, coaches, and authors.  We are wordsmiths. We talk and write about leadership excellence, creating teams, diversity & inclusion, clear communication, and how to create a world that works for all.  Many of you make your living trying to teach workplaces and schools about the danger of bullying. And yet, we—(ok –make that me) —our silence about calling out the very behavior that would have our clients and audiences tearing up contracts and sending us packing.  If we stood before audiences and made up “facts” only to shrug when we’re called out on false information… If we painted every race, creed, and color as people who should be excluded, denigrated, and locked out ... If we said that compromise is a dirty word and refused to foster meaningful conversation, instead relying on name-calling, finger-wagging, and mocking… That big IF would have us out of work. And yet we tolerate such behavior to find someone who we will put on the national payroll!! We have become a nation of voyeurs who stand by and let political candidates play us for fools. Why are we not demanding civil debates?  Real platforms?  How can we stand before our audiences and preach leadership development, diversity, communication, success strategies, and more, yet remain silent while candidates for the highest office in our country make a mockery of democratic ideals and values? Is this a political statement? No. It is a human request that we stop pandering to all this bombastic wordplay and instead put a fist up for actual conversation, dialogue, and plans with possibilities. There. I can now breathe.

Resilience is a vital life skill for those of us seeking a path to greater wisdom, strength, and growth in times of adversity. However, the strategies are not of the ready-fire-aim variety. Reacting to life's events demands patience, a quality that I, being an extrovert, often find challenging to embody. As we approach the year's end, I share these reflections in the hope of learning from introverts the invaluable art of patience and the grace of waiting. Consider What Happens When We Are Forced to “Wait” In our sped-up world of hypertext, hyperspace, and high blood pressure, we might do well to consider what happens when we are forced to “wait”. I find myself thinking about those moments when stillness takes precedence over activity. It is in the quiet of waiting that our creativity, imagination, and dreams take place. Some waiting contains optimism, and others hold negativity. Some waiting we can control. Others we cannot. Think of this list as a catalyst for your personal contemplation on the concept of "waiting." Extend the list and uncover what remains latent, awaiting your initiative to awaken. Let go of those aspects where you must yield to the eventual outcome. Regard this piece as an invitation for introspection, enjoyment, and reminiscence. Waiting... Waiting... the mental fingers-crossed image when the offer has been made on the house. Waiting... the breathless time between first date and first kiss. Waiting... the hush of morning stillness when sleepy heads listen for the morning paper to thud on the pavement. Waiting... the eager anticipation of birth and the ever-expanding stomach which hides your feet from view. Waiting... the empty mailbox yawning for a letter from someone, maybe just anyone. Waiting... the anxious moments when we visualize the worst news from the doctor. Waiting... the tingly, giggly, squirmy endless march from Thanksgiving to Santa’s arrival. Waiting.. . the boredom of watching airline repair crews work on your last flight of the long week. Waiting... the stomach-growling grace before meals while the smell of pungent Italian sausage drifts from the plate. Waiting... the blank space from artist’s block to fruitful creativity. Waiting... the pause between the end of a speech and the audience’s response. Waiting... the frustrating, maddening on-hold music while you wait for technical support to answer your software question. Waiting... the check is in the mail. Waiting... the moments between dusk and dark and the fireworks display. Waiting... the prayer and sorrow as a hand is held while death approaches. NOW, it’s your turn. I’ll wait to see how you use my words to trigger your thoughts.

How do Children Learn Resiliency and Hope? Resiliency is not a one-time skill to be pulled out in times of crisis. Many of you know I coined the word presilience ™ for preemptive resilience. In short, resilience is a life skill that can and must be developed and nurtured beginning with our children. I asked colleagues Karin Hurt and David Dye, owners of Let’s Grow Leaders, to write how lessons with children can be applied to adults. They have also created a wonderful resiliency book for children. Consider getting it if you have youngsters in your life. Enjoy, Eileen Three Ways Leaders Develop Resiliency – In Your Team or Your Children A teacher of developmentally challenged students took them to a fast-food restaurant to order lunch. One student was struggling with this new experience so her teacher walked beside her. As the student approached the counter, her teacher asked, “Now what do you do?” She ordered her food and he asked her, “Now what do you do?” She paid for her food, received her change, and he asked, “Now what do you do?” She walked to the end of the counter, picked up her tray of food and drink and turned to find a table. As she turned, the tray slipped out of her hand and her food and drink spilled across the floor. The teacher calmly said, “And now what do you do?” He understood that problems will happen and that we have the ability to respond and take the next step. There are three behaviors that will help you to develop resiliency in others. Show them what resiliency looks like. As parents, teachers, and team leaders we cultivate resiliency when we respond to problems matter-of-factly. A problem isn’t the end of the world. It’s something to be acknowledged and worked through. Manage your response to their setbacks. The teacher didn’t freak out when the student spilled her food. When your team or children face problems, communicate your confidence in their ability to respond to and overcome the problem. Ask empowering questions. Help them find a path forward by asking questions that reduce the problem to smaller steps. Eg: “And now what do you do?” In our new children’s book Glowstone Peak the characters are confronted with a series of problems that don’t turn out the way they hope they will. They discover ways to take the next step – sometimes alone, sometimes together. We hope this story of courage, influence, and hope will help inspire resiliency and leadership for the children you love. Karin Hurt and David Dye are keynote speakers, leadership experts, and the award-winning authors of Winning Well: A Manager’s Guide to Getting Results Without Losing Your Soul. and Glowstone Peak . Karin is a top leadership consultant and CEO of Let’s Grow Leaders . A former Verizon Wireless executive, she was named to Inc. Magazine’s list of most innovative leadership speakers. David Dye is a former executive, elected official, and President of Let’s Grow Leaders, their leadership training and consulting firm located outside Washington DC.

“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back. Choose the path that leads to wisdom.” – Buddha I can hear some of you right now: “Meditate! I’d rather medicate.” Can’t blame you. This practice might seem to fit the slower life of religious folks. Au contraire! Men and women caught in today’s frantic, frenetic pace can get back into a place of con- trolled energy with a daily practice of meditation. Here’s why. Instead of just throwing yourself out of bed when the alarm sounds or hitting the snooze button and turning over, become very deliberate with the start of the day. Without a deliberate practice, we join the energy-sucking race into life. I am by no means a great practitioner. In fact, I am pretty lousy. But I do know that if I wake up 15 minutes early, do the morning chores my body needs (including brushing my teeth), I can return to bed or a chair and just sit for 10 minutes. Doing nothing. Just gently breathing. Sure, my monkey mind chatters about the to-do list. I tell it to be quiet. Sometimes I am successful. Sometimes not. It doesn’t matter. I am starting the day with my energy controlled. You can move into a longer practice, take classes, listen to tapes. Those all take time. Right now, a 10-minute start to the day will start your energy flowing in the right direction, connecting with what matters to you! Then, when life takes over and you find yourself hyperventilating at the kids, the assignment, the spouse, go back to the very first lesson: Breeeathe. This excerpt is from my book My Get Up and Go… Got Up and Went: Simple Ways to Recharge Your Batteries and Renew Your Life! . You can purchase it for yourself or for someone as a gift by clicking here .

Ginger Hardage and I connected years ago when I called Southwest Airlines, asking if I could visit the headquarters and observe more carefully what made this company such a magnet for getting and keeping talent. Ginger was my contact. She recently retired as as Senior VP Corporate Culture and Communications and now is ready to share her vast knowledge with the rest of the world. Those of you who follow my work know that I believe a resilient, sustainable organization needs to create a culture for achievement, growth, and meaning… not to mention fun. Thank, you Ginger for offering your insights. Whose Job is Corporate Culture Anyway? For some of you, the word "culture" might appear in your job title and loom large as a key strategic focus for you. Some of you may have an element of culture that falls within your job description. Others may be desperately hoping that anyone in their organization will begin to care about the topic! The topic of corporate culture has been active in some organizations for decades, but it is now going mainstream as more institutions are addressing organizational health. Recent headlines around sexual harassment and equality in the workplace highlight the critical need to set the right tone in our organizations. Rightfully so, employees are demanding that our workplaces live up to the hype. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of interest about corporate culture, my contention is: Culture is everyone's responsibility. But how this priority plays out can look differently depending on your "seat on the bus" (to paraphrase Jim Collins). So how does that break down? And, what should that practically look like in my organization? There are a few critical roles that must all work in parallel for this to become a reality. Senior Leadership - Usually, when I'm approached about a potential consulting opportunity involving corporate culture, it is from the CEO or a senior leader in the organization. So there is no question about the priority placed on culture by the C-suite. But when the outreach does not originate from the C-suite, my first question is about the buy-in from senior leadership. If the leaders of an organization are not signed on about cultural change and do not see the importance of modeling the behavior that is expected in the organization, then it's a lost cause. Employees immediately see though a leader who is "all talk and no action." The Right Leader - Rather than debate where Culture should reside in a company, focus on identifying the right person to lead the charge. That individual should embody the values of the organization and have the level of influence to assure that policies, practices, and programs are driven throughout every level of the company. My title at Southwest Airlines was Sr. VP of Culture and Communications and that structure is still in place. At other organizations, Culture may fall under the Human Resources umbrella. Regardless, creating and sustaining a healthy environment will take discipline and cooperation between multiple departments. So focus on identifying the right individual who can collaborate with others to push for change. Every Leader - Culture is everyone's responsibility. Every leader and employee in the organization should be held accountable for living the values of the organization. Best-in-class organizations make sure that measurement against the values of the organization are part of the performance evaluation process. One of the preeminent communications associations espouses: Realize an enterprise's true character is expressed by its people. When organizations focus on these areas and ultimately embrace Culture as everyone's responsibility, true cultural transformation begins. Make sure all of these people groups are identified and empowered to do their part to build a culture of greatness. Learn more about creating and sustaining cultures of enduring greatness and engage with Ginger at http://unstoppablecultures.com

The flames of burnout can turn any employee into a crispy critter. However, managers who work on their connection skills with employees are the best resources for getting and keeping good employees. Enjoy this guest post and a very helpful infographic. In fact, print out the infographic, laminate it and keep it where you can see it! Managing isn’t easy. Managers control the most valuable asset of any company: the employees. Nurturing a successful team from the start can help you grow employee engagement and customer loyalty for the long haul. A recent study found that 60% of employees who were recognized for their performance increased their engagement. In short, managers shouldn’t be afraid to compliment their team members and thank them for their hard work! Another study showed that 56% of employees would turn down a 10 percent raise to stay with a great boss. Remember that employees don’t leave companies; they leave managers. Fundera created a comprehensive guide on how to be a great manager. 7 Easy Ways to Become a Better Manager 1. Onboard Successfully Giving your team the tools and strategies to exceed expectations will increase ROI and motivate your team to do their best work. Follow the four Cs of successful onboarding : Compliance, clarification, culture, and connection. These will set you apart from the 80% of companies that don’t conduct proper onboarding at a strategic level. 2. Improve Time Management You should focus on shoring up your own time management skills before you guide your team in completing their projects on time. Know your goals and what you can realistically complete. Spend time prioritizing your tasks, organizing, and knowing time is your friend, not the enemy. 3. Communicate Effectively Clearly set the tone for what you want to get across, repeat as needed, create a dialogue, and always check for understanding. Encourage feedback and listen to any questions or concerns that arise. This will leave less room for miscommunications. 4. Motivate and Inspire Your Team First, demonstrate that you have faith in your team members’ abilities to get the job done! (That includes not micromanaging every task.) Show your team that their work matters and explain how it benefits the company. Last but not least, always include your team in big decisions. 5. Lead by Example Monkey see, monkey do.It’s in our blood to mimic those around us to fit in. You’ve likely taken cues from your boss. No doubt, your team will also take cues from you. Be sure to watch what you say, respect the chain of command, listen to the team, take responsibility, and let the team do their own thing. 6. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Based. This helps ensure your team is motivated and inspired to reach new heights without feeling overwhelmed. Know what you want the team to achieve, set goals, push for innovation, set deadlines, help when asked, track insights, and learn from mistakes. 7. Be Consistent Consistency provides discipline, and discipline nurtures success. Of course, you’ll want to try new things to see what works best. However, once you figure out what works best, run with it!

Let’s get one thing straight from the start. Resolutions do not work. According to my colleague John Blumberg , in his Front Porch ezine, only 14% of people over 50 actually achieve their New Year's resolution each year. A 2014 study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology at the University of Scranton revealed this dismal statistic. The same study noted that resolutions made by those in their twenties were achieved almost 40% of the time. While still low, it was much higher than their older counterparts. Why is that? I think we are worn out. The end of the year carries work-related deadlines, family obligations, aging parents, and thwarted travel. Very few folks in their 20s host the Holiday gatherings, cook the meals, buy the gifts, hold hands with crotchety relatives, and clean up when everything is over. The proverbial engine is running on empty and to attempt a resolution worthy of the Indianapolis 500 is foolhardy. Tip #1. Create intentions for the New Year. Resolutions come with deadlines, measurable outcomes, and pass/fail criteria. Intentions on the other hand allow for flexibility and unforeseen opportunities. There is space for synchronicity or as one colleague put it, “something better than I could have imagined.”  You may want to purchase my book, Your Resiliency GPS: A Guide for Growing Through Life & Work as a resource to guide you through the New Year. Tip #2. Begin with the end in mind. You’d never begin a journey without having an idea as to the destination or at least what you wanted for your travel experience. Here are some questions to consider: What do you want to be known for? What do you want to be known as?  What relationships do you want nurtured and protected? Tip #3: Review the past year and make note of what were your finest moments. Often, we forget the stretches of the past year, the places where we stepped up to the plate, the way we handled success as well as disappointment. We are a work in progress and what build our resilient spirit is the realization of what we have done. Like leaves town in the wind, we easily forget our strength. our bravery, and notice - instead our weakness. By-the-way—if you can’t think of a nothing, ask those around you. Consider the words of poet Mary Oliver "Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work, which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.” Here’s to having an astonishing New Year!

There are lots of books out there on “happiness”. Certainly, if one is resilient, it implies that “happiness” is a given. Au Contraire. In fact, while developing the skills of resiliency—particularly in difficult times—one can fall into a state of extreme unhappiness. I received a request from a reader who wanted to share a piece he created on the topic. Although it is long, he manages to convey the best and most current thinking on the topic.  He provided the summary below and you can see the entire piece with images below! – Eileen What’s it mean to live a happy life? We live in a happy-obsessed society, constantly bombarded with happy smiling faces on TV or billboard ads telling us their version of happiness. Even worse than this, we see our own friends on social media posting photos of their ridiculously happy lives; but never sharing any raw feelings of what’s really going on in their lives. It is an unspoken law that we all want to be happy but the reality is that most of us have not thought about what happiness means for ourselves.