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“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.” ― James Clear, Atomic Habits Life can be stressful even under normal conditions but experiencing a worldwide pandemic for the past two years has made everything even more difficult and stressful. Practicing daily resiliency habits will help you build your resilience muscle and give you a feeling of control over your day. Use affirmations that resonate with you. They may sound silly at first, but you'll feel the results the more you use them. Exercise your body. Go for daily walks, practice yoga or workout at home or in a gym that practices social distancing. Practice gratitude. Even when it's hard you always have something to be grateful for. Dig deep and use a journal. Look for humor every day. There are many Facebook groups for humor or perhaps you like funny television shows or movies. Be nice. Smile at strangers, check in with a friend, buy someone a cup of coffee or offer to babysit for a friend. We are not born resilient—we cultivate resilience through repetition. Habits practiced regularly build inner strength and self-confidence. It's a great way to start a New Year!

I went through my blogs from the past few years to see what people enjoyed reading the most. I uncovered some gems and want to share them with you. 1. 5 COVID-19 POSITIVE Lessons A lot has been written about the lessons learned of individual resilience from our shared pandemic experience— usually, what not to do. But what about the reflections and good lessons for resilience we have gained as communities and as organizations? Let us share some reflections of collective resilience at UWC Costa Rica. Read Post 2. Resilience Goes Down - Not Out At a virtual meeting I suggested that the crazy world crafted by this pandemic might require us to pivot, to move out in other directions. My colleague,Stephen Shapiro, challenged my notion. Read Post 3. Promote Resilience with Adaptability Skills Security rests in adaptability. Our current uncertain times can either freeze us from action or create a space where we strengthen our ability to adapt. Remember, survival is based on "requisite variety". Read Post 4. Don’t Just Be an Issue Spotter. Be A Problem Solver. Plenty of issues abound such has how to keep a business open to how to stay safe, from how to engage employees to how to win customers back and more. Learn why it’s important to be a problem solver in addition to an issue spotter. Read Post 5. Loneliness Threatens Resilience Loneliness short-circuits any ability to grow through challenge or opportunity. Loneliness weakens an ability to be resilient as surely as it weakens one’s immune system. What can we do about it? Read Post I hope you enjoy reading these blog posts as much as I enjoyed writing them!

Pretty hard to holler out “Happy New Year” when my January in-person event just cancelled because of Covid concerns. Record snows are battering the Western U.S. and bowl games have been scratched while hate speech echoes in the halls of Congress. Optimistic? Hard to do when many news sources decide which stories deserve comment. Inevitably, disappointing and disturbing stories outnumber positive reports. Robert Hubbell, a prominent writer and news analyst, offers an alternative against the deluge of bad news. “The answer is perspective. And there is no better description of perspective than the essay by Carl Sagan about a photograph taken by Voyager I as it left the solar system. In that photograph, the Earth occupies a single pixel in a vast darkness. Sagan’s essay, A Pale Blue Dot, is an appropriate reflection on our place in the universe and deserves to be read out loud at family gatherings as we close the chapter on a challenging year. This year, Sagan’s essay is especially appropriate because of his call to protect Earth: "Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. . . . [T]his distant image of our tiny world underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known." That’s it! Perspective. Step back and realize that we can choose to make a commitment in 2022 to deal more kindly with each other and this planet. It’s not a Pollyanna sentiment. It’s how we’ll either live or die together. I’ve made my choice. What is yours?

I love this gift for the New Year: a business school that finally gets what the world really needs. In a move to prepare students for a drastically changing environment, the University of Redlands has announced the FIRST of its kind: a School of Business & Society. This is a strategic evolution to help future business leaders recognize social and ethical responsibilities, the health of the planet, and the relationship between commerce and well-being for all people. My granddaughter graduated from this California university and I have always been impressed with its intention to prepare students for a wide world. This is another positive movement in the right direction. Makes me wish I was college bound again. You can learn more at https://www.redlands.edu/study/schools-and-centers/business/

At this time of year, the Christian world thinks of the stable at Bethlehem and the birth of the Christ child. But there are other miracles in other stables… specifically the stables at The Shea Center in San Juan Capistrano, CA. The Shea Center Founded in 1978 by Derek and Nancy Lewis for their 10-year-old cerebral palsy son, Michael, Shea is a therapeutic riding center that today is one of the most highly accredited centers in the nation. I had the wonderful opportunity to observe just one of their programs, Stars and Stripes, designed to help U.S. military service members with PTSD. This program offers an environment for healing through equine-assisted learning activities. As Winston Churchill proclaimed, “The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person.” Dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities, children as young as two years old may participate in PT/OT/Speech services using equine movement. Children four years old and up participate in adaptive riding classes which help improve core stability and more. Shea currently has 210 clients per week, over 800 participants each year. The youngest is two and the oldest is 100! To serve this many, 428 volunteers and 28 full-time staff do everything possible to care for clients and horses. Physical and cognitive disabilities comprise 69 diagnoses seen each year at Shea. The top three diagnoses served are autism, genetic disorder, and cerebral palsy. Many clients speak their first word or take their first step at Shea. I call that a miracle. Volunteering at the Shea Center Why not participate in another miracle at a stable! Please visit their web site and if you are in the Orange County, California area, you might consider volunteering. I intend to be more involved for sure. Happy New Year to All!

“Men work hard but women work miracles”—Ricky Gervais What a statement from the fearless British comedian. It was in an interview he gave to AARP Magazine. (Yes—the guy is age 60!) His statement didn’t make me laugh—it made me think. How many women I know who perform incredible deeds of courage, tenacity, and caring while—often—hiding behind the scenes. I think of my tiny, stooped over Nana carrying huge wet baskets of wash from the basement to hang them outside on a clothesline, constantly cleaning the floors, and planting or reaping in her garden. There was Mom who managed to feed us all when money was tight, keep us calm and centered during hurricanes, and turned even a waterskiing mishap into an adventure. Or how about Sojourner Truth, a former slave, abolitionist and women’s rights activist who in 1851 delivered a speech that came to be known as “Ain’t I A Woman?” She helped recruit black troops for the Union Army. Consider Joan of Arc, Amelia Earhart, Indira Gandhi, Florence Nightingale, and even climate activist Greta Thunberg. Every one of them took a stance and worked miracles in their own way. Thanks, Ricky. I hadn’t thought much about it until I read your words.

I just finished presenting a closing keynote for about 350 health care professionals from across the United States. A fabulous group of dedicated nurses, doctors and allied professionals were gathered for the 21st Annual Healthcare Services Excellence Conference. To talk about Burnout to Breakthrough: Building Resilience to these folks in the face of the past 20 months of Covid was both intimidating and a privilege. We laughed, cried, and together discovered tools for surviving and thriving. The conference organizer, Custom Learning Systems from Calgary, Canada, demonstrated the most meaningful speaker gift. To honor my presentation, I was given a small folder which said, “we have funded a surgical restoration for one individual—36-year-old Jacob—through the efforts of Operation Eyesight.” I cried. So, listen up anyone who wants to say thank-you. None of us need a plaque, a trophy or a piece of paper. Give a gift that changes someone’s life. Now that’s a treasure beyond measure.

Goosebumps! That’s what it’s like to be the opening AND closing keynote speaker for TOP OF THE TABLE at the Million Dollar Roundtable on Amelia Island, FL this past October. Thanks, Tamra Martin, for sharing this picture with me. Otherwise, I might have thought I dreamt it. But there was even more magic on this barrier island besides an incredible audience. Forty-four years ago, on this very island, I met my amazing husband, Bill Elvins. Little did we know at the time, with Bill returning to California and I moving in with my sister in Los Angeles, that we’d find love and now mark 41 years of marital bliss. We had not been back to Amelia Island since 1978. Gratefully, Bill was able to come with me to the conference. What a joy to watch the sun AND moon come up over the Atlantic. I can’t get that in California. Ahh—but the second piece of magic was dancing barefoot, on the grass, while the waves crashed and the moon cast its pale light. I think the Island still holds a spell over us. And thanks, Top of the Table for making this magic happen again.

I recently met Ben Fox of Shepherd virtually and discussed creating a list of the best books for surviving (and thriving) in disruptive times. You will find it published at https://shepherd.com/best-books/for-surviving-and-thriving-in-disruptive-times. The Shepherd website is creating an experience that is like wandering around your favorite bookstore. It starts with an author discussing one of their books and includes little notes from the author pointing out their favorite books on one topic. Ben started Shepherd in celebration of reading, books, and the authors who make it all possible. My list includes the books Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Courageous Cultures: How to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers, and Customer Advocates by Karin Hurt and David Dye, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old by Parker J. Palmer and After the Shock: Getting You Back On the Road to Resilience When Crisis Hits You Head On by Becky Sansbury. I included information on why I chose each book and what I liked about it. Shepherd is a fascinating website. Samples of the many list topics are the best books on World War II, the best books for self-awareness, the best books on mythology and the best books on surfing. Be careful when you visit the website… you may lose track of time and find yourself reading lists for hours!

Will Stronge, a U.K.-based researcher and co-author of Overtime: Why We Need a Shorter Working Week , says the 40-hour workweek in the U.S. was fought for and earned by workers less than a century ago. However, with burnout flames leaping in every industry, there’s a wake-up call. Times have changed! Technology now allows us to do things faster but instead of releasing us from a prescribed work week - we’ve just crammed it with more “to do”. Here are three ideas to see what can be done to eliminate hours and regain—instead—energy and focus… not to mention a 3-day weekend. Sweep Away Meaningless Work Redundancy, email overload, and useless meetings are just some of the energy-draining activities that workers face on a daily basis. If you are in a leadership position, be bold and ask your team, “What are the things you do that seem to be time wasters?” Gather the data. What can be eliminated, altered, or adjusted in a more appropriate fashion? I remember hearing a contractor talk about being required to write a huge report that seemed to have extraneous details. He put a page from a recipe book in the report just to see if anyone even read it. Yes—you are correct. Not one comment about the recipe! Develop The Skill of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Think of this as organizational reframing for intelligent optimism. Developed by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva, two professors at Case Western Reserve, AI uses an appreciative approach to look at opportunities versus problems. It builds upon collaborative and strengths-based change. Imagine the power of bringing together a team to dream, develop and deliver products and processes that are life-enhancing for the organization. Ask “when this works well, what is in place? What will we be doing?” Elevate The Gift Of Gratitude Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you ever said was thank you, that would be enough” . Recall how your personal energy increased when someone noticed the work you did and acknowledged it. Remember, a pat on the back is a short distance from a kick in the pants but a LONG way in generating positive results. Resilience, the ability to grow through challenge or opportunity, is enhanced when one’s efforts are noticed. Simple step. Powerful in results. And cousin to gratitude is kindness. There’s a Persian proverb, “With a sweet tongue of kindness, you can drag an elephant by a hair.” And with kindness, you will notice when your teammates need time out and time away.

I just typed “great resignation” into Google search and over three million potential matches appeared. You see “help wanted” ads and signs in many locations, particularly hospitality and leisure. You read about all manner of inducements from scheduling flexibility, health and wellness programs, ability to work remotely, gym memberships, and more. While bemoaning the absence of a beefed-up work force and blaming unemployment assistance as the reason, there’s a huge opportunity to critically reconsider the entire world of work and the various nuances of engagement. In short, salary alone is not the answer. Case in point. When talking with a waiter at a restaurant in California, he acknowledged the shortage of staff. He then added, “It’s not salary. It’s the inability to find affordable housing.“ Housing is outrageous here in California—but also around the country. I have read no reports that share with leaders that the issue is far bigger than income, childcare (which is huge) and perks. This revelation underscores the need for business and community leaders to address a problem that impacts many. One other revelation. According to The Mind at Work study by Potential Project, employees with high resiliency have 21% higher job satisfaction and 31% lower turnover. Data was captured via Mindgrow, a diagnostic tool developed with academic research partners from Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, Rotman School and Management and University of CA Berkeley. So, while we tackle the challenge of housing, let’s learn how to help employees manage workplace and home stressors by cultivating their resilience muscle. It can be done!

A huge sign stretched across the auto dealership that faced a major interstate highway: New Management! Better Attitude! Gets you thinking, right? How bad must the former management have been to announce to the world this huge change? Ask your family, friends, and team members what they think. Their answers might be a wake-up call.