“A stitch in time saves nine." That was an old adage about sewing up clothes before the hole became too big. However, I have been fascinated lately by that expression because I think there is a more critical addition to the old saying:  “A stitch in time saves nine, b ut not if you have outgrown the pants.”  Just as foolish as it would be to try to fix and stitch up an article of clothing that no longer fits, we also encounter times in our lives when we try to “stitch” something that no longer “fits”. It could be a relationship that needs to end or an idea that no longer fits the current reality. It could be a product that has outlived its marketability.  I know I have hung on to people for too long or to projects that need to be trashed. It’s a great question to ask yourself as we close off 2025.  Look carefully at where you put your time and attention. What have you outgrown?

When Bill announced that the first two destinations on our road trip would be Flagstaff, AZ, and Moab, UT, I was thrilled. These two sites are among the few Dark Sky International has certified as having the highest-quality night sky.  I made sure that my phone app, Sky View, was up to date. The notion that ancient people could find images such as Orion’s Belt, Ursa Major, and Aquarius has always intrigued me. Alas, clouds covered the sky.  Bummer.  But Bill reminded me that we would be heading to Wyoming, Montana, and Oregon. All would not be lost. However, it was not to be. Although the days were mostly lovely with magnificent sunsets and sunrises, clouds covered the skies at nightfall. Bummer.  Once again, my pragmatic Bill pronounced, “Just because you can’t see the stars, you know they are there.” Hmmm. That’s a good lesson, particularly for these divided times. Just because what dominates news cycles are bitter words of division and hatred, there are still MANY good people eager to redeem our country and care for all people, regardless of race, creed, or gender. I’ll hold that hope and do what I can to promote a brighter tomorrow.

For many of us, the advice to “set goals”  can feel impossible—we simply don’t know what we want. That’s why I use reverse goal setting . Instead of starting with what you want, begin with what you don’t  want. Sit down with paper and write a list of the things you never want to experience in your career, health, relationships, finances, or spiritual life.  When I tried this, my list looked like this:  Physical : I did not want to be overweight, out of shape, or too tired to travel. Emotional:  After a failed marriage, I knew I didn’t want to be an unequal partner, forced to hide my true feelings, or feel unattractive. Material : I didn’t want a life stingy with fear, haunted by my relatives’ Depression-era mentality of scarcity. Spiritual : I didn’t want to feel estranged from God or alienated by rigid religious ideas. Something remarkable happens when you create such a list: clarity. You begin to see what you actually do  want.  Read the rest of the post here at LinkedIn

While vacation time should signal a slowdown in our lives, the opposite is true.  I’ve talked to many colleagues who feel battered by increasing demands from work and home. They complain of getting little sleep, of being irritable, and feeling overwhelmed.  When we talk via Zoom, I can see into their environment. What I see on camera is a working space that is disorganized, cluttered, and piled high with “stuff”. They talk of shuffling papers into different piles, of an inability to find files, and other related issues.  If this sounds like you, it’s time to get physical and can the clutter! Our physical bodies and our physical surroundings are the two areas where we can quickly make changes and begin to get a sense of order and direction.  Read the rest of the post at LinkedIn here.

“Looks like a fuchsia blossom to me.” That’s what I said to Bonnie as she left my house after our monthly breakfast meeting. “Looks like a ballerina to me,” laughed Bonnie I looked again. She was right!   That lovely blossom could easily become a graceful dancer with a flowing skirt and stretched out arms.  And here, all along, I only saw a flower.  I realized that only witnessing an object in one way deprived me of the joy found in being creative and in seeing more. How often do I look at people in the same limited way—fitting them into a neat box of my own assumptions—without pausing to consider that they might hold more stories, talents, or dreams than I realize?

This coming Labor Day, I’ll join hundreds of voices that will be raised in celebration of workers… workers like my gardener who plants flowers, like the construction worker building a house, like fellow teachers getting ready for the return of students, like my office manager who keeps me pointed in the right direction, like the nurses on a midnight shift and more. Labor Day isn’t just a three-day weekend—it’s a celebration of the dignity, creativity, and purpose that work brings to our lives. Work is more than a paycheck; it’s a chance to contribute, to build, to shape, and to serve. Whether we use our hands, our minds, or our hearts, each of us can make a difference.  Work is a four-letter word…a gift. It challenges us, connects us, and helps us grow. It allows us to discover our strengths, share our talents, and create something lasting. On Labor Day, we honor not only the labor of others but also the joy and privilege of being able to put our energy into something meaningful. So today, let’s pause in gratitude—for the jobs we have, the opportunities ahead, and the chance to do work that matters.

Preparing for School is Different Today How well I remember all the preparation Mom went through to get us ready for returning to school: getting our uniforms, finding notebooks, pens, pencils, and arranging carpools because there was no public transportation where we lived.   It’s so different today.  The students in my neighborhood have electric bicycles (at a minimum of $1,000). Their cellphones are charged. Uniforms are absent, and so fashion takes whatever is the mode of the day.  But one thing remains:  school is still the place where minds can be stretched with new ideas. It’s where books open worlds unseen and creativity can blossom if encouraged.  The Greater Challenge at School Today As a former teacher, I believe today’s greater challenge is to foster connections and appreciation of differences. I believe that the soft skills of listening, speaking, and expressing empathy are more essential than ever.  I’d have my students silence all phones and literally write only by hand on paper. Research suggests that we retain more information when our brain and hand are moving in sync with the information.  Yes, I’d also be strict. There would also be boundaries, as well as courtesies, expressed to students and parents alike. Such an atmosphere offers security and safety,  In my last year in the classroom, I was Teacher of the Year for Nassau County.  But what mattered more, years later, was that when my students graduated from high school, they asked me to return as the teacher who had helped them the most. I believe that soft skills, boundaries, and an intention to honor each child still offer rewards today.

With my hang gliding instructor and short hair! In my 20s, I had long, straight dark hair, parted in the middle. Living in South Florida, I also had a deep tan. My brother’s friends thought I was a Native American. “I’m a Shawnee”, I told them. But with age, job demands, and little time to mess with my hair, I got it cut, permed, highlighted, and used hair rollers. Girl friends, you know the drill. Short hair was my go-to solution. And so, it was for more than 35 years. I kept my hair short.  Dealing with Hair as We Age But with age, my hair texture changed to frizz. The solution: grow it long and hope the weight of my hair would smooth it out. Now with chin-length, straight hair, I went to my annual National Speakers Association conference this July.  These are colleagues who have known me for decades. Comments ranged from “Oh, you’ve grown your hair!” to “It’s different.”  A few people said they liked it, but my good friends said it was too much hair for my small face. I came home and got it cut three days ago.  I must admit it:  it did look better. As with so much of life, I   stepped back and took in the lessons. Learning the Lessons After the Hair Cut Lesson #1 Accept what is.  It’s one thing to try alternatives in life, but at a certain point, I realized the wisdom of working with reality.  Lesson #2 What a gift to have good, honest friends. We all need those few friends who have our best interests at heart, who tell us the truth even if we don’t want to hear it. Lesson #3 By extension, dangerous “leaders” are those who are surrounded by sycophants, self-serving folks who “kiss the ring” so they can stay in a position of power. It’s what we have now in our United States government. I hope you, my readers, take these lessons to heart. Not just for physical appearances, but for what it means today in our country. Become quiet, and the democracy that is here today will be gone tomorrow.

This was the point underscored by Bishop Mariann Budde at a conference earlier this year in Germany. Some 100,000 attendees from 80 nations converged for a discussion on faith, politics, and culture. Bishop Budde, an American Episcopal prelate who has served as Bishop of Washington since 2011 and oversees the National Cathedral in DC, addressed the conference.  Her words are so profound: “ Our   challenge: a culture of contempt that has normalized hateful speech and encourages violence. Actively promoted within and outside the US by those who benefit financially and politically from our divisions.   We are not made of stone—often discouraged and saddened by what we see around us. What is needed now is hope… Hope that we can stop the damage being done and work toward a society in which all of us, in our God-given diversity, can thrive. We must invest in what we believe in—to find shared ground and work toward common goals for different reasons.  Pray daily for wisdom, strength, and grace. Hopelessness is not an option.” Amen

On one day in March, the Trump administration fired half of the Department of Education. One thousand three hundred employees, many with decades of experience and advanced degrees, came into work on a Tuesday morning, were told to leave early, and were fired by email that night.   Except that wasn’t the end of the story.    A federal judge put a hold on the layoffs, and workers were left in limbo until the Supreme Court approved the firings last week. Not Just Workers, but All American are Suffering, and Time to Wake Up!   Fired. Not fired. Laid off, forced to retire, asked to come back. Government workers have been jerked around like puppets on a string by the Trump administration –  and not only are the workers and their families suffering, but the American people are also suffering.   What happens when expertise is discarded, departments are hollowed out, and essential functions of government are crippled?  275,000 Employees Target for Layoffs Since January, more than 275,000 employees have been targeted for layoffs by Trump’s DOGE and other reductions in force, and the administration has already been able to fire more than 128,000 of them.   But the confusion surrounding these layoffs and their legality is causing ongoing problems.  Denied Retirement and Unemployment Benefits   Employees are being denied early retirement or unemployment benefits that were promised to them because the Trump administration doesn’t file the right paperwork or didn’t file it at all. They’ve received no information for how to apply for insurance benefits.   We’re all feeling the impact of these firings, as critical agencies like Social Security, FEMA, and the National Weather Service are now understaffed. I write this because too many of us are asleep at the wheel while this democracy is on life support. To be silent is to be complicit. Kristi Noem—who delayed responding to the devastating Texas floods for two days while posing for press photos—now leads ICE. ICE is now the country’s largest federal law enforcement agency, bigger than the FBI, bigger than the DEA. Not Political, but Fact Base This is not a political article—it is a fact-based editorial. Politics often divides, but the truth should unite us. I believe it’s up to us—the everyday citizens who aren’t worried about losing a government seat, money, or perceived power—to speak out on behalf of all our fellow Americans, regardless of race, color, creed, or gender identity Time to wake up! Will you join me in saving this democracy?

I have never declared July a month “dark.” Holiday weeks, yes — but a whole month? Never. Perhaps you will join me in stepping away from your work for a while, time off for good behavior. I will confess that this month is bookended with two events. The first is in Malaysia, where I am the opening keynote speaker for a double-header: and Global ESG and Sustainability . Yes — all in the same conference room. It draws leaders from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. I said “yes” months ago. I leave in five days for my 22-hour journey to Kuala Lumpur. Sometimes I follow my heart rather than my head. I will close out July with my dear colleagues at the National Speakers Association . I have the honor of introducing the opening keynoter, Australian Amanda Gore . We became friends 26 years ago when she agreed to come to the U.S. to speak at the NSA national conference I was chairing. What a joy to be with her again. In between these two events, I will seek out what is juicy and unusual. I will say yes to what supports this nation’s democracy, which I love. And love is the theme at a time when hatred, division, and cruelty are all too common. Hmmm. Join me?

June is known for gray skies and stiff winds in Southern California—not what you’d expect in this part of the world. Somehow, this mirrors the bleak outlook for grocery and gas prices, the continued corruption in Washington, the ongoing war against science and medical research, disdain for the rule of law, and so on. Now that I’ve thoroughly depressed myself…STOP! Resiliency can’t grow in the dark. Time to turn on the light of kindness and compassion, petting dogs and kissing babies, feeding neighbors and mailing lemon cakes to sick friends, dancing on the beach, and planting flowers. In our workplaces, what turns on the light? Can you start June by complimenting a colleague? Can you surprise someone by buying their lunch?  Can you bloom where you are planted by taking a moment to write what you do that is meaningful to you, and if not, what changes must you make?   With June, the year is half over—no time to waste. Love to hear your thoughts.