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Be Inspired

The Incandescent Doreen Birdsell – 1951 – 2021

From the first time Doreen walked into the classroom where I was seated at Saugatuck Church in Westport, Connecticut, things got brighter. We were both members of a fellowship that included frequent shared experiences, not only during our regular meetings, but also...

Any Rowboats or Helicopters Coming Your Way?

I first read the story of the man and the flood in Bernie Siegel's inspiring book Love, Medicine & Miracles (1986). For anyone who doesn't know this famous tale, a man is on his roof as the floodwaters begin to rise. Someone in a wooden boat rows by and offers...

Running on Empty?

How do YOU stay inspired, motivated, actively engaged? Never in my lifetime has that been more challenging than right now. I don't have to review for you all the reasons why. My question to you is, what can YOU do to keep your engine running and, dare I say,...

Do You Need to Know That NOW?

Years ago I was invited to address a group of out-placed executives who were considering entrepreneurship. I was the resident expert that day and was joined, in our circle, by a professor of entrepreneurship from a nearby university. One of the attendees asked how...

Baby Steps Reminder

If you're anything like me, you've got a juicy list of to-do's for 2021. And, if you're like me, you already feel behind. Aagh! Sorry about that contagious not-quite-good-enough gene. Sorry about mentioning contagion in the current environment... This is a reminder...

My Word for 2021 – Just Like Bergdorf Goodman’s

If the great city I live in is going to the trouble of providing a decorated tree, and retail stores are filling their windows with special displays for passers-by, the least I can do is be a witness. So last week, I hit the train and made a quick tour of...

Don’t Blame Me for 2020!

My choice for a Word of the Year in 2020 was TRANSITION (see last year's optimistic blog post). How prophetic was that? None of us knew in December 2019 what lay ahead. All those 20/20 metaphors for vision, the beginning of a new decade, this generation's form of...

Erik Hanson – Painter and Friend

Although my marketing plan for 2021 includes a weekly visit with a colleague, friend, client or new contact, I decided to get a head start. Last week I met up with Erik Hanson on the #1 train and rode with him to his painting studio in Bushwick. Erik recently heard...

An Invaluable Conversation with Donna Cash

I've been around long enough as a business owner to know this truth: trading money for expertise is a smart move. I hired Donna Cash last week to tell me all the secrets of the pillow industry, and did she deliver! We met by zoom, of course, as she is in Georgia,...

Discovering Saskia

What began as a way to fill an 8-hour day ended up being a rewarding, uplifting and satisfying adventure. I was at an intersection between my kitchen renovation completion and a rare day with no appointments on the calendar. My home studio is currently inoperable,...

So You Think Publishing is Glamorous

A NYTimes obituary for Daniel Menaker caught my eye a few weeks ago, because his wife's name was one I recognized, Katherine Bouton, the colleague and friend of a good friend. I called my friend to share my sympathy for this loss, and she suggested loaning me My...

Finding Joy During You-Know-What

This morning I opened up a red, Mrs. Fields' cookie tin to uncover a treasure trove of buttons. I spent close to an hour sifting through its contents, setting aside ones I'd like to use in my sewing projects and putting the rest back to return. They were gifted to...

How Big Are Your Carrots?

I made it through a 5-day Ayurvedic cleanse which ended on Tuesday. I'd thoroughly prepared my cupboards (still under renovation) and plastic-coated my countertops (plywood stand-ins for my eventual Caesarstone ones), then gave myself over to a period of reflection...

Scarlett’s Web(site) Suggestion

I wrote about my skepticism over an idea Scarlett, my image consultant, made when I showed her my new artist's page back in July. She said something like, "It would be very cool if you could duplicate those images with current ones of your penny rug designs and you...

When Are You All In?

How often will you do and do, yet remain unaware of how much you've accomplished? I'm fortunate to have another human being listen to me account for my actions twice a week. I prepare for our calls by adding to my ongoing list of Actions before we speak. But it's...