For those who attended the inspiring women’s personal and leadership development retreat, The Architect & The Tree, January 10-12, 2020, the above well-known travel quote could sound a bit off the mark. But it isn’t. You see, Jackie, one of our very insightful retreat sisters, chose this statement to place on the front of the …
When you accomplish something challenging, how often do you stand back and really look at what it took for you to get there? All roads may not lead to Rome. Sure, there’s more than one way to reach the result you seek or your desired destination. It’s often said, “jump and the net will appear”. …
Most big goals take a lot more out of us than we bargain for. We want to believe we can make company targets in record time, or lose weight by the end of say, January 2020! But what does it really take to reach your target? Have you noticed how much easier it is to …
Several years ago, I visited the unique and historical island of Lamu, off the coast of Kenya. Lamu has paths and alleyways, but no roads. People get around by foot, and by boat. And, donkeys are used to transport goods. Navigating by road, is an intricate system in the far majority of the world. We …
As we approach 2020, what dreams are you envisioning and what promises for change and transformation are you making to yourself? You are making them … right?! We are challenged to embrace the vision of this new decade symbolizing the endless possibilities and heightened potential that each of us is called to reach. As you …
What scares some people about retirement is trying to figure out what to do with their lives. For those who consider themselves there, it’s time to ask and answer the ‘retirement question’. Stepping out of the work force creates an in-depth, sometimes subtle look into – Who am I now? That’s when it hits some …
I recently held the smallest retreat I’ve ever facilitated in over ten years. On the one hand, you might think that size shouldn’t matter a whole lot – on the other, it could matter when a participant’s energy isn’t optimal, for any number of reasons. We are not guaranteed the responses we hope for or …
Winding along the waters of Lagos, Portugal revealed the most exquisite caves and grottos. The names of these natural structures were mostly symbolic – the one above is called The Telescope. Telescope in Greek means ‘far seeing’ which literally describes how it functions. When we peer through a telescope, we illuminate and bring into focus …
I had a ‘back down memory lane’ remembrance of my dad’s vision and impact with the International YMCA thanks to the honor of recently hosting a Tea and Conversation event in my home for the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington. In preparation, I had looked back on an article printed in 1968, in which my father …
What does the word ‘basic’ conjure up in your mind? Every time I see a clothesline it reminds me of basics, wholeness and simplicity. Yes, I can imagine what other thoughts might come up … Not many of us want to go back to ‘antiquated’ ways of living. On the other hand, many of us …
photo credit: Carleen Jules Do you ever get caught up in protecting your space … that sense of ownership of what you consider to be yours, personally and professionally? We want to stand out from the crowd. And, we do not want someone else to take our stuff and claim it as their own creation. …
I Got this! Have you ever been under the illusion that what you want to achieve is going to take you a much shorter time than it takes most people? You can see where you’re going, define it, almost taste and touch it. You may also believe in the short cuts. “No, it won’t take …
Without hesitation, the captain of our boat steered toward four men who needed help. Even from a distance, I could see that one of them was dumping bucket loads of water from their small fishing vessel back into the sea. There was no danger; however, they weren’t going to get anywhere fast without some form …
Fifty years ago, I was in London, England – 16 years old at the time. Our parents woke my sisters and I up to make sure we had the opportunity to witness the moon landing – the ultimate result of thinking it could be done. My father was a firm believer in thinking that you …
Two weeks ago, I was intrigued by the beautiful story that my friend Sarah’s soon to be husband told a couple of us the day before they stood together and said their vows in a quaint church in Gothenburg, Sweden. He shared how he first heard Ben E. King’s song and the significance of …
Yesterday my earth son, William, sent me this adorable picture of my grandson, Theo. Although I couldn’t see the expression of wonderment and curiosity on his face, just look at how his body tells the story. He has begun what we hope will be a never-ending joy for exploring new worlds. Everything is an adventure. …
Choose is a powerful verb. We are choosing all the time. The problem is often the BIG choices we must make. Yes, that one! It’s a little disconcerting for many of us. It means we must first determine what we really want or desire. It requires us to decide. Our fears may be that we …
If there is one story I hear from women all over the world, it’s that they are challenged and frustrated by their inability to really look after and honor themselves. There are millions of professional women who feel like we don’t have enough hours in the day for work, family and friends, let alone time …
On the Eastern Hemisphere of our earth we are celebrating spring, the warming of the earth’s crust and bright, longer days. Time to lighten up! I can sometimes carry, or more like drag, heaviness around. I bet you can too. Think about it. Well, okay, don’t think too deeply about it because, after all, the …
The Far East IS far away from the suburbs of Washington, D.C. During my almost 15-hour return flight, on March 12, 2019 from Hong Kong to Washington, D.C. these reflective words above came to me: Teams, Temples, Thought & Action. The 10th Annual Women’s Leadership and Empowerment Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, March 1-3, 2019 (thank …
