Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. -Martin Luther King (1929-1968) Theologian/Activist Growing up, children were taught to “be seen and not heard.” It was a matter of being polite around adults. But it is also important to teach children to speak out, especially women and, especially, if they are facing an injustice. Among my few regrets in life are the times when I didn’t speak up, negotiate harder on a contract or present myself with my full voice of confidence. Odds were the outcomes did not work in my favor. Often we don’t speak out because we fear repercussions.
Read more →I’m freshly landed in upstate New York from what has been a month-long holiday whirlwind taking me from Chattanooga to Maui with deliciously decadent pit stops in New York and Bridgehampton. My stomach still hasn’t made it back. I think it made a detour or was replaced by an imposter, a bully of a belly quietly grumbling, heaving and puffing to remind me of the excesses I enjoyed. Belly bloat is just an intestinal hangover…or stomach lag. But a good time was had by all! “Detox” seems to be the word of the month. January is when my inbox is flooded with
Read more →When she changed her thought process from “If Only” to “What If?” her world opened up. #fearlessfabulousyou Are you suffering from Iffluenza? It’s a common ailment that affects millions who wallow in hesitation and wishy-washy wishing. Common signs of Iffluenza are A) Using the words “if only” to put road blocks in front of your way. B) Being iffy about making decisions and taking steps to pursue goals and C) Putting too many “Ifs” – conditions and stipulations – in the way of making progress. If doubt is blocking your route to the next stage of your life, maybe it’s time for
Read more →Anxiety, Fear and Doubt…Wouldn’t it be great if these three words were replaced with, Confidence, Courage and Self-Trust when it comes to a woman’s well-being? Especially a young woman. My December 1 guests on Fearless Fabulous You! are two women who are addressing these issues in different ways to help women, especially young women, believe they are fearless and fabulous. There are more than 20 million high school and college-age girls in the U.S., each of whom has her own hopes and dreams. Today young women have more career and life choices with the right education, mentoring and a strong
Read more →There may come a time when you realize the life or career you had may no longer be available to you. It may not continue to be in your best interest, or you just want to move in a new direction. But life never stands still enough to let you sit a spell and figure it out. Forward is your only option. You ask yourself: What direction am I headed? What’s my next step? What happens next is a combination of strategy and serendipity. You strive to make good things happen and then relax and let good things happen to you. Along
Read more →One of the most heart wrenching experiences in my life was saying good-bye to my beloved Maltese dog, Chance in 2012. Adopted from a shelter 14 years earlier, he was feeble, blind and suffering from a cancerous tumor pressing into his brain. I agonized over my decision to euthanize him and then drowned my sorrows with my husband David in wine. I share my story of learning to let go of Chance in my new book, Fearless Fabulous You! Lessons on Living Life on Your Terms! Recently several Facebook friends have posted photos announcing the loss of their pets. Grieving
Read more →Marriage is a lot like food. You have to nourish it with fresh, wholesome goodness, trim off the stale parts, toss out anything going rancid and unpleasant, add a loving dose of sugar and, of course, sass it up with spice. I’ve been married just over seven years to a wonderful husband, David Ransom. I never worry about the infamous “Seven Year Itch.” David is loyal and protective like a dog. In fact my real dog, Sazerac, is quite jealous of him. But, we are going through the Seven Year Switch. You know how in some marriages spouses end up sleeping in separate
Read more →Unless you are living under a rock, albeit painted pink, you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Social media sites are awash in pink photos. Everyone from N.F.L. football players to everyday moms are donning pink sneakers and stepping out to raise awareness and funds for numerous causes. Pink parties with pink cupcakes and punch and balloons and branded pink gifts are being hosted coast to coast. And pink is showing up on Delta airplanes, Minnesota National Guard army tanks, scooters and drill bits. Men don pink tutus for videos and pink ties for more conservative appearances. Women wear
Read more →I write and talk frequently about how to live life on your terms- how to make the most of the days you have and enjoy what you do with purpose and passion. But have you ever thought about the right to die on your terms? I’m not talking about accidental deaths or wrongful deaths. I am referring to rightful deaths- the right to die on your terms if you face a truly life-threatening, life ending disease. Most of us thankfully don’t need to think about it, but if you had the option, how would you choose and would you make
Read more →A grown man approaches his elderly mother and punches her in the face. He grabs his sister by the throat and chokes her. He kicks his daughter in the stomach. Then he goes out for a night with the guys. Shocking! Yes. Disgusting! Yes, Abuse of any kind is wrong, be against women, children or animals, and we are hearing our fair share of stories about abuse in the news. I wonder: Why would men who probably wouldn’t think of punching or kicking their own mothers appear to have no problem leveling their wives or girlfriends? How can a man who holds his young
Read more →“You should be on ‘Oprah’!” people say to me when I tell my story. “You should be a keynote speaker at women’s events all over the country- like Oprah’s Life You Want Tour or Arianna’s Third Metric,” said a friend. “You’d be a much better speaker than who we are listening to right now,” she whispers in my ear at a local fundraising luncheon. “You should be another “Oprah” with your own show,” says a PR executive friend. I wish I could afford her services to help me; only her opinion was free. I am grateful for the vote of confidence and I
Read more →It’s hard to think that the person laughing the loudest may be masking the sound of his teardrops. But that’s what I thought when the news broke about the tragic death-by-suicide of the talented comedian and actor Robin Williams. Reports say he was battling depression and had dealt with substance abuse for years. The man with a hundred funny faces and boundless kinetic energy on the stage of life could no longer face his audience of demons. Why it is that so many genuinely funny and talented entertainers who made us laugh out loud for all the right reasons leave
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