Author: Joy

IMG_3114   I'll admit it. I am so guilty of overindulging in many ways during the holidays.  I usually end up wearing leggings everyday after the New Year because my pants feel a bit too snug from all of the food I consumed. Over-eating, over-scheduling, over-spending, etc. is fine once a while, but with more than a month of festivities from Thanksgiving through the New Year, overindulging can catch up with you, and its consequences may last longer than you expect.  For example, we all know someone who had a bit too much to drink at a holiday party that resulted in some crazy behavior.  These stories are then retold every year, probably more often than 'The Night Before Christmas." This year, I'm intent on reigning in my overindulging and have come up with a few ideas to combat the indulge monster within me:
19 November, 2015 /
IMG_0214The holidays are supposed to be a season filled with fun and cheer. However, it can also be a stressful time given full schedules, parties, presents, and more. Here are 5 PR Fixes to help you navigate through and have a happy holidays:
17 November, 2015 /
FullSizeRenderMany of us come from families in which our parents have gotten divorced.  Children of divorced parents experience mental, emotional, and even physical strain that weighs heavy on them, not only in the early stages of divorce but also in various ways for the rest of their lives.   While divorce is common these days, this does not lessen the hurt, sadness, anger, and confusion that children in these situations feel. In my experience, here is what kids of divorce want their parents to know:
12 November, 2015 /
IMG_2831 copyMy grandfather has a bit of difficulty hearing sometimes, especially when he chooses not to wear his hearing aid (chuckle, chuckle).  Phone conversations with him can be challenging and involves a lot of yelling and eventually spelling out words on my end.  Once a conversation that should have taken 20-seconds ended up being a 2-minute cacophony of frustration on both ends.  That said, I love my 86-year-old grandfather dearly, and he is fairly tech savvy.  He uses a smart phone and email.  So, in recent years I've come to text and email him as much as possible.  It's an easy way for us to communicate clearly with each other. Senior citizens, individuals who are 65 years or older, are one of the largest, and growing, groups in our population. They are also some of our most important publics.  In our personal lives, seniors are our grandparents, aunties, uncles, mentors, and neighbors.  In business, older individuals can be the most loyal customers with big buying power.  Communication needs to take into account specific needs and preferences for people of all ages, including seniors.
26 October, 2015 /
5.10 207 copyJenny recently happened upon a blog post by Rob Myers titled "There's a Way to Stop Mass Shootings, and You Won't Like It,"  and she immediately shared it with me.  What Rob asserts in the post is revolutionary and instantly makes so much sense.  He suggests that the way to stop mass shootings is to “Notice those around you who seem isolated, and engage them.” Myers continues, "If every one of us did this we’d have a culture that was deeply committed to ensuring no one was left lonely. And make no mistake, as I’ve written before loneliness is what causes these shooters to lash out. People with solid connections to other people don’t indiscriminately fire guns at strangers."
16 October, 2015 /
IMG_7314"Be positive!" "Have a positive attitude." We hear phrases and quotes all the time encouraging us to be more positive.  Deep down inside, we know that being positive is always better for our soul, actions and outcomes, but sometimes it's very hard to keep an upbeat demeanor. I was recently asked, "How can I be positive when so many bad things are happening in my life?"  To which I answered that being positive doesn't mean that you constantly have a huge, fake clown smile on your face or are bounding with enthusiasm when you don't feel it in your heart. Rather, it means you have a genuine feeling of optimism and block as much negativity from your experiences as possible.  Heading in this direction invites positivity, in people, in conversation, in results and more, into your life.
06 October, 2015 /
flowersThere are relationships in life that happen by default, such as with  co-workers, stepchildren, in laws, college roommates, or the parent of your child's BFF.  In these cases, you find yourself automatically connected to someone, who you may not have normally chosen to befriend, because of your relationship with your loved one or work. Default relationships are not to be underestimated. They could make or break your most important relationships. So, what if you don't particularly get along with your default relationships?  You don't have to be besties with these folks, but you do need to put time and effort into making these interactions easy going and comfortable. Why? Because your relationship with your spouse or child or status at work depend on it.  A peaceful family or workplace is a content one.  You never want your spouse to feel like he has to choose between his parents or you or his children from a previous marriage or you.  That's not fair. Here are 5 ways to connect with your default relationships:
03 August, 2015 /
Beach BudsWe believe that one of the building blocks of fostering good relationships is being easy and comfortable with conversation in everyday social situations, such as at work, school, the drugstore, the gym, etc.  Having a friendly demeanor, grace and tact in everyday conversation are learned skills that take practice.  Many of us hone these skills through experience.  Often, this happens as we get older, move away from home, and become independent. When I look back on my younger years, I realize that I only began thoughtfully considering my social etiquette in college, where I found myself in a new city full of strangers and a variety of cultural and societal norms that I was a bit unfamiliar with.  I grew up in a small island community where everyone knew each other or were somehow connected, and this set a scene for mostly casual, comfortable personal interactions.  I didn't consider myself uncouth or anti-social, but apprehensive and awkward at times.  I think that this resulted in somewhat holding myself back on exploring a handful of opportunities.  As the saying goes, I lived and learned, and I am appreciative for my experiences as it helped me grow.
27 July, 2015 /