“Get more confidence by doing things that excite and frighten you.” – Jessica Williams

There are often things that we may be anxious about, but flexing our muscles to try something new is ultimately good for us. Maybe it is public speaking, volunteering for a board position, taking on new responsibilities, or changes to our personal lives and priorities. Feel the fear, but do it anyway. You will learn something new, even if it is not always successful on the first try.

“Broken crayons still color.” -David Weaver

Resilience is the process of successfully adapting and adjusting to challenging experiences. There will always be struggles, but how we navigate them and move forward is more important. Even when we are bruised and broken down, we can make a positive impact.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

I struggle with an endless task list and limited emotional energy in work and my personal life. Sometimes I find that I made a wrong decision about what to do, and I second-guess my actions later. When I am stressed or emotional this can be even harder. I often need to remind myself that I made the best choices with the information available to me at the time.  

“Work hard, play hard”

Finding work-life balance can be a challenge. I find the best balance comes from really enjoying the work you do, being proud of your efforts, and having strong relationships with your team. If you can find this, it doesn’t seem like work. My work family makes every day better, from our team camping trips to strategic planning.

“Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine.” – Alan Turing

When I want to impact change positively, sometimes I focus too much on the big things and trying to move a mountain. Often the biggest impacts are achieved with small incremental movements… Listening when I wanted to talk, sitting still when I wanted to run, sharing emotions when I wanted to hide them, and encouraging others rather than doing it myself.

“Above all, be the hero of your life, not the victim.” – Nora Ephron

My personal life has changed dramatically in the past year, after losing my husband. I have chosen to step into the next chapter with my head up and am trying to start dating again. It is a completely different world from 20+ years ago, and I am choosing to see this as an opportunity for growth. I am trying very hard to see it as exciting, not terrifying.

“When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.”―C.S. Lewis

“Safety in numbers” doesn’t work out if you’re all heading in the wrong direction. Be brave enough to listen to your gut and set your own course. Even if it doesn’t go according to your plan, hopefully, you gain confidence for next time.

_{“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”―Dr Seuss
As the holiday season ends, and I reflect on time with family and miss those no longer with us; sometimes I am overwhelmed with feelings of sadness. I try to be grateful for the amazing memories and wonderful people who have blessed my life for the better.  Without the valleys of our lives, we would never appreciate the peaks.}

“Bad news early, is good news.”―Angus Brown

No one likes hearing bad news, but typically it is always better to know sooner than later. Whether it is a staffing change, budget cuts, event cancellation, a breakup, etc- the earlier we know, the earlier we can better adapt and shift course. So if you must deliver bad news, don’t procrastinate and help all parties involved plan for the future. Often when we are prepping the next edition of the print guide, we do not get a reply to several email and phone call attempts, only to hear at the 11th hour that budgets or priorities have changed. Giving bad news may be unpleasant, but it is better when given early.

“If you constantly need to be the bigger person, don’t surround yourself with small people.”―Wesley Snipes

The people we surround ourselves with either raise or lower our standards. They either help us to become the best version of ourselves or encourage us to become lesser versions of ourselves. We become like our friends. If you constantly feel like you need to be the “bigger person” maybe it is time to evaluate the company you keep.