• The New Normal

    This morning I asked the girls … “Hey girls, what do you think I should write about today?” Elinor turned to me and said, “Write about normalcy. I keep thinking that when I go back to New York, life will not be the way it was before I left. I used to walk to work every morning and I’d see familiar faces, the same young people walking to work too. Some of us will not have jobs by the time we get back and how is that going to play out? And, what about some of my favorite places? Will they survive? How is the new normal going to be? I…

  • Working From Home

    I don’t know about working from home, she said. I don’t know if I can be as productive. It’s going to be an adjustment. We spoke the day she found out that her office would be closing for two weeks, because of the coronavirus epidemic, and she would have to work from home. Hearing her apprehension made me realize how challenging it must be to start working from home, not because of choice, but because you have to. Not only that, but you’re asked to work from home because of an epidemic, during a time of chaos, confusion, and uncertainty. When I decided to leave corporate, launch my coaching practice, and…

  • Work is What We Do Not What We Are

    Years ago, while at a networking event, I met these two guys who were account executives for MCI, a phone company of the past. We were introduced during the meet-and-greet session and they asked what I was doing. They were curious. Back then being a life coach was still new. They were both married and had young children. They asked many questions and at some point, we got talking about being available to our clients. I told them that I kept a clear boundary between family and work time. After all, my corporate days were fresh in my mind and I wasn’t going to repeat the same mistake. Their response was…

  • Saying No and Meaning It!

    I never thought I had a problem saying no until I had kids. Along the way, I realized that my kids were born to not take no for an answer. It looked familiar . . . did they get that one from me? Nah!! It must have been a long-lost relative or something. One could argue that not taking no for an answer is a good thing.  It may even be one of the keys to success. Yet, knowing when to take no for an answer is also a sign of wisdom and respect. Perseverance and stubbornness are two sides of the same coin. One is good, the other foolish! I…

  • A Season of Renewal

    Spring is a time of transition and renewal. Rituals of clearing winter clutter and making room for growth are associated with the onset of warm weather. De-cluttering has always been one of my favorite mental health exercises. If you have ever taken the time to go through your files and get rid of all the paperwork you have collected throughout the years, you can relate to what I’m saying. Clearing emotional, as well as physical clutter, gives one a sense of lightness and renewed energy and enthusiasm. Where to start? Choose one area of your life that has been at the forefront of your mind. What would you like done? Are…

  • Simplify

    Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life lies in eliminating the non-essentials. Chinese Proverb Living in balance is not about having myriad balls in the air and doing all you can to not drop any. That’s not balancing that’s juggling. It’s like running uphill hoping your legs won’t give while you’re running out of breath. To achieve balance, one has to be willing to drop some balls. It requires clarity and the willingness to put the important ahead of the non-essential. To be clear of what essential is, we need to get to know ourselves. We need…