Crystal Clear Observations

Energy preservation. It seems to be a topic that I find myself revisiting a lot. I'm talking about the limited energy we have each day that seems to deflate as we get older. As a breast cancer survivor, let me preface this sentiment by saying that I am probably more cautious of my time and energy than someone who hasn't battled cancer. Despite the physical limitations which exist, I consciously choose to preserve my energy for people and situations that truly warrant it. What some may view as a high propensity or personality flaw to create barriers or cut people off, I see as life preserving. You will constantly spin your wheels trying to get attention and agreement from those who demonstrate through their own actions that they aren't willing to invest that same energy back at you. It is not selfish or narcissistic to put your own wants and needs first. It is not cold hearted to eliminate people and things that drain your energy quickly. It should not make you feel gu...

Several years ago, I decided to go back to work and ventured into Human Resources after several run-ins with poor Human Resources professionals or poor candidate/employee experiences. As a person who loves policy, has a strong sense of urgency and follow up and who genuinely cares for people and their best interest, I felt Human Resources was a great fit for me. Re-entering the workforce after successfully running your own business presents its own set of challenges but within the right infrastructure, it is truly a corporate asset. Entrepreneurs tend to think outside the box and present creative solutions to problems or barriers. This is only valued when you join a team that is open to new ideas, talents and resources. If your teammates have been employed for years and are process driven or stagnant in their own career growth, your energy will be met with resistance. This constant battle is mentally exhausting and will eventually take a toll. Entrepreneurs tend to exercise fruga...

12 years in remission     I recently celebrated my 12th anniversary since my breast cancer diagnosis. I am always grateful but each year I take a hard look at the woman in the mirror and reflect on how I am living my life since the fight of my life.   When I was in the throes of cancer treatment, I made a promise to myself and a higher power that when I got through this, I would live a life of purpose and gratitude. I vowed to use my energy, talent and resources wisely since the threat of cancer returning always looms.   Year 12. I owe myself an apology.   It's been several months since I even wrote a blog entry yet I love to write. No more making excuses for not doing something that I love and feel I am good at. What could possibly be more important than doing what you love?   I apologize for all the energy I wasted on people who never had good intentions for me. I foolishly assumed that someone else's networks and friendships coul...

I've never been good at forgiving. I rarely saw it demonstrated in my childhood and throughout life, it made very rare appearances. When things went sour, relationships deteriorated quickly. All these years I feel like I had it wrong. I thought weak people forgave and strong people were able to cut ties and move on; never looking back or forgiving someone for hurting them. I've spent most of my life as a very passive aggressive person which is not good. But I thought that being iron tough and a hard ass demonstrated strength and tolerance. I guess you are never too old to learn. We should strive to be wiser and aim for emotional growth. Recently, I had to dig deep to forgive someone for something that I normally would not forgive. The hurt, anger and disappoint clouded my logical thinking. A heart in pain throbs more than a logical brain. Here's the thing......people aren't perfect. They are going to mess up. They are going to make mistakes. And they may e...

    I recently posted a photo on my social media of pancakes for dinner. Now this may not seem like a big deal to most, but for me, it definitely was a crowning moment. You see.....I am the type of woman that likes to cook big meals for my husband and I which often require 30-60 minutes of time. The thought of eating something quick or fast slightly feels like a failure to me. I also wanted to remind people that even though I like to share my Hello Fresh or other fancy meals, sometimes we eat what we throw together. Don't get caught up in an unrealistic social media display.   So when I got home late one weekday after attending a lecture, I was just too exhausted to cook but we were hungry. I remember a coworker saying to me that "some days you just gotta open a box of cereal and call it a meal."   So I hope this brief blog and accompanying photo remind you of two things: Don't expect so much from yourself when you don't have it to give an...

Second time is a charm!  I recently mastered the art of cooking a whole turkey. "What's the big deal?", you might ask. For me, A LOT. Growing up, I always WATCHED the women in my family prepare a beautiful turkey under a watchful eye. I have vivid memories of my mother waking up throughout the night to check on the turkey in the oven every few hours. I also recall my grandmother carefully monitoring the turkey and prized dressing every holiday. Turkey and dressing were always the best part of my childhood holiday meals. I remember the first attempt at cooking a turkey around the time my daughter was 10 years old. I had no clue what I was doing and left the giblet bag in, didn't season it good nor did it cook up well. It was such a mess! I never attempted to cook one again. Fast forward to 2017. My employer gave me a beautiful 13 lb. turkey for the holiday. I didn't want it to go to waste so I decided to tackle the task at hand. With the help of s...

I saw the classic movie"It's A Wonderful Life" this past Friday for the first time and wondered how did such a masterpiece manage to escape my viewing eyes all these years! It's a wonderful tale of living a humble and selfless life. I don't remember which friend it was who suggested I see it around 15 years ago. I was going through a very difficult time and major depression. This friend suggested I see the film because I reminded her of the main character. Having seen the film, I am flattered that someone saw George Bailey in me. We could all learn a lot from George Bailey; a man that was actually good to a flaw. He selflessly gave of himself to others to a fault. He never sat back and took inventory of his character and life until a little angel forced him to see what the world would be like without his contributions. It's so easy to take our lives for granted especially in the age of social media. We see other people crafting the narrative they want ot...