During the two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving travel, I was not in “week flow”. I have come to realize that Saturday is a critical indicator of the following week. If, on Saturday, I make a list of what I plan to cook along with a grocery list, then the following week will start off well. If I cook my Monday or Tuesday meal on Sunday, then I am on top of the world. This week was off to a great start (although it got tense later in the week).

I forgot one ingredient for the spaghetti I made, and I didn’t like the end product. Spaghetti is a 2-day meal in our household, but this week it was Monday only. It's interesting how one or two small actions can make such a big impact on my week. Do you have any small actions that really promise a great jump start to the week ahead?  If so, reply to this email with your tips; I would love to hear them!

Good Quote

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
Calvin Coolidge

Corporate Ecology

I've had a leader crush on Jeff Jones for about a week. Jeff is the CEO of H&R Block. Jeff is a visionary; when he took over as CEO, instead of stating his goals and visions for the company, he paused and did a listening tour across America. Taxes rarely came up, and instead he heard stories of relationships, connections, and trust. In 2018, he set a vision for the company to be in a position to do taxes digitally, which positioned the company well during the pandemic. I recently read an article from Authority Magazine (cool site on Medium) in which Jeff shared his top five leadership tips for business leaders (see tips below). To read the full article and learn more about Jeff, click here:

"The five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain times are:

1. Be guided by your purpose and your customers. Let your purpose be your north star and keep delivering for your customers. They may need your services even more during a crisis.
2. Set the tone for candor and transparency. There is power in being humble and at times admitting you’re feeling the strain of a crisis, too.
3. Communicate more often than you think you should. People want to hear from you, and it doesn’t always have to be profound.
4. Keep moving forward. Don’t get paralyzed with decision making. Plans are a good starting point but be flexible and change as needed.
5. Debrief with your teams all the time to make sure you’re learning and getting better. I believe in being better together. Learn, pivot and keep going."

On Family

"Researchers from Harvard found that writing about your emotions decreases stress, plain and simple." I approve and agree with this message. Writing has always been my form of stress release. I stopped writing for a long time for the sake of family, but ironically, I am a better mom when I write. I am less stressed and feel more alive. Making space for your hobby is important, especially as a corporate mom. What is your hobby? What’s that activity that makes you feel alive? If you need ideas, read the article below!

Disconnect

One of my favorite ways to disconnect is to get in the water. Whether I am in the pool, hot tub, or bath, I am in my own Zen. It's as if all of my problems are on pause. I am starting to learn how impactful silence can be in my life, and in the water, there is little noise. It looks like Ashley Reed-Kimble, a social worker from Rush Medical, agrees with me! Read her short 30-second post (it's a pic) on the benefits of taking a relaxing bath below. I haven't taken a bath in a long time, but now it’s on the to-do list for the next week! Who’s with me?

Can I Leave You with a Song?

What do you get when you combine two great artists and the holiday season? You get the song below!