Thank You for Your MOST Important Work

Girls holding a pan of scones

Waiting in line for my vaccination last month, I felt such a sense of hope and gratitude for the opportunity to re-engage in greatly missed activities, like baking scones with our granddaughters. The nurse who gave me my shot said, “This is the most important work I’ve ever done.” I was touched by her sentiment…

Keep Reading...

5 Things I AM LEARNING

We are in our 13th month of (you know what) and I am tired—of Zooming, masking, and social distancing. I miss traveling to see clients and host yoga retreats, sleepovers with my grandchildren, and birthday lunches with girlfriends. I know there is light at the end of the tunnel, but I am impatient for it…

Keep Reading...

What Are You Feeding?

Wolf howling in winter

Last month, I had a period of not sleeping well causing me to lose my energy, focus, and perspective. My erratic moods compelled my husband to ask me frequently, “Are you Good Diane or Bad Diane today?” It reminded me of an old Cherokee tale of two wolves: One evening an elderly Cherokee told his…

Keep Reading...

9 CPR Practices for Self-Leadership

Healthcare workers

Self-Leadership is the relationship you have with yourself. It is how you talk to, prioritize, and treat yourself, especially in times of challenge and stress. It is deeper than self-care because when we take full responsibility for the decisions we make to honor our bodies, energy, and time, we empower ourselves to feel and do our…

Keep Reading...

Living with Resilience: Flying Lessons

I was drawn to paragliding for years so when Tim, a good friend and experienced pilot, offered to take me, I said yes immediately. I’m really not a daredevil, but there was something about the freedom of being in the air, above all the noise and chaos that really attracted me. As we stood on…

Keep Reading...

Living with Resilience: Self-Leadership

Monkey status see, hear, speak no evil

Before I gave a webinar to nurse residents last month on work-life balance, I asked them about their biggest challenges. They all shared a similar theme: the ability to leave work at work, without agonizing about what they didn’t know, get done, or anticipate. They want what we all want, to feel good about ourselves…

Keep Reading...

Living with Resilience: Our Resistance to COVID

Diane hiking during COVID

When the pandemic became apparent to most of us in early March, we had no idea of the long-term implications it would have on virtually every aspect of our lives physically, emotionally, socially, and financially. Four months later, there is no waiting for our new normal, because it is here. I have observed and experienced…

Keep Reading...

Recovery with Resilience: Restore

Last year at this time I wrote about the need for recovery as I experienced a full speaking schedule, a lot of travel, and planning my wedding! Today we are experiencing different reasons for needing recovery with limitations on travel, social interactions, and resources, leading to what a CNO said recently, feels like one very…

Keep Reading...

Recovery with Resilience: Patience

My conversations with nurse leaders in the last couple of weeks revealed a general consensus of staff and managers feeling tired, apathetic, and a loss of control and trust, after everything they have experienced. I think we can all relate to these emotions, are more than ready to put this pandemic behind us and return…

Keep Reading...

Recovery with Resilience: Adapt

Resilience Recovery Adapt

Last week I took a course focused on delivering online content with high engagement and impact given by master trainer, Bob Pike. Pre-pandemic, I never considered delivering my programs virtually, but things have changed. After teaching yoga, giving a commencement speech, and coaching on Zoom the last couple of months, I knew I needed to…

Keep Reading...