3 simple, life-changing words...

FIND YOUR PASSION!

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A lesson in every situation? Oh, yeah!

Is It Just ME, or do you, too, wonder what it is you are supposed to get out of every situation?

Well, I am going to keep this short; I’m tired!!!  Let me tell you why…

On a recent trip to visit out-of-town family, for a planned experience, I found myself in the midst of an unexpected one…

About fifteen minutes before my scheduled departure for the airport, my brother-in-law suffered a major heart attack that found us speeding to the hospital emergency room.

Two hours later, we were conferencing with the cardiologist as he showed us a video of the life-saving procedure that re-opened the main artery; the widow-maker, as it has come to be known.  WOW.  

My basic cardiology “class” was just one lesson I learned that day, and I guess I didn’t really learn it as much as I was reminded of a lesson I was raised with.  That lesson is to take no one and nothing for granted and that each day is a gift.

We had household rules growing up.  One was never to slam the door when you left or to leave being angry at a family member.  My Dad always reminded us there was no guarantee that upon re-entering the house we would find everyone where we had left them.  So true.

Regret is a terrible thing to live with; avoid it.  Live in the moment.  Tell the people you love that you love them during the good times; don’t wait for life and death situations.  Let go of grudges; they are burdensome loads that take years off your life, maybe not life expectancy, per se, but the good thing you should expect to get out of life and that others should feel the blessing to expect from you.  Hey, we are all in this together; let’s be there for each other, in the good times and in the bad.

This is a special week for scores of millions of people around the world.  For Christians, it’s Holy Week; for Jews, it is Passover.  The gentleman who sat beside me on the plane ride home was a Muslim visiting the United States to lecture on world religions because it is a special week in that community, as well. 

I know it’s NOT JUST ME… as I said; we are all in this together.

To all who may be suffering now…

GET well, BE well, and STAY well.

Today was a total waste of makeup!

Is It Just ME, or do you, too, “get” the humor in this?  Have you ever felt this way – I have!!!

I saw a small, decorative wooden sign with the saying, ‘Today was a total waste of makeup’.  I stood there and laughed.  I got it.  I know so many other women who, if with me, would have shared the laugh.

  

Laughing is good; we should all laugh more!

You anticipate.  You prepare.  You imagine.

Then… You experience disappointment.  You feel discouraged.

                            You don’t know what you did wrong.

Chances are, you did nothing wrong!  You kissed another proverbial frog.  It’s life.  It’s probable.  Wash your face.  Start again tomorrow.

Don’t be fooled.  There is a “sort of” success in failure.  WHAT?  Yes.  Every lesson learned is a step closer to where it is you hope to be. Now, you know what NOT to do tomorrow.  Number one on the DO NOT DO list is to give up or feel sorry for yourself. No No No.

 I read a quote today from the great Dale Carnegie:

Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition,

is not only a waste of energy

but the worst habit you could possibly have.

Touché, Mr. Carnegie.

Negative energy is among the most draining waste of time.  It depletes you; it diminishes you.  You end up alone in your own misery.

Positive energy begets energy.  It becomes contagious.  It attracts.  Your spirit is never alone.

CHOOSE!

Nothing you do, nothing you try, nothing you fail at is ever a waste – unless you let it be.  Each experience is a moment of empowerment, enlightenment, and education.  Each “no” in life brings you closer to the “yes”.

Say “yes’ to yourself.  Look for the silver-lining in every cloud ; it’s there.  We only fail to see when we decide to stop looking.

So, IS it just me?  Probably not!

You can even skip the makeup!

(if you put a positive smile on, instead!)

It’s up to you…

Is It Just ME, or do you, too, feel as though things are sometimes beyond your control?

Recently, I had the pleasure of being in an audience to hear a great slant on this feeling – this belief. It happened to have been a religious service, but the metaphor is quite ecumenical and certainly applicable to life beyond any religious affiliation.

“The door to “hell”, he said, “is locked from the inside”. 

Brilliant, I thought.  The visual was at first very compelling, then practical.

Let’s agree to define “hell” as anything with an overwhelming sense of doom, negativity, helplessness.  Hell can be anything from momentary, to temporary, or go as far as total desperation, which, even if truly just momentary, can feel endless.

OK!  We get “hell” (I guess we can give it from time to time, as well!!)

The lesson here is that, sadly, we often put ourselves in this condition called hell and sadly, may chose to remain there!  Putting it in that context sounds less than intelligent, I know, but…think about it….this makes sense.

We all know someone (just one, if you’re lucky) who dwells in, or worse, creates their own hell: always focusing on what makes them a victim in life, one who is destined to be helpless, hopeless.

We also know someone (just one, if you’re blessed) who, regardless of all the challenges thrown in their direction, make everyone around them feel better just for knowing them.  They never focus on all that’s going wrong, all that would seem to give them the right to complain about.  They are never the victim.

WHY?

 Because they chose to live that way!  They refuse to be locked behind that door or made the decision to release themselves from it.  The good news is that the door opens the moment we decide to unlock it for ourselves.

Conversely, the learned preacher went on to describe a rather familiar depiction of Jesus knocking on a door.  I knew the picture right away.  What I never noticed was that the door has no doorknob!

Here’s why….

Let’s agree that Jesus can represent nothing but goodness, positivity, opportunity.  HOPE.

We are probably all familiar with the phrase…”opportunity is knocking”.  I’ve heard a version that states “opportunity knocks once”.

I choose to see it this way…there I always opportunity, hope, good things happening in the world.  It’s always knocking – but (no doorknob!), you have to let it in…again, YOUR CHOICE. 

May I suggest this?  Make good choices – you really do have more control than you may realize.  As women, we are expected to make good choices that affect our families, those in our workplace, and in our communities.  THE WORLD NEEDS WOMEN TO MAKE GOOD CHOICES – AND WE CAN, WE DO!

Let yourself out of whatever negativity you may be locking yourself inside of.

Listen for the knock of positivity, of opportunity; good things just waiting for you to accept them in your life.

So is it just ME, or do you, too, get it; we own the key to both doors!

                          

Knock, knock.

Who’s there?

Open the door and find out!

Hope…it SPRINGs Eternal…

Is It Just ME, or do you, too, just love this time of year?

Now, I know not all of us are heading into Springtime, and I’m sorry for those of you who are not; although Autumn is magical, as well.

Today, March, 20, 2013, we will experience the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere. It is the time of year when night and day are nearly equal.  It corresponds to the centre of the sun crossing the celestial equator, heading southward.  In the southern hemisphere, it occurs 6 months later, as the northern hemisphere begins autumn.

That’s as much the astronomy as I can muster!

The start of Spring is so much more.  In ancient times, it signaled it was time to plant the crops; a widely believed explanation of the ever-mysterious Stonehenge.

Today – and I think we truly need this – Spring is a time when we begin to sense a feeling of renewal, a spirit of rebirth, starting over. We see buds forming on trees, we hear the chirping of birds at dawn telling us to get up and begin the day, ever hopeful it will be a good one.   Yes, we hope.

In the Judeo-Christian world, the beginning of Spring means the celebrations of Passover and Easter Sunday; both symbols of hope, possibility, and renewal of spirit and purpose.

It’ a busy time: winter clean-ups, landscaping, painting houses, planting flowers… it’s a very busy time.

So, why do we do these things?

Simple: we feel good!  Spring revives hope and with hope, there is possibility.  Possibility!  Anything can happen.  Everything is possible.

I love the very notion of having another shot and maybe, just maybe, doing a better job, getting better results, achieving higher goals. WE HOPE.

What is HOPE? Hope is a strong desire for something to be possible, a strong belief that an outcome will be attained without any true certainty that it will.  Hope is a form of trust.

OK! Let’s be honest hoping, wishing for something is great, but wishing – even really, really hard, doesn’t make it so.  So, what can we do to move hope into reality.  WE DECIDE.  WE CHOOSE.  Then, WE ACT.

Women of leadership are natural agents of hope:  they inspire, motivate, and make everything seem possible.  That’s the starting point.  From there, we need to get moving, we need to Do, to ACT, to BE.  Then and only then can something we hoped for yesterday become today’s activity and tomorrow’s reality.

Know what it is you are hoping for.  Decide if it’s important enough for you to pursue.  Plan “the plan”.  Move through it   Expect bumps in the road, see the forks-in-the-road ahead, allow yourself to pull-off the side of the road and regroup. 

Just don’t give up.  

Even more so, don’t steal hope from another.  Where doubt may be, encourage.  Help another believe that what they are hoping for it worth it and possible.

Sometimes leading another means pushing them a bit.  So, PUSH: Provide Unlimited Support and Help.

When necessary, PULL: Provide Unlimited Love and LISTEN.

HOPE does SPRING Eternal – and TODAY IS THE DAY!  

So, IS It Just Me, or do you, too, feel hopeful for all that is possible in your life?  Good, go get it!

I HOPE all you are wishing for will be yours!

Beware the Ides of March!

Is It Just ME, or are you, too familiar with this expression without really knowing why?

Briefly, the Roman calendar began in the month of March.  The beginning of the New Year was cause for celebration and the celebration typically lasted until the middle, “the Ides”, of the month.

The warning, “Beware the ides of March” was given to Julius Caesar by a soothsayer, who was forewarning the Roman Emperor of the danger he would encounter in the middle of March.  Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44BC.  His death was avenged on the same day, 4 years later,  when hundreds of conspirators were murdered.

So, all you Roman Emperors, “Beware the Ides of March”, indeed!

The middle of March is upon us; today, the Ides of March.  This time of year means our New Year’s Resolutions are probably as much a part of history as the death of Julius Caesar!  That’s OK!  We’re all human.

Like most things, the Ides of March can mean many things.  Most important is what it means to you:  your thoughts, your perspectives, your realities, your actions or lack thereof…your choices. 

The Ides of March need not just refer to the middle of March – it could refer to the middle of well – anything!

Have you ever started something: a project, a book, a letter, an assignment, cleaning out the basement…you get the picture…and stopped just about half-way through ?  (Take a moment…can you think of an example?) What made you stop? 

HMMMMMMM!

Of course, it’s important to start, to take the first step.  But, getting off to the wrong start or a slow start shouldn’t justify abandoning a project.  I recently told a group that many a horse has won the Kentucky Derby out of the worst post-position and being last out of the gate. 

What matters is how we finish – THAT we finish. 

Don’t be deterred by bumps in the road; anticipate them.  Don’t be derailed by nay-sayers who, quite probably, don’t know enough about what it is you are doing to even have an (intelligent) opinion; they’re just playing it safe.

Don’t be discouraged if details become complicated, confusing, overwhelming.  Just take a moment and remember what it was that made you start in the first place.  Refocus.  Keep moving forward.  When necessary, start all over again.

For me the “Ides of March” means “half-time”.  It means there is as much time – and opportunity – ahead of me as there is behind me.  It means I get to catch my breath, refresh, pick myself up and continue to move forward.

“Half-time” means it’s exactly equal; I have as good a shot to succeed, to win, to make a difference, to touch the life of others as at any other time in my life.  What could be bad about that?  I’d take those odds any day.

Focus on the upside.  Only look back to realize how far you’ve come.  Look ahead to see how close you’re getting to the finish line. 

So, by all means, “note” the Ides of March, be “mindful” of them, and be happy when you reach the half-way point of anything.  Taking just one more step gets you closer to finishing than beginning.  It’s always about ONE MORE STEP.

So, IS it just me, or have the “ides” of life tapped you on your shoulder, too?  Of course they have!  They are reminding you that to keep living, to keep growing you must keep moving forward.  And so we do.

You’ll excuse me now,

I have to finish cleaning the basement.

Lean On

Is It Just ME, or are you, too, curious about Sheryl Sandberg’s new book, “Lean In”?

On just its second day, it has already been slammed – by women!

Categorized as a Feminist Manifesto, the book , which will become a best-seller, despite the negativity surrounding it - has me wondering…

First, let me say I haven’t read the book; not sure that I will.  What leaves me wondering is why Sheryl Sandberg is “being hated” (not my words!) for what the book represents and for the success story she is.
At 43, Ms. Sandberg has been named among “The Top 5 Most Powerful Women in the World (Forbes), almost reached bbbbbillionaire status, is raising two children…….come on girls, we’re talking “uber-successful” here.  Let’s show her some love.

The reaction to her book may actually prove the very point Sheryl (if I may be so familiar) is trying to make in the book.  WOMEN ARE TOUGH ON WOMEN…do I see lightbulbs….?  WOMEN FOCUS ON THE WRONG THINGS!

Why can’t we appreciate that she, and other dedicated, committed, talented, SMART women have proven “it” can be done – if we want it.  AND, if we don’t, don’t hate those who do and are working hard to be their own success story.

All the critics I have read are women! They are all slamming the book.  Does Sheryl Sandberg owe you – or anyone – anything? Does HER success diminish YOU in any way?  OR, is Ms. Sandberg correct in saying we (women) are more concerned about “being liked” (by other women) than in finding enough self-motivation so as not to need to care about such things. THEN, we use that very reason (subconsciously, of course) as the actual reason success is impossible for us to attain.

Come on, now, no authentic coin has two heads!

I may never meet Sheryl Sandberg, though I do hold-out the possibility of having the pleasure.  But, I like her; I really like her.  I appreciate that she has raised the bar, broken through the glass-ceiling  - use your catch-phrase of choice - and proven “it” is possible.  In so doing, we should appreciate the example she has set, the hope see provides, and the perspective that she generously shares.

Stop blaming others for what you haven’t done.  Be accountable.  Be proud of this – and other women – who reach the apex of their career, realize their dreams and support others in doing the same.  Stop being jealous!  It’s old, it’s been done and if you are still playing that card, you’ve proven that being jealous of another’s success does nothing to help you find your own.

Are we all destined to be billionaires?  No!

Are we all wired to run a major global company?  No!

Can we all realize “Amazonian” success?  Well, YES!  The possibility is there and we all have the right to define it as we choose  -  then go find it.

SO, how do you spell Amazonian?

We all also have the right to sit back, do nothing, criticize those who do, and find reason after reason to not even try.  Your choice!

Please, celebrate women who succeed.  Be happy for them; be proud of them.  Learn to “lean on” their success to find the path to your own.  There are so many women willing to help you arrive.  I think (and I hope) that’s what Ms. Sandberg was hoping to do: to motivate other women, to encourage them, and to generously share the path on which she traveled to find her success.

If you never read the book, fine, but, you might just want to give a copy of it to your daughter(s).
So, IS IT JUST ME – please say “NO”

Hey, Sheryl, call me. (Maybe?)

I want to say “thanks”!

It’s not your turn to speak

Is It Just Me, or do you, too, sometimes find yourself in a conversation in which everyone is speaking and no-one is listening?

Clearly, I am not a woman of few words!  (I often write the way I speak!)  I’d like to think, however, that in speaking, or writing, I sometimes have something to say – ergo, something worth another taking the time to listen to.  I dream!

Conversing (from the Latin, “con”, with and “verse”, words: converse: to share words with) is wonderful.  It fulfills a need we have to share thoughts, feelings, and experiences.  Recent studies prove women clearly have this need exponential to that of men – did we really need a scientific study for that?

Communicating is a primal need, a fundamental right, if you will, and, I dare say, the foundation of good and enduring relationships.   As with most of the “funnest” things in life, it takes two…

The time and attention that one gives another is a priceless gift; one too seldom given these days.  Too many times, when people get together,   the tennis tournament of talk begins!  Words go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.  Sentences begin with “I”, “me”, “mine”.  Who’s listening?

We’ve all heard the expression that God gave us one mouth and two ears for a reason.  Well, He has!   We’re just not using the equipment correctly!

Here’s an example I share from experience:

I expressed to someone near and dear to me that I had a rather bad headache… quite unusual for me.  Her “response” was to tell me about the horrific headache SHE had LAST WEEK.  Now, I had a worse headache!

It may have made more sense for her to “react” by – oh!, I don’t know, offering to get me some aspirin!  There’s a thought!   There actually, was the cue – but it wasn’t the cue her that it was her turn to speak.

Now, don’t take that literally…that makes me sound like a mean girl!  What I mean is that the silence created when someone stops speaking doesn’t necessarily mean it’s your turn to speak, especially about a disconnected thought or at a time when action would speak louder than words.

LISTEN.  Let the other party know that you heard them.  Let them know that what you said mattered to you.  VALIDATE them.  The power of that should not be underestimated, nor tossed to the wind.

Listening to another is a gift for give that person.  It’s also a learning experience for you; emotional calibration of sorts.  IT’S POWERFUL.

Listen intently.  Listen softly.  Listen without judgment.  Listen with compassion.  Being a confidant for another is an incredibly important role to play; not always easy, but important.



Lastly, don’t always assume that when someone tells you something, that they want your advice or your opinion.  Opinions are best left to oneself until asked.  Even then, they are only YOUR opinion.

Be open to listening, including to the sound of silence; it, too can be quite beautiful.

Go ahead, give it a try.  ‘Lend someone your ear’.  If they never give it back, that’s OK, remember, God gave you two!

So, IS it just me? or have I given you a headache… be right back – do you want one aspirin or two?

Go ahead, I’m listening!

We’ve come a long way…..

Is It Just ME, or do you, too, appreciate that today, March 8, is International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day (IWD) has been celebrated since the early 1900s!

Discontent with inequalities between the genders, women began to find a voice.   Most particularly, they were speaking out about working conditions.  In 1908, 15,000 women marched in New York City demanding better working conditions, shorter hours and the right to vote.

The following year, The Socialist Party of America declared the first national Women’s Day (NWD) and, until 1913, was celebrated on February 28th.

1910 saw the first International Conference for Women, held in Copenhagen and led by Clara Zetkin.  More than 100 women from 17countries attended representing unions, political parties, and women’s clubs.  They unanimously agreed that women from around the world should recognize International Women’s Day on the same day.

International Women’s Day is now celebrated every March 8th in support of women’s rights in all aspects of life.  Sadly, women remain unequal to men in their own countries and cultures as well as in comparison to women from other parts of the world.

In speaking with women of The International Women’s Leadership Association (TheIWLA), it has become very clear to me, that despite what differentiate women from varying parts of the world; women are more alike than we are different.

The significance of International Women’s Day may likely mean as many different things to women as there are women in the world.  One thing, however, is for sure…

Women deserve an equal place in all societies and in every aspect of society.  What separated us from each other and from within our own cultures can and must be erased by what is possible today; by what the world demands of women, and because of what women are so capable of contributing.

In a letter to women around the world, TheIWLA wrote:

We have become a global community no longer defined by borders.

Technology makes possible the opportunity to connect with anyone, 

anywhere, at anytime.  Where limits were, options are.  No longer 

defined by the accomplishments of our past, we are encouraged by 

our dreams for the future.  It is in coming together that we leverage

our time and our talent, move forward faster, sharing the journey 

as we go.  Replacing frustration with fruition, doubts with dreams 

fulfilled, abandon with actions, and competition with cooperation are 

the rights of every woman; they are also her responsibility.

On this special day, and in appreciation of the millions of  women who have brought us to it, I urge you to recognize another woman, celebrate yourself, encourage your daughters to do the same, and remind all people that what women have and will forever do, is to give life and bring life and purpose to others.

Whatever is in your heart this day, whatever you perceive the meaning of this day to be, whatever you can do to make it a better day for another, know this….that IS what this day was meant to be.

SO, IS it just me, and I know it’s not, or are you, too, putting together a list of names in your mind - a list of women who have played such a significant role in making you the woman you are today?

Call them, write to them…. pray to them;

Just say “thanks”.

“…you are as good as the company you keep”

Is It Just ME, or do you, too, believe this to be true?

If you have read previous blogs of mine – and I sincerely invite you to – you may recall I reference and quote words of wisdom shared by my Dad; he always seemed to know the right thing to say.

Well, the title, above, is something my Dad believed very strongly in.  He urged his children and grandchildren to exercise good judgment in choosing those you “hang around with”.  He understood that those with whom you associate would eventually lead to how other's associate you. Wisdom.

Today, I received the following, simple, yet thought provoking message:

CHOOSE CAREFULLY, indeed!

So, who do you aspire to be like?

What are you doing to put yourself in the company of the sort of person you wish to be most like?

This requires some thoughtful consideration, no doubt…

Look back on some of your relationships…why do some endure while others seem to just fall by the way-side for no apparent reason?

Relationships, like anything else have to have measurable ROI (return on investment) in order to continue to invest in them.  I am certainly not just talking about fiscally measurable benefits – though in business, this is certainly to be expected.  The ROI on a relationship can be measured in many ways, but remember, it’s not all about you. There is someone else in the game with you and that party should anticipate an ROI, as well.  The interesting thing is that it need not be a concurrent ROI or anything resembling the quid-pro-quo, but there must be something of value for both parties over the long term.  If not, relationships tend to die and, as hard as that may be to accept in the moment, it is the natural course of events. 

So, time marches on.  New relationships are born.  Some evolve.  Some go as fast as they came.  They all serve a purpose in their term; they all give way to new ones, they have all brought you to where you are.  Be grateful for them all.

Getting back on track, learn to sew your seeds of relationship-building where they have the greatest chance to take root, to blossom, and to serve you as best they can.  Be willing to play the same role for others.  Choose carefully!

I look at it this way:  every year, I plant my garden.  Some of the prettiest blooms are annuals; they need to be uprooted and planted anew each year.  Some are perennials.  Not always as beautiful in the beginning; they take more work, but they last forever.  They are reliable; they come back every year.

Be a relationship an “annual” or a “perennial”, they both add beauty and enjoyment to the garden; they both serve a purpose, but they are not the same.  Choose carefully!   

     

In your garden of life, who do you choose to plant yourself near to grow roots, to bloom, to grow?  It take just a handful (5) blooms in your garden to become a beautiful one, an admired one, one that, in one way or another, adds value to your garden and draws others to want to be in it.  Choose carefully!

So, IS it just me, or do you, too feel you have 5 great people who you would be proud to be counted among.  You ARE only as good as the company you keep.

Choose Carefully!

Happiest State in the USA to live in…

Is IT Just ME, or do you, too, love all-conclusive surveys – in which you have never been asked to participate?

One caught my eye today…

Q:  What is the happiest state in the USA to live in?

A:  Well, despite the fact that California actually came in at # 18 out of 50, the group behind the survey seemed hell-bent on promoting California as #1.

California provides an almost buffet-like sampling of possible climates in the United States.  Running a good length north and south on the Pacific coast, it provides many options, diverse neighborhoods, an assortment of architectural design, pockets of style and culture, to name but a few of its attractive qualities.  Of course high taxes, unemployment, and a bankrupt treasury are not the least among what many associate with “The Golden State”.

Let’s think on the grand scale…sorry, Alaska…we’re thinking even grander….

Is being in ANY particular place what really makes you happy?  Don’t you think those who have only lived in such places as Hawaii, Bali, Shangri La, etc, come to take things for granted?  Oh, my, another gorgeous, postcard-like day!

Why does someone living in other person’s version of paradise travel to a city such as London, Paris, New York?  Is it for the love of walking in the rain, crowded attractions, or waiting on lines that charm people to travel half-way around the world?

Not at all!  It’s the thrill of imagining what the experience would be like.  It’s about fulfilling a fantasy or crossing something off a bucket-list.  It’s about the experience that exists in the mind and the capacity of the mind to perceive things beyond what is reasonably possible or may ever come to pass.

AH!  That’s it!   The happiest state in which to live is your own STATE OF MIND!       

Yes…the ability to control your thoughts, your imagination, to define your own realm of possibility, then to have the right to simply enjoy the view in your mind’s eye - OR to act upon it….to move perceptions into realities – or at least real experiences for having tried!   WOW…..

Never underestimate the powerful being you are.   The only thing you cannot achieve is what you decide you are not capable of.  In that moment, you are underestimating yourself.  You were designed and engineered for greatness – and so you are great.

So, IS it just me, or do you feel that what we require to be happy is truly already within us; we just have to be willing to see it.

        Hey, California, “…you’ll be back!”

(and we’ll visit)

Ya-Who; Ya’-What?

Is It Just ME, or do you, too love the classic Neil Armstrong quote as he stepped on the moon?

Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer, announced earlier this week that all work-from-home employees must return to the office.

One small step for Yahoo; one giant leap backwards for working mothers?

I had to digest this announcement…it took a while to realize if I couldn’t swallow it, there was no way I could digest it.  This doesn’t make sense.

Seven months into her “…one of the most powerful women in the world…” (Fortune) position, Ms. Mayer dropped the mandate that ALL work-from-home staffers MUST return to the office and work from the office.

Smart, I thought that this was an across-the-board decision that would preclude her raising the ire of any particular group, but, come on…statistically it will most likely have a greater toll on women; particularly, working moms. 

Marissa, a working mom herself, returned to the office just two weeks after giving birth.  WOW!  Rumor has it, she built a nursery next to her office – a luxury afforded only to the “most powerful….”  Good for Marisa, no doubt she is working very, very hard to raise her child as well as breathing new life into Yahoo.

Here’s what I don’t get:  millions of people rely on this communication giant to keep them up-to-date on a full array of categories: news, politics, sports, finance…yet, they seem to have difficulty communicating with their home-workers!  I just don’t get it.  Credibility!

I admire all companies that took/take that leap forward and plant their feet firmly on a yet unexplored territory; why go backwards?  Shouldn’t a company that relies on technology to communicate with the world be able to rely on the same technology to communicate with a microscopic segment of it?

Ms. Mayer is quoted as ordering her priorities as God, family, Yahoo; good show!  So, for God’s sake, think of the families of others and keep Yahoo moving forward, not backwards.

It is awesome that Marissa Mayer succeeded another woman at the helm on Yahoo’s bridge and I know her ability to steer clear of self-inflicted wounds is what will keep Yahoo moving and growing.  It’s a great lesson in the importance of holding one’s course, staying focused, waiting out the storm, and navigating to the ultimate destination.  Ms. Mayer undoubtedly earned her Captain status; maintaining it is harder and plugging holes early on is what keeps a ship from sinking – she can do it! 

 

So, IS it just me, or do you, too, feel that no company should yield too far to the ways of yester-year, lest they fall off the moon!

I ‘m cheering for you, Marissa…you go, girl!