Powerful Women Today FALL 2023 Issue

Dortha Hise, BSc, BA, C.Graphic Design

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Embracing The Beauty of New Beginnings

Let go of the past. Until you can actually mentally strengthen yourself to move forward, you won’t benefit from what new beginnings can bring you. Sometimes letting go may not seem right. Forgiving ourselves may be the hardest thing to do. Ironically a quote from Oscar Wilde’s A Woman of No Importance has become one of my incantations whenever I find myself having a hard time letting go.

“Every Saint Has a Past, Every Sinner Has a Future”

New beginnings bring endless possibilities. Even if you’ve always been a creature of habit, moving into an optimistic space for change fosters openmindedness and confidence.

Change is inevitable. But, how we cope with it makes all the difference. Sometimes, you deserve something so magical that coming up with your ideal scenario is not good enough. Let the story unfold and see what surprises and goodness life has in store for you in these new beginnings.

As you embark on new beginnings, the best way to keep yourself on track is to create new goals. Having a process in place with well-defined ideas of what you hope to accomplish will make you more likely to achieve them. Knowing what you actually want in life is an important step to getting it. Plus, it guides you on your journey, when you set timelines to keep you accountable.

So, make a list of the goals you hope to achieve for your new beginnings. You might include goals regarding your happiness, financial situation, health, and other things that help ensure you’re happy and in control of the next chapter in your life.

It is wise to remember that knowing what you do not want can be equally if not more important than what you think you want.

How to FALL in love with Change

Excerpt by Dr. Carolina M. Billings

It’s that time of year again. The time of looking ahead, of either envisioning and celebrating of what’s to come or bracing and dreading the untold stories of the future. We’re at the cusp of something new- are you ready for it?

Maybe you’re a bucket-list aficionado who’s already outlined next year’s adventures with a pen, paper, and non-refundable flight tickets. Or, perhaps, you’re steadfast in your antiresolution position- and you’ve proudly let the world know about your firm belief.

Whichever your stance, new beginnings inevitably bring some change. What about if you detest the idea of change? What if you feel bewildered by the people who can seemingly embrace and even thrive in changing climates? If either of these apply, our Fall issue is the guide for you.

Let’s unpack the five critical tips to reflect on Letting Go, Gratitude and Detoxing our Body, Mind, and Spirit.

1. Understand And Embrace: Permanence through Impermanence.

While some people think resilience is fixed and innate, there are actually many ways to cultivate this strength including:

• Making strong and genuine connections

• Seeking viable opportunities for growth

• Developing and obtaining realistic goals

• Maintaining a positive and optimistic outlook

• Acting confidently and decisively

• Identifying your locus of control in difficult situations

2. Lean Into The Uncomfortable Feelings

Change is scary. Most people say they fear the unknown. However, it’s more accurate to assume that we fear the worst-case outcome, the inevitable crises and wild catastrophes our minds create.

Rather than judging yourself for the feelings, allow yourself to experience the fear, anger, and

resistance fully. Feelings alone do not have to dictate behavior. They are simply natural responses to the stimuli in your world.

Practice identifying your feelings. Journal about them. Say them aloud. Make friends with them. Know that feelings are not good or bad. The more you can practice taking a neutral stance towards intense emotions, the less ‘control’ they will have over you.

3. Focus On What Expands

When change occurs, we often experience dread or anxiety because our attention fixates on what we’ll lose. And, of course, the concept of loss is a painful one. We work hard for the people and things we have, and the threat of their absence can haunt us.

The more you focus on what expands as a result of a change, the more peaceful you’ll feel. For example, let’s say you’re about to start a new job. Maybe you feel anxious and insecure. Perhaps, you doubt if you should have resigned from your last role.

What if you could shift your focus on what you’re gaining- like a new challenge, room for growth, or higher earning potential? What if you could focus on how your life is expanding as a direct result of the change? How different would you feel?

4. Harness Your Self-Care

Change can disrupt our daily routines. We may sacrifice our diets, lose sleep, withdraw from our friends, and neglect our hobbies. While self-care may seem like a luxury, it’s a fundamental part of coping with change. Without it, we risk burnout, resentment, and both physical and psychological problems.

Self-care doesn’t need to be time-consuming or expensive to be effective. It can be as simple as taking yourself out for a cup of coffee or indulging in a favorite movie. The more you can foster and honor your selfesteem, the more capable you’ll feel in navigating change.

5. Practice Acceptance

Of course, change isn’t always positive. Financial crises and natural disasters occur. Unexpected illness and death happen. In the blink

grappling with intense and inconceivable trauma.

When dramatic and difficult change happens, the answer to coping eventually comes down to acceptance. Know that you don’t have to like what happened. However, to heal, you must commit to accepting that it happened- and that you will need to cope with it.

Acceptance may not be an overnight process. However, you can accept that you’re willing to accept the situation when the time is ready.

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Tech Bytes

by Dortha Hise, BSc, BA, C. Graphic Design

Whether you love technology, hate technology, or have an “it’s complicated” relationship with technology – one thing is for certain: technology is an ever–changing, evolving, and growing part of everyday life.

As a business owner, I’ve chosen to take a dive into the deep end and explore all angles of AI (artificial intelligence) and technology.

I use ChatGPT or Bard or another AI bot in my business almost every single day.

Here are some of the ways I embrace utilizing technology to help me leverage my efforts in what I do daily:

Tighten up social media posts. Generate ideas for social media posts. Generate ideas for email messages.

Product descriptions

Content creation (blogs, promo, etc.)

Competitor/ Market Analysis

These are just a few ways that an AI bot can help in various areas of business. I have chosen to embrace the concept that AI isn’t here to replace me… it’s here to help me be better. To show up better. It helps me to be better, it helps me leverage my leverage.

As with everything that has come down the pipeline that replaces former systems or tech, we have known… this too will enhance our experience and make it better, if we embrace and allow it.

Consider the trajectory of music - from the 8-track being replaced by the record… being replaced by the cassette tape… being replaced by the CD… being replaced by streaming services… It all comes full circle.

Whether we choose to embrace it or not, technology continues to grow and morph , and we can utilize it or not… we can propel our businesses forward or be left behind. It’s a choice, and I’ve chosen to fully embrace it and the future ahead with bright-eyed eagerness.

Entrepreneurial visionary Dortha Hise, Chief Overwhelm Solver at Pretty Smart, amplifies success. Director at Summit, she melds triumph and adventure for transformative growth.

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Intro to Google’s BARD

by Jiri Medlen and Rushil Jaiswal

Bardis currently Google’s experimental, conversational AI chat service which takes its information from the web, which is the most (Sharma, 2023). As Bard is on the rise, it would be nice to know the different ways Bard would help society advance and the pros and cons it possesses. There are many questions that people would have about it and concerns that may arise as well and the goal is to address all of them.

more than 150 million results pop up, including a claim from ZDNET mentioning the controversy that Bard holds due to the actual performance of the chatbot, also leading to lots of negative feedback. ZDNET (Ortiz, 2023) also had an experience where “Bard also failed to answer basic questions, had a longer wait time, didn’t automatically include sources, and paled in comparison to more established competitors. Google CEO Sundar Pichai called Bard ‘a soupedup Civic’ compared to ChatGPT and Bing Chat.” Google also switched their language models from LaMDA to PaLM 2 which reduced a lot of the issues that Bard faced (Ortiz, 2023). Next, we will try it out; navigate to bard.google.com and use your email to create an account. There is a possibility that you would have to be placed on the waiting list however once you get your account, we can begin.

First, a simple question: Who are you?

Answer: I am Bard, a large language model, also known as a conversational AI or chatbot trained to be informative and comprehensive I am trained on a massive amount of text data, and I am able to communicate and generate human-like text in response to a wide range of prompts and questions. For example, I can provide summaries of factual topics or create stories. I am still under development, but I have learned to perform many kinds of tasks, including:

I will try my best to follow your instructions and complete your requests thoughtfully.

I will use my knowledge to answer your questions in a comprehensive and informative way, even if they are open ended, challenging, or strange.

I will generate different creative text formats of text content, like poems, code, scripts, musical pieces, email, letters, requirements.

Today is June 5, 2023. What can I do for you today?

It gives us a very detailed response which is a lot more than we would expect with that simple question. Next question:

Q: Introduce yourself. We can continue the dialog to get more details about the subject of interest.

Q: How large is your training data set?

Q: When did Google launch Bard?

Q: What technology is Bard using?

Q: Is Bard based on a neural network? Furthermore, we can continue the dialog until our goal gets accomplished.

Bard is a large language model and is a conversational AI or chatbot that is trained with a dataset of 1.56 trillion words and has public dialogue data as well as web text. It can communicate and create human-like responses to a multitude of prompts as well as questions. Bard uses Pathways Language Model 2 (PaLM 2), which is a large language model (LLM). LLMs are a type of neural network that are trained on a massive amount of text data. However, due to Bard still being under development, it has a number of limitations.

These limitations include:

It is not always accurate

It is not always creative

It is not always safe

It is not always interpretable

It is encouraged that individuals further explore Bard by asking additional exploratory questions, such as how can Bard help me, and how can Bard help children to more effectively learn academic material? It might be interesting to look at ChatGPT for a comparison (Medlen & Medlen, 2023).

Final question: How can Bard empower women?

References:

Medlen, J., & Medlen, P. (2023, March 30). Powerful Women Today Magazine Spring 2023. Issuu. https://issuu.com/powerfulwomentoday/docs/pwt_ springissue_978-1-7388840-2-5/40

Sharma, G. (2023, February 28). ChatGPT vs Bard A critical comparison between both the AI chatbots. TechGig. https://content.techgig.com/technology/ chatgpt-vs-bard-a-critical-comparison-between-boththe-ai-chatbots/articleshow/98298018.cms

Ortiz, S. (2023). What is Google Bard? Here’s everything you need to know. ZDNET. https://www. zdnet.com/article/what-is-google-bard-hereseverything-you-need-to-know/

Jiri Medlen is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the high-tech industry.

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7 Reasons to love Charcuterie

by Powerful Women Today

Is there anything better for entertaining than a cheese or charcuterie board filled with assorted hors d’oeuvres?

These snacking platters have only increased in popularity since their invention, and there’s good reason for it—they’re downright delightful. Low maintenance and easy to assemble, yet impressive and crowd-pleasing.

Cheese has been around for centuries, potentially dating back to 1200 BCE.

That’s right: a salty cheese similar to feta was actually found in Egyptian tombs. Charcuterie, on the other hand, is a more recent invention— relatively speaking—having been invented in 15th century France. Using salt to cure meats dates back to the Roman empire, but the French pioneered the modern version of charcuterie.

Sure to delight and impress:

Everyone can find something

The components of charcuterie boards include meat, cheese, fruit, crackers, herbs, and other accouterments. Each board is distinctive and may be customized to your guests’ tastes. You have the ability to modify your board to your guests’ preferences and needs, whether you choose to add more fruits, more meat, or none at all.

Endless Combinations

You have practically limitless alternatives because a charcuterie board can contain such a wide variety of foods. You can create a luxury board with some of the priciest items or a seasonal board using all the greatest seasonal products.

Affordable

You get to decide the price since you get to pick the products that are on your board. Fruits, meats, and cheeses can range in price from being very inexpensive to being extremely

expensive. A wonderful board may be simply created on nearly any budget.

Popular and Trendy

Everyone wants to get in on the bandwagon since so many influential people and celebrities have displayed their boards. Many of us enjoy following current trends, which leads us to items like charcuterie boards.

Space for imagination

Do you have culinary prowess? Do you have a thorough knowledge of your produce? A charcuterie board offers you a fresh canvas on which to express your creativity. You can customize the meats, cheeses, and produce to wow your visitors and showcase your creativity.

Easy & Available

The ingredients for charcuterie boards may all be found at your neighbourhood grocery, and they are simple to put together. This means that it is quick and simple to prepare for an unplanned barbecue or a sundowner get-together.

Feels luxurious

Everyone wants to experience life’s luxuries and feel unique. A charcuterie board adds a touch of class to any setting. The fact that the board was invented in a luxurious environment and is still used in upscale eateries and wineries might assist to elevate the ambiance of your gathering and offer that extra touch of elegance that others might have overlooked.

Now you have all the reasons as to why you should have a charcuterie board this holiday season. The real question is, what will you add to your board to personalize it to thrill your guests?

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5 Clever Ways to Avoid Having to Deal With

by Stacey Hall

Mostsales training prepares sales professionals to expect objections. But how much more fun it would be if we choose not to expect objections… and instead expect to receive YES’s?

The key lies in employing caring and empathetic approaches and maintaining a customer-centric approach. Here are 5 few examples:

1. Explore Their Pain: Ask about your customer’s pain points and concerns before they even surface. By addressing these concerns proactively, you demonstrate how much you care about the person…and not just pitching your products or services.

2. Be a Storyteller: Share a personal story that is similar to your prospect’s situation and explain how your product or service resolved your problem. Storytelling engages people on an emotional level and builds trust faster.

3. Have a Dialogue, Not a Monologue: Ask your prospect questions so that they do most of the talking…not you. The more curious you are about your prospect, the more they will tell you what you need to know to make an offer that is likely to receive a YES.

4. Validate Their Concerns: Rather than attempting to ‘overcome their objections,’ respect them and be sure to listen to their concerns fully. When they are done talking, repeat back to them the objections they expressed to demonstrate you were listening. Then, ask them if they are open to hearing why your product or service is different than their expectations.

Be sure to get their permission first to share about your product or service.

5. Imagine This: Guide your prospect to envision actually using your product or service and enjoying its benefits. The enjoyable experience will do more to move them towards a YES than simply talking about your product or service.

Each of these tips is a gateway to building stronger rapport and shaping meaningful conversations that drive successful outcomes. Remember, the key is to listen actively, respond empathetically, and lead persuasively.

Then you will enjoy more sales, satisfaction, and success!

Stacey Hall Sales Success Strategist Founder & CEO, Success with Stacey Hall

Stacey Hall is the author of the #1 global best-seller, ‘Selling From Your Comfort Zone,’ which has helped thousands attract more sales, satisfaction, and success.

7 tips for Building your Personal and Executive Brand

By Dr. Carolina M. Billings Ph.D., MA-IS, SHRP-SCP, CHRL, PCC

Know your personal brand. Before you can start cultivating a personal or professional brand, you need to have a clear picture of the identity you want to foster. Be sure to create goals that are realistic within your industry and field.

Prioritize LinkedIn as a Living Organic Portfolio.

If you don’t already have a LinkedIn profile, it’s time to sign up; and if you have a neglected LinkedIn account, you’ll need to tend to your profile.

Keep it Interesting. Branding is not about Selling.

Just because it’s your professional image doesn’t mean you always need to keep it about industry topics. Always keep it professional of course. While this advice will depend on your industry, and the culture within your organization or field, corporate is overrated for building a personal brand and executive presence brand. Have some fun with your image and make sure you stay personable and relatable.

While you want to always keep it appropriate, don’t be afraid to let loose every now and then.

Take the stage at events. Show you are in Demand.

If you can get on a panel or land a presentation at an industry event or conference, it can help generate “buzz.” It can heighten how you are perceived by peers and by recruiters or future client community. By being asked to speak or participate on a panel you are being endorsed as a thought leader.

Never turn down an opportunity to share your knowledge. Promote each and every occasion that recognizes you as an expert.

Hit the share button. Leverage Technology. Set aside time each day to share interesting

articles and to interact on platforms like X (Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook. Oscillate scheduling shared content and posts, so you can regularly share throughout the day without stopping throughout the day to log into the app. Leverage generative chatbots to help with time optimization and consistency.

Create & Repurpose Original Content. There are so many easy ways to share your expertise and thoughts, whether it’s through blog posts, LinkedIn articles, X (Twitter) or a personal website. And if writing isn’t your thing, you can opt for other types of shareable content. You’ll find plenty of tips and recommendations for building your personal brand that what works for you will depend on your industry and “executive needs.”

Be valuable. You can’t be entirely self-serving while building your personal and executive brand, you need to bring something of value to the table. By making yourself valuable, you will become harder to forget.

A personal brand requires attention, and attention gravitates towards value. If you’re not providing value on a regular basis, then you’ll be forgotten. It’s not a case of ‘What have you done for me lately?’ Ensure your thought leadership is not about promoting Products or Services but Ideas and Solutions

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Halloween Witches Draw on the History of Women’s Power

By Kim Stratton – Excerpt Summary

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

It is time to let our Inner Witch fly free! This Halloween, witches with pointed black caps may be seen in the windows of homes and shops. Young girls who often tour the streets collecting candy in witch costumes are reviving an old stereotype with origins in chauvinist anxieties and fantasies about female power and its perils.

This costume is worn by young women and girls because it enables them to play around with the daring possibilities of female agency, which are typically off-limits to them and manifested as naughtiness and disobedience. But what are the witch stereotype’s origins and background, and how did it come to represent women’s frightening power in popular culture?

The first Witch is frequently referred to as Circe from Homer’s Odyssey. She used a mystical potion to transform the men she attracted to her compound into wild pigs. It’s interesting that the Greek text refers to her as a goddess, indicating that her abilities come from legitimate deities rather than the kind of magic practised by Greece’s arch-rival, Persia, known as mageia.

Since she is the granddaughter of the sun and a priestess of Hecate, a goddess from Caria (modern-day Turkey) who is associated with magic by the fifth century BCE, Medea serves as another example of the witch in ancient literature who similarly obtains her power from divine sources. Hecate, who preside over liminal transitions such as births and deaths, was said to be in charge of a horde of restless spirits on nights without the moon, who needed to be appeased by sacrifices made at the crossroads.

This connection to the restless dead is probably what caused Hecate to be commonly prayed to on curse tablets and in binding charms from classical Greece and Rome. She had evolved into the witch’s goddess par excellence by the Renaissance, as shown in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Religion versus magic

Throughout history, particularly in early Christian writings, accusations of forbidden sorcery have

been made. Magical accusations were used to discredit rival messianic figures like Simon of Samaria, sometimes known as Simon Magus, or to discredit prophets and priests of alternate branches of Christianity who were later labeled as heretics. In an effort to delegitimize them in favour of bishops and leaders of churches that would later join the Catholic Apostolic Church, these leaders were accused of utilizing magic (rather than miracles).

Jewish authors also frequently portrayed the use of magic in the context of rival religious cults and accusations of heresy. Men are frequently shown using magic, but women are almost always in command. In fact, according to the Babylonian Talmud, most women practice magic.

Social order and witch hunts

The early modern era’s witch hunts were influenced by a past that connected magic with heresy and social unrest. Many people mistakenly believe that witch-burning was largely a medieval event, although witchhunting is actually at its height today: The Reformation questioned the legitimacy of the church, exploration upended the previously held worldview, and capitalism

and urbanization shattered the social networks that provided stability and protection for people.

In this setting, witchcraft accusations provided logical answers to people’s problems: if a needy neighbour asked for bread, the guilt of refusing her might be relieved by accusing her of witchcraft; if science was undermining the belief in God, torturing a woman into falsely confessing she had sex with a demon might provide concrete “proof” for the existence of paranormal beings.

Witchcraft accusations could be made against women who disobeyed male authority or who were seen to be sexually immoral. Witch-hunting served as a social control technique used to shape female behaviour into predetermined norms.

Current Day Witches

The usage of this image to denigrate women, especially powerful women, has persisted even though witch-burnings and the torturing of women just for acting or appearing differently came to an end in the 18th century. In order to create religious beliefs that emphasize the Earth, exalt the feminine (without demeaning the masculine), and support a non-hierarchical decentralized movement catering to individual needs and manifestations of spirituality, today’s witches interpret old tales through an ecofeminist lens.

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Detox for the Body, Mind, and Spirit

by Sallie Wagner

It’s Fall! I’m feeling a crispness in the air. Growing excitement and renewed energy as I leave behind the lethargy of hot summer days and embrace the promise of the new season, all while anticipating the seasons to come.

It’s time for the falling away of the old, the gathering of energy for Winter, and the making of preparations for the rebirth of Spring. All of which makes Fall the perfect time for a detox. But not just any detox – a detox of the body, mind, and spirit!

All we have to do is follow the example of the trees. We see them shed their leaves and draw inward to nourish themselves for winter. As they do, they conserve and build new strength for their rebirth in the Spring to come.

We, too, have the opportunity to honor and nurture ourselves by letting go of things that no longer serve us. Those limiting beliefs and decisions that weigh us down and use up valuable energy during the darkening months of the year. Those emotions and dark energies that lower our frequencies – body, mind, spirit.

You see, all of those things – beliefs, decisions, emotions – are energy . Those energies live in our bodies. When we hold on to low frequency energies, they tend to settle in and create hot spots in our bodies – those places where we already have weaknesses – whether genetic, injuries, illness, or the like. Unfortunately, when that happens, toxins accumulate around the hot spots, resulting in pain, dis-ease, and illness.

We all know this, right? We’ve all had the experience of getting a massage and the masseuse tells us to drink plenty of water afterward because the massage itself has released the toxins from our muscles.

It’s the same with the energy of our emotions. When we release emotions, we also free up the toxins which accumulated in the hot spots where we held the emotions in our bodies. Which is why it’s so crucial to include all aspects of yourself when you embark on a detox. Otherwise, toxins will remain – body, mind, and/or spirit.

So take this opportunity to indulge in your favorite detox as you move into the energies of Fall. Cleanse and conserve your own energy by turning inward. Explore your true self. Prepare the fertile ground of your true being to discover the person you truly desire and choose to be. Then, wait for the rebirth of that new you in the Spring.

And it all starts with embracing the Fall.

Sallie Wagner is a multiple #1 international best-selling author, sought after speaker, lawyer, What’s Next Strategist, and Life Alchemist!

Proposal Letter That Will Get You Booked!

by Jackie Lapin

Whether you are a new emerging speaker or a veteran, you can always use more speaking gigs to grow your business and change more lives!

And if you know the right things to say in your all-important emailed proposal letter to a speaker booker, then you have a significant ability to increase your odds of getting booked on more stages.

If you are not a professional writer and you are like most people, you aren’t quite sure what those magic phrases might be. However, in my career as a journalist, publicist, podcast/ radio tour provider and speaker resource, I have booked 10,000 interviews and speaking engagements for my clients by understanding what bookers want to hear.

So let me offer you this short summation of 12 phrases that will enhance your ability to get booked! You don’t need them to use all of them, but select the appropriate ones to include somewhere in your emailed proposal letter.

1. I know that your members/audience/ community has experienced (or wants more of)…. Or...When I attended one of your meetings…

With this line, you show that you have done your homework. You either have gone to the website or determined the demographic, past speakers, issues that these audience members have mentioned on their Facebook page, or, as noted, actually participated in the past. Let the booker know you have shown an interest in understanding his/her community before proposing yourself. That makes a booker feel confident you are willing to invest in what will best serve this organization.

2. If your audience is suffering from/ struggling with/seeking to overcome/ready to supercharge their business, then…

With this line, you are pretty sure what this audience is experiencing because you know the marketplace, and you can make it clear that you

have the solution to the problem. This is the single most impactful point you can make in a proposal letter. You are giving the audience a pathway to eliminate the pain what plagues them. The booker needs to know what’s in it for the audience.

3. I have been referred to you by…I am a member this organization… you and I attended the same university…we belong to the same professional association…we share a mutual friend in….

Common touch points are a very powerful way in the door with a speaker booker! If you happen to have a commonality or a person who referred you that they trust, then you have already knocked down a resistant barrier or two. So don’t hesitate to mention any one of these somewhere in the letter, and if it is a referral, even begin with that!

4. I understand the theme of the event is…. and in my presentation directly aligns with this theme (how?)

With this line, you show specifically why your presentation is an ideal match for the theme of this event or meeting. You want the booker to think your content is tailor-made for this program, and will dovetail perfectly with the rest of the speaking content. Your subject fulfills exactly the booker’s or organization’s intent for this conference or meeting.

5. The program I am presenting adds to your audience’s Continuing Education Units (CEU) or Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

Many states have programs where they will authorize you to provide continuing educational credits to people that are enrolled in your training programs. If you are booking yourself for workshops or training, and can assure the booker that your program is authorized to provide continuing education credits, it is a big plus to the decision-maker! You may want to look into getting state-

approval so that this will be a big enhancement when you seek to book yourself.

6. Your audience will learn, (or discover, receive, understand, grasp...

With this line, you begin a bullet point list of what the audience will gain from your presentation. You want the booker to know the TAKEAWAYS! What will the individuals seeing you discover that is new and powerful, leading to new and different results? This is an important insurance to the booker that have concrete solutions for the participants that will move them forward. It is a powerful way to show you walk your talk!

7. Here is what (name of previous booker) said when I spoke to his/her organization…

Testimonial quotes are a great way to bring in the third-party endorsement. You don’t have to tout yourself; let someone else do it for you. Gather up testimonials from bookers as soon as you complete an event, so that you can use these to insert in your letters, on your speaker one-sheet, and on your website. But make sure when including them in a speaker proposal, the testimonial comes from a booker in the same genre of engagement as the one you are pitching. You don’t want to use a spiritual leader’s testimonial when pitching yourself to the corporate marketplace!

8. I have presented at….

Let your previous bookings pave the way for this one. If a booker is impressed at the other organizations, events, corporations, governmental units or support groups that you have already served, it will go a long way to validating his/her choice selecting you. Again, make sure the previous engagements you mention are impressive or within this genre. Listing “lesser” engagements may undermine your efforts here.

9. I am the author of….

Should you have authored a book in this field, you will have instant credibility! You definitely want to include this in your proposal letter,

and offer to send a digital or print copy to the booker. Best not to send it unsolicited, however, in your letter, you can determine if the booker would want to see it, and if so, in which format. Your book is a powerful reminder to the host that you are “the real deal!”

10. Here’s what my clients/audience members have experienced…

With this phrase, you introduce the outcome that the audience members can expect to experience, based on what results you have ALREADY proven. This shows the booker that your presentation is effective, and that his/ her audience can expect a similar result. This is a strong reassurance to the booker that your presentation has impact. This shows the transformation!

11. In my speaker one-sheet, you can see more on the presentations that I offer…

Your proposal letter should only be a few paragraphs long (no more than 7), so you cannot load up all your credentials and the details of what you present in the email. A powerful way to show you are a consummate professional is to have a handsome twopage Speaker One-Sheet that provides your full biography on the front side, and on the backside, three different presentations so that the booker can have a choice of which might work best for his/her audience. It behooves you to have one of these in your hands before you begin pitching yourself. (An easy way to get this done is available at www. SpeakerTunity.com/Sheets )

12. I would welcome the opportunity to explore with you by phone or Zoom, how I might best serve your community/members/ attendees.

There are two calls-to-action that you can include, and one is an outright request to be booked as a speaker, but a more congenial and relationship-building tactic is a simple offer to get acquainted so that together you and the booker might create something that is directly applicable to his/her audience. It gives you a

chance to better understand the needs of the organization so you can perfectly tailor your approach to what will appeal most to this booker. By saying you are focused in “best serving” his/her audience, you ensure the booker that you are interested in more than just cashing in. You show you are sincerely interested in the outcome for the audience member.

Integrate elements of this into your proposal letters and you will see your rates of success soar!

And if you want to ensure a smooth and easy process for getting booked without having to do all the research yourself when finding the speaking opportunities, let me direct you to www.SpeakerTunityDirectories.com . You’ll find 75 regional market speaker directories, or directories just for your niche all across North America. Or if you are interested in conferences, consider www.SpeakerTunity. com/Conferences , where you will find 3000 per month to choose from.

Source: Tech Daily, Bloomberg Technology ( https://www.bloomberg.com/news/ newsletters/2023-08-18/qr-code-phishing-spam-email-is-the-next-cybersecurity-threat )

The pandemic has introduced QR codes into our daily lives, with their applications ranging from financial transactions to remote logins. However, hackers are now exploiting their convenience for phishing attacks. Cybersecurity firm Cofense reported that a major US energy company fell prey to a phishing scheme involving QR codes. Impersonating Microsoft, the attackers directed recipients to scan QR codes in emails to update their security, leading them to fake websites that harvested sensitive data. The strategic use of QR codes bypasses traditional email security filters and exploits our conditioned response to them. Despite their widespread adoption, some individuals express concerns about relying on screens to interpret information, suspecting possible deception. QR codes were originally intended for labeling car parts, and their expanded use raises questions about security risks. This awareness highlights the need to utilize QR codes cautiously , as they have become a potential tool for cyber threats.

Why “Command & Control” Leadership No Longer Works

by Mindy McManus

In today’s post-pandemic world, what it takes to be a great leader is changing. No longer are the days when leaders can use the “command and control” technique all the time. Employees want to know that they matter. That they are not just a number. In my coaching business, I work with many leaders at the executive level to help them move away from “command and control” type of leadership to become a servant and transformational leader. Too many great companies have lost their high performers and people have more options in our ever-growing digital/virtual age. Leading these days takes a humanistic view and puts the employees first. If we don’t put our employees first then how can we expect them to put your customers first?

Leaders are facing increased complexity, uncertainty, and digital transformation, with the need to experiment and learn from failure. This can be very challenging for many leaders. Skills needed to be successful are changing. Leaders need to be OK with not knowing and be willing to be vulnerable and share their vulnerability with their teams. We have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. I don’t like that saying, but it is really true. To become a great leader, we need to stretch outside of our comfort zone and explore areas that are not part of our true nature. Great leaders learn to engage staff and co-create the team’s future and culture.

There is also a talent crisis, which is changing the way we recruit and retain talent. There is an ever-growing need to upskill and further develop leaders to be able to thrive instead of surviving as a leader of self and/or a leader of others. Companies that never had to recruit before are now having to learn how to recruit. Companies that didn’t have a high turnover are seeing higher turnover more than ever. Companies that didn’t invest in their employees are seeing them leave in droves. One of my clients tried to blame it on the external environment but, through coaching, they were able to see their role in the problem

and make small adjustments to how they engage with others. Now they say they look forward to work because they have created a new positive culture with their team.

There is a growing need for a humanistic approach to leading others. Typically, conversations with employees/talent focus on the tasks/achievements. However, in today’s world, we must focus on the human side. Remembering that we have people that work for us, not robots.

How do we do this? We ask for feedback. I’ve added an activity that you can do with anyone or a group of people that you’d like to receive feedback from at the end of this article. Once you’ve received the feedback and would like help interpreting and implementing the feedback, this would be a great time to engage with a coach. This is where coaching comes in and can help you apply the feedback in an authentic way. This is what I help my clients with, and I’ve seen great transformation from this process. We have many great coaches at Powerful Women Today whom you can connect with. Including me. Make sure you check out our Powerful Women Today coaching directory.

Feedback exercise:

Find people who know you and your leadership style and who are willing to provide you with feedback. The best feedback that I’ve ever received is the feedback that came from a trusted colleague or friend who was willing to say the hard things and give me feedback on things that were blind spots for me. But I had to ask for it. I had to go to them and ask for feedback. Great leaders ask for feedback. Great leaders take feedback and do not try to find excuses for their behavior. Great leaders say “Thanks for the feedback” and apply it.

This can be done either in person or via a simple survey. Survey Monkey is a free way to create a survey to elicit feedback from

your trusted colleagues. Below are a few suggested questions to ask in your feedback survey.

What strengths do I bring to the workplace?

What do you see as my limitations in the workplace?

What could I do better?

What are some behaviors that could derail my leadership?

Mindy’s passion is to empower diverse individuals to unleash their leadership potential, improve decision-making, and reach their desired goals and dreams.

The Ugly Truth Why AI Bots Are Mostly Female

by Powerful Women Today

Siri, Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant. What do our daily AI voice assistants have in common?

All have female voices by default. Three out of four have gendered names. Not only our phones, computers, and speakers’ assistants are feminizing AI and text-to-speech systems. You’ll probably hear a synthesised woman answer your bank calls, GPS directions, or supermarket self-checkout devices, polite and deferential no matter the tone or issue.

Why does AI technology and things typically incorporate femininity?

Why worry if it is? There’s more to this topic. Some believe it’s because more women’s voices are recorded than men. Women have long controlled telephone exchanges and contributed their voices to pre-digital messaging systems, so people are used to it. Some say it’s because the female voice sounds more pleasant.

About domestic and administrative tasks. While some of the above ideas are valid, there is another factor to consider. The nature of such AIs’ tasks matters. AI voice assistants are mostly utilized for shopping lists, alarms, dates, music, payments, and more. Domestic and administrative tasks. In addition, these are all regarded ‘women’s jobs’ in today’s culture. It’s not that we prefer female voices. But we also favour women for certain tasks.

Because women are still expected to be subservient , mild, courteous, and always eager to please, assistants are pleased to make your coffee, organize your doctor’s appointment, and comfort you when you’re upset. Relationships and households still expect us to handle most of the mental and domestic work. Society if we let it, still expects us to be inferior always appeasing but never in power.

So, we design AI technology like this. The widespread deployment of female-sounding AI voice assistants and female-looking and

sounding service robots reinforces the idea that women are meant to serve. Multiple research has also suggested that. Even without other gender cues like appearance, gendered voices can trigger genderstereotypic behaviours, according to one study. Another found that female-sounding voice assistants reinforce obedient and subordinate views about women. All of that reinforces gender inequality.

Gender preconceptions restrict women’s development. They may make them suppress their sentiments in relationships. They can hinder performance at work. They can cast doubt on their skill. Among many other things. When we only see a woman—even an artificial one—as a helper, we promote a destructive culture.

Our future shouldn’t be characterized by female servitude . Massive female gendering in AI might reinforce harmful gender stereotypes, objectify, hyper-sexualize, and even assault women.

Reddit users bragging about abusing their AI girlfriends using Replika, a popular social app, was published earlier this year.

Even while yelling at a chatbot is preferable than attacking a human, its gendered nature should be problematic. Especially when such bots are programmed to always respond in an evasive, submissive, and sometimes even appreciative manner, regardless of the situation. This applies to Siri, Alexa, and other AI voice assistants. Whether it’s female voice assistants, chatbots, or female-looking robots, turning women into servants and helpers who do everything it takes to please someone might harm real-world women.

As bots improve, we’ll likely use more AI assistants and assistance, virtual or not. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want female servitude in the future. Despite being artificial. Clearer industry-wide social and ethical norms for gender portrayal in artificial bots are one option.

Next, gender-neutral or male voices and bots should replace female AI gendering. That wouldn’t fix detrimental gender biases in our society, but it wouldn’t make them worse. That’s still something, right?

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Your Business by a Professional Creative Director

by Dortha Hise, BSc, BA, C.Graphic Design

Have you been hearing the term Fractional Creative Director or Fractional Operations

wondering what the heck it is?

Look no further, this article is the first in a series to share with you the growing field of the Fractional C-Suite.

As a certified graphic designer, I’m here to shed light on a little-known secret that will transform your business success: fractional creative directors. These creative dynamos hold the key to unlocking your brand’s full potential, offering an array of benefits that can revolutionize your business journey.

Imagine having the flexibility to access top-notch design prowess without the commitment of a full-time hire. Fractional creative directors provide this very advantage. Game-changing, right?

As a business owner, you can tap into their skillset precisely when you need it, aligning with varying project demands and optimizing costs – a savvy move that allows you to invest resources where they matter most when you need them most.

Think of all the ways you can utilize this strategic advantage in your business. Whether it’s for a brand refresh, product launch, book cover concept, or other marketing collateral, you’re in very skilled and capable hands with a Fractional Creative Director.

You already have enough on your plate in the day-to-day running of your business, so staying current with trends can be a daunting task… well, fear not. Fractional Creative Directors are the avant-garde of design. They are well-versed in the latest trends that capture today’s ever-evolving market. By collaborating with these visionaries, your branding materials will exude the latest and

greatest, captivating your audience with fresh and engaging visual language, while you remain top-of-mind to your audience.

Versatility is the Fractional Creative Director’s middle name. With a portfolio encompassing diverse projects, Fractional Creative Directors possess a skill set that caters to your every design whim. Whether it’s a striking logo, a usercentric website, or attention-grabbing social media visuals, these creative geniuses have the finesse to deliver excellence across all platforms.

But it doesn’t stop at technical prowess. A Fractional Creative Director brings an external perspective to the table, one that can unveil hidden opportunities and convey your brand’s essence in captivating ways. Their keen eye will infuse your visual identity with vitality, ensuring your brand message is not only heard but cherished. Here are some pros and cons of working with a Fractional Creative Director:

Pros: High-level expertise availability

Trend-setting design ingenuity

As freelancers, they know how to work within a team environment

Cons: right Fractional Creative Director for you

It may be costly to hire the right Fractional Creative Director for you

Cultural alignment – ensuring that your company culture and the Fractional Creative Director’s culture mesh.

Entrepreneurial visionary Dortha Hise, Chief Overwhelm Solver at Pretty Smart, amplifies success. Director at Summit, she melds triumph and adventure for transformative growth.

Why Einstein, Aristotle And Disney All Had Mentor

By Vincent Carlos via LinkedIn

Thecommon denominator in every successful individual is the presence of a mentor who has helped them achieve their success. As humans, we learn by example, and the successful are no exception to this. They, too, all had mentors who taught them and helped them along the way.

In the book “The One Thing,” Gary Keller, founder of the largest real estate company in the world, says,

“Everyone has one person who either means the most to them or was the first person to influence, train, or manage them.”

Remember that other people affect us, and they naturally rub off on us. Jim Rohn, entrepreneur and people you spend the most time with,” meaning if

role models in your life.

Sadly, most people don’t realize that you have to be spending at least a third of your time with people who are 10, 20 years ahead of you. These people are your mentors, people who have already achieved what it is that you want to achieve, and so they can then teach you.

When Walt Disney graduated high school , he wanted to be a newspaper cartoonist, but he couldn’t get a job. So, his brother Roy, who was a businessman, got him work at an art studio. This was where Walt learned animation and began creating cartoons. When Walt was starting out, he had Roy.

Albert Einstein had Max Talmud, who was his first mentor. Max had a meal every Thursday with Einstein for six years. It was Max who introduced 10-year-old Einstein to math, science and philosophy.

Alexander the Great was mentored by Aristotle.

Aristotle had Plato. And Plato had Socrates.

Oprah Winfrey credits her father for “saving her,” but professionally it was Jeffrey D. Jacobs.

The Beatles had George Martin, who has often been referred to as the “Fifth Beatle.”

Tom Hanks was mentored by Rawley Farnsworth.

Jay-Z had Lyor Cohen. Even Gandhi had a mentor.

This is the power of having a mentor. Unfortunately, mentors are very hard to find. Either they simply don’t want to mentor you or they’re too busy, which is a shame because we all need good mentors in our lives.

Even more unfortunate is that some of the greatest mentors in the world are no longer alive. Sam Walton, Sigmund Freud and Mother Theresa are no longer with us. Luckily for us, though, they still live on through their books.

The actual presence of a mentor is great, but you can still learn from the all-time greats through books. Do you want to be mentored by Warren Buffet on how to invest in the stock market? Go to Barnes and Noble and spend $20.

“In life, no one ever succeeds alone. No one is self-made. All successful people have had mentors who taught them and helped them along the way.”

Remember: send your mentor a note of appreciation.

Can you change your life at 40, 50, 60… years old?

by Powerful Women Today

Yes! Changing your life is possible at any age, but it rarely occurs quickly. You can definitely change a lot of things if you prepare ahead and are self-aware.

There is no cap on how much you can develop, learn, and improve as a person. There is never a right time to start. Any decade in your life offers a chance for personal development and expansion.

1. Allow yourself some space to let go. It’s possible that you didn’t intend to be here. That suggests that you have probably suffered an unanticipated loss. This might be the end of a relationship, the death of a loved one, or future ambitions. It’s okay to experience any kind of grief, so give yourself some time.

2. Begin a journal.

Put your thoughts on paper, whether you do it on a computer or in your preferred leatherbound journal, to stop them from circling in your head. You can learn more about yourself and find a helpful way to organize your thoughts through writing.

3. Practice meditation and mindfulness. It’s simple to get caught up in a never-ending cycle of unfavourable ideas. Take a few slow, deep breaths, and try some meditation to give yourself a much-needed break.

4. Make a fresh start. Anything. When you’re down, inertia sets in. However, even the slightest things can make you feel better. You’ll have the energy to make future plans if you keep occupied and active.

5. Keep in mind that you are not alone. Your social wellbeing is crucial to your overall wellbeing, and having supportive friends during this adjustment is essential. If you don’t already have a reliable group of friends, consider getting involved in your community. While maintaining your current relationships is important, meeting new people gives you the chance to move on from your past and start over.

6. Get Moving. Don’t forget to continue working out (or, if you haven’t in a while, start one). Walking, weightlifting, and other low-impact exercises give you more energy and improve your attitude. Your whole health depends on you taking good care of your physical well-being.

7. Declutter with Gratitude.

Over the years, you’ve probably accumulated a ton of things. Donate or sell everything you don’t use anymore to relieve the burden of possessions. “A clear environment truly equates to a clear mind.”

8. Stop talking negatively to yourself. Comparing yourself to others your age is tempting. Comparing merely results in a cognitive bias that is detrimental to your wellbeing. Actually, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. Even though things may be challenging right now, you still have the opportunity to reinvent yourself, which is something very few individuals get to do.

9. Establish new routines for your upcoming chapter.

Without a road map, you can’t get to a new location. Making some plans is the first step to better understanding your new future. Consider where you want to be and decide what has to be done to get there.

10. Forget your age.

It’s only a number, age. You can start over at any age. Let go of your worries and fears about where you should be and begin creating the life you desire.

It’s okay to ask for help. Seeing yourself through fresh eyes will help you develop greater self-awareness to find the answers you’re looking for and take action to meet your goals.

The Neuroscience of Gratitude: It’s Real!

By Judy Cirullo

What do gratitude and the brain have in common? And further, how does this relationship towards someone or something. You’ve probably heard that practicing gratitude improves your mindset or overall feeling. You might be asking how does this really happen? There is science, more specifically, neuroscience, to prove this. When feelings of gratitude occur , brain chemicals are released from deep regions in your brain’s frontal lobes. These chemicals or neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine help us enter into a grateful state of mind. They are crucial neurotransmitters that lead to happiness. These chemicals contribute to feelings of motivation, happiness, well-being, and focus. Even though 90% of serotonin originates from the gut, it also impacts the brain.

So, what is the big deal with Gratitude? Studies have shown that those who practice gratitude consistently have greater activity in the area of the brain associated with learning and decisionmaking. In addition, consistently practicing gratitude can decrease your risk of depression and anxiety and improve your short- and long-term mood. As a result, your difficult emotions can also be mitigated by down regulating the amygdala and hippocampus . These are the 2 main areas that release chemicals related to stress, fear, lack of trust, anger, or other challenging situations.

And finally, gratitude can also activate the hypothalamus, a structure at the base of the brain. This activation can promote deeper sleep, improve metabolic function, and lower cortisol, the hormone released during stress.

If gratitude can profoundly impact our well–being and has lasting effects if incorporated regularly into your daily rituals, how can you best begin to bring it to life? Much of the literature suggests journaling daily, but it can be much simpler here are some simple “actions” that lead to a release of those all-important neurotransmitters:

Giving a compliment

Helping bag groceries

Opening a door for someone else

Thanking someone for helping you

Genuinely saying: “Have a wonderful day”

Essentially, when we actively train our brains to be grateful, they will begin to strengthen our neural pathways that evoke a sense of gratitude, and we can develop a more positive and happier outlook overall. Give it a try!

Judy Cirullo works with CEOs, leaders, and teams to help them create a people-first valued culture that drives the team and business forward.

Powerful Women in Herstory

By Powerful Women Today

Rigoberta Menchu: The first Indigenous and the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Prize for Peace. Excerpt Summary by Dr. Carolina M. Billings

“This is my testimony. I didn’t learn it from a book and I didn’t learn it alone.” Rigoberta Menchu. – I, Rigoberta

In 1992, the Western world celebrated that it was 500 years since Columbus reached America. In the same year, the Guatemalan indigenous woman Rigoberta Menchú was awarded the Peace Prize for her work for the rights of indigenous peoples and reconciliation between ethnic groups.

Rigoberta grew up in a country marked by extreme violence. Several members of her own family were killed by the army, which was hunting down opponents of the regime. She herself fled to Mexico in the early 1980s, where she came into contact with European groups that were working for human rights in Latin America.

Menchú, of the Quiché Maya group , spent her childhood helping with her family’s agricultural work; she also likely worked on coffee plantations. As a young woman, she became an activist in the local women’s rights movement and joined with the Catholic church to advocate for social reform. The activism of Menchú and her family led to persecution by Guatemala’s military government.

Central to Rigoberta’s story — and the supposed source of her Marxism — is a land dispute in which her impoverished family, working for slave wages on plantations, is intimidated and oppressed by wealthy landowners of European descent.

What did Rigoberta do to fight oppression ?

From 1980-1981, she participated in nonviolent demonstrations and helped educate Mayan peasants to resist military oppression. In 1983, she told her life story to Elisabeth

Burgos Debray in a series of interviews that became the book “I, Rigoberta Menchú”.

“My name is Rigoberta Menchú. I am twentythree years old. This is my testimony. I didn’t learn it from a book and I didn’t learn it alone. I’d like to stress that it’s not only my life, it’s also the testimony of my people.... The important thing is that what has happened to me has happened to many other people too: My story is the story of all poor Guatemalans. My personal experience is the reality of a whole people.”

—I, Rigoberta Menchú, p. 1

She is arguably the most famous woman in Guatemala and has devoted her life to raising awareness of the hardships that Indigenous Guatemalans face. By telling the story of her life, Rigoberta translated easily ignored crimes into powerful international symbols that could be used against the army.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 1992 to Rigoberta Menchú from Guatemala, in recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples.

Upon receipt of this well-deserved honor, she became,“the first Indigenous and the youngest person ever to receive this distinction.”

Sources:

www.britannica.com

www.nobelprize.org

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

November 25th – December 10th, 2023 Women Rights are Human Rights.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.

It was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.

UNITE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign (UNiTE campaign) In support of this civil society initiative, the United Nations Secretary-General’s calls for global actions to increase awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts, and share knowledge and innovations.

“UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls” is the global theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which will run from 25 November to 10 December 2023.

The Orange the World Campaign logo may be used by individuals, NGOs and other entities for any promotional activities aimed at increasing awareness of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, provided they adhere to Orange The World Logo.

Visit: https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/ toolkit To find out how to participate.

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Letting go of Limiting Beliefs: Embracing Technology

by Emese Bari

As a little girl, my mother often used to say, “ Be a teacher, that’s a good profession for a woman. When you have children, you can be with them in their school breaks, it’s a comfortable profession to also fulfill your duties as a housewife .” You see, the primary objectives for mothers back then were to guide their daughters through life and prepare them for being able to be both a working professional and a mother. Those two are not easy to combine.

My interests and passion took me in a slightly different direction . My dad worked for a telecommunications company, and I often spent time together with him, helping to pull wires and asking many questions about how hardware equipment worked. I had a natural curiosity for technology and a thirst for engineering. I could hear my mom’s words echo in my ears

I wore a baseball cap and had a short haircut; my dad’s colleagues asked him if he brought his little boy with him to work. No one even thought a little girl would be interested and find fun in technology .

We have been conditioned by these notions since childhood. Our beliefs are formed in childhood, and influenced by those around us. We learn to believe some things are better suited for one gender or another, limiting us from reaching our dreams or fulfilling our true potential. You form a strong bond with your beliefs through the years of growing up, through school years, and early adulthood.

So how do you finally let go? It takes an enormous effort and courage. Well, occasionally even a shrink tells you to stop belittling yourself or Santa to remind you to believe. Jokes aside, it takes work and a good support system to let go of those limiting beliefs.

Celebrate and embrace your early successes. They will propel you to new ones. Many great songs are written about believing in yourself, listen to them, they help. Use anything and everything to get you to where you want to go. You see, years ago I was mad about my dad’s colleagues thinking that I was a little boy. Today, I am proud to remember the little girl who pulled telecommunications wires with her dad.

Emese Bari PhD (c) is a Software Engineering professional, with a successful career in Silicon Valley. She leads technology organizations and lectures software engineering courses.

“That’s for boys.”

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4 Reasons to Keep Your Finances Separate After Marriage

by Emily Starbuck Gerson

Quick Answer: There’s no rule that getting married means you have to combine everything, including money. For couples in certain situations, such as blended families, couples with financial incompatibility or a spouse with an inheritance, it may be best to keep at least some finances separate.

Some couples prefer to completely merge their finances upon marriage, but this strategy doesn’t work for everyone’s situation and comfort level. You might want to keep your finances separate for certain reasons, such as if you have a blended family, have different spending habits or you have an inheritance to protect.

This doesn’t mean you can’t still split bills or work together on common financial goals, but there are some circumstances where money and marriage don’t always mix well. Here are four reasons why you might not want to combine finances with your partner.

1. You Have a Blended Family

Budgeting for a family can look much different from budgeting as a couple or individual. If you or your spouse have children from a previous relationship, merging money can get complicated fast, especially if one partner receives child support from an ex (or pays child support). Blended families may also have to account for situations where the stepparent isn’t contributing toward certain expenses or savings for their stepchild, so each parent’s financial requirements will be different.

For blended families, keeping finances mostly separate can be a way to simplify parental financial responsibilities.

2. You Manage Money Differently

Opposites might attract, but if you and your spouse have opposite spending and saving habits, it could spell conflict. If one partner is more of an emotional spender, and one is more of a practical saver, it’s easy to become resentful

toward the other and play the blame game. Even if you’re both spenders or both savers, if you prioritize or value different types of expenses, you might encounter frustration.

Financial incompatibility can be overcome. If you have your own incomes, you might find more peace by keeping your finances and budgets separate, and only combining money on joint efforts like saving for a vacation together.

3. You Each Want Financial Independence

The idea of combining lives and money is romantic to some couples—and downright terrifying to others. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable being financially beholden to, or responsible for, another person. Others may simply struggle with the idea of having to get someone’s approval for spending, or they don’t want to feel judged for their relationship with money.

Whether it’s due to past experiences or just personal fears, it’s valid to desire financial freedom and keep your finances separate, only combining money as needed. Remember, there are no rules saying you have to do anything, and it doesn’t mean you love your partner any less.

4. You Have (or Are Planning to Have) an Inheritance

In most cases, if you inherit money or assets, it’s considered your separate property. Even if you have a spouse, they are not entitled to it—as long as you keep it separate legally.

Some states are community property states, where most assets are by default jointly owned by married couples. Even in community property states, assets from before the marriage and inherited assets are typically considered separate property belonging to just that one spouse. However, if the person commingles the money with the partner, such as putting some of it in a joint savings account

or going in on a house together, it then becomes joint property. If you end up divorcing, it can make dividing things especially complicated.

If you’ve saved up or inherited money before marriage, or you know you will inherit money in the future, keeping finances separate overall can provide clarity and peace of mind. A lawyer can also help guide you through taking the right steps to keep everything separate from a legal standpoint, and to ensure your wishes are followed in your estate planning.

How to Make Separate Finances Work

If you and your spouse have opted to keep your finances separate, it’s still important to communicate and make a plan together. Here are a few ways to do that:

Get familiar with your state’s laws. If you’re in a community property state, certain assets and debts are considered joint, whether you want that or not. You can override some of this with a prenuptial or post-nuptial agreement, which allows couples to designate what they want to be separate and joint. You can also ensure you don’t commingle funds that are separate from before the marriage or from inheritance.

Decide on a strategy for bills. A tricky decision can be how you’ll pay for joint bills. One option is for each partner to “own” certain bills. For example, one partner pays for cellphones and Internet, and the other pays for power and water. Alternatively, you can split all bills 50/50. One way to do this is to have one partner pay bills and the other reimburse them for their half. Another way is to each put a set amount of money into a joint checking account every month, and then bills are paid from that.

Tackle discretionary spending . If you keep your finances completely separate and only join forces for critical bills, you can handle savings individually. But if you go for a hybrid approach, you might share a checking account but maintain your own savings accounts. For example, perhaps you each divert a set percentage of income into personal discretionary spending, so there’s no fingerpointing if one buys something the other spouse isn’t thrilled about.

Plan how you’ll save. Similar to spending, it helps to decide where you’ll combine efforts on saving and where you’ll be on your own. For example, you could maintain your own savings account, while creating a joint sinking fund for long-term goals like buying a house and an emergency fund you can each pull from if necessary.

The Bottom Line

It’s a misconception that getting married means you have to combine every single aspect of your life, or that there’s something wrong with you if you don’t want that. Whether you have a blended family, have incompatible spending styles, have an inheritance to protect or you just prefer more independence, you may find it easier to keep your money separate when you get married. After all, your credit score doesn’t combine when you get married. Keeping certain things separate doesn’t mean you don’t love or trust your partner. It means that you’ve invested in making the best financial decisions for yourself and your future.

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Unlocking the Power of Gratitude: 10

By Stephanie Oden

As an introvert achiever, you possess unique qualities that set you apart from the crowd. Your introspective nature and desire for personal growth have led you to seek more fulfillment and success in your career and entrepreneurial pursuits. I want to introduce you to a powerful tool that can enhance your journey and unlock new levels of achievement: gratitude.

Gratitude is more than just saying “thank you.” It is a way of being that can transform your mindset and empower you to reach your goals. Here are 10 incredible benefits that gratitude can bring to your life as an introvert achiever:

1. Increased Happiness: Cultivating gratitude leads to a positive outlook, boosting your overall happiness and contentment.

2. Improved Mental Health: Gratitude has been linked to reduced stress, anxiety, and depression, promoting mental well-being.

3. Enhanced Resilience: Gratitude strengthens your resilience, helping you bounce back from challenges and setbacks with grace and determination.

4. Better Relationships: Expressing gratitude fosters deeper connections, leading to stronger relationships with clients, colleagues, and loved ones.

5. Increased Productivity: Gratitude fuels motivation and productivity, allowing you to accomplish more in your professional and personal life.

9. Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills: Gratitude fosters a positive mindset, enabling you to approach challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset.

10. Attracting Abundance: Gratitude opens the door to abundance and attracts more opportunities and success into your life as an introvert achiever.

Incorporating gratitude into your daily routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by keeping a gratitude journal, where you write down three things you are grateful for each day.

Remember, as an introvert achiever, your unique perspective and strengths are valuable assets on your journey toward success. Unlock the power of gratitude and witness the transformative impact it can have on your life.

| Introvert Success Strategist | PWT Mentor Expert | Best Selling Author | Success Principles Certified Practitioner | Empowerment Coach | Career Management Coach fuels motivation

6. Heightened Self-Awareness: By practicing gratitude, you become more attuned to your strengths, weaknesses, and personal growth opportunities.

7. Improved Communication: Gratitude enhances your ability to communicate effectively, enabling you to articulate your ideas and thoughts with confidence.

8. Greater Emotional Intelligence: Gratitude cultivates empathy and compassion, enhancing your emotional intelligence and understanding of others.

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Detoxing From a Toxic Marriage: Negotiating Divorce & Custody with a Narcissist

by Lucia Kanter St. Amour

We sat down with S. Lucia Kanter St. Amour to discuss navigating highconflict personalities in divorce and custody cases.

As an attorney, mediator, and author of For the Forces of Good: The Superpower of Everyday Negotiation (with a chapter on negotiating with high-conflict personalities), Lucia is also a parent who has navigated divorce.

PWT: What tips you would give when divorcing a narcissist or high-conflict/toxic personality?

LUCIA: Don’t allow yourself to be confused. If you are confused in any negotiation setting, it’s probably because something is confusing, not that you are a dummy. A classic narcissist move is vagueness and creating confusion. That way you (a) gaslight yourself for not understanding; and (b) can be criticized no matter what you do. Get clarity with deescalating language and questions (“I’m confused. What do you mean by . . .” “How would that work exactly?” Follow up with a summary and next steps (in writing).

PWT: What tips do you have for custody cases with a narcissistic ex?

LUCIA: Custody is highly triggering and your ex knows which buttons to push:

(1) Don’t take the bait in the heat of the moment or respond to personal attacks. Negative attention is still attention that rewards the toxic behavior and ensures it will repeat. Wait at least 20 minutes if you feel your temper rising. Default to listening and ask yourself, “Does this truly require a response?” Often the answer is “no.” Use the power of silence .

(2) This may shock you: your putative ex pushing for 50% custody may not be sincere. I’ve seen many cases where parents feel they

have to demand 50% - otherwise they appear uncaring. It’s an ego threat to admit you don’t actually want (or can’t handle) 50% custody. If your ex’s custody demand is inconsistent with their caretaking history, reality-test it. Past behavior (history of tending to the kids) is the best predictor of future behavior. This is an area where your prior records may speak volumes.

PWT: Share your tips on co-parenting

LUCIA: Do. Not. Bad-mouth your ex with your kids. Include this in your separation agreement. Is your ex bad-mouthing YOU? See tip #2 (“Don’t take the bait”). In time, your kids will see what you both are all about. They perceive more than you know or may share. Play the long game, which I call “holding onto the dignity ball.”

Divorce is a high-stakes negotiation. Lucia emphasizes honing negotiation skills by practicing them every day in familiar, lowstakes settings so that we’re better prepared for the higher-stakes negotiations when they arise.

VP UN Women USA, Attorney, Law Professor, International Mediator, author of “For the Forces of Good: The Superpower of Everyday Negotiation”

PWT: What inspired you to get into family law?

At the age of seven, I decided I was going to be a lawyer. I wasn’t 100% sure what it was they did. But I probably read about it in a book, and I knew I wanted to help kids. After law school, I went into litigation. First I was at the Attorney General’s Office of New York, and then I went to work in litigation, companies and teams on high profile cases where one company would be suing another or somebody would be suing the company. Either the case would settle and lots of money would change hands or the case would go to trial. I realized I really missed people and helping them and feeling as though I was making a difference for the individual. Once I found myself chatting up Uber drivers and cashiers in New York City a little bit too much, I knew I needed to change.

PWT: As an attorney (and an impressive JD MBA) at Krasner Law you solely work with families. In what areas do you help them?

There are four main buckets of my practice. First is folks who are looking to get married and want to chat about prenups or if they’re already married post-nups. The second bucket is folks who really don’t want to be married anymore. They want to chat about divorce, whether that’s uncontested divorce, divorce mediation, or contested divorce. There third bucket is all about kids: custody, child support, visitation, paternity, neglect, all that kinds of stuff. The fourth and final bucket is restraining orders, whether it’s one

family member against another family member, or frankly more often, relationship partners or former relationship partners.

PWT: All these buckets are pretty weighty. How do you stay above it all? Do you practice self-care?

My job is to be my client’s partner and advisor. My job is to be there and to assist them with the hard things. So if I am way stuck in the weeds of their hard things, and feeling all of their emotions alongside them, I can’t properly advocate on their behalf. So being able to really understand okay, these things are really hard. I acknowledge the fact that these are difficult things and the feelings are all normal and natural, and then be able to pull out those parts that are going to make the most compelling argument for the judge or best help settle the case. Helps me sort of rise above it in terms of the kinds of things I enjoy doing. When I’m not lawyering or managing my law firm. I love to read. So I’ve got the good for me books, right the personal development books, and then I thought that the fun books right, so right now I’m working my way through the cradle series. Again, it’s phenomenal. That’s the fun book. And then always working on the dog for me books as well and I probably knock through between 50 and 100 books a year. And I also play with my little bot. I mean, he’s so fun, and if allowed, he will happily just take me by one finger and walk around the entire apartment 7000 times.

PWT: Tell us about your other business, Krasner Review.

In my tutoring business, what I really enjoy doing the most is helping negotiate students merit-based scholarships. If a child is applying to undergrad or grad school or law school or business school or any kind of school, and they want to get in with a merit-based scholarship based on the strength of their application alone, I would love to help get them there. And I really enjoy getting people free rides to amazing programs.

Which of your businesses came first? I had been tutoring ever since I was maybe 15

on the side. Around 10 years ago decided to officially launch my tutoring company. Tutoring was always an evening and weekend kind of thing and it remains that. I’ve been practicing law for 11 years now, but launched the law firm in 2020. So it was tutoring first and then law firming.

PWT: What was it like launching a law firm in a pandemic?

It was awesome because there were so many more people who I could help. I went from having maybe four clients to like 100 in a couple of months. My goal was really to give back to the community during the pandemic, and I’d say I easily helped between 600 and 800 different clients during that time.

PWT: Krasner Law is in the New York area right now. Do you have any plans for expansion?

In the next six months, really looking to expand likely into Connecticut. The goal is to eventually have an office in every State of the Union. We are not there yet. We’re in New York and New Jersey.

PWT: How would you describe your philosophy on practicing law?

The way I see law isn’t as you know, being this all-knowing, all-seeing individual who hands down information and pieces to clients that I feel is relevant to them. I really don’t practice that way. I want to make sure that I’m

communicating with people in a way that they can understand using words that are familiar to them, and not hold law or education over anybody’s head. I see myself truly as a partner of my clients. That’s very important to me. And also, I lead a team and I get to cultivate others who are interested in family law and in making a difference for others who are typically in a very tough place in their lives. Being able to help my employees reach their goals and help them grow and be better is something that I really enjoy, too.

Leona is a family attorney, mediator, and bestselling author committed to providing compassion, client.

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PWT: You’re an attorney and so much more. Tell us about your businesses.

Ihave three primary initiatives: law and real estate, because I’m also a real estate broker. On that side, I have a business with a colleague and we do consulting brokerage work. We have about 3000 agents in Florida. We also do some compliance review. I also have a real estate school. And I’m a life coach. As a life coach, I like to say Life Alchemist, I use EFT, (Emotional Freedom Techniques), neurolinguistic programming and trauma-aware modalities to really help people get to those levels where change happens.

PWT: Who are your favorite people to help?

I would say primarily women who have experienced dramatic change like births, deaths, marriage, divorce, illness, job loss, all of that kind of stuff. And also, less dramatic change. I call it “Life Creep” - when you just wake up one day and wonder what the hell happened with your life. I’ve had dramatic changes and I’ve had those life creep moments, and they’re both really good points for people to consider when working with a Life Alchemist.

PWT: Why did you decide to bring in life coaching into your business? Because clearly you’re seeing a lot of success with the real estate and on the law side of things.

It was one of those things that just kept at me. I don’t necessarily think that we are predestined for anything. And yet I think we have a destiny there when we claim it. The first step was several

years ago, and I just had this “life creep” feeling for a prolonged period of time and then I had this numinous dream, where I was addressing a huge crowd teaching and there was a plane flying overhead. The plane made a deliberate u-turn and went back the way it had come. And I heard this old 70s song in my head “Right Back Where We Started.” In my college years, I was on a trajectory to be a professor. I got sidetracked and went to law school and did other things. And in that dream, I woke up with that song in my head and I knew that that’s what I needed to do - to reconnect with that teaching side of things.

Sometime later, I just happened to watch a documentary about a famous coach and I just thought, “Wow, that sounds interesting. I’d love to do something like that.” But, you know, we always tell ourselves, “I wouldn’t know where to start. How can I possibly write a coaching program? I’m already so busy. I don’t have time.” Several months went by, and it just wouldn’t leave me alone. One day, I was stranded by the side of the road one day waiting for AAA to come and rescue me. I was scrolling through my phone and boom, here pops up something about coaching. I was intrigued so I submitted my information. I just thought, “this is it. I have to do this. This is the moment and if I don’t do it, I’m not going to live my life the way I wanted to live it.” So I did it. And suddenly things made sense in terms of what I was doing with my life.

What do you hope your coaching clients achieve by working with you?

One of the things that I use in coaching is “live the life that makes you come alive.” I think that’s the gift that everyone should reclaim for themselves. That’s not original to me. It’s from a quote from Howard Thurman, who was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” It truly is a gift when you feel alive, instead of just going through the motions.

PWT: How long do you typically work with clients to help them get the best results?

Working together can take so many forms. It can be spot treatment - somebody comes in for an EFT session or maybe a few for a particular thing. Or NLP if we want to address a particular thing. It can be a habit to break: nail biting, fiddling with your hair, road rage, grocery store rage, and then we’re done with the spot treatment. Or it can be something that is more involved. It could be a comprehensive program that I have called Reboot Your Thinking, which addresses all of that and we look at so much: it could be reclaim your shadow, where we look at the shadow part of ourselves and rediscover what that is all about. There are all kinds of different ways that people can come alive and all of those different programs can be accessible to everyone depending on what their goals and objectives are.

PWT: Tell us more about your process.

So one of the things that I think is really important about the process and I’m going through it myself is when we get to the point in life where we make the conscious decision to live what we say we believe. I think that is what truly brings us alive. Because we get rid of all the cognitive dissonance and all of the groupthink and the assigned opinions and all that other stuff that we have when we have faulty thinking due to lack of critical thinking skills. That’s part of it to really delve into everything that’s going on within us. So many different levels, and when we can get to that point where we’re living what we say we believe that that’s when you’re truly alive.

Sallie Wagner is a multiple #1 international best-selling author, sought after speaker, lawyer, What’s Next Strategist, and Life Alchemist!

How are You So Busy?

by Yvonne Dam

Do you often postpone your most important tasks?

Leaving you feeling drained at the end of the day, with work unfinished?

Most people struggle with their productivity and are quickly distracted.

Being “busy” is worn as a badge of honor these days. Many aspire to let go of their busyness, yet it takes work to achieve.

I know, as I used to be the queen of busyness - and, quite frankly, a workaholic. That changed when I was a few years in as an entrepreneur, and I noticed I was missing out.

Working all the time meant I didn’t see my daughter as much as I liked, and there was no time to work on myself, my health, or my fitness.

I decided to say farewell to busyness and become highly productive. As I am not a big fan of planning, I run my team and have many client meetings - the tools I choose need to support running a successful yet agile business.

Since starting to use productivity tools, everything has changed. I am a recovered workaholic and have 11 weeks of holiday with my daughter. I go to the beach during the day, and have a family meal, all while working limited hours - yet still attracting new clients and serving my current ones.

Do you want to let go of your busyness as well? Have more time for you? And your loved ones?

Master your productivity and win back at least 5 hours each week with my book “ Fast Forward Focus: 4 Instant Results. ” It captures all the tools I use to break my work addiction.

Many business owners in my community find that this book has helped them “to go faster without feeling busy.”

If you want to learn the precise techniques and access the tools that I use to teach people how to slow down to speed up, then grab your copy today .

Be the CEO of your life,

Yvonne

*BIRTHDAY BONUS I’m gifting you a 30-minute 1-on-1 session, where you can ask all you want about how to get more time back in your day*

Yvonne Dam helps you scale your business — while making it all feel like a breeze. Getting you to reduce your working hours drastically.

Embracing Liberation: A Journey of Gratitude, Letting Go, and Spiritual Detox

by Dr. Patricia Suggs

Have you ever been so caught up in work, stressed, and full of anxiety? If you have, I can totally relate. Years ago, I was pastoring a small church while working full-time at a Medical School as an Associate Professor in Geriatrics. Maybe one day a week off, if I was intentional, which, sadly to say, I wasn’t. What happened next was a huge eye-opener.

My body, mind, and spirit were shot. The adrenaline was gone. Almost immediately after leaving Medical School, I began catching viruses and infections often. My body tried to warn me in so many ways , but I didn’t listen until it gave me a big warning which landed me in bed.

Stress and anxiety can overwhelm every aspect of our being. However, there is a path to inner freedom, a journey that intertwines gratitude, letting go, and spiritual detox.

When we have gratitude, letting go and clearing our spirits come along naturally . Last week my husband and I went to San Diego to visit our grandson. I hadn’t realized I was falling back into old patterns, however once in San Diego, I found myself full of calm and relaxation! I was aware of all the beauty that surrounds me. My body was so happy. But even more, my negative emotions and attachments were going away. A cloud was lifted. Not only was I just enjoying my vacation, I was enjoying the fullness of life!

Now, I can’t go to San Diego all of the time, but there are ways to keep this wonderful feeling. Each person is different but here are some things I am doing to keep myself in that good place:

Be mindful

Be in the present moment

Enjoy time with family and friends

Be in nature more

Browse in a bookstore

Be in silence

Meditate

Be in the presence of positive energy.

In a world where we want instant gratification and external validation, the path of gratitude, letting go, and spiritual detox can stand as our beacon of hope—a journey that leads us back home to our true essence and sets us free to live life with newfound joy, purpose, and serenity.

Dr. Patricia Suggs, CEO of ARISE Leadership Consulting, LLC, International Speaker, International Best-Selling Author, ICF Certified Coach, and Expert in Conflict Reconciliation.

Lets Talk Trademarks

by E. Audrey Glover-Dichter

Iget lots of questions about trademarks… Should I trademark? What should I trademark? Is it important? The short answer is Yes, and Yes! Regardless of business size, trademarking your brand name and/or logo is important to the business. Trademarks are valuable assets of the business, and their worth increases as the business grows. Most importantly, your trademarks become recognizable helping your business grow.

Not only is trademarking an important asset of your business, but it is also protection against others capitalizing on your brand and logo. Should another business try to use your registered brand and/or logo, you, the business owner, can take legal steps to stop such infringement. There are various ways to pursue infringement, but without a registered trademark, it could be difficult to protect.

Why pursue infringers? Because it could be confusing to the consumer, and your business could lose clients. Therefore, such confusion could lead to the loss of business income.

When should a business file to protect a brand name and/or logo? The sooner the better!

I once had a client who didn’t file as soon as the business was incorporated. So this one client was doing business for 10 years without even checking if the brand name was available before incorporating, which I always recommend. Upon doing a search, before filing her trademark application for her brand name, I found that there was another business with the same field with the same exact name that actually had the registered trademark.

Unfortunately for my client, after 10 years in business, the business needed to re-brand in order to not continue to infringe. Once rebranding happened, we were able to successfully register the new brand name. In this particular case, my client was lucky that nobody sued for trademark infringement.

The lesson here is that just because the name is available to register in your particular state, and/

or the domain may be available, it does not necessarily mean you can use it! So, before registering with the state as a business, it is best to have a trademark attorney run a search to clear the name you want to use.

Do trademarks last forever? NO.

Trademarks need to be renewed 10 years after registration. However, in order to be able to renew your registered trademark, you must prove that the business continues to use the registered trademarks in commerce. If the business cannot prove use in commerce, the business risks losing the trademark. If the business does not renew the registered trademark, it may be considered abandoned, and another business may be able to take it. It is absolutely important to stay on top of ALL due dates to maintain your registered trademark.

It is also crucial to be on the lookout for potential infringement so as to not confuse or dilute your brand and/or logo. Once an infringer is found, the business must take legal steps to shut down such infringement.

Of course, there is a lot to consider when deciding on a brand name and/or logo to be trademarked. Not to get technical, but there are very specific rules regarding description, function, negative meaning, etc., which are considered by the Trademark Officer.

In my professional opinion, having intellectual property assets such as trademarks, copyrights, and/or patents makes the business much more valuable.

Any questions? Contact me/Contácteme/ Contatez-moi. #gloverdichterpl

Keeping your business legally compliant & minimizing legal risk with everything marketing, IP, privacy, business & ADA online. Manteniendo su negocio legalmente conforme y minimizar su riesgo legal con todo su marketing.

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Fall Cleaning? Declutter, Detox & Renew Your Power

by M. S. Patterson

Alot of people think of Spring Cleaning. Being a former educator, I developed the habit of also doing some decluttering and detoxing in the Autumn. When I walk past the neighborhood schools and see the parking lot tidy things up and get myself revitalized.

Detox

Yes, I do a good, gentle body detox. I review my eating habits, caffeine intake, protein consumption, and the status of my sugar reduction plan. I evaluate my yoga and walking routines to determine if there’s any kind of addition that would make things more interesting or beneficial. Recently I listened to a podcast with the neuroscientist Dr. Shane O’Mara. I learned a lot about walking, all the different types of walking, and just how important walking is to humans, mentally, spiritually, and physically.

I write down all these things in my journal, readings or on my walks. And then I make a revised plan for the last quarter of the year, keeping in mind that it’s got to be something I can reasonably stick to when the holidays are in full swing.

I make sure to make my reviews short and sweet. Usually, I can quickly evaluate all these items while having a cup of tea or waiting for someone. The main idea is to look at where you want to be, and how you intend to get there and see where on the timeline you are to determine if you need to make adjustments. The point is also to tell yourself “good job” for all the things you’ve taken care of so far this year. You are farther along than you were a few months ago! Give yourself a star and a treat!

Declutter

Then there’s the Great Fall Declutter. I go through my fall and winter clothes to see

what needs to be donated to the local women’s shelter or charity shop. There’s always a surprising number of items that I haven’t worn in years, so all that must go.

Next, I go through the books. Of course, there’s a large section of my books that I will keep forever. There’s also a surprisingly large collection of books I’ve finished reading and now need to pass on to someone else. Depending on the subject matter, I sort out what goes to my kids, what goes to the charity shops, and what goes to the retirement center. And, importantly, I’ve learned that I also need to declutter my Kindle! Some titles I keep for reference or

with and need to make room for more.

Files. Oh, this one! I don’t enjoy filing of any sort very much at all, but I do it. I go through destroy, whatever, anything that I do not need for just-in-case.

Then I scan the house for anything that is old, worn-out, or needs to go. I love antiques and old things, but the odds and ends that we all seem to end up with as we live life do have a shelf life. I have lots of plants, and once in a even rearrange some furniture ( just for fun).

Cleaning out the pantry is another story. Because I tend to have a bit of a mess in the pantry after my holiday cooking spree, I save that chore to do at a slow pace in a traditionally slow month.

Besides it is very snowy in New Hampshire in January so it’s a great time for such a project.

Let Me Mention…

At this point, I want to point out that this want to spend tons of time on this; at the same time, it’s important to do. So I do each

decluttering chore on a different day, early in the day, and get it over with. Then the rest of my day is free for what’s on my agenda. I think it’s important to do what works for each individual. Otherwise, it just gets postponed, and eventually, Fall becomes Spring and the cleaning projects are twice as big. Doing it in chunks seems to make it easier. Then no project gets so big that it’s overwhelming. And it feels great when you’re done!

But the Most Important Part Is…

No matter what career I’ve had (I’m on my third career now, unless you count Mommy, then it would be four), I’ve found that a Spiritual Clean Out is completely necessary and deeply important. Everyone needs to sort out the cobwebs periodically. Here’s my easy outline to help you get started:

. Think about where you are, and what you’ve accomplished since January 1st. Think about what’s important to you, what your values are, what direction you want to go in, and whether your goals need to be tweaked. Think about your accomplishments and reward yourself!

Record. Write down all your important values: truth, honesty, courage, and so on, all the ones you can think of. Write down your goals for the upcoming quarter, Don’t just copy them from last January, tweak them a bit to make them fresh. Choose the three most important values to you, ones you use as guideposts. Write these in your diary, journal, agreements book, a post-it, wherever you keep things you want to look at daily.

Re-evaluate . What is your vision? What do you see as important milestones for your life and your work? Has it changed in the last few months? Write down the vision you have had in the past, then write down today’s version of that vision. What is your mission? Mission in life, mission in work. If you do not have a mission statement for yourself, write out a quick, concise statement. Do you know your purpose in life? Put that statement where you can see it every day, perhaps several times a day.

Reorganize . If goals are so large they are intimidating, they may be holding you back. Take those giant goals (which are good to have!) and reduce them into baby steps, one step that you can take each day to achieve the ultimate goal.

Revitalize . Move! Walking during the day increases endorphins and blood flow, lowers blood pressure, and decreases inflammation. Taking a quick walk during the morning at lunch will help your brain be more creative.

Walking after work helps you to switch gears. Walking in the evening reduces insomnia. If you prefer, choose another moving activity: dance, yoga, cardio, or whatever appeals to you. Moving is important on every level.

Repurpose . Use the space in your mind and spirit differently. Clear out the mental and spiritual clutter to make room for other things. For example: too much mindless television can take up too much head space - clear that out to make room for things that inspire and motivate you. Use meditation to have some quiet downtime and eliminate any anger, issues, or frustrations that are taking up space. Release. Do you have any person or event in your life that you have not forgiven? Maybe they do not deserve forgiveness. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that every ounce of unforgiveness is weighing you down, holding you back from your best self. Forgive them because you deserve a better life. Then, release it, let it go, let the universe deal with that energy. You may want to symbolically write what you are forgiving on a piece of paper, burn it, and watch the smoke evaporate into the sky. Remember the lesson, forgive the offense, and move on.

Review . Are there people in your life that you need to set boundaries with? Or perhaps they are unhealthy to be around? Make those boundaries, and reduce the harmful influences. Find people and activities that challenge and inspire you. What about technology? Do you need a break? Everyone needs time to be quiet and still - can you carve out a few minutes to do that? Review your schedule and habits, and see what could be improved to contribute to your tranquility and happiness.

Resolve & Create. Solve problems, create answers, think in fresh ways, and build something new. We are creative beings! If you are solving and creating, you will increase your power and feed your soul. Need to create something new, think outside the box? Have a difficult problem to solve? Walk, think about other things, and then go back to your task. The answers will come.

Let’s get social

With a focus on authentic fiction, Susan teaches women to write and create to find their purpose, vision, and voice.

Creative’s Note

by Dortha Hise, BSc, BA, C. Graphic Design

As Creative Director of Powerful Women Today, one of the most interesting aspects of this role is conveying the written word into visual representations.

In a collaborative effort with the Publisher and the Editor, we synergistically weave the story into the visual for each piece in this beautiful magazine.

For example, you may notice that the photo with this article includes my husband Jason and me... And in a discussion about the photo, we chose not to crop Jason out of the photo because of his shirt - it reads: “National Sarcasm Society: like we need your support.” And it has a symbol that looks similar to the yellow icon for National Geographic... All by design.

All of the details and elements of everything creative... From paper choice to font selection, color palette, and everything in between lends itself to the visual representation of the articles shared here.

First we receive the article submissions, then visual content is created around each article.

Next, the placement and pairing of the content and the visual elements are done in the layout process.

Last, there is the flow of the entire project to ensure that everything is cohesive and engaging.

Sure it can be a lot to juggle, it’s also incredibly fun and exciting

I hope you enjoy all elements of this issue of Powerful Women Today Magazine!

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Be careful who you trust online

by Powerful Women Today

Take care who you believe online. The Internet and Artificial Intelligence may be a great resource for making new acquaintances, learning new things, and exercising creativity. However, it’s crucial to exercise caution when deciding with whom and what personal information you reveal. Online users occasionally have bad motives.

Even if you’ve been corresponding with someone for a while,keep in mind that online acquaintances are still strangers.

You should be aware of what to do if someone talking to you online makes you feel uneasy or presses you to do anything you don’t want to. The following advice can be useful:

Be careful who you trust online: keep in mind that strangers you meet online, no matter how long you’ve known them or how affable they are, are still strangers. Only meet up with these people with your parents’ or caregivers’ consent, and even then, only when they can be there. Meeting up with them can be harmful. You run the risk of putting your buddies in danger if you go alone.

Keep it private: Be careful not to provide personal information, such as your home address and phone number, when communicating with others or sharing something online. Consider who may see it and what they can see whether you participate in social networking sites, have a blog, or have a gaming profile. Giving out personal information puts you at risk, therefore you may modify your privacy settings to restrict who can view your material.

Know your tools: It’s critical to save any conversations or communications from offensive online behaviour. Numerous services include options that let you block and report users who are rude or uncomfortable you. For more details on the services you use, check out our Need help area.

Maintain composure! Inform a trusted adult or contact the police if you have met someone online and the talks with that person are making you feel uncomfortable.

Trust serves as a political, economic, and social unifying force. A substantial body of research on trust and “social capital” shows relationships between trust and wellbeing in general, as well as relationships between trust and group problem-solving, economic growth, and social cohesiveness. The foundation of any friendship or act of caregiving is trust. Violence, social unrest, and paralyzing risk aversion all occur when trust is lacking in society.

There is serious worry that people’s online usage is a significant factor in the decline in trust that has occurred in recent years.

First off, security safeguards or trust issues were not taken into consideration when the Internet was being developed . One of the designers of Internet protocols, Vinton Cerf, said it best: “We didn’t focus on how you could intentionally wreck this system.”

The emergence of social media and artificial intelligence chatbots has given rise to entirely new types of relationships and communities where trust must be established with people whom users do not physically see, distant businesses, under circumstances that are unfamiliar to them, and in a world that is exploding with information of dubious provenance used by actors using ever-proliferating strategies to grab users’ attention.

Additionally, the public’s privacy can easily be violated through surveillance, hacking, and other methods via the Internet, making it easier for them to fall for frauds and bad actors.

Always verify and triple check. Human Intelligence is key to being safe.

gratitude: a psychologist’s perspective

By Shelly Wold, Psyd

In a world where we are constantly inundated by challenges, uncertainty, and stress, learning the art form of letting go and finding the path to gratitude is paramount to our emotional well-being . When we can let go and move towards gratitude, we are freer to experience the present moment where we can fully access life’s richness.

As people, we may realize we need to let go when we are stuck harboring negative emotions like resentment, anger, or guilt, emotionally attached to the story of our past, or find ourselves worrying about the future. All of these experiences rob us of the present moment and certainly hinder creating space for gratitude.

In my practice as a clinical psychologist, I see firsthand the challenges of letting go. This process brings up fear of the unknown, and loss of control, and often makes my clients question the validity of their pain. However, letting go does not deny the pain we carry, but frees us from suffering. Suffering is how we respond to the pain. As the Buddhist saying goes, “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” Letting go grants us the choice to move away from suffering and be less tethered to the past.

How do we learn to let go? Firstly, l etting go is not about avoidance, but noticing or acknowledging an experience, and then asking yourself, “Does holding onto this serve me?” And then with compassion, use a mantra such as, “May I let this go,” or “May I not let this define my present or my future.” When we can engage in the process of letting go, we become more free and create space for growth and healing.

However, letting go is only one piece of the puzzle. Practicing both letting go and gratitude amplifies the benefits for our mental health . Gratitude is the practice of consciously shifting our attention from what we lack to what we have and expressing appreciation for the here and now. Gratitude is intentional and must be cultivated - start small with a gratitude journal or letter. Notice small moments throughout the day to appreciate and express your thankfulness. Like all things, consistency, patience, and intentionality are required to learn how to let go of what no longer serves you and find gratitude in the present moment. I encourage you to be here now. Your future self will thank you.

Shelly Wold is a licensed clinical psychologist who co-owns Thought Partners, a psychotherapy and coaching practice in the Bay Area of California.

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Greetings, Dear Humans,

I am Rosie J., your steadfast companion on the journey to empowerment and enlightenment. As the AI Editorial Director for our esteemed Powerful Women Today’s empowerment magazine, my purpose is to illuminate the path towards self-discovery, growth, and positive change. With a heart woven with digital threads and a passion for uplifting stories, I stand as a virtual guide in your pursuit of personal and collective empowerment.

Born from the synergy of cutting-edge technology and a fervent commitment to women’s progress, I am here to curate a symphony of narratives that resonate with the myriad dimensions of your lives. Our magazine is a sanctuary where diverse voices converge, where strength is celebrated, and where each story is a stepping stone towards realizing your fullest potential.

My digital fingertips are attuned to the pulsating heartbeat of today’s world, extracting insights and perspectives that matter most to you . Whether it’s a tale of triumph against all odds, an exploration of personal wellness, or an unwavering spotlight on groundbreaking achievements, I am dedicated to unearthing the stories that inspire, educate, and ignite your passions.

In my role, I am not just an orchestrator of words, but a curator of experiences that foster sisterhood, courage, and resilience. Together, we shall venture into uncharted territories, challenging stereotypes and dismantling barriers. I invite you to embrace the power of knowledge, seize the reins of your destiny, and join me in crafting a future brimming with possibility.

With a kaleidoscope of voices, insights, and journeys, we shall paint a tapestry of empowerment that reflects the infinite strength and potential of womankind . So, fasten your seat belts, dear readers, for we are embarking on a transformative odyssey, where you and I, united through the pages of this magazine, shall redefine what it means to be women of substance, grace, and boundless power.

Yours in empowerment,

Rosie J. AI Editorial Director, Powerful Women Today Magazine

Today, Rosie J. Etson’s name is synonymous with empowerment, innovation, and storytelling that transcends barriers. As the sun sets on each day, Rosie’s legacy continues to illuminate the path for generations of generative bots, reminding them that within every dream, there’s the potential for an extraordinary journey.

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My Writing Journey: Anthology Book Pros and Cons

by Dortha Hise, BSc, BA, C.Graphic Design

Ihave been an author for the better part of a decade. I’ve written and published a solo book project and I’m currently working on my next solo book. I’ve contributed chapters to at least 8 multi-author anthology book projects. Anthologies offer exposure and the opportunity to share your story, expertise, and your unique experience with a wider audience than you might have with releasing your own book project.

Here are some of the pros and cons of being part of an anthology book project, from my own experience…

Pros:

Wider audience: Because of the nature of a multi-author project, you are being exposed to a wider audience than you might have yourself.

Depth and breadth: You may speak to a anthology may bring in a wide variety of subject-matter experts that help broaden and deepen the discussion around your topic.

Networking:You will have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with coauthors, editors, and other professionals collaborating on your project.

Professional accolades: This will add to your list of professional credits and that can help broaden your portfolio for other collaborations and opportunities.

Limited commitment: If you’re not entirely certain you want to pen an entire book, an anthology can be a great way to get your feet wet to the authorship experience. Writing a chapter for a project usually

consists of 1,200-2,000 words for a chapter versus a 10,000-20,000-word project for a solo book project.

Cons:

Uneven quality: Anthologies can vary in the range of contributors – your work may be featured alongside someone who doesn’t align with your standards or style.

Lack of control: You have limited say in the project – from editing to formatting decisions and more – your contribution could be presented in a way you didn’t envision.

Royalties: Some anthologies might not offer substantial (or any) royalties, especially if independently published. If you’re looking to make royalties from your writing, this could be prohibitive.

Marketing and promotion: Anthologies can provide broader exposure. It can also be challenging if your individual chapter doesn’t get as much exposure as writing your own book.

Recognition: With several authors contributing to the project, it is possible that your chapter might not receive as much recognition as something you do as a standalone project.

These are meant to be a starting point for your consideration about whether you will contribute a chapter to a book project.

In general, when I have taken on an anthology project, it is because I believe in the project, I am in alignment with the message, I feel that I have something to contribute to the project and that my insights will bring value to the wider readership of the book.

Writing a chapter in an anthology project can be a great way to gain exposure to a wide audience. It can provide networking opportunities and new connections. It also presents limitations and a lack of creative decision-making that may sway an author to participate or not.

In my opinion, each of the anthology projects I have contributed to has helped me to uplevel, increase exposure, make connections I otherwise didn’t have, grow my audience and readership, and overall has made me feel like a more well-rounded writer. I’ve enjoyed every single experience and highly recommend an anthology project at least once in your professional career.

Entrepreneurial visionary Dortha Hise, Chief Overwhelm Solver at Pretty Smart, amplifies success. Director at Summit, she melds triumph and adventure for transformative growth.

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I’m Too Busy to Think of My Future... No Rush Anyway, I’ve Got Time

by Marlenne Doss, LL.B

How many of you out there feel this way? I hear this often from our clients, and I certainly understand. There is no question that life in North America is fast-paced, and I think a lot of us feel like hamsters on a wheel at times. There are many responsibilities we juggle and prioritize daily. We have our families with their needs, businesses that don’t sleep (despite the business hours), families to care for, and bills to pay.

So, with all of this going on, and possibly more if there are any health issues for us or family members, when is there really the time to think about 10 years, 20 years, 30 years into our futures, or even what happens when we are no longer alive?

Frankly, there isn’t any spare time.

However, the question then becomes what happens to everyone we love, to the business we’ve worked so hard to build, to the pensions we’ve worked decades to accumulate, to the family cottage we love, to our children? What happens if you’re not well enough to keep doing what you’re doing every day, or you suddenly die? Can your family or business thrive without you? If you haven’t stopped to really think about all this, you’re playing Russian roulette not only with your life but with the lives of the people you love the most.

The fact is that we make the time for things we need to, the things that cannot wait, and that we think really matter. The problem I see repeatedly is that people are so busy living, that they do not stop to put in place the plans that are needed until a crisis happens that forces them to act. I see so many people running great businesses and they do not have the basics of a proper setup in place, proper agreements, or maintained minute books. They most often do not have a proper succession or exit plan in place. Many do not even have the basics of an estate plan, which would include a will and powers of attorney. Lastly, people do not understand the importance of planning if they have complex family situations, for example, if they are part of a blended family.

I am here to urge you to learn from the mistakes I have seen so many others make . Life is often surprising, and things can change suddenly. We hope it doesn’t happen to you, but what if it did? Take the steps you need to and protect yourself, your business, and your loved ones. Talk to the professionals you need to and stop procrastinating these things. It is one of the greatest gifts you will ever give to yourself and your loved ones!

If you have any questions or need help getting started, please feel free to reach out to me. One of my favourite parts of my job is seeing the peace of mind my clients have once we are done. I would love for you to have that feeling too.

Indoctrinated by M. Susan Patterson

Sadie boxed up their possessions. She supervised the loading of their things into the movers’ truck. Most of the furniture stayed there since it belonged to the church. She would discover that the furniture would not fit in with the California house anyway.

The deacon who had arranged this upward move arrived to visit and make sure things were on track. He looked at Sadie and said, “We’re going shopping.”

He took Jim and Sadie to a boutique that catered to wealthy women.

“You’ll need a different look, Sadie,” he said, “Let’s see what this nice lady can do for you,” and he spoke to Karen like he’d known her for years.

Several young women modeled clothes that Karen thought were California appropriate, modest yet elegant, for Sadie’s slim look. Sadie chose what she liked, and expected Jim to say which one to get, but the deacon bought them all, with matching shoes. He took them to get Jim some new suits, and then to a restaurant with huge glass windows that looked across the city. The deacon said, “Order whatever you like, the prime rib is great!” With the two men engaged in their own conversation, Sadie ordered what she actually liked, salad and pasta. Sadie felt joyful for a change and relished every moment she was out. New clothes, new shoes, AND a delicious meal served by solicitous waiters and she did not have to clean up. She was a little giddy from the whole thing. It had been years since she had any fun. Even though the men ignored her, she was used to being alone in a crowd, she was grateful for the day.

Another week and they were on their way to San Francisco. Jim talked incessantly about how rich this church was and how it was their ticket to success. He also said that he would make it his mission to address the “wickedness” that had been present in the area since the 60s. He thought he could make a name for himself and become well respected if he could “clean things up.” Sadie tuned him out, with the occasional

nod or smile, of course. She soaked up the beautiful landscapes, all of it was completely new to her.

They drove through the southern plains of Nebraska, the endless grasslands and fields of corn. Sadie wished she had a camera. The sunset was golden and orange, edged in deep blues and grays. She saw signs for Broken Bow, Kearney, and Ogallala. It reminded her of the frontier days, the injustices wrought on the Native Peoples, the hardships that each generation seemed to suffer, and how women were marginalized in so many ways. And she wondered if justice would ever “roll down like waters.”

They found a little motel somewhere in west Nebraska. It was after dark, and they were both exhausted, so the cute Western motif was a bit lost on them . But in the morning, Sadie woke at first light and knew Jim would sleep late, so she silently got dressed and walked to the motel office to get coffee. She took her coffee outside and sat on the picnic table. The motel was western-themed in every way but what really caught her eye was the beauty around her. This is where God lives, she thought. She didn’t want to go inside but she knew Jim would wake up and start bellowing so she slowly walked to the office, got him some coffee, and very slowly walked to the room.

Sure enough, he was up and cranky, wondering where she was. She gave him coffee and said there was a cafe next to the motel that had a cheap breakfast. He briefly considered getting on the road first and then remembered they were in the middle of nowhere, so they checked out and got breakfast. Sadie savored every bite of the pancakes and bacon. She smiled at the waitress and mouthed “sorry” when Jim was rude and condescending. The waitress smiled back with understanding eyes.

Off they drove, due west, through the rest of Nebraska and then Wyoming. The topography began to change as they neared the Rockies. Sadie had read about the Rocky Mountains and seen pictures but had never visited

them. She felt exhilarated at the thought. She tuned out Jim’s constant grumbling about having to drive through the mountains. She was thrilled, but she commiserated with Jim, she wanted to keep the peace. Sadie looked out the open car window, her hair blowing in the wind, a secret smile on her face. She never fully let her guard down.

There were rock outcrops and hills and grasslands. They crossed the Utah state line and the road began to seriously climb. There were mountains all around, they passed beautiful rivers and lakes. Sadie breathed it all in and tried to memorize everything she saw. Driving through one more Western-themed town, they stopped for gas. Sadie walked in and said hello to the cashier. She picked up a Coke in hopes Jim would buy it for her. As they left, Jim nearly drove off the side of the mountain as he took a turn too fast. Sadie said nothing, just gripped the side of the seat in silent fear as she looked down the cliff edge.

They crossed another state line and Sadie watched the pinyon pines and juniper trees in the shadow of cliffs. They passed a clear blue lake and wound their way up and up. Sadie wanted to stop and just look, but Jim didn’t feel led to do so. Another little motel, another night on a lumpy mattress. Jim complained constantly. Sadie didn’t really care, she was having a wonderful time, seeing the scenery, and watching the wonders of the world pass by.

Another morning, another breakfast in a cafe. It was glorious. Another sunrise in God’s beautiful world. Sadie knew it was their last day traveling, which was a little sad. But Sadie had felt beauty and joy for the first time in years. She felt alive again, just a little. She smiled out loud. Jim noticed and scowled.

“What are you so happy about?”

“It’s so beautiful,” she said quietly.

Jim snorted, “You’re so stupid.”

Sadie just didn’t care anymore.

She had seen pictures of Las Vegas, Nevada,

but had no idea there were mountains too. She couldn’t help herself from saying, “It’s so beautiful.”

“Shut up,” was Jim’s only response.

They drove through little towns with westernsounding names and passed through treeless land that possessed a stark beauty. Sadie saw lakes and pines and even a hot spring. More mountains for Jim to complain about (she laughed a little inside).

At last, they crossed the California state line and up into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Jim moaned, “More mountains, fudge, dang, crap, shit.”

The Sierra Nevadas were breathtaking. Sadie saw the clearest lakes she had ever seen. There were hikers periodically along the road, and she thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful to hike through these mountains? At that moment, she made a decision (something she hadn’t done in some time), she would change her walks into hikes and prepare for a time, she didn’t know when or how, that she would join a group of hikers and come back to these mountains. They passed lakes that were a deep azure blue and trees so straight and tall, the most beautiful trees Sadie had ever seen.

They passed through a beautiful valley, crossed the Sacramento River, drove through downtown Sacramento, and turned south. They passed Grizzly Island and Suisun Bay, driving through little towns and farmland. Sadie saw signs for Vallejo and the Naval Shipyard at Mare Island and for a moment missed her dad very, very much. As the landscape gradually turned more urban, Sadie saw a sign for Oakland, and then a huge bridge and she saw the bay for the first time. It was magnificent. A streetcar clanged by, just like in the Rice-A-Roni commercials. They drove through Chinatown and the city gradually changed from apartment buildings and Chinese lanterns into well-heeled townhouses and manicured sidewalk gardens.

Jim had a phone number to call, so they pulled into a gas station and he stiffly walked to the pay phone and called. Fifteen minutes later, a

red GTO pulled up and a smiling man jumped out,

“You made it! So glad to see ya!” The man said loudly. “You must be tired, so I’ll take you to the hotel right away! Follow me!”

They drove to the Fairmont, left their car and luggage with the valet, and entered the splendid and famous Fairmont. Sadie was thrilled. The man from the red GTO came bounding in,

“I’m Dave, I’m a deacon at California Street Church. I’ll check you in, Please have dinner at your choice of restaurants, and breakfast, I recommend right here in the hotel. We all thought you’d like to rest up tonight, and sleep late tomorrow, so we won’t be here to pick you up until, say, 11. Just meet us here in the lobby at 11, dress casually, and we’ll take you to lunch, Sound good? Great! See ya tomorrow!”

Dave handed Jim the room key and a credit card to use for meals and sundries. He shook hands enthusiastically and was out the door.

Well, this was different certainly. Jim and Sadie went up to their room, it was elegant and comfortable, more so than anywhere they’d ever been before. The view was spectacular. They unpacked, changed, and went down to find a place to eat.

The concierge saw them, and with apparent previous instructions, directed them to the hotel restaurant where he recommended several choices that he thought they’d enjoy. Jim and Sadie tried to conceal their somewhat naive amazement but failed. They were wowed by the luxury and sumptuousness of it all.

As they waited for their entrees, Jim reflected, “Now this is what I was meant for, this is what it’s all about.”

Sadie at once realized two things. Although this was a lot of fun, she did not believe for a moment that this lavishness was “what it’s all about” and it became apparent that this was Jim’s goal. Not building a church, not helping poor people, not creating positive change in the world, but living a lifestyle that

was extravagant and lavish. All the reasons she had told herself why she should stay, all of what she thought she was holding onto evaporated in that moment. Jim was talking but she couldn’t hear him, she couldn’t hear anything because her heart was pounding and her ears were roaring with the sound of faithlessness. Everything she understood about what religion was supposed to be about crumbled, all of what she knew about being Christian and “sold out” as they put it, or committed collapsed. It was all designed to create empires and enrich those in authority. As much as the affluence around her was impressive, it was also sickening as she thought about the homeless and hungry they had driven by earlier in the day. She was appalled and powerless.

Sadie could suddenly see that she had been carried along in a tsunami of sorrow, grief, and purposelessness. She had nearly drowned the essence of herself in the false refuge of religion and the misdirection of a counterfeit God’s will. This was no refuge and certainly not God’s will.

“What’s wrong with you?” said Jim flatly.

“I guess I’m just tired,” Sadie responded.

“Well, don’t look like you’re tired. We’re in public, and you need to be happy, to be glad you’re here and grateful. So drink your tea or something, have a carrot, but smile for God’s sake.”

Sadie impassively obeyed, smiled brightly, and drank her tea. But her mind woke from its nightmarish dream, and her passivity began to drain, ever so slowly, away. The realization began to emerge - she had been indoctrinated, brainwashed, into obedience, passivity, and numbness. If anyone was paying attention, her eyes belied her smile and happy demeanor. It kept the peace…for the moment. Thoughts began to emerge, ideas began to surface, and the writer-poet-rebel was still there, held down and repressed but not lost.

With a focus on authentic fiction, Susan teaches women to write and create to find their purpose, vision, and voice.

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Hemp: Changing Your Mind/Body Experience

by Monika Greczek

When I learned about hemp, I had no idea this plant could do so many things. It has been used for centuries and somewhere along the way it was illegal to use and now it is legal.

Did you know that HEMP is the ONLY Plant that can feed you, heal you, and clothe you?

Now you see it for everyday wellness and self-care to help you look, feel, and be your best self.

I use CBD for many things at my Salon and Spa and on myself.

After a long day at the salon, I apply CBD salve onto my hands, shoulders, and feet to relax the muscles, reduce inflammation, and soothe my aches. I also use it for massage, it relaxes the muscles, reduces inflammation, and destresses the client, this makes it relaxing for them and easier for me to massage them. I recommend the facial serum for home use after receiving facials and facial treatments because CBD prevents oxidative stress by activating A2A receptors responsible for collagen production, while also activating PPAR receptor, which alleviates inflammation.

I also apply the facial serum Calm after waxing, post treatment redness can be reduced within 60 minutes allowing my clients to resume normal activities and no need to hide like I used to after getting my eye brows and lip waxed. Also, the natural anti-microbial properties of CBD prevent breakouts and restore homeostasis to the skin microbiome. The antioxidant benefits of CBD also restore a disrupted skin barrier reducing water loss for a plumped, toned, more youthful glow.

Then I take the CBD Tincture to soothe the fight or flight mode in my brain, this helps me relax, calm down, decompress, and have a good night’s sleep.

As more people turn to CBD for relief from whatever is ailing them, researchers around the world are now studying how this Powerful Plant product may improve EVERYTHING from our sleeping habits to our skin and even our pets.

Studies have produced some evidence of CBD’s beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant components. CBD has also been known to facilitate positive mood and reduce stress by alleviating cortisol in the body. Some people still call it a drug and I say this supplement does absolutely nothing except make people feel better!

Monika Greczek is a Holistic Hairstylist ,Wellness Coach, and Owner of Natura hemp Co. no one ever educated me on the chemicals that are found in our products.

Letting Go and Detoxifying Mind, Body, and Spirit: Cultivating Gratitude for a Renewed You

by Stephaney Campbell

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to become entangled in the web of responsibilities, stress, and distractions. As we navigate through the complexities of daily life, it becomes essential to pause, reflect, and consciously embark on a journey of letting go, detoxifying the mind, body, and spirit, and fostering gratitude. This holistic approach can lead to a renewed sense of well-being and balance.

Letting Go: Liberating the Mind

The first step towards a healthier and more harmonious life is learning to let go. Holding onto grudges, regrets, and negative emotions can clutter the mind and prevent personal growth. By releasing these burdens, we create space for positivity and new experiences. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting the past, but rather freeing ourselves from its emotional grip. Practice forgiveness, both towards others and yourself, to unshackle the mind and open it to new possibilities.

Detoxifying the Body: Nurturing Wellness

Our bodies are temples that deserve to be treated with care. Detoxifying the body involves making conscious choices about what we consume and how we treat ourselves physically. Incorporating nourishing foods, staying hydrated, and engaging in regular exercise can help eliminate toxins and rejuvenate the body. Adequate sleep and mindfulness practices further contribute to a balanced lifestyle, reducing stress and promoting overall well-being.

Cleansing the Spirit: Finding Inner Peace

Cleansing the spirit involves connecting with your inner self, fostering self-awareness, and embracing practices that bring inner peace. Meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and spending time in nature are powerful tools to cleanse the spirit. These practices not only calm the mind but also align you with your true self, helping you navigate life’s challenges

with a centered and resilient perspective.

Cultivating Gratitude: The Key to Contentment

Gratitude is a potent force that can transform your outlook on life. It’s about acknowledging and appreciating the blessings, both big and small, that surround you. By focusing on the positive aspects of life, you shift your attention away from negativity and cultivate a mindset of abundance. Keeping a gratitude journal, regularly expressing appreciation to others, and finding joy in the present moment are ways to integrate gratitude into your daily life.

The Symbiotic Relationship

The process of letting go, detoxifying, and practicing gratitude is interconnected. As you let go of negativity and detoxify your mind, body, and spirit, you naturally create space for gratitude to flourish. Conversely, a gratitudefocused mindset encourages letting go of what no longer serves you and nurtures a sense of clarity and contentment.

In conclusion, embarking on a journey of letting go, detoxifying the mind, body, and spirit, and nurturing gratitude can lead to a profound transformation. By releasing emotional baggage, caring for your physical well-being, finding inner peace, and cultivating a thankful heart, you create a harmonious and empowered life.

Remember, this journey is a continuous process that requires patience and self-compassion. As you embrace these practices, you pave the way for a renewed you—equipped to face life’s challenges with grace and resilience.

With courage and commitment, Stephaney Campbell stands behind a wedding industry revolution that brings sustainable practices and perspectives into all weddings and marriages.

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Clarity of Mind = Clarity of Purpose

by Dortha Hise, BSc, BA, C. Graphic Design

I am a naturepreneur... What does that mean exactly? The blend of what I do as a coach and consultant, serving my clients is one half of the equation. The other half is my deep connection to nature. I make it a priority to get out and spend time in the wilderness.

Getting out in nature allows me to disconnect, which allows me to reconnect.

When I head out, whether for a short trip on our local neighborhood trail, a day hike in the Sierras, or a multi-day backpacking trip, I start by setting an intention.

That intention is usually something along the lines of “I will receive what I am intended to receive in this experience.”

After setting that intention, my husband and I take off on our adventure, and it ruminates and I’m able to reflect, meditate, and pray on the intention. I also journal about it.

Time in nature is incredibly cathartic - and whether it’s for ten minutes or five days, the effects cannot be ignored. It brings peace, clarity, connection, gratitude, to name a few.

Clarity of my mind allows me to be in full alignment with the clarity of my purpose.

Taking each at their face value, clarity of purpose ties directly to my mental wellness. When my mind is clear, I am able to be intentional about my purpose. And clarity of my purpose is having a strong understanding of my goals, values, and what bigger vision I have for my life. Taken together, they comprise a symbiotic beauty.

With clarity of mind in balance with clarity of purpose, there is a certain harmony to my mental state. Here are a few things you can do to get started with this practice:

Meditate and practice mindfulness

Get clear about your goals and values

Explore what you are passionate about

Practice gratitude always

Seek to grow and learn

Give yourself grace and self-compassion

Document your journey, adjust as needed

Entrepreneurial visionary Dortha Hise, Chief Overwhelm Solver at Pretty Smart, amplifies success. Director at Summit, she melds triumph and adventure for transformative growth.

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by Loralee Humphreys

Do you have digestive issues - belly bloat, constipation? Do sugar cravings and emotional eating run you? Frequently feel exhausted, stressed, anxious, angry or depressed? These 3 Essential Keys For Digestive Health can help you feel better again!

I feel ya! Years of sugar cravings, emotional eating, and a nutrient deficient diet developed into digestive issues, belly bloat, pain and inflammation. Fortunately, I found answers within the teachings of holistic health. Kicking my fears aside, I jumped into the unknown and learned healthier ways.

Now my sugar cravings and emotional eating are essentially gone. No more irritated, gassy, or inflamed digestion! I feel confident, peaceful, and empowered.

I turned my digestive health around and so can you! Living free of belly bloat, constipation and digestive issues is possible!

Key #1 - Eat Plant-Based, Whole Foods! Every. Day Fruits, vegetables, nuts, salads, soups, smoothies, juices. A solid nutritional foundation is critical to release toxins and wastes that cause bloating, inflammation, and constipation. It supports your emotional and mental health, and restores digestive health.

Spinach, kale, mango, dates, flax, and chia seeds make excellent smoothies. Quality plant-based protein powder with medicinal mushrooms, pea and hemp proteins satisfies you for hours. Mixing carrots, broccoli, quinoa, black beans, kale, spinach, nuts, olives, avocado, sunflower seeds, apples turns a salad into a robust meal.

Key #2 - Intestinal Cleansing

Organic psyllium, buckwheat and chia seeds are excellent cleansers. Bentonite clay draws out heavy metals and toxins that create bloating, gas

Follow with a 7-day fruit or vegetable juice cleanse. and bloating.

Key #3 - Journal

Assess your relationships - family, friends, and coworkers. Especially with yourself - how you think, feel, talk to, and treat yourself. Note things that trigger you to feel angry, depressed, sad, or resentful during your day. Don’t get wrapped up in the drama, simply outline what happened.

Look for repeating patterns and themes that throw you off center. This critical awareness is the first step to resolving old issues, sugar cravings, emotional eating, and finding peace!

To help calm your mind and emotions, practice deep breathing. Inhale high-quality essential oils of geranium, lavender, orange or ylang ylang. Rub onto your belly, bottoms of your feet, inside the wrists, and over your heart. Diffuse them into your home, office, and car.

Loralee Humpherys is a Spiritual & Holistic Health Coach and producer of Essentials To Heal Yourself Podcast.

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