Florists, Chocolatiers, and restaurants gear up for the twenty–four–hour love-fest known as Mother’s Day. Meanwhile, young children are busy creating cherished heirlooms such as necklaces constructed out of painted dried pasta; photos with hand-decorated cardboard picture frames festooned with lots of sparkles and glitter, and, my personal favorite, gushy “Happy Mother’s Day” cards that get taped to … Read more
When I was fourteen years old, I was thrilled to receive my cap at the Candystriper Induction Ceremony at The Barnert Memorial Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey. Although my friends and I fussed and giggled as we tried to keep our caps from slipping or tilting, at the time we were far more focused on … Read more
When a project launch timeline starts to be measured in days instead of months or weeks, it’s thrilling and daunting at the same time. It’s the moment when everyone on the entire launch team puts on their running shoes to get out of the starting gate and actually make it happen in order to transform … Read more
Have you recently noticed a spring in your step? Are you mildly confused about when you need to turn the clocks ahead—or if you need to turn the clocks at all for that matter? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then surely spring is upon us. This Sunday, just hours after I’ll … Read more
There’s a palpable energy surging through the team on production days when we’re filming Soaringwords workshops. Hair and makeup and the film crew arrive at 8 o’ clock on the dot. Cameras and tripods are assembled. Light bulbs are swapped out for light boxes. Flowers, props, and different outfits are laid out. The place is … Read more
This morning, I am sitting in the hospital waiting room while my mother undergoes spinal surgery in a pristine, state-of-the-art operating room two floors away. In the weeks and months leading up to this moment, both of us have experienced all of our emotions, although not necessarily the same ones at the same time. Working … Read more
Art has a powerful way of permeating our consciousness and impacting our worldview. I’ll always cherish the memory of the first time I stood in front of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. This monumental, granite sculpture of the Civil Rights Movement leader is located in West Potomac Park next to the National Mall … Read more
“Gmmmahhh!” To the untrained ear it probably sounded like an indistinguishable babble. However, when my son, Jonathan, playfully prompted my adorable baby granddaughter Natalie to say the word “Grandma” over and over again, she responded in kind by saying, “Gmmmahhh!” Watching the interaction on Facetime made my heart flutter. I’ve been a big fan of … Read more
I always eagerly anticipated New Year celebrations as a young girl. We often celebrated at home as a family—my parents, my younger brother, and me. My mother created several alluring and memorable child-centric rituals which our family enjoyed over the years. One such tradition was watching a blockbuster movie in theaters. A big movie-going family, … Read more
As I write this, I’m sitting on the beach by the Atlantic ocean, soothing my senses. I’m literally inhaling calm and exhaling the past 10 weeks of tension, trauma, and fear. Did you know that the way we breathe impacts our overall wellbeing? As a Positive Psychology thought leader, I’ve led many workshops teaching people … Read more