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Secrets for solving crisis can be found in two places

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on July 7, 2011. It’s no secret to anyone who knows me personally – or to regular readers of my column or other writings – that two of the things I’m most passionate about are Toastmasters and Dream Coaching. And as naïve and idealistic as this may sound, I truly believe that the world would be a much better place if every person in it spent some time taking part in Toastmasters meetings and working with a Dream Coach....

Independence Day – in reel life and real life

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on June 30, 2011. Our family’s 4th of July celebration will be pretty traditional. Our son will come over for a visit. In the morning, we’ll stake out our favorite spot for watching the parade, and later on we’ll enjoy the parade and the other festivities taking place in town. At night, we’ll watch some of the many area fireworks....

By |July 1st, 2011|Accountability, Columns, Family, Holidays, Values|Comments Off on Independence Day – in reel life and real life

A “Murphy’s Law” day wreaks havoc with schedule

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on June 23, 2011. I had a crazy and challenging day not long ago. It was a Tuesday, and I had a coaching call first thing in the morning with a client who lives out of state. We usually do video sessions via Skype, but for some reason we couldn’t get a connection and had to do our call the old-fashioned way – by phone. This wasn’t a [...]

By |June 24th, 2011|Accountability, Coaching, Columns, Family, Values|Comments Off on A “Murphy’s Law” day wreaks havoc with schedule

A new challenge and new choices can change the world

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on June 16, 2011. “We can change the world, but we’ve got to raise the bar.” That was the message – one of them – that I got from Jason Saul during the American Cancer Society’s Corporate Impact Conference last week. Saul was the keynote speaker at the Awards Breakfast on Friday morning....

By |June 17th, 2011|Columns, Values|Comments Off on A new challenge and new choices can change the world

You’re never too old – so what are you waiting for?

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on June 9, 2011. Several people have told me how impressed and inspired they were by the woman I wrote about in my column last week. She’s in her late 70s, and contacted me recently about Dream Coaching because she knows she’s got some talents and gifts that she’s not using, and she doesn’t want to waste them. “I’ve got 25 good years left,” she told me, “and I want to make the most of them....”

By |June 10th, 2011|Coaching, Columns, Family, Values, Writing|Comments Off on You’re never too old – so what are you waiting for?

New friend gets – and gives – a fresh new outlook

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on June 2, 2011. I can’t wait to tell you about the crazy lady from Wisconsin. But there are a few other things you need to know about her first. One is that she gave me not only her permission, but her encouragement to write about her. I think she knows what an inspiration and role model she can be for others, and she is happy to do so....

By |June 3rd, 2011|Coaching, Columns, Values|Comments Off on New friend gets – and gives – a fresh new outlook

Exploring new avenues leads to powerful new discoveries

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on May 26, 2011. I was recently asked to be a guest speaker at a Toastmasters Club’s 65th Anniversary Open House. They wanted me to speak about what Toastmasters has done for me. That was easy. It’s done more for me than I had ever imagined was possible. And it’s something I love to talk about to others....

By |May 27th, 2011|Coaching, Columns, Professional Speaking, Toastmasters, Writing|Comments Off on Exploring new avenues leads to powerful new discoveries

It’s a night to celebrate Survivors

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on May 19, 2011. It’s doubtful that anyone would ever mistake me for a sports star or a rock star. But I was treated like both last weekend. And I enjoyed how it felt. It was at the Eastern Carver County Relay for Life, where I was one of the speakers at the Opening Ceremony, and a participant in the event. But it wasn’t for either of these roles that I was given the star treatment. It was in my role as a cancer survivor...

By |May 20th, 2011|Columns, Respect|Comments Off on It’s a night to celebrate Survivors

Battling the elements for those battling cancer

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on May 12, 2011. The last time I slept outside in a tent was eight years ago. It wasn’t even a tent, actually, but a large cardboard box. I was chaperoning a homeless awareness experience my daughter was taking part in, which was designed to raise funds, as well as awareness, for the homeless. The thing I remember most about the event was how bone-chillingly cold I felt during the night. The chaperones, as well as the kids, were allowed to bring only one blanket, plus whatever clothes we were willing to wear or carry for 24 hours straight. And even though I was on the lawn of our church property, with my car visible in the nearby parking lot, I remember thinking – as I shivered and shuddered and dozed fitfully – that I might really die before morning.

By |May 13th, 2011|Columns, Family|Comments Off on Battling the elements for those battling cancer

Daughter’s Wedding is a Stellar Event

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on May 5, 2011. The wedding was out of this world. I say that partly because it had an “outer space” theme, and partly because everything about it was stunning. But mostly, because – well, because it was my daughter’s wedding. Since she lives in Florida now, and since that’s where her husband is from – and I’m still getting used to saying the word “husband” instead of boyfriend or fiancé – that’s where the wedding took place.

By |May 6th, 2011|Columns, Family, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Daughter’s Wedding is a Stellar Event