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A caring volunteer could be Nobel Peace Prize winner

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on April 7, 2011. I had breakfast last week with a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize. And if someone hadn’t told me she was a nominee, I never would have known it. She doesn’t look like Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, or the Dalai Lama, who are some of the people I think of when I hear the words, “Nobel Peace Prize.” Instead, Stephanie Smith looks like a suburban mom – which, in fact, she is...

By |April 8th, 2011|Columns, Values|Comments Off on A caring volunteer could be Nobel Peace Prize winner

“Impossible” songs inspire impossible achievements

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on March 31, 2011. “Impossible” songs inspire impossible achievements “To dream the impossible dream, To fight the unbeatable foe, To bear with unbearable sorrow, To run where the brave dare not go...” Many of you immediately recognized – and may already be humming – the opening lines of “The Impossible Dream,” from Man of La Mancha. It’s one of my favorite songs, from one of my favorite musicals....

By |April 1st, 2011|Accountability, Coaching, Columns, Music/Singing, Values|Comments Off on “Impossible” songs inspire impossible achievements

Night and day, you can overcome your fears and achieve your dreams

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on March 24, 2011. At a workshop I attended recently, I met a woman who’s a Dream Coach. Not the kind of Dream Coach I am, who helps people work toward achieving their dreams, but the kind who helps people understand and learn from the dreams they have while they’re sleeping....

By |March 25th, 2011|Coaching, Columns|Comments Off on Night and day, you can overcome your fears and achieve your dreams

Snow complaints melt in the face of global tragedy

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on March 17, 2011. One of the more popular pastimes this winter has been complaining about the cold weather and the amount of snow we received. Understandably, too, since we were hit with several record-breaking snowstorms that dumped more and more snow on top of snow that was already more than we could handle....

By |March 18th, 2011|Columns|Comments Off on Snow complaints melt in the face of global tragedy

A zebra teaches lessons about attitudes and beliefs

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on March 10, 2011. Fasten your seatbelt, because I’m getting ready to obliterate one of your longest-held, most comfortable beliefs about life on this planet. And I’m going to do it with one word: zebra....

By |March 12th, 2011|Columns|Comments Off on A zebra teaches lessons about attitudes and beliefs

Ten-year mark sparks new observations

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on March 3, 2011. Ever since I was in college, it was a dream of mine to be a newspaper columnist. Over the next 25 years or so, I had a number of writing submissions published in newspapers and other publications. I won several newspaper writing contests. And, when my kids were young and playing AYSO Soccer, I was the person responsible for getting game reports into the local paper – although the only journalistic requirements for that were to say who won, list the game scores, and make sure every kid on the team was mentioned at least once in each article....

By |March 6th, 2011|Columns, Family, Writing|Comments Off on Ten-year mark sparks new observations

Do what you love, and others will notice

The column “Find Your Buried Treasure” appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on February 24, 2011. I spoke last week to a group that had about 50 or 60 members present. After the program, a number of them came over to talk to me. Most simply thanked me for coming, and said they enjoyed the program. Some had specific questions or comments, or stories they wanted to share. A few said things like, “You really gave me some new things to think about,” or “I got a lot of great ideas from you. I can’t wait to try them out.” Those are the comments I always enjoy and appreciate the most. But then, just before I left, someone told me something I don’t recall ever hearing before. It was a simple observation, but one that I will always treasure. I hope it will always be true, and I hope it will always show....

By |February 27th, 2011|Buried Treasure, Coaching, Columns, Professional Speaking|Comments Off on Do what you love, and others will notice

Getting to know someone means sharing the fun

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on February 17, 2011. I had coffee with a new member of our Toastmasters Club after our meeting last week. She offered me part of the whole-wheat croissant she had ordered, and I took a small piece, just to have a taste. It was delicious, much more so than I expected. I thanked her for sharing it, and for introducing me to something I might never have ordered on my own....

By |February 20th, 2011|Columns, Toastmasters, Values|Comments Off on Getting to know someone means sharing the fun

Whether coming or going, enjoy the experience

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on February 10, 2011. I was in my 40s when my husband, kids and I moved from the Chicago area – where we were born and raised – to Roanoke, Virginia. It was the first of several moves we made to different parts of the country. After a few months of living in Virginia, one of my neighbors asked, “So, Betty, are you starting to like it here in Roanoke, or do you still miss Chicago?” My one-word answer: “Yes...”

By |February 11th, 2011|Coaching, Columns, Family, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Whether coming or going, enjoy the experience

Feeling secure is more important than feeling comfortable

The column "Find Your Buried Treasure" appears weekly in the Chanhassen (MN) Villager. This column was published on February 3, 2011. My husband and I flew to Chicago last weekend. It was the first time I’ve been on a plane since full body scanners were installed at the airport and the controversy began over the pat-down of passengers who refused to go through full-body scans. A number of people have complained – and even initiated lawsuits – over the pat-downs they describe as an aggressive and humiliating violation of their rights and their privacy. For several years now, I’ve had to go through the full pat-down every time I travel by air. Not because of any issues over a full-body scan, but because I’ve had a pacemaker implanted due to heart damage caused by chemotherapy years ago...

By |February 4th, 2011|Accountability, Columns, Family, Respect, Uncategorized, Values|Comments Off on Feeling secure is more important than feeling comfortable