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Let It Go

This Christmas I received a treasured gift, a Hallmark Keepsake ornament of Queen Elsa from the Disney movie FROZEN. She is standing with her arms wide open and a confident smile on her face, and at the press of a button, she sings LET IT GO

Let it go! Let it go!
And I’ll rise like the break of dawn!
Let it go! Let it go!
That perfect girl is gone!

Here I stand in the light of day…
Let the storm rage on!!!
The cold never bothered me anyway

My gift-giving friend and colleague Jaysen must have searched high and low for this 2015 ornament. His effort touched my heart. In 2019 Jaysen attended my first ever 2-day LIVE event at Disney World called “RETURN TO PURPOSE.” Each morning I would come into the room with that song LET IT GO blaring over the speakers. It was my reminder that on those 2 days, I would not hold back who I was and wanted the attendees to do the same.  It was magical.

Today, Elsa sits next to my computer, confident...

Hi everyone,

Well, 2021 hasn't' started out quite as we hoped has it? Just last week I wrote to you these words:

"My commitment to 2021 is to focus on gratitude and compassion, of lifting people up to see their own beauty within and the beauty in others. The time is now for each of us to do our part to inspire another. Whether that is with the simplicity of a smile or a listening ear or a grand gesture of thanks, each action toward that end makes a difference. May 2021 be the year we all find relief and recover, together."

I stand by that commitment and as a way of offering some inspiration, I want to share with you a portion of the poem "The Rock Cries Out To You This Morning" by Maya Angelo. It comforted me this morning and I hope it will do the same for you.

"...Here, root yourselves beside me.

I am the tree planted by the river, Which will not be moved.

I, the rock, I the river, I the tree I am yours--your passages have been paid.

Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need...

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

Have you ever gone tent camping? Years ago, I took a solo camping trip to prove to myself I was an independent woman who could pitch my own tent and make my own way. The north Georgia state park where I spent my first night was virtually deserted. No other campers were enjoying the cool October evening and my resolve began to waver.  What was I doing out here alone in my brothers’ pup tent protected only with the pocket knife my father had given me before I left?

Darkness encircled me like a blanket thrown over my head. Every sound was amplified, and fear began to creep in. Then that magical moment happened when I struck a single match to ignite my merger campfire, and the darkness was at bay. A single match had made the difference between my fear of being alone in the woods and the confidence of seeing beyond my immediate surroundings.

Each of us has the opportunity to be a single flame to keep the darkness at bay. Every great movement started...

In honor of the beautiful holiday of Thanksgiving I want to share a story about saying "thank you". Have you ever had a friend that simply made you want to be a better person just by knowing them?  Laura Carmichael was that person for me.  Ms. Laura was my role model for living a purposeful life, enjoying each day, giving back in small and large ways and always saying “Thank You”.

Laura had the corner market on writing “thank you” notes.  Her notes were legendary, no sooner had the gift been delivered, than she was at the post office with her thank you note ready to mail.  Ms. Laura probably had heavenly choirs singing each time her delicate fingers hit the typewriter keys.  She penned her notes until her hands had such a tremor that at age 101 she couldn’t write legibly so used the trusty Royal. 

For over 60 years Ms. Laura clipped the good news from the local newspaper, accomplishments by ordinary people, and sent them a...

Image Above: From the Kaiser Philanthropy Institute, design by Christy Whitney

Courage, passion, commitment, communication, humility – these make every list of critical leadership skills, and they’re certainly required in abundance of anyone who leads or manages in hospice. But to me, the most important gift is the ability to inspire and motivate those around you. Why? Hospice work is demanding, physically and emotionally – but patients and their families need you to bring 100% of your skills, compassion, and stamina to work every day. Keeping our people inspired to be their best, most compassionate selves requires us to model that behavior – to walk the walk – in how we deal with them.

 How do you inspire? By remembering why you’re there, and sharing that why with your staff; by getting out of your office and into the field; by being a mentor more than a taskmaster, and sharing stories of staff successes.

What’s Your Story? If someone...