by cstrauss | Dec 31, 2021 | Life
“AT LEAST ”
May you have at least enough work to fulfill your sense of purpose.
May you make at least enough memories to keep you warm when you get old.
May you have at least enough humor to laugh everyday.
May you have at least enough adventure to appreciate your downtime.
May you have at least enough joy to make you smile.
May you have at least enough freedom to appreciate boundaries.
May you have at least enough dreams to pull you into your future.
May you have at least enough friends to satisfy your heart.
May you have at least enough support to take a risk every once in a while.
May you have at least enough blessings to share them with others.
2022-Carolyn Strauss
by cstrauss | Dec 16, 2021 | Life
‘Tis the season to experience comfort and joy. It’s also the time of year where we aspire to complete 2021 powerfully and positively. As we attempt this, I encourage us to pause for a moment and reflect back on the things that brought us actual joy this year.
If that is a challenge for you, here’s an idea:
Make a list of the people you spent time with who brought you energy, positive feelings and uplifted your spirit.
Make a list of where you want to go and what you want to experience in 2022 (flexibility is the key here…)
Make a list of things you’re grateful for this year which will attract more of that in the coming year.
I’ll start: Some things I’m grateful for:
*The opportunity to Emcee for organizations who are committed to having all of their members engaged and feel appreciated.
* For the friends that have reached out and connected with me over this past year.
* For my newest venture “Communication Skills for Wicked Smart People” which serves biotech, science and medical companies to support them in getting their brilliant work out into the world in a way that that stakeholders can hear it.
* Mostly I’m grateful for you for being in my world.
Wishing you a healthy, happy, beautiful holiday season. Merry Everything! Love, Carolyn
by cstrauss | Nov 17, 2021 | Business, Comedy, Life
It’s November. Conversations, advertisers and in store displays have the Holidays front and center … already. However this year, before we make our holiday plans, I want to invite you to consider that you’re probably different now than you were pre-holiday 2019. (I’m skipping over the holidays 2020 as that was such an anomoly… and much of the reason for the premise of this post).
Here’s the thing. Everyone I’ve encountered, spoken for and consulted with over the past months have noticed that they are different. Are you changed in some way from this recent globally shared pandemic experience? The whole point of the human experience is to evolve and change. Can you identify how you have shifted since November of 2019?
These 3 questions might help:
1. Is there something I enjoy now that I didn’t know I enjoyed 2 years ago?
2. Are there people I’d rather be around now and others maybe not so much?
3. Are there aspects of my work I’d rather be focusing on, and others I’d rather delegate or spend less time doing within or outside of my current work situation?
As we move into the holiday season of 2021, just be aware, that everyone you will encounter is different in some way. Having compassion for them is the kindest thing you can do. Also, the only way for the people in your world to know how you are different is for you to share what is true for you now.
Here are a few things that are true for me moving into the holiday season 2021.
1. I love working with organizations to create teams that function better and are able to do more with less through my certification as a Working Genius Facilitator.
2. I love and appreciate the opportunities I have to Emcee conferences with “wicked smart” attendees, (people in the fields of Medicine, Business and Government, so far for 2022).
3. I’m looking for more laughter every single day. If you’re funny reach out and say “hi”. I also aspire to create laughter in every conversation I have, and through my podcast Another Day Above Ground.
Wishing you a joyous and evolved holiday season! –Carolyn
by cstrauss | Feb 10, 2021 | Current Events, Life
There is so much advertising around Valentine’s Day that if one is not careful, we can get caught up in the “comparison” game. Is my relationship “romantic, special, exotic” enough?
One key to avoiding this trap, is to appreciate your unique situation, especially during this unique year. If you are single today, appreciate the freedom you have to make choices that serve you without having to compromise. If you are married or in a committed relationship, appreciate the support, comfort and stability of having that person that is always on your side (if that is not the case, it may be time to renegotiate your partnership… and that’s for another post, but hang in there). And if you are somewhere in between, appreciate the family members, friends and pets both in person and virtually that have brought you joy throughout this past year.
Remember, Valentine’s Day comes but once a year, but the ability to notice the love and support that surrounds your life is there for you each and every day…even if it is hidden behind a mask, it’s still there! With love and appreciation of you….. Carolyn
by cstrauss | Nov 26, 2020 | Current Events, Life
It’s Thanksgiving Day 2020, as we look back on this year
None of us could anticipate what we’d go through to get here
In January we thought we’d have 2020 perfect vision
Instead we were bombarded with strife and division
If it’s true that hindsight is 2020 clear
Then the lessons we learned will bring us wisdom next year
So as we celebrate today being grateful and “socially distant”
Bring in peace, hope and love to break through any resistance
To accept what is, and work together to make it better
Wear a mask, wash your hands and curl up in your favorite sweater.
– In gratitude and love for you all- Carolyn
by cstrauss | May 6, 2019 | Business, Current Events, Life, Sales
We are living in a really strange time. I watched the Kentucky Derby for the first time this week and the horse that clearly won by a full length; didn’t.
I watched during the 2016 Presidential election when the candidate who won by 3 million votes; didn’t.
Maybe winning isn’t winning anymore. Maybe we should re-examine how we judge the outcomes of events and projects. Perhaps we should evaluate situations based solely on merit.
When I was a little girl I learned the lesson of “always do your best to try your hardest and whatever happens happens”. Whether I won or lost didn’t matter. The question was, did I do my best? Are we living in a world where doing your best isn’t good enough?
I want to encourage everyone working on projects and goals and intended outcomes to re-examine for themselves what winning looks like. Perhaps it means getting the best results you can with the resources and talent you have and not caring what the rest of the world thinks. If we can do that… my grandmother would be proud.
