If you are like me, you spent the weekend watching press conferences, reaching out to friends and family to ensure they have everything they need and making necessary plans for upcoming weeks and following CDC guidelines. It's a lot to process.

Last week I wrote "Let us all come together in calm support of one another as a community for the highest good for all. Supporting our fellow citizens and the values of our nation during good times and tough times is part of the magic we...

CHANGE. 

Humans have an innate ability to focus on resisting change, fighting the old fight. But, have you noticed? There is a massive opportunity right in front of us to focus on building something new!

Change can bring out the best or it can bring out the worst in people. Everyone responds differently to change. Being aware of that and sensitive to the underlying emotions connected to change is powerful. 

Have you done a self check and considered how you respond to change?...

Wisdom is born from crisis, challenge and difficulty. Wisdom is born from recognizing and learning from the curriculum of life. 

I’ve learned that hard times create a set of circumstances where you can train your mind to look for and create opportunities. If you haven’t already developed an outlook and a mindset to maintain a calm, centered approach to crisis (while looking for ways to grow and improve your life and the life of those around you) start today! Encourage others...

I believe in making small adjustments in how we approach life for a big impact. As I was writing this piece I was watching the I Heart Radio Living Room Concert. I was lucky that one of my favorite musicians and musical heroes came on, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters.

Immediately, because I love Dave Grohl and his song "My Hero", I stopped everything I was doing to listen to Dave, who said...

"If you love someone tell them. If you are thankful for someone tell...

I’ve loved reading since I was a little girl. Books were an escape for me and allowed me to learn about the world beyond my circumstances. Books gave me hope and rallied me when I was down. Books helped me envision a life of vacations to exotic places with beautiful palm trees. Books inspired me to consider a different way.

Since my early years of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys mysteries, I’ve used some of the 49 books on this list to facilitate faculty book talks, host...

A foxhole is a hole in the earth that is used by a soldier as a small fort. From the safety of a foxhole, troops are protected somewhat against enemy fire.

An administrator I work with said to me "You are the person I want next to me in the foxhole! You get it!" I really appreciated this compliment because the people in your foxhole (aka work, school, and life) should always lift you up and protect you from the enemy. The enemy in this case being people (‘negative nellies’ or...

Make today great!

Do it for yourself, your friends, and your family. It’s so easy to get caught up in a negative mindset and pulled into the minutiae of what is going wrong in our lives, or at the job, or in the world. Instead of focusing on the plight of all that is wrong, focus on what is going right! Live your life in the ‘Positivity Zone’.

Eckhart Tolle said “Every ego wants to be special. If it can’t be special by being superior to others, it’s also...

This is a special guest column written by Dr. Jennifer Ramos. 

Joy  \ jȯi \  a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

A Teacher's Perspective

Teaching, for the past 16 years, has brought me a tremendous amount of joy.  As a teacher that helps students map out their post-secondary path as well as a plan to reach their goals, my job is incredibly rewarding.  

The Problem Right Now

I haven’t seen a student, in person, since March 6 of last school...

The Crisis of Calm is Real

Are you or someone you know experiencing a crisis of calm? Do you feel like you are in the cycle of reactivity where everything is elevated and magnified? What is the biggest gift you can give yourself right now? Calm.

Calm can be challenging to accomplish and it’s what you need to overcome the current challenges and persist for the rest of the year. The frantic pace that many are experiencing can only be sustained for so long and run the...

Let's Change the World One Positive Parent Experience at a Time

In the spirit of teaching excellence, I challenge you to incorporate a strategy that I began implementing early in my teaching career. The ‘Positive Parent Phone Call Challenge’ is a strategic parent engagement initiative where positive parent phone calls are employed to improve school and classroom culture and ultimately student achievement and success. Not only is it a strategic effort. It has the power to change...