NEWS
In May I started traveling again which was a bit scary at first, but I was careful and wore my mask. I was excited to fly to Portland to celebrate my birthday and Mother’s Day with my girls. Then we did a girls’ trip to the gorgeous Columbia Gorge Hotel where all the movie stars used to stay. We also went to a Timbers soccer game since all my kids are HUGS soccers fans. They scored the most points ever in a game, so I think I brought them good luck!
“Client friends from HomeStreet Bank”
June was a very exciting month.
I was asked to speak for HomeStreet Bank in Seattle for the second time, so I am really committed to them. I love their mission and their people! It was also Kinsey’s graduation from the University of Washington. I am so very proud of her, especially to be graduating in three years after her five year struggle with leukemia. All the family members were there to help her celebrate except Erin who had to work. We took lots of family pictures, and I realized what a ”shortie” I look like next to my tall grandchildren, Gavin, Kinsey, Owen and Simon!
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This summer and fall I am excited to be checking off two things on my bucket list. I have always wanted to see the fjords in Norway, so Frank and I are taking a cruise on Holland America in August that will go almost to the arctic circle. After all this unbearable heat in Florida, we are looking forward to the cold, and we decided that even if we got Covid on the ship (hopefully NOT), we could sit on our veranda and still see the scenery since there are very few times to even get off the ship!
One other thing on my bucket list has been to see the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. The story goes that in the 16th century their little village was attacked and surrounded by the enemy. The whole town got together and prayed that if God would save them, every ten years they would re-enact the entire last day of Christ’s life. The whole village participates in the tradition, and everyone has a part. It was originally scheduled for 2020 but because of Covid, it had to be postponed until this year. The next time it will be presented is in 2030.
On this trip we will also be going to Austria and Neuschwanstein Castle which was the model for Cinderella’s castle in Disneyland and Disney World. It is the castle on the top of a mountain that you often see on beautiful calendars. I have read that it is quite a hike to get up there, so I hope we make it!
With all the negativity, divisiveness and fear in our world today, I am so
looking forward to experiencing the glorious beauty of nature and a
celebration of our faith heritage. I will post pictures as we travel.
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“I can’t possibly tell you what you mean to me. I reached out a few years ago and you wrote me back. I couldn’t believe it! Your teachings made such an impact on our dental office and I ordered all of your books in a big bundle. Our office went on to be voted #1 Dentist for TEN years in a row. I print out all of your newsletters and read them over several times in the mornings while setting goals. You really are a LIGHT to this world and everyone that knows you.” ~ Kim Bosler
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STORYWORTH:
What advice would you give your 20 year old self?
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For Christmas this year my daughters gave me the gift of Storyworth, an
online service that sends you a question every week about your life. You
write the answer and send it back to them, and then at the end of the year, they send you a hardbound book with all your answers. You can also add pictures.
At first when I opened the card, I thought, “Oh, no,- one more thing to do!” However, after I started writing, I have LOVED doing this. As I write the answers, I often think of experiences or stories that I have never told my children, and it has been great fun to reminisce Last week the question was,” What advice would you give your 20 year old self?” This was my answer:
“Barbara at age 20”
I have been thinking about this question all week because I think I was
pretty mature at age 20, perhaps because of being the oldest child and
maybe because of the whole dog bite incident and all the surgeries after.
On the whole, I actually made very good decisions growing up except
maybe for some silliness with friends. Choosing to spend a lot of time
practicing my piano, doing my best in school, choosing where to go to
college, all were good decisions.
Whatever I did, I always did to the very best of my ability, a
lesson I learned as a very young person. That led to many awards and
honors during those years. I also made an excellent choice in a husband,
falling in love with the most honest and loyal person I have ever
known……and he was handsome, too! 😉
I think one of the important lessons I learned early in life was the idea of the
old saying, “Bloom where you are planted.” Find the good in every
situation and make the most of it. Some of the wisdom I have gained over
the years I think I intuitively knew in those days, but now I can put this
advice into words:
* First of all, take care of YOURSELF. Eat right, do some exercise every day,
find alone time each day, get a good night’s sleep, and treasure friends and
family.
* Remember that every day is a GIFT. Look for the blessings even in the
most difficult situations in your life. That is always your choice, and if you
truly look, you WILL find them. I love the quote from William Winter, “As
much of Heaven is visible as we have eyes to see.”
* Nurture your FAITH. It is the only thing that can NEVER be taken away
from you. And in surrender comes perfect freedom – just trust that no
matter how bad things get, God IS in charge.
* RELATIONSHIPS are what life is all about. Be the best family member,
spouse, parent, and friend you can be with the skills you have been given.
And be a friend to have a friend.
I often think about who might miss me
when I am gone. Have I truly made a difference in this world? My idea of
Heaven has become that we will see all the people we have touched in
some way, most that we know nothing about. I think that is very exciting!
* LOVE all people. Even if you do not agree with them or don’t even like
them, they were still created in the image of God, so RESPECT them as
human beings. (That does not mean that you have to spend time with
them! 😉
I think that bottom line, our only responsibility in life is simply to
love other people as we meet them on our journey. That is why I created
the – / 0 / + chart as the choice we have in every interaction.
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Always try to create a plus for the person you meet, even if it is only for a moment. My
philosophy of life is from Mother Teresa: “Be kind and merciful. Let no one
ever come to you without coming away better and happier.”
* Learn to FORGIVE, not for the other person (they probably will never
know), but for yourself. Holding grudges eats away at you, so forgive and
let them go. That goes for yourself as well!
* Read and LEARN something new every day. That is what keeps you
growing and young, even if you are chronologically old.
* Be RESILIENT. No matter what happens in your life, you always have
choices in how you respond. I have had a lot of pain in my life, especially
losing our second child, Gavin, when I was just 28, my Dad (only 62 years
old) and Nana, our St, Bernard puppy, just one year later, and finally,
Charlie when I was 56, very young to be a widow. However, even though I
had some rough times, I still today CHOOSE to be a positive person, and
that has served me well.
* Keep things in PERSPECTIVE. It is easy for little things to become big
things. Try to think, “Will this matter five or ten years from now?”
* Take time to determine your core VALUES and then use them in all the
decisions you make.
* Do what is RIGHT. The end does NOT justify the means.
*Follow your DREAMS and dream BIG. My life proves that an Iowa girl from a small town can start her own company at age 52 and still make a difference! Always believe in yourself and use the gifts you have been given. You CAN have it all – you just might have it at different times in your life.
These are the values and ideas I try hard to live by. I certainly fail often,
yet I keep trying to be a little better each day. May we continually learn
from our own experiences, especially our failures, and treasure the people
we meet along the way.
I would love to hear what your answers might be. Please email me at bglanz@barbaraglanz.com.
If you would like a deeper explanation of this advice, including ideas, stories, and quotes, go to my blog www.barbaraglanz.com/blog/
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“Barbara, I attended the LSHRM meeting where you spoke about Kindness in the workplace. I really absorbed everything you said. The workday would be so less stressful if kindness was put into on a daily basis. Thank you for your insight.” ~ Yvonne Bates
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QUOTES OF THE MONTH: CHANGE
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“We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea.” ~ C. Joybell
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” ~ Charles Darwin
“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”” ~ Samuel Johnson
“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela
“Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” ~ Stephen Covey
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change
their minds cannot change anything.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause
and reflect.” ~ Mark Twain
“Genius is more often found in a cracked pot than a whole one.” ~ E.B. White
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am
wiser, so I am changing myself.” ~ Rumi
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“Barbara was very engaging. She knows how to tell a story with a sense of humor to keep the audience’s attention while passing along her point. Her speech was well balanced and she exhibited a great aura of poise when speaking. The use of visual aids added to the effectiveness of her presentation. Overall, I felt the time spent attending her presentation was enjoyable and useful.”
~Michael Carballo, Customer Service Manager, Gerdau North America, Tampa, Florida
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Where in the World Is Barbara?
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May
11 – 17 Portland, OR, and Columbia Gorge
June
9 – 13 Seattle, WA
29 – July 1 Captiva Island
July
8 – 12 Nashville, TN, National Speakers Association Conference
August
13 and 14 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
16 Eidfjord. Norway
17 Molde, Norway
18 Geiranger, Norway
19, Bergen, Norway
21 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
25 – 29 Veteran Speakers Retreat, Washington, DC
September
11- 13 Munich., Germany
14 Innsbruck, Austria
15 Castles and Churches, Austria
16 Salzburg, Austria
17 Passion Play, Oberammergau, Germany
18 Achensee Train, Boatride, and Rattembrug, Germany
19 Neuchwanstein Castle, Germany
20 Munich, Germany
October
14 – 16 New York City, NY
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“Barbara recently spoke at an industry conference that I attended and I have to say that her presentation was more than impressive. There is no doubt that she has left a lasting impression on me as well as my peers that were in the room. By using the power of positivity and truly connecting with our teams we can help to create an enthusiastic and fun work environment! I am so glad that I was able to participate and learn from Barbara.”
~Jarrod Short, Sales Director, Bayou Steel, La Place, Louisiana
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“One big smile – my friend, Sylvie, let me drive her new boat! ;-)”
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On the Subject of Colonoscopies
A friend sent this to me, so I just had to share it. We all need a good laugh now and
then!
Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were quite humorous. A physician claimed that the following are actual comments made by his patients (predominantly white males) while he was performing their colonoscopies:
1. Take it easy, Doc. You’re going boldly where no man has gone before!
2. Amelia Earhart yet?
3. Can you hear me NOW?
4. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
5. You, know, in Arkansas, we’re now legally married.
6. Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?
7. You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out….
8. Hey, now I know how a Muppet feels!
9. Hey, Doc, let me know if you find my dignity.
10. You used to be an executive at Enron, didn’t you?
11. Could you write a note for my wife that my head is not up there?
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“Barbara, thank you so much for that message! You inspired me and gave me some good tips, too. Thanks for encouraging me to write a thank you note to my previous boss. Will send it Monday.” ~ Ron, National Speakers Association, Central Florida Chapter
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PERPETUAL CALENDAR
This is a perpetual calendar of Barbara’s favorite inspirational quotations, one for every day of the year including leap year. Because there are no
years, you can use it over and over for many years.
Do you need a very special and long lasting, inspirational gift for your team, your co-workers or your friends and family? This would be a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas gift for friends, teachers, family members,
your employees or team to challenge, inspire, and remind them of all their blessings.
$19.95 plus $3.95 shipping
$15.95 and FREE shipping
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I love receiving your newsletters. They always give me a ray of hope that things really are getting better and that we can and should do everything in a positive manner. Thanks for your positive attitude and the smile on your face. ~ Kay Finley Swartz
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A couple of weeks ago Frank and I had tickets to a play at Florida Studio Theatre on a Saturday night. We had dinner in a lovely restaurant in Sarasota before the play. When we went out to our car to go the theatre, the car would not start even after 2 or 3 tries. Since we only had 25 minutes to spare, I suggested to Frank that we leave the car and call an Uber to take us to the theatre, and we could deal with it after the show.
About 10:30 when the play ended, we called another Uber and went back to the car. It still would not start, so we called AAA, and they said they would be there in 45 minutes. After about 40 minutes, a young man came out of the restaurant where we were parked. It was not even the restaurant where we had eaten, but he (Nick, the owner’s son) asked if we needed help.
Frank told him about our situation. He said he had jumper cables and why didn’t he give that a try, so he went in back, drove his car around, and for about 20 minutes he tried to get the car started. Nick was our first angel.
In the meantime, our Uber driver, Nathan, kept coming back, and he waited with us for at least 30 minutes more while we kept waiting for AAA. He said he could not just leave us there alone in the dark with no car, so he was our second angel.
After over an hour, I called AAA again, and they said they could do an absentee tow, so Frank arranged for that, we left the car, and after midnight Nathan drove us back to my condo. He did not even put it on his Uber schedule.
We were both so touched that these two men reached out to us in kind and caring ways late at night in the midst of a difficult situation, and neither of them wanted anything in return. Do you remember the book and movie, “Pay it Forward?” My goal, as a result, is to remember their kindness and to be someone else’s service angel as soon as I can!
WHO CAN YOU SERVE?
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“Dear Barbara, You are the perfect role model for professional Speakers. Thank you for sharing your heart!” ~ National Speakers Association, Central Florida Chapter
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Thank you so much for being a part of our team and spreading YOUR contagious enthusiasm wherever you find yourself in life. Please let us know any ways we can be of help to you as you plan your association, company, or manager’s meetings. We would love to help you discover new ideas you can apply immediately in the areas of Employee Engagement, Customer Service, Appreciation & Recognition, Creating a Culture of Kindness, and Understanding the Human Level of Change.
“Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier.” ~ Mother Teresa
Blessings,
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