"It's not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world.  It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.” – L.R. Knost I don’t think there is another parent in the world that would disagree with me when I say this is the toughest job we are given.   The most rewarding, but also the hardest.   We have a lot of sleepless nights.   We are always worried about this little human’s survival.   But to me, that’s not the hard part.   The hard part is how we help ensure that when they do grow up, that they are the best version of their selves they can be.   I’m sure each parent has a different image of that in their head.   Some have hopes for their financial security.   Some will focus on the impact they make on the world.   Some will provide all the training in the world for them to be a world class athlete.   There is nothing wrong with any of these aspirations f...

Travel means a lot of things to different people.   For some, it means adventure.   For others, relaxation.   For many, it means stress.   I travel for work on a weekly basis.   I sit in airports, on planes, and in hotel lobbies watching all the passengers and guests, imagining their stories.   Are they business travelers like me?   Families traveling with children could be visiting elder relatives or coming to Florida for a vacation.   Young men and women in groups could be traveling for sports teams or for their first vacation without parents.   Anxious passengers demonstrating they don’t typically fly, could be traveling for funerals or job interviews.   Everyone has a story.   I sit and watch and live vicariously through them for a few moments of time to feel what travel means for them.   When you travel via plane for work, it begins to feel as routine as commuting daily through traffic in a car.   You deal with ...

There is something magical about the theater.   The lights, beautiful stage design and props, the costumes all paint an enchanting background for the elegant dancing, and electric music.   I truly love it all.   I can’t tell you a time where I’ve gone to a performance and didn’t get goosebumps or a tear in my eye at some point.   It is an escape for the everyday where for a few hours you can get wrapped up in something whimsical and truly sensational.   I can’t remember my first live performance, but I can remember the first show that gave me the love.   I was fortunate enough to be a tag along on my aunt and uncle’s vacation to Europe when I was 14.   We spent some time in London and while we were there, we got to see the theatrical version of Beauty and the Beast.   Of course, the story and music were all very familiar from the Disney movie version, but seeing it live brought a whole new level of appreciation.   Since then, I haven’t b...

And just like that… we are in December.   I know I’m not alone in feeling this way, but every year it feels like I am anticipating fall and as soon as Halloween finally gets here, you blink and it’s Christmas.   There is no breathing room to take in the all special moments.   And the older Zoe has gotten, the more important those special moments truly are.   We want to make these memories as beautiful as possible.   But how do you fit it all in?   And more importantly, how do you stay focused on the magic instead of all the stress?   Traffic, crowds, holiday parties, shopping for the perfect gifts, decorating, cooking, cleaning… the list goes on and on.   Sure, some of these are fun commitments, but they are also stress.   We get this vision in our head of how it is supposed to be, that perfect tree, the perfect Christmas morning – but it is an unrealistic expectation to have.   Perfect isn’t possible.   But what is possi...

“A great teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” – Brad Henry We all have a teacher or professor that stands out in our mind because of their influence they had on us.   In high school it was Mr. Morgan.   He was able to make math tolerable for someone who wasn’t interested in the subject.   In college, it was my professor, Carol Osborne.   Her class confirmed that marketing was the right career path for me with her Promotions class.   So, when I was invited to be a guest lecturer for that same professor that molded my professional aspirations, enthusiastic is an understatement.   Let me precursor this next statement by saying that I LOVE what I do.   Not only that, but I am passionate about the brand that I work for.   However, I’ve always had an internal struggle around my impact on society.   How does influencing people’s decision to buy pizza help make the world a better place?   No...

Translation - “Nothing is real but dreams and love.” - Anna de Noailles There is a reason why Paris is still considered one of the most romantic cities.  When you go, you are transported back in time.  Strolling through the most amazing museums in the world, having a two hour lunch while sipping champagne, indulging in decadent desserts – the city itself becomes an aphrodisiac.  While it is a cliché to want to be kissed by your true love under the Eiffel Tower, there is a good reason why every girl has that fantasy.  The first time I went to Paris, I was only 14.  At that age I had not had my first real kiss yet, so the mystery and allure of romance was just beginning to blossom.  While staring up at this iconic structure, I closed my eyes and imagined what it would be like to have Gavin Rossdale grab me by the waist and dip be backwards for an amazing Hollywood kiss.  (Don’t act like you didn’t have the Tiger Beat poster up in your room too.)...

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a list kind of person.  I keep hand written lists all over my office of things to accomplish for that day, week, month, even year.  We have project lists and grocery lists - so it is only fitting that I would have bucket lists.  I'm using lists plural because I have many everywhere in my house and on my computer.  When it comes to bucket lists, I had the one of the 30 things I want to do before I turned 30 along with a running one of the things I want to do before I die.  That one is forever evolving.  From that list, I narrowed down 40 things I think I could accomplish before my 40th birthday.  However, there is a catch for anyone who is reading this right now.  Many of these items were probably inspired by you.  Or you might see something on this list that you also have on yours.  My ask to all of you is that we do this TOGETHER.  Let me know which of these things YOU want to accomplish ...