on March 19, 2025

Young Adult and Next Gen Leaders Often Forget This!

There is one thing you need to learn and state at the outset of any project or plan. What does success look like? It’s a common, clarifying question – so much so that it’s a little ubiquitous and meaningless at times. But stay with me. When you are assigned a project, or are trying to come up with a new product or solution, what’s the first thing you want to do to ensure success? As a storyteller, I know that there’s the story you see (action in the plot) and the story you feel (the emotional character arc). Knowing this, I always work on 2 areas to get alignment about success before jumping into design. And it’s not just so…Read More

success, leader, young adult issues, design, innovation

on March 12, 2025

8 Tips for Young Adults and Next Gen Leaders to Advance in Their Careers

There are some behaviors in the workplace that elevate everyone and make them feel more positive. One of them is generosity. Generosity is about how you give and serve others at work whether employees, vendors, or customers. The value of generosity is that it helps to make a safe environment where people feel able to speak up when there is a problem, and offer solutions and new innovative ideas even if they sound crazy. Don’t you want that? Generosity also slows aging and lowers your cortisol (Stress hormone). It releases endorphins which are the brain’s natural painkiller. AND, releases dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin creating the trifecta of happiness – which also  reduces stress. Even better, right?! Helping makes you happy, as well…Read More

leadership tools, career advice, young adult life, generosity, Leaders, leadership mentoring

on November 27, 2023

Tactics to Kick the Inner Bully to the Curb

Fear is a Bully Too often, especially for young women starting off in their careers, they don’t recognize that their biggest adversary lives in their head. And he’s super chatty, like a middle-school bully that never misses an opportunity to taunts us. He’s really just a scared brat, but boy does he seem to make good points. That’s a bad idea. You’ll look stupid. You’ll be embarrassed. It’s never been done before. You’re biting off too much. You’re going to fail. You’re not going to succeed. You’re going to waste your time. You’re going to waste someone else’s time. What makes you think you can do it? And on… Right? Just stop imagining things that don’t exist. Focus on now….Read More

live your life, YA friends, life experience, life advice, YA life, fearless, fearlessly, live fearless

on November 20, 2023

Help for Those Struggling During Holidays

Holidays are not for everyone. When you like them, there’s usually a lot of work involved to decorate, shop, cook and take care of everyone else. When you don’t like them, it’s hard to appreciate that you don’t need to shop or cook or even decorate for anyone. A lot of people are alone, lost a loved one, lost a job, lost a marriage, have kids not coming home, or are housebound by illness and age. Loneliness and depression hit even harder this time of year. So, what can you do? Well, here are some choices. I recommend all of them every day! 1-Pray: Just talk to God. Lay out the hard, the ugly, the sad, the angry, the disappointments….Read More

holiday blues, dealing with depression, daily habits, living the good life, purposeful life, survival tips

on November 13, 2023

Forgiving Before Thanksgiving

Forgiving before Thanksgiving The holiday season is upon us and we will soon be sharing more time with loved ones. And there will also be the people who makes us crazy. Sometimes they are one and the same. There’s a saying, “Your parents know how to press all your buttons because they’re the ones who installed them.” Truth! This is where forgiveness comes in. If you truly want love, good cheer and joy to flow through you and around you this season, then make sure there isn’t anything inside you that is blocking it. It might mean forgiving people you see regularly or someone who is not in your life that you still resent or blame. Boundaries and communication are…Read More

love, life advice, forgiveness, healing, best life, family matters, life challenges

on November 6, 2023

Change the World One Brick at a Time

If you want to change the world, start with yourself. Only through learning to listen, ask questions, and genuinely understand each other better, can we develop the mutual respect that allows for openness and influence. With every conversation you are either adding bricks or taking away bricks, building walls or breaking down walls. Which is it going to be today? #listeningandlearning #listeningskills #changingminds#changingthegame #changingtheworld #changingthenarrative#understanding #communication #communicationskills#leadershipcommunication #leadershipskills #leadershipcoaching

leadership skills, communication skills, building community, life skills, empathy, communication, understanding, listening, young adult life, listening skills, changing minds, changing the world, leadership lessons

on October 30, 2023

Choose Friends that Lift You and Help You Grow

Do you ever wonder why some people just are not happy! They literally have everything, but are not joyful, satisfied, happy or content. If you’ve got these people in your life that can be vampires on your energy, so beware. Instead make sure your friends have a sense of purpose – or multiple purposes. It might be to succeed in college and lead their sorority in volunteer work. It might be about being the best doctor or therapist they can in order to help people. It might be as simple as making at least one person smile every day. It is generally not about becoming powerful or getting more likes, or buying a new handbag. But those can be good…Read More

who we become, friendship, friendship matters, young adult issues, young adult life, true friends, loyal friends, purpose in life

on October 16, 2023

The People Around You Will Lower You or Lift You

Why do we care what others think? Well, yes, people do have the power to bully, shame, and kick us out of the “in” crowd. But does that matter? If you have to compromise who you are, maybe the “in” crowd is actually the “out” crowd. Stay true to your integrity no matter what. As some wise person said, at the end of the day, you’re the only one who has to live with yourself. Make that person the best possible you, not an imitation or reaction to someone else. Working on yourself is never wasted. When things are going well, when things are going wrong, when you are down, when you are up, when you are single, when you…Read More

integrity matters, living your values, self-development, integrity, student life, life advice, life struggles

on October 2, 2023

Female Friendships Move Mountains

One thing all my novels have in common, whether superhero stories or historical adventure novels is that they have strong females with strong female friendships. Female friendships are powerful, but no one really teaches you how to be a great friend or what to do in order to grow those relationships. Here’s a few quick tips for all the sisters of different misters. Five Little Reminders to Being a Good Friend Listen supportively without giving advice on personal matters unless you are asked. Walk by their side through the hard times when there’s nothing to do but be present. Help them laugh when they are discouraged. Catch them when they fall. Remind them of all the wonderful and admirable things…Read More

The Black Swan Files, friendship, encouragement, friendship matters, female friends, women's history month

on September 25, 2023

8 Tools for Coping with Emotional Upheaval

Introduction I was struck recently by an article that talked a lot about accepting your flaws and imperfect life as it is—and living a determined life. It was a refreshing change to share some time with other people and their stories as they went through struggles, loss, and most important—transformation. (Thank you writers and determined people!) Transformation is awesome, but you know—it comes at a high cost. None of us are perfect. And no matter how much anyone makes their social media look like they are a rockstar, everyone is going through life’s struggles behind the scenes, often quietly struggling, and usually in isolation. A lot of people are in the tundra emotionally—whether from sickness, loss, heartache, or just being…Read More

determination, sorrow, transformation, wasteland, desolation, coping with emotional pain, emotional upheaval, loss, life struggles