The new year. An opportunity to start fresh, to open a new calendar, bursting with potential. New beginnings are invigorating and exciting. To start fresh, we must wipe the slate clean. Don’t carry old burdens into the new year. Leave them behind.

This season, when one year ends and another begins, can be one of the best for downsizing and decluttering. At New Year’s, when you think about downsizing and decluttering, think beyond your stuff: Downsize your goal list; Downsize your calendar and time commitments; Downsize your stress – build margin in your life, schedule time for self-care and connecting with others, ask for help; And, yes, declutter your stuff…

Downsizing is a good way to think about managing holiday expectations and, in turn, reduce stress. Think about it. When we put too many demands on our time, too many events on our calendar, too many gifts on our shopping list, and more, we become overwhelmed. It’s time to downsize.

In this post, I share how to make your travel experiences meet expectations. First, recognize that you have expectations. Give some thought to what they are, and you are more likely to achieve them. Begin by determining the purpose for your trip, who you want to spend time with, what you want to see and do, and what you hope to learn.

This post explores the concept of traveling light, what it entails, and why it's a good idea.

A month-long vacation provided the ideal opportunity to try a digital detox. After reading the book Digital Detox by Molly DeFrank, and writing two posts that described the dangers of digital overuse and the benefits of a digital detox, I wanted to experience the results for myself.

For communication to be successful, it must be audience-focused. For communication to be audience-focused, it requires a needs assessment.

Designing and delivering messages that successfully reach audiences and have the desired impact follows a proven strategy. This strategy has three primary focus areas and includes 10 steps.

Working as a team to write a book has many advantages over writing alone including expertise, shared workload, professional connections, and improved marketing.

This post looks at the importance of having a strong work ethic and how it relates to effective communication.

This post discusses professionalism and how it relates to being an effective communicator.

Effective communication requires the communicator to possess a mixture of personal qualities and skills. Qualities and skills to be learned.

Do you anticipate the year ahead with eyes that see possibilities or dread? What you “see” depends on your perspective. Get a fresh one.

As we establish priorities for the new year, focus on establishing priorities that bring you joy.

The reasons for holiday stress are many, with unrealistic expectations being a common denominator. Let's explore how to tame expectations.

Human beings are most productive when rest is prioritized. When getting rest is ignored, productivity, health, and relationships suffer.

Would you like to feel more creative? You can. And it won’t require any coursework or classes, just a reminder that we are all creative.

This post explores why we might lose our passion or drive and identify quotes to help us find it again. Let’s reignite our passion.

In this post, we will identify positive quotes to overcome the belief that hard work is drudgery and to be avoided at all costs.

In this post, we will look at why we don’t finish what we start and identify quotes that can inspire us to persevere to the end.