Fresh Joy, a blog

Unless you've been living under a rock (I won't judge you if you are) you know that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away last Friday at the age of 87. The news took my breath away. I was half way down the stairs when my husband told me and I literally couldn't move. RBG was one of my heroes and I had convinced myself that she would live forever. Her legacy is so immense that it's difficult to wrap my head around it. So many things I take for granted were made possible because of her vision, integrity and fortitude. Yes, Ginsburg was a "liberal"...

Being your own boss has a lot of advantages. You can set your own hours and take a break or "vacation day" whenever you want. You own your achievements and have full control over your earnings and business decisions. In short, everything depends on you.But as any small business owner will tell you, you log many more hours than you should (especially when you work from home). The weight of work is always there and you lack the security of a steady paycheck. You're accountable for your mistakes and the only person you can delegate to is yourself. In short, everything...

When the movement to defund the police was gaining steam, a friend asked whether I supported it or not. I wanted to enthusiastically declare, "yes, of course!" But in all honesty, I didn't know if I supported it or not because I didn't know what defunding the police really meant.In that moment, I could have made some quick assumptions and responded accordingly. But it wouldn't have been an honest answer or lead to an honest conversation. So I admitted to her that I didn't know much about it. I was a little embarrassed, but my vulnerability opened the door for an educational...

There's so much heaviness in the news these days. A historic hurricane, unprecedented wildfires, record high unemployment, and the shooting of yet another black man at the hands of the police. Professional sports teams boycotting games to protest racial injustice, a Presidential election season full of fear and smear, and a failing USPS. Oh, and there's the global pandemic, too. Closer to home, parents are sending their kids off to school, hoping they'll be safe. Or settling in for the long-haul of at-home learning. Employees are dreading yet another day of endless Zoom meetings. Small business owners are struggling to...

Tony Robbins has a two step process for handling stress:-Step 1: Don’t sweat the small stuff.-Step 2: It’s all small stuff.Oh Tony, you make it sound so simple. The problem is that when I'm worked up about something, it doesn't feel small. In the moment, it feels really big.When you're already late for an appointment and traffic is worse than anticipated? Frustrating. When a friend, coworker or even stranger does or says something to piss you off? Infuriating. When you read that email announcing that your kids won't be returning to school in the fall? Exasperating. When you're passed over for...