In case you missed last week’s blog, Part I, you might want to take a gander at it now or after you read today’s blog. Heaven forbid you miss a juicy tidbit!

But let’s go back to where it all started…

Louise Marie Redden’s story began in 1918 when she was born in a little cottage her father had built near Girdletree, Maryland. When her family moved to DE, she grew up in a farm house, formerly a Quaker church. She scouted for and found Indian heads at a grave site in the back field. She loved the outdoors and going huckleberrin’, reading, and coloring.

Taught by her mother, she attended the one-room Raughley Country School until high school. She wasn’t happy about not getting the grades she deserved when report card day arrived. One day, she summoned up the courage to ask her mother why. Her Mom, Essie Maude, retorted, “Others will say I favored you.” So Mom got the short end of the stick. Her mom was strict, so thinking back on it, it was a brave mom who challenged. Good for her! Scared to death to go high school in town, courage in tow, Mom and her best country friend, Violet Goodwill, traveled several miles to town and graduated from Harrington School in 1936. Finally she got the grades she deserved.

Though she had wanted to be a teacher like her mother, the Depression squashed her dream. Mom was grateful her parents were farmers. They always had enough to eat. She remembers money being very tight and picking strawberries for a penny a quart. That’s how she bought her first grown-up winter coat.

Luckily for Mom, strict, well-off spinster and business-savvy, Aunt Sally, who worked for the owner of Breyer’s ice cream, offered to lend Mom money to go to business school. Mom jumped at the opportunity. No, it wasn’t her life’s dream to go to college, but it was more education. Even though Aunt Sally refused to allow her to become a teacher, Mom still talks about attaining part of her dream.

Always reticent, she was petrified when she moved to Philadelphia. It was before the war, and Pierce Business School was frightening. She had to ride the “L” train to classes everyday. Quite an adventure. She had a terrible time learning to type, but she never gave up. She practiced till her hands hurt, but she became a speedy, accurate typist. She graduated, made life-long friends, and kept in touch until they passed on. Mom was tenacity with a kindness chaser. And she did eventually go to college at night after work, when we were in school. I was so proud. Mom had homework, too!

Mom’s goal after business school was to make $100 a week. She worked at the Corn Exchange Bank until 1942 when she moved back to Harrington, DE.  She worked for Mr J.C. Messner, Superintendent of Harrington Special Schools. Her career as Senior Secretary, which she loved, lasted 33 years, 7 months, and 4 days, as she still recites. Mom was also a Notary Public, had a private typing service, and she helped Daddy with the newspaper. Many a night I fell asleep on top of the huge printing press. Mom was a real team player.

Never one to sit around, in the summers before she was married, Mom worked as a waitress in Rehoboth Beach, as did Violet Goodwill, her close friend, who grew up on the farm next to hers. During WWII, she was also a switchboard operator at the famous beach front Henlopen Hotel. She finally came out of her shell and dated a handsome soldier, a musician in the Army Band. But fate intervened when her boyfriend was transferred.

Back in Harrington one day in 1947, she decided to go to Burton’s Sports Shop for a coke. As Mom put it, “All of a sudden, this short, cute guy, Winston Churchill Burgess, suavely sauntered up to me. With a mischievous grin, he jauntily asked her a question, “Where have you been all my life?” Maybe it was the gleam in his eyes, but not long after that, they eloped! She fondly remembers an emergency trip they took to Florida that led to an unexpected short trip to Havana, Cuba. She jokes that it was so memorable that she never took another vacation with dad again!

Kitty was born first in 1948, and then a year later, me. Mom would tell you her daughters, Kitty, a retired RN, and I, a clinical psychologist and professional coach, were her greatest accomplishments. Her daughters would say that having her for a mother was their lives’ blessing. Mom worked tirelessly along side Winnie who was owner, publisher and editor of the Harrington Journal. She was always proud of his ability to work night and day to assure the paper would get out. She also loved doing bookkeeping at the Harrington Senior Center until her deafness precluded it.

While flowers were her passion at home, Mom’s greatest adventures were traveling. She has a gigantic world map with more stickpins that you can count. Her first trip in 1970 to visit European capitals sparked her travel lust. I was a senior at Roanoke College, and Mom was the chaperone. What made this impossible dream become a reality? We were blessed to receive scholarships. It was an unforgettable month. Mom’s National Geographic Magazine photo dreams took wing. And it opened her eyes to the world of possibilities.

Later came African safaris, climbing the Great Wall of China, holding a tiger in Malaysia, riding an elephant in India, and seeing the crown jewels in England and Russia. Mom loved the stunning azure blue ocean and beaches of French Polynesia. Seeing where I and Ken were married by a Tahitian priest in Moorea was also a thrill. She had to jump a barbed wire fence and trespass, but she chortled it was worth the risk! Hawaii, Nepal, Singapore, Indonesia, Borneo, Japan, Vietnam, Israel, Scandinavia, South America, and traveling down the Amazon River brought more incredible memories. So did her cruise to Australia and New Zealand.

Some other exciting travel adventures were commandeering a Chinese farmer’s wagon when she and I got stranded on a mountain and almost getting robbed in Bali. In Madagascar, the black and white lemur monkey falling down on her head and chewing on her ear, that’s a story she would like to delete!  Floating down the Nile and parasailing over Bora Bora at age 82, were unforgettable, too. Visiting exchange student Anita Sapunar Ponce in Bolivia and climbing Macchu Picchu in Peru added treasured memories. Her last trip? At age 88, walker in hand, vertigo her only companion, she traveled to stay with us in Puerto Vallarta. Amazing!

Though she would never toot her own horn, Louise was and still is a radio star in Manitowoc, WI, where she appeared on my radio shows.  Even the year she became deaf, the radio Christmas show went on, as staff wrote out the questions, and she answered! Can you imagine? She couldn’t hear one word. The year before her deafness, she also appeared on my Chicago nationally syndicated radio show. To this day, I can go nowhere in Manitowoc without people asking, “How is Grammy Louise?” Mom has that kindness, that feel, and she always warms hearts.

Mom is an even bigger star to my 3 kids and 4 grand kids. Memories of Mom’s visits are some of their most treasured; especially Christmas and putting jigsaw puzzles together. They would exclaim, “Grammy Louise made her famous fruit salad!” and “Grammy sure does love your cheesecake!” Happy Mom, always cheerful and game.

If you asked Mom what she enjoyed and treasured her whole life, she would tell you lickety-split, “Flowers!” Want to guess what I put on her tombstone?  “Flowers were her passion.” And for Daddy, “Publisher, Harrington Journal.” I surprised Mom with the polished dark green granite tombstone as a gift for her birthday a few years ago. My best friend in DE, Cheryl Nash, took pictures of Mom and I dancing around it. Mom said it was her best gift ever. Those photos are some of our favorites. What a great juxtaposition, joy at a cemetery. Now you know why you see this photo here!

“Family, home, and job”  Mom says, made her life happy, along with life’s simple pleasures like going to the beach or eating fried chicken, Grotto’s pizza, and happily schlurping mocha frappes. Still steadfastly independent in her wheelchair, Mom tells me all the time, “I don’t know what I ever did to get so lucky!”

More words of wisdom from Mom:

~ “Have the courage to accept your fate and make the most of what you can accomplish. Don’t look back.”

~ “Be grateful for what you have. Never compare yourself to another. You don’t have to look far to see someone who has it worse off than you.”

~ “Don’t ever sweat the small stuff. Just let it all go! Move forward.”

She also admonished me about writing this article, “Don’t make it mushy. I am just a farm girl at heart and don’t regret any of my years.” Yep, that’s my mom, humility, spunk, tenacity, and courage. I salute her. As she told my son after her cochlear implant surgery, “Sean, this horse is old, but it’s still kickin’ high!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you want more travel adventures, too?

You can also take a peek at the book I lovingly dedicated to my mom,
Photo Adventures in Cuba ~ Unlock Your Power of Positivity!
Now a best-seller on Amazon ~ Kindle

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

Related Posts

• Mother's Day Salute to My Exceptional Mom, Louise R. Burgess, Part I
• Full-time Employment and Flying High!
• Are You Having Enough….Fun? Take the "Play Quiz"

Want to read more about my inspirational Mom?

So many of you kind souls have emailed me asking about adorable 93 year old Mom. I re-wrote a salute about her I originally wrote several years ago when she received an Alumni Award presented by our high school alma mater, Harrington High School. You will smile at Mom’s fun life overflowing with effervescent optimism, passion, and hard work. What characterized her best self life? Mostly her hopefulness, quiet spirituality, and her traveling triumphs. Hope you revel in them, too.

Salute to Louise R. Burgess, Harrington High School Class of 1936

Mom’s self-described characterization as “Just a little farm girl from Delaware” hardly captures the true spirit of Louise Marie Redden Burgess. Diminutive in stature, yet tall in spirit, determination, and work-ethic, looking back on her life, you might think that she has sold her 93 years of living a tad bit short. Even though she’s so humble she wouldn’t talk about herself unless you pressed her, she can regale you with stories about “The Seven Wonders of the World” first hand. As a shy, naive girl marveling at the pages of National Geographic Magazine, she would never have believed these exotic places would open their wonders to her. When she was traveling, she would always wistfully muse, “I just have to pinch myself to believe I am here!”

At age 87, even 100% deafness and vertigo caused by a medicine she did not need, for Lyme’s Disease she didn’t have, did not stop her. She said, “The doctor made a mistake.  He is human. He is my friend. I will not sue him.” Forgiveness personified. Congestive heart failure did not keep her down, either. She faced needing a walker with stoic resolve. She lay in bed at night thinking of how she could rig her walker to carry garden tools, plants, and weeds! With boards and a rope hooking a red wagon onto her walker, away she went with a smile on her face. Unstoppable. She continued on with her life as if all this had not happened. She read, did word puzzles, and loved to watch game shows. And please do not interrupt her while she watched Bobby Burgess dance on re-runs of “The Lawrence Welk Show.”

Mom endured months of painful, unsuccessful ear treatments, but she was still totally deaf. No one her age had ever received a cochlear implant. After the surgeon met with her and reviewed her positive health history, he said, “Why should age stop us? She is motivated, and I think she will live a good long time!” On February 27, 1987, I flew in for Mom’s surgery. Mom became bionic! Upbeat Mom said the surgery was a piece of cake, and I took her home after 23 hours. Unreal! At age 88, Mom was the oldest patient to receive an implant.

We had to wait for healing, but in a few weeks I flew back to DE for cochlear implant activation day. My sister and I waited with baited breath to see if Mom would hear again. No guarantees. I have tears in my eyes as I type this, but I will never forget that day as long as I live. Neither will Mom. Even the audiologist cried tears of joy when Mom, with the biggest grin I have even seen and eyes glistening, piped up with the answer to the audiologist’s question. A miracle and all of us cheering. Even though sounds are distorted, Mom could hear if we spoke very slowly. She had a long road ahead to understand TV and to talk on the telephone, but she conquered it! Motivation and gut-wrenching hard work.

Mom enjoyed two years of shopping, gardening, and reading. I swear she had 8 walkers ready to help guide her along. Then it happened! CRASH! All hell broke loose. In one fell swoop, her whole world, life as she had known it, jerked to a screeching halt. Getting up from her computer, her leg betrayed her. At age 89, she took a tumble. Unable to get up, she called her neighbor, David Martin, a volunteer firefighter. Hating to see her mow the grass, fearing she’d fall, he would sneak over to cut it before she would. Yes, he was the best neighbor ever. He took one look at that leg and called the ambulance. She was adamant not to leave, but after it took 3 fire fighters to load her up, she got the message. Her broken ankle trumped. Unceremoniously, she sped away from the house she had designed and built 50 years before. She had no idea whatsoever it would be the last time she would ever see the inside of her home. Here beloved greenhouse and her cherished, beautiful flowering plants would be watered by someone else.

From the hospital, Mom entered Assisted Living. She never had the opportunity to say good-bye to her home nor her possessions. Rather than be overly depressed, she put life in perspective, thought that took a lot of doin’, as would say later. Always grateful, Mom was thrilled her house sold to the first couple who looked at it within days it was put on the market. I had never seen such courage. Both of us cried when I took her to see it many months, later. She met the man who owns it, hugged him, and tearful blessed him with, “I hope you have a great 50 years in this house the way I did.” Gulp. Always kind, special Mom.

After 18 months in assisted living and numerous emergencies and hospitalizations, I knew Mom needed more individual care. She did not want to leave DE. That’s when the angels appeared. One of Mom’s exceptional assisted living caregivers, Cathy, came to me during a visit to Mom’s. She sincerely told me she really wanted to resign her job, take Mom in, and care for her full time. God works in mysterious ways. Cathy loves Mom like a daughter. Game for his second retirement, her talented, handy husband, Bill joined in, too. He’s just as loving, a big tall teddy bear hugger of a guy.

At first Mom bucked leaving assisted living. Understatement. She gave “Please Mr. Custer, I don’t wanna go!” new meaning. She had planned to die there, but I knew they were ready to send her to a regular nursing home. That place was hell as far as I was concerned, as Mom had been previously been relegated there for rehab. Great rehab folks, but the facility, well, that was another matter. No smiles there, no sunshine, Mom was just a number like everyone else. NO WAY!

I ramped up every psychology and coaching move I had. So did my best friends Cheryl and Bob Nash, along with Cathy and Bill. In the end, resistant Mom, gave in. Her stubborn resolve had served her well her whole life, but now you should see her teasing grin when we all talk to her about this now!

Cathy and Bill have a sunny, beautiful new ranch home out in the country, about 10 miles away from Mom’s home. Deer, hummingbirds, songbirds, and a neighbor who with laying chickens create the heaven Mom now calls home. Rose bushes, brilliantly blossoming tress and flowers greet her no matter where her eyes roam. I did mention Cathy is wonderful cook, didn’t I? More luscious living to sweeten Mom’s fragrant pot! We made a new flower garden outside Mom’s windows, replete with all her favorite orange and yellow flowers, multi-colored solar lights, and stained glass art. Cathy surprised Mom and bought her a water fountain bird bath. Mom watches it like a hawk. She yells out when her beautifully feathered friends fly in treat her.

As a wonderful surprise to Mom, Bob Nash refurbished Mom’s 150+ year old dinner bell as a surprise. Mom had no idea I had asked Bob to cut it off its tall ivy clad pole when Mom’s house sold. Bill built a trellis low enough so Mom can be wheeled outside to ring her bell. Talk about fun! Mom was ecstatic. Her prized possession, she had never thought she would see it again. Two men on a marvelous mission and Mom adores them.

Now days, Mom has 4 dogs vying for her attention. The two doggy delights you have seen in my blogs, Mugsy and Kiki, jump inot her lap every day. Some days you can see them both sitting under Mom’s computer! More delight, Cathy and Bill recently purchased and refurbished a van with a lift. Mom joyously bestowed its name, “My Chariot.” So she continues to ride high in life. Her wheelchair keeps wheelin’ rolling along.

To be continued next week, blog Part II: Mom’s formative years, her work, passions, and magic moment travel triumphs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can also take a peek at the book I lovingly dedicated to my mom,
Photo Adventures in Cuba ~ Unlock Your Power of Positivity!
Now a best-seller on Amazon ~ Kindle

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

Related Posts

• Mother's Day Salute to My Exceptional Mom, Louise R. Burgess, Part II
• Full-time Employment and Flying High!
• My Best Friend’s Take: Dreams Really Do Come True

“Home is where the heart is.”

Bet you have heard that lovely quote before. I am going to tell on myself.
I was whining about all the going home packing I needed to do after 5 months
in Puerto Vallarta. I know, spoiled me, I reminded myself. Getting to escape
the WI chill, having stunning flowers on my terrace, and come to think of it,
a floral bedecked terrace in both bedrooms, too, shame on me! And I surely
can’t forget the most important part, our cherished old and new friends. There
is always a bit of mourning when the time comes to shift “home” and leave them.

Time to put on my positive psychology Super Woman cape, roll up my sleeves,
and be grateful for having beauty, waterfront beauty no less, surrounding me
no matter which home welcomes me. And different beloved friends to hug
me with open arms again. Not to forget Mom, Cathy and Bill in DE. My two
friends make Mom’s life happy everyday. “Queen for a Day, every day”
Mom blissfully boasts.

Curious about the photos? They sweetly reflect my life with Ken in two “homes.”
The one on the left is a photo I took the day I went flying after my book was
published  on Amazon. You can see only the roof of our house on Lake Michigan,
it glistens green  among the trees. On the right, hope you enjoy the vista I recently
left behind with a  bit of my heart, too, the ones from our sunny Puerto Vallarta
terrace. This is the view I savored daily as I wrote blogs to you. Ahhh…The
turquoise treasured Pacific and  iridescent vistas are happily ensconced in my
positive reminiscing brain. I will hold  them in my heart, too, until next winter,
universe willing.

You will love this. While I was bemoaning my dreaded packing, a friend emailed
me,  “But think of all the fun you will have in WI. Watching koi in your pond,
planting plants,  and getting to see your Mom again a few days after you get back
to the States.” She was  spot on!  DUH!!! I needed to re-frame and focus on what
was RIGHT about packing,  not what I loathe. Yes, loathe is a strong word, but it
is the word that came to mind. Honesty is a great character strength, so I needed
to own up to it. Reverse gears, girl!

After a dose of strengths spotting positivity, I gave myself a challenge. “See how
much  you can get done in two hours,” my positive self-talk tauted. OK! Away
I went. I tackled the gifts for folks back home and made sure they were wrapped
securely with a prayer nothing would break. Next, begin to line up the books to
leave here and the ones to cart  home; along with my files, paperwork, and clients’
charts. I did tell you I came down here with over 150 pounds of coaching materials,
didn’t I? Three suitcases full and 3 more with a few clothes and lots of vitamins
and other supplies I can’t get in Vallarta. Now I have to go through them all again.
Whew! Poor Ken, God love him. Every flight, he hoists into the  overheads two,
50-pound carry-ons with me in the background holding my breath, hoping they’ll
fit. My guy deserves a medal. I can’t risk any charts getting lost! So we schlep those
heavy monsters through 3 airports.

So what did I accomplish? Two suitcases were packed. Amen! I continued that
2-hour  routine until every drawer, filing cabinet, and stack was sorted. Yes,
you gotta pay before  you play! And I did end up with a smile on my face!

Here’s your fun…How many strengths did you see and feel me using while you
were reading this blog. I’ll give you a start: appreciation of art, honesty, tenacity.
I’ll give you a hint, too.  The biggest strength is one of my top ones. It starts with
a “g”… next “r”…  Your turn to figure out the rest!

What strengths can you spot when you need to do a sordid task that pushes you
to the edge? What do you do to make that medicine go down? I would love to
know. So would our other readers. My face lights up when I get an email from you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of strengths spotting, if you haven’t had a chance to take a super fun
journey into recognizing your strengths, I hope you pause and do so right now
Take a look into of my new bestselling book on Amazon ~ Kindle

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

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I am honored to be part of my friend Alyson Mead’s book launch today!

Alyson is a gifted psychic whose fiction, essays, and articles have appeared
in over thirty publications with rave reviews. This sweet, super talented star
has also received screen writing awards and well-deserved awards from
Reader’s Digest and USA Book News. Her plays have been staged at
Off-Broadway and regional theaters across the country.

Let the fun begin! This is my Amazon review for her latest book,
Searching for Sassy: An L.A. Phone Psychic’s Tale of Life, Lust & Love.
What a page turner!

Alyson Mead’s remarkable new book, jammed-pack full of wacky,
wonderful self-disclosures, will leave you smiling and shaking your
head. Please take time to put it down. Do not read it all at once the way
I did. Savor every word instead. Share her pathos. Feel her humanity.

There IS at least one sassy psychic graced by God or the universe to
see your future. Alyson, a gifted author, is living proof. Her new book will
rock your world. She tells her gritty story with tragedy and triumph, tears
and elevating laughter. A primo story-teller, Alyson’s riveting life stories
will help you shine the light on your own life.

I felt like a joyful, voracious voyeur living her fascinating journey as
a radio psychic, broken heart healer, and weight loss expert. … She is the
real deal. Her lovely personality sparkles in her latest 5-star gem,
“Searching for Sassy.” She IS sassy in the most sublimely positive way.
Every page oozed her sweet disposition. Her raw honesty will bite into
your soul with non-fattening treats. Where else are you going to find the
true back-story re: the radio talk show world from the most credible
psychic lady I know?

Alyson is a gift. So is her book. Grab your copy now and gift it for anyone who
wants a uniquely entertaining, humorous, and heart-felt saga. I can predict
the future, too, at least for Alyson. This book will hit bestseller!

What are you waiting for! Treat yourself to Alyson’s fascinating spicy saga.

 CLICK HERE to see the Special Sassy Deal available only TODAY!

Have a terrific week and happy reading!

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What is today?
It’s yours!
Every nanosecond.

YOUR MINDFULNESS means you own it. How grand!
You are a walking positive psychology, uniquely human,
wondrous creation.

This will be my shortest blog.

Why? Because I’m asking you to watch this amazing gratitude video,
“Moving Art,” by famed filmmaker, Louie Schwartzberg. It will gift you
with an elegant bouquet of life’s flowers. It will also gently sprinkle
fairy dust upon your soul.

Click here to watch this amazing video.

Did your “Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence” strength inspire an “Ahhh!!!”?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And humbly speaking of beauty, hope you have taken in an eyeful
of my new bestselling book on Amazon ~ Kindle

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

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The other day, I coached two accomplished guys who asked me the same question,
“What is fun?” Then, “Can you help me learn how to play again?” One man was
stymied when I asked him, “When was the last time you had fun?” He couldn’t
remember. “How did you have fun when you were a kid?” I asked.

Again, he took pause. Finally, he shifted to bygone days when fun and frolic were
on his radar screen. Positive reminiscence reared her positivity head. I could hear
his smile as he lightened up. Like a hot air balloon, memories elevated his soul.
It was great to hear him shift into happiness and self-care mode.

Truth be known, even though I am blessed to be one of the happiest people I know,
I too often let FUN sit in the last row of the plane. The pleasant FUN sounds get
drowned out by all the background noise of life’s cacophony of post-it note lists
waiting to be accomplished.

As adults you know you need to work. But do you know you need to play and
have fun, too? Your emotional, cognitive, social and even your physical health,
depend on your having fun. Play = De-stress from life’s mess!

Authentic Happiness and Flourish author, and famous positive psychology pioneer,
Dr. Martin Seligman, says there are 3 essential elements to your mental health:
work, love, and play. PLAY? Did that surprise you?

Positive psychology coaching research is rolling out the carpet for you to embrace
PLAY. Rather than a reward, it deserves a major place at your life’s happiness table.

Time to jack up your well-being! Fun starts here. Take the “Play Quiz”:

1. Do you mindfully schedule time for play every day?
Do you know HOW to have fun daily?

2. Do you free-fall while you play, rather than have an exact way you play?
Do you read a joke from your “Fun File”?

3. Do you laugh out loud and savor your body stretching into it?
Google “Laughing clubs” or Laughing Yoga” and be amazed.

4. Do you have a “play list” of fun activities to remind you of fun stuff to do
when time is short?

5. Do you let it all hang loose, dance, yell in glee, or shout “Yippee” to
celebrate little life joys? Who cares who’s watching!

6. Do you share your fun with others? Double your pleasure!
Laughter is contagious.

7. Do you play for no reason? No schedule, no exact plans to be followed.
Just go with the frivolous fun flow.

How did you score? What fun fluttered by?

I thought of making mud pies with puffy pink mimosa tree flowers, blowing bubbles,
and watching the frogs and koi in our pond. I can’t forget digging in the dirt planting
my colorful smörgåsbord of thousands (no exaggeration) of summer flowers. We have
a short summer in WI, so it is big time play/work to get those plants swaying to the
rhythm of Lake Michigan breezes.

How about you? What floats your PLAYFUL FUN boat?
Need an upbeat attitude amplifier?

Pause for a play break. Jump for joy. Call a friend and compare fun ideas.
Play a musical instrument or listen to music. Make FUN and PLAY a
regular part of your day.

You know I am dying to know how you play. I could be naughty here,
imagining how you play and what you might say, ’cause I know so
many of you! I will restrain myself, however.

Have fun…Flash me an email, that is, and make my day full of play.
Just thinking about you having fun adds sparkles to my universe.

What?!? Is that YOU I see mooning ME? Tell me it ain’t so!!!
Well, I DID tell you to play!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And speaking of fun, see me having the time of my life when you
take a gander at my new bestselling book on Amazon ~ Kindle

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

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Spring…What does it conjure up in your mind? Change of season?
New beginnings? “Amen!” to winter left behind?

Let’s have some fun. Think back on your life. Fling open your memory bank doors.
Play with positive psychology coaching “Positive Reminiscence:” Ask yourself,
“What was the best Spring moment I can recall?”

I remember as a kid traveling 90 minutes to reach Washington, DC. Crossing the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge was a huge deal. Watching the gigantic cargo ships,
naval vessels, and multi-colored sailboats was quite a show.

In DC, I’d gasp at the magnificent row after glorious row of peak season cherry
blossoms, blooming like little princesses. Those cascading petals of pink delight
made a huge beauty imprint onto my soul. Like a vision of fluffy cotton candy
as far as my eye could see.

Savoring and smelling the sweet fragrance of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths,
standing there like bridesmaids to the cherry blossom brides, was delightfully
intoxicating.

These days, I am enjoying work in beautiful Puerto Vallarta. This romantic
Old Mexico city also comes alive in spring. Lovely primavera trees, pink with
passion, beckon me to look up. That’s when the “oohs and ahhs” accompany my
“wows!” just like DC did in my childhood. Funny how life repeats itself.

Stop and pause.
Hope your positive reminiscing mind gifts you with a Spring memory that
causes you to shift into a sunny smile.

I love to hear your stories!
Whatever Easter Bunny brain, Passover holiday, or Spring magic moment
memories pop up, flash me an email. I love to hear from you!
Your stories are better than an Easter basket filled with sugary treats.

And speaking of splendid beauty, don’t forget to gaze at the stunning tropical
flowers in Cuba…

Check out my bestselling book on Amazon ~ Kindle

I’d love to hear from you!
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Are your relationships rockin’ in your personal life and career?
Or is there an angry elephant sitting on your chest?

I know that elephant’s name, and I am going to tell you his secrets!
His name is “Inadequate Social Skills.” Some folks label it
“Poor People Skills.” To get along in your world and find meaning,
purpose, and joy, you need to hone your communication abilities.
Be kind. Give that elephant some bananas to get him to move on.
Prevent him from mashing your happiness!

Not sure where you are on the scale of interpersonal success?
According to Marshall Goldsmith, one of the great business
management gurus in the world, these are the 5 most common
interpersonal habits that put on the brakes on your job and life success:

1. Needing to be right all the time.
You need to ask yourself, “Is it worth it?” before you ladle on criticism.
Avoid using the words, “no,” “but,” and “however.” Be aware of how
many of your comments to others are negative. Remember, long after
they forget what you said, they will remember how you made them feel.
“Right” isn’t always black and white.

2. Not listening.
This is disrespectful. It is imperative you lock your sites onto the person
with whom you are talking. Be fully present and look them straight into
the eyes. Say something good about them or their input. Eliminate
distractions. Nix interrupting them. Respond with authenticity rather
than “ho-hum”. People need to know they are valued, not just their work.

3. Making excuses.
Fessing up with excuses (I used to do this ’cause I thought it would
help others understand) why you didn’t complete a project done,
only makes you look worse. Be sincere. Take responsibility. My
husband, Ken, trained me out of this (well, most of the time!)
He said, ”Don’t complain or explain. State the facts and shut up!”
OK, forget the “shut up” part, but say, “I apologize. This will not
happen again.” Or a simple, “I’m sorry.”

4. Passing judgment on those trying to help you.
If someone offers you an idea, evaluate it before you pass judgment
too quickly. If you know you tend to dispute advice immediately, put
an imaginary piece of duct tape on your mouth. If you are too fast to
criticize, you may scare off the very people whose diverse opinions
may spearhead ideas you had never dreamed. If you disagree, just|
say, “Thank you” or “I appreciate your input.”

5. Getting Angry.
If “hothead” is your nickname, you may think you control others with
anger. But guess again. The relationship price you pay is steep. Anger
may get people to do what you want, but you lose them on many levels.
You forfeit others trusting you, seeking your wisdom, and worst yet,
being afraid to approach you when they need to. Goldsmith fines
executives $20 every time they blow up. He suggests you do this for
yourself. Donate the money to a charity. Even better if it is a charity
you don’t like!

Do you see yourself? Does your personal/professional anger management
need some fine tuning? Perhaps behaviors that need to be deleted or
re-programmed?

Goldsmith, the platinum business coach, says, “Get yourself a coach!”
Ask a friend, colleague, or family member to help you stay on top of
your “improving relationship communication” score card. Admitting to
yourself you have a problem and enlisting the help of a trusted mentor
strengthens your resolve.

Did you know about 20% of your happiness comes from social
interaction? An amazing statistic. I’m going to add my two cents
here. GRATITUDE and PRAISE. Thank everyone in your life for
everything. Now there’s a positivity habit that writes “You Matter”
onto the page of every person you meet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want a little, beautiful 24 Character Strengths coffee table book
with a huge positivity message? Check out my bestselling
new book on Amazon ~ Kindle

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

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Is your life like mine?
It’s busy and exciting, but sometimes life hands you too blame much!
Chaotic and clutter cloud your horizons. I call it, “Attack of the post-it notes!”

I often wondered how to keep clutter from conquering my life.
Lucky me, that’s when I discovered life make-over magician, Sallie Felton.
Sallie was the answer to my “clear my clutter” prayers!

Sallie Felton wears many hats: Professional Life Coach (PCC), International
Talk Radio host, facilitator, motivational speaker and the author of 3 books.
Not to mention, she is my trusted friend.

Sallie’s a sincere, yet humorous, tell-it-like-it-is coach who empowers you to
make organization a fascinating art form. In her latest book, If I’m So Smart,
Why Can’t I Get Rid of This Clutter, Sallie Felton discusses how she de-cluttered
her entire house, basement, attic, garage and sheds in 12 months, 365 days;
taking you step by step how to do this, how to prioritize, and keeping up.
She shares with humor and wit ~ her wins, her struggles, her procrastination
and how she overcame it.

If your life is bogged down in any way, or you need the perfect gift,
grab a copy of this phenomenal book NOW.

CLICK HERE  to get this amazing book!

And here’s the best part, when you buy the book TODAY,
you’ll receive more than 100 downloadable bonus gifts
for you to enjoy and share.

Sallie says, “In order to move forward you have to start where you stand.”
Here’s to taking a Stand and Powering Up Your De-cluttering Positivity now!

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Were you ever cheery as all get out, sunshine shooting out your every pore,
then “WHAM!”? Do you remember Woodstock, cartoon character Charlie
Brown’s sweet-tweet birdie buddy?

It wasn’t Woodstock’s fault. He was full of green positivity and ready to
wing his way to a wonderful St Patrick’s Day jungle perch.  But that is
when it happened!

We were looking around the condo wanting to find just the right spot for
our photo op. Did he want to sit in a big colorful green plant? Or was a comfy
green patio chair good enough? I got up from my chair… Then OMG despair!
We both looked down as Woodstock and I moved away from my computer desk.
That’s when spotted him…or maybe it was a her.  A green gecko was lying there
just under the pillow I use for my feet. The gecko wasn’t moving, and I knew he/she
was too small for CPR! I had killed it. No more little bugs for that poor little green
soul; all because my size 7N foot squashed his/her little cute tush!

Yes, I felt green remorse. I like the helpful bug-eating geckos. I was glad GEICO
was not around to see my dastardly deed.  Woodstock and I bowed our heads in
prayer. And hero Ken came and rescued me. He picked up the poor little critter
and sent him to greener valleys.

Woodstock, with his wit, suggested we should salute GG (Greenie the Gecko; He’s
only been gone a few minutes, but he already earned a nickname. Nice tribute,
Woodie!) We should remember him/her with some St. Paddy’s Day revelry.
Humor IS one of Woodstock’s top strengths.

So in memory of GG, we list some GREEN phrases for you to savor. (After you tip
your hat to GG, of course!) Here are a few green phrases with a positive psychology
application retort! Turn green into strengths’ gold.

~ “Green with envy.” Why not Open-mindedly share the person’s happiness instead?

~ “Green eggs and ham.”  Yummy Creativity at it’s tasty best! Share and be Fair to
another hungry soul!

~ “Green as a newbie.”  Innocence is Honesty, a great strength. Add Love of
Learning, and watch the newbie soar!

~ “Green apples’ sour.” Everyone winces at a tart situation. What if you
Optimistically made a delicious pie?

~ “Green cash.” What if you Generously shared your good fortune and
surprised  someone with a Kindness?

~ “Green, green grass of home.” How can you use Love, Leadership and
Teamwork to add joy to your family’s day?

~ “Green sleeves.”  Are you old enough to remember Mr. Greensleeves and
his Zestful, Fun, Industrious projects?

~ “Grass is greener.”  Can’t looks be deceiving? What if you were Grateful for
the grass  in your own front yard?

See how many green phrases you can generate. What strengths pop up like a
four  leaf  clover you searched to find?  This ain’t no Blarney…May your
St. Patrick’s Day  be filled  with Irish laughter and twinkling chutzpa!
Don’t forget the green beer!

Is that you I see putting on your green tap dance shoes getting ready to jig?
I loved how you dyed your hair green today!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It only takes a tiny bit of green, $9.99 to be exact, for you to see
Cuba’s glorious green tropical greatness. Check out my bestselling
new book on Amazon ~ Kindle

I’d love to hear from you!
Just send me your questions, and I will answer in a future blog.
You can also connect with me on facebook, LinkedIn, or twitter
www.facebook.com/drjudykrings

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