Hard times can bring out the worst in people, but I think more often it brings out the best.  When we truly look at our own fears and struggles, we can’t help but see the struggles of those around us.  Over and over, I hear from clients and friends that they hope this economic crisis will bring us closer together as families, communities and as a nation.

Beth Israel Hospital in Boston is taking this idea to a new level:  Rather than laying off staff to protect the hospital’s bottom line, the CEO, Paul Levy, proposes to trim the salaries and benefits of the higher-paid staff to protect the jobs of the “lower” ranks.  He sees that the janitors play as important a role in the function of the hospital and in the well-being of the patients and their families as the surgeons do.  He sees that the people most at-risk in this economy are already struggling to get by – they are the immigrants and the under-educated who have served us well in a service-based economy.  Now he sees that it is his turn to serve them.  Read more of A Hospital CEO “First Does No Harm”

If Chicken Little showed up on your doorstep crying, “The Sky is Falling!  The sky is falling!” what would you say?  Would you jump right in and list your woes and fears, or would you help her change her perspective?  A little gratitude can go a long way toward changing perspective, as can helping others.  As part of my commitment to a Mindful Life Community, I will be hosting a FREE conversation titled “Bridge Over Troubled Water – An Emotional Survival Kit for Uncertain Times,” on Wednesday March 18.  I’d like you to be there!

I’d like to know ahead of time what specific emotional concerns the changing times are bringing up for you.  I’d also like to know how you are being called to Be the Change, to be a contribution in your own community right now.

March 8 is International Women’s Day. 

According to the Pan American Health Organization (a division of the World Health Organization), “Some 80 percent of home health care in the Americas is provided by women, but this critical work is neither recognized nor remunerated.”  In fact, they say, “this invisible work is rarely even recognized as a skill.”  Their statement to the world could not be stronger:  “If the women of the world went on strike and suspended their community work in health for just one day, the consequences would be catastrophic for global welfare.”

Ready to extend a helping hand?  The Courageous Heart Program is a Coaching problem designed just for women in the helping professions: Nurses, Therapists, Educators and anyone else who makes her living by giving.  The program is now being offered in a small group setting.  Learn more HERE, and help a woman you know take care of herself so she can continue to make a difference in the lives of others.

And make a virtual “toast” to these women – tell us about them and the light they shine in the world!