Monday 30 June 2008

The Benefits of Online Education: JustColleges Helps in Launching Your Career with an Online Degree

Online degree programs have brought education closer to the masses. JustColleges highlights the purpose and benefits of this increasingly popular mode of education.

Denver, CO (PRWEB) June 30, 2008 -- Online degree programs have brought education closer to the masses. JustColleges highlights the purpose and benefits of this increasingly popular mode of education.

'The world is flat' is what Thomas Friedman said in his book that accounts for the dramatic changes that technology and communications have shrunk distances and boundaries. Juxtaposing this title in the context of a traditional classroom learning, we need to ask-- is this exploiting the true potential of Distance Learning?

There are many synonyms used in describing distance learning: Distance Education, Distributed Learning, Remote Learning, Online Learning, Online Education, Offline Learning or Virtual Classroom Teaching.

Irrespective of how you define or manage this mode of learning, the benefits are immense. Education is universally a fundamental right and has been rightfully enshrined in our constitution. If this has to happen then education and the learning process must be convenient, flexible, effective, efficient, contemporary and affordable. A distance-learning mode encompasses all these measures of performance.

At your convenience: Online Education, with or without technology, can provide convenient locations for both students and instructors. Technology today, such as the Internet, video, and telephone, is easily accessed at home and in rural community centers. Others, such as desktop videoconferencing, can be distributed from a focal point (such as a university or a college) to multiple remote sites (such as schools and community centers). Satellite transmissions can be viewed at specified sites, or the transmissions can be videotaped for later viewing at home or school.

It's flexible: The various forms of online education provide students the option to participate whenever it is convenient, on an individual basis. Some students may want to review videos or a print material on a weekend or read their e-mail during early morning hours. In addition, a student may wish to spend 30 minutes reviewing a website, while another spends an hour. Flexibility of the day and the time is available.

Multi-sensory: One of the benefits of online education is that there are a wide variety of materials that can meet everyone's learning preference - at least part of the time. For instance, some students learn from visual stimuli, such as video, and others learn best by listening or interacting with a computer program. If distance-learning programs are well designed, they provide learners a wide range of choices, imparting an optimal combination of interaction and media.

It is definitely interactive: Contrary to popular opinion, online degree programs can offer increased interactions with students. In particular, introvert students who are too shy to ask questions in class will often 'open up' when provided the opportunity to interact via e-mail or other individualized means.

Breadth and depth: Over the years online colleges have evolved and now offer programs that most traditional colleges do. This has helped in reducing the gap between campus based and online colleges thus providing students with an alternative. Students can now earn:

They are also no longer restricted to a handful of subjects; online colleges now offer degrees in subjects like:

The contemporary feel: The world is becoming flatter by the day. Technology has shrunk distances that enable students to access knowledge from anywhere around the world. This mode not only enhances accessibility, but this ensures deliverables become more contemporary. Educational inequity is a major issue world over. Rural schools often have less access to contemporary educational trends, fewer qualified teachers, and more need for technology. Online education offers great potential for alleviating these issues and we should not try to distance ourselves from this mode of learning.

A focused directory: In order to assist prospective students in their endeavor JustColleges has built a complete directory of online degree programs which lists various online accredited colleges. Students can take advantage of this vast content which will not only help them in their search for the right program but will also connect them to the college directly.

About JustColleges: An interactive guide for individuals who wish to pursue their higher studies. The portal consists of a listing of over 10,000 colleges and universities worldwide, articles, essays, FAQs and tips on how to get into the right college. Using JustColleges students can extensively research colleges and universities, prepare for admissions tests, manage the college and grad school application process, learn about college majors and their associated careers, and navigate the financial aid process. JustColleges lists over 500 distance and online degree and certificate programs and more than 3,000 courses in over 100 subject areas, as well as a directory of over 5,000 campus-based institutions. For colleges and universities, JustColleges offers a low-cost, high quality method to increase enrollment and exposure to their learning programs. For more information on JustColleges visit http://www.justcolleges.com .

Valuable Quotes!!!

Valuable Quotes!!!

Sunday 29 June 2008

Save it for the kudos file

Seriously.

When someone gives you the literary high-five, save it. Whether it comes by e-mail, a thank-you card, or letterhead, create that kudos file today and save all those good vibes that come your way.

Why?

There will be days when you feel like nothing is going right, like no one appreciates you, as if the world is crashing down on your head. That's when you'll need this file. You'll refer to it for the metaphorical pat on the back we all need from time to time. It'll be the reminder you need to pull you back into reality...Someone does love you. Someone does appreciate you. Someone does know your value. And that someone is not just you.

Why this post today? I just picked up a copy of a book that was given to me by a colleague. I was taking her keynote workshop class, and we cliqued. So she gave me a copy of her book, Outsmart Your Brain! And inside the cover, she wrote, "Jackie, choose to laugh and share...it's your gift." What a great testament from a woman I'd only gotten to know that weekend! It's the few words like those that remind us all of our value. On the days when we've forgotten that--and those days will come, even for the most confident--our kudos file will be something we can turn to for the uplift when we need it.

So dig out all the testaments you've received, hold onto the past thank-yous and any forthcoming ones, save whatever kinds words in print you recieve. Put them all in one file and label it your "Kudos File." From here on out, this will be your reminder of who you are when you're at your very best.

Isn't that something to appreciate?

~Jackie

Saturday 28 June 2008

Bike for liberation

"The bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world."


Feminist pioneer Susan B. Anthony said that (or some variation) in 1896. I can't recall where I read this quote the first time, but I wrote it down immediately on a sticky note and attached it to my computer. It's been staring back at me for several years now. I like what it says. I like that it works in favor of my message here. So I finally decided to share it with you after doing a search on the internet for more information about the quote and to see what else I could find. It could have led me on a wild goose chase, but I decided to stop when I found another interesting list of bike-related quotes. Visit this site for more enlightening moments.

If you have any bike-related quotes you've come across, please post a comment and share them with the rest of us. And, if you're so inclined, please go to the bottom of this page and sign up for my blog updates.

All my best,
Jackie "The BIKE Lady" Dishner

Love Every Day!!!

Love Every Day!!!

Friday 27 June 2008

Reaching out

Just a quick question for you to think about as the weekend rolls around...

Who do you call when YOU need nurturing? I'm not talking about self-care. I'm talking about those times when you need more than even you can give yourself. We all feel that way sometimes, don't we? We just need that hug. We just need that shoulder to cry on. We just need that touch that reminds us someone else cares. So, think about it. Who are the people you can run to, call in the middle of the night, or otherwise trust to be there for you. It could be a parent, a friend, a really good friend, another family member (such as a spouse, of course), a distant relative, or anyone else you trust with your vulnerabilities. When you need that special someone in your life, who do you reach out to?

Just something to think about for those times ahead, just so you are reminded that there is someone out there...

Have the weekend you hope it will be.

All my best,
Jackie

Motivational Sentences

Motivational Sentences

Thursday 26 June 2008

JCR Partners with MC Strategies to Distribute Online Education Courses

Joint Commission Resources (JCR) and MC Strategies are partnering to offer selected education courses online, further expanding the online learning options for their clients - busy healthcare professionals needing to fulfill their continuing education requirements. JCR is a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission. MC Strategies, an Elsevier company, is a leader in e-learning solutions for healthcare professionals.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) June 26, 2008 -- Joint Commission Resources (JCR) and MC Strategies are partnering to offer selected education courses online, further expanding the online learning options for their clients - busy healthcare professionals needing to fulfill their continuing education requirements. JCR is a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission. MC Strategies, an Elsevier company, is a leader in e-learning solutions for healthcare professionals.

These online courses delivered through MC Strategies' learning management system (LMS) are available for licensing as a series of courses and are included in the MC Strategies course library utilized by more than 1,500 healthcare organizations.

The easy-to-use course design features both audio and video-formats. It gives participants the opportunity to control the pace at which they learn by allowing them to log on to their computer and complete the work when it's most convenient. For courses offering continuing education credit, participants instantly receive their credits after successful completion of the course. Additionally, the LMS maintains a record for six years of each course completed by participants and the continuing education credits earned.

"This partnership makes learning with JCR convenient by providing another way for us to reach our busy customers," says Charles Macfarlane, F.A.C.H.E., C.A.E., vice president for Learning, JCR. "We are eager to launch the new program and will be adding additional courses to the library in the next few months."

"We partnered with JCR to distribute their courses in order to meet our current and new customers' need for information about The Joint Commission's standards and processes," says Barbara Nelson Cullen, vice president, Healthcare e-Learning, MC Strategies. "What makes our program unique is that we offer this bundle of lessons that is readily available to meet the needs of healthcare professionals who must fit professional development into their busy work schedules."

Current course offerings include:

  • Who's on Your Staff? Credentialing and Privileging: The Fundamentals*
  • Turning Data into Useful Information*
  • Environment of Care: Fire Safety
  • Accreditation Update: S3
  • Environment of Care: Utilities and Clinical Engineering
  • Challenging Standards in Hospital Accreditation
  • It's a Long Way Down: Reducing the Risk of Patient Falls*
  • Patient Safety on the Line: Using Technology to Aid Effective Communication Among Caregivers*
  • Continuing education credits offered.

For more information about these courses please call, 800.999.6274 or visit www.mcstrategies.com.

Joint Commission Resources, Inc. (JCR), a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission, has been designated by The Joint Commission to publish publications and multimedia products. JCR reproduces and distributes these materials under license from The Joint Commission. JCR educational programs and publications support the accreditation activities of The Joint Commission, but are separate functions. Attendees at JCR educational programs and purchasers of JCR publications receive no special consideration or treatment in, or confidential information about, the accreditation process. Learn more about Joint Commission Resources at www.jcrinc.com.

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, MC Strategies has been providing web-based training and education products and services to the healthcare industry since 1986. The company is a pioneer in providing e-learning solutions and serves a client base of over 1,300 healthcare organizations nationwide, including integrated health delivery networks, hospitals, academic institutions and the federal government. We offer a wide range of courses to help nurses meet their clinical and professional education needs and as part of Elsevier Health Sciences, home to some of the world's premier names in healthcare publishing such as Mosby and Saunders, our library continues to grow. For more information, please visit the MC Strategies website (www.mcstrategies.com) or call 800-999-6274.

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. Working in partnership with the global science and health communities, Elsevier's 7,000 employees in over 70 offices worldwide publish more than 2,000 journals and 1,900 new books per year, in addition to offering a suite of innovative electronic products, such as ScienceDirect (www.sciencedirect.com), MD Consult (www.mdconsult.com), Scopus (www.info.scopus.com), bibliographic databases, and online reference works.

Elsevier (www.elsevier.com) is a global business headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and has offices worldwide. Elsevier is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc (www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading publisher and information provider. Operating in the science and medical, legal, education and business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides high-quality and flexible information solutions to users, with increasing emphasis on the Internet as a means of delivery. Reed Elsevier's ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Empower Yourself with Great Motivational Quotes

Empower Yourself with Great Motivational Quotes

Wednesday 25 June 2008

California Drug Rehab Program Launches New Life Skills Classes to Young Adults as Substance Abuse Treatment

Sober College, an addiction treatment center in Woodland Hills, CA, provides a comprehensive drug rehab program for young adults ages 17-26 in search of substance abuse treatment and a supportive, sober environment. The college is launching new life skills classes as substance abuse treatment for young adults. Sober College gives students the option to continue with academics and the development of life skills while they complete a comprehensive drug rehab program. Students of Sober College can finish high school, get their GEDs, take college classes, and even pursue a vocation while working towards recovery.

Woodland Hills, CA (PRWEB) June 25, 2008 -- Sober College, an addiction treatment center in Woodland Hills, CA, provides a comprehensive drug rehab program for young adults ages 17-26 in search of substance abuse treatment and a supportive, sober environment. Sober College gives students the option to continue with academics and the development of life skills while they complete a comprehensive drug rehab program. Students of Sober College can finish high school, get their GEDs, take college classes, and even pursue a vocation while working towards recovery.

The College's curriculum is designed to build competencies in sobriety, productivity, life skills, physical fitness, and emotional intelligence. One of the biggest causes of a drug or alcohol relapse after completion of rehab is the shock and difficulty of returning to sober society. The Sober College curriculum works to facilitate the return to everyday life by continuing with normal activities as much as possible alongside substance abuse treatment. While achievement in all of the core competencies gives the student the best opportunity for long term success, sobriety is always the first priority.

Sober College operates under the philosophy that long term treatment might be necessary for the young adult in need of rehab and who may be struggling to succeed in high school or college. If extended recovery time is needed, students don't have to interrupt their lives by missing out on classes or work. Candidates for the drug rehab center include young adults who have drug and alcohol issues, need or have completed primary substance abuse treatment, have struggled to finish school, have attended boarding school or wilderness programs, and who have dual diagnoses.

Students who enroll at Sober College must stay at the drug rehab center for a minimum of three months, and may remain for a maximum of twelve, depending on their needs. The students reside in sober living environments near the state-of-the-art learning center, where counseling, academics and vocational support are available. Clinical, psychiatric and therapeutic resources are also readily available to the students. They can participate in weekly one-on-one therapy sessions; therapeutic process groups that do activities like surfing, trapeze, and wind-tunnel; and specialized therapies tailored to the needs of the individual.

The concept of Sober College is comprised of three ideas: substance abuse treatment for young adults is much more effective when they're surrounded by their peers; young adults will respond positively if they're in the right environment; and the longer a young person can remain in a drug rehab program, the better their chances for long term recovery. Sober College was founded on extensive research, many discussions with experts, and most importantly, the experiences of young adults coming out of an addiction treatment center and struggling to make it in the real world. Sober College staff assist students in getting gently back on their feet, fully equipped with the arsenal of skills they will need not only to succeed in sobriety, but to thrive in their life's pursuits.

What makes Sober College a different type of drug rehab center is the fact that it addresses challenges that are often overlooked by traditional programs. Newly sober young people benefit from a comprehensive curriculum that integrates life skills with addiction recovery. The life skills referred to here include skills in literacy and communication, decision-making, the ability to cope with daily challenges and stress, problem-solving, time management, planning, and occupational requirements. Core life skills practiced at Sober College include such tasks as cooking, laundry, cleaning, shopping, budgeting, and computer skills. There is also a special focus on personal finance and basic investment principles.

Whether students simply need to recover, or they are working towards a diploma or a degree, academic courses are available on topics ranging from Veterinary Medicine to Addiction Studies. Some of the Sober College signature courses students can take include History 101: History of Drugs and Alcohol in Music; Sociology 101: A Study of Emotional Intelligence as in Integrative Psychological Process; English 120: Composing Personal History; and Communications 458: Conflict Resolution.

Sober College makes special arrangements for students who arrive with course material from un-affiliated schools. Every precaution is taken to ensure all work that has been completed at Sober College transfers to the school of the student's choice upon discharge. This is just one of the many ways in which Sober College makes life after living at an addiction treatment center as happy and uncomplicated as possible.

Changing times

You may have noticed that the type size on my blog was enlarged recently. I was experimenting with the look of the blog and made a change I didn't like. I've since reformatted the size to its original. I hope you like it better. I know I do.

Speaking of changing things around...as I'm adjusting to being home alone again, I feel the need to make changes in my house. So I'm orchestrating more time to make those changes--some of them involve spring cleaning (I know, I'm way overdue!) and others involve rearranging of furniture and some minor redecorating. If that takes me away from this blog for a bit, don't worry. I'll be checking in here at least three times a week to add a new post.

For now, be patient. Use the time to explore much needed changes you need to take charge of in your own life, and don't forget to find the all-important time for yourself to just "be." When we neglect to take that time for ourselves, we'll pay for that inattention later. Trust me, I know this much is true.

Enjoy the rest of your week!
Jackie

A Chance To Start

A Chance To Start

Monday 23 June 2008

Nuffield Health and Blue-Crow to Showcase ePathway Library

Blue-Crow plans to showcase innovative ePathway library in collaboration with Nuffield Health. The extensive library features innovative business models that help consultants and clinicians visualise Patient Care Pathways. This will be demonstrated at the upcoming Care Pathways event held at 76 Portland Place, London (UK) on the 25th and 26th June.

(PRWEB) June 23, 2008 -- Blue-Crow, the healthcare specialist consulting practice, have today announced that they will be showcasing examples of a long-running collaborative project with Nuffield Health. This will be demonstrated at the upcoming Integrated Care Pathways (ICP 2008) event held at 76 Portland Place, London (UK) on the 25th and 26th June.

Modelling care pathways has become integral to the Healthcare industry, especially with the current National 18 week referral to treatment project and World Class Commissioning. These current and future National projects will place a greater emphasise within the organisation to look at business processes.

Producing high quality, consistent, structured and easy to use care pathways has been a prerequisite for all Health organisations to communicate both internally and externally the services that are provided, and by whom and when. Thereby reinforcing the service delivery by identifying weaknesses, optimising resource allocation and allowing for planning and for future changes to the service provision.

Through a structured mentoring approach, Blue-Crow has enabled Nuffield Health create innovate models and communicate all current state care pathways across the organisation in a common format - branded as "The Nuffield ePathway library".

A key feature to the ePathway library has been the ability to have a single-click entry point. This has provided users the ability to immediately jump into the care pathway without wasting time browsing through the vast array of information currently held. Nuffield Health have also used this approach to attach documents to the relevant care pathways enabling tighter version control and also the ability to quickly and efficiently update all Nuffield Health sites with new documentation.

"This collaborative project has facilitated a consistent approach to not only process modelling throughout the organisation, but more importantly has delivered a standard set of care pathways to be used for a multitude of purposes; from highlighting service key risk areas to communicating to patients what they may expect in their course of treatment" reported Michael Moyal, Solutions Manager of the BPMA Practice at Blue-Crow.

Being able to communicate changes throughout the organisation has attracted immediate sponsor and stakeholder engagement and also supports and encourages changes to service delivery. These pathways can be viewed either as standalone diagrams or can be published in HTML and viewed over the intranet by multiple users such as project/service improvement leads.

"For an organisation as geographically spread as Nufffield it was imperative to provide a set of pathways which could be followed not only by clinical staff but also patients, thus keeping the patient at the heart of service delivery", said Salim Sheikh, Managing Director of Blue-Crow.

Integrated Care Pathways (ICP 2008): Blue-Crow will be showcasing examples of its work at Nuffield Health at the upcoming Integrated Care Pathways (ICP 2008) event held at 76 Portland Place, London on the 25th and 26th June.

Chris Green (Solutions Consultant from Blue-Crow) and Sue Atkinson (Clinical Process and Pathway Project Manager) will be at the Nuffield Health stand to answer any questions relating to the ePathway project.

Blue-Crow will also be exhibiting several other examples of their solutions. This will include a showcase of our latest tools (Process Pad, Lean Pad and Simul8) and innovative business modelling and LEAN techniques for not only process modelling but also simulation work.

For more information on the event please visit http://www.healthcare-events.co.uk/conf/booking.php?action=home&id=117

About Blue-Crow: Founded in 2001, Blue-Crow is a privately held company with Corporate Headquarters in London, England. From its original roots in systems integration and engineering, the company has grown into a full lifecycle architecture-led solutions consultancy whose portfolio extends to enterprise-level business and systems integration and centres on business alignment strategies.


The company is composed of a series of Consultancy Practices which focus on:

  • Modelling & Analysis of your internal and external environment
  • Integration of your applications, processes, workflow & data both internal and external to your organisation
  • Business Intelligence through Customer Data Integration and Data warehousing and reporting solutions
  • Enterprise Architecture providing you with Business and IT agility

Visit www.blue-crow.com for more information or alternatively please send us an email at enquiries@blue-crow.com and we will gladly respond to any direct or general queries.

Great Inspiring Quotes

Great Inspiring Quotes

Sunday 22 June 2008

Going places

Finally!

Don't you just love it when those ruts you feel like you're living in finally subside?

That's how I've felt since coming back home last Friday from my visit to the Verde Valley. It's a spiritual world up there, with people involved in the healing arts and so much more. I feel so refreshed since I my return. I met some truly interesting people while there. I even bought this wonderful work of art for near pennies, and ever since I've had it, I've decided to ask the artist if I can buy the rights to use the image for my marketing plan. It's such a lively and active image, and so child-like and fun in design that I'd be so honored if he'd agree. When I find out, I'll post the image here. If that isn't going to be affordable for me, at least I'll have something a graphic designer can work with to create something equally pleasing. I'm very excited about the possibilities here.

Also, my daughter and her husband are moving out of my home and into their own, and we're all thrilled about that. They get a home by themselves; I get mine back. My dog gets her space back. It's all good.

And I'm also starting a new blog, a travel blog. As soon as I get the program running--it's a paid position, and I have a few administrative things to do before beginning--I'll let you know. I'm excited about the possibilities with this as well.

Work is going slow over here, though. So I have some organizational tasks to take care in order to get back on track with that. I also need to buy a laptop--my first ever. So I'm working out my budget to fit that in. When that's in place, I'll probably find myself being much more productive than ever.

What's going on in your life that could use a little change, a little momentum, a little beefing up?

If you're feeling resistance, pay attention to that. It's trying to tell you something. If you're finding it difficult to pay attention, to focus, it just might be time to slow down a bit. Be still. Find your special place. Whether that's on a bike, on a trail, in the pool...make sure you're making time for you to just be. I know. I know it's sometimes hard to make that kind of time. There are so many things on your to-do list. I'm the same way. I'm sure we all are. But it's so important to make time to slow down. During that quiet time, during the stillness, that's when you finally find yourself paying attention, listening, as they say, to that "still, quiet voice." When you give yourself those moments, you're living within your spiritual world, your inner core. That's where the real you resides.

When I find myself ignoring that part of me--and it's the most important part--I forget who I am. I get lost. I lose my way. And that's when life starts feeling like it's "too much."

That's a perspective you can change.

And when you do change that perspective, you'll soon hear yourself say, "Finally!"

Yours truly,
The BIKE Lady

12 Steps to Personal Growth



The original 12 steps were formulated for the Alcoholics Anonymous program. Arising from the widespread use of the program for dealing with alcoholism, the steps have been adapted for numerous other addictions and dysfunctional behavior.

The Twelve Steps were first published in the book, Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939. The method was then adapted, and became the foundation of other twelve-step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Co-Dependents Anonymous and Debtors Anonymous.

Many self help organizations have adopted the 12 steps program and they have adapted it to suit their needs.

I have heard it many times in many places that the 12 steps program can be great for personal development and change. We all have aspects of ourselves we would like to change so with this in mind I have taken the liberty to adapt the steps to suit the goal of personal growth.

There is usually a strong spiritual side to these steps. If you feel uncomfortable with this you could view your Higher Power as your intuition or subconscious and natural ability to take care of yourself.

This is a long term project and I am going to embark on this journey too. Let me know what you think of my adapted version of the twelve steps and let me know how you get on with them! I have been assured that once you start these steps your life will change for the better forever!

12 Steps to Personal Growth

1. Admit that there are things we are powerless over and be honest and confess that sometimes our lives are unmanageable.

2. Come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our Higher power as we understood that power to be.

4. Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admit to our Higher Power, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. When we are entirely ready, to have our Higher Power remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly ask our Higher Power to remove our shortcomings.

8. Make a list of all persons we have harmed or seriously wronged, and become willing to make amends to them all.

9. Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continue to take personal inventory and when we are wrong promptly admit it.

11. Seek through prayer, meditation or using deep relaxation technique to improve our conscious contact with our Higher Power as we understood that power to be. We ask only for knowledge of that Higher Power's will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual and personal awakening as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to other people in need, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Good Luck!

Allen

12 Steps to Personal Growth



The original 12 steps were formulated for the Alcoholics Anonymous program. Arising from the widespread use of the program for dealing with alcoholism, the steps have been adapted for numerous other addictions and dysfunctional behavior.

The Twelve Steps were first published in the book, Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939. The method was then adapted, and became the foundation of other twelve-step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Co-Dependents Anonymous and Debtors Anonymous.

Many self help organizations have adopted the 12 steps program and they have adapted it to suit their needs.

I have heard it many times in many places that the 12 steps program can be great for personal development and change. We all have aspects of ourselves we would like to change so with this in mind I have taken the liberty to adapt the steps to suit the goal of personal growth.

There is usually a strong spiritual side to these steps. If you feel uncomfortable with this you could view your Higher Power as your intuition or subconscious and natural ability to take care of yourself.

This is a long term project and I am going to embark on this journey too. Let me know what you think of my adapted version of the twelve steps and let me know how you get on with them! I have been assured that once you start these steps your life will change for the better forever!

12 Steps to Personal Growth

1. Admit that there are things we are powerless over and be honest and confess that sometimes our lives are unmanageable.

2. Come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our Higher power as we understood that power to be.

4. Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admit to our Higher Power, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. When we are entirely ready, to have our Higher Power remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly ask our Higher Power to remove our shortcomings.

8. Make a list of all persons we have harmed or seriously wronged, and become willing to make amends to them all.

9. Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continue to take personal inventory and when we are wrong promptly admit it.

11. Seek through prayer, meditation or using deep relaxation technique to improve our conscious contact with our Higher Power as we understood that power to be. We ask only for knowledge of that Higher Power's will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual and personal awakening as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to other people in need, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Good Luck!

Allen

Thursday 19 June 2008

What Lessons Do You See Here?




Click the comment link below and tell us what life/tim/parenting lessons you see in this picture... and fun and humor in not only allowed... it's encouraged.

Motivational Success Quotes

Motivational Success Quotes

Tuesday 17 June 2008

Nationwide Progress Poll Reveals Increased Efforts By Hospitals to Control MRSA Infection

Healthcare Facility Infection Prevention and Control Professionals Cite Greatest Needs for Continued Success to Combat MRSA Including Additional Staff, More Environmental Services and Time-Saving High Tech Solutions

DENVER (Business Wire EON) June 16, 2008 -- More than three out of four (76%) infection prevention and control professionals (ICPs) polled indicated they have implemented additional measures to prevent the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the last year, but 54% said their institutions are not doing as much as they could and should be doing to prevent the spread of this virulent pathogen, according to an online survey conducted by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

MRSA is a type of bacteria that causes serious infections and is resistant to powerful antibiotics, including methicillin. APIC’s 2007 MRSA prevalence study found rates to be eight times greater than previously estimated. The “Pace of Progress” poll was conducted among APIC members April 25-May 15, 2008 to determine if news about the escalating rates of MRSA has led to increased efforts by healthcare institutions to combat the spread of this organism in the one year since the prevalence study results were released.

“We are very encouraged that our members have been empowered to implement additional infection prevention measures within their institutions,” said Kathy Warye, APIC CEO. “This poll indicates that many institutions are moving in the right direction.”

According to the May 2008 APIC Pace of Progress poll, institutions that have adopted new interventions are using a group of approaches to prevent the transmission of MRSA, including staff education, more aggressive hand hygiene programs, stricter use of contact precautions (gloves, gowns, etc.) for patients who test positive for MRSA, more emphasis on housekeeping and equipment cleaning and decontamination practices, targeted patient screening, maintaining a tracking system to flag patients previously identified as having MRSA, patient/client education, better HAI surveillance technology, additional staff or an increase in hours dedicated to infection control, and universal patient screening.

“It’s good news that healthcare providers are adopting a multi-faceted approach,” said APIC’s 2008 President Janet E. Frain, RN, CIC, CPHQ, CPHRM, Director, Integrated Services, Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento, CA. “This is what we have seen work, and it matches the guidance that we offer in our MRSA elimination guide for hospitals. We are also heartened to see that of those who adopted new measures to combat MRSA, 17% were able to add staff and 21% added better HAI surveillance technology. But we need to see this upward trend continue if we are to better protect patients from healthcare-associated infections.”

Of those who believe their facility could and should be doing more to control the spread of MRSA, two of the top items on their wish list include additional staff and HAI surveillance technology. Other top choices include more aggressive hand hygiene programs and greater compliance with housekeeping/equipment cleaning and decontamination practices.

APIC guidelines for the elimination of MRSA transmission include a risk assessment to identify high-risk areas for MRSA within the hospital; surveillance program to outline activities and procedures to identify MRSA cases; adherence to CDC hand hygiene guidelines; use of contact precautions (e.g., gloves, gowns and separating MRSA patients from other patients); environmental and equipment cleaning and decontamination, especially items that are close to patients such as bedrails and bedside equipment, and targeted testing of high-risk groups.

“We are concerned that there are still some facilities that lack resources and commitment across the institution,” said Warye. “With the increasing groundswell of hospitals supporting MRSA prevention programs, those facilities continuing to ignore the problem will be in an uncomfortable spotlight. As organisms such as MRSA develop increased antibiotic resistance, it is imperative that all of our nation’s healthcare professionals, from the executive suite to the bed side, embrace the concept of prevention. Reducing these infections saves lives and improves the bottom line. We invite our nation’s healthcare leaders to join with us in our Targeting Zero initiatives designed to bring healthcare-associated infections to an irreducible minimum.”

The 2008 APIC Pace of Progress poll was conducted among APIC members April 25-May 15, 2008. APIC’s nearly 12,000 members were asked to complete a five-question online survey designed to determine if additional MRSA interventions have been adopted since the release of APIC’s National MRSA Prevalence Study in June 2007. A total of 2,041 responses were received, representing a 17% response rate. For more information about the 2008 Pace of Progress poll and the 2007 National MRSA Prevalence Study, please visit us HERE

APIC’s mission is to improve health and patient safety by reducing risks of infection and other adverse outcomes. The Association’s nearly 12,000 members have primary responsibility for infection prevention, control and hospital epidemiology in health care settings around the globe. APIC advances its mission through education, research, collaboration, practice guidance, public policy, and credentialing. Visit APIC online at http://www.apic.org/

Focus On Self !!!

Focus On Self !!!

Monday 16 June 2008

Up from down

I've been feeling a bit needy lately, even lonely, even blue. So last Friday afternoon, I wrote out a list of what seemed to be bugging me. Why was I feeling so neglected, I was wondering.

My list was a bit skewed, I noticed, as I found myself trying to make my depressed state be about something or someone other than myself. I watched myself writing that I was feeling poorly because of something I had no control over: other people and situations. I had to face facts. I was feeling down because I chose to feel down. Ouch! The truth can hurt, can't it? Well, then. What was I going to do to start feeling good again? I had to ask myself that question because I no longer wanted to stay where I was at. Clearly, it wasn't getting me anywhere.

If you recall my recent posts, they've been alluding to my feelings.

The fact is, I wasn't asking for help when I needed it. I wasn't telling someone who I've missed seeing that I missed seeing him. And I was procrastinating on projects that needed to be done--yesterday. So, I had to face facts. I wasn't upset with anyone or anything. I've been upset with me.

Once I realized that, I could finally get to work making things right, getting the jobs done I needed to do, and otherwise taking care of myself. It is, after all, as I've been telling you, my job to take care of me. Sometimes, though, isn't that a tough job? It is. Yes. But once you realize that it's okay to fret, that sometimes you need to fret, your perspective begins to change. It's that yin and yang of life again.

So I started asking for help. I started doing the jobs around the house that needed to get done. I called a different who was available to go out to breakfast with me. Sometimes, the schedule we get used to changes, and we have to look for something else to fill its place.

Today, I feel much better.

I'll be on the road for a few days again this week, so I won't be posting much, if any. If I'm anywhere near access to the Internet, I'll check in. But otherwise, I'd like you to consider the moments when you've felt depressed or down. What kind of steps have you taken to move yourself out of that state of mind? If you know what it takes to turn that frown upside down, as they say, you'll be better prepared to handle the next time you're not feeling 100 percent. Learn to be aware of what you need to move yourself up from down.

Maybe all you need to do for now is to get that bike out of your garage.

It's worked for me many times.

All my best,
Jackie

Love is like Magic

Love is like Magic

Sunday 15 June 2008

Self care

Once upon a time, I stopped brushing my teeth, I didn't care about my body, and I didn't even bother to go to the beauty parlor. I was a mess. At the time, I believed I was trying to reach out for help. I did want someone to notice me and my poor state of health. But no one said a word. That left me feeling worthless.

But it wasn't they who was doing that to me. It wasn't their job to notice. It was mine.

Luckily, I had a friend who helped pick me up from that specatacle, but not until I actually asked for the help. Did I suddenly get wise? No, but I did reach a turning point.

It often takes a turning point--a wake-up call, if you will--before you begin to notice behavior that needs improvement. In times like these, when we choose to avoid our problems in the hope that someone will notice them instead, and pick up the pieces for us, we lose. It won't happen that way. We'll just be left waiting, and feeling more miserable by the minute.

If you've ever experienced moments like this in your life--and I'm asking you to be honest, even if it hurts--it helps if you can recall them and remember what that felt like. If you can do this, it will remind you what doesn't work. It will remind you that self care is about you taking care of you, not waiting for someone else to do it for you. Unless you're an invalid, unless you're in medical need of special care, this is not the direction to take in life if you expect to move forward.

When I stopped caring for myself in the hopes someone else would take over where I left off, I stopped living. I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I'd just chosen not to. I was continuing a cycle that had been taught to me as a young child, yes, that's true. But I wasn't a young child anymore. It was time I grew up.

Thank GOD that I did.

But, you know, I still have moments where I sink into that dark hole, where I find myself neglecting myself again. I can snap out of it now, but back then, I couldn't. Back then, I just dug the hole deeper and deeper. And when no one noticed me, I still kept digging. I had the energy to dig myself in, but not dig myself out.

That was an important lesson for me to learn. As long as I remember that energy can move both ways, negative and positive, I'll remember that I can turn things around. That's what I mean by turning an obstacle into an opportunity. Adversity has the ability to teach you something about yourself. You can either let it take over, or you can take charge.

If you're in a place right now where life just feels like it's not moving forward, and you feel powerless, remember that there is always an opposite effect. You can take back the power. Even if you've stepped so far backwards that you're in debt, that you're relationship is in trouble, that your job is on the line, you can turn that around, at least to the degree that you are able. But you must take that first step.

Just as I rode my bike in those early days, when I felt like I was nothing, I allowed myself to become something again--one mile at a time.

It all amounted to self care. Who was going to care for me when others weren't? I was. I am. I do. Even though I am never alone in this world as long as I have my spiritual leader--and for me that is, indeed, my GOD--there are times when the only person I can rely on is me. I ask you to be prepared to find strength in that. Find strength in the you that is capable, in the you that is worthy, in the you that you know you are.

That's a lot to think about in the week ahead. Please do.

All my best,
Jackie

Saturday 14 June 2008

Forgiveness vs. Reconciliation

I was doing an online search for potential markets for stories and ran across these self help tests at Spirituality & Health magazine. Check them out. I took the forgiveness test because we've recently discussed this topic here.

It gives you an idea of where you are at in your level of forgiveness. But what may be more important is that it discusses how forgiveness relates to reconciliation. Just because you can forgive someone of past transgressions against you doesn't mean there will be reconciliation with that person. When someone physically harms you, for instance, it may not be in your best interests to reconcile with that person, to continue the relationship. Forgiveness takes only you; reconciliation, on the other hand, takes two.

I thought that was interesting.

All my best,
Jackie

Train Of Life

Train Of Life

Friday 13 June 2008

How many do-overs does it take?

“Often we can achieve an even better result when we stumble yet are willing to start over, when we don't give up after a mistake, when something doesn't come easily but we throw ourselves into trying, when we're not afraid to appear less than perfectly polished..."

Such a powerful quote. It's from Sharon Salzberg, an author and meditation expert who practices loving kindness. That's another way to refer to self-compassion. We don't do it enough. Today, I ask you to be willing to start over. Be willing to forgive yourself and others (even if you're not able to do that in person) of the mistakes we make. Be willing to try again. Be willing to be less than perfect. Be willing to let yourself have as many do-overs as it takes. I'm just asking. ~Jackie

Dreams

Dreams

Thursday 12 June 2008

Gravity takes its toll

I've been experiencing a bit of water retention lately. Well, more than a bit of it. I've gained about five pounds of water weight in the past year or so. And it's left me feeling sluggish. So I haven't been excercising nearly enough.

In fact, there have been many days this past year where I've been more than happy to find an excuse not to ride my bike, not to go for that walk, or not to walk my dog even. But the inactivity started to affect me, and my body was feeling it. I could see it was affecting my dog as well. I decided to pay attention.

A week ago, I took a trip to the doctor's office, and it was my doctor who (bless her) reminded me that after 40, gravity starts to take its toll on the human body. Because I'm otherwise healthy, or so I believe (All my blood work hasn't come back from the lab yet.), I'm now "forced" to exercise daily, that is, if I want to remove the excess pounds. I do want that.

For once, I'm okay with feeling "forced" to do something, especially since I'd allowed myself to get caught in the trap of making excuses for why I wasn't exercising on a daily basis (Note: It's so easy to fall back into old habits.). I was only walking or riding on days when I was feeling particularly stressed or just needed to unwind. But I wasn't going out every day. I had become far too involved in my work to make time for much else.

Big mistake for the person whose work involves sitting on her bum for the most of the day in front of a computer screen. That's not exactly an ideal lifestyle choice, is it? It's a funny quirk about life, but if you pay attention to the signs, they'll lead you exactly where you need to go. So it seems this "forced" measure that's been placed upon me is a good thing. It's what I needed to hold myself accountable so I could continue moving forward. Maybe it's what I needed to move. Period. But it's worked. I've been active for at minimum an hour a day, every day, for the past few weeks. I started the week before I went to the doctor's office, because I knew what I needed. I just needed that extra push. As I said, if we pay attention, we know exactly what we need.

But I also have a weight gain limit that I imposed upon myself after seeing the excellent results I had while riding my bike through the early months of my divorce back in 2003. I'd lost 40 pounds in less than three months! It was a crazy amount of weight loss, but I needed it. I was overweight then and on my way to worse physical ailments. Fortunately, my body was drawn to what it needed then, too. That bike of mine. Sitting in the garage. Just waiting for me to hop on. I paid attention then, and it became my lifesaver. I'm paying attention again, only now I can be my own lifesaver. I transferred that physical bike into a mental one, and it's always there, waiting, to remind me of what I need to do. It reminds me to pay attention. When I do, I can find or see exactly what I need to reach a goal, to set a limit, and then move forward. It reminds me who is responsible for me.

Those are the two best gifts my bike riding experience gave me--the ability to pay attention and that lesson in responsibility. I've mentioned this before, I believe, but now that I know what it feels like when I'm taking the best care of myself, which includes exercising regularly, I'm easily reminded when I'm not. It can't be hidden. I feel it. I can't dismiss that anymore. Not now that I'm aware. And I don't want to return to me that was. The new me is better. She's healthier. She's smarter. She's more in tune with what works and what doesn't. Since realizing the impact my mental BIKE has on my life, my lifestyle, my perspective on life, and everything else in between, it's easier to realize when I'm not doing my best. That, in turn, makes it easier to correct myself.

It's a lot of work, I must admit, taking charge of a life in this way. I'm always focused on making sure I'm doing my best, always considering ways my life can be lived better, always wanting to move forward and to stop any backward movement before it goes too far. That is a lot to pay attention to, but we only get one time here on this earth to live in this body. It's worth the hard work it takes to give it your best shot.

And if gravity tries to take over, it's worth it to tame it as best as you can.

That's what I'm doing.

How about you?

All my best,
Jackie

*Secret #130 The Right Tools

For some strange reason, the house we moved into a couple of years ago had a one ton safe in the garage. The safe door was open... and my wife and I lived in fear that one of our six kids might accidentally get locked in that safe. So I began a frantic search--trying to find someone who would come and take this unsafe safe off our hands for free. An antique collector showed up with a truck, a cart, and a big burly guy. But the three of us couldn't budge it. So I was stuck with the safe.

One day I mentioned my dilemma to a creative friend--a retired man--who collects stuff (including worthless one ton safes). He said, "I'll be over in the morning to pick it up." The next morning I expected to see him, a hydraulic lift, a flat bed semi truck, and a small army of buff guys. But when he showed up with his wife and his old pick up, I was more than a little surprised... and full of doubt. All he had with him was a very thick board about the size of a surf board and some contraption he called a "come-along."

He backed the truck up to the garage, placed the large board on the back of the truck angling it down to the garage floor. Then he anchored the come-along to the back of the truck and, unreeling the wire of the come-along, he wrapped the other end of the wire around the one ton safe. He started to crank the come-along, and much to my surprise and delight, the safe began to inch toward the truck. We took turns cranking the come-along until the safe reached the thick board angling down from the back of the truck. That's when he and his wife got on the sides of the safe--and he instructed me to keep cranking the come-along. Pretty soon that one ton safe was inching it's way up that thick board toward the back of the truck--sticking out precariously on either side of the thick board. A few more minutes of cranking the come-along and the one ton safe was safely in the back of that old pick up truck--heading out to a farm--and away from our garage.

I'm always amazed when I think of that day. And to be sure, I learned some really important lessons about life and time management:

Lesson #1. You gotta have the right tools.
I had all kinds of tools, but I didn't have the right tools to deal with this situation. Without the right tools, you can't do what you need to do well.

Lesson #2. You gotta know how to use the right tools.
Having the right equipment is not enough. It's using the right tools in the right way that makes the difference. If my friend would have dropped off the tools at my house expecting me to do the job, I'd still have that unsafe safe in my garage. I didn't even know what a come-along was before this adventure--let alone how to use it.

The same is true for you when it comes to managing your life and time. The questions are...
* Do you have the right tools?
* Do you know how to use the right tools?

Click here for tools that--if you learn how to use them properly--can help you take control of your time... and life!

Heart Touching Quotes

Heart Touching Quotes

Wednesday 11 June 2008

Bikes save the planet and people, too!

That's the concensus at Seattle Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center where they've just initiated a program that loans bikes out to employees so they can bike, instead of drive, to work.

According to the local news article on the Seattle NBC-TV news affiliate, K5 (King5.com), the hospital's program provides locker rooms, a bike pass, commuting bonus and a free emergency cab ride if ever needed. Some employees are calling the program hard to resist.

The goal is to get 10 percent of their employees biking to work by 2009. If they sign a pledge to ride at least two times a week, employees can even get a free bike. So far, six percent participate. The hospital hopes to give away 100 bicycles this year.

My response to that is sign me up! What a great idea to encourage employees to not only take care of themselves but also the planet on which they live--not to mention help save the hospital the $40,000 it costs to build each additional parking space. More will be needed as the hospital expands, unless they can find additional ways to get employees to commute. The bike program is just one of them. Instead of paying $50 a month to park at the campus, the hospital's bike loaning plan pays employees $50 a month not to park there.

Do you know of any other programs like this? If so, post a comment and tell us about it.

All my best,
Jackie

Positive Thoughts

Positive Thoughts

Saturday 7 June 2008

Collaborative what?

Collaborative divorce. That's what.

I just read on a lawyer's blog that comedian Robin Williams and his wife will work towards a collaborative divorce in order to end their marriage as amicably as possible.

It's a good idea. A collaborative divorce, as I understand it, is one in which the couple works together with a team to dissolve their union. At its best, such a divorce brings in the lawyers for both parties, mental health professionals and financial advisors, along with the couple, to find the best resolution for the two parties involved. Mediators can also be called in as needed. I attempted to use this approach during my divorce but couldn't deal with my husband at the time. I just didn't trust him. So my collaborative divorce involved only me and my team, on my side. We did use a mediator, however, and that really worked very well. In the end, however, we wound up splitting assets 50/50, which makes you wonder why you can't just do that without legal aid at all and save thousands of dollars. But because I didn't trust my then-husband, the communication was limited. And I wasn't going to be without legal help, which is what he wanted. That didn't make sense to me. Besides, even when you think you can divorce amicably without an attorney or with only one representing both parties, divorce is a very emotional matter. I think it's always best, if you can afford it, to have your team by your side. If you can go about it collaboratively, all the better.

My advice today then is this: If you are going through a divorce now, or know someone who is, and if you can afford to hire a team, I recommend doing so. Find a divorce lawyer who will represent your best interests--one who you connect with. Find a therapist who will meet with you weekly, and take calls in between. And hire a financial advisor, preferably one your lawyer recommends, because that means they will probably work well together. Each of these professionals understands what you're going through on a different level, and they know all those levels intertwine. If you have a good team in place, they will help move you forward. But even if your team doesn't understand this approach, and you have to work with each one individually, you'll still be better armed with the counsel you need. Plus, you'll feel better protected in all aspects of your future: your mental well-being, your financial stability, and all the legalities involved. That means, if nothing else, collaborate you.

You're worth it.

All my best,
Jackie

Dream

Dream

Friday 6 June 2008

Like magic

Ever have one of those days when you're wishing that something would happen, you don't ask for it, specifically, because you don't NEED it, but you wish it would come true? This happened to me on my drive home from Prescott yesterday. I was wishing I had more time to research and write my book. More time would help me create a much stronger finished product. More time would be good, I was thinking.

So today, I'm going through my e-mails, catching up from my absence, and there's a message from the acquisitions editor I'm working with on this project. She says the publisher would like me to consider doing a Fall '09 book, instead of the Spring '09 schedule I've been working on. And I'm thinking right away, "YES!" I would love to have more time to do the background work before getting to the writing part. In fact, as I've been working on the first chapter, I could see there was lots more detail I'd need in the remaining chapters. So I'm very pleased with this request. I immediately responded. And so the new deadline is set. I don't turn in the manuscript and photos till first quarter 2009. I'm so glad! I'm so glad! I'm so glad!

I was in serious need of more time, more time to work on the book itself, and more time to work on the sales aspect, more time to cultivate relationships with potential book buyers, and more time to find work that pays--so I can survive the book writing process. It's very time-consuming.

My message today then is: If you ever have a need, don't hestitate to wish for it. Sometimes wishing works like magic.

Ah! The power of your thoughts. Who knew?

All my best,
Jackie

Powerful Motivational Quotes

Powerful Motivational Quotes

Tuesday 3 June 2008

Dealing with guilt

Guilt. It does a body bad. It's not like milk, at all.

There's a reason I'm posting this today. I had a phone conversation with my boyfriend yesterday and said something that upset him. I did the same thing the other day with my daughter. Both were mad enough at me and used the silent treatment to show me just how mad they were feeling.

But I just thought I was speaking my mind. What's the big deal?

The big deal is that what I said hurt their feelings. My daughter was able to discuss this with me the next day. She took what I said as an attack. I listened to her, was sorry I hurt her feelings, and was able to apologize. I was convicted. I felt the guilt and then let go of it. We can both move on. No hard feelings.

But my boyfriend, on the other hand, isn't quite that open. He just shuts down. Then we get no where. If he's mad, I'd rather he just say so. Instead, he just doesn't talk. Or he goes passive-aggressive on me. It's maddening. And sometimes, like this time, I feel guilty for overstepping my bounds.

In any case, normally, he calls me first thing in the morning. We go have coffee or breakfast together. This morning, however, he must still be mad. And I think he's punishing me--at least, that's how it feels--because he hasn't called. I'd call him myself, but I'm leaving town and have things to do before I go. I've decided I've felt enough guilt for what I said (Remember, we're just practicing here, and I'm just trying to understand his behavior.) and now need to focus on my work.

So I guess my point in posting this today is to ask you: how do you deal with the guilt you sometimes feel because of the relationships you have with other people?

Are you able to feel it? Do you try to understand why it's there? Are you able to express it to yourself and others? If not, do you obsess over it till you can? How hard is it for you to let guilt go?

No need to answer here unless you'd like. But these questions are part of the process to look at your inner motivations. So if you would find it helpful to write down your thoughts, I encourage that. It's important to know why you behave the way that you do, why you say the things that you do, so that you can determine if you're acting appropriately or could use some adjustment.

I have some things to think about myself...and maybe some adjustments to make.

FYI: I'll be off-blog while I'm traveling again. I'll be back to post on Thursday.

See you then!
Jackie

Twenty Truths To Remember

Twenty Truths To Remember

Sunday 1 June 2008

Let the BIKE coaching begin!

Given that there were an easy four readers interested in my BIKE coaching to start, I'd love to hear from all four of you. I've decided to give it a whirl and work with all four of you -- one-on-one. For one thing, I could use the testimonials to get my coaching career off the ground. And secondly, I'm excited to show you the power behind the pedals of what will soon be your very own BIKE.

I'll try to connect with you this week to begin setting up our one-on-one sessions and to discuss the process and how much time you can spend with me, and vice versa. I'm in the midst of a book project that will limit my time in these next two months, so it may be slow going at first. And if you can wait till mid-August, all the better. But if you will, please post a comment with your contact information. Otherwise, for those of you who know how to reach me direct, please do.

I look forward to hearing from you!
Jackie