Graduation: not an end, but a beginning…
My son Matt graduated from college last week – a bittersweet experience – he’s my youngest child, and he graduated from my alma mater. As he “lets go” – saying good-bye to a routine and friends made over the last four years, he laments that “the best time of his life” is coming to an end. I remember feeling a similar sadness and connection to that special place and time. I also remember the excitement I felt about beginning the next chapter. This got me thinking, “Looking back, would I say that my college years were the best time of my...
Read MoreVisionary
Tonight, I’m being honored by Benedictine University as a Visionary Alumni – “one who displays leadership and innovation in their career field as well as personal dedication to philanthropic endeavors.” I’ve never taken education for granted. As the first person in my family to graduate from college, my father expected me to use my education as a springboard for meaningful contribution in the world. Although he wasn’t able to finish college, he was a visionary mentor – thinking about my future with imagination and wisdom. I have expected the same...
Read MoreThe Gift of WU
Having grown up with four brothers, I was very comfortable operating in a male world – I could hold my own and got along just fine. I honestly didn’t think I was missing anything until 1997, when my friend and colleague, Susan Kendrick, introduced me to Jean Otte, the Founder of WOMEN Unlimited. That’s when I realized I was missing something very important – being part of a sisterhood of strong women who could impact individual women’s lives and begin to change the workplace. Serving as the Midwest Regional Director for the last 17 years has challenged me to be a better woman and...
Read MoreGood Nutrition—–More Than Just “Nutrients” by Laura Hornell Yudys
These days nutrition information is everywhere. Often we see and hear about a specific food or nutrient and how it will cause, cure, or prevent _______ (fill in the blank with any disease or ailment you can think of). While some of these stories can provide valuable information, they often lead to more confusion about how to improve nutrition and health. In a recent article, Dr. David Katz, MD, MPH, the Director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center, says something I believe very strongly: “No one thing is THE thing wrong with our diets, and no one food, nutrient, or ingredient...
Read MoreHow Lucky Are You?
A few months ago, I moderated an executive panel for WOMEN Unlimited. When asked if he’d been lucky in his career, one of the panelists replied, “Yes, if you consider my definition of luck – being prepared when opportunity comes.” His definition differs from those found in most dictionaries, many of which include the word “chance”, as if luck is something that happens to you, rather than for you. Reframing luck this way suggests action- preparation and openness – being intentional rather than claiming victor or victim status when things do or...
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Deb Hornell is a visionary whose personal brand of “Cultivating Environments for Growth” extends into her consulting practice, her family and friendships, and her book: "Good Things for a Full Life."
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