20Jul 2020 by CJ
An emergency fund is an important investment in yourself

An emergency fund is an important investment in yourself

Information & Education, Life & Living
During this global pandemic, many financial experts have offered advice on how much money should be in your emergency fund. Popular responses range from three to six months, with famed personal finance expert Suze Orman bucking that trend and recommending eight months. In her recent LinkedIn post, Orman says, “I have long told everyone to build an eight month emergency fund. And my goodness, I get plenty of blowback for that. The critics say it is too much and too impossible.” I offer the following statistics from a CNBC article on why Americans struggle to save for retirement, by contributor Steve Adcock. Adcock says, “A 2019 report from Ladder, a life insurance company, found that the average adult spends $1,497 per month on non-essentials. That’s roughly $18,000 a year on things…
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19Jul 2020 by CJ
Motivate yourself by getting off the couch and doing something

Motivate yourself by getting off the couch and doing something

Information & Education, Life & Living
“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” – Wayne Dyer I’m sure I’m not alone with my admission that the topics of health, finances, job security and fulfillment often litter my thoughts – more so than ever before. The burden of such thoughts occasionally leads to a sleepless night, and an impending day where it seems almost impossible to motivate yourself to do anything constructive. At times, my mental state has been known to dip below normal levels, which renders me somewhat unpleasant and difficult to be around. This past week felt like one of those occasions and I suspect a combination of the topics above were the definite contributor. This inability to motivate yourself during such emotional fragility is a time drainer, no…
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18Jun 2020 by CJ
The topic of leadership often reveals many shortcomings

The topic of leadership often reveals many shortcomings

Information & Education, Life & Living
Over the years, I’ve written a handful of posts on the topic of leadership – six to be exact. It’s a subject I feel very strongly about as it’s often misapplied and abused in governments, businesses and even our own homes. Perhaps what always surprises me about leaders is how capable and credible they all believe themselves to be. While a degree of confidence is certainly necessary for any leader, far too many confuse confidence with egotism, and that dear readers is where the problem begins on the topic of leadership. Today I saw a social media post from a former (and respected) colleague. Her office had recently reopened and a sound and appreciated safety plan had been instituted by her company’s leadership team. Wearing a face mask was a…
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03May 2020 by CJ
What I’ve learned about myself being quarantined at home

What I’ve learned about myself being quarantined at home

Information & Education, Life & Living
Recently, I was asked what I’ve learned about myself while being quarantined at home away from a life of regularity. Many will inevitably see this question as odd or not pertaining to them, for the subject of self-reflection is often believed to be limited to those who seek the guidance of counselors or psychologists. But in reality, we all could benefit from such observations. I’ve always been a rather self-reflective individual, therefore, I suspected I’d have no trouble discovering a few things I’ve learned about myself recently. What was surprising however were the things I learned. I’m far more adaptable than previously thought “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” - Charles Darwin I…
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07Apr 2020 by CJ
Online learning shows parents just how hard teachers work

Online learning shows parents just how hard teachers work

Information & Education
As the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States (and the world) education has shifted to a virtual classroom environment through online learning – protecting the lives of students, teachers and both their families. While many colleges today already utilize online learning as an option for course credits throughout any given semester, grades K-12 still rely on face-to-face engagement for effective learning. After all, those formative years are when children and adolescents build their interpersonal skills, strengthen memory and learning development and find motivation from others to challenge themselves to work harder and go further. Still, online learning helps to keep students engaged during this pandemic – reinforcing concepts and techniques, while providing some the routine they sadly miss. If K-12’s recent migration to online learning has perhaps taught…
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