Want to see someone run like The Roadrunner?

Tell them they need to make a speech. Almost

everyone would rather get a root canal.

If you're tasked with this unpopular duty, remember

that preparation is a major part of the battle so I'm

here to help you slay it. 

Need something serious? Professional? Funny?

Sobering? I can help you make it happen. The only

thing you should be thinking about is the delivery.

Since my college days, I've loved giving speeches

to small and large crowds. (Sometimes the larger

ones are easier!) 

The results have always been stellar so I want to do

everything I can to give you the same results. 

Here's an example of a speech I gave earlier this year....

INTRODUCTION HERE (including a joke - always!)

Continuing....

I’ve been told something my entire life by several of my therapists slash psychologists and that is to live in the gray.

I spent quite a while trying to figure that out, and still am, but it’s so important right now.

Almost nothing in life is black or white. I tend to be dramatic and jump to an either/or conclusion rather than realizing there are a whole lot of options in between.
For example, if "boiling" is on one end and "freezing" is on the other, then warm, luke-warm, room temperature, hot, cold....they’re all in the middle. There's much more gray to live in than to choose exact opposites. So how does the pandemic fit into all of this? 
                                                                 We can be cautious without being scared.

We can be careful without being obsessive.

We can be concerned without being frantic.

So if “unconcerned” is on one end of the spectrum and “clearing out the toilet paper” on the other, there are so many feelings and actions that are in the gray. Here's what I mean....

I’m concerned about the virus and the elderly and the shut-ins.

I’m concerned about the stress it has caused which can lower your immune system and cause irreparable damage to so many things.

I’m concerned about those with mental illness who are employed but have been quarantined at home since for some, working is a big part of being able to stay on top of mental health.

But I’m not frantic. The whole thing’s out of my control, but I CAN control my reactions in response to all of this.

It’s hard not to panic when panic seems like the necessary response, but it’s possible. Call a trusted friend or family member to talk about how you're feeling. They probably have some of the same concerns, too. I talk to my sister a lot on the phone. I bug her to death, but she doesn’t mind. She knows I’m nuts. It’s good to just hear yourself speaking your concerns out loud.

And take some pressure off yourself. While we’re quarantined, you don’t have to solve world hunger. You don’t have to win a Nobel peace prize. You don’t have to DO anything unless you want to.

But if you’re looking for some low-key things to do while we’re quarantined, here are some ideas:

1. Join or start a group on FB. They're popular for good reason. I'm a member of two groups and have formed lifelong friendships because of it.

 
2. Write someone a real-life letter - those rectangular things you put a stamp on. People love ‘em. I know I do and if you can’t get out to mail it, write someone who lives nearby and pop it in their front door. People need something to smile about right now.

3. Do a puzzle. If you don’t have a physical one, there are awesome ones online (I used to do them obsessively and my very favorite was jigidi.com).

4. Watch funny videos. There are tons on Facebook. In fact, FB Watch could keep you busy all day. I can't get enough animal videos.

5. Get creative: Do the thing that makes you happy. Write, draw, color, paint, sing, whatever you really dig. You don’t have to be good at it. Just do it for the pure release.

6. Play with your companion animal if you have one. Even just a few moments of cuddling is proven to be therapeutic and will always do your heart good.

7. Watch a Christmas movie on Netflix or watch any kind of movie that makes you feel good. I watch a lot of TV, but I’m going to take the time to get into a good flick or two.

8. Deepen your spirituality: Meditate, pray, light a candle, read the Bible, or use your crystals. Whatever links you to your Higher Power. If ever there were a time to practice your faith, it's right now.

This will pass. It might be a couple of months or even lots of months, but we will come out of this. They will create a vaccine and we’ll all look back and remember how we acted and reacted and we’ll be able to say, “I did it well.”

Thank you so much for being here and for being you.

Stay safe, take care of your sweet self, and try to remember....

to live in the gray.