A sweet memory: With long-time client Reach Partners at 2017 Women’s
Health Conference in Bismarck, N.D., Left to right, Anita Hoffarth,
Reach Partners; Angela Gaffney, speaker; Rachel Asleson,
Reach Partners; Barbara Christenson, The Speak Well Being Group
Vol. 21, Issue 8, Dec. 7, 2023
It’s been a while since I last wrote . . . I didn’t mean to disappear; it’s just that I broke my left wrist back in September. I was walking the dog in a wooded area near my home when I tripped on a protruding rock in the path, went flying, and went down very hard on that left hand.
When I got to the emergency room, the X-rays revealed that I had two broken bones in my wrist and needed a surgeon to implant a plate that would hold it all in place while I healed.
I quickly discovered that one-handed typing is VERY difficult. I learned to adapt in many ways, including using dictation on my computer and phone — if only “they” could understand me better, I wouldn’t have to spend so much time correcting typos!
At this point, thanks to an excellent surgeon, outstanding hand therapists, and my own grit, I’m in the final stages of healing. Just in time to participate in all the holiday tasks — although I’m not yet sure if I’ll be ready to handle a rolling pin to prepare my usual decorated Christmas sugar cookies. My final test will be when I can go back to yoga and do downward dog. I’m not quite ready to put that much pressure on that hand yet!
Meantime, I have been able to continue taking care of clients and booking speakers. I was thrilled that in November I got to experience Deb Gauldin when she came to Portland to speak to Kaiser Permanente NW nurses.
She was entertaining as always. I found myself laughing out loud at some of her nursing stories, and I’m not even a nurse!
Truly, the laughter in the whole room was palpable, and it was wonderful to be in a big room full of nurses who were obviously enjoying each other’s company on a day devoted to learning and caring for themselves.
While some clients are still taking advantage of Zoom and other virtual meeting formats to gather people from afar, the joys of meeting in person are definitely back in vogue.
25 YEARS Serving Clients and Speakers!
It was also back in September that I realized that the Speak Well Being Group has been serving clients for 25 years now! And what a roller coaster it has been!
Five years ago, upon the occasion of celebrating 20 years in business, I wrote a blog remembering some of the world and personal events that had transpired and affected business in that time frame — 9/11, the 2008 market crash; my own health challenges (two new knees in 2008 and a new hip in 2015); and dating and getting married (2005). I never could have imagined the Mother Lode of all world and business challenges — the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic!
We survived that one, too! — thanks to creativity, flexibility, conversion to virtual formats (Zoom, for example), masks, vaccines, and sheer dedication to overcoming adversity by both clients and speakers. We all learned a lot in the process and are still here to talk about it! As I think back to the early years (1998) when I started out with dial-up Internet access, no website, three speakers, and no clients, I realize that I had a lot of confidence in what I was doing.
Blast from the past: Pictured are some of my original speakers meeting in Las Vegas in 2003 – Clockwise from top left: Jana Stanfield, Zonya Foco, me, Dr. Deborah Kern, Dr. Karen Wolfe, Holly Stiel.
Heaven knows that with all of the tumult we are experiencing in the world, people need all of the positive reinforcement, inspiration, and coping tools that we can provide for them. Oh, and laughter! Thank goodness for the humor so many of our speakers bring to their audiences. Let’s keep it going!
KINDNESS is the Best Holiday Cheer
As we move into the busyness of the holidays, I leave you with this message that a friend recently shared with me.
“As the world fights to figure everything out, I’ll be holding doors for strangers, letting people cut in front of me in traffic, saying good morning, keeping babies entertained in grocery lines, stopping to talk to someone who was lonely, tipping generously, giving children a thumbs up, being patient with sales clerks, smiling at passersby and buying a stranger a cup of coffee. Why? Because I will not stand to live in a world where love is invisible.
“Join me in showing kindness and understanding, and in judging less. Be kind to a stranger, give grace to friends who are having a bad day, be forgiving with yourself. If you can’t find kindness, be kind!”
Until next time, take care of yourself for your well being and those you love.
Yours truly,
Barbara
For Your Well Being is published with the intention of bringing you insider speaker reports, exclusive stories about special events around the country, meeting planner tips, and fun stuff from the worlds of health and well being. Be well and be in the know!
The Speak Well Being Group is a specialized speakers bureau, focusing on health and wellness for all types of organizations that want to foster health and well being for their employees, members, clients, and in their communities.
Our speakers are hand-selected. They are not only experts in their fields; they connect with their audiences while bringing them life-changing information, smiles of recognition, and ultimately a sense of well being and hope.
Finding the perfect keynote speaker for your special event or conference is my personal passion, not just once, but year after year. It brings me great joy to know that your audience was delighted and moved by the speaker we selected together. I’m committed to making the process easy, pleasant and fun.
