January 28, 2021
Often, when I tell someone to “Keep Dreaming,” it comes from a sarcastic place and means “this will never happen.” However, as I reflect on the crazy, challenging year we all experienced in 2020, I think it’s time to get back to our dreams literally. At the beginning of 2020, I had big dreams. I […]
December 16, 2020
I was very disappointed with the op-ed written by The Wall Street Journal reporter Joseph Epstein suggesting that Jill Biden drop the “Dr.” before her name: “Dr. Jill Biden sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic,” wrote Epstein, who opened his op-ed by addressing President-elect Joe Biden’s wife as “Madame First Lady—Mrs. […]
November 19, 2020
We often spend hours laboring over what we are going to say or finetuning the words in our presentations. While planning and reviewing our content are always important, verbal communication isn’t the only thing that matters. The feelings and reactions your body conveys through facial expressions, gestures and body movements, vocal tone and volume are […]
October 12, 2020
When it comes to negotiating, I sometimes feel like Sophia from the movie, The Color Purple, “All my life I’ve had to fight…” Whether it’s negotiating a contract, buying a house or going back and forth on getting the best job offer, negotiating can be uncomfortable for many of us. A friend recently reflected on […]
July 23, 2020
As we are all experiencing high anxiety during this pandemic, it is sometimes difficult to step back and find the bright spots. I am in a national women’s organization. The nearly 100-year old organization is focused on friendship and community service. A few weeks ago, approximately 15 of our chapter members came together for a […]
June 18, 2020
My last blog post, entitled “Fighting for Change” highlighted several encounters I have experienced from childhood through adulthood as an African American in the United States. The sad thing is, I still have racist experiences from time to time. For instance, a store clerk questioning whether I can afford something. Or worse yet, being followed […]
June 3, 2020
The past few weeks have been unsettling. First, Covid-19 forced us to stay at home, and we became masked-people. Then we witnessed on national TV the senseless murder of George Floyd. Now, protest marches have sprung up across the country crying for justice.
April 16, 2020
Last week I joined a virtual happy hour with my homegirls from Pittsburgh. Amid this #Shelterinplace situation, it was a pleasure to connect with friends that I have known for more than 40 years all at one time. A big shout out to my friend Marcia for bringing us together via Zoom. It’s been a while […]
March 26, 2020
I confess, I’m a self-proclaimed extrovert. And while I’m accustomed to working from home and holding virtual meetings, being unable to personally interact with people is killing me. Nonetheless, for the past 11 days, I’ve been isolating in the house. I’m one of the people that stocked up on food and all the necessities in […]
March 11, 2020
With the threat of the Coronavirus, many of us have been asked to work from home. In addition, a number of companies have requested us to postpone non-critical meetings and events until the world and the country has a better handle on the pandemic.
Often, when I tell someone to “Keep Dreaming,” it comes from a sarcastic place and means “this will never happen.” However, as I reflect on the crazy, challenging year we all experienced in 2020, I think it’s time to get back to our dreams literally.
At the beginning of 2020, I had big dreams. I had planned a February vacation trip to Thailand, a women’s conference in March, Florida in April, Aruba in June, and Hilton Head with cousins in October. All plans were canceled indefinitely. Getting refunds/credits from travel agencies, airlines and hotels became a significant challenge and took lots of energy.
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Hi! I'm LaNella Hooper-Williams. Through my blog, my mission is to give you tips and practical tools that will help you build a powerful brand and accomplish your personal and professional dreams. You’ll learn strategies that help you manage your personal brand, get noticed and rewarded for your unique talents, and gain greater career focus.
