When I was just two years old, a beloved uncle gave me the moniker, “The girl with the million-
dollar smile.” I learned the priceless value of not only a smile, but of the encouragement and
joy that fuels it from an early age. For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt an urge to share that
with others.
Nearly 20 years with IBM in sales and management reinforced my belief in the importance (and
dearth) of sincere encouragement and in the transformative power of authentic affirmation.
These principles of encouraging the heart transcend settings – their life-changing impact is
profound in both business and personal relationships.
After leaving the business world, I launched the Leave Nothing Unsaid movement in 2012. My
husband and both parents had died within the previous 24 months, and those losses increased
my desire to inspire and help others affirm their loved ones in lasting, meaningful ways. I wrote
the Leave Nothing Unsaid workbook to provide a useful tool for teaching the art of written
affirmation and have led letter-writing workshops across the country.
Over the last decade as
this message has spread, I’ve received countless heartwarming stories about changed lives and
strengthened relationships through the intentional practice of encouragement.
Through my own journey, I’ve also learned that we can always find purpose in our pain if we’re
willing, and I wanted to use my own experience to encourage some of the people closest to my
heart: widows. That’s why I wrote Good Grief! Hope, Help, and a little Humor for your Journey
from Wife to Widow. This book shares practical wisdom (some of which I learned the hard way)
with a dose of healing humor. One thing I’m sure of: you can always find reasons to laugh, even
in the most challenging circumstances.
Whether through speaking, writing or coaching, my passion is to encourage others to thrive and
to make authentic affirmation part of their daily lives. It is my sincere desire that I can do that
for you and others in your life! I hope you’ll join me in the mission of encouragement and stay
connected to receive ongoing encouragement from me.
