Mother Nature forgot Raleigh's in the South.

We had real snow, and I went five straight days without stepping outside. That meant a lot of comedy watched, a few podcasts recorded, and a couple of books finished. I also chopped my hair off and felt instantly lighter. Long hair isn’t me - too fussy, too much work. Back to my low-maintenance self, and loving it.

I spent an evening with the NC State Park Scholars - one of my favorite groups every year - on Breaking Free From Busy. We talked about our very optimistic Future Selves, the ones who believe time will magically appear, and systems will somehow arrange themselves. We ran commitments through a “future-you” filter and sorted them into three buckets: Now, Not Now, Not Ever. “Not Now” got real when one student realized they had committed to an event the weekend before three exams. They wanted to do it, but there are future opportunities, and they could have said 'Not Now.'

Lesson earned: Your future self isn’t a superhero. Give them fewer promises and better guardrails.

I’m mentoring emerging speakers in NSA Carolinas, and we dove into the unsexy (but essential) legal stuff: IP, copyrights, contracts. I shared where I’ve wasted money (hello, unnecessary trademarks) and where you absolutely need an attorney and language in your contract (No AI-images of me without my permission).

I spoke to CPAs about Breaking Free From Busy at peak busy season, and to MassCPA young professionals on Elevating Focus.

By request from the Weekender survey, I recorded a new podcast episode on presentation skills for business professionals and event setup strategies that help events succeed.

Next up, I’m a featured speaker at the Make More Magic Retreat at Disney World, where I'll be speaking on "Decide, Design, and Deliver With Your Not Now List."

Also live: Reclaim Your Workday’s 8-Week Action Club; bring 3–5 team members for a sweet discount!

When you get this, I’ll be entertaining a friend in our new kitchen over coffee, and packing up my kombucha brewing system for its next home. After a decade, that season is complete, and it feels right to let it go.

On with the Weekender!

PERFORMANCE POWER TIP Resolutions fade. Priorities stick. Walk through a simple altitude model to set 1-3 priorities and turn them into action. First step: block time to prioritize. Don’t just think it - write it down so your brain knows it matters. LISTEN (19 min) READ SUMMARY

RADER RECOMMENDATION Why I’m into HomeZada I’m using it to photo-capture each room, auto-build a detailed item list, and assign values so I have real proof if there’s a burglary, fire, or any damage. Insurance wants documentation, not memory. This app makes it easy. Exports itemized lists + photos for claims Starts free; upgrade if you want more Do this now: Create your home inventory in an hour. Start free →​

RADERCO-TEAM SPOTLIGHT Human Judgment in the Age of AI RaderCo Digital Wellness Specialist Rijul Arora built a course to help you make better calls with AI—at work and at home. Short, practical, built for real life. Why it matters: This helps you choose when to lean in…and when to say no with one important question. Do this now: Take the course (free for a limited time to the RaderCo community!)

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PS: Are you in Atlanta? I’ve got March 26 open for a team training—save on travel costs. Reply to book it.