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Inspiration

2023

• The Uno Queen – Rachel Meyer, EdD, PMP, 02-15-2023
  Many of us remember being little, and some of us have the good fortune to know little people in our lives. I have two very special small humans that  ...
  
  
• The Sticky Factor (Part 2) – Jennifer Trakhtenberg, 02-01-2023
  Mastering Masterminding Masterminding is a concept that goes back many thousands of years, but it still has tremendous current potential. We recognize  ...
  
  
• The Sticky Factor (Part 1) – Jennifer Trakhtenberg, 01-15-2023
  "Does he really need 12 glue sticks and why do they have to be that exact size?" Each year we have this discussion as the supply list is distributed  ...
  
  

2022

• Holiday Cheering You Along! – Rachel Meyer, 12-15-2022
  Oh, the holiday season! The glittering lights, music floating through the air, smells of delicious food that bring back memories . . . many of us enjoy  ...
  
  
• The Holiday Season is Upon Us! – Holly Gough, 11-15-2022
  The first word that comes to mind when I think of the holiday season is "joy". For many, it is a special time to connect with family and friends, and  ...
  
  
• Investing in Yourself – Rachel Meyer, EdD, PMP, 10-15-2022
  I was very fortunate to be a member of the 2022 cohort of Optical Women's Association Leadership Scholarship recipients. I am so honored by this recognition  ...
  
  
• Find Your Voice – Erika Plank, 09-15-2022
  A few months ago, I went through an exercise that had me reflect on the best pieces of advice I've received in my career. For me, one of the these came  ...
  
  
• Creating Positive Change In Your Life – Katie Lauver, ABOC, FNAO, 09-01-2022
  After receiving the Emerging Leader Award from the OWA at the beginning of this year, I had many people reach out, asking me what I did to get to where  ...
  
  
• Circles of Sunshine – Mary Lanning, 08-15-2022
  A study I came across recently said it takes the brain FIVE positive thoughts to replace the effects of ONE negative thought. FIVE TO ONE. Let that simmer.  ...
  
  
• Brown Paper Book Covers – Karen Michaelson, 08-01-2022
  One of my favorite things about being an OWA member is OWA Reads. I love to read, but in the past, reading was not a priority for me. I think I felt  ...
  
  
• With Compliments – Stephanie Lucas, 05-01-2022
  During this year's OWA Champagne Breakfast, I was struck by the "psychology of happiness" data point shared by speaker and Positive Psychology Practitioner  ...
  
  
• Happy Every Day! – Deb Bulken, 03-15-2022
  I read our OWA One-Minute Inspirations (OMI) religiously; it was the first benefit when joining the OWA back in 2011 that I consistently took advantage  ...
  
  
• Time to Take Care of Me! – Katherine Cruz, 03-01-2022
  As the business world around us changes daily — companies merging, buying, closing, and acquiring — it's not easy to stay focused when worrying  ...
  
  
• Envisioning Your 2022! – Rachel Meyer, 01-15-2022
  Did you make any New Year's Resolutions? For me, the new year is a wonderful time of celebration and a time to look forward. The whole "resolution for  ...
  
  

2021

• The Future Looks Bright! – Barbara Claire Schroer, 10-15-2021
  When I first began my career in the eyecare industry decades ago, what I loved most was that I was working in an industry that offered medical care to  ...
  
  
• Using Influence and Opportunity for Professional Growth – Sandra Mohr, 10-01-2021
  Joining us for the September OWA Talks podcast was optician Carissa Dunphy, sharing strategies and tips for expanding your influence and achieving a  ...
  
  
• OWA Strong — We Are All in This Together! – Sandra Mohr, 05-15-2021
  OWA's April podcast guest was Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council and member of the OWA Board of Directors. Ashley was excited to share details about  ...
  
  
• Food for Thought – Beverly Bianes, OD, 05-01-2021
  The world was in the midst of a pandemic. Our nation was facing cultural and social divides. 2020 was a year when many of us lived in fear of the unknown.  ...
  
  
• Rising to the Challenge! – Jessica Goebert, 03-15-2021
  March is an important time of year where we reflect on the immense impact women have made on society throughout the years. From the changemakers who  ...
  
  
• Believe in Your Ideas and Others Will, Too! – Robyn Crimmins, OWA President, 02-15-2021
  Having a great idea is one thing. Selling it to those who can support you in making that idea a reality can be more challenging and take some doing.  ...
  
  
• Loving You — Becoming Your Healthiest in 2021! – Sandra Mohr, 02-01-2021
  As we leave 2020 behind and move into 2021, we all realize, more than ever, that there are many things in our daily lives that we simply cannot control.  ...
  
  
• Creating Your Own "Success" in 2021 – Sandra Mohr, 01-15-2021
  OWA's December podcast guest was Deidre Carroll, Editor-in-Chief of INVISION Magazine and an OWA member for 15 years. Have you ever wondered how the  ...
  
  

2020

• OWA Game-Changer – Janna Neal, 12-15-2020
  Being in the optical industry for over 15 years has given me tons of opportunities to network, but a recent OWA Champagne Breakfast event was a game  ...
  
  
• The Gift of a "Thank You" – Carol Wilbur, 11-15-2020
  Almost from the time we learned to write, my mother made sure all of us kids acknowledged our birthday and Christmas presents with a handwritten "thank  ...
  
  
• How Can I Help? – Sandra Mohr, 11-01-2020
  The October OWA Talks podcast guest is Holly Rush, and I encourage you to carve out an hour to listen to and reflect on the wisdom and advice she offers  ...
  
  
• Venturing Off the Beaten Path – Jennifer Trakhtenberg, 07-31-2020
  "It seems unlikely that the waterfall is off of this path", I suggest endearingly to my husband, as we explore a new hiking trail with our children.  ...
  
  
• Reading is My Passion – Deborah Myres, 06-15-2020
  I can remember when I first learned to read: the fourth week of first grade. After a few weeks of Dick and Jane with Spot, I was well on my way to pursuing  ...
  
  
• From Hot to Not! – Ginamarie Wells, 04-01-2020
  I read a blog post recently entitled, "Words Matter." The author was writing an apology for words he'd used previously. In this "apology" post, the author  ...
  
  
• Being Alive vs. Living – Nicole Ramos, 02-15-2020
  Is there a difference between "being alive" and "living"? Some may say these words are interchangeable, but I disagree; there is a tremendous difference  ...
  
  
• Learners Inherit the Future! – Deborah Kotob, 02-03-2020
  "In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer  ...
  
  
• The Year of Optical 2020! – Robyn Crimmins, OWA President, 01-21-2020
  I have always loved this time of year. It's a unique moment in our calendars when we embrace the unknown and all that is to come in the new year. It's  ...
  
  

2019

• Do More in 2020 & Be . . . – Tiara Claxton, 12-28-2019
  As we move into this exciting New Year for our industry, "20/20" implies sharp, clear vision. How we navigate through life to achieve success and happiness  ...
  
  
• In the Company of Women – Debbie Myres, 09-06-2019
  So many articles lately have been about women who make their female friendships a top priority in their lives. I personally appreciate time together  ...
  
  
• The Fearless Woman – Autianna Wilson, 08-15-2019
  Since I was a young girl, I have been taught by my Great-Grandma to be a "fearless woman". She was born in the 1920's during the Jazz Age and the Harlem  ...
  
  
• Accidental Inspiration – Liz Friedfeld-Gebaide, 07-15-2019
  My love of yoga happened quite accidentally. One night, I needed a place to escape the challenges of parenting my beautiful 16-year-old. Rich,  ...
  
  
• A Stroke of Good Luck – Catherine Hickling, 07-01-2019
  I spent Memorial Day 2009 in the hospital partially paralyzed and with garbled speech as the doctors worked to reverse the effects of the stroke that  ...
  
  
• Cherish Every Moment – Katherine Cruz, 05-01-2019
  When I volunteered to write a One Minute Mentor, several topics came to mind — "Managing Your Manager", "Social Media", and "Live Your Best Life"  ...
  
  
• Leaning into Fear and Doubt – Jill Johnson, 04-15-2019
  When was the last time you took a risk in your career? When was the last time you leaned into self-doubt and landed victorious? When was the last time  ...
  
  
• Life Lessons Learned and Shared – Janice Dody, 04-01-2019
  When was the last time you took a risk in your career? When was the last time you leaned into self-doubt and landed victorious? When was the last time  ...
  
  
• OWA Doing More in 2019! – Tiara Claxton, 01-02-2019
  Hello, Optical Industry Professionals, and Happy New Year to you! The OWA is celebrating 22 years of "Connecting, Inspiring, and Leading" the women  ...
  
  

2018

• Seeding the Future - #DOMORE! – Rachel Meyer, Ed.D., 09-04-2018
  "Mama, carrots!" My sweet and sassy two-year-old was standing in front of me with both hands full of dirt and big orange carrots. Abigail's excitement  ...
  
  
• It's More Than Just a Hashtag . . . – Deb Bulken, 08-01-2018
  This past week, several of our OWA Members were reflecting on the inspiring speech given by Holly Rush (CEO of Costa Del Mar) at the 2018 Champagne Breakfast  ...
  
  
• A Push Was All It Took. – Nancy Black, 07-02-2018
  I was born in a small community in Wisconsin and decided at the age of 17 I was destined to explore the world. With the support of my parents and the  ...
  
  
• Friends Forever – Debbie Myres, 05-02-2018
  Friends forever seems like a bold statement, but I have had the pleasure of witnessing this happen. In kindergarten, a group of girls met and became  ...
  
  
• Creating Our Life Story – Michelle Krecz-Gondor, 03-15-2018
  I remember the past. Always looking at the mountaintops in the distance and wanting to be there; yearning for a new vantage point and forsaking the mountain  ...
  
  
• A Fresh New Year – Tiara Claxton, 01-02-2018
  When I was a little girl, born into a family of 8 children, I learned early on that if I wanted to go somewhere or do something special, I had to plan  ...
  
  

2017

• Of Course You Are Creative! – Brandie Shaw, 12-01-2017
  "Yes, you are a creative woman. Creativity is not just for 'creative geniuses', Gail McMeekin assures her readers in the very first lines of her book  ...
  
  
• Connecting the DOTS – Karen A. Michaelson, ABOC, 10-17-2017
  Five years ago, I was asked to present the keynote address at the Opticians Congress in Virginia on behalf of the Optical Women's Association. It was  ...
  
  
• OWAsohard – Rachel Meyer, 10-02-2017
  In my life' s journey, there are magnificent days where I feel that I have a cape and tiara; hitting every goal and high-fiving myself all day long.  ...
  
  
• Focus on Defining Yourself – Amy Robbins, 09-13-2017
  "Once upon a time . . ." As a child those words opened the world of imagination through fairy tales and other children's stories. I've always dreamt  ...
  
  
• Following Your Professional Passion – Sherrie Rogerson, 08-30-2017
  Passion is defined as "a strong liking or desire for, or devotion to, some activity, object, or concept." It can be frustrating when anyone advises  ...
  
  
• Summertime, Summertime! – Rachel Meyer, Ed.D., 08-15-2017
  If you are like me, you enjoy summer in all its glory — be it humid or dry, hot or smoldering (sorry western states!). Students of all ages enjoy  ...
  
  
• How to Stay Motivated – Barbara Siminerio, 06-01-2017
  Staying motivated can be challenging under the best of circumstances. Most of us make a New Year's Resolution, whether it is to go the gym, stick to  ...
  
  
• Will You Make History? – Karen A. Michaelson, ABOC, 03-01-2017
  March is Women's History Month. This year I decided to explore the women and changes that helped pave the way for us today. Here are a few of the things  ...
  
  
• Out with the Old, In with the New – Susan Parker, 02-01-2017
  The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on the past, consider the present and plan for the future, both personally and professionally.  ...
  
  
• Next Year, Next Level
  Introduced by Dave Beebe Fifteen years ago, my husband Ken and I were on a snow-shoeing vacation in the beautiful Banff National Park and we discovered  ...
  
  

2016

• Bovine Adventures – Rachel Meyer, 11-29-2016
  Yesterday, I heard the words from my daughter's nanny, "Miss Rachel, Yummy 1 is standing next to my car." These are not words you hear often. Let me  ...
  
  
• Creativity Today – Sheila Haile, 10-03-2016
  Creativity today. It used to be that being creative meant only one thing. It meant you could put pen to paper and draw something that sort of resembled  ...
  
  
• A Positive Reaction – Sherrie Rogerson, 09-01-2016
  Everyone has experienced those days, weeks, and months when things don't go as planned. Whether it is personal or professional, it can quickly put you  ...
  
  
• How Mindfulness Can Be Incorporated into the Busiest of Lives – Liz Vickers, 05-03-2016
  Mindfulness? How can one be mindful in this day and age? Juggling children, demanding careers, home and family obligations, and so many other tasks all  ...
  
  
• My Mirror's Getting Clearer – Koi Rivers, 03-15-2016
  She's a definite mini me; there's no denying that. From the knock knees, to the dislike of tomatoes, to the love of music and dance, she is definitely  ...
  
  
• The Universal Law of Attraction – Lauren Bianchi, ABOC, 02-01-2016
  After taking an exciting new job loaded with possibilities and moving my husband, daughter, dog, and cats 70 miles from our parents and friends, we moved  ...
  
  
• Embrace Change! – Amy Robbins, 01-19-2016
  If you told me 17 years ago that I would be developing product for the action sport channel, I would say you have no idea what you are talking about.  ...
  
  
• Next Year, Next Level
  Introduced by Dave Beebe Fourteen years ago, my husband Ken and I were on a snow-shoeing vacation in the beautiful Banff National Park and we discovered  ...
  
  

2015

• Reversing the Formula for Success – Christie Walker, 12-01-2015
  There is a line of thinking that says: If you work harder, you'll be more successful. And if you are more successful, you'll be happier. We are fed  ...
  
  
• Reading to Refresh, Learn, and Be Inspired – Sheila Haile, 08-03-2015
  Mentor. In. One. Minute. It's August. Dog days and all that. Certainly feels like it today in NYC. I decided to focus my article on one of my  ...
  
  
• Think Positively – Cerella Rainey, O.D., 06-01-2015
  Former United States President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, "Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose". When change comes  ...
  
  
• We Can All Make a Difference – Vickie Sullinger, 05-04-2015
  Are you feeling overwhelmed by the social injustice in today's world, the economy, our nation, the perceived threats from foreign countries, and the  ...
  
  

2014

• Gratitude – Christie Walker, 12-02-2014
  As we are wrapping up another year, many times the focus has already shifted to what's ahead, setting goals and resolutions for the next year. I know  ...
  
  
• Endings May Also Bring New Beginnings – Karen A. Michaelson, ABOC, 11-17-2014
  What happens when something in life comes to an end? Of course, the answer depends upon what is drawing to a close. Even the most extreme of endings  ...
  
  
• Snap, Crackle, and Pop – Katheryn Dabbs Schramm, 07-14-2014
  One of the many benefits of membership in the Optical Woman's Association is the opportunity for professional and personal growth while we appreciate  ...
  
  
• Words to Live By – Amy Spiezio, 07-08-2014
  Although most of us are finished with schooling (aside from CE), this season filled with graduations and celebrations can inspire thoughts of what's  ...
  
  
• Want to be Extraordinary? – Debbie Myres, 06-17-2014
  Now that the month of June has arrived, it is a great time to review your plans for the balance 2014. Are you on target for your business goals? Is  ...
  
  
• My Wish to You This Spring – Jodi Groh, 04-15-2014
  Spring. It always brings thoughts of life, of newness, of growth. And after the winter many of us have endured this year, we're looking forward to a  ...
  
  
• No New Year Resolutions For Me – Christie Walker, 01-06-2014
  Each year, New Year Resolutions are made and oftentimes within weeks broken. As a list maker at heart, I can't help myself . . . I make a list of resolutions  ...
  
  

2013

• Feeling Left Out? – Amy Spiezio, 12-17-2013
  Have a little down time during the holiday or looking for a good gift book for the workingwomen in your life? A new book on the market focuses on how  ...
  
  
• In Search of the Napkin Idea – Sheila Haile, 11-08-2013
  I love this term: napkin idea. Such a simple phrase to capture such a complex thing: an idea. They come from anywhere, anytime. We store bits and  ...
  
  
• Motivation – Maggie Sayers, 08-15-2013
  People often say that motivation does not last.Well, neither does bathing. That's why we recommend it daily.— Zig Ziglar — No one can  ...
  
  
• Things My Mother Taught Me – Debbie Myres, 05-01-2013
  Mother's Day is a time for reflection of our Mother, the Mother we have become or the Mother we hope to be. What our mother instilled in us as children  ...
  
  
• Here's To Your Success! – Corinne McCormack, 02-18-2013
  I started my own business in 1993. At that time, it was a recession and people advised me not to start anything new or risky. I was told not to launch  ...
  
  

2012

• Find Your Inspiration, Feed Your Soul – Linda Fitzgerald, Classic Optical, 12-03-2012
  Sometimes the monotony of our daily routine can be draining. I have found two ways to maintain the drive and determination to become successful. Feed  ...
  
  
• Change Your Thinking – Contributed By: Maggie Sayers, M. Sayers Coaching, 08-01-2012
  Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid  ...
  
  
• Things to Do for Everyday Success – Jennifer Fiorenza, ClearVision Optical, 05-16-2012
  To me, there are some little things you can do that can make an ordinary day, an extraordinary day. Last fall, I read an article in Fast Company that  ...
  
  
• Quotations for When You Need a Pick-Me-Up – Laura Sheehan, 03-12-2012
  Sitting at your desk and need a little 'pick-me-up'? Wait . . . don't go looking for the nearest candy jar (who needs the calories anyway . . .), here  ...
  
  
• Increasing Motivation – Audrey Pavia, 02-02-2012
  It's hard for self-motivated beings to understand how others are not self-motivated. The truth is self-motivation is clearly a personality trait and  ...
  
  

2011

• Investing In Your Knowledge – Rachel Rich, 09-19-2011
  An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. — Benjamin Franklin What does continuing education mean to you? To me it means enjoying  ...
  
  

2010

• What Might Your New Year's Resolution Be? – Jodi Groh, 12-01-2010
  As we approach the end of another year, thoughts often turn toward making resolutions for the new year. Unfortunately, we often set unrealistic goals  ...
  
  

2009

• Coloring Your Box – Rebecca Johnson, 10-13-2009
  Taking the risks required to "step out of the box" can be an intimidating thought, especially during this time of economic uncertainty. The tendency  ...
  
  
• The Last Lecture: Lessons Learned Over a Lifetime – Audrey Pavia, 08-04-2009
  Understandably, it seems most of us are focused on one subject these days — the current tough economic times. But as our leaders and financial  ...
  
  
• Setback, Comeback – Amy Spiezio, 06-09-2009
  In challenging financial times, finding that you are not hitting business goals is a reality that many have to face. While it can feel like the end of  ...
  
  

2008

• Behave Yourself – Sandy Likes, 08-18-2008
  How many times did you hear those words "behave yourself" from parents, grandparents and teachers growing up? We usually received those words as we  ...
  
  

2006

• Helpful Tips for Goal Achievement – Jodi Groh, 10-02-2006
  Personal growth. Professional growth. Throughout one's life, the quest for improvement, knowledge, new skills and even adventures affect everyone. Where  ...
  
  
• Developing a Healthy Self-Esteem – Jodi Groh, 07-01-2006
  Self-esteem, simply put, is the opinion you have of yourself. It is an emotion, conscious and unconscious, of how you like and respect yourself. It drives  ...
  
  

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