Judy Ringer  is one cool woman!  She is a black belt in Aikido, a professional singer, and provides conflict and communication skills training and facilitation, team building and coaching throughout the United States and Canada. Judy lives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Ki Moments, her newsletter, is free and chock full of useable and accessible strategies.  Does conflict make you hot?  Then Judy can teach you about the coolness of power and presence.   

Also cool, is Jan Masaoka. For 14 years she was Executive Director of CompassPoint; 2003 Nonprofit Executive of the year; 8 time designee of the nonprofit nation's Fifty Most Influential People; 2005 California Community Leader of the Year; and currently editor of the immensely valuable and resource rich Blue Avocado. Subscribe here for your free subscription to Blue Avocado. Recently she co-authored Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Sustainability, a significant and valuable read. Jan's work on behalf of the nonprofit community is stunning. Her newsletter is one we always take the time to read.

Deb and Carol facilitate high quality leadership development for the nonprofit sector.  Since 2002 over 100  executive directors have taken part in Paddling the Rapids peer consultation groups and rave about their experiences.  Groups for nonprofit executive directors are planned for Bangor, Portland, Midcoast, Augusta/Waterville and Southern Maine/Seacoast New Hampshire area. 

Does the idea of meeting with your peers in a confidential environment pique your interest?  This group of 8 executive directors will dive into topics that are difficult to discuss in other arenas.  Come away feeling inspired, renewed, re-focused, and more able to tackle your challenges while also experiencing the joys of being a nonprofit leader today. Contact us. 

"It has been really good to have a place where I can come and admit that I don't know everything and realize that others have similar feelings as executive directors.  This is one of the places where I get reinforcement about a group working together being smarter than individuals struggling alone." 

~ Executive Director, participant

INTERESTED? Want more information?  We would be glad to call you or put you in touch with a past participant.  Your peers have said this is one of the best quality professional development opportunities they know of.  Contact us. 

CURIOUS?  Go to www.paddlingtherapids.com for details, testimonials and information about additional services offered.

SOME DETAILS:  meets monthly for 8 sessions, $800, time and place decided by participants.  All groups will start in October. 

15 ways to stay cool when its hot from MEDICINE NET

 

Keeping cool when temperatures reach record highs isn't just about comfort. Dangerously high temperatures can result in heat-related illnesses ranging from heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The following tips can help you keep cool all summer long.

1. Alter your pattern of outdoor exercise to take advantage of cooler times (early morning or late evening). If you can't change the time of your workout, scale it down by doing fewer minutes, walking instead or running, or decreasing your level of exertion.

2. Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color.

3. Cotton clothing will keep you cooler than many synthetics.

4. Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick refreshing spray to your face after being outdoors.

5. Fans can help circulate air and make you feel cooler even in an air-conditioned house.

6. Try storing lotions or cosmetic toners in the refrigerator to use on hot, overtired feet.

7. Keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer; grab one when you're ready to go outside. As the ice melts, you'll have a supply of cold water with you.

8. Take frequent baths or showers with cool or tepid water.

9. Combat dehydration by drinking plenty of water along with sports drinks or other sources of electrolytes.

10. Some people swear by small, portable, battery-powered fans. At an outdoor event I even saw a version that attaches to a water bottle that sprays a cooling mist.

11. I learned this trick from a tennis pro: if you're wearing a cap or hat, remove it and pour a bit of ice cold water into the hat, then quickly invert it and place on your head.

12. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will promote dehydration.

13. Instead of hot foods, try lighter summer fare including frequent small meals or snacks containing cold fruit or low fat dairy products.

14. If you don't have air-conditioning, arrange to spend at least parts of the day in a  public library, movie theater, or other public space that is cool.  

15. Finally, use common sense. If the heat is intolerable, stay indoors when you can and avoid activities in direct sunlight or on hot asphalt surfaces. Pay special attention to the elderly, infants, and anyone with a chronic illness, as they may dehydrate easily and be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Don't forget that pets also need protection from dehydration and heat-related illnesses too.

REFERENCE: Fauci, Anthony S., et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008.