Life Happens … **IT HAPPENS

Life rarely goes as planned. Sometimes, unplanned events only cause minor adjustments. But sometimes, they can put you in “crisis mode” and might require major transformations. Like the rainy Friday when Red’s husband came home and told her, totally unexpected, that he had been fired. In a split second, her life went from fairy tale to nightmare.

So, whether you freak out (Red’s default setting) or are feeling overwhelmed and uncertain where to start, when we relaunch this site in the New Year, there will be a section called **IT HAPPENS. Filled with tips and tools (and, of course, food for thought), we hope it will help you survive and thrive during even the most stressful life events.

Because we’ve experienced them, we know that a “crisis” can come in many different forms (financial, work, relationship, health, natural disaster, the list goes on), and what starts as one issue often impacts many aspects of your life. But, as Black recently explained to Red,

Every situation is different, but you can approach them in a similar way, although I did not tell you that at the time. I did not even let you know we were going through the steps one-by-one because, in your case, I knew we first had to deal with the emotional aspects. And, when I told you I thought your “crisis” would be the best thing that ever happened to you, you thought I was being nice. Even though I do not do nice.

Well, Black may not “do nice”, but she did help Red through her “crisis”, and along the way, managed to help Red see that adjusting her mindset and perspective could make all the difference.

However, if you’re currently in a difficult situation (or just curious about how Black guided Red), knowing what’s coming next year doesn’t help you now. So, we hope the following posts might help make things a little better.

P.S. – In case you missed it, here’s a link to the description of THE DAILY HELP, which includes helpful hints you can use now.

crisis

Ask Red & Black

Asking Again: Is one of you “the boss”?

FULL QUESTION: Asking Again: I love how Red & Black is run by two sisters. Is one of you “the boss”?

We thought this would be the perfect question to rerun on National Boss’s Day. Why? Well, we think the responses below say it all …

Red's Head assets.rebelmouse.io

Oh yes, definitely! Without question, that would be Black. In fact, on more than one occasion, I've been known to refer to her as The Boss (and I'm not talking about Bruce Springsteen). It's usually me kidding around and saying something along the lines of "I'll have to check with The Boss." (Even my daughters have heard me refer to their aunt that way, and they've never questioned me, so there must be some agreement, at least in my family, about who's the boss.)

To a great extent, it may be because if you were to compare our bios, I don't think my background as a mom prepared me to be a businesswoman, although Black has tried to convince me otherwise. On the other hand, Black's bio makes it painfully obvious she's "all business" so better suited to be "the boss."

Black's Head Black assets.rebelmouse.io

It depends on how you define "boss." If you are referring to who owns more of the company, I hold 1% more than Red, which technically means I have more"authority". And, I will admit that as the older sister, I have more practice being bossy (especially as she has always tried to avoid conflict), but when it comes to business, I value teamwork. Red has a perspective and background very different than mine (that is an understatement!), but the key is acknowledging that – and learning from one another in order to make the best business decisions.

The bottom line is there would be no Red & Black … without Red or without Black. It is truly a partnership.

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Unlisted Posts & Pages

Soft Skills Animation Series

This series of animated videos was developed for The Greater Houston Partnership's UpSkill Houston initiative. They're updating their website, but due to popular demand for these videos, we're making them (and the associated copy) available on our site:

Soft skills are key to successful careers.

Certain technical skills may be required for specific careers or in particular industries. But there are other skills that are necessary regardless of industry, career or work setting. They’re becoming more important as technology evolves and changes the way people work. These skills are called soft skills and knowing how to recognize and demonstrate them is crucial.

UpSkill Houston and Red & Black have partnered to highlight many of the soft skills that are key to career success, all of which are transferable between industries, as well as in your personal life. Learn what these skills are, how you can develop them, and how to apply them in career settings.

WHAT ARE SOFT SKILLS? Employability Skills. 21st Century Skills. Life Skills. Whatever you call them, skills such as problem solving, gratitude and communication are the skills employers continually look for in employees.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Communication affects almost everything and everyone. But do you know what communication really means?

CREATIVE THINKING: Think creativity only applies to areas like writing, music and art? See where creativity really fits within a business, organization or team.

CRITICAL THINKING: What exactly is critical thinking? Learn how developing critical thinking skills can help you progress in your career.

GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION: You might not think expressing gratitude and appreciation are skills that apply in business. But they are skills that can actually drive business success.

GROWTH MINDSET: The world — and the workplace — are rapidly changing. See what it means to have a growth mindset, and why employers value it.

PERSONAL FINANCE: See how learning to manage your personal money can affect your performance at work and, by extension, the performance of your workplace as a whole.

PROBLEM SOLVING: Problem solving means more than just addressing a challenge after it occurs. Learn what else it means and why employers value problem solvers.

RESEARCH & ANALYTICAL SKILLS: It is more than surfing the internet. Finding accurate and credible information that you can analyze and summarize are highly valuable skills in many jobs and occupations.

RESUME WRITING: Companies hire people to satisfy a need or help solve a problem, and a resume is a place to highlight the relevant skills you have that meet that need or solve that problem. Learn what to focus on when writing your resume.

SAFETY MINDSET: Working safely is important regardless of your work environment. Learn why having a safety mindset benefits you, your employer and those around you.

SILO BUSTING: Many companies operate multiple departments, divisions or groups, which may not always collaborate or work together. Learn what it means to break a “silo” in a work setting and how doing it can improve the workflow around you.

TEAMWORK: Being able to work on a team is as important in a work setting as it is while playing sports. See what skills can help move a project forward and drive success.

soft skills

Words & Banter

What About Food For Thought On … Yom Kippur?!

Underlying photo by Alleko on iStock

What’s so funny about the holiest day in Judaism, Yom Kippur, the “Day of Atonement”? A day where you fast as a way to help you deeply reflect on your past year, asking forgiveness, and then promising to do better.

Well, technically, nothing is funny about the holiday, but every time we think of this speaking engagement, it makes us laugh (as it did our audience) …

Red's Head assets.rebelmouse.io

I know that Yom Kippur isn't exactly known as one of the "fun" Jewish holidays, but every year, I can't help but laugh at what's easily my number one Yom Kippur memory.

Black's Head Blackassets.rebelmouse.io

That is what makes memories … memorable. And, finding something to laugh at on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is probably the most important and solemn Jewish holiday, would be memorable.

Red's Head assets.rebelmouse.io

I can't believe you're not even curious what it is!?

Keep Reading ...Show less

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Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	You know I love to "connect the dots", and all you had to say was Yom Kippur, fun, and memory. Obviously, it was when RabbiScott asked us to speak before his congregation on Yom Kippur.
assets.rebelmouse.io	Well, I still find it surreal that we were asked to speak about money on one of the High Holy Days. And that we titled our presentation, "Oy Vey, You Want To Talk About Money?"
Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	The day is about reflection, making fundamental changes – or at least adjustments – and trying to become a better person. And, just because it is a spiritual journey, there is no reason you cannot make learning fun.
assets.rebelmouse.io	True. I remember the time Rabbi Scott put a piece of aluminum foil in the children's Yom Kippur service program to help them understand that Yom Kippur's a day for reflection. But even you must admit that making a congregation laugh about money on a religious holiday is a bit much.
Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	But, memorable. A few years later, I met someone who attended that service, and he said he's never forgotten it.
assets.rebelmouse.io	For the content or all the food analogies?! I can remember we started by saying how we just wanted to give everyone some food-for-thought and then saying, "Oops, since Yom Kippur's a day of fasting, maybe bringing up the subject of food wasn't such a good idea."
Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	Of course, it did not stop us from doing it, again and again.
assets.rebelmouse.io	How else could we explain our unexpected journey into personal finance without mentioning it started at our first speaking engagement … which was at a Jewish Federation breakfast?
Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	Or, how our detour into criminal justice started with me meeting with the chaplain at a men's prison? But I knew it was meant to be when she told me they had the only kosher kitchen in the Texas prison system.
assets.rebelmouse.io	And each time we looked at each other and then the audience, and we all laughed! With each mention of food, it just got funnier and funnier. But there was no way to avoid it.
Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	I know. How could you tell the story about realizing all the money you were mindlessly spending at Jamba Juice without mentioning your almost-daily smoothies? Or, how you went grocery shopping at Whole Foods because it was convenient but not cost-effective. Anyway, until that day, I never realized how so many of our stories have to do with food.
assets.rebelmouse.io	I think the highlight was toward the end when I was explaining how I felt overwhelmed trying to tackle personal finance. That at times, things seemed insurmountable, and then you told me … it's like eating an elephant, you can do it, just one bite at a time. And everyone started laughing again.
Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	On any other day, I doubt that analogy would make you think of food. But, on Yom Kippur, and especially since we were presenting after at least 15 hours of fasting, everything makes you hungry.
assets.rebelmouse.io	I guess it's like being so tired that you get slap happy. But I never thought a day of atonement and reflection could end up becoming a day of laughter.
Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	On Yom Kippur, we wish people an "easy fast" or a "meaningful fast"… and if a bit of laughter, even if not intended, helps, what is wrong with that?
assets.rebelmouse.io	Good point. For that matter, you don't need to be Jewish to take a day, or even just an hour, to stop, to think, and to improve.
Blackassets.rebelmouse.io	No fasting required.