For Your Well Being 
Barbara Christenson, Speaker Services, Publisher 
mailto:barbarac@easystreet.com
http://www.SpeakingForYourWellBeing.com 
Published every other Thursday
January 15, 2004 Vol.II Issue 2 

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                   This Issue: AGAINST ALL ODDS
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Dear Friends,

Well, gee, I thought I was going to write to you this week about my 
trip to San Francisco to be with Holly Stiel and Jana Stanfield 
presenting for the Northern California Speakers Association. It is a 
real honor to be asked to speak to one’s colleagues, and as a mentor, I 
was feeling like a proud “Mother Hen,” wanting to be there for her 
“kids.” Mother Nature, however, had other ideas and socked in the 
airport here in Portland, Oregon with ice and snow. No go. It feels 
like an appropriate time to acknowledge the dedication of speakers who 
brave the elements and the odds to make it to their engagements, in the 
face of adversities.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to share a little bit about 
Holly, one of my favorite people in the whole world, and the person who 
first introduced me to Jana Stanfield over ten years ago.

Yours truly,
Barbara

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             FROM THE MEETING FRONT: AGAINST ALL ODDS 
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Weather or not, I’m proud to say I’ve known my speakers to turn around 
when turned away at the airport, rent a car and drive long hours to 
make an engagement, if it’s at all feasible. 9/11, however, presented a 
whole new set of barriers to be overcome.

Our client, Baptist Hospital East, in Louisville, KY had scheduled 
their annual women’s program, “Wise Woman's Wellness: A No-Guilt, 
Practical Guide to Everyday Health” for Saturday, September 15, 2001. 
On September 11, the keynote speaker, Dr. Deborah Kern, was just 
finishing a few days of teaching special sessions at Lake Austin Spa, 
in Austin, TX. Deb was soon to find out, it’s a REALLY long way between 
Austin, TX and Louisville, KY. 

As Kit Fullenlove, Public Relations Manager recalls, “Because of the 
devastating events of September 11, we felt it was important to hold 
the seminar to help people get their lives back to normal.”

We all watched the news for any sign of what might happen with the 
airlines, while rental cars were snapped up faster than snow shovels on 
a snowy day in Portland. And, I’m sure you will remember, that the 
entire time, we were dealing not only with the hour-to-hour uncertainty 
of it all, but the underlying fear for our own safety, as well as the 
safety of our loved ones and the future of our world.

From Austin, Deb was on the phone with her husband in Alabama, creating 
various scenarios, including him driving cross country to get her or 
meet her. Kit was checking Greyhound Bus schedules, (and possibly 
camels, I think ). Deb finally decided on Thursday, to get on the 
road and head in an easterly direction, hitching a ride with an elderly 
couple who were returning home from the spa to Baton Rouge, LA. From 
the backseat of their car, Deb continued to dial rental car companies, 
hoping to pick up a car in Baton Rouge, while continuing to concoct 
alternate “plans.”

There were no rental cars in Baton Rouge.

And then a U-Haul passed them. “A-ha!” she thought, “That’s a vehicle 
for rent,” and immediately called U-Haul. Fifteen hours later, Deb and 
her suitcase left Baton Rouge in a 14 foot truck (that’s big enough to 
move the contents of a one-bedroom apartment) and barreled on down the 
road for the 13-hour trip home to Huntsville, Alabama. 

Home at last at 9 a.m., she hugged her son and husband, ate some 
breakfast and re-grouped. Later, she got in her own car and headed up 
the road, 9 more hours to Louisville, arriving at midnight.

Now if it didn’t take all of her creativity just to get there, at 9 
a.m. the next morning, she faced an audience looking for hope and 
reassurance, if not answers. 

“What a seminar that was!” Kit said. “We will never forget it. Nearly 
every woman who registered showed up, proving to us that it was 
important to them to carry on with their lives.

“Deb did a special segment that involved the participants lighting 
candles and making affirming statements to one another. One of our 
behavioral health therapists, said it was a tremendously healing 
experience, not just for herself, but for many others.

“The audience also appreciated Deb's tremendous effort to be there for 
them. She did an outstanding job despite little sleep.”

For Deb it was a life-altering experience in more ways than one. She 
says that prior to this trip, she had never been able to drive more 
than three hours without falling asleep. Since then, when she gets in 
the car, it’s like a hit of adrenaline kicks in and she is charged for 
the long haul!

The part about being creative with the program under the circumstances 
is par for the course, I have to say, for the level of professionalism 
and pure dedication that speakers like Dr. Deborah Kern bring to your 
events.

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             SACRED CONNECTIONS: HOLLY STIEL & FRIENDS 
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I first met Holly Stiel over a decade ago when she was the guest
speaker for our convention and visitors bureau in Lansing, Michigan. 
Our client had clipped a newspaper story about her and her new book, 
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, and asked our speakers bureau to check her out. 
We did, we hired her, she came, and gave our community a new way to 
practice customer service, and that is, from their hearts. For Holly 
and me, a sacred friendship was born. 

Getting to know me, she said, “You’ve got to hear Jana Stanfield. 
You’ll love her.” Next thing I know, a tape, “I’m Not Lost, I’m 
Exploring,” shows up in my mail. Jana has written my theme song! 
Another sacred connection is made. Don’t you sometimes just wonder if 
the angels are up there watching to see if we take the bait and then 
whoop it up when we make the connection?

After a pioneering career as a concierge for 16 years, Holly delved 
into speaking and training with her unique “Neon Signs of Service,” 
which is also the title of her latest book. For businesses committed to 
customer service as a point of differentiation, there is no better 
teacher on the fine art of customer service than Holly Stiel. Holly not 
only recognizes, but embraces the notion of emotion in customer 
interaction, transforming that energy into people skills that increase 
customer satisfaction and decrease customer turnover. I have read about 
some hospitals and businesses initiating “concierge” services. If you 
need a resource, check it out at http://www.thankyouverymuchinc.com.
AOL users  click here 

I also wanted you to know about Holly because she is a self-care 
expert. Her interest stemmed from her need to take care of herself 
under the stress of serving over 300 customers a day. 

Ultimately, we are all in service and Holly believes you can’t give 
away what you don’t have. Service ultimately comes from inside as each 
one of us brings our unique, creative spirit to work with us. 

For your new year’s contemplation, here’s a little of her philosophy. 
There will be more in future issues. 

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                SELF-LOVE = SELF-CARE by Holly Stiel
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How are you replenishing yourself? What are you doing to take care of
you? It’s a scientific law that if you continually draw water from a 
well without replenishing it, eventually it will run dry. The airlines 
have it right when they say, “Secure your own oxygen mask before 
attempting to help others.” It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to 
separate self-care from self-love. No technique of self-care works 
unless the underlying tenet is self-love. 

It is important to understand what self-care is and is not. It seems 
like a paradox, but self-care is not about being a narcissist. Taking 
care of oneself is how we can contribute more love to others. Self-care 
happens in relationships as well as in solitude. It is about being kind 
and tender with ourselves. It is a lifelong commitment and it is always 
in process. It is not about being selfish, feeling guilty, or extreme 
discipline. It is not about money or expensive treatments (while those 
are nice, they are optional).

Your own personal degree of self-love will have a direct effect on your
ability to self-nurture. The odd thing is self-love doesn’t come all 
that naturally. It is in a constant battle with your inner voice, 
wanting to sabotage you. The human mind is amazing! Over the years I 
have learned to love myself -- flaws, cellulite, the entire package. 
I’m much happier now. Try it. You will be, too!

                                  Holly Stiel, author, speaker, trainer
                                  Teaching the Art of Customer Service

Until next time, be good to yourself, for your well being and those you 
love.

Barbara

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                        ABOUT OUR SERVICES 
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My vision for Speaker Services is to be a connector for selected 
speakers I know, love and believe in, with the audiences who will be 
inspired, motivated, maybe even, transformed by their perspectives, 
knowledge, empathy, compassion, information and, most importantly,
capacity to enjoy the process, laughing at themselves and with you.

You’ll find many of our speakers on our website. 
http://www.SpeakingForYourWellBeing.com
AOL users  click here 
Or please call anytime and let us assist you: 503-699-5031
Speaker Services, 16491 SW Lake Forest Blvd, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
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