I just visited the Eldridge Street Synagogue on New York City’s Lower East Side. It has been an active synagogue since 1886 and is well worth a visit. Under restoration for the better part of a generation, the building has been transformed into a breathtakingly beautiful place of worship as well as an educational center...Read More

I recently experienced a disappointment where one member of a Board of Directors wanted me to speak to their association and another did not.  The person that wanted me to speak is a close friend of mine, loves my work and sees tremendous value in it.  The other person might not have seen the value...Read More

Working with my peers in Dubai and Qatar brought to life the prayer I have been saying several times a day for years. A few years ago I came across a small book at a flea market called, “The Prayer Of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life.” It caught my attention because I had...Read More

I love traveling and being exposed to the sites, sounds and tastes of different cultures. Being in the UAE gave me an opportunity to see luxury on a grand scale, down to the dates I was gifted from the concierge at The Burj Al Arab, which announces itself as the worlds most luxurious hotel. I...Read More

At the invitation of the Dubai Tourism Authority, I recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates for a speaking engagement. I was really looking forward to the trip, including my flight with Emirates Airlines and a seat in Business Class. I had heard about the airline’s legendary service for quite some time and was looking...Read More

Have you ever taken the time to look at the word Pet Peeve? What is a peeve anyway? Well, in this case, I have a pet peeve and it has to do with amenities left for guests in hotel rooms. I am always grateful for any and all forms of kind gestures and welcoming experiences...Read More

I am a sucker for acknowledgement, I simply love it. I adore watching awards shows like the Emmy’s, Golden Globes and the Oscars, just to watch the acceptance speeches and the acknowledgement of a job well done. (Ok, I admit, I like seeing the clothes too). There is nothing quite like being acknowledged by your...Read More

In the eyes of my friends and colleagues Cathy and Gary Hawk, Founders of Clarity International, this question holds a great deal of power.  You see, we are all telling ourselves stories about every experience we have, believing them, and then creating our reality accordingly. Let me give you a simple illustration from my own...Read More

In my last post, I explained the concept of mirrored neurons—that we are all wirelessly connected brain to brain. It’s almost as if your state of mind is contagious–a smile from you begets a smile from another, unbridled negativity begets more negativity around you, and so on. There is now scientific evidence that there really is this...Read More

This is the last of my series of four posts about happiness, inspired by Shawn Achor,  a Harvard graduate, author of The Happiness Advantage and founder of Good Think, Inc. His talk at the recent concierge congress in Boston continues to motivate me! He talked about two scientifically substantiated concepts that were completely new to...Read More