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There are 2 times in my life where I realized I was really an adult: 1) when my kids vomited on me and I was more worried about them than myself, and 2) when I proactively looked for life and long-term care insurance.  

Jump to #2.  In my experience, whether one deals well with insurance, taxes, investments, etc. is often dependent on how one’s family of origin dealt with it. These “adult” responsibilities are not fun or particularly interesting but are vital to having a safe and sustainable life. I am so thankful that my father impressed on me the need to never go even one minute without health insurance. My parents also modeled for me how to be responsible about insurance and investments. I am thankful that I listened to them and maxed out my 401k since beginning my government job. The time value of money invested over thirty years has enabled me to become one of the 401k millionaires. It was actually relatively painless — I didn’t notice these missing funds as they were automatically withdrawn from my paycheck.

Since we’re in the month before tax day, I thought this would be an appropriate time to raise these issues. People rarely talk with their peers about these responsibilities. If you don’t have someone in your life talking about this stuff, this is my effort to fill this void. For some, this list is a given and nothing new, but I hope that it serves others that are confused and/or ignoring these vital actions.

Here are my top set of considerations you should be evaluating now:

1) Funding your Retirement: if you have a dollar match for your 401k/403b retirement plan at work, make sure to at least meet the maximum match. So, if your company will match up to 5% of your salary, you must put in at least 5% to get the full match. I would go further and highly recommend doing the maximum (currently $19,500, with the option for an additional $6,500 catch-up contribution for those over 50). You will thank yourself when you start seriously thinking about retirement. Make this automatic so your spending will focus on your net income.

Note on Roth Accounts: If you can manage putting your investments in a Roth IRA account – meaning you pay the taxes going in – I think it’s always worth it. Be mindful, however, of not inadvertently putting yourself into the next, higher tax bracket. A Roth allows investments to continue to grow, without having to worry about a tax bite when you take it out.  Also, in case you care to leave money to your heirs, changes in the recent tax law could wreak havoc on them, since the new requirement is that Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) must be taken over ten years rather than a much longer timeframe. This means that your heirs could face a huge tax bill in each of those ten years. A Roth is not subject to this RMD restrictions. Again, to take advantage of a Roth, you must have the cash to pay the tax in the current tax year, so that’s a huge consideration. The younger you are, the more a Roth provides a significant benefit, allowing time to do its thing.

2) Taxable Investments:  If at all possible, have taxable investments outside of your retirement account, with a minimum amount to cover emergency expenses if you lose your job or encounter another emergency. This is also an important source of funds for prized vacations, household improvements or spending money prior to or in retirement. Taking the long view on this will pay off, I promise. Make sure to invest funds beyond your emergency stash, and not just keep them in cash until you have time to deal with it. Compounding interest and dividends over time makes a big difference!

3) Life Insurance: Figuring this out is a daunting, largely unpleasurable experience. But if you own something that you cannot afford on your salary alone and/or have kids, you must have life insurance. I realized the need for term life insurance when my husband and I bought a home whose mortgage I could not have covered if something happened to him and his salary! Just swallow and take the time to learn about insurance and make good decisions. Be careful about who you use to get the insurance, as many insurance brokers have a disincentive to put your interests first. If possible, get term insurance that will make it until your kids are out of college. This is not always possible if there are health issues. Interestingly, if you do a good job with investments, etc., you likely will not need insurance once the 20 or 30-year term of the insurance expires, because your investments should be enough to cover you. I recommend getting a lot more than you think is needed to ride the inflation that will occur over the life of the insurance.

4) Creating a will if you have kids or property.  This is a bit of an expense but is key to ensuring that your kids and your property are protected in case you or your spouse/partner die, especially earlier than expected. While I dreaded doing it and paying for it, the process had the unexpectedly positive benefit of getting my husband and I talking about what mattered to each of us.    

5) Long-term Care insurance: This is the activity where I realized I truly was an adult and had to face what I would do if my spouse or I were infirm, and how we would pay for it.  Again, take the time to learn about this from neutral sources (the US Government puts out really valuable information – see below) and make the investment if it makes sense.

6) 529 college investments:  I am so grateful that we started making monthly investments as soon as each of my kids got their social security numbers, when they were less than a year old. Time value of money really added up, leading my kids to have enough money in their 529 accounts to fund their (public!) college education. It helped A LOT that grandparents invested in each kid’s account for every birthday and Hanukkah. I could not have retired when I did without this financial certainty.

7) Fun money:  It is critical that each partner have the flexibility to spend on things they value, within reason. Not having to negotiate every transaction is key to a healthy partnership/marriage.   

8) Reflecting regularly on where you are re: your wealth: Discuss with your spouse/partner at least once a year. I actually enjoy this process but know it’s unpleasant for most people. Just do it.

9) Putting everything in one place:  I’m still working on this one, but co-locating vital information (account information; passwords, wills, safety deposit access information, etc.) in one place is the best present we can provide to our survivors. I promise to get this done before my next blog. My version of accountability!

It helps so much to find neutral, objective advice before jumping into any of these.  Before I got a financial planner, I had a Morningstar membership (around $150/year).  It helped me understand a lot of financial concepts, kept track of my investments, and allowed me to research new investments – without the conflict of interest that investment houses like Fidelity, Vanguard or T. Rowe Price inevitably have.  On insurance, I like government pamphlets, especially related to long-term care insurance (such as https://longtermcare.acl.gov/ ). 

Finally, I wish we were all more open with our friends about this. Not to generalize, but I feel that men are better at this than women, at least about talking about investments. Ladies, let’s start having these conversations with our friends and family.

What a Year It’s Been

A year ago this week is when covid-19 really hit home. Both of my college students had to start full virtual classes, and could not return to their universities.  For my son, we went through the craziness of finding him a flight home from his study abroad program in Scotland.  We realized my husband, who recently had major surgery and was now on immunosuppressant medication, was now at very high risk.  He’s barely left the house since, except for walks and periodic blood tests. We had just had our last indoor restaurant experience, celebrating my daughter’s birthday.  Our lives, like everyone’s, went full virtual.

We’ve nearly made it folks – just a few more months to go, hopefully! What’s on your list – for both things you need to tackle, and your post-covid wish list??

Recommended listens:

Informative interview from NPR’s Market Place hosts Kai Rissdal and Molly Wood and New School labor economist Teresa Ghilarducci on the (not so great) state of retirement plans (as of December 2020, when this episode was recorded). 

NPR/KERA’s Think podcast episode on How To Become More Open-Minded – how sometimes growth comes through unlearning ideas we’ve always thought to be true.  

Since starting this blog, I’ve come to realize that I’m essentially a lazy writer. Sitting at my desk to dream up ideas just doesn’t cut it for me.  Rather, my writing style is to let inspiration catch me. So my cellphone ends up being my most important aid.

I find most of my inspiration while on my daily walk, listening to a wide variety of podcasts. It’s pretty intimate listening to the radio or podcasts – it’s just you and the show.  Being out in nature just adds to it, inviting a connection between what I’m learning about and my life. It is not uncommon to see me stopped on the street typing an idea or even my first draft into my cellphone.  Usually, the most cogent way to phrase a thought pops into my head when I’m doing something else.  Sometimes, my blog ideas come while in the shower.  Yup, I’ve rushed out of the shower more than a few times to add text to my notes app while dripping wet (sorry for TMI).  Writing things down immediately relieves my brain from having to remember them.  While I do multiple rounds of edits sitting in front of my laptop, I never come up with an idea or write a first draft there.

Lazy …. or Efficient?

I call this my lazy approach. I view it as lazy because it doesn’t require much effort.  Rather than sit and suffer, I allow inspiration to feed me.  No pain but gain …

Putting an adjective – lazy – on my approach got me to thinking about how I operated in my working years in government.  In retrospect, it was all about this lazy method.  If I had the luxury of advance notice that I was on the hook to produce a product or presentation, I would let thoughts simmer in my brain as far in advance as possible, jotting down ideas, an outline, or sketchy visuals as they came to me.  As the time got nearer, I did a concentrated refinement at my desk.

Connecting many dots, I’ve realized that this reflects my natural predilection to avoid high pressure situations.  As my kids know, Murphy’s Law (i.e., anything that can happen WILL happen) is a guiding principle for me.  It’s a key theme of how my parents raised me. While I shuddered each time my parents said it, and my kids still shudder today when I say “Remember – Murphy’s law,” it has defined my process for so many things in my life.

I never thought of myself as anxious, but it seems my modis operandi (MO) might just be anxiety avoidance. Many prefer to live in the moment and put off studying or completing a task until the last minute, with good results. Not me. I’m not one who did an all-nighter in college. I would worry that I might get sick or be so overcome with fear that I might not finish.  So, I have always deferred to my plodding routine – do a little here and there and build up the workload so I am rarely overwhelmed at the end. Call it lazy… or efficient…

Trusting our decision-making process

Over time, I have come to trust that arriving at decisions is in line with my lazy method.  I allow the pros and cons of a personal or career-related decision to percolate, knowing that I will soon just know which way to go. This allows my brain and heart to meld into agreement. Again, what makes it lazy is that I am comfortable with temporary indecision and don’t force the process into a compressed timeline.

Many struggle with making decisions. Rather than suffer needlessly, it helps to think back to how they’ve been made before. Everyone has made a ton of decisions but may think of them as individually unrelated. I choose to believe that there was a common theme in the system that led to the result. It’s a matter of identifying each person’s pattern of what works, and then rely on it going forward.

This month’s blog is dedicated to my beloved dog Tori, who passed away on January 26 at almost 15.  In a circuitous way, this blog’s theme is aligned with how we treat our pets.  Do we trust them off-leash? Do we focus on positive reinforcement to achieve behavior change?  Do we treat them as a cherished family member, never banishing them when visitors come over? Whatever style one has, it comes down to being instinctual and confident. 

Since we are all so unique, our personal MO — for decision-making, writing/creating/presenting and pet parenting — needs to be authentic to each of us. Whether you feel your style is lazy, rigorous or last minute, I would love to hear your process and how you (hopefully) came to trust it.

What I want to share this month:

The Daily podcast’s quick and dirty summary of Biden climate plan and it’s likely impacts on Americans and our economy. 

Pointers on HOW TO LOOK BETTER ON ZOOM [ How to Light & Angle Your Screen to Look Your Best] – YouTube

Fascinating tour of American accents from this Wired Magazine 21 minute YouTube video.  

The icon I most admire may surprise you.

My choice is Iris Apfel, who became a superstar in her 80s. She is known for her trademark glasses and funky fashion choices. Especially remarkable is that her fame came at such an advanced age, when women have usually been discounted and dismissed for years.

Although a well-known textile expert over many decades, she became widely recognized for her distinctive fashion sense that counters much of the strictly defined standards of the fashion industry.  This uptight industry focuses primarily on what looks good on the under 25 year-old, emaciated set and has firm rules about how many accessories are acceptable (not more than 1-2!) in an outfit. 

Forget that.  Rather than conforming to a set standard, Iris’ choices turn a nose to them.  Her outfits are gutsy, independent and fun-loving. She is especially known for unapologetically flouting the above-mentioned rules about wearing too many stand-out accessories.  She is no snob, and can be as delighted by a $1 bracelet as a priceless frock or a piece of jewelry.

With her outrageous fashions and large black round glasses, she has positively impacted so many, including her much younger Instagram followers. Her signature style even became a theme for the Met Gala – the highest compliment by the Vogue set.

What I’ve learned from Iris

Living in the relatively conservative Washington, DC area, it’s rare to see fashion independence.  While I am not nearly as flamboyant as Iris, she has given me the courage to wear bold clothes, shoes or jewelry in a way that feels fun and spirited.  Her example has given me the confidence to mix colors and “too much” jewelry. 

While one’s outfits are not that meaningful in the scheme of things, her fearlessness is what inspires me.  Her style is a lesson in authenticity, which can be applied in myriad ways – how we dress, how we operate in our personal and work lives, and in what policies and programs we advocate for.

In addition, Iris has positively influenced our public perception of aging. Iris being Iris shows that aging doesn’t have to be a negative.  She gleefully shows her wrinkles.  She wears outrageous outfits, always with a smile that lights up every photo she’s in.  Her signature glasses – never a fashion “do” — immediately identify her.  She shows that we can change how we portray ourselves at any age.  Wikipedia reports that Iris signed a modeling contract in 2019 at 97 years old!

I watch the 2015 documentary, Iris, at least annually to be reminded of her impact and just to be entertained.  Please take the time to watch this fascinating and heartwarming story of an icon (and her adorable husband, who unfortunately, has since passed). 

Of course, RBG

For so many, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an icon to be admired and emulated.  She spoke about her greatest influence – her mother – who taught her to always act like a lady and to never lead with anger.  She applied these lessons masterfully.  Rather than show her anger, she used that energy to develop legal strategies to overcome institutional sexism in our system. 

As a Federal judge and then Supreme Court Justice, she took the long view in her dissents – putting a lot of effort into eloquently explaining how the law must be changed, knowing that later jurists would use her dissents to guide their decisions. She was a tiny woman with a soft voice, but that never got in the way of the respect afforded her. I love that she was an exercise fiend; an opera lover; best friends with her political opposite; an amazing wife, parent and grandmother; and an extremely hard worker.  We can all take lessons from how she lived her life.

The Amazing Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams brilliantly led the charge on voting rights and black empowerment that led to two Democratic Senators being elected in last week’s runoff.  She came into Georgia politics ten years ago when Democratic power was at its lowest ever.  Rather than cop to it, she methodically created a strategy that mobilized black and other previously disenfranchised voters, resulting in a much-needed change in who represents Georgia, and ultimately who controls the US Senate.    

It is not exaggerating to say that her efforts may have literally saved our Earth.  With Democrats in the Senate majority, even by the smallest margin, vital climate change and infrastructure policy and funding are much more likely to be adopted legislatively.  Her determination and perseverance have taught us and our electoral system how to address and overcome disenfranchisement, with long-lasting and positive consequences. She has earned icon status.

The Everyday Icons Among US

I’m always amazed by how small or random interactions can change our mood or point of view.  I always loved those doormen/front desk clerks who greeted me so warmly and enthusiastically, getting me to smile and jump-start my day. I love watching parents on the metro or at the park who are so delighted by simply hanging out with their child.  Or the person who gives an upbeat and informative briefing or talk in a field I never thought about but got me to consider how interesting it might be to work in that field.  I always appreciated those I encountered in my workplace who were so busy yet took the time to talk with me in a thoughtful, unhurried way. Or someone who leads a meeting in a patient and present manner, knowing that so much was waiting for them when they returned to their offices. It’s worth recognizing small or large acts of generosity in our relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and random people we may run into once or many times.

We all get to write our own stories.  The events of the past four years, and especially the last week, have shown us the need for moral courage in our words and actions. Icons can give us the confidence to stay true to our convictions in how we conduct ourselves. Iris Apfel worked in a very different industry than I did, but I found much to admire and apply in my personal and work life.  Who’s your icon?

Disclaimer:  After January 6th’s insurgency, I want to emphasize that this blog is focused on icons that inspire moral, gutsy behavior only. Donald Trump and his ilk, unfortunately, serve as icons for too many, and only in the most negative, counterproductive, and harmful ways. 

Recommended listens:

For those for whom Shakespeare is your icon, listen to this podcast episode from KERA’s Think about the influence of the Bubonic plague, which was a constant during Shakespeare’s lifetime, on his life and plays. 

Tiny Victories Podcast.  A new podcast by my childhood friend, Annabelle Gurwitch and her co-host, Laura House.  They are comedians that see hilarious and heartwarming tiny victories in everyday experiences in short 10-15 minute episodes.  Here’s a link to the first episode. 

I can trace 2020 through the evolution of this blog.  My first one came out in January, when few had heard of the coronavirus.  My intention was to provide my perspective, from my career and life, to aid others as they navigate the working world, in particular. 

However …. the pandemic hit, and as we all needed to, I had to pivot. Not only did my life experience not lend itself to operating under a pandemic, but so many of our work concerns paled in comparison to the devastation wrought by a lethal, microscopic virus. My desire to have pre-written, evergreen blogs that I could post monthly soon morphed into new thoughts and reactions to our current predicament.    

Now, as we approach the end of this turbulent, politically charged and covid-filled year, I hope to turn back to applying lessons I’ve learned to career and life circumstances that others may experience. 

In thinking through what applies at this juncture of our covid journey, I’ve realized that being consciously strategic in all aspects of our lives can be particularly helpful by providing balance and reducing angst.

We normally employ “strategy” in military, policy or work settings – creating a multidimensional action plan that focuses on accomplishing a large (ex. winning a war; conquering climate change) or tactical (ex. winning a battle; increasing local renewable energy adoption) goal. 

In this time, being “strategic” can be adapted to being as efficient as one can be while also giving oneself a break. In all things. This doesn’t help win a war or conquer a large policy goal, but at a personal level, it allows us to more gently get through this pandemic.

Parenting

I have nothing but admiration for parents with small or older kids who still need help navigating online school or mental anguish.  Those with jobs now have at least double the workload, including having to replace playmates so critical to kids’ social development and overall happiness.  I can only imagine how I would cope in such tough circumstances. Being a single or unemployed parent just compounds the difficulty. 

What I’ve come to realize as a parent is that patience always took me a lot farther than showing anger or impatience.  Kids just don’t react well to anything that rings of disapproval.  Being strategic in this circumstance might mean maintaining as cool a manner as possible (even while seething) to keep your kids calm, happy and on track with their schoolwork or job search.

As kids age, what’s really tough for parents is controlling one’s own anxiety about our kids’ school work, grades and/or career trajectory.  While our instinct is to speak up and insert ourselves, the strategic approach is to let them go about their business, but be supportive and encouraging, and only offer assistance if asked.  This is TOUGH, especially for pushy folks like me.  

What may help most for those with kids entering the workforce — and key to maintaining good relationships — is projecting confidence onto our kids that they WILL be successful.  What they need most is reassurance that their efforts will result in finding a job, a place to live, and/or a temporary love or life partner.  I know I will need to be reminded of this in the coming year as my oldest graduates college and looks for a job, even as unemployment is at an all-time high.    

Work

So often my advice in this realm starts with stopping by someone’s office or having coffee with a colleague to get another perspective on the issues you may be facing at work.  That, and the informal interactions so valuable in navigating the work world, are all out the window at the moment. 

When working in government for so long, I tried to consciously prioritize spending time and mental energy on things that actually mattered and were worth taxpayers’ dollars. This may have involved communicating with stakeholders, analyzing data and information, tracking budget expenditures, working with colleagues to create a tactical and strategic plan, and preparing decision memos or briefing slides that could lead to real change. Getting those right was worth deep effort. 

An example of what wasn’t worth taxpayers’ dollars: when I worked on budget formulation, the ridiculous changes in format directed by someone at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the middle of the process.  The changes made no material difference to the few that actually read the budget, but spun up thousands of folks across the government. This was neither strategic nor a good use of precious resources, especially for the agency responsible for management and budget! I actually once had the occasion to tell the head of OMB this …

Many are complaining that having zoom meetings all day is exhausting.  I’m unsure why everything needs to be on video.  At the Department of Energy, we normally worked with national labs all over the country and in different time zones.  We just got used to working with others via phone calls and email, and very rarely used video connections.  Years could go by before I met in person colleagues that I worked with regularly.  We rarely sweated the lack of in person interaction.  I caution my friends not to feel that everything needs to be done via zoom or google teams.  Just pick up the phone instead. 

For those with a performance plan with specific elements, it’s worth making sure that progress is being made on all elements, and not concentrating on only one.  This will help when it comes time for performance reviews, which lead to bonuses and promotions.  This is obvious, but I had to include it.

Home Life and Leisure

Being strategic about balancing work and home responsibilities helps to navigate this time when we can’t really look forward to travel or celebrations. More than ever, we have to be conscious about injecting joy into our days.  Doing something enjoyable and restorative is more important to one’s mental health than dusting another shelf.  Taking a walk or watching a show on Netflix should not give anyone guilt.  Go for it!

If asked to do something for your kid’s school, volunteer organization or religious institution, take a minute to assess whether this is how you want to spend your time.  Feeling obligated is not enough of a reason to take it on.   

Friends/Relatives

This is tricky.  It’s okay to take a break if that’s what you need.  I personally have really valued reaching out to others in this time.  However, some are just overloaded and don’t have any more time or energy for those outside of their work and home bubble.  I get that. 

However ….  I think women, in particular, too often sacrifice time with girlfriends because they are so focused on work and family obligations.  My experience is that time with girlfriends brings a disproportionate amount of joy.  This investment becomes even more rewarding as one enters empty nest and retirement years.  I was lucky to travel to visit several friends around the world in the year before covid hit.  I can’t tell you how meaningful it has been to re-ignite long-standing relationships with people I adore but may not get to see much.  Prioritizing my nearby friends – through a weekly zoom happy hour, a phone call and/or walks – has been incredibly energizing. Regardless of covid, this investment is crucial to long-term happiness.

Goodbye 2020!

I don’t know anyone who will be sad to see 2020 turn to 2021.  We can all bid adieu to the most deadly, debilitating and divisive year of most of our lives.  But, as in all previous national or global traumas, there are things we can celebrate that could have long-lasting, positive impacts.    

This is what I’m celebrating:

What are you celebrating?  Are you consciously being more strategic about an area of your life?

Wishing you much health, happiness and opportunity as we enter 2021.  Happy Holidays!  And stay safe in our covid winter!

What has inspired me this month: 

A Vanity Fair interview with Barack Obama, who brings a helpful and humane perspective from his career and life. A nice, quick interview, which may also help to decide whether to read his very long book. 

I’m a big fan of StoryCorps and its app.  StoryCorps helps common folks capture wonderful and enduring conversations (and importantly, their voices) with close relatives or friends, and then stores them in the Library of Congress.  My kids conducted StoryCorps interviews with each of my parents.  Hear part of a StoryCorps interview that Anthony Fauci did with his wife. 

As we approach the final week of (hopefully!) our last 4 years of political torment, I’m trying to focus on these words.  I’m pushing myself to choose grace and heart as we work to get past this disastrous year.

I was inspired to write this blog from a Brenè Brown interview with the amazing Alicia Keyes. Referring to her recent book, Alicia spoke about getting to a point in her exalted career where she felt spent, realizing that she had inadvertently made so many small compromises that together brought her to a place she didn’t like.  She dug deep to examine what she really wanted, ultimately doing a 180°in how she handled herself, her career and her schedule. 

So many of us are reeling from this strange time. Several of my friends have recounted how uncertain they are feeling about their current job or lack of work or state of their relationships.  Covid-19 has offered the sudden disruption that has many — most? — in the questioning stage.  Taking a cue from Alicia Keyes, it helps to go beyond simple questioning to a self-examination of one’s “why.” 

My “why” journey

I did a “why” inquiry in the run-up to my decision to retire after 30 years at the US Department of Energy. Due to a Trump Administration budget change, I was moved to a new office under different leadership. Although I was in a great job and worked with wonderful, brilliant people, I soon became extremely frustrated. I found I had no respect for the senior decision makers in my line, who put in place a sycophantic structure that led to ill-informed and unnecessarily destructive decisions. I saw little courage anywhere in my management chain. Rather, I felt that I was being directed to accept repeated bad decisions that together affected the program I worked on and how I felt about my career, which to that point I had been very proud of and praised for. I didn’t see this leadership style changing for the foreseeable future.

Knowing I could retire with benefits in six months, I carefully examined whether I should stay and what I could do instead. I realized I had been a good soldier for 30 years, taking the risk adverse approach to a consistent employer even as my work assignments and responsibilities grew and varied widely over the years.  Maybe it was time to jump into the great unknown.  It may not sound like a big leap, as I was at my retirement eligibility that guaranteed benefits, and I was prepared financially.  But for me, it felt scary to give up on the career, colleagues and issues I cared deeply about.

My internal examination followed a somewhat deliberative process. Over those six months, I did a mental check-in with myself daily (sometimes multiple times a day) to gauge my level of job satisfaction.  In my mind, I had a graph with x and y axes, and consciously thought about where I was on the curve.  My antenna was up! I realized almost every day I was well below the line of satisfaction.  Furthermore, I didn’t like the bitchy person I felt I was displaying at work. 

As the decision point closed in, I began viewing this negative situation as a gift — the kick in the butt I needed. I doubt I would have seriously considered making this move had I found myself in the satisfaction quadrant of my mental graph. 

I share this to show my process, not to advocate that others rush to leave a bad situation. I have overcome plenty of bad periods — see my prior or future blogs. While I chose to leave, I encourage those earlier in their career to stay the course if you’re working on issues you care about. But please take mental notes of what leadership qualities you admire or detest. You will be in a leadership role in the future. It’s critical that you bring your own lessons learned and become the leader you wish you had back when.

I’m now 2 years out from my retirement.  I’m still re-evaluating whether I stay on the clean energy/climate change path I spent 30+ years becoming an expert in. I’m staying busy and satisfied exploring my creative side through the watercolor painting I’ve been doing, my genealogy project, volunteer work, a lot of covid-induced online learning opportunities,travel (pre-pandemic), the chance to see so many of my friends, and writing this blog.

I am still in the examination stage.  How do I feel productive?  What can I do to contribute to society for the next few decades?  I’m trying to give myself the space and time to figure out what’s next.  

For those thinking about a career change or shift, it’s okay to assess your “why.”  Why should you stay in the same lane you’ve been in?  Covid-19 gives us all permission to examine a shift – whether forced or voluntary. 

Dealing with Disruption

In the energy field, we often talk about disruptive technologies.  Technologies are disruptive when they upend what we’ve come to understand as normal. 

A great disruptive example is electricity.  Before 1882, when Thomas Edison opened the first power plant to operate his new technical innovation, incandescent light bulbs, our energy needs were provided very differently.  Candles, whale oil lamps, and kerosene lamps provided light.  Iceboxes kept food cold, and wood-burning or coal-burning stoves provided heat.

More recent examples of disruptive technologies are the internet, smart phones, search engines, social media and artificial intelligence.  It’s amazing to think what our lives would be like without any of these – especially during a pandemic!

Covid-19 has offered us the sudden disruptive catalyst to appraise everything – our jobs, our family structures, what makes us happy, what our true values are, our consumption patterns, where we live, how we spend our leisure time and what we want for our future. 

Regardless of what happens in the election, we will remain in an anxiety-filled period, at least until January 20. I’m clinging to the belief that the political, cultural and health-related disruption we’ve all been dealt is the price needed to catapult us into a more equitable, positive, environmentally-friendly culture and economy. 

As I learned from my own disruptive change, it can be liberating to go through the process of examination and change. Whether you are going through a personal disruption or just worried about our collective one, I urge you to keep your antenna up and your heart open.  By next month’s blog, we’ll see in which direction we’re headed!

One of my biggest uh-huh moments came from watching the movie Annie Get Your Gun with my then 7 year-old daughter. She was incredulous at the end when Annie Oakley altered her rifle to deliberately lose a sharpshooting match against her intended. The implication was that her man would not marry her if she continued to be the perfect shot she had always been.

My daughter could not understand why a woman would subvert her ability to attract a man. I looked to my husband to try to explain this.  He admitted that when the film was made — 1950 — and through much of the 20th century, it was accepted mantra that men were naturally more capable than women.  He further explained that, actually, it was the fragile male ego that had to be catered to in order for women, like Annie, to be considered for a love match (not to mention many jobs). No matter how we tried to explain it, she simply could not believe it.

This was like a lightning strike to my husband and me.  We realized how bought in we were as kids, as we would never have questioned this dramatic arc when we watched this movie in the 1960s or 70’s.  We had similar reactions when we convinced our kids to watch the Jetsons and Flintstones – two cartoons we loved as kids.  Seeing these shows in the 21^st century was shocking for their debasement of women. 

Our daughter’s reaction conveyed how significant the cultural shift has been.  She’s been raised by us and our culture to strive to achieve in ways no different than her brother.

Enter the Notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg

As we all mourn the passing of the notorious RBG, this story came to mind.  I had grown up accepting such gendered strictures, although much less so than my mother and her generation, who were prohibited from even having a credit card in their own name. 

While this Annie Get Your Gun moment brought home the ridiculousness that I blindly accepted as a small girl, we now know that RBG, Gloria Steinem and many others — prior to and since — worked tirelessly to overcome institutionalized misogyny that my daughter found unbelievable.  RBG deserves the immense adulation so many have for her. She methodically broke down immense legal walls just to enable women to be covered by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution’s equal protection clause.

Give the Youth their Due

While there are legitimate criticisms of our generation’s helicopter parenting, one benefit is that we prioritize hanging out with and listening to our kids’ thoughts and opinions.  This is much more prevalent than the more delineated way I was raised when there was little overlap between parents and kids lives, other than dinner time and the occasional trip.

Right now, it is understandable why so many parents are stressed from having to raise, homeschool and serve as playmates to their school age kids.  Hopefully, there is some residual energy to appreciate our kids’ nuggets of wisdom that will appear from time to time.  This story is an example of how my wise kid taught her parents a lesson in cultural BS. 

Between the Trump Administration, the pandemic, more visible racist incidents, and so many extreme weather events, our kids are having to mature at a more rapid rate than usual.  They deserve to be more influential than ever given they will have to live with the diminished environment, economy and governmental safeguards shaped by our collective ineptitude in recent years.  

Luckily, there are folks like RBG that have shown us that dark times can lead to lighter ones.  I know I’m not alone in yearning for a more positive, less anxiety producing time.  We’ll know in November whether this direction will come sooner rather than later.

What is helping me with perspective right now:

A (6 minute) excerpt from a RBG interview on how she handles difficult times.

Article that says it all — “Your Surge Capacity is Depleted: it is why you feel awful”

To read this and other of my blogs online, or to subscribe, please visit my website.

A surprisingly positive outcome of the covid pandemic is the emphasis on improvisation and giving ourselves a break.  In a time of limited supplies of yeast, eggs, toilet paper, school, etc. we’ve all learned to be flexible and adaptable.  Don’t have fresh garlic – use onion powder. Don’t have yeast or eggs – who cares! 

My start to giving myself permission to “go for it” began many years ago from an unlikely source. 

An Unlikely Source of Self-Empowerment

Believe it or not, I have the Food Network and HGTV to thank for how I developed trust in my intuition. Growing up, without the benefit of the internet, cable tv, social media, or more than 4-5 TV stations, I really believed that you needed to be a credentialed expert to be a good cook, decorator or artist. For this reason, I thought only trained chefs could be good cooks.  I never did art, so assumed I should defer to experts on decor for my home.   And applying this to work, I tended to assume my Ph.D colleagues knew better than me about all work matters.

In the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s world I grew up in, cooking was viewed as utilitarian and almost anti-feminist, given that women were trying to distance themselves from the “barefoot and pregnant” stigma.  I know this sounds strange to the Millennial/Gen Z crowd, who view being a “foodie” as having the highest cool factor.  In my world view, cooking was decidedly uncool and a waste of time.

My “ah ha” moment began, strangely, when my kids were really little and going out to eat just wasn’t feasible anymore (my kids would never sit at a restaurant for more than 5 minutes). Around that time the Food Network was really getting going. Its shows kept referring in a respectful way to “home cooks” — a term I had never heard. The Food Network hosts/chefs showed viewers that cooking was flexible and that taking liberties with recipes was fine and encouraged. This was a revelation. I had grown so bored by my family’s limited meal repertoires that I decided to try some recipes, with really positive results.  With each successful meal, I gained confidence to keep going, trying more and more recipes and learning to adapt to our family’s tastes and preferences.

A similar situation happened with HGTV, as I realized that I had strong views about design and color.  No offense to my beloved community, but the conservative Washington, DC area aesthetic just didn’t mesh with my Miami Beach penchant for bright colors.  I loved the results from “Design on a Dime” and other HGTV shows that dispelled the myth of how home elements could be designed and executed, without necessarily breaking the bank.  The message was that anyone can do it, if you allowed yourself the time and creativity to go for it.  I started to take risks with small design elements in my home.  I even got into making a variety of mosaic art projects that are now displayed throughout my house. I knew my own design confidence had jelled when I retained a decorator to help me redo my living and dining rooms, and had to push her to go bold with color.  

Making Connections to the Work Sphere

The more I did in the cooking and decorating/art sphere, the more I came to trust my “untrained” capabilities.

This extended over time to work. I was always a square peg in a round hole at work – neither an engineer, scientist or Ph.D economist in a very technical organization. What I had, however, was strategic vision and moxie. Both of these, coupled with the eventual expertise that comes with years of working in government and the energy sector, became their own specialization that was more and more recognized over time. I started to go out on a limb, whether pushing for a new approach for an area of work, advocating for flexibility for moms, or being bold with outreach to the public.  I needed to trust my instincts before enticing others to trust my vision. By watching others over the years, I watched what worked and what didn’t. I came to embrace myself as someone who could lead in a somewhat out-of-the-box manner.

The Covid Attitude

This “winging it” mentality has been embraced and encouraged more than ever during our pandemic.  Don’t have x ingredient?  Use y instead. I love that the New York Times has devoted a whole column to pandemic improvised cooking.  The Washington Post has had multiple articles on how to make food substitutions. 

There is a comfort to me in this more relaxed attitude.  We can all make good food, or fix something in a less than perfect way and still achieve delight.  Celebrating our attempts and successes on social media is all the rage.  My kids have been making amazingly delicious breads – challah, bagels, even popovers – often with home-brewed sourdough starter.  This pandemic has inspired so many of us to step up and have the guts to try things we may never have done before.  I know I’m enjoying the fruit of my kids’ labor – maybe a little too much since I have to exercise more than ever to stave off the covid-19 pounds!

I’ve even been attempting watercolor painting – something I never thought I could do.  I grew up in an educational system without art or music funding, so I literally never did any art (beyond my aforementioned mosaic projects).  This is a big deal for me, as I thought one had to have an innate ability to paint.  Maybe I’m not very good, but at least I’ve given myself permission to learn and do.  I’m loving it.  It’s more about self-expression than talent in my case …

It may sound strange to combine the Food Network, HGTV, and work matters in one blog, but the takeaway is that giving oneself permission to go for it in one area of your life can connect with other areas of our lives.  The key is paying attention to how it feels once you use a new ingredient or improvise in a design or home project.  Does it give you pride?  If so, give yourself an attaboy and keep going for it!    

So, my charge to others: 

1) look for sources of inspiration (TV, podcast, inspiring figure, book, documentary) to take a chance in any sphere in your life;

2) witness and take heed of your reaction and that of others;

3) make connections of seemingly unconnected events/impacts to test new approaches in whatever area you’re interested in — whether cooking, decorating, gardening, doing art/music, athletics, work, etc.;

4) use these nuggets to build trust in your instincts;

5) test your new approach in a real life, minimally consequential situation to see if it results in a positive or negative result;

6) Note that sometimes you’ll fail, which is as important and helpful to your journey as succeeding.

My last point is that there is no perfection, and often, no one right choice or maneuver. We all need to remember that humans are very fallible.  If true effort, thoughtfulness, and intention is used, it’s not that evident that one approach is that much better than another.  You might even have fun!

A recommended podcast interview:

If you’ve loved Raffi’s Baby Beluga and other songs, listen to this Awards Chatter podcast interview that shows how Raffi created a whole new way of valuing a heretofore underappreciated market – very young children – that also allowed him to inject his appreciation of the environment.  He gave himself permission to go for it, and became a music legend. 

Two things are clear to me – 1) there has been a collective awakening (especially among white people) about massive structural racism and police misconduct, so evident in the wake of senseless, videotaped police murders and racist incidents; and 2) I’ve been inadvertently ignorant of the extent of my white privilege.

The lack of application of humanity and morality is obvious in how George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others have been treated, especially when we realize how often cameras were not present as evidence.

For most of us, what is less obvious is how to uphold values in the workplace, especially when standards are lower or nonexistent.  Those new or newish to the workplace can be molded in a profound way by what they observe as acceptable behaviors or procedures at this impressionable stage. They are looking at their leaders and colleagues to learn how to operate in all aspects of their jobs. This is where paying it forward is extremely important and valuable for those in later stages of their career.  Experienced folks must take the time to reinforce that high ethical standards are expected regardless of circumstances.

Beware the suck up!

I was lucky in this respect.  I came into government as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF).  At that time, PMF billets were paid out of a central funding pot, and not the office we were assigned to.  So while we reported to and learned from our managers, we were not as beholden to our management structure for blind obedience.  Our PMF program leaders made it clear that we took an oath to the Constitution and US taxpayers, not to any individual manager or senior leader.  

This was reinforced a bit later when one of my early bosses, who was in a very visible and influential position, went out of his way to caution me never to lie or do anything illegal in the service of anyone in government. We worked on climate change policy, and his admonishment was to never cook the books — or in our case, alter economic modeling results — to bolster a particular political position.  While this should seem obvious, there are a lot of blurred lines that can be hard to navigate as we try to please our management chain.

This message about upholding high ethical standards was so powerful to me as a young, ambitious and eager to please civil servant. It was just one example of extremely valuable and serviceable advice that helped me develop my own list of best practices. Being aware of my list gave me courage to go against the tide when I observed questionable practices.  Over the years, I became very attuned to watching what my superiors did and how effective or ineffective they were in various settings or policy debates. As much as possible, I passed on my lessons learned, including this ethics lesson, just as others did for me.   

In the years before I retired, there were several instances where political appointees took puzzling actions – appearing to serve more the special interests of those they knew or hoped to work for in their post-government careers than the national interest.  This happened in both Republican and Democratic administrations. While I was not in a position to change the actions, I found it necessary to point out these transgressions to newer employees – to impress on them that these actions should not be normalized and to point out why. 

My experience is that career government employees tend to have higher ethical standards, and are held to them, than political appointees, who need to constantly justify their jobs to their political masters. This has been very evident in the current Administration.  I was extremely proud of the many career folks who testified in Trump’s impeachment proceedings – they really demonstrated the guts, earnestness and ethical standards of career officials that I saw daily.

“It takes a lifetime to build integrity and a moment to lose it” [not sure who said this but I like it]

I relay these stories to convey the importance of always abiding by human, moral values, even when it’s really tough and expedient to just go along. Although some may disparage this as corny and overly politically correct, I’ve always embraced the responsibility of government service and passed this on to younger folks. I note that the attractiveness of working in government has waned significantly, in many years disparaged by those outside of government (and in some cases political appointees in government) who gauged respectability and prestige by how much one takes home in salary/bonuses.  It was at these times that I found myself looking within to see why I stayed.  In every case, I realized how lucky I was to work for American taxpayers and not quarterly profits.   

Paying Attention

These examples from my career point to the importance of paying attention – to what works and what doesn’t. While I was especially attentive to instances of implicit bias against women for self-serving reasons, I realize now that I paid less attention to the dearth of people of color or their experiences in my offices.  I never consciously witnessed racist attitudes, but perhaps I or others exhibited racial bias in some way. I wish I had done better. 

There are a number of reasons why being attentive is key to one’s success.  It’s critical to pay attention to what works and doesn’t work in how a manager communicates and listens; makes decisions; manages budget, deliverables and their time; treats employees, etc. This helps us develop our own list of best practices. I would add that, more than ever, we have to keep our eyes open for implicit bias of all types – by ourselves or others. Speaking up and confronting transgressions, even when it’s difficult, is what really determines one’s integrity. My examples are from government, but are applicable in every work setting.

With such high unemployment, many will be especially thankful to get hired or change jobs as we emerge from the shattered covid economy. It might be easy to turn a blind eye to suspicious actions, particularly given how grateful we might feel to get out of a desperate situation.  I hope that this blog, however sappy it appears now, will remain etched in your brain, especially if navigating a tricky situation. As referred to above, “it takes a lifetime to build integrity and a moment to lose it.”

Simple steps that help improve your success and that of your work environment:

• Keep your eyes and ears open to what works and what doesn’t, and write it down or make mental notes
• Discuss with others what you observe – to test its legitimacy or wrongdoing (not to gossip)
• Speak up, especially for those in a less powerful position
• Pay it forward – use the principled lessons you’ve learned to teach those new or newish to the organization
• Apply best practices when you’re in a leadership position
• Remember – those with guts, integrity and initiative are most remembered.    

Recommended media:

Nice article about positive habits we should continue after the pandemic

Brene Brown’s conversation with Professor Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Anti-Racist

Informative podcast about James Baldwin (1924-1987), a sometimes controversial ,often revered and widely quoted leading thinker, essayist and novelist about civil rights, systematic racism and gay rights. He is in the news now, even though he’s been long gone, for his efforts to get the white community to understand the black American experience.

It is surreal that we are living through a plague.  We’ve all heard about the plagues that killed over half the European population in the middle ages.  What seemed like simply a historic event or a reference in a Shakespearean play is now our own reality.  Regardless of how modern we feel, we are now connected to the Bubonic plagues (“Ring around the Posie” anyone?), Smallpox and Yellow Fever outbreaks, polio epidemic, and Spanish flu.  This is surreal!

There’s so much to think about!  During this pause, I know I join many of you in reevaluating many notions we’ve held dear. 

This is what I’m thinking about: 

This is the first globally collective experience  

Even World War II did not affect every place on Earth.  Yet Covid-19 has spared no place where there are people.  It is an equal opportunity virus in terms of who it infects, although we are learning that the impacts and death rates are being disproportionately borne by the elderly, people of color and low income folks. 

Our heroes right now are those who rarely get attention – health care workers, scientists, grocery and delivery workers, truck drivers, utility workers journalists, teachers etc., not actors, singers or athletes who we usually pay most attention to.  Many of these frontline workers earn at or near the minimum wage.   Could this collective experience lead to a more empathetic distribution of wealth by putting into place policies and programs that support rather than disproportionately harm the working class, per usual? 

We need to be mindful about the rush to return to normal

Our “normal” is to stay so busy and focused on the short-term that we tend to put off needed reforms.  In an economic context, this often means assuming best case scenarios and a cost minimization mindset, with little regard to making needed changes or preparing for “what ifs.”

As we approach the new normal, it’s critical that we embrace the lessons learned – the good and the bad. 

Such as …. reevaluating profit making and financial constructs so that resilience, preparation and mitigation can be monetized, and thereby prioritized.

We’ve learned this lesson over and over, and for the most part, forget it once the crisis is behind us.  Covid-19 is a case in point.  Not putting in place adequate stocks of PPE or testing, expecting those without insurance to be able to access testing and treatment, making it impossible for rural hospitals to stay in business, not anticipating the need for rapid changes in food supply – these were conscious decisions made at senior levels even after MERS and SARS outbreaks.

What else we need to be realistic about:  the climate crisis

Warnings about the inevitability of a pandemic are not the only ones we’ve disregarded.  Our climate is screaming at us.

In the last decade, we’ve contended with Superstorm Sandy (East Coast); Hurricanes Harvey (Houston), Irma (Florida), Maria (Puerto Rico) and Dorian (Bahamas); California wild fires; severe tornadoes; earthquakes; extreme drought, insect infestations and other events that have touched every part of our country and much of our economy.  Each year of inaction leads to higher temperatures, even if by seemingly small amounts.  Even slight changes in temperatures send strong signals to our atmosphere and the natural world of trees, insects, soil, animals, etc. 

We can expect more severe weather and devastating events.  Beyond the impacts on our homes, businesses and infrastructure, we should expect to contend with diseases never seen in the United States, like malaria, as temperatures rise.  As ice melts in the polar regions, there are heretofore unknown organisms and viruses that will be released and could harm humans, similar to Covid-19.  This is not a political issue.  It’s just reality.

In my years working on climate change and clean energy at the US Department of Energy, there was significant resistance to investing in preparing for natural disasters.  Recent improvements in cost and performance have made systems like solar plus (battery) storage much more affordable, although the cost of the storage component can be hard to justify without a way to put a monetary value on the insurance it provides.  Yet, those communities who had the foresight to invest in these systems in Puerto Rico or New York saw immeasurable returns on investment in the first hours of their crises, as emergency operations centers had the energy power to provide important information, supplies and food to desperate residents.  Emergency preparedness needs to be added to the cost minimization ethos, given the likelihood that these events will continue to increase.    

In addition to preparing for the impacts of climate change, mitigating the risk of climate change can be a win-win as it calls for innovation and new thinking, and many jobs. 

Some good news:  just last week we learned that renewables recently overtook coal in US electricity production.  The ability of solar and wind energy to be the least cost alternative in many parts of the United States is due in large part to substantial government and corporate research and development funding (especially significant in the American Recovery and Reinvention Act of  2009), not to mention States that prioritized renewable energy in their Renewable Portfolio (electricity) standards in the last 15 years.  Actually, the solar plus storage systems referred to above are being used in ways unthinkable just a few years ago – to replace fossil fuels in peak times during the day to reduce costs, such as in the afternoon/early evenings.  It’s to our advantage to harness the significant recent progress made in renewables, energy efficiency, transportation and resource efficiency.  Not only will we reduce our human imprint on the only atmosphere we have, we will save money and provide the certainty businesses want.

How we react to the chaos of this pandemic is closely connected to how well our economy and environment fare as we emerge from it.  Please read the Medium.com article below that warns us of rushing back to real life too fast and not fixing the issues that have long ailed our institutions and norms. 

The Good and ?

It will be fascinating to see what unanticipated changes will come to our lives as we emerge from the big pause. 

The favorite part of my childhood, and that of my kids, is due to the polio crisis in the 1930’s and 40’s.  The Jewish sleepaway camp movement, so important for maintaining Jewish identity, started as a way to get kids out of New York and other northeastern cities during the polio epidemics.  Both of my parents were sent to these camps at very young ages.  This unique experience of spending multiple weeks with other kids (and few adults!) in a wilderness camp has been passed on to subsequent generations and is now available in many forms.  We have polio to thank for this important and magical type of summer experience.  Who knew?

I’m wondering if all the new families seen walking in my neighborhood will still do family walks?  Will those who never really cooked before get hooked, and keep cooking? Will we continue to telework all or most of the time?  Will there be a permanent change in how certain business is conducted, such as Courts and Congress? 

A friend reminded me about how much dating has changed in this pandemic, with socially distant courting, reminiscent of much earlier times.

I am curious about density trends.  In recent years, there’s been a rush to living in large cities, leading to hyper expensive housing costs, gentrification and the demise of historical communities.  Will these large cities become less desirable, leading to more reasonable costs of living?  Will smaller cities become even more desirable since New York, San Francisco and other large cities have been too expensive to live in and operate a business? Or will these smaller cities become so popular that they will price out those that have lived there for decades?  Will suburban homes become attractive again since they are NOT adjacent to public transportation, a trend that two months ago was exactly the opposite?  Will biking become even more popular as a means to commute to jobs and do errands? 

I myself am reevaluating where I want to live in my retirement.  I had been thinking living in a more densely populated area was what I wanted, mostly for the ability to walk to shops, restaurants and entertainment.  However, I am more appreciative than ever for my suburban house that has ample space, easy access to the outdoors and nature, and great walks in any direction.

Will manufacturing return to levels not seen in decades in the United States, as we rethink the value of local and diversified supply chains?  Will companies adjust these supply chains to be more nimble and able to adjust quickly to changes in market dynamics, so that food or toilet paper companies could suddenly service new customers?  What will happen to gig economy jobs like Uber and Lyft?  Will we continue to sustainably use food and household products as we are in this pandemic?

As an armchair historian, I’ve benefited from the intellectual discovery that the pandemic has afforded me. I’ve taken full advantage of access to many webinars and zoom learning opportunities that I likely would not have taken the time to go to. Rather than having to leave my house for interesting but often impersonal experiences, I’ve found it’s so efficient to just log in.

 It’s fascinating to think that this pandemic will permanently change life as we know it, in some cases for the better, but we just don’t know how yet.

As I think about what I miss most – sitting in a café, going to a restaurant or play, traveling, going to baseball games, hanging out with my friends – I will pay more attention to how our tastes and preferences are changing, and what new opportunities could come from these changes in trends, customs and lifestyle.    

Most of all, I hope we approach this next phase in a way that smartly connects dots. Being thoughtful about how we as individuals and society design our new normal will serve us all.

I would love to hear your thoughts about the pandemic. What are your hopes for the new normal and what benefits you’ve seen?

For more on this, please see my recent LinkedIn article that is related to this, but a little more scholarly in tone. 

Other helpful and fun resources:

This is the article I refer to above from medium.com.  We need to be careful that we don’t squander the opportunity during the Big Pause to get back to normal and not fix the problems in our society – national and global. 

Good article from Forbes about considering career changes due to the pandemic. Also great advice about using social media to build career bona fides.

Listen to this podcast from KERA in Dallas: Will COVID-19 Spell the End of International Cooperation

An amazing video of how animals are reclaiming their habitats.