Jennifer Mitchell Earley

There’s a lot on the line this election: COVID-19, democracy, trade, healthcare, climate change, human rights, joblessness,  reproductive rights, gun control, race relations, social justice, labor, criminal justice reform, the economy, education, national  security, social security, voter rights, immigration, taxes, terrorism, LGBTQ+ rights, the rule of law, domestic terrorism, the  Supreme Court, and the U.S. Constitution. Simply stated everything is on the line, especially for our families. Click to read the  October 2020 Newsletter, Divided We Fall, United We Stand

Last night, I looked down at my feet and got instantly depressed. My feet were a mess! I wanted- no, I needed a pedicure so badly it hurts! I immediately Googled “outdoor pedicures near me” to see if a shop had come up with the novel idea to do pedicures outside. Alas, there was none to be found. Dispirited, I looked at my ravaged toenail polish and overgrown nails and thought, “this isn’t about my feet as much as it’s about my perception of the current state of my environment.” Five months into this pandemic, I’d begun to start feeling the isolation and anxiety of having my options, opportunities, and freedom restricted as a result of our current health crisis and the overt dangers associated with COVID-19. In that moment, I had two choices: (1) continue to go down the rabbit hole of despair and desperation or (2) change my perspective. One and a half hours and an Epsom salt and lavender essential oil foot bath later, I was feeling better, my feet were looking better and I had rega...

I don’t know why... and this shouldn’t be the case, because this isn’t the first time... but I don’t know why I still get surprised when God answers my prayer/petitions immediately. I guess it just boggles my human mind that He cares about everything that concerns me, to the extent that he will integrate His response to me amongst His response to a multitude of others - simply because He loves me. That’s the GREATEST thing about being in a relationship with God (or whatever you refer to Him as), He KNOWS you. He Knows your heart, your intentions, your best laid plans, shortcomings, sins, etc. and loves, cares, leads, and guides you in accordance with His plans for your life and without regard to your flaws. Need proof? Read the Bible. Show me one person, whom we extol as virtuous today, who walked the earth without sin or blemish but Jesus... Let me save you some time. You won’t find anyone. I can’t tell you how much it vexes my spirit to watch other flawed beings tell individuals “h...

According to Dictionary.com, “knowledge is power” (attributed to Francis Bacon) means that “the more one knows, the more one will be able to control events.” If we’ve learned anything from COVID-19, it is that shared knowledge is power. From its inception in China, to the spread throughout the United States, information regarding COVID-19 has been dangerously mishandled to say the least. Pertinent questions concerning US preparedness, testing, and PPE remain unanswered. The medical community is still determining the ways that the virus is transmitted, how it presents in the body, how it can be treated/cured, and the resulting ramifications post a negative COVID-19 diagnosis. As we wade through this pandemic, we see firsthand how critical it is that we share knowledge on every level: country, federal, state, local, and to/from and within the medical community; otherwise, barriers to the flow of knowledge can have detrimental outcomes. “Knowledge is power” only when given to people wh...

You've heard the adage, “The squeaky wheel gets the oil,” meaning that the loudest people gain the most attention. The complaining shopper gets free credit at a store. The crying sibling gets more sympathy from her parents. The co-worker with the best boasting skills receives the promotion. According to Wolfe J. Rinke, Ph.D., an experienced executive leader, management consultant, professional speaker, and author of Don’t Oil the Squeaky Wheel, it’s time to throw away your oil can. In his book, Rinke notes that if you’re spending more than 5% of your time on trouble makers, you’re messing up. He maintains that if you want your team members to be positive, trusting, turned on, and tuned in, then you must spend the majority of your time with the people who behave that way, and while they are doing that, help you succeed faster. There will always be “squeaky wheels” passionately objecting to change . However, it is important not to allow these detractors to sidetrack the team fr...

Effectively onboarding new hemployees is critical to their success as well as to the success of your organization. It allows employees to feel welcomed and comfortable in their new role, on their new team/department, integrated into the culture of the organization, and acquainted with the organizational mission, vision, and objectives. Additionally, employee onboarding provides pertinent information such as specifics concerning employee roles and responsibilities, who/where to go with questions, relevant departmental protocols and procedures as well as fosters employee confidence. Thus, helping employees adapt faster to their new role, environment, and expectations. This is also true for newly Elected Officials. In 1997 as a newly Elected Official, I was thankful to have my dad to help me navigate my first four-year term. For many newly Elected Officials, this is their first foray into public service. It’s an exciting time, but without having prior political knowledge or the wi...