*“At any given moment, you have the power to say: this is not how the story is going to end.”* —Christine Mason Miller

One day

One decision

Can change everything.

Will you suffer in silence, or reach out to a trusted friend?

When you see the suffering in another, will you reach out?

We don’t have to be friends for me to see you and to care.

Out of the corner of my eye this past Saturday night I saw a concerned woman caring for a man at a community event. As they moved the ice from his forehead to his neck, I was compelled to walk over and see if they needed support. The look of concern on her face and the nod of her head said it all.

I took a few minutes and located the EMT’s to do a “well-check” at the event. Fortunately, he was OK, and the look of relief on her face was more than enough for to reiterate that we don’t have to suffer in silence. She said:

“Thank you, I didn’t realize anyone noticed.”

Wouldn’t you want the same?

Last week was comprised of a series of days and decisions (three in particular) that dramatically altered the course of my life.

TUESDAY, 10 September 2024: Four+ years of work in the breast cancer space with My Density Matters, and a series of collaborative partnerships, led us to develop a mobile educational platform (message and data rates may apply). This effort helps support the new FDA MQSA breast density requirements that went into effect, provides patient education, and promotes a more collaborative relationship with your healthcare team. If one life can be saved through earlier diagnosis, it will be worth it. Looking forward to working with additional partners and sponsors to broaden the impact of our scalable platform. Small steps with a big impact … I encourage you to start here.

TEXT: Check Your Chart

TO: 211411

WEDNESDAY, 11 September 2001 - 2024: 23 years ago, this day changed my life. Those changes continue to ripple from a thriving career at a Fortune 50 telecommunications company, to a choice that altered my path in a new direction. These decisions led me to where I am now as a Change Agent in Women’s Health. I wrote about this in my chapter of Mission Hope: Thriving Through Seasons of the Soul, as one of the most significant decisions of my career and family life.

THURSDAY, 12 September 2024: Thank you to Bayer for inviting me to be a panelist at The Menopause Society’s Annual Meeting in Chicago. It was an honor to chat with moderator Donna Klassen, LCSW, co-founder of “Let’s Talk Menopause”, and fellow panelist Wendee Lee Curtis, for a lively discussion of real stories on this natural change of life. With over 30 symptoms and risk factors (many suffer in silence), I'm inspired to take it further for the benefit of women’s health. Reach out if you’re curious or want to collaborate on solutions.

Dishing on Menopause: An Invitation to Listen

And if I can do it … you can do it too.

Our simplest decisions can be life altering.

Go out, or stay in?

Get up early, or sleep in?

Listen to stories from survivors of September 11th, 2001, or the Titanic. Their reasons may vary, but it was often one small thing that dramatically altered the course of their life. So, I will conclude with this: Your intuition may wake you up in the middle of the night, or cause you to turn your head at an event. Listen up … it’s trying to tell you something.

“I do the things I believe ought to be done. And when I make up my mind to do a thing, I act.” — Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. president.

“Step out of the history that is holding you back. Step into the new story you are willing to create.”
—Oprah Winfrey

What dreams of yours need the space and grace to bring them to life? The world is much more inspiring to me in this 2nd half of life, because I chose to start listening.

PHOTOS from August/September Events (2024):

A New Era in Women’s Health: August 20th

Wisconsin Breast Cancer Coalition 30th Anniversary: August 23rd

The Menopause Society 2024 Annual Meeting: September 12th

POETRY Addition: Listening to Life

UPCOMING EVENTS (details on my website):

Paint the Lake Pink Walk: October 13th (in-person)

World Values Day – Activate Your Values Workshop: October 17th (online)

One World Values Walk: October 19th (global in-person events)

In my last newsletter, The SHAPE of Things to Come, I discussed my SHAPE framework for all types of issues, from the smallest to the largest, to help develop the mindset and action plan to move forward and embrace challenges. Next month, I’ll be offering an opportunity for 4 people to join me on a journey to SHAPE Change and Inspire Impact in their own lives. If that’s you, reach out.

May you always “Know your value, Live your values”.

✨Susan