'Tis the season of gift giving - although we love to give all year round! With that in mind we thought we'd ask the Crothers team to share a gift with you - something that has inspired them or made 2022 a better year all around.

Kicking us off - Laura shares a book that continues to resonate with her. We hope you'll consider these recommendations in the spirit in which they are shared, and that you will enjoy them along with your eggnog, champagne toasts (we don't recommend sipping them at the same time) or other beverage of choice!
Dara Dweck
Senior HR Consultant & Coach

I love Gretchen Rubin's work around happiness. I subscribe to her weekly emails (one of the only ones I continue to receive) where she shares 5 things that make her happy each week.

I have listened to her podcasts, used her personality framework and read about her happiness project. You can see all her resources at Gretchen Rubin. 
Natalie Wittmann
Coach

The gift I received this year was the 10% Happier podcast interview with Susan David, author of the book Emotional Agility. 

This interview was filled with gems and one that I share often with coaching clients. One of my favorite takeaways was a reminder of the power of knowing our core values.
Lori Orrico, Office Manager

My gift in 2022 was having the opportunity to go on a week's vacation with my family this summer. For various reasons, we haven’t been able to enjoy a vacation for seven whole days in over 18 years. This year we traveled to Myrtle Beach and had a fabulous vacation at the beach! 

I disconnected from everything and experienced new adventures with the people who mean the most to me. The greatest gift I ever gave myself and will continue to give myself every year! 
Taryn Abrams
Trainer & Coach

I watched this interview between Mayam Bialik and Dr. Gabor Maté (addiction, stress, and childhood development speaker and bestselling author): Who Gets

It changed my perspective on illness and who gets sick and why. A life-changing hour and half.
Carol Burns
Marketing Team

Sometimes a show, book or movie comes along that seemingly everyone embraces - and I (the skeptic) think, "It can't be that good" so I sit it out. Luckily I got past that to check out the PBS show, All Creatures Great and Small. I was late to the party but glad I have jumped on the ACGS bandwagon. This warm hug of a show is highly recommended!
Frank Faeth, Coach

The number one gift this year is that my stepdaughter, Alexandra, was the recipient of a kidney from a live donor, leading to her successful surgery in June. She’s doing splendidly well. Huge kindness exists in this world.
 
(BTW, most of those in need of a live kidney donor find one or two people willing to be tested for compatibility. Due to my wife’s sparkling marketing skills, Alexandra had 75 people apply! So many applications that the hospital had to add more staff!) For more information: rwjbh.org/.

Marion Witte, Lead Consultant & Coach

This year, I received strong feedback from the universe. I experienced great loss in my family and friends this year. For some, we smiled and said, 'bravo, life well lived'; for others, 'no, it's too soon.' Through it all, I have learned: Take that extra moment to Listen Deeply and Be Present.
Laura Crothers Osborn
Founder & CEO

(Yes, I get to share two!) Love + Work is a book and video by Marcus Buckingham (an educator, author, motivational speaker and business consultant, with a lovely British accent).

"You’ve long been told to 'Do what you love.' Sounds simple, but the real challenge is how to do this in a world not set up to help you. Most of us actually don’t know the real truth of what we love – what engages us and makes us thrive – and our workplaces, jobs, schools, even our parents, are focused instead on making us conform."
Isabelle Brennan
Director of Client Success

As a lifelong lover of musical theater, this year I gifted myself a subscription to the Paper Mill Playhouse, a local regional theatre.

On a weeknight I join a wonderful entourage of ladies where we start the evening with a delicious dinner and uplifting banter, and end with a group photo in front of the marquee.

This fills my musical mind and heart, and typically leaves a lasting 'ear worm.'
Senior Coach & Trainer Amy Arvary offers this guided audio meditation
(scroll down the page to the "Podcasts" section).

Give yourself the gift of about ten minutes to be calm and peaceful, and take yourself to a place away from the hubbub of daily life!
ICYMI: A Quick Read
Our December blog focuses on yet another gift - the gift of feedback.

Let's face it, the gift of feedback depends upon how it is given and how it is received. It can be presented with trust and good intent, or be done in a completely different manner.
Annette Matheney, Senior Consultant, Trainer & Coach, shares her strategies on how to make the sharing of feedback a real gift to the recipient.

"If we appropriately want to offer valuable feedback, it must be looked at from two different but equally important perspectives: the presentation (how we wrapped it) and the contents (what we stuffed inside the box)."
Grateful to Support Local Organizations

Since our beginnings in 2010, Crothers Consulting has committed to supporting community initiatives. Because of the trust you, our clients, have placed in us, we continue to support impactful organizations every month with part of our profits.

For December we are supporting these organizations:
Ending hunger in our communities is a complex challenge, so Fulfill NJ provides a full suite of programs to provide the resources people need to become self-sufficient.

They focus on more than food distribution: they are committed to a comprehensive approach that goes beyond providing food and helps those in need get to a place where they can get back on their feet for good.
Every year nearly 500,000 children are impacted by abuse, neglect and trauma and spend time in our nation’s foster care system.
Through One Simple Wish, an innovative wish-granting platform, donors can send some love to a child who needs it.

They also support the over 22,000 young adults who 'age out' of the foster care system when they're 18 years old. They are often still in school or beginning new jobs, and must learn to navigate housing, feeding, transporting, and managing themselves on their own.
The Crothers team brings a wealth of knowledge for all things people, leadership and culture. We are happy to offer a complimentary, 30-minute consultation to support you and your organization. Please contact Isabelle via email or call her at 201-602-8816.

Our team wishes you and yours a healthy and festive holiday season filled with gratitude and joy.

Stay kind and continue to lead with courage and humility,
201-317-0512
Crothers Consulting, LLC