Let's Me Introduce You to The Coaching Professor

Hello, dear friend and colleague! 

I wanted to introduce you to my new friend and social media project, The Coaching Professor.

You know I love coaching and truly believe having coaching skills changes how I....we....all show up in the world for the better.  The issue with traditional coach training is it is expensive.  Most ICF-accredited coach training programs cost $12K or higher, except my college's coach training program (which is affordable and experiential, high-quality and life-changing).  If we are going to change the world via coaching, there must be more places to learn these skills.

That's where my new social media project comes in.  Join me on Instagram and TikTok to learn micro-coaching lessons, the same lessons I teach my college coaching students. Learn anytime. Watch as many videos as you like as many times as you like. Start showing up more coachlike in your work and life.

I'll see you over there to connect and deepen coaching skills together!

With immense enthusiasm,

Jen

Freshening Up Things Around Here

Hello there! It's been a bit since we've connected here, yes?

I'm spring cleaning and tidying up right now.

I've got plant clippings propagating. My new calendar arrived, and yes, I use a paper calendar because sometimes I need a break from screens and technology.  I'm surrounded by color and artwork. Thanks, Coach Susan for the Laugh sign by artist, Britto. It brings me joy.

My website is up-to-date including....

• Updated social media links at the bottom of each page
• Updated services because I want to bring more coaching to your organization.  Yes, your organization!
• I've posted links to my podcast, The Jen Den, and other podcasts I've guested on.
• Are we connected on LinkedIn?  If not, let's get connected there, too!

Spring is a time of blossoming and growth. There is so much blossoming in me right now that my most recent coaching growthwork for myself was to make time to celebrate all that has already bloomed.  Here I am with family and friends celebrating the end of the semester.  

What are you celebrating? What's blossoming in you?

It's lovely to see you...

Jen

Send Me Your Teens: Leadership + Coaching Program

Y'all - send me your teens.

I'm serious. Say YES.

For two years (yep, you heard me - two full years), I've been wanting to create and launch a teen-centered program to develop teens' leadership skills and combine it with coaching.  You know my love for coaching.  To me, coaching is the foundation of all good, transformative things in the world including leadership.  And, I can't wait any longer.  

The world is too crazy.

The times are too urgent.

There is too much at stake.

The time is now.  For me.  For you.  For our teens. 

The Leadership + Coaching Program (LCP) I created is not focused on the doing of leadership. Our teens "do" enough.  The LCP is focused on how to be a leader.  What leadership feels like from within.

Read more about The Leadership + Coaching Program here.  And, send your teens. I've built this age-appropriate, all in experience just for them.

With certitude,

Jen

High Altitude Sickness Prevention and Remedies - In case this can help anyone else

As some of you already know from my Instagram stories, I have felt less-than-awesome acclimating to the high altitude (9600 feet) in Breckenridge, CO.  We come to Breck a lot because we have a little place here; I love this little town and community.  In the past, it generally has taken me 2-3 days to acclimate.  This time, however, I felt headachy, lethargic and icky for 6+ days.

So icky in fact that I had Mr. UpCyclist bring me to Urgent Care just to make sure I wasn't overlooking something (eg: brain swelling, lung issue, blurred vision....all symptoms which can be extreme effects of high altitude sickness).  For me to ask to go to Urgent Care means something is not right.  Though I like doctors and nurses, I rarely ask to see them.

The good news is yes, I just have "normal" high altitude sickness. the doctor confirmed.  Not extreme, whew.   And, here's what has helped and what remedies I will consider for the future prevention:

• Pure oxygen:  My oxygen level was a tiny bit off at 93 (normal is 95 or higher), so the Urgent Care staff did give me oxygen through my nose which brought my oxygen level to 100.  I did not need to bring a small oxygen tank home with me.
• High Altitude Medication - Acetazolamide 125 mg (two tablets a day for six days):  Evidently, this medication works even better when you take it 2-3 days before traveling to high altitude.  I think I will try this next time; take it a few days before I leave Maryland if my physician agrees. 
• Chlorophyll Drops: I've taken these before (they are bright, bright green) drops; you can buy them at Whole Foods or Amazon.  I totally forgot about these drops this trip.  I think this drops could be a great alternative to a prescription drug and I'm wishing I would have remembered them this trip.
• Gatorade or Pedialyte - The nurse reminded me that when acclimating, a 1-to-1 water to Gatorade or Pedialyte is the way to go because the body needs the extra electrolytes and salt.  She suggested one glass of water, one glass of Gatorade/Pedialyte (and keep doing that all day).  By the way, I am a sucker for grape flavored Gatorade.  It's my favorite and reminds me of grape Koolaid - a personal fav of mine in college!
• Clif Shot Bloks with Extra Sodium - A dear friend outside of Denver said these are her go-to to combat high altitude sickness.  I want to try this (maybe) now and definitely want to bring a few packs with me in the future.  Plus, Margarita flavored?!  Um...yes!
• Liquid IV - Just the name of this product intrigues me.  The same friend who rec'd the Clif Shot Bloks spoke highly of this hydration powder.  I'd give it a try for sure - maybe instead of Gatorade (or maybe in addition to...) next trip.
• Coca Tea - When I lived in Ecuador decades ago and climbed Cotapaxi (19,000 ft), I felt like holy heck hours before we took off to climb. Since Cotapaxi is a glaciered volcano, climbers leave to climb the volcano around midnight.  Around 7pm I felt like total junk, so the lovely refugio employee (a refugio is like a hostel) saw me struggling and made me coca tea.  Although the coca plant is the same plant used to extract alkaloids for cocaine, the raw leaves of the plant have very low alkaloids levels and the tea helped me acclimate and feel better within an hour.  If you travel to the Andes in South America, keep an eye out for coca tea.

What about you?  Do you have any favorite high altitude sickness remedies or prevention suggestions?  Find me on Instagram or Facebook if you do.

With love from Breckenridge,

Jen

How to Customize the Zoom Waiting Room

One of my favorite features in Zoom is the Zoom Waiting Room.  It's like a virtual tailgate party before your actual Zoom session.  I like it because you can customize the waiting room to make it fun, engaging, + informative.  Of course, using the waiting room is also helpful for security; you can see who is in the waiting room and admit them accordingly.  I'm going to show you how to customize the waiting room K?

Steps to customize the Zoom Waiting Room:

1.  Log onto your free or paid Zoom account at zoom.us

2.  Click on Settings in the toolbar (my toolbar appears on the left hand side of my screen if that is helpful).

3.  Scroll down in the settings just a touch to Waiting Room.  When you are there, make sure to toggle the switch on to activate the Waiting Room.  

4.  Then, go to the next setting which is Waiting Room Options and choose Edit. This allows you to edit who actually goes to the waiting room before your Zoom begins. I personally send everyone to the waiting room, because to me, the waiting room is the pre-party/tailgate to the Zoom.  Ha!

5.  Next, click on Customize Waiting Room.  This is where all the fun lives! You can add a very small graphic, change the title, meeting focus and blurb.  Make sure when you edit each block of text, you click on the little checkmark to save your edits.  I like to make my main blurb playful, like this:

"Hey there!  Are you ready to Zoom together?  Right now, I'm getting our Zoom space clean and sanitized for you.  I'm also adding bouquets of flowers because it's spring!  In just a few moments, our virtual Zoom doors will open.  In meantime, enjoy the (faux) waiting room music! See you virtually very soon - Jen"

6. Exit out of settings.  

7. Next time you host a Zoom, your guests will arrive to the waiting room.  To admit them, click on Participants and either admit guests one-by-one or click on admit all (which is generally what I do for large groups).  If a participant arrives late to your Zoom, you will see a waiting room announcement come up and remind you to let them into the Zoom.

The waiting room is pure joy.  So fun, functional and helpful.  

You can update the customized settings as much or as little as you like.  I try to update my Zoom Waiting Room settings to keep it fresh about 5-6 times a year and/or for special Zoom events.

Happy Waiting Room-ing,

Jen