A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for hiking boots or communications plans. With apologies to Nancy Sinatra, some boots are not made for walking. Just ask my hiking buddy/husband who has watched me limp along many a trail. It took time to find the ideal boot that could protect my ankles and help me advance on rough terrains. Likewise, communications that work for one brand may not be the perfect fit for another.

I marvel at people who can focus on the end game in an age of instant gratification. It isn’t easy to keep plugging away, sometimes taking one step forward for every two steps backward. Day after day, the obstacle course can be exhausting, especially when you add a coronavirus pandemic to the mix.

As a writer and public relations professional, I understand the power of words. Carefully chosen words can make all the difference. They can build greater understanding and cause us to reflect on our own thoughts and behaviors. They can make us uncomfortable. They can inspire us to act.

Being married and managing a business is a bit like the quest for the perfect s’more. How do you make this mouthwatering campfire treat with the right balance of toasted marshmallow and melted chocolate between two graham crackers? Likewise, what’s the best recipe for maintaining a marriage and a business?

Our three-year-old grandson shared an important lesson with us during a recent hike. When he stopped to play in the red sand along the Georgia stream, he asked, “Where are my construction toys?” We explained we didn’t bring any. Without missing a beat, he transformed his left arm into a fully-functioning digger. This is the kind of inventiveness and imagination we grownups need.

Each year, we try to check off an adventure from our bucket list. I was scheduled to explore Portugal with my husband later this month. It was our anniversary present and an investment in another mind-opening experience. As you guessed it, the airline cancelled our trip a few weeks into the shelter-in-place order.

Place one foot in front of the other. If you trip, pick yourself up, brush off the dirt and repeat. That’s what hiking and life seem to have in common. A trusted trail map or a five-year plan doesn’t always show us the fallen trees or obstacles in our way. Do we slog through the mud, cross the stream or turn around and head back to the car when the trail gets rough?

Until lately, I didn’t worry about the majestic mammals found in wolf sanctuaries, national parks and the wild. What did it matter if these carnivorous mammals huffed and puffed to blow the house down or pretended to be Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother? These were just fairy tales. Not anymore. Nowadays, wolves are among the many wild animals wandering our deserted streets as we shelter at home.