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For this Mother’s Day, I want to express extreme gratitude for my mother, Camille, and my mother-in-law, Virginia. My mom is 82 years old, and my mother-in-law just turned 85. The word is gratitude, and I am completely thankful for these two ladies in my life. If you are a mother like me or a son or daughter, I hope you’re looking forward to celebrating Mother/Mother-in-Law’s Day.

I have learned so much from them. I have learned about life, marriage, and motherhood to name a few things. I don’t know what I would do without them. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t talk to them. I feel so blessed.

I love my mom. She always has a smile on her face and is ready to embrace family members with a big kiss and hug, even though she was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. As you might imagine, the last year has been challenging for everyone. But Mom is still sweet “little Camille.” She is the best and certainly the sweetest person. And we are lucky to have her with us. Diagnosed with breast cancer ten years ago, she has been cancer free for the last five years. We are very fortunate.

And my mother-n-law is unbelievable. She never misses a play, recital, or event that John Robert is in; she is a sounding board for me. And she has more energy than people who are 10 years younger. She is an incredible woman.

Everyone has or had a mom. So we can all take a few moments on Sunday to express our gratitude and praise for the person who gave us life.

I am truly thankful for my two moms. If you’re a mom, I wish you a Happy Mother’s Day. May you enjoy your day with your family. The rule is you get to do whatever you want on your special day. Since it comes only once a year, be sure to enjoy it!

With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker

“Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” -Winston Churchill

Despite the current defeat, my brother, Bob Tosi, has the courage and stamina to keep on keeping on. And we need to all partake of that courage because we fought the good fight.

It is unfortunate that Arlington residents lost their chance of getting an independent voice on the Select Board. They lost their chance for an independent voice, which represents residents without so much power — the young, old, and some of those who are outside the American dream. But again, we won, because we ran a thoughtful, well-coordinated campaign.

Bob ran for this office twice before. In this last campaign, we were organized, thought we had the tactics right, and had an outpouring of support. But, we did not get the needed votes. Very disappointing, but we put up a magnificent fight! Maybe we shouldn’t have tried a third time, but not taking risks may be the riskiest move of all.

We had a team of dedicated volunteers, who worked with high energy and efficiency. You know who you are. So, no matter what you did or how you participated, even if it was mentioning Bob Tosi to a friend, I want to say THANK YOU.

As Bob’s Campaign Manager for Select Board Member, I know we put up a good fight. No, we didn’t win, but the opponent, Stephen DeCourcey, had to work hard to get into office. He had a contender in Bob.

Many of you volunteered to help Bob, and you all deserve kudos. There were 125 different donors and over 100 volunteers. Without you, there wouldn’t have been a whisper of a chance. You did everything from holding signs, to writing letters to the editor, to writing dear friend cards, and to making calls to voters in each precinct, and we used Robo calls to compliment those initial calls. You did it all.

But the candidate at the center, Bob Tosi, was the man. He was also untiring in his efforts, with always a kind or humorous and encouraging word. We expected such a wonderful candidate to win. His credentials are many.

He has extensive experience helping Arlington residents and in Arlington government. He did very well in both debates, held a successful rally, and participated in multiple interviews. He had a very good candidate profile and an informative website. Bob had 22 letters of endorsement to the editor. In addition to sending 8 x 10 mailers, Bob visited all of the schools and took out photographed sticker adds on the front page of The Arlington Advocate.

All this was not enough. We missed the mark, but we engaged in the struggle with energy, honor, and courage.

Post analysis, so why did we lose? We can probably come up with many reasons. The salient ones are we were out spent, and we didn’t have the backing of several current and former Select Board Members which gave his opponent an advantage.  Despite the nice weather, there was low voter turnout. This last point is very important to keep in mind for future elections this year and in the immediate future. We must encourage people to exercise their democratic right to VOTE.

We have all been disappointed in some of our goals and efforts. We’ve taken chances and didn’t achieve our dreams. But we can’t let that deter us from trying and trying again. Bob Tosi is a winner to me and to the 2,500 residents who voted for him. We all can continue to be winners by gathering the courage to carry on.

With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” -Helen Keller

Hello, Friends. This month I have 3 pieces of good news that I’m very pleased to share with you.  As you’ll see, they are all centered around the concept of Teamwork.

First, my goal-setting workshop turned out very well.  Despite Mother Nature sending us snow squalls that night, 50% of the people who signed up were able to make it. In addition to attendees being able to set a personal, professional and gratitude goal, a number of individuals took the next step to engage in coaching to help them achieve their goals. Four Discovery Sessions, one Career Assessment and one Personal Assessment were all booked in the month of February.  Some people are still awaiting their “Mini Consults,” so there is likely to be more activity this month.  It was a success, and over $200 was raised for Children’s Hospital. My thanks to John, John Robert, Bob, Sheila and all of the attendees for being on my team the night of the workshop.

Yay!  The Patriots are winners of Super Bowl 53!  They won in a low-scoring game 13 to 3 against the LA Rams. It was all about defense, and was it intense!  This marks the sixth Super Bowl for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.  But how did they do it?  Consider:  the Patriots lost 5 games this season, two of them right in a row as recently as December. So how it was it possible that they won the Super Bowl?  The answer is clear:  it’s all about Teamwork.  When no one believed in them.  The Patriots believed in their coach, their fellow players and themselves.  The team represents a winning combination.

And here’s my third piece of good news:  I’m proud to say my brother Bob Tosi is running for a seat on the Arlington Select Board.  His upcoming rally is March 3^rd —so please come by and learn more about Bob.  The rally will take place Sunday, March 3^rd from 2-6 pm at the Knights of Columbus, 15 Winslow St. in Arlington. Bob has been a Town Meeting Member for 31 years, on the Finance Committee for 12 years, and the Arlington Council on Aging Board for 14 years—all while also serving the community as a member of 15 other organizations.

He’s given so much to Arlington.  Now it’s Tosi’s Turn to be on the Arlington Select Board.  The rally is free, but your donations are gratefully accepted.  It takes time, people and money to run a good campaign.  Please join Team Tosi on www.BobTosi.com.  Sign up to help, and most importantly, tell everyone you know who lives in Arlington to Vote for Bob Tosi on Saturday, April 6th.

With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker

This is my special birthday month—and not only that—it’s a very special birthday year, too.  This is a big one, 30!  (just kidding), and I wanted to share it publicly with all my family and friends.  It’s actually my 50^th.  People from my generation used to play Pac-Man, loved listening to Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Madonna, and grew up watching The Brady Bunchand The Partridge Familyon TV.  Ah, the memories.  Wasn’t that a nice bit of nostalgia?

Well, it’s put me in a mellow mood.  It’s my birthday, but you get the presents. I’d like to offer you a Complimentary Workshop on Goal Setting for Success with Accountability, Balance and Gratitude. For more information on the seminar and to register please click the Sign-up Genius button below.  It will be held on Wed., January 30^th  2019, from 6:30-8:30pm. I hope that you can attend if you want some help making and creating goals. 

Although, as I mentioned, your admission will be free, small donations ($10-$20) for Boston Children’s Hospital are always welcome. You can either bring the donation to the event or mail it in advance to me at:  Lisa Sasso, P.O. Box 371, Reading, MA 01867.   Again, there is no obligation, but I would much prefer accepting any donations for Boston Children’s rather than a gift or card for me.  I may have told you that I have a cardiac kid who’s had 3 surgeries in the last 11 years—the most recent being his open-heart surgery this past August. So, giving back to Children’s Hospital is near and dear to my heart.

I am also a believer in Gratitude, and giving and sharing Gratitude.  As I reflect over the last 50 years, I realize how blessed I am today, to have both sets of parents alive and relatively healthy. And I have good friends—who’ve been my friends for over 40 years (Amy, Laura, Kathy). And good friends from high school as well (Elizabeth, Carolyn and Eleni).  Also, I’ve had so many friends from SDT Sorority and UMASS for over 30 years (Susan, Dawn, Roxanne, Julie, Nadine, etc.). And there are also my RADI friends and my MDG friends, and of course my family, town friends and neighbors. I have also been married for 26 years and together with my sweetheart, John, for 34 years.  Finally, I have a healthy and happy 11-year old son.

To all the people just mentioned:  you have shaped me into the woman that I have become.  I have been influenced by so many people, and I am grateful for each one of you. To all of you, thank you for being in my life. I am a very fortunate lady and I have a lot of gratitude to share.
Research shows that Gratitude helps you to live longer. You could be more satisfied in life simply by being happier.  During my workshop we talk about Gratitude and what things you can do, like keeping a Gratitude Journal.  Did you know that at the New Year, many people make the effort to create their personal goals for the year, yet over 82% actually don’t know what they are by the end of January?  In fact, only 8% of goal-setters achieve their goal at the end of the year.  Be one of the 8% that meets your goals annually!

Again, click here for more information on the seminar and to register.  It is on Wed., January 30^th 2019 from 6:30-8:30pm.  I hope that you can make it.  Also, feel free to invite a guest and get a free 20-30 minute free mini-consult.  I want to fill the room with quality individuals.

What are you going to do for yourself in 2019? This could be a no-brainer.  It’s FREE, it’s short, and there will be snacks and water provided.  Thanks as always for your time, and thank you for being a special person in my life.  I hope to see you at the Workshop.

With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker

“It doesn’t matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going.”
~ Brian Tracy

The Year in Review

The Sassos had a busy year.  We enjoyed a summer vacation at the Hard Rock Café resort in Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic. We had a blast swimming in the many pools and lazy rivers, as well as in the ocean. The food was delicious.  Although John Robert got a little sick, that didn’t slow him down.  We also watched a theater performance each night.

In August, John Robert played the role of Michael in Peter Pan, and did a great job. Three days later, he started at Learning Prep, his new middle school.  He was only able to attend for one day, and then he had his open-heart surgery.  He was in and out of the Intensive Care Unit in only 2 days—and he made it out of the hospital in only 4 days.  It was a whirlwind ride!

He made it back to school at the end of September, and in October, John Robert and his friend Jason played the two wicked stepsisters in the musical Cinderella. The boys stole the show. My son as a drag queen, it was funny. He’s pursuing Jazz, Tap, Drama, and Boy Scouts.

John is still working for Nextegic, and he is going on 4 years. Lisa is still working for herself, and doing her coaching and motivational speaking.  This year Lisa earned her PCC (Professional Certified Coach) accreditation for coaching— through the ICF (International Coach Federation), and also her PSM (Professional Speakers Member) for speaking—through the NSA (National Speakers Association).

Mom and Dad Tosi celebrated their birthdays in December, and Mom and Dad Sasso had their birthdays in April. All the grandparents are doing well. Dad Sasso had both knees replaced this year.  Mom Tosi is still suffering from memory issues.

This past year I was able to donate more than $1,000 to Children’s Hospital from the proceeds of my book, Motivation Now!. I thank you and appreciate all of you who purchased my book.  Now, I am giving back to you and Children’s Hospital in the form of my Goal Setting Seminar on the 30th.

Please save the date for Goal Setting for Success with Accountability, Balance and Gratitude on Wed., January 30, 2019 from 6:30pm-8:30pm (use the sign-up genius link below to reserve your spot).

Here’s wishing you a Happy New Year. I hope you and everyone in your family are healthy and well. — From The Sasso’s

With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker

It’s hard to believe that we’re already in the middle of December;  the end of the year will be here before you know it.  Have you met your goals for 2018?  There are still a few weeks left.

And looking ahead, if you want to start off your new year right with new goals for 2019, you’ll want to attend my 4^th Annual Goal Setting for Success with Accountability, Balance and Gratitude Seminar.  Click here for more information on the Seminar. It’s a fundraiser, so there is no cost for the session, but you are encouraged to give a nominal amount to Boston Children’s Hospital (suggested donation $10-$20).

You may know that my son had open-heart surgery at Children’s in August of this year, and this is one way I give back to them.  I also sell my books, and 50% of the proceeds go to Children’s Hospital. (If you’d like to buy my book, click here for a link to Amazon).  I’m pleased to let you know that I’m writing out a check for over $1,000 to Children’s Hospital from my book sales— and if you bought a book, I thank you.  My goal is to collect another $500-$700 in donations at my workshop for Children’s Hospital; that’s 50-70 people giving just $10 each.

December is a giving time of year. Doesn’t it feel good to be giving as opposed to receiving?  This is the month when we give to all our favorite charities.  Make sure that you donate to your special causes, groups, clubs, and schools. No matter what holiday you celebrate,

• Enjoy time with your family and friends.
• Enjoy the good food and tasty desserts.
• Enjoy the magic in the season.

Here is a photo from our house after putting up our tree.  Wishing you best wishes from our house to yours.

I’m looking forward to seeing you at my 4^thAnnual Goal Setting Seminar, mentioned above.  First come, first served, and I’m offering it first to all you wonderful friends who read my Monthly Motivational Message blog, so that you can sign up if you want to go.  Also, you’re welcome to bring a friend, just make sure that you’re both registered through the Sign Up Genius (link below). The seminar is scheduled for: January 30^{th –}  6:30-8:30 pm, at Constant Contact in Waltham.  Click here for more information.

And thank you in advance for your generosity.  I feel that we have a TEAM approach to Goal Setting and working together: Together Everyone Achieves More.

Again, my sincere good wishes for a spectacular holiday season.  I look forward to seeing many of you on January 30^th.  Until then, enjoy your holidays. Happy New Year!

With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker

Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving to You and Your Family

MedDevCoach believes Thanksgiving is a special time—an opportunity for us to give thanks; to express our deepest gratitude for our family, friends and our valued clients.

We also want to thank the Red Sox for their outstanding showmanship this season. Congratulations on being World Champs once again!  They really played well, and we saw some amazing games—especially in the World Series.  I am curious to know how many people stayed up to 3 a.m. during Game 3 (I know that I wasn’t alone).  It was too bad we lost that game; however, we came back with even more energy and showed people what the Red Sox were made of.  They had a lot of grit.

I also want to take a moment to thank God for the miraculous work that Dr. del Nido did on John Robert on August 29^th, and for his quick recovery.  He’s doing great, and he’s now participating in gym and all of his extracurricular activities (tap, jazz, drama, Boy Scouts, altar boy).

John Robert is truly doing outstandingly well.  Thank you!  I mean this sincerely from the bottom of my heart.  He has made a smooth transition to his new school, Learning Prep.  He likes his teachers, the students, and even the subjects. 

One of his classes is Performing Arts; I think that’s his favorite subject. He still participates in a local drama club and was just in the play Cinderella this past weekend.  It featured him and another boy playing the two wicked step-sisters.  They were hysterically funny, and they milked the applause.

And now is my time to say thank you to all of you who continue to keep my son in your thoughts and prayers. Take a few minutes to think about what you are most thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker

“People will not give you their hand until they can see your heart.”
— John Maxwell

The above quote really resonated with me.  I believe in showing people my heart, and this message to you comes from my heart: thanks for all the continued support.  My son, John Robert, is not only back to school after his open-heart surgery, but he is also back to several of his activities—dancing, drama and Boy Scouts.  It’ s great to have him doing so well.  He is full of energy, and just gained back the 6 pounds that he lost at the hospital. We are so blessed.  It will take a few more weeks until he is swimming or playing basketball; he just needs to heal.  Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes.  They have certainly worked, and they have meant so much to me and my family.

And now, how are you doing?  It’s already the beginning of the 4^thQuarter; as you spring to the end-of-year finish line, what are you going to do to make it memorable?  Have you set up goals that you want to complete by the end of December?  Have you written them down, and are you looking at them on a daily—or at least weekly— basis? With 75 more days to go before the year ends, there’s still plenty of time to achieve most goals.

Speaking of goals, I am moderating an event for MDG on Tuesday, October 16^th at 5:30 pm entitled “Transitioning into and within the Medical Device Industry.”  I will have a stellar panel consisting of Keith Faucher from Getinge, Steven Colbert from CardioFocus, and Andrea Cahill from Boston Scientific, as well as several guests discussing Networking.  This is the 12th Annual Event that I’ve had the privilege of putting together for MDG.  It is being held at Regis College in Weston, MA.  If you’re in the medical device industry, or if you want to get into the field or learn more about the Industry, I encourage you to come and join us.  It will be time and money well spent.   It’s only $25 if you register in advance.  To learn more or to register, please click here.

Also, I wanted to acknowledge my book Motivation Now!  which has just celebrated its first-year anniversary. This year certainly went by quickly.  My goal last year was to finish the book and to have 50 reviews on Amazon and I am proud to say that I was able to make both goals.  This year my goal was to conduct 20 paid speeches and to go from being an Academy member with National Speakers Association to a Professional Member.  I completed this goal and I met a lot of great people along the way that are now part of my members.  It is not too late to leave a review, I greatly appreciate every review on Amazon.  Wow what can happen in a year!

I know many of you already have a copy of Motivation Now! (thank you!).  But if you haven’t and would like one, please check out Amazon to order your copy.  You can also view the first chapter for free (click here) and learn about goal setting— which fits into your working on your quarterly goals.  If you buy my book online it’s $12.99 plus shipping, or you can buy it directly from me for only $10.00 (no tax and no shipping charge). Just a reminder: I donate 50% of the proceeds to Children’s Hospital.   Send me an email if you are interested in purchasing directly from me.

Thanks for all of your love, help and support.  It all goes back to the quote on the top of this page.  I hope that you see my heart.  I also hope to see you at the Transitioning meeting next Tuesday, October the 16^th.  It really does take a village to put on an event like this.

Have a great weekend!
With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker