Joy Chudacoff's Page

A few days ago, our family went to see the movie "Up." We laughed at a lot--especially at how silly we all looked in our 3D glasses! In the movie, the character Ellie was both adventurous and feisty. Ellie had a wild imagination and Carl (her young friend who later became her husband) found her enchanting and fell in love with her. After their marriage, Ellie created a very special "Adventure Book" and inside she had written, "Stuff I'm going to do." This got me thinking about why Smart W… Continue

A few days ago, I was watching “The Wizard of Oz” with my 7-year-old daughter Jenna, and at one point she asked a question; “Mommy do you think that Dorothy and her friends will ever get to the Wizard of Oz”? My reply? “Yes, Jenna, I think they will get there. They have a lot of challenges along the way, but I feel certain they will make it.” Smart Women know that sometimes the road (whether it’s Yellow, brick, or a path less traveled) to getting what you truly want in life is not paved in an ea… Continue

Yesterday, when I picked my daughter Jenna up from tennis camp, she rushed over and handed me her uneaten snack and her nearly full water bottle, with a big smile on her face. I was surprised she hadn't eaten her snack (after all, Goldfish is her favorite) and I couldn't imagine her not drinking a gallon of water on this hot summer day! When I asked her about it, she exclaimed, "Mommy, I was having so much fun playing tennis I forgot to eat or drink!" Jenna was doing something that energized her… Continue

Yesterday, as I was on my way to pick up my kids from school, it occurred to me that I was feeling exhausted—I mean really tired. As I made a mental scan of my day, I realized that I had been in a “reactive” mode most of the day rather than a “proactive” mode. We do need to react to situations that occur in our lives as best we can at that moment, however, Smart Women know that living a “proactive” life where you plan, prepare, and practice conscious living is clearly more rewarding.

Living a “… Continue

Do you have “personal” power? I’m not referring to the power that comes from material wealth or the ability to control people and situations. I’m referring to the kind of power that comes from within—the power that is authentic only to you. Women with “personal” power are secure in their own self-confidence and self-esteem. They are at peace with who they are at their core and they encourage others to be more of who they are. Women with “personal” power encourage others to show up in the world e… Continue