YWCA of Greater Cincinnati
Swimmer Diana Nyad Spoke About Perseverance At YWCA Luncheon
You may have heard about Diana Nyad, who, at 64, became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida WITHOUT a shark cage. Many people in Greater Cincinnati got to meet and listen to Diana thanks to the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati. Linda Clement-Holmes, senior vice president, Global Business Services at P&G, was among them. Below are some of Linda’s thoughts after the opportunity. Thank you to her for sharing them!
“About 6 months ago, I had the privilege and honor of spending a little bit of time with Diana Nyad when she was in Cincinnati speaking at the YWCA Career Women of Achievement Luncheon. Diana Nyad is the first person (at age 64) to have EVER 
made the swim from Cuba to Florida without the use of a shark cage. She completed that historic swim in about 53 hours. In addition to monumental feats like the Cuba to Florida swim, she is also an inspirational speaker. One of the things she talks about is doing your absolute best and knowing that no matter the outcome, you know that you could not have done one [millimeter] more (she usually holds up her thumb and index finger to demonstrate the extreme minuteness of doing [millimeter] more).
How many of us can look back at our day and say, “Today, in all that I did, I did the ABSOLUTE BEST JOB I COULD HAVE DONE, AND NOT ONE MILLIMETER LESS”? I would say not many of us. I know I can’t. And there are many reasons for this as well as the fact that we all have good days and bad days. But on average, how many times can you say that?
Try it. Tonight, before you close your eyes and go to sleep, ask yourself, “Did I do my absolute best job possible on EVERYTHING I did today?” It could be work-related or family-related, it does not matter. The question still applies.
Try it. In particular, if there is someone who says they give their ABSOLUTE BEST EVERY SINGLE Day on EVERY SINGLE THING THEY DID, I would love to hear how you are doing that, and what tips you have for the rest of us.”
Linda was a co-chair for the event, is a former YWCA Career Woman of Achievement Award recipient and YWCA Board member.
Do you give your best every day? I invite you to post a comment with what you are doing.
Join Me At Bark Out Against Battering This Weekend
This Saturday, bring your favorite pooch with you to Washington Park (across the street from Music Hall) for the 4th Annual 
Bark Out Against Battering Pet Fest, for some fun trick-or-treating (just for the dogs) and other activities. I’ll be there with a booth so if you come, please stop by and say hello!
The event runs from 11 am until 2 pm and is a partnership between the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati, Women Helping Women, Washington Park, and 3CDC. There will be a pet parade, pet photo booth, animal adoptions and a costume contest.
Funds raised by the event will help support the Domestic Violence Shelter’s efforts to work with the SPCA in removing the worry women have, by assisting in providing protective shelter for pets during the women’s stay in shelter. That’s a great cause.
For more information about the YWCA, other Domestic Violence Awareness Month events, and ways to help abused animals please visit: www.ywcacincinnati.org , www.womenhelpingwomen.org , www.spcacincinnati.org
A note about dogs and costumes: If you dress your dog in an outfit, please make sure your dog is comfortable. Your dog 
will communicate that with his body. Some signs of a happy dog are: a relaxed body; fast, vigorous tail wag; loose lips or even open mouth with loose tongue; rhythmic panting. There are many creative ways you and your dog can look great for Halloween and have fun together!
Wearing costumes can be very stressful to many dogs and a stressed dog can be more likely to become reactive. If you try to put clothing on your dog, watch your dog’s body language. Some signs that your dog is not comfortable include: his tail may be down, his body may be tight, he may have a tense mouth, you will see the whites on the sides of his eyes, his ears may be back, he may yawn or lick his chops. Please click here and here for more body language signs.
If your dog is showing any signs of stress with a costume, an alternate option is to try a simple bandanna or Halloween themed collar instead.
