I was doing some planning tonight over a cup of coffee, when something struck me.

I’m launching more consulting programs and seminars, internationally, yet I haven’t made a commitment to learning additional languages.

How could I overlook something so obvious?

Then, it occurred to me that I haven’t made this commitment because I’ve failed to adopt a Personal Learning Program. It has been a while since I earned my last degree, so I’ve been in a state of suspended animation when it comes to systematic knowledge acquisition.

Of course this is like the shoemaker who has no time to fix his kids’ soles. Here I am, a proponent of lifelong learning, yet I’ve somehow strayed from that path, myself.

I don’t want to overstate this. I have kept up with my fields of endeavor, and I’ve continued to do research and to write, all of which involves learning.

Yet, still, these activities are not he same as having a Personal Learning Program in place.

To me, this is a plan for general self-improvement through study. There can be a monetary or professional payoff in it, but really, the main goal is GROWTH as a thinking, creative being.

Such a program won’t just happen. It needs to be planned and executed.

If, for any reason, you’ve been feeling vaguely unfulfilled, this could be the reason, or better yet, the answer!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations from Santa Monica to South Africa. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

For information about coaching, consulting, training, books, videos and audios, please go to: http://www.customersatisfaction.com

It seems that we’re invited to a party or family get-together every other night in the weeks before the Holidays. Unfortunately most of the dishes that are brought to those events are not exactly healthy. We all tend to overindulge during the holiday season, tempted by all the unhealthy treats around. But to be honest with you, I get tired of all the rich and fattening food rather quickly and welcome a healthy fresh alternative. This is your year to shine with that healthy dish the next time you are asked to bring something to a holiday party. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Veggies and Dip

Just cut up some fresh veggies. Good choices are celery, broccoli, cauliflower and cucumber. Add some baby carrots and grape tomatoes. Serve it with a low fat ranch dip and you’re good to go.

2. Fruits and Dip Serve some fruit that’s in season in bite size chunks with a side of low fat vanilla yogurt. Wash some strawberries, peel and cut up some apples, pears, cantaloupe and even some fresh pineapple for a sweet treat that’s actually good for you.

3. Cheese and Crackers

Make a platter of several low fat cheeses and get a box of whole-wheat crackers. To make it even more fun, use some holiday cookie cutters and cut shapes out of the cheese. Just arrange everything on a platter and take it to the party.

4. Bring A Salad

A salad of mixed greens with some other veggies mixed in always makes for a great side dish and will go with any other foods that are served. Start with some basic mixed greens, preferably dark greens. I like to mix baby spinach with some other dark greens. Dice up some red and yellow peppers for color and some slices of cucumber for crunchy texture. Top it off with some grape tomatoes and you will have a colorful and yummy salad. I like to bring several ready-made low fat dressings form the grocery store to serve with the salad.

Go ahead; give one of these ideas a try. You’ll be surprised how well received your healthy dish will be. Plus you’ll know there will be at least one dish at the party you can fill up on that is actually good for you and your health.

Happy Holidays!