Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 81

Boy, yesterday was a hum-dinger. @wesaidgotravel's wonde...

Boy, yesterday was a hum-dinger. @wesaidgotravel's wonderful list of books helps to show us the way out of a slump: https://t.co/yU0xB6ZMwT

— UndomesticatedMag (@Undomestic_Mag) January 8, 2021

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From @Undomestic_Mag: "@wesaidgotravel's #books that hel...

From @Undomestic_Mag: "@wesaidgotravel's #books that helped #personalchange. Her success came after she thought she’d lost everything but got to work reinventing herself in her forties.”https://t.co/UkSXmkniye#editors @gooddirt @TiffanyRHawk @Susan_BK #book #travel #grateful pic.twitter.com/jUD9fxbElQ

— Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) January 11, 2021

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Just Breathe: A Dialogue with Mallika Chopra

Thank you to Thrive Global for publishing my article, “Just Breathe: A Dialogue with Mallika Chopra.”

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Lisa Niver (LN): Hello. This is Lisa Niver from We Said Go Travel, and I am so honored to be here today with Mallika Chopra. She often gets introduced as the daughter of spiritual guru, Deepak Chopra, which is true, but today we’re going to talk to her about being an author and being an inspiration during COVID. Thank you so much for being here.

Mallika Chopra (MC): Thank you for having me.

[image error]Mallika Chopra

LN: I imagine must be busy at your house with all of your books and being a mom and running Chopra web. What has been your main focus during these crazy uncertain COVID times?

MC: My main focus has been trying to keep my family in order. My husband, who normally travels non-stop, has been home since March. And that, of course, has been, let’s say, finding a new balance.

VIDEO: Mallika Chopra and Lisa Niver

LN: That was very politically correct; I like that you’re finding a balance.

MC: I have two daughters. One who is 18 and was a senior last spring. So missed out on all of the senior traditions and graduation and then didn’t make it to college this Fall, she’ll be going in January. It’s obviously an emotional time. My 16 year old, who’s in 10th grade has been doing zoom school here in LA. Nobody ended up going back to school in person. 

There’s a lot, a lot of transition, emotion, patience, frustration, family bonding time, which I think many are experiencing. So that really has been my main focus, but I think what I’m lucky and feel very grateful to be able to do, is to share very honestly the experiences I’m going through and share tools that I’ve learned over a lifetime, that can help during these unprecedented times.

LN: I agree with you it is so unprecedented. I’m sorry your daughter missed out on graduation. My nephew is the same age and missed graduation. That’s challenging. You mentioned your husband —I think it’s also a very exciting anniversary year for you.

MC: Yes, our anniversary will be 24 years, this December. It’s crazy how time flies by. My mom called me and said I just remembered your anniversary is coming up. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago, but when you think about the numbers, it’s incredible.

LN: I actually thought you were 25 years!

MC: No, our 25th is next year. Next summer, I will turn 50.

LN: Congratulations on both! I did a big project before I turned 50. I did 50 crazy challenges before I turned 50. I hope it’ll be an exciting year for you and lucky for you it’s 2021. 

I know you mentioned that it’s been a challenging time and I really appreciated in your September newsletter how honest you were. I know September for all of us, when Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and coming into the election that was so uncertain and long before we thought there might be a vaccine. 

Can you share some of the things that did help you stop with the unhealthy choices and move back into your preferred choices?

MC: I think we all started our various forms of change in lifestyle in March and April. We didn’t think that it was going to go so long. And all the emotional stuff with my daughter and no graduation and all that. Many people start to fall into the habits of I’ll have a drink which turned into every night. 

And, I can’t go to the gym anymore so my husband and I would go for walks in the neighborhood and I tried to do yoga. But then, that stopped. And I was getting into deeper holes of habits that normally it’d be more disciplined with. 

In September, I reached that breaking point where I said: I can’t do this anymore. I made the mistake of weighing myself. What has happened in the last few months? We started going back to eat Duncan Hines cake with frosting.

The excuse of this quarantine lifestyle led to a lot of habits and what I realized—   it was both my habits how I was feeling physically and of course, all of that coming from emotional stress, anxiety and I’m someone who gets obsessed with politics, then Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. There were just too many things and so I wrote this very honest newsletter. I have to say within one hour of sending that out I had 200 people who have responded to me. Saying: I am going through this too. And just thank you for sharing that. So many of us have been struggling, what I realized is it takes real discipline, focus and attention as well as intention to change those habits.

I decided I’m going to stop my drinks, because that’s something that, became a habit without even thinking about it. I could stop it. I started doing some more intermittent fasting, committing to yoga and being outside. 

We’re lucky because we I live in LA, so I can go outside and be in the sun and feel the warmth. I’m always very focused on my kids but that also was the time when zoom school was starting and brought a new sadness. Seeing my 10th grader on zoom, my nephew who’s in seventh grade starting a new school and not even being able to meet someone. I’m constantly in touch with teachers and parent groups and it’s been really hard for our kids. So September was that time of overwhelm, but then a real commitment personally to connect with people and to move, to eat better to shift certain habits.

LN: I appreciated how honest you were and I’m not surprised so many people reached back out because I do you think we are all feeling that way, and that really is a great place to start talking about the amazing books you’ve created for children. You were concerned about how they were feeling stressed before COVID. Can you tell everyone who might not be familiar with your just the series about how the books came about or how you got started.

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MC: Thank you so I have these three books: Just Breathe. Just Feel and then next year comes up Just Be You! We’re calling them the Just Be series.

Order your copy of Just Be You which will be available starting March 2, 2021!

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LN: They’re beautiful.

MC: Thank you and the first two are out: Just Breathe and Just Feel.

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LN: I bet they make a great holiday gift.

MC: Yes. I did my Master’s in clinical psychology at Teachers College, which is really focused on teachers and education What we’re seeing in classrooms is that the levels of anxiety for children is really high.

There’s this whole trend in social emotional learning. But what I realized is that simple tools like breathing, like figuring out how to connect with self, to set intentions, for kids how to sense their body, and where they’re kind of physically feeling feelings. They’re really simple techniques so I got this opportunity to write these how to books for children. 

And the first one, Just Breathe, is really focused on breathing meditation, mindfulness and movement. The second one, Just Feel, is really appropriate for what we’re going through this year, the overwhelming feelings of sadness, anger and frustration. How do we process those feelings and how do we feel them in our body, how do we accept them because the range of feelings is completely normal and natural. I think it’s really important for children to recognize that.

They also need recognize that feelings come in waves. These two books were timely but what they offer is ancient wisdom traditions that have lasted centuries in cultures around the world. 

It’s been really nice to be able to share these techniques which I learned when I was nine and I learned how to meditate. I’m 49 now so I have four decades of practice, regular practice which I talked about in my adult book living with intent. But, there are tools that we can find in our toolkit. We keep adding to the toolkit that can help us through hard times, but also the joyful times and the good times. The exercises of gratitude and kindness and intention and celebrating the joyful moments in our lives.

LN: I think they’re beautiful books. The illustrations are beautiful. And I especially liked when you were talking about: it’s okay to ask for help or it’s always good to ask for help.

MC: These books have been out in the world and I’m finding that it’s not just kids but also parents, teachers, mentors anyone who is learning from them. Because there are simple tools like asking for help. And as women, who are taking care of multi generations and trying to work and find some sort of balance… often we’re just trying to do things by ourselves. Giving people permission to ask for help is one of the things found through these books. The kids are now giving tips to their parents. It’s so nice to be flipping it around, where my kids say to me: Mom, just breathe. 

Adults who are saying —my kids are telling me: Just take a moment and pause stop. Ask for help if you need to. So we all need to be reminded of that.

LN: I love reverse mentoring. I think that’s amazing that the kids are being able to use those phrases to help themselves, but also to help the whole family. I was actually going to ask you are you finding that teenagers, young adults, college students are thinking—I’m taking that book with me.

MC: I hope that becomes the case. And again, my kids are 16 and 18 and I speak a lot in high schools. And similarly, the levels of anxiety for teenagers and sadly, mental illness in that older kind of teen low 20s age group is skyrocketing. I think with COVID, it is skyrocketing even more and it is sad to say suicide is on the rise. 

We need to recognize what people are going through. Recognize that it’s normal and it’s natural to go through that. And that we’re all going through different phases of that. It’s important to reach out to others for help. But even reach out to others to check in, make sure people are okay. 

And I also think when I grew up, when I was 9, my dad was considered the witch doctor who was selling snake oil. It’s really only in the last 10 years or so that meditation, mindfulness, yoga, these practices have become more mainstream. There’s been more research, which seems to validate. These are ancient wisdom traditions which have lasted 1000’s of years but for some reason when someone does a study on it, it’s accepted. It is wonderful because I think that has allowed these practices to really seep into mainstream living now. 

What I am finding is that teenagers and college students, they’re yearning tools and techniques to help them survive. So if we can start introducing them at a young age, then they have those tools through that very rocky period which continues in life. We all know, life is full of ups and downs. We have to figure out the best way to manage the stress. Mindfulness tools where we can be aware of situations and observe them and connect with body and breath, they help us for a lifetime.

LN: I completely agree that life is a lot of ups and downs. It feels like this COVID last nine or 10 months has many more valleys than we anticipated. I like what you’re saying about teaching them when they’re younger. Your upcoming book is for even younger kids, is that correct?

MC: I have a book called: My Body is A Rainbow, which is going to be so beautifully illustrated. I feel very lucky with my publishing company that they found these artists. For me, the number one criteria was that they were warm and loving but also diverse in terms of the photo and pictures there.

My body is A Rainbow is full of color and kids from all different backgrounds and that will be for younger kids. It is more of a picture book for ages three to six, and I’m really excited about that. 

And then I’ve recently got involved with a show called Stillwater that Apple TV plus is releasing, which is based on the books, Zen shorts. They are classics and they’re on the top of my list when I’m gifting books. They teach great mindfulness lessons through this panda bear, Stillwater. The show is so beautiful. I feel like it’s an interesting time. More of these techniques and concepts are accepted in a mainstream way and if we can share them through different modes, whether that’s the books, meditations for kids and adults on the different meditation apps or something like Stillwater which is this magical show. It’s an interesting time for this type of content and I hope it lasts.

LN: I saw it for Stillwater, you’re the mindfulness consultant.

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MC: Yes, I know. It is such a unique and lovely term. They reached out to me because they have this incredible show. And it was actually through Teachers College, through another alumni through the Master’s that I did. The show is beautiful and what it does —is it teaches these techniques but in the storytelling narrative as you’re watching the show. 

You feel really, it’s almost like you slow down and you take a deep breath. And so I’ve been involved to promote awareness of it. I have to say when I watched it. It was blissful and so peaceful at the same time because of the way that it’s made. It’s a beautiful show. I do a lot of how-to stuff. But this is narrative, it’s through storytelling and that’s how kids are going to learn these techniques in all the different ways.

LN: Congratulations! You have so many different pieces! Now your dad and your brother Gotham and you restarted or shifted the Chopra Well?

MC: Several years ago, YouTube was creating premier channels. And so we launched a pretty big channel called the Chopra Well which still exists, which is full of actually different kind of shows. More recently it has transitioned more to my dad doing a lot of videos. 

Like with everything, I have an adult book, Living with Intent, but the subtitle is: My somewhat messy journey to purpose, peace and joy. As a serial entrepreneur, I’ve had many ventures. You’re always adjusting and shifting and changing. That’s part of the lesson that I’m trying to share with kids and adults —is that it’s okay to have ups and downs— to have to readjust, whether that’s physically, emotionally, in your work, in your practice, in your habits, whatever it may be. 

We’re always tinkering and figuring it out, and giving ourselves that kind of freedom to be flexible. To recognize that the possibilities ahead can be infinite versus being stuck on a path. You know feeling trapped by some of the things that you’re doing. The YouTube channel is a great example of that— which is it keeps changing and adjusting but it’s a great platform to have.

LN: You have so many things going on. I know you mentioned that you speak with schools and I’m not sure if you’re also doing a virtual book tour but if people want to have you come to their school or their book club or their parent group how, what’s the best way for people to get in touch with you?

MC: I have a website http://www.mallikachopra.com/ and I’m on all the social media under Mallika Chopra. There are links to speaking or PR — I do a lot with companies as well. And it’s so interesting this year. We all have zoom fatigue…

I’m used to going and speaking to hundreds of people and you can see how they react. And you know, it’s a back and forth. The Zoom thing, especially when you’re speaking, sometimes you’re just speaking to your computer for like 20-30 minutes and you literally have no idea ow it’s going. 

I’m finding, even with the zoom fatigue, sometimes people just need that space to take a few breaths and to do a meditation practice. It’s interesting as I think some of that will continue, in terms of being able to reach people in different parts of the world. I know my dad used to travel so much but now he’s reaching so many people through his computer and on his phone. It’s amazing.

LN: That’s true, that some people have been able to use this different time, called the Great pause, to shift. You might reach more people—you could speak to three book groups on three continents and never get on the plane.

MC: It’s a really interesting dynamic. One of the things that COVID has made me realize, and I think the world realized— is that life is uncertain. We always say that…  This year, we really have all experienced it. We really don’t know what’s going to happen in a month. We’re so grateful now with the vaccine coming, and some sense of normalcy but that’s gonna take a while. In terms of planning, my daughter’s move to college, I don’t even know if it’s going to happen. And so, we really have to accept that life is uncertain.

LN: That’s true. I feel like we could just talk all day but before I let you go, would you just open one book and read a page to us. The illustrations are so beautiful.

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MC: Thank you and I’ll show you some of them. In Just Breathe, which is the first one, there’s like a nice collage of our family photos. 

I’ll read from the introduction when we introduce concepts like this to children. We have to keep it simple.

What I’m trying to do in Just Breathe and then continue in the books is to have kids, connect with what I call the safe happy quiet place that we’ve discovered inside. All of these techniques are about connecting to soul, to our physical body or to our environment. 

Just Breathe starts: “Do you have a place where you feel safe, happy and quiet?

Perhaps, it’s a physical space, somewhere in your home, a hidden corner that no one else knows about or a place outside, where you can run, twirl and laugh without any worries. 

Perhaps it’s not a physical space but instead is the time you spend with a friend, a sibling or parent. Maybe, it’s those moments you chat with your sister before you both fall asleep, or when you throw a baseball with a friend and the time flies by. 

Or perhaps it is when you are by yourself. Reading, drawing or daydreaming about nothing in particular, moments when your mind and body feel rested. When you’re not thinking about the past or worried about the future. 

Maybe you’re thinking that you don’t have that place in your life, and you’re wondering if you even need it. Research shows that when you find that quiet place, your body and brain are healthier. You feel more in control, and you are happier. 

And for many people being able to feel that peace inside of themselves, helps them worry less and deal better with tough situations.

So the intent of this book, Just Breathe, is to help you find an anchor inside yourself, that is safe, happy and quiet and to help you tap into it and find it whenever you need it.”

The book is full of great illustrations and the exercises are written as one page exercises. There’s no narrative as such. It’s really: this is how you do it. It’s a great tool for teachers and for parents as well.

LN: I saw that on Amazon your books are a Teacher’s Pick which is such a great honor.

MC: The biggest honor! I am so grateful for that.

LN: It’s such a great series. Congratulations on all your success and the upcoming books! I am going to be buying some of those books as my holiday gifts! Everybody needs an usher out 2020 gift! A lot of the exercises say: You don’t need anything. You only need two minutes. I like the one that said, you need a quiet place to sit, maybe your bed. It’s very clear, and I know the books written for children but they would help such a wide range of people.

MC: Thank you so much for the conversation! I feel so grateful that I’m able to share these amazing tools that I was given as a child myself. I grew up with these tools and taught them to my kids and of course now to many kids in classrooms and it does help.

LN: It does help. I want everybody to know please get Mallika’s books, they’re wonderful and I say to you, I hope that the end of the year goes well. Namaste. It was so wonderful to meet you. Thank you so much for spending this time with me.

MC: Thank you very much.

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Find Mallika on Twitter and Instagram—

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A post shared by Mallika Chopra (@mallikachopra)

Thank you so much for the conversation!! https://t.co/GpCcJoNfAW

— Mallika Chopra (@mallikachopra) December 22, 2020

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Remembering Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Founder of Sandals Resorts

Mr. Stewart was a beacon of light for all that knew him.  He created many opportunities for his country, Jamaica, the wider Caribbean and its people. 

[image error]Mr. Gordon Steward, Photo courtesy of Sandals Resorts

THE HON. GORDON “BUTCH” STEWART O.J. 1941-2021: LEGENDARY JAMAICAN ENTREPRENEUR REDEFINED ‘ALL-INCLUSIVE’ AND CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD WENT ON VACATION

~Master Marketer Made Sandals a Household Name, Brought Opportunity to the Caribbean~

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, – Legendary Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon “Butch” Stewart, one of the hospitality industry’s most vibrant personalities and founder of Sandals Resorts International, the world’s leading all-inclusive resort company, has died at the age of 79.  An unstoppable force, who delighted in defying the odds by exceeding expectations, Stewart single-handedly built the world’s most awarded vacation brand from one resort in Jamaica to over two dozen distinct resorts and villas throughout the Caribbean. 

A son of Jamaica, Butch Stewart was born in Kingston on July 6, 1941 and grew up along the island country’s North Coast, a tropical paradise that now boasts several of his Luxury Included® Sandals and Beaches Resorts and where his love of the sea, dominoes and free enterprise were sown.  Certain from the start that he wanted to run his own company, at the tender age of 12, Stewart first stepped into the hospitality industry selling fresh-caught fish to local hotels.  His success got him ‘hooked’ and his enthusiasm for entrepreneurship never waned. 

[image error]Mr. Gordon Steward, Photo courtesy of Sandals Resorts

After completing his secondary education abroad, Stewart returned home to Jamaica where he demonstrated his innate talent as master salesman at the renowned Dutch-owned Curaçao Trading Company, quickly rising to the position of sales manager but itching to start his own company.  In 1968, Stewart took his chance.  With no collateral but recognizing the comfort that would make air conditioning an essential service, Stewart convinced American manufacturer Fedders Corporation to allow him to represent their brand in Jamaica.  With that, Stewart’s foundational business – Appliance Traders Limited (ATL), was born and he was on his way. 

At ATL, Stewart developed a simple business philosophy he articulated many times: “Find out what people want, give it to them and in doing so – exceed their expectations.”  This would become the standard for every Stewart enterprise and practiced by every employee of the many companies Stewart would go on to found, including and perhaps most importantly, Sandals Resorts International.

[image error]Sandals Resorts, Photo courtesy of Sandals Resorts

Stewart Founds Sandals Resorts

In 1981, with a gift for recognizing opportunity, Stewart found one in Bay Roc: a rundown hotel on a magnificent beach in Montego Bay, Jamaica.  Seven months and $4 million in renovations later, Sandals Montego Bay would open as the flagship of what is today the most popular award-winning, all-inclusiveresort chain in the world.  

While Stewart never laid claim to inventing the all-inclusive concept, he is recognized worldwide for his tireless effort to elevate the experience, delivering to his guests an unsurpassed level of luxury, and to share his certainty that a Caribbean company could successfully compete with any organization in the world.  He accomplished both.  

“I had heard of the concept, yet at the time, the services and rooms were very basic. Contrary to that, I envisioned we could bring forward a luxury resort to offer customers so much more. So, we perfected it. Only the most comfortable king size four poster beds, fine manicured gardens, cozy hammocks and the kind of warm, refined service the Caribbean has become known for. Just as important was to be located on the absolute best beach, because that’s what everyone dreams of.”  

[image error]Beaches Turks and Caicos Pool, Photo by Lisa Niver

Where other so-called “all-inclusives” offered meals and rooms at a set rate, Sandals Resorts’ prices covered gourmet dining options, premium brand drinks, gratuities, airport transfers, taxes and all land and watersport activities.  The competitors’ meals were buffet-style, so Stewart created on-property specialty restaurants with high culinary standards and white-glove service.  Sandals Resorts also was the first Caribbean hotel company to offer whirlpools and satellite television service, the first with swim-up pool bars and the first to guarantee that every room is fitted with a king-size bed and a hair dryer.  More recent innovations have included a signature spa concept – Red Lane® Spa, signature luxury suites designed for privacy and ultimate pampering, complimentary WiFi, and signature partnerships with iconic organizations such as Microsoft Xbox® Play Lounge, Sesame Workshop, PADI, Mondavi® Wines, Greg Norman Signature Golf courses and the London-based Guild of Professional English Butlers. And in 2017, Stewart introduced the Caribbean’s first over-the-water accommodations, which were quickly expanded to include Over-the-Water bars and Over-the-Water wedding chapels.

By steadfastly adhering to the “we can do it better” principle of pleasing his guests, Stewart fostered a company free to imagine and free to consistently raise the bar.  This ethos earned him the title of “King of All-Inclusives,” changing the face of the all-inclusive format and establishing Sandals Resorts as the most successful brand in the category – boasting year-round occupancy levels of more than 85 percent, an unequaled returning guest factor of 40 percent and demand that has led to unprecedented expansion including the creation of additional concepts such as Beaches Resorts, now the industry standard for excellence in family beach vacations.  

Butch Stewart loved Sandals.  At the time of his passing, he was hard at work on plans for the recently announced expansions to the Dutch island of Curaçao and St. Vincent.  

[image error]Beaches Turks and Caicos Beach, Photo by Lisa Niver

Stewart As Statesman

Stewart’s leadership helped resurrect Jamaica’s travel industry and earned him the respect of his peers and the admiration of his countrymen.  He was elected President of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica in 1989 and was inducted into its “Hall of Fame” in 1995. He served as a Director of the Jamaica Tourist Board for a decade and as President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association in the mid-80s, ably balancing government and private sector priorities, reconciling the concerns of large and small Jamaican hotels, and raising public understanding of the tourism industry. In 1994, Stewart led a group of investors to take leadership of Air Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest regionally based carrier.  It was a daunting task – planes were dirty, service was indifferent and on-time schedules were rarely met, causing market share to plummet along with revenues.

When Stewart stepped in, he insisted on a passenger-friendly approach: on-time service, reduced waiting lines, increased training for all personnel, and signature free champagne on flights to accompany an emphasis on better food.  He also opened new routes in the Caribbean, brought on new Airbus jets and established a Montego Bay hub for flights coming from and returning to the United States. Just as with ATL and Sandals Resorts, Stewart’s formula proved successful and in late 2004, Stewart gave the airline back to the government with an increase in revenue of over US$250 million. 

It was not the first time Stewart would come to the aid of his country.  In 1992, he galvanized the admiration of Jamaicans  with the “Butch Stewart Initiative,” pumping US$1 million a week into the official foreign exchange market at below prevailing rates to help halt the slide of the Jamaican dollar.  Dr Henry Lowe, at the time president and CEO of Blue Cross, wrote to Stewart saying: “I write to offer sincere congratulations to you for the tremendous initiative which has done so much, not only for the strengthening of our currency, but more so, for the new feeling of hope and positive outlook which is now being experienced by all of us as Jamaicans.”

Less well-known may be the extent of Stewart’s considerable philanthropy, where for more than 40 years he has helped improve and shape the lives of Caribbean people.  His work, formalized with the creation in 2009 of The Sandals Foundation, offers support ranging from the building of schools and paying of teachers to bringing healthcare to the doorsteps of those who cannot afford it. This in addition to his tireless support of a wide range of environmental initiatives. Beyond the work of the Foundation, Stewart has given millions to charitable causes such as celebrating the bravery of veterans and first responders and helping those in the wake of devastating hurricanes. 

In 2012, Stewart founded the Sandals Corporate University, aimed at providing professional development for employees through reputable education and training programs. With access to more than 230 courses and external partnerships with 13 top-ranking local and international universities, every staff member can apply, broaden their knowledge, and advance their career.

Stewart’s successes in business and in life have earned him more than 50 well-deserved local, regional, and international accolades and awards including Jamaica’s highest national distinctions: The Order of Jamaica (O.J.), and Commander of the Order of Distinction (C.D.).  In 2017, Stewart was honored with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS), hosted by the Burba Hotel Network, marking his significant contribution to the hospitality industry.  “The success of Sandals has helped to power the growth of the tourism industry and economies not only in Jamaica but throughout the Caribbean,” said BHN president Jim Burba.  “The word ‘icon’ certainly applies to Butch Stewart.”

It delighted Stewart whenever he was dining anywhere in the world and an excited staff member would share with him, “Thank you.  I got my start at Sandals.”

Butch Stewart, The Man

With his easy pace, infectious warmth and trademark striped shirt, Stewart exuded an approachability that belied the complexity of his character.  While he was an acute businessperson, who at the time of his death was responsible for a Jamaican-based empire that includes two dozen diverse companies collectively representing Jamaica’s largest private sector group, the country’s biggest foreign exchange earner and its largest non-government employer, he was an extremely private man whose deepest devotion was to his family.

His greatest test came in 1989 when his beloved 24-year-old son Jonathan was killed in a car accident in Miami.  Stewart recalled the incident in a 2008 interview, “For two months after he died, I was absolutely useless, and after that I was sort of running on remote control. Things were a blur. It’s every parent’s nightmare.  After a year or so, I started to see things in vivid detail. You have to get busy, be close with your family. It did a lot in terms of me getting closer. There’s a lot more satisfaction.”

Stewart was able to return to his relentless pace, and the consensus among those who knew him best is that he did it by leading by example. “If you are going to lead, you have to participate,” Stewart was fond of saying.  He believed that if everyone in the organization recognized that the man in charge was working as hard as they were, they’d have an infinite amount of respect and motivation. “It’s about instilling a spirit of teamwork, defining a purpose and then rolling up your sleeves to get the job done better than anybody else,” Stewart said.

The company Butch Stewart built remains wholly owned by the Stewart family, who, in honor of Mr. Stewart’s long-term succession plans, has named Adam Stewart Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, extending his formidable leadership of the brands he has shepherded since he was appointed CEO in 2007. 

Speaking on behalf of his family, Adam Stewart said, “our father was a singular personality; an unstoppable force who delighted in defying the odds by exceeding expectations and whose passion for his family was matched only by the people and possibility of the Caribbean, for whom he was a fierce champion.  Nothing, except maybe a great fishing day, could come before family to my dad.  And while the world understood him to be a phenomenal businessman – which he was, his first and most important devotion was always to us.  We will miss him terribly forever.”

Gordon “Butch” Stewart is survived by his wife, Cheryl, children Brian, Bobby, Adam, Jaime, Sabrina, Gordon, and Kelly; grandchildren Aston, Sloane, Camden, Penelope-Sky, Isla, Finley, Max, Ben, Zak, Sophie, Annie and Emma; and great grandchildren Jackson, Riley, Emmy and Willow.

A private funeral service will be held. Those wishing to share memories, condolences or personal stories may do so at AllThatsGood@sandals.com, and a tribute video can be found on www.sandals.com.

Continuing the Gordon “Butch” Stewart Legacy of Love

The Sandals family has received an incredible outpouring of love and support, underscoring the tremendous mark Gordon “Butch” Stewart left in all corners of the world. Beyond his indelible impact on the tourism industry, Stewart was a true beacon of hope for the Caribbean, its communities and those who define it. With travel agents, customers and partners inquiring how they can honor Stewart’s legacy, Sandals Resorts has established two programs centered around some of the things he loved most: mentoring and the sea. 

In the spirit of honoring Stewart’s passion for service to the people who call the Caribbean home, The Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart Tourism & Hospitality Scholarship through the maverick’s esteemed Sandals Corporate University will carry on his legacy of furthering the development of today’s young professionals through reputable education and training programs. Additionally, to continue celebrating Stewart’s love for the beautiful Caribbean sea and passion for preserving it, donations can be made to Marine Conservation through the Sandals Foundation at www.sandalsfoundation.org. 100% of all funds donated will go directly to benefiting these programs. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Thank you to Sandals Resorts for sharing this obituary with me.

I have loved my visits to Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts. Learn more about my adventures on property in this article and these videos below:

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Teen Vogue: How a Swimming Lesson From Olympian Markus Rogan Changed My Life

Thank you Teen Vogue for publishing my article: “How a Swimming Lesson From Olympian Markus Rogan Changed My Life“



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Brighter Sides is a series reflecting on the resilience, community and hope that lit up a very dark year. In this op-ed, Lisa Niver explains how a swimming lesson from Olympian Markus Rogan changed her life outlook.

Like much of the world, the tiny community pool near my house had been closed since March because of COVID-19. Although swimming had terrified me growing up, it became a solace later in life and when the pool reopened with strict rules, including restricted access to 10 people per hour, I was ready to get back in the water. While most of my friends were taking the edge off quarantine with unhealthy habits, I was determined to drown my discontent in the chlorine.

I was almost at the end of my allocated pool time one day when I noticed a man swimming butterfly. Even if the pool had been crowded, it would have been hard not to notice him based on his height or the fact that you could clearly do a lot of laundry on his washboard abs. We had met briefly once before when I’d chatted with his four-year-old son about his Buzz Lightyear lunchbox. The man’s technique was perfect, even mesmerizing, and I remarked, “Wow! You have a great stroke!” Another dad nearby graciously let me know that this was not a coincidence. The man was Markus Rogan, two-time Olympic silver medalist. He had twice been the world record holder in backstroke, and earned more than twenty medals including the United Nations Medal of Honor for Civil Courage.

Rogan looked up and asked me, “Do you swim fly?ADVERTISEMENT

Butterfly is a notoriously difficult and exhausting stroke that requires the swimmer to use the dolphin kick while moving their arms in a windmill-like motion, in unison. It was one that I was fairly certain my body would never be coordinated enough to attempt.

“No,” I shook my head. “I only swim crawl and backstroke.”

I had a brief flashback to high school when I’d watched another Olympian, Dara Torres, swim the “fly” at Westlake School for Girls, which we both attended. Dara competed in five Olympic Games from 1984 to 2008, winning a total of 12 Olympic medals.

The demonstration was meant to inspire us, but I blinked and felt nothing except despair because I knew I could never swim like her. She seemed twice as tall as me, was in incredible shape, and it would be an understatement to say that I was not an athlete. I mentioned to Markus that I had seen Dara swim, and he told me they were friends. Then he looked directly at me and said, “You are going to have a lesson now.” He was smiling, but it didn’t feel like an invitation. It felt more like a command that I needed to obey. After all, who says no to an Olympian? 

I hesitated, full of self-doubt, but then looked around and realized there were only eight other people at the pool, including his wife and two young children. It was unlikely that anyone was paying attention and I felt confident that he wouldn’t let me drown. Further, there were only 10 minutes left in my swim hour, so my humiliation would be brief.

Markus then showed me his fly stroke, swimming across the shorter width of the pool and quickly reaching the other side. After this demonstration, it was my turn. I had never tried butterfly before, and I expected the timing of moving all my body parts to be awkward and challenging. I listened to his suggestions, however, and surprised myself with a decent effort. Even though I was hardly a natural, I had not been as clumsy with the stroke as I’d anticipated.

Markus said I did well and encouraged me to try swimming the length of the pool next. Knowing I only had a few minutes left, I took a breath and started to swim. As the bottom sloped away below me, I was overtaken by the fear that I would not be able to keep myself afloat. I stopped abruptly as it got deeper and blurted out, “I knew I couldn’t do it.” Markus replied that I should stop with the negative self-talk, take a deep breath and try again.

Back at the edge of the pool, I wondered how I had ended up with an Olympian-turned-swim-coach who resembled one of the “JB’s:” Jack Bauer, Jason Bourne and James Bond. The men who say, “Come with me if you want to live.” It is not a discussion. It is not a dialogue. It is just time for action. I focused, dug down deep for courage, and reminded myself that I could do hard things. I plunged back into the water and survived the lap. Markus told me, “Good job!” and the other people at the pool clapped. Apparently, they had indeed been watching.

That night, I Googled Markus and learned that he had competed in four Olympics and is now better known as Dr. Rogan, a psychologist who focuses on teaching peak performance. Getting rid of negative self-talk is his specialty, and now his direct no-nonsense approach made sense. I also learned that he coaches survival skills, taking clients on extreme adventures such as trips into the desert to brave the heat and cold alone with one small bag of supplies. About his heli-ski trip, he states, “Expert skiing skills are a benefit for those who want to survive.” He is a real-life “JB!”

The next time I saw Markus at the pool, he asked me if I wanted to race. I laughed and said, “NO” I thought, Who races against an Olympian? Later while we were swimming laps, Markus stopped me and said, “You need to reach out more. You should reach all the way out.” I thanked him and kept swimming, trying to implement his correction. I discovered that by extending my arms more fully, I was able to pull more water in each stroke. It started to feel like the pool was getting shorter, and I was at the other side much faster.

While in the water, I often solve problems, such as how to improve the lede for a piece I’m writing, or resolve an issue with my website. That day as I swam, I wondered: When did I stop reaching out in life? When had I stopped taking chances, believing in myself, and trying new things? Before COVID-19, I had often used the improv principle, saying “Yes and….” to opportunities and being open to whatever appeared. Recently I had undertaken a personal challenge to try 50 new experiences before I turned 50. But since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, I felt like I was living in the Land of No. No, you cannot do this. No, you cannot go there. There were so many parts of my life that felt smaller.

In the days that followed, I reflected on what it would have meant to lose a race to Markus, and on what I have learned, which is this: The next time I am asked to race an Olympic athlete, I will say, “YES!” and I will remind myself that you can’t win if you don’t participate. These days, even as we are constrained by circumstances, we need to keep reaching however we can. I know I won’t swim like an Olympian, but every day I can take small steps to extend my reach. Maybe one day I will swim a more perfect butterfly. And hopefully one day soon we’ll all be able to do things and go places that extend beyond the community pool.

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tfw two-time Olympic silver medalist Markus Rogan teaches you how to swim. https://t.co/J7IY71Val2

— Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) December 30, 2020

The post Teen Vogue: How a Swimming Lesson From Olympian Markus Rogan Changed My Life appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

tfw two-time Olympic silver medalist Markus Rogan teache...

tfw two-time Olympic silver medalist Markus Rogan teaches you how to swim. https://t.co/J7IY71Val2

— Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) December 30, 2020

The post appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Ready for Better Relations? GROUP has the answers!

Thank you to Thrive Global for publishing my article, “Ready for Better Relations? GROUP has the answers! ”



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Women in America often ask themselves, “When will it be enough?” and perhaps more importantly, “When will I be enough?” In Christie Tate’s memoir, Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life, she shares her shift from believing she will never be enough to having her dreams come true. 

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At first, she believes she is not a good enough student although she is #1 in her law school class. She believes she is not allowed to say no to a friend, a family member or a sexual encounter. She does not believe in herself or her abilities. 

She finds herself drawn to group therapy and there she practices being her authentic self in relation to others. She says no, she gets mad, she breaks dishes and she gets her needs met.

Life is messy and Tate describes her evolution in her eating habits, her boyfriends, as well as her work and family relationships. 

[image error]Christie Tate, Photo by Jeff Ellis

We first meet Tate when she describes dreaming about dying. She tells us: “I wish someone would shoot me in the head…If I died, I wouldn’t have to fill the remaining forty-eight hours of this weekend or Wednesday’s holiday or the weekend after that. I wouldn’t have to endure the hours of hot, heavy loneliness that stretched before me—hours that would turn into days, months, years.”

She believes that she is defective and her heart is not ready for real attachment. But she meets “Dr. Rosen who issues a nine-word prescription that will change everything: “You don’t need a cure, you need a witness.” She is marginal to her Republican Texan family who are all coupled up and she is “a misfit. The deep secret I carried was that I didn’t belong.” Tate attempts to control her feelings by “obsessing about food and my body and the weird shit I did to control both, and [by] trying to outrun my loneliness with academic achievement.”

I absolutely loved Tate’s writing, especially when she shared her feelings with examples like: “They nicked the bone of the longing, but they didn’t reach the marrow of my despair.” And “my future gleamed before me like Grandma’s polished silver.”

She tells Dr. Rosen that: “Every family has a fuckup.” He asks her: how it is possible that she is “Valedictorian of your law school class, and you’re a fuckup?” She is terrified that she will always be alone and her desired to be real and in relation to others won’t happen.

In group therapy, Tate finds: “disclosures… and feedback. There was looking, seeing, and being seen. There were no answers…[and she] wanted answers.” Tate believes that in order to be a good friend, a good employee and a good girlfriend, she has to say YES to every request. Dr. Rosen asks, “When was the last time you told someone that you weren’t ready for what they were asking you to do?” I appreciated their discussion about the costs of never setting limits and the importance of saying no. Dr. Rosen tells her, “If you can’t say no in relationships, then you can’t be intimate.”

One of my favorite scenes is between Christie and Max when she is whining about how she is nothing and he tells her: 

“You’re this brilliant attorney who’s working at one of the most high-powered firms in the city. You’ve graduated to this advanced group. You’re working hard to figure out how you’re fucked up and what you should do about it. You’re not pathetic—you’re pissed that you haven’t gotten all the things you’re working hard for, which is better than this ‘poor me’ thing you do.” Standing up to him in anger and listening to him shows her how far she has already traveled. In group therapy, Tate practices the skills she needs to be in relation to others.

I highly recommend this book which I loved and read all in one day. I felt like I was right there with her on the bad dates, in the group therapy sessions and I wanted to go grab some plates from my kitchen and break them when she broke hers. 

During COVID when we have been forced to change our lives due to the virus, many of us are thinking and rethinking about our needs, our relationships and our priorities. I loved peeking into Tate’s group therapy experience and learning with her about setting strong boundaries in order to improve intimate relationships. I hope you find the space to feel all your feelings better and that when we can meet again in person, you have taken the risks to make your dreams come true.

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Good-bye 2020: We Said Go Travel News Dec 2020

Dec News 2020 with We Said Go Travel:

As the ten years of 2020 begins to end, this quote from the movie, The Martian, seems very apt: “At some point, everything’s gonna go south on you… everything’s going to go south and you’re going to say, this is it. This is how I end. Now you can either accept that, or you can get to work. That’s all it is. You just begin. You do the math. You solve one problem… and you solve the next one… and then the next. And If you solve enough problems, you get to come home.” Mark Whatney, The Martian

I hope we have solved enough problems together! I put together a post of all my articles, posts and interviews from 2020 and another one which is a decade of my content 2010-2020!

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Thank you to Teen Vogue for publishing my article, “How a Swimming Lesson From Olympian Markus Rogan Changed My Life” I am thrilled to be published in TEEN VOGUE especially since I wrote for AARP first! Oh 2020!!!

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Thank you to Afluencer for including me in your 10 Top Travel Influencers of 2021

[image error]This is my #TOP9 posts from 2020 instagram: full of past travels, TV segments and #COUNTeveryVOTE!

2020 has been a year filled uncertainty and changes. Michael Jordan said: “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” We have to keep practicing, keep going, keep taking chances and making things HAPPEN!

[image error]Taken on one of my neighborhood COVID19 walks around the block with my #LGV60ThinQ



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Thank you to Thrive Global for publishing my articles!



Building Life Again After Loss: Sliding Doors, Braver Than You Think and My Wife Said You May Want to Marry MeReady for Better Relations? GROUP has the answers!How Did She Do it? Learning about Writer and Executive Producer, Tiffany Paulsen!How Jew(ish) Are You?



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Thank you to all of the scientists who created the COVID 19 Vaccine and to all of the medical teams who have been treating people with this disease. Please see information below from UCLA Health.

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A post shared by UCLA Health (@uclahealth)

During COVID19, I have been honored to publish diverse voices on many topics! Please enjoy Cherice Taylor’s poem, WOW 2020, Elwood Hopkins’ Will Santa Love Me if I am Gay? and an excerpt from DreamCatchers, the new anthology from POPS club for children who are impacted by a family member’s incarceration.

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Let’s say GOOD-BYE to 2020’s uncertainty and HELLO to a 2021 with 12 months of success, 52 weeks of laughter, 365 days of fun, 8,760 hours of joy, 525,600 minutes of good luck, and 31,536,000 seconds of happiness. I hope that 2021 brings you peace, joy, and happiness!

Thank you to Amy and Hotel Erwin for my birthday staycation in Venice Beach! I learned to use Adobe Premiere Pro during COVID:

WHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?

Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I have over one and a quarter million views on YouTube! (Exact count: 1,287,338  views)

Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 2,960 subscribers? I hope you will join me and subscribe!

For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HERE

Find me on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and at LisaNiver.com.  My social media following is now over 160,000 and I am verified on Twitter.

My fortune cookies said:



“From now on, your kindness will lead you to success.”



“Your Independence shall lead you to bold adventures.”

Stay safe and healthy! We will travel again….

Lisa

[image error]Venice Beach Pier, December 26, 2020 by Lisa Niver #LGV60ThinQ

The post Good-bye 2020: We Said Go Travel News Dec 2020 appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Are you looking for info about the new #COVID19 vaccines...

Are you looking for info about the new #COVID19 vaccines? Learn about the safety and efficacy of the #vaccines, distribution plan, and protocols to keep the community safe and to help speed up a return to normalcy. ➨ https://t.co/5Cd1qPDXt2 pic.twitter.com/zbx3dk5iDn

— UCLA Health (@UCLAHealth) December 23, 2020

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