Cristine Bolley

I realized when I retired that retirement is boring if you don't keep following your passion. I probably spent 2 or 3 years just telling people I don't know what to do with my life now that I'm retired, but I finally realized that retirement isn't an opportunity to stop, it's an opportunity to start doing the thing you really want to do. What drives me is the desire for people to have a good life and to enjoy life the way I do, to have just the joy of getting out of this life everything that we should be getting. I go by the theme of Einstein, who says, for what reason we're here, I'm not sure, but I do know we're here for each other. I'm probably more of an introvert because I have an internal world processing all the time in my thoughts, but eventually that's a lonely place if you don't come out and connect with people. I feel like I've learned a lot of good things in life, and I'm at a point in life where it's just really fun to share those signposts that help you make good decisions along the way. There's still a lot to be said that I haven't said yet, and that's probably what drives me.

I believe in personal empowerment and that the way we influence people should be through respect, not rejection. In all my counseling years, I've always encouraged executives, parents, and children not to use rejection as their way to get what they want, not the threat with punishment or threat with taking things away. Leadership is showing respect to people and helping them flourish in the gifts that they have. I believe in mentorship and pulling together to learn from each other and to use our gifts to support each other. I go by Einstein's theme that for what reason we're here, I'm not sure, but I do know we're here for each other. I want people to have a good life and to enjoy life, to get out of this life everything that we should be getting.