Dr. Nancy Williams

Do you hate meetings?  If that was a "yes" before the pandemic, I'm guessing it's an "absolutely yes, OMG so much yes" now.  Overwhelm and burnout have become a fact of life for many.

But what if you're in charge…

Attending ClarinetFest, the International Clarinet Association's annual conference, this year was extraordinary.  To be around like-minded people who are excited about what they're creating and performing is an inspirational boost, not to mention hearing all of the absolutely amazing music…

Actions speak louder than words, or so the saying goes.  While the truth of this may depend more on the listener, the power of actions will undoubtedly be influential on those who are more aware, pay attention to details, and…

I like getting things done.  I love the feeling of accomplishment and crossing things off my to-do list.  As a child, no one needed to remind me to practice or do my homework.  Granted, I was an OVER-achiever with some…

When I ran track in school, the team was divided into distance runners and sprinters.  A study recently came out suggesting that we have a default individual speed, and it's at the point at which we "burn the most energy…

Writing my dissertation was a constant push and pull of energy, inspiration, anxiety, and overwhelm.  "A certain amount of anxiety is natural and to be expected," said one of my dissertation guide books.  The sheer amount of work to…

For my creative colleagues, the ease in restrictions is glorious, but now calendars are filling up.  I imagine it's not just the arts industry that's experiencing a sudden boom.  

Add to that the family and friends who are making summer…

This past weekend, I attended a statewide arts conference. Like most creatives, I spent the majority of the past two years in professional isolation, trying to make the best of the situation but ultimately falling short because the arts are…

When personalities collide or the latest disaster hits the news-cycle, 
the physical tension can be almost unbearable. 

All the self care in the world can't seem to stop the emotional response of some trauma.  It doesn't mean you're not taking…

We've all been there...our egos get bruised from feedback (solicited or unsolicited) and we feel the need to either defend ourselves or hide away and lick our wounds.  In fact, a recent study by Tasha Eurich showed that even those…

In a pedagogy class, the professor told us it was good to keep students off balance, that it was a positive if they didn't know where they stood with you. This was the opposite of what I found to be…

Being an overachiever was my M.O. in my early adult years.  Graves disease and back problems forced me to prioritize self-care in my thirties, but it wasn't easy.  I was devastated that I wasn't able to work full-time and do…