Hasta La Gadget!

She first arrived around Christmas in 2002.

She has never left her place in my bed since then. It has turned into a relationship that I had never expected or planned for. She has been steadfast, happy and non-demanding. She has been with me both before and after my transition, and although she seems to be getting a bit old, and gray, I am pretty sure I would never let her go.

Her name is Tabitha. Even some years later, when I brought her a younger friend to join her, she never complained, and always kept the same smile on her face

I am not certain why I asked for her. It seemed a bit silly for an already mid-fifties man to tell my very new friend one thing that I always wanted, but for some reason I felt it was safe to tell her many things about me that I never, ever shared with anyone. In fact it was only a few months after we picked out Tabitha, that I shared with my new friend my deepest secret, that I cross dress. I was certain that would be the end of this budding friendship. It wasn’t and both Tabitha and my BFF “Tessa” are still parts of my life. As I noted in the dedication of No! Maybe? Yes!we found that our friendship was stronger than my changing gender.

…

Tabitha is a teddy bear. When she first arrived she was pure white. She came a bit less than two years after my marriage ended, and was going thorough an existential crisis on who I was and what would I ever do about all those feelings and compulsions to dress in women’s clothes. I was constantly wondering what in the world was wrong with me.

In the corridors of my mind, the question of how could I ever form a relationship with anyone again, was bouncing and banging and all responses had varying levels of pain associated with them. I was in denial for so long, and holding back secrets to others and myself and still had days totally consumed with the fear of discovery. I was nowhere near self-acceptance or any self-understanding that there really was nothing wrong with me. My own battle between isolation and needing connection was often overwhelming.

Tabitha had no answers but she never complained when each night I met her in bed, while wearing a nightgown or breast forms, and reached out and held her tight until I fell asleep. It was not the same as a human touch, no never was, but I always and still find her soft fur comforting.

…

In the summer of 2010, Tessa and I were on vacation in Chicago, and were on a tour, when we stopped at the Hershey store. It was totally unplanned, when we spied another bear that seemed to cry out for me to bring it home. By this time I had another traveling companion on all my trips, a small stuffed frog named Fergie. By now I was 8 months on hormones but still not certain whether my future included transition. I was in my early sixties, slowly moving forward on a journey that had unknown stops and destinations. Over the years I was acquiring more and more, of what some people would say are toys. I am not sure if I was obsessive, but I never thought of it as a problem. I named the new bear Heshy, and hoped that there would be room for him when I returned home.

Heshey and Fergie at a Chicago hotel

Heshy and Tabitha in my bed

In 2014, Tessa and I went to the Big E – the Eastern States Exposition, and there was a booth from Vermont Teddy Bears. She asked if she could buy me a new bear, as Tabitha was looking old, ragged and dirty. I was floored, angry, and went silent, as so many feelings overwhelmed me. I was “off” the rest of the day, and not pleasant company, as I was trying to figure out why I was so sensitive to this offer of a new gift.

It took me many weeks to calm myself and understand what was the attachment I had to an old stuffed bear, and what meaning this now graying (I could not repeat the comment “dirty”) “toy” had to me. At this point Tabitha was my nightly companion for almost twelve years, and to me much more than a toy. It took me even longer to understand that Tabitha was a scared item in my life.

…

I am pretty sure that when the gift of Tabitha to me was made, it was so much more than just a toy. At the time, I was already a middle-aged man, who was “lost at sea” in all my relationships. I did not have a good relationship with myself, and I certainly did not know how to have a good relationship with others. I still tried to use my relationship with my adult kids the best I could without being in their way to be on their own life’s journeys.

I had found a new friend. I was not totally open and free with her, as I feared the loss of this friendship. I was confused as what to do, and what to say, almost every day, as I was still learning how to touch the various feelings inside of me. I searched to answer what would make me happy. I still am doing this today, although it is no longer something that consumes me.

In my mid-fifties I may have been one of those people who appeared to have everything, yet the simple things that may make life worthwhile were still not apparent to me.

I finally understood, that the act of asking me what I would like, and my answer of a Teddy Bear back in 2002 was the real gift. It was the gift of friendship that I had not experienced before in my life, or if I did, not ever let it in. Even though I changed so much during the next twelve years – with the risk of losing the friendship, that original gift was something that meant more than I consciously understood. In 2012 when the new offer was made from the same friend, and as I now know, an offer of renewal and redefinition, I could not process it that way. No not at all! I was stuck in the past. At the time was I was so desperately in need of a connection and I put all of that into my relationship with Tabitha. By the time of the Big E in 2015, I was ready to see if we would get another bear. The booth was there but as I explored, even though I was in a good place and arrived prepared to buy, at the last minute I realized it was not really necessary.

…

Tabitha is aging gracefully with me. We both are getting a little gray. I know what she means to me and am ok sharing that with others. I don’t think this is childlike, Even if it is, that is ok with me

After all….. I think the following is true.

###

Grace Stevens is an inspirational and motivational speaker and author of No! Maybe? Yes! Living My Truth, an intimate memoir of her journey to live authentically, and Musings on Living Authentically. Grace has been selected as a 2016 Amtrak Resident Writer and looks forward to her journeys on the rails. Visit her website at: http://www.graceannestevens.com/. Follow Grace on Twitter: www.twitter.com/graceonboard .

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Social media has made everyone a brand and everyone a brander. Do you register on your social graph as snarky or heartwarming? What reflects you better, driving a Jeep or a BMW? Audiences have an innate understanding that a brand’s public expressions, the company it keeps, and what others say about it imbue it with characteristics and attributes.

Presidential candidates are the ultimate American brands. In pre-literate eras, their brands were expressed through cartoons and posters. They’ve since evolved to campaign buttons, brochures, ads, logos, taglines, and theme songs. Like all brands, candidates reflect a coherent set of concepts that are the sum of:

• Identity – what they stand for
• Image – what they represent
• Aspiration – how they make audiences feel

BRAND DISCOVERY THROUGH ARCHETYPES

To understand a brand’s essence you must find its true brand personality or persona. A simple, intuitive, and clarifying construct to reveal personas taps the long-standing storytelling character device — the archetype. Archetypes have been prevalent through our earliest oral and written storytelling traditions, populating mythology and literature. Plato wrote about seminal characters, which have recurred in some of the greatest stories of all time. Achilles, from Greek mythology and Superman are both “The Hero.” Little John in Robin Hood and Chewbacca in Star Wars are both “The Regular Guy.”

Carl G. Jung identified and described seven universal archetypes in his Archetypal Theory that symbolize basic human needs, aspirations, and motivations. In 2001, Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson applied Jungian archetypal storytelling and psychology to brand identity in The Hero and the Outlaw, identifying 12 familiar brand archetypes or personas.

Check out all 12 archetypes — mapped along two continua along the Y and X axes — revealing four groupings of human motivations.

Courtesy of Azure Media; Design: Elles Gianocostas

Where do the presidential nominees and their VP picks land among these archetypes? The candidates’ true personas blend their personalities with their core ideologies. You may identify more than one archetype at play in each candidate, but one persona is always dominant. And you’ll see that both the Republican and Democratic nominees have chosen running mates who complement their personas. (For details of all 12 archetypes and to learn how to discover a brand’s identity, see Transmedia Marketing: From Film and TV to Games and Digital Media.)

PERSONAS OF THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Donald Trump – “The Ruler”

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Donald Trump is clearly “The Ruler” persona – a powerful leader who can be either good or evil. Trump runs his business empire (and ran The Apprentice reality show) with absolute power. To make America prosper, he expects to rule the county in the same top-down, authoritarian style.

Trump’s unabashed about his singular power, claiming “I am the only one who can make America truly great again!” And, he sees himself as the only one who can stabilize an unsteady ship: “No one knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.” David Boaz, EVP of the Libertarian think tank, Cato Institute, supports this autocratic designation. “We have one candidate who’s not even pretending — he is promising to be a one-man ruler.”

Trump boldly plays out this persona by uttering un-PC criticisms and ad hominems about his enemies and people he sees as “other” or a threat. This is particularly attractive to America First-ers. His critics view his leadership style as too extreme, calling him a “dictator,” “bully,” and “demagogue.” These reproaches are fueled by his public admiration of leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Saddam Hussein.

You might see elements of the “The Jester” (the comical truthsayer) in Trump because of his over-the-top comments. Or, you may see his disruptiveness as signs of “The Outlaw” (anti-establishment freedom seeker, which Bernie Sanders truly embodies). But in the end, Trump’s dominant persona is “The Ruler.”

“The Ruler”- an archetype of Security and Control: Stability

A powerful leader. Part of the establishment. Sets the rules that others play by. Can be
benevolent or evil.

• Motto: Power isn’t everything; it’s the only thing
• Core desire: Control
• Goal: To create a prosperous, successful family or community
• Greatest fear: Chaos or being overthrown
• Strategy: Exercises power
• Gift: Responsibility or leadership
• Trap: Authoritarianism or dictatorship; inability to delegate
• AKA: The boss, leader, aristocrat, king, queen, politician, role model, manager, or administrator
• Fits if it: Is a high-status brand used by powerful people to enhance their power; Makes people more organized; Offers a lifetime guarantee; Empowers people to maintain or enhance their grip on power; Has a regulatory or protective function; Is moderately to high priced; Can be differentiated from more populist brands or one that is a clear leader in the field; Is a market leader that offers a sense of security and stability in a chaotic world

Examples: Star Wars character — Darth Vader, Microsoft, The New York Times, Universal, IBM, Mercedes, American Express, British Airways, Barclays

Mike Pence – “The Sage”

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Given the concerns about Trump’s despotic and loose cannon persona, it’s no surprise that Trump (or his party) chose a safe, more predictable running mate in Mike Pence. Pence is “The Sage” persona — a provider of intellectual solutions through research and diligence.

A former Indiana staffer bolsters this persona, saying Pence “likes to chew over an issue extensively before presenting it to the public, and wants to hear from multiple sides before making up his mind.”

In addition to the social conservative cred and ties to the Koch brothers that Pence lends to the Trump ticket, he offers an almost “boring” offset to Trump’s flamboyance. “He balances Mr. Trump out in terms of personalities,” says political science professor Andrew Downs, director of the Center for Indiana Politics at Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne. “He is Midwestern polite. He’s also very good at staying on message.”

But as an absolute ruler, will Trump mine the considerable value of and give voice to Pence’s “The Sage”?

“The Sage” — an archetype of Independence and Fulfillment: Individualism

Provides intellectual solutions to problems. Offers expertise and advice. Has serious objective tone. Finds truth through research, objectivity, and diligence.

• Motto: The truth will set you free
• Core desire: To find the truth
• Goal: To use intelligence and analysis to understand the world
• Greatest fear: Ignorance, or being duped or misled
• Strategy: Seeks out information and knowledge; self-reflects and understands thought processes
• Gift: Wisdom or intelligence
• Trap: Dogmatism or studying details forever without acting
• AKA: The expert, scholar, detective, advisor, thinker, philosopher, academic, researcher, planner, professional, mentor, teacher, or contemplator
• Fits if it: Provides expertise or information to others; Encourages audiences to think; Is based on new scientific findings or esoteric knowledge; Is supported by research-based facts; Can be differentiated from others whose quality or performance is suspect

Examples: Star Wars character — Yoda, CNN, Ask.com, Intel, Gallup, McKinsey & Co., Harvard University, Oprah’s Book Club, Philips, HSBC, Albert Einstein

PERSONAS OF THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

Hillary Clinton — “The Hero”

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton’s appearance at the Democratic National Convention crystallized her “The Hero” persona — a strong change maker who benefits others. She exuded the “White Knight” — literally and figuratively — when she accepted the nomination.

Throughout the election, Clinton has touted her legacy of public service — including law school service projects, children’s health care reform, and post-9/11 funding — as improving the world. Forbes attributes her achievement of that track record to “persistence, strong will or sheer determination.” Bill Clinton reinforced this crusader persona in his spouse-in-chief speech, recalling her accomplishments and naming her “the best darn change maker I ever met in my life.”

But Clinton’s extensive service record can play as a recitation of her resume, rather than a heartfelt expression of her deep-seated empathy. Her critics call her “cold” and “arrogant” — possible results of her single-minded focus or falling prey to the “The Hero’s” trap of hubris. Clinton acknowledges that disconnect: “Throughout all these years of public service, the service part has always come easier to me than the public part.”

So, it’s no surprise that Chelsea Clinton introduced her mother to the DNC as a warrior, but wrapped in a highly personal package. “My mother, my hero, our next President: Hillary Clinton.”

You may see elements of “The Sage” in Clinton because of her serious tone and command of facts, or “The Explorer” (challenges themselves and others to do new things) because of her never-ending causes. Still, she and her machine have cast her dominant persona as “The Hero.”

“The Hero” — an archetype of Risk and Mastery: Change

Proves self through amazing physical acts. Strong, but uses a controlled strength to benefit others.

• Motto: Where there’s a will, there’s a way
• Core desire: To prove one’s worth through courageous acts
• Goal: Expert mastery in a way that improves the world
• Greatest fear: Weakness, vulnerability, or being cowardly
• Strategy: Is as strong and competent as possible
• Gift: Courage or competence
• Trap: Arrogance or always needing another battle to fight
• AKA: The warrior, crusader, rescuer, superhero, soldier, dragon slayer, winner, or MVP
• Fits if it: Has inventions or innovations that will have a major impact on the world; Helps people be all they can be; Solves a major social problem or encourages others to do so; Has a clear opponent to beat; Is an underdog or challenger brand; Is strong and helps people do tough jobs exceptionally well; Can be differentiated from competitors that have problems following through or keeping their promises; Has audiences that see themselves as good, upstanding citizens

Examples: Star Wars character — Luke Skywalker, Jerry Bruckheimer’s programming, US Army, Nike, FedEx, BMW, Home Depot, Ford, Tag Heuer, Duracell, Land Rover

Tim Kaine — The Regular Guy

nbcchicago.com

To counter the uncharismatic and harsher aspects of her persona, Clinton has reinforced the “heartland” roots and values she shares with her warm and easy-going Veep running mate, Tim Kaine. Kaine is “The Regular Guy” persona — a friendly, humble, guy next door.

Kaine’s accessibility is evident in his natural speaking style and quick smile, appealing to the working man and woman. When describing his considerable public career during his DNC speech — from mayor to U.S. Senator — he visibly fought his corn-fed humility. Social media latched on to his good-guy persona with a rash of “Dad jokes.” @ericschroeck Tweeted, “I just want Tim Kaine to make me some scrambled eggs when I’m sad and ask me, ‘What’s wrong, scout?'”

A huge value of Kaine’s avuncular persona is that he’s the antithesis of a braggart or bully. That allows him to extol the virtues of Clinton’s accomplishments and to take down Trump-the-bully with good-natured impunity: “You know who I don’t trust? Donald Trump. The guy promises a lot. He has a habit of saying the same two words right after he makes his biggest promises: Believe me. His creditors, his contractors, his laid-off employees, his ripped-off students did just that, and they all got hurt.”

So far, Clinton and her party have quarried the benefit of Kaine’s “The Regular Guy.”

“The Regular Guy” — an archetype of Belonging and Enjoyment: Community

Is down-to-earth and accessible. Bonds with others by being humble, hard working, and friendly.

• Motto: All men and women are created equal
• Core desire: Connecting with others
• Goal: To belong
• Greatest fear: Being left out or standing out from the crowd
• Strategy: Develops ordinary solid virtues; is real; applies the common touch
• Gift: Equality, realism, empathy, or humility
• Trap: Blending in or becoming a lynch mob
• AKA: The Average Joe, good-ole-boy, girl-next-door, everyman, working stiff, solid citizen, good neighbor, mensch, realist, or silent majority
• Fits if it: Gives people a sense of belonging; Offers everyday functionality; Is low to moderately priced; Is produced by a solid company with a down-home organizational culture; Can be positively differentiated from more elitist or higher priced brands

Examples: Star Wars character — Chewbacca, Disney (later), eBay, Lowes, Dunkin’ Donuts, Miller Beer, Sonic, Walmart, Cover Girl, Chevy, Wendy’s

What’s most noteworthy about this campaign is that the “negative sentiment” for both of the presidential nominees is the highest in any modern presidential election in the past seven decades — since Barry Goldwater.

These polarizing negatives reflect voters’ concerns and distrust of the nominees falling into their personas’ traps. The Achilles’ heel for Donald Trump, “The Ruler,” is authoritarianism or dictatorship and inability to delegate. The Achilles’ heel for Hillary Clinton, “The Hero,” is arrogance and always needing another battle to fight.

But in the end, our next president will be determined in the general election by how much voters believe that each candidate can deliver on their persona’s brand promise.

Anne Zeiser is a critically-acclaimed transmedia and social impact producer and media strategist. She’s stewarded films and iconic series for PBS, produced news for CBS, managed national brands for marketing firms, and founded Azure Media, which develops transmedia projects on air, online, and on the go that fuel social impact in communities, in schools, and in capitals. With media partners from PBS and the BBC to Miramax and Sikelia Productions, Zeiser has successfully launched and marketed film studios and media organizations, feature and documentary films, television series and specials, mobile games and apps, and online video and media communities. She’s the author of Transmedia Marketing: From Film and TV to Games and Digital Media from Focal Press’ American Film Market® Presents book series.

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Guests at the VIP Dinner at the Thacher House, 4424 Thacher Road, Ojai Hosted by Alan Polsky. Photo by EMS.

Heather Sobo of Porch Gallery Ojai and Lila Glasoe Francese, President of The Carolyn GlasoeBailey Foundation. Photo by EMS.

The Carolyn GlasoeBailey Foundation presents : Fierce Generosity, the Carolyn GlasoeBailey Memorial Exhibition in collaboration with Porch Gallery Ojai

Announcing The Carolyn GlasoeBailey Foundation’s 2016 Artist Award and Rob Fischer as the First Recipient

July 21-August 21, 2016. Opening Weekend Events: July 23 and 24, 2016, Porch Gallery Ojai.

Heather Stobo of Porch Gallery Ojai with Carolyn’s Minnesota friends and collectors Jennifer Armetta and CGB Board Member Mary Morrison. Photo by EMS.

As Los Angeles’ art scene becomes more internationalized with mega galleries from London to Berlin to Manhattan setting up tentpoles throughout, not to mention the new trust fund galleries of limitless wealth saturating the city with weekly calendars choked of world class exhibitions, it’s no surprise that the city’s influence will spread. Like rolling wild fires to Orange County to Palm Desert to Lancaster, it’s only appropriate a small nestled town of Ojai reaps the new zeitgeist. Just south of Santa Barbara and near the coast of Ventura, Ojai is known as a Shangra La, an oasis of relaxing and healing. Its spas are legendary. What Ojai has in abundance (healthy living, great food, gentle lifestyle) they lack in commercialization. There’s no Starbucks, no fast food, no Gap, no Tiffany’s, and no contemporary art scene like Palm Springs, Laguna beach, La Jolla, and perhaps, Costa Mesa.

Miki Garcia, Executive Director of MCASB and Frederick Janka, Director of Development of MCASB. Photo by EMS.

Carolyn Glasoe Bailey. Image courtesy of the Foundation.

Then there’s the phenomena of singularity (a hypothetical moment in time when artificial intelligence and other technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change.) Singularity or the dawn of contemporary arts in Ojai may have started before we knew it. Porch Girls Productions, owned by Heather Stobo and Lisa Casoni, officially took over management of Porch Gallery in May of 2013. The Porch Gallery Ojai is located in a historic building in downtown Ojai at 310 E. Matilija Street. Stobo and Casoni are eager to create a contemporary art scene in Ojai. Their desire is to show serious art for the sophisticated buyer. Ojai has money and if they can tap into that purse they will be the pioneers of a new art scene and a new outpost for Los Angeles patronage.

Prior to Porch Gallery, Ojai was the place to hide and forget the problems of big city life. It was a place for family, not a place of fraternizing, schmoozing, and networking. A prevailing attitude among artists in Ojai is to enjoy the perks of solitude and bliss. As long as theres fresh oranges, and wine, and tequila they’re good. They think…I’ll see you in Beverly Hills where your city life is miserable and the art openings are full of moochers and has-beens, then come back to Ojai and leave life’s issues at the doorstep of Ventura.

Artist Ry Rocklen and CGB Board Member Alan Polsky. Photo by EMS.

For me, I had the privilege to cover the weekend of art events on behalf of the Carolyn GlasoeBailey Foundation hosted by Porch Gallery Ojai. It is described as “The Carloyn GlasoeBailey (CGB) Foundation’s Fierce Generosity memorial exhibit will be presented in collaboration with Porch Gallery Ojai. To honor Carolyn Glasoe’s contributions to the art world, this exhibition will feature the works of over 35 artists that were influenced and impacted by GlasoeBailey’s career, including Sanford Biggers, Enoc Perez, Ry Rocklen, Sterling Ruby, Melanie Schiff, and Xaviera Simmons. Proceeds from the sales will benefit The CGB Foundation.

Frederick Janka, Director of Development of MCASB, John Connelly, MCASB Board President Jacquelyn Klein Brown. Photo by EMS.

“I met Carolyn in 2001, when I was installing my show at her gallery. She came in, introduced herself, and I thought immediately, “This is one cool dealer.” She made me feel welcome. She was intelligent and witty,” remarks artist Enoc Perez. “She was the kind of person that I liked to work with-not arrogant- but frank and generous. I will miss her. I wish that my generation of art dealers were more like her.”

“She lit up a room and inspired all who knew her,” remarks MCA Santa Barbara Executive Director Miki Garcia. “Carolyn taught me so much about art and passion. MCA would never be where it is today without her determination and vision.”

The opening weekend of the exhibition, taking place on July 23 and 24, will coincide with the unveiling of a public sculpture by Rob Fischer, the first artist recipient of The CGB Foundation’s artist award. Fischer’s new sculpture will be exhibited at the foundation’s forthcoming exhibition space in Ojai, California. This specific work is a sister-piece to Fischer’s Glass House, Beautiful City series of sculptures that will be installed on Park Avenue in New York during the summer of 2016. “

Rob Fischer (b. 1968) is known for his solo museum exhibitions at The Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria, New York, NY; and Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA.

The CGB Foundation was established in 2016 by Lila Glasoe Francese, Glasoe’s sister, and Chris Bailey, Glasoe’s widower, with the objective to continue Glasoe’s commitment to the arts and sciences. They say, “Carolyn Glasoe started her career at the age of 19 when she opened her first art gallery in her hometown of Minneapolis. In 2000, she moved to New York where she co-founded the Dee Glasoe Gallery in the Chelsea Art District. In 2002 Glasoe left New York, returning to her home base of Ojai to concentrate on curating private art collections for her clientele worldwide. Glasoe’s life ended at the young age of 46 after a year and a half battle with Glioblastoma brain cancer. She was mother to a beautiful nine-year-old boy Matson West Bailey and wife to entrepreneur Chris Bailey.”

Carolyn’s husband Chris Bailey. Photo by EMS.

Fierce Generosity is presented in collaboration with The Carolyn GlasoeBailey Foundation and Porch Gallery Ojai from July 21 through August 21, 2016. Porch Gallery Ojai is located at 310 E. Matilija Ave. in Ojai. Please visit www.carolynglasoebaileyfoundation.org and www.porchgalleryojai.com for additional information about the exhibition, related events hosted during the opening weekend, future collaborative efforts, and the full list of participating artists.

LA art dealer Adam Biesk, CGB Artist Award Recipient Rob Fischer and Collector Carolyn Reece. Photo by EMS.

Ultimately, I embrace the hopes of Porch Gallery Ojai and the The Carolyn GlasoeBailey Foundation in bringing a new attitude to the region, an attitude that forms a coalition with Santa Barbara down to San Diego and beyond in making Ojai arts not only unique but has it’s special place in arts history.

Lisa Casoni Porch Gallery Ojai and guests at the Fierce Generosity: The Carolyn Glasoe Memorial Exhibition opening. Photo by EMS.

This article is part of an ongoing photojournalism survey of art exhibition openings titled EMS N(art)rative. Through my lens I document a photographic essay or visual “N(art)rative” that captures the happenings, personalities, collectors, gallerists, artists and the art itself; all elements that form the richly varied and textured fabric of the SoCal art world. This reconnaissance offers a unique view for serious art world players to obtain news and information on the current pulse of what’s in the now, yet capturing timeless indelible images for posterity and legacy. Here is EMS N(art)rative Forty.

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Each day, we parents carry the responsibility of guiding our children along the best possible path, giving them every opportunity and imparting as much wisdom as possible so they have a solid sense of self and are able to make good decisions. The crazy thing about being a parent is that you think your job is the guide, the caretaker, the planner, the fixer, and even the entertainer, but along the way you revisit and relearn lessons that make you stronger and wiser.

I think through each detail of my daughter’s life, to the point of obsessing, as I know many parents do. She will encounter so many situations that will be out of my control, but at age five, many of her experiences are still under my careful watch. However, in the mist of the whirlwind of parenting, I’ve found that while I help guide her, she also guides me in reflecting lessons and values that are key to who I am.

I recently read this guidance in her eyes — lit up with excitement and filled with genuine enthusiasm for the joy of the moment — when we had planned a fun day together. Her reaction reminded me we should approach each day as an adventure in which the outcome isn’t always certain. My daughter makes me a better person simply by being herself. I am a better person because she…

Lives in the moment
Kids are a natural study in mindfulness. They note small things along their daily journey and are never in a rush. Anyone who has tried to leave the house to make a timely appointment with a 5-year-old knows it is never a straight forward or easy task. Using phrases such as “we’re late” or “we need to hurry” only guarantees an instant slowdown. For a while, I thought she was being intentionally difficult because she could sense I was moving from stressed to full-on panic. But now I see that, to her, nothing earth-shattering will happen if it takes an extra 30 seconds to notice the rain has let up or to give an extra-long hug. And, without exception, the day starts infinitely better with an extra 30 seconds of embrace, rather than a quick peck.

In her unhurried state, she also notices little things that make her smile: a lady bug on the windowsill; a kite flying overhead; or a cloud that looks like a puppy. When I slow down and assume a more natural, unrushed pace I see the same: the glinting highlights in her hair and the clouds reflecting in her cool blue eyes. I try to remember that nothing earth-shattering will happen if I take a few seconds to slow down during the day, and without exception, the day is infinitely better when I do.

Doesn’t take life too seriously
When she’s carrying a plastic plate filled with toy food and it spills, she pauses and bursts into hysterical laughter. If she trips over something and takes a small tumble, she cracks up. Little mishaps are not stressors to her, they are comedic fodder. Likewise, when something falls over or spills, it used to register to me as additional stress, yet another thing to clean up or fix to restore order. Now when something goes haywire, her instinctual laughter reminds me to see the comedy in the moment, turning potential stress to comedic relief.

Holds me to my word
Kids have a wonderful knack of being completely literal and forgetting nothing. If they ask to go to the park and you respond “maybe” — even though it was meant as a “probably not” — you can be sure they will revisit the request in short order, believing the possibility still exists. Many times I have heard the logical argument of “but you said ‘maybe’ which means we might ‘go!'”

Raising a child has required me to be much more thoughtful of what I say and what I commit to because she doesn’t miss one beat. If I don’t follow through on a commitment, she vocalizes her disappointment that others may feel but not say, reminding me how important it is to be fair about what I commit to but then stay true to my word and follow through.

Reminds me of the Golden Rule
Perhaps the hardest lesson my daughter encounters on a daily basis is learning to treat other kids the way she would want them to treat her. She is heartbroken when she feels left out, yet I’ve seen her leave others out when she is involved with a group activity. We talk almost daily about the importance of including the kids who are left out, the way she wants to be included when she is the one on the outside.

As a child I took the Golden Rule for granted, something to be recited without much thought. As a parent, revisiting the Golden Rule in daily interactions reminds me to acknowledge each person I encounter the way we want to be acknowledged. In difficult situations, I am reminded to act with an understanding and respect I would like others to show me under similar circumstances.

There are a million and one ways our children influence and shape who we are. These four have had a significant shift on my daily perspective and help ground my thoughts and decisions. For this, I consider my daughter to be one of my greatest guides.

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A brand always has a message. When your brand message connects well with your target audience, converting them to customers becomes very easy. Top brands like Apple, Coca-Cola and Google are able to unify customers behind their brands because they got their core brand messaging to hit home with their many customers.

Without the brand message, your branding efforts will not yield the desired outcomes. This will leave areas like marketing, customer relationship and consumer trust suffering.

When you’re starting your business, getting customers to understand and connect with your brand message may seem like a goal far out of your reach. But with the right approach to amplifying your brand messaging, you will not only get your target audience to easily convert into customers — they’ll also become loyal brand advocates.

The following are ways to strengthen the messaging of your brand and create a brand that wins more customers.

1. Identify and Incorporate Your Brand Messaging into Your Design

From the feel of your logo to how your website looks, for customers, your design is the soul of your brand. How your design communicates your brand to the world will make the most impact in what consumers will feel when they interact with your brand. This is why you have to identify your brand message early on and make sure to incorporate it into your design.

Nathan Puente, from Sonder Agency — a design and marketing firm, believes that there is a powerful connection that goes on in the consumer’s mind when they interact with a brand whose messaging is well incorporated. He said, “A brand is an outward invocation of the feeling that creates a company’s purpose and defines how they relate to their customer base.”

From the leading beverage company in the world to the most important Smartphone maker — the element of the brand message can always be felt in a good brand’s design.

2. Tell Your Brand’s Story through Content

Your consumers will connect with your brand message when it tells a story. People will always relate to stories. That is why content is very important in marketing. Your content marketing strategy has to be effective to help get your brand message heard. This means incorporating your brand’s story into every content can help empower your brand.

The most effective brand marketing helps connect the audience through stories — most importantly success stories about how your brand has helped another customer through your solution.

3. Create a Brand Transparency Culture

Brand transparency in the era of customer-driven content is the leading force behind how businesses and customers connect. Building a bond that lasts longer with your customers may take efforts and painstaking brand marketing, but without brand transparency, the effect will fizzle out later.

For example, implementing a PR strategy that wins customers over should start from putting a real human at the forefront, rather than an ironclad company image. A human aspect to your brand message is not only a sign of transparency, but it also showcases the softer side of your business which customers will prefer to connect more with.

4. Stay Consistent With Your Brand Message

A winning brand message will rely on the backbone of consistency. Not only will a change in patterns give rise to confusion with your customers, it may also signal distrust. This is why it’s important that you first identify what your brand message is going to be and stick to it.

While an effective brand message that incorporates the strategies outlined may take a lot of testing and planning, the upside is that you can never go wrong with it.

What is your brand message? How effective is it in driving your company’s relationship with customers?

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.