How Do You “Take The Heat” in Challenging Situations?
We’ve been cooking in 90+ degree weather here in the greater NYC area, and it’s had me reflecting — not just on the actual heat, but on how we respond to uncomfortable situations.
I grew up in Queens, New York, where we had two household seasons: Freezing or Frying.
When we asked to adjust the temperature, we’d hear:
“You want heat or a college Education? You decide.”
Summer meant central air wasn’t a system — it was just hot air that entered in July and squatted until August. Fans circulated the same stifling air. It often felt cooler outside than inside.
Sleep? A test of resilience.
Communication? A test of patience.
But in those sticky, sleepless summers, I watched how my neighbors navigated the discomfort:
They maintained perspective. “It’s summer in Queens,” they’d shrug.
They made the best of it. Homemade iced tea and stoop chats were standard.
They paused. The front stoop was a haven for listening, chatting, just being.
They protected their energy. Chronic complainers? They kept their distance.
They adjusted. Early risers became earlier risers to enjoy what they loved.
These small, adaptive habits are just as relevant today — in heatwaves or high-pressure workweeks.
How do you stay centered and connected during stressful times?
Let’s share strategies — bonus points if they involve iced tea.
#Resilience #Communication #MindsetMatters #Leadership #NYCSummers #EmotionalIntelligence #Storytelling #QueensNative
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Julienne B. Ryan began her professional career at age five when she did TV commercials and learned important things like “the teamsters always eat first,” her social security number and how to endorse checks for bank deposit.
Ryan studied psychology in college because she wanted to understand humans. She conducted her “field work” in a variety of roles, hearing the phrases “merger synergies, reorganizations, downsizing and rightsizing for change” more times than she cares to mention.
Later she enrolled in an Ivy League graduate school where she paid oodles of money to validate her prior on-the-job learning experiences. However, she did learn to name drop up-to-date theories and trendy psychologists with alarming ease.
Ryan evolved into working in “Talent Management,” a fancy way of saying “try to find people and keep them moderately happy.” With inadequate budgets and staff allocations, she had to find creative ways to encourage her staff to work effectively. These ranged from begging and borrowing resources, improvising childcare, telling stories and even giving snacks as rewards. She tried to convince herself that working a bazillion hours and “multi-tasking” equaled achievement.
Her work took place in cubicles, conference rooms or, with luck, in offices with a door. Occasionally she would make the time to emerge from her allotted real estate to really talk to people. Ryan learned something transformative in the process:
Yes, she was effective. But not because she used fancy theories – or gave great snacks. Ryan’s success, her staff believed, was a result of her uncanny knack for weaving storytelling with humor to motivate and encourage them. Crucially, they encouraged Ryan to de-emphasize “that normal HR stuff” and focus on bringing her unique storytelling skills to a broader stage.
Thanks to them, Ryan continues to collect, connect and tell stories in her work helping people find their “true selves in the world of work.
She is the author of the humorous, all true "The Learned It In Queens Communications Playbook - Winning Against Distraction!".that now includes a workbook and is available at booksellers across the globe..
She is a guest contributor to The Procurement Foundry, LifeBlood, and the global storytelling community.
Certifications include
Accumatch (BI) Behavior Intelligence
Narativ Applied Storytelling Methodologies
Collective Brains – Mentorship Methodologies
They maintained perspective. “It’s summer in Queens,” they’d shrug.
How do you stay centered and connected during stressful times?