Hello, I’m Noralee Cole and I am a recovering perfectionist.

Yes, I’m a work in progress and I’ll bet  you are, too. Find the excitement as we move from Adequate to Excellent rather than grasping for perfection—since perfection does not really exist.

As the oldest of three children, I was the responsible one and it took over my life. I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to organizing events. My family still teases me about the internal agenda for my parents’ 50^th anniversary party where I even included time for mingling. At the tender age of 15, I began a long history of saying “yes” and planned the food and lodging for 200 people. 

Have you noticed that as you look back on your life, you have lived many different lives? As a life-long learner, my life was shaped by family, music, dance, several careers, and belonging to meaningful organizations.

Music and Dance:

A favorite quote is “Music is life.” In addition to it being fun and engaging, it was a huge confidence builder. Through several music and dance communities I learned to use the stage to follow my own star.

Career:

I picked up many skills through several paid positions, most notably with the State of California. In addition to my analyst positions I have been entrusted to lead several special projects like the Health Walkway at Native American Day and the State Employees Food Drive. 

Volunteerism:

My life was enriched by volunteering in several organizations including Girl Scouts of America, folkdancing, and my daughter’s school choir.

Leadership:

My life really took a turn when I joined a Toastmasters club. As a newly divorced Mom, I rediscovered my voice and enjoyed having people clap every time I spoke—we do that for everyone, by the way. I developed a taste for leading others to finding their voices and becoming the best leaders they could be. 

One of my favorite quotes, paraphrased from Tom Peters, is “Leaders create more leaders.” Over the last 24 years I have continued to lead in Toastmasters and have gained dozens of excellent friends and relationships, including my significant other, Skip. In addition, I have achieved three Distinguished Toastmasters awards, meaning that I have worked through the education and leadership curriculum three times, completed at least 150 speeches and leadership projects as well as serving our local District in several leadership roles.

Currently I am on the board of the Rising Star Speakers Series where we support other speakers to expand their skills and outreach to share their messages.

For a time, with the busyness of work and family, I forgot about how much fun it is to sample all that life has to offer. Maybe you have experienced the same thing. The concept of Living My Dash Life is how I came to appreciate how far I have come and how much more I can create for my legacy.

I look forward to sharing that journey with you through my blog, my books, our coaching together, and speaking events.

Join me to Live Your Dash Life and become the Star of Your Life!