Have you ever noticed that some people you know, or work with, are so buoyantly upbeat, blessed with a sunny disposition, that they bring everyone UP around them?

It’s a pleasure just to be in their company. Laughter comes easily. They don’t take themselves too seriously. Nor do they “sweat the small stuff,” as the great writer Richard Carlson used to say.

No matter what happens, their outlooks are consistently optimistic, contented, and appreciative. I wrote a Family Circle article about this subject a few years ago titled: “What Makes Happy People Happy?” And when I interviewed Deepak Chopra, here’s what he had to say:

“Happy people are very comfortable with themselves. They usually look on the bright side, they see opportunity in adversity, their sense of well-being doesn’t depend on performance, and they don’t hold onto grievances and resentments.

“Just being in their company,” said Chopra, “makes you feel better. It’s not what they do or what they think, but who they are.”

In the course of working on the launch of my upcoming book, KATIE, I’ve been fortunate to have met just such

Beautiful Shanon--inside and out

a person–the radiantly-congenial Shanon Stowe. She’s the newly appointed publicity director at Hachette Book Group’s Nashville-based FaithWords and Center Street imprints, overseeing the media campaign for Katie Up and Down the Hall. As if a full-time job wasn’t enough, she’s also got a houseful of kids (Dylan, Aiden, and Jack) and dogs!(Barkley and Punkin)

But her professional accomplishments and responsibilities are one thing, while her personality and ebullient nature are another.

Blonde, beautiful, and filled with high spirits, Shanon has a lilting southern accent and an infectious laugh, one that I first experienced in person when she guided me through the introduction of KATIE at Book Expo America last May.

Arriving at New York's Jacob Javits Center at Book Expo America

She met me right at the curb, guided me to the Hachette booth, and during a 2-hour autograph session, made it seem all so easy as people came by. She also bonded with my new puppy Lucy, who konked out after an hour and crawled contentedly into Shanon’s arms.

Flash forward to today, when out of the blue, Shanon sent me an E mail simply titled: “Look!!!”

"Look!!!"

In the E mail, attached was a single photo of Shanon holding up the very first finished copy of KATIE, fresh from the printing press.

After nearly two years–that included writing the book proposal, then writing the book, then a year of post-production (creating a book trailer, a PR and advertising campaign, and planning two launch events)–the waiting was finally over, the news delivered with Shanon’s happy photo.

So here’s a question: Do you have a Shanon in your life?–someone incredibly cheering, even-tempered, and fun to be with? I hope you do.

As for me and Lucy, we count ourselves lucky to know her. (I’ll soon introduce you to another Hachette dynamo, KATIE’S greatest champion, the man who encouraged me to write the book, HARRY HELM, the company’s brilliant associate publisher, editorial and marketing director, and a fellow dog lover to boot.)

Puppy Lucy snoozing, unimpressed by Book Expo America

In the meantime, for any of you who want to meet bubbly Shanon in person, you just might get the chance to do so if you come by the Katie Up and Down the Hall bookreading, being hosted by Liz Smith at Barnes & Noble on September 16th.

Considering that Katie, Lucy, Shanon (and the forever young Liz Smith) are all blondes–I’m wondering if blondes really do have more fun–making everyone around them happier too.

Fellow Blonde

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My lovely grandmother, perfectly composed as always, with Katie

Throughout my life, from one decade to the next, I’ve always been so fortunate to have by my side either a grandparent or someone much older than me- a mentor, guide, confidante, and friend offering the perspective and wisdom that only comes with age.

There’s something so healing about being in the company of an elder–someone who has seen life and understands all its challenges and rewards, a subject I wrote about a few days ago in a Blog about my remarkable friend Bud.

Nana Adored My Dog

And the one person who started it all for me is my maternal grandmother, Essie, known in our family as Nana.

There was nothing old-fashioned about this energetic dynamo–who was physically robust, articulate, and up to date on everything, including movies, music, and fashion. Charismatic and fun to be with, she tended to me and my two sisters with incredible devotion–taking care of us together with my Mom, picking us up at school, helping us with our homework, cooking and baking (her signature crumb cake with yellow raisens being one of my favorites), carting me to piano lessons, sunday school, you name it.

My Favorite Picture of Us At My First Book Launch

Her arrival at our house was always cause for great excitement. As I write in my upcoming book:

I became jubilant whenever I saw her car pulling up into our driveway, her yellow tortoise-shell purse catching the light.

Sometimes we’d sit at the kitchen table, laughing for hours as Nana quizzed me on American history, afterwards treating me to her fantastic crumb cake or signature Cream of Wheat.

She also played the piano—usually “The Skating Song,” a popular tune in the silent movie days. But mostly, she’d sit on the bench next to me, encouraging my efforts at the keyboard, (and years later, attending all my piano recitals.)

When I was hospitalized in my 20’s for a stomach ailment, there she was, nursing me back to health; a few years later, when my first book was published, she was next to me at Barnes & Noble, smartly dressed, as I signed copies.

And five years after that, we marketed Nana’s shortbread meringue cookies, dubbed “Essie’s Crumby Dessert Squares…The CrumbiestYou Ever Had.” Katharine Hepburn, Peter Jennings, Nancy Reagan, Calvin Klein, and Paul Newman all raved about them, giving her endorsements. They were sold at Bloomingdale’s and led to such newspaper headlines as: “Top Stars Clamoring for More Of Buffalo Grandma’s Cookies.” And: “Cookies Turning A Grandmother Into Rising Star.” There was Nana being interviewed on television and signing autographs! (Just click on the picture that says “Cookie Maker To The Stars” to see my grandmother’s famous fans!)

In short, Nana was remarkable in every way—and with me, every step of the way. Like any great grandparent–she was a protective guide, loving us unconditionally and

teaching us about what was right and what was wrong–how to behave, and what to be careful about.

I’m sure you’ve had a grandparent who you were especially close to, who influenced your life profoundly, and whom you miss.

Years after I’d left home and moved to New York, when my grandmother was in her final years and ailing, she was still no less interested or central in my life. And she would always send her fond regards to another great matriarch I’d met, my down-the-hall neighbor, Pearl, who became, in a sense, my co-grandmother. Pearl is the one of the key stars of my book, an octogenarian who we all nicknamed Granny.

In fact, when Family Circle magazine wrote about Pearl’s influence on all the main characters in the book–they titled it “Granny Down The Hall.”  And  like Nana, Pearl was always a source of practical advice, laughter, loving support and fun.

At The Piano, Having One of my grandmother's famous cookies!

Family Fun: My Mom, Katie, my sister Debby, and Nana

As I’m writing this, I can feel the tears beginning. Why? Because I would give anything–anything at all–to have both my grandmother and Pearl at my side in September at the Katie Up And Down The Hall launch party and booksigning. After all, it’s thanks to them that I have a story to tell, coloring it with all their heart and lessons learned.

I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since Nana died,  and six since I lost Pearl, because it seems like just yesterday we were all laughing on the phone, playing with Katie, having dinner together, our little family circle complete.

In short, Nana and Pearl were  the grandmothers of my dreams….and I miss them both more than I can say.

And so, on this day when I’m thinking about these two great women (and about my fantastic Uncle Jack who, at age 94, sadly passed away today, another incredibly wise and loving friend)–tell me about the grandmother, grandfather, or older mentor of your dreams. How did they enrich your life and what are your favorite memories? .

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Lucy and Stanley Out For A Walk In Battery Park City

My five-month-old puppy, Lucy, adores her down-the-hall boyfriend Stanley, though she isn’t content just to play with dogs, large or small. She’s branching out!

She’s especially fond of a magnificent Belgian Quarter horse named Lee, one of Battery Park City’s police mounts who patrols the Esplanade along the Hudson. Lee’s boss is Sean, the mounted policeman who appears in my upcoming book.

Katie adored Sean and his horse–and would stop in her tracks whenever she heard him coming, as I explain in the book:

Once out on the Esplanade, she walked briskly along the water’s edge, sniffing under every bench, scouting for food, and on hot summer days, searching for the perfect shady spot under an oak tree for a long nap.

At other times, Katie’s ears pricked up when she heard the sound of hoofs hitting the pavement. That was the signal that our neighborhood’s mounted policeman, Sean, was out on patrol, sitting high up on his magnificent Belgian Quarter horse, Walter.

Walter, Sean told me, had been raised on a farm with dogs, so anytime we passed, the horse would stop and scoop down his head and affectionately rub noses with Katie, his wide nostrils quivering with pleasure.

Katie, in turn, would lick his face. Sometimes, I’d hoist Katie up to him–and she’d playfully swat him in the wide space between his eyes. The picture of this huge horse nuzzling a pint-sized spaniel was endearing beyond belief, heartwarming to all who saw it. Then Walter trotted away in one direction, Katie in the other.

So it’s only fitting that Lucy has inherited Sean’s new mount Lee as her own. A (motion) picture is truly worth a thousand words! Take a look:

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There are times in life when the bottom falls out –and absolutely everything goes wrong.

Unexpectedly, fate throws us a curve ball–and our safe and settled existence, as we had known it, falls apart.

We may sink into despair or depression; or get angry and lash out at others. Some fall into addiction. Many feel they’ve been victimized, that their luck has run out, and that their lives are over. Some may even contemplate suicide. (And 30,000 people do commit suicide in the U.S. every year.)

In my own life, I’ve been grateful to experience many peaks. But there have been some valleys too–times of extreme emotional pain when I’ve known the sting of rejection, reversals of fortune, disappointments in relationships, and health challenges too.

It’s at times like these that we all need a breakthrough–which is exactly what we’re going to get beginning this Tuesday, when NBC debuts a six-part reality series titled BREAKTHROUGH WITH TONY ROBBINS. I’ve seen a preview disc of the show and I can tell you that it is riveting.

As the world’s greatest peak performance coach, Tony has, over three decades, worked with three million people in 80 countries (including heads of state, professional athletes, corporate executives, film stars, and royalty). But for those who haven’t attended his seminars, read his books, listened to his tapes, or watched his videos, at last, he’s finally bringing his magic to television.

I can tell you that I’ve known Tony personally for many years–and have seen him in action at his signature seminars–Unleash The Power Within, Date With Destiny, and Life Mastery–and there are few people in this world who can give people the practical tools to transform misery to joy, the follow through to turn apathy to resourcefulness. But he can do it.

In this show, you’re going to meet people who have experienced deep pain and loss, those who are desperate for a new beginning, many of whom who have lost hope. This isn’t entertainment. Anyone with a problem is going to be inspired by the people Tony meets on this journey, and you’re going to apply the lessons learned to your own life.

Much of Breakthrough With Tony Robbins was filmed in Fiji

Tony will show us how to turn trauma around, finding inner strength where we didn’t think we had it. He’ll demonstrate that there’s always something we value greater than our pain. He’ll give us the faith and confidence to prevail over a disability, restoring emotional fitness and giving us the compelling future we all deserve.

A few months ago, I wrote here about a great lesson that I learned from Tony, one that is intimately connected to the theme of my new book.  As we travel through life, much as we want things to be safe and predictable, they rarely are. I sometimes wonder why things unfold in life exactly as they do. Can what happens to us be controlled and planned, or is much of it mere accident, fate, destiny–or perhaps another greater force at work as well?

In my own life, especially with Katie Up and Down The Hall being soon published,  I often reflect on why I became so intensely close to my neighbors down the hall.

What power was there in that red-carpeted 120-foot hallway that took me to places I never imagined, much like a magic carpet.

Do you ever play this game: “If I hadn’t just accidentally found myself in that elevator (or in that classroom, gym class, subway car, or party) at that exact moment in time, how would my entire life have been different? Maybe I never would have met my mate, or a key business connection, or a lifelong friend. Right!

Sometimes I just can’t believe the coincidence, things that happen at exactly the right moment. Sure this seems accidental–but as I’ve learned from Tony Robbins, what happens to us is greatly a product of what he has insightfully described as THE POWER OF PROXIMITY.

Simply put, it’s so often the people in our physical orbits–those in closest proximity–who will become the people most important to us. When you’re around someone in your environment, day after day, you notice their insight, humor, and unique talents–and the needs in them that call out to you for fulfillment. When we look to each other for companionship, love, and connection–we often get what we need.

That’s one key reason why my dog Katie and I became so close to our octogenarian friend, Pearl, and her husband Arthur, and the little boy Ryan, and his Dad, John. Katie and I needed connection–and we so fortuitously found it–just down the hall.

So as Tony often says to seminar participants: “Who, in your environment is nearby? Who’s literally in your field of vision? Who do you keep bumping into, over and over again?”

In this way, as he wisely concludes: “For most of us, proximity is the messenger of fate.”

I can tell you that it’s this principle that changed my life, and the life of my dog forever–and I bet it’s changing yours as well.

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