This week, I was in NYC for work, so I missed class. Usually, traveling for work means I have a race, but this trip involved less physical activity & more mental activity than usual. It was actually quite public health communications related, so it was exciting to use some of the skills and ideas we've discussed in class!

In particular, the K.I.S. article was very apropos. As health educators, we are often communicating ideas that we've become very familiar with about topics we're immersed in. It's very easy to lose perspective of what constitutes "basic" knowledge, and--if we are not careful--overcomplicate the message, thus rendering it ineffectual.

For example, I was in NYC to announce the launch of the "Tone Up Challenge", a 2 week exercise program designed by the Women's Sports Foundation. It's a program designed for anyone to be able to complete--you don't have to be a high performance athlete! There were several media events associated with the launch, and as the week went on, I was repeatedly struck by how basic talking points seemed to be the most effective. By simplifying my talking points, I was able to better connect with the audience; at times, this meant explaining things in detail that I might have previously taken for granted as common knowledge.

In case you're bored, here's a link to the Good Morning America Show Health Segment I did while I was there. Warning:It's a bit awkward--live TV is hard!! This was at the beginning of the week, so certainly it could have benefitted from a bit more streamlining, or K.I.S.S.!