Have you ever felt nudged to speak up, share something, to offer help or hope, or simply to introduce yourself? Did you act on that nudge, or did you squelch it, thinking it might make you look foolish, put you in the uncomfortable situation of being rebuffed, or worse? Our little but loudly yipping […]
The Myth of Talent: How a mistaken belief is holding you back
October 7, 2013 By
When you were little, you probably believed in one or more myths: the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Santa Claus. For the most part, those myths were pretty harmless, except for the anguish and heartbreak you suffered when your older sibling or classmate gleefully broke the news that those beloved characters didn’t exist. As adults, […]
The inevitable transition of seasons
August 28, 2013 By 11 Comments
Seeing your little one off on the first day of school. Waving goodbye as your baby heads to college. Giving your daughter away at her wedding. Seasons. Our lives are full of seasons and the small and large In-Between times. I wrote previously about stubbornly refusing to let go of summer, as though […]
Stop and smell the roses and sweet baby’s breath
August 12, 2013 By 10 Comments
Have you gone from stretching out in the hammock to being stretched tighter than a rubber band? Transitioning from one season to another can have that effect, whether you are moving cross country, becoming a parent, or getting the kids ready for another school year. We want to hang on to that bright and […]
I Need You and You Need Me
July 26, 2013 By 16 Comments
I got busted this week. Yup. Little old happy me. The charge? The Misdemeanor of Keeping it to Myself. “I had no idea you were going through that,” a friend wrote to me after reading about my frustrating season of unemployment. Uh oh. She was right. I hadn’t shared it with my closest […]
Living in the In-Between
July 22, 2013 By 39 Comments
Last night we learned my nephew has a brain tumor. This morning I stand on my porch, birdsong welcoming the day as though nothing has changed, the whisper-soft breeze carrying muted sounds of distant lives. Such a dramatic change from last night, when booming thunder struck a match, setting off a brilliant lightning […]
The 5 Why’s: A simple problem-solving technique
July 9, 2013 By 37 Comments
Do you ever feel like you are going to crack under the frustration and feelings of being overwhelmed by a problem you haven’t been able to solve? Your solution might have been to head to the fridge for a pint of ice cream—that is a single serving, right?—into the living room to watch some escapist […]
Being the Johnny Appleseed of Encouragement
July 1, 2013 By 18 Comments
When you encourage others, you are sowing for the future just as Johnny Appleseed did. Do you remember the legend? This folk hero wandered the west planting thousands and thousands of apple seeds. He knew some would take root and others would not, but that didn’t sway him from his purpose. Being an encourager is […]
Three Ideas to Help Guide You to the Right Decision
June 24, 2013 By 26 Comments
I’m excited to introduce you to my guest writer today, especially since he is a friend and past coach: Joel Boggess, of Finding Your Voice Radio. I discovered Joel when I was drowning—again—in a job that didn’t fit, and he helped me see I actually had skills and talent that I could put […]
When Fear Meets the Pushmi-Pullyu
June 17, 2013 By 19 Comments
As wives and moms, you take on a wide variety of roles, including the Pushmi-Pullyu. For reference, a Pushmi-Pullyu is the two-headed llama from the famous Dr. Doolittle series of children’s books. You are probably curious what you could possibly have in common with that creature. When you encourage your loved ones, you do so […]
