We get so many messages in our culture about looking good, doing it right, and having it together, that there is a tendency in our society to blame others, try to fix every flaw, act out of fear, and avoid pain. We see it playing out in technicolor in the news these...
I was thinking the other day about what is one thing that we need most amidst the cultural increase of anger, uncertainty, and despair. I thought of the essential nature of hope, and the lack of it in today’s cultural narratives. The lyrics of this month’s song by...
There is always a gap between the life we’re living and the life we want to create. It’s what inspires us to change, grow, and make New Year’s resolutions. Did you know that 80% of New Year’s resolutions fall away by February? How are the resolutions you made at...
One Christmas morning when I was a little girl, I woke up excited, ran downstairs and found the Christmas stockings empty. I was devastated. I ran back upstairs to my parent’s room and burst in crying that Santa had forgotten us. In my mother’s sleepy state, she...
If your reaction to any mention of the dreaded ‘D’ word- death, is dismissal or denial, and if you want to stop reading and click out to something different, you’re in good company. I had a near death experience in my teens, have a will and health directive, have...
The title of this month’s blog sounds dramatic, and yet it’s true. Assumptions and expectations about a person’s beliefs and behavior can kill a relationship over time, especially when they are unspoken. Example assumptions and expectations include: Now that we have...
This summer, I was in a chaplaincy internship at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho, deepening my ability to be present, and increasing my spiritual direction skills with people in a health crisis from all walks of life. It was intense, challenging, emotional at...
My father was a restauranteur with a strong work ethic. He worked long hours in a stressful and demanding career as a renowned chef. He was completely dedicated to his restaurant and his craft, yet every summer he handed the reins to his kitchen staff and took six...
The violence of the recent shootings and the uncertainty of these times can get the best of me, the best of us. It can intensify the questions and natural anxiety of leaving a long-time career and dreaming into a next chapter of life. What will I do next? Will I be...
At the end of March I was interviewed by Richard Eisenberg of MarketWatch for his column, The View From Unretirement. One of his questions was why people are lost after their career ends, to the point that they shrink in their lives and don’t move on. My answer was...
Transitions can be stressful, especially when leaving a successful career for the next chapter. The uncertainty of the times we’re in adds an additional layer of anxiety to the process. Lots of questions come up – Who will I be without my career? Will I...
“It requires so much courage and strength to endure love for the beauty of the world.” -From Beguiled by Beauty, by Wendy Farley I get overwhelmed by the world at times and wonder what to write that will be of value, what will make a positive difference in your day. ...
Last month’s blog, the Three Essentials of a Joyful Life, inspired a lot of positive feedback. I realized from your feedback and recent coaching conversations, that you’d like more information about how to cultivate joy and happiness during the challenging times...
In all my years of soul searching and personal growth, and through the research I’ve done for Life Reinspired, I’ve come to realize that underneath all that we wrestle with in life, there are only three things we really want – Aliveness Zip, effervescence, vitality,...
Happy Holidays! It’s the time of year for extending our hearts into the world through generosity, love, service, acknowledgement, shared meals, gratitude and gift giving. I love this time of year – the decorations, lights, connections with friends and family,...
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