Blog

You want to see change. Change in your organization. Change in the economy. Change in political rhetoric. Change in your career. Change in your relationships. Change in your body. Granted some of those change ideas may not be within your direct influence or control. One thing is universal to all of those areas. Change implies

Photo by Ibrahim Boran on Unsplash It’s a new calendar year. The anticipation for new beginnings, resets, and recommitments that are associated with a new year feel different in 2021. At least in my part of the world. We are still in a raging global pandemic; despite new vaccines being rolled out, all those who are intended to

Are you making a list, checking it twice? I’m not asking about the list of Christmas gift giving. Or whether you’re evaluating who is naughty or nice to receive a lump of coal or a gift. Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash   I’m asking about the list of things you want to do differently in 2021. Dare

The word for 2020 turns out to be UNPRECEDENTED not VISION like I first thought. (2020 Vision—catchy right? Oh well) Photo by David Travis on Unsplash If you’re a word nerd like I am you probably have noticed the frequency of the use of the word unprecedented. The dictionary definition is “Never been done before.” Well, that’s not

Do you give yourself time to acknowledge loss? Do you allow tears to flow? Are you like so many Americans; keep a stiff upper lip and don’t let feelings get the best of you? Do you put a time limit on grief and tell yourself you need to get over it? Every loss we experience

We are in our 27th week of pandemic life in the United States. We have record breaking unemployment in our country. Fires rage in the western US and fire season isn’t over. Hurricane season has brought five category 3+ storms so far and the season doesn’t end until November 30. We are 54 days from

Let’s get honest: You wear too many hats. Daughter. Friend. Leader. Co-worker. Let’s add some more: wife, mother, sister, grand daughter, cousin, neighbor, church member, committee member, PTA/PTO member, pet owner, home owner, car owner, AND the list goes on. If you are a parent of school age children you can add teacher to the

We are living history in real time. The events that have transpired in the US in the midst of this global pandemic have been gut-wrenching, eye-opening and mind-blowing. I keep returning to these three statements: I am so sorry. I am listening. I am learning. I keep looking at the role model I have chosen

These are unprecedented times. Unprecedented times require new action to keep moving forward. I keep listing ideas and circling next best steps and yet… (This is a screenshot of the music video Atlas Seven by Sleeping at Last.) Right now, I imagine many of you are feeling a bit like this lyric. We’re still sheltering

If we’re truly going to G.E.T. into our lives then we need resources. I’m keenly aware of how stressful forced change is. Change is hard to do when you choose to make a change; when circumstances shift without your input that can wreck you. Another term for this forced change is trauma. We are all

Life in the time of COVID-19. I find myself phrasing it this way because of the title of the book Love in the Time of Cholera I’ve not read the book; the rhythm of the words in the title is what sticks to the rhythm of Life in the time of COVID-19. These are unprecedented

Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash Have you witnessed this? If you have been in the stores lately, gathering items you need, you’ve seen this scene being played out across the country and around the world. The Bay Area county where I live issued an unprecedented shelter in place order to mandate the social distancing that has been

Right about now is when people traditionally give up on the resolutions they’ve made for the new year. Three weeks in and change gets hard, distractions or interruptions to the routine you’re trying to establish and *poof* the whole thing goes up in smoke! Photo by McKinley Law on Unsplash Perhaps you’re not wrestling with resolutions. Perhaps you

The new year, the new decade is full of conversations and memes pointing to change. Change habits. Change pants size. Change careers. Set goals. Measure everything. Photo by Chimene Gaspar on Unsplash All this planning and working the plan can be exhausting. Photo by Vladislav Muslakov on Unsplash Not to mention what happens in our heads if (or when) we don’t

You did it! You made intentions to finish 2019 well. Photo by Lance Grandahl on Unsplash You chose to grow your awareness of areas you might want to change; your awareness of your mindset toward change; and planned action steps to make change happen. Today is a day to reflect and celebrate! Photo by Nicolas Tissot on Unsplash In coaching we

June 2013 was a milestone month in our family. Our youngest son graduated from high school, preparing to attend college across the country. The nest was emptying; a familiar milestone, and for many parents a painful awareness of change. In our family not only was the nest emptied, we moved it to a new city.

You’ve purchased your 2020 calendar. Maybe you have a new planner ready to fill with family and work obligations and due dates. Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash You might be a journal keeper with a new blank book ready to start on Wednesday, January 1, 2020. Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash This new decade you want to move forward with

If you’ve been following this series The 40-Day Journey to the New Year, you know that there have been many opportunities to Grow your awareness of how you think, feel and act in various areas; to Equip yourself with various tools in order to Thrive in your work, life & faith. Even with all the

You’ve seen the overview of five tools in this blog series: Myers-Briggs Temperament Inventory; DiSC Profile; StrengthsFinders; the Enneagram of Personality; and Sacred Pathways. You’ve encountered the common uses and purposes of these five inventories in five different posts. I’m imagining you might be asking: what’s the point of all these tools? A valid question.

You may be up early for the day after Christmas sales. Perhaps you are waking up in your childhood home visiting your family for the holidays. Or perhaps, you’re facing going back to work today. Whatever the case a lot has transpired in your life this year. In the recent 30+ days, if you’ve been

Merry Christmas! My hope and prayer for you and yours is that you practice presence with one another. Be with your people. Slow down and enjoy the gathering, the laughter, tears, noise, food, all of it. A little season’s greeting without an invitation to any action today except pay attention to your people.   Photo

As this day, this Christmas Eve dawns, I pray you find yourself able to enjoy the gatherings, and anticipate the celebration of birth of Jesus with the wonder of a child, with the joy of the shepherds, and heart of a seeker like the wise men who traveled from their faraway lands to meet Jesus.

If this is your first time dropping in here, Welcome! Please allow me to set the stage for what you can expect. I work as a transformational coach whose focus is helping women connect the dots of work, life and faith in order to live an integrated, wholehearted life. You’ve dropped in near the end

The fourth Sunday of this 2019 Advent season is here. We’ve journeyed through the week of Hope, of Faith and of Joy. Now we enter the final week of preparation for the celebration of Christ’s first coming and the readiness for His second coming. This week the theme is What represents peace to you? Absence

In my Transformational coaching practice we focus attention on three main steps in the acronym  G.E.T.: Grow-Equip-Thrive. Each step involves several strategies in the developmental process. What’s the point of this style of coaching? Transformational coaching helps you connect the dots of work, life and faith so you are able to live your life in

Sitting alone in my front garden, tears streaming, I spoke out a question from deep within, “Don’t you see how hard this is for me God? Don’t You care?” Photo by Ilkka Kärkkäinen on Unsplash This frustration, this anger I was expressing toward God would garner correction in many churches. I’ve heard those voices tell others “oh no,

Climbing the 12 foot ladder, my heart racing to a beat of competition fueled by pride, I knew I was going to have to follow through with this dare. No self-respecting 16 year old would turn down an opportunity to jump from an Olympic diving platform earning the bragging rights of accomplishment. This was no

Waaayyy back in the late 90’s, before Y2K, I had the privilege of co-producing and directing a children’s musical for Christmas at our church. Third through sixth grade children auditioned and were given specific parts while incorporating all the children in the chorus. The name of the musical was Free Gift. It was written by

Do you ever feel perplexed by comments you hear regarding how someone learns, feels or experiences God? Some people love to study, researching original languages and their varied meanings and nuances to learn more of God. Others talk about the experience of connection through music or art, while others go on a hike or work

Picture this: Photo by Brandless on Unsplash you’re stirring soup in a pot on the stove. The phone rings and you turn to answer it; your sleeve catches the handle of the pot and pulls it off the burner and onto the floor, splashing hot soup on you, the floor, everywhere in reach. What’s your reaction? Mine is

Just when you thought you have enough tools to be equipped to thrive, I bring out another one for you to consider! This particular tool is no ordinary assessment. In fact, this tool has been around in various forms at least as far back as the Ancient Greek civilization. It’s been found in ancient writings

In my reflection post yesterday I spoke about mindset. It’s not something we see but it affects everything we say or do because mindset guides our thoughts. In 2006 Mindset by Carol Dweck was published. It is the seminal book on the subject, written after years of research at Stanford University. Her work continues to

When faced with change what is your first internal response? That’s too hard! I can’t do that! That will never work! I tried that before and it was miserable! That’s lame. No way am I doing that! I like things just the way they are. OR Photo by Jon Flobrant on Unsplash Wow that’s interesting! I wonder if

For decades a performance review was weighted on the side of what needs improving. A quick nod to what was going well but the focus was the areas or skills you lacked. People dread the annual review often because we’re well aware of what isn’t going well and we don’t need reminding. Bonuses and raises

Do you ever tire of doing dishes? The laundry (my personal never-ending story)? The car that needs a tune-up or the dishwasher that needs repair? Sometimes it feels like life is full of stuff that needs fixing. Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash   Then there’s my mental, emotional & physical health which all seem to constantly need

Central. Sometimes I like to give the answer right up front. As if you didn’t already know this one. The human body cannot thrive without breathing. Photo by Tim Goedhart on Unsplash So why do we hear these sayings so often? I just need to catch my breath I feel like I’m drowning (absence of breath by the

Photo by Susan Holt Simpson on Unsplash If you were given only four letters with one word for each letter and were told to pick the one letter that describes you best, would you be able to do that? Would one word or letter be sufficient to describe you? Here are your letters: D – Driver I –

Originally I intended to write a post today focused on the power of lifelong learning. I chose instead to give space for each of us to rest. Photo by Sid Leigh on Unsplash How does choosing rest demonstrate lifelong learning? It’s taken me decades to recognize the long term benefits of pushing pause and making time to really

Looking in the mirror I see my face changed with years; I completed my 62nd trip around the sun just two months ago. You might think that by this time I am well acquainted with me. I am and I am not yet. Living things grow and growing things change. In 2013 I heard this

Photo by Philip Swinburn on Unsplash Staring up at the pegboard above the workbench that was both out of my childish reach and appreciation of shiny things, my Grandfather told me of the value of using the right tools to do  good work. His tools were hung carefully by type of tool. He had four

This sounds like the beginning of a riddle: How are plants, butterflies, & people similar? I’ve never been good at solving riddles; I’m often too deep into the associations rather than pulling back to see a bigger picture. This isn’t a riddle. It’s a legitimate question. How are plants, butterflies, & people similar? Let’s start

Today I want to invite you to engage your imagination. Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash Using your imagination may be as natural to you as breathing. For some, you’ve been told the imagination is a road to debauchery. Others of you haven’t used your imagination for yourself for far too long. I know it

There are 28 days left in our 40-Day Journey to the New Year. We’ve talked so far about growing your awareness in three areas: head, heart and body. I’ve shared some invitations to dig a little deeper below the surface in any one of those areas. Perhaps an area has been poked a little too

I was a child in the 60’s, a teen in the 70’s, who became an adult (chronologically) near the end of the 70’s. My Mom was 20 when I was born.  She came of age in the era of fitted-waist poodle skirts, which gave way to fashion influenced by the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy. Size

We began this 40-Day Journey to the New Year just ten days ago. My question for you is one of reflection: What has transpired for you in these ten days? You might be prone to say a quick “Oh so much!” Or a potentially defeating “Nothing’s transpired; life’s too busy!” My question isn’t intended to

I love learning how humans learn. I was fascinated with the idea when I began my collegiate career in an era when women were not generally encouraged to pursue hard sciences. It’s a long story but math and I were never given opportunity to succeed in an intimate relationship. *sigh* Photo by Jeffrey Hamilton on Unsplash Fast forward

I don’t know if you watched any commercial television yesterday, but in our family Macy’s Thanksgiving parade is an annual tradition passed down from my grandparents. We begin the day with orange frosted cinnamon rolls (thanks to the Pillsbury Doughboy). We might have bacon or sausage for protein and then snack on celery and peanut

What is on your list of people, experiences and/or things for which you are thankful? One of my favorite Thanksgiving activities of all time (besides Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, hot coffee with eggnog and orange cinnamon rolls) was to have blank slips of paper for all our dinner guests to write at least one thing they’re

We’re completing one week of our 40-Day Journey to the New Year.  How are you feeling? Energized? Overwhelmed? Or somewhere in between? Photo by Matteo Vistocco on Unsplash It’s not easy to suddenly make a daily practice of reflection if that hasn’t been happening prior to now. Give yourself permission to do what you can.

I’m sure you know the value of physical exercise; there’s a billion dollar industry that we hear about daily. There is now a body of research supporting the value of mental exercise as well as the development of emotional intelligence. All three of these parts of self: Head-Heart-Body need to be exercised in a variety

Several years ago sitting in my counselor’s office I was confronted with the self-talk I shared with her. She asked me who talks to me like that? I was embarrassed to be caught saying out loud such hurtful and demeaning statements and they were about me. There are no living humans who were speaking to

Newsflash: Your life is NOT SUPPOSED TO look like Pinterest or Instagram or Facebook.  Your life assignment as a Christ-follower, should you choose to accept Him, is to walk in love and freedom in the abundant life offered you. To thrive. What is abundance? What is freedom? What does it look like to thrive? What

When you’re preparing to go on a trip, do you have a packing list? When a contractor prepares to build a lot of planning goes into measuring, drawing, gathering needed materials. You’ve started this 40-day journey to the New Year with intention. So, what’s in your toolbox to help you thrive? Here are some questions

Each day of this 40-day Journey you’ll need encouragement. Each day of your life you need encouragement actually. You might be already aware of the places you go for those encouraging feelings but why do we need them? Simple answer? We’re wired that way. Complex answer? Our brains need four specific neurotransmitters to keep us

I’ve been quiet on my blog for almost a year. Every time I thought about writing, I drew a blank. I’ve been feeling like I’m not enough: not good enough, thin enough, skilled enough, fill in the blank enough. I couldn’t see a way out of my feelings. I’ve been stuck. Maybe you’re experiencing some

Many of you know I recently crossed a milestone birthday—I entered the decade of 60. Somehow in my world view it is an accomplishment not a setback or something to hide. Actually I am grateful. Grateful to be alive considering all the ridiculous things I did in my mis-spent youth. Grateful to have family & friends that have enriched my life so much. And grateful most of all for the ongoing relationships that enhance my moments whether I am with someone or thinking of someone.

I want to do something counter cultural. I want to focus on embracing self-care for the next 30 Days. I want to see if there are ways I can slow down, look around, acknowledge and appreciate creation, books, food and most of all people.

I turned 60 just twelve days ago. I didn’t wail or moan. I’m thrilled to be here, to live fully and continue to connect the dots of the life I’ve lived thus far with the life that awaits. That includes owning the hard parts of my story.

Today I celebrate the 60th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, the first craft to orbit the earth. History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched their beach ball sized satellite. It’s also the day I was born.

I’ve been quiet on my blog for almost a year. Every time I thought about writing, I drew a blank. I’ve been feeling like I’m not enough: not good enough, thin enough, skilled enough, fill in the blank enough. I couldn’t see a way out of my feelings. I’ve been stuck.

There’s a saying in the coaching world that informs my thinking. It goes like this: You can’t coach someone beyond where you have gone yourself. I realized I had gotten stuck in my own life. How ironic, right? I’m a coach to others in many areas but I was stuck and hindered from moving forward in my personal and professional growth.

Did you know that not everyone spends time thinking about habits they want to change? I was shocked to find this out! I thought, ‘maybe these people are in denial’. Or ‘maybe they’ve already arrived at perfection’. Then the thought ‘what’s wrong with me?’ began to surface. Why do I care so much about my

Come to Me All who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Jesus

When was the last time you made time to take a nap? Go for a walk? Said no to one more thing on your calendar? One of the easiest things to overlook when developing margin is self-care. Short term neglect may not have a strong impact but long term neglect will cost you. Self-care takes

Fall has just begun in the US. It is a season known for change. Schools, weather gets cooler, leaves change color and fall, baseball and football overlap, Daylight Savings ends, days are shorter, so many changes. But what season are you in? Frantic? High stress job? Busy? Kids, work, relationships, aging parents? Do you feel

How have you spent your Sunday? Perhaps you had to work outside the home. Or perhaps you work on Sundays in ministry. Maybe you spent your day outdoors and away from home. Wherever you are today this invitation is for you. Come to Me It’s easy to forget this simple, beautiful soul-filling invitation when life

Have you given yourself permission to explore your dreams? You know the ones that you’ve had since you were a child? Flying an airplane, hiking Mt Everest, running a marathon, learning how to ________ ? So often we let go of those childhood dreams labeling them as childish and diminishing that part of ourselves. And

  Food, Health & Wellness is the category I’m linking to for the 31 days challenge. It seems most appropriate as I want to focus my writing by connecting the 3 most important aspects of one’s life: personal, vocational and spiritual.  Author Glennon Doyle Melton said we’re all mini Trinities: body, mind and soul. I

Are you a daydreamer? I am. I’m not quite as into my daydreams as Walter Mitty, but I do find myself deep in thought about the “if this…then this” kind of daydream. Circumstances with work. Circumstances with finances. Favorite places to visit. People I want to spend significant time with. You name it, I have