When I was a little girl, my Grandpa built a playhouse for my sister and me in our backyard. It was a miniature of the farmhouse where we lived, painted white with green trim, and even had a small loft. We loved to play in our "very own" house, and spent hours of make believe there. Our kittens became our babies and would allow us (most of the time) to Read more »
In order to become a better and happier version of yourself, you first have to identify the areas of your life that you are not satisfied with - where you have succumbed to "living on automatic." Let me illustrate with a story. My husband and I enjoy kayaking together on the ocean near our home in the Pacific Northwest. There is nothing more beautiful than being out on the water Read more »
As a child I had boundless energy and a big imagination. Dreaming came easy. Growing up on a dairy farm out in the country, my sister and I spent a lot of time playing outdoors. She and I spent hours playing in the tree-house my Dad built us in our front yard. We pretended we lived there, that is, until Mom called us in for dinner. Rainy days did't get Read more »
I am sorry for what I said in quarantine. Over something ridiculously small I had snapped at my husband and needed to apologize. Can you relate? My day had started out just fine. Despite the extra efforts needed to rise above the latest negative news, I was ready to tackle the workday. Armed with my morning latte and my list of priorities I got to work. However, it quickly became Read more »
It was the perfect summer-like weekend with mild temperatures in the mid 70’s. I had the unique opportunity to spend time with my three beautiful daughters. Yet, it was bittersweet, as yesterday we sent two back off to school. I feel deeply grateful for this “surprise” gift of time we were given. When the world shut down a few months ago and my girls were ushered back to the safety Read more »
It's a beautiful summer morning in the Northwest and I am about to embark on one of my favorite weekly activities - tending to my flower garden and picking a colorful, fragrant bouquet for my dining table. A couple of years ago, my Mother's Day gift was the flowers to plant my own garden, and now I am harvesting the fruits of those labors with stunning roses and other delightful Read more »
Imagine creating your BEST DAY. One where you have a lot of energy, you are focused, you are productive, you are getting the right things done in record time. And, you feel great about your accomplishments. The problem is many of us aren't feeling this way right now. All of us have been affected in some way by COVID-19 and the resulting shutdown we are now living in. In varying ways, our Read more »
One of the top complaints I am hearing from my clients, colleagues and friends is, “I just can’t sleep.” Can you relate? I can too. Although sleep is something I fight hard for, the uncertainty of today’s new “business unusual” is enough to keep anyone up at night. There is no doubt about it, these are unprecedented, and yes - scary times we are living in. Stress is at an Read more »
Mind over Matter. Apparently, I said this to my kids a lot when they were growing up. We were having a conversation the other day where I asked my daughters what words or phrases they remembered hearing over and over. “Mind over matter” was at the top of their list along with a few others. Do your best. You can do it. Be nice. When they would get in an Read more »
For years I have made my Sunday trip to the grocery store to stock up for the week. These days in the midst of a global pandemic, it is very different. Last week the atmosphere was heavy. I could feel the fear and apprehension of the customers. People self-distanced. No smiles. No eye contact. Some people were in masks, gloves, and even goggles. Everywhere, complete silence. Some people walked into Read more »
