Masterful Mindsets

“You are enough, you are so enough, it’s unbelievable how enough you are.” ~Sierra Boggess

Last week I shared three common negative thoughts that frequently emerge when someone is pushing outside their comfort zone, facing a challenge, or struggling in some way. But quite honestly, none of them would likely crop up if they weren’t rooted in the mother of all sabotaging beliefs.

What is that belief? Well think about it for a second and then read on…

The mother of all sabotaging beliefs is: “I am not good enough!”

Yep, if you dig deep into your negative thoughts, odds are high you will find most limiting beliefs and fears are rooted in the assumption that in some way, shape or form, you are not good enough to handle whatever it is you are facing.

Don’t believe me? Try this little exercise the next time you find negative thoughts popping up in your head… If you ask the question “why” after your thought, what would be your answer?

Now the initial answer might not sound exactly l...

"The thoughts we think and the words we speak become the reality we live." ~Michelle Weimer 

As a high-performance coach, one of my main goals is to challenge my clients to step up to a higher level in their personal and professional lives. And while I know it’s possible for everyone, I also know that sometimes it isn’t easy. However, most of the time, what makes it difficult isn’t external circumstances. It’s internal nonsense that actually keeps us from reaching our goals.

So, as you look to perhaps challenge yourself to step up to another level in your life this year; whether with your health, career, family, relationships, spirituality, finances, or something else… be on the lookout for some variation of these three common sneaky little self-sabotaging thoughts that might be holding you back from successfully achieving your goals this year.  

It's going to be hard. (Yes, I know I just said sometimes it isn’t easy but if you start out thinking it'll be hard, you are more like...

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

Question: We are a week into the new year, have you set your New Year’s resolutions yet? What are you waiting for? How do you intend to create a life you’ll love this year?

Action Challenge: It seems that setting new year’s resolutions have become a thing of the past for many. Most likely it’s because too many times people set them and they don’t work (more in another blog post about why that is). But what if you had a plan to insure they’d work? 

If the nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach - you know, the one that keeps reminding you of your past resolution failures - has been keeping you from setting your intentions for creating a life you’ll love, then get ready… because I’m here to tell you that this is the year for real change. And I’m not talking about just saying you are going to make some changes; I’m talking about taking action and really changing.   

Follow the steps below to draft...

“The moment you say to yourself, “It is time to let go; it is time to forgive.” that will be the moment you will find peace.” ~unknown

The holiday season is over, and the new year is upon us. For many, that is a relief because although the holidays are meant to be a time for love, hope, peace, joy and togetherness, that’s not the case for everyone. Especially if you’ve spent a holiday with someone difficult who’s hurt you and left your heart clouded by pain or has you feeling angry from a disagreement. But the reality is, if you want to find your peace again, you’ve got to let go and forgive – not for the other person, but for you.

The beginning of the year is a great time to let go of things you no longer feel you need to carry. So as we welcome the new year, why not start it with a clean slate and a peaceful heart?

Take some quiet time this week and search your heart for any past pain or anger towards someone (even if that someone is yourself) that you might be hanging on to. ...

"Embrace your grief. For there, your soul will grow."   ~Carl Jung

The holidays aren’t always “the most wonderful time of the year” for everyone. As a matter of fact, this time of year can be a very difficult time for many. Especially if you are grieving from a loss, struggling financially, dealing with an illness, coping with depression, or feeling alone and isolated. 

The holidays can significantly increase sadness and grief, amplify emotional wounds and even escalate to serious depression. If you have experienced a loss (of any kind) recently, it can be an especially difficult time.

So how do you survive the holidays if you are hurting?

Grief and depression are natural when you are experiencing a loss in your life. For some, loss isn't just the death of a loved one, but can be the death of a dream, a relationship or even a job. Just know that grief and depression have many causes and take on many faces. You don't have to label it - if you are feeling it, you are feeling it. ...

“Eat, Drink and Be Mindful.” ~ Michelle Weimer

The holidays are certainly meant to be enjoyed and if you do attend social gatherings, you know they are almost always accompanied by lots of fun holiday food and drinks. But using the excuse of “holidays” to overindulge, can easily lead to unwanted weight gain if you aren’t careful. So it’s important not to let the holidays be an excuse to overindulge so much that you sabotage your healthy lifestyle. You’ll regret it later and find yourself frantically trying to set unrealistic resolutions to get rid of all that extra weight in the New Year.

If you've worked hard this year to achieve weight loss goals or just choose a healthy lifestyle in general, then why put yourself in a position to let those holiday get-togethers cost you extra pounds that leave you back at square one and feeling guilty for letting it happen? Especially when all it takes is a little effort to stay on course and still enjoy yourself...

So how do you do that?

T...

"Expectation is the root of all heartache."   ~ William Shakespeare

When was the last time you stopped to think about what was most important to you during the holiday season? Often, we get so caught up in everything we think we must do that we forget what’s really important. And because of all that holiday stress and pressure to do more, the holidays end up being a holiday hassle rather than a joy.

So, if you’re finding that the holidays aren’t always so jolly and bright for you, don’t dismay. You are not alone! As a matter of fact, studies show that at least 88% of people experience high levels of what is becoming known as “Festive Stress”. Many of the common reasons are family turmoil, depression, overeating, financial strain and in a nutshell, unrealistic expectations about what the holidays should be. 

The good news is, I have one indispensable holiday survival tip that if you can implement, is going to help you eliminate tons of stress, overwhelm and guilt so you can truly...

"The best self-help must always begin with self-compassion." ~ Margie Warrell

Last month I confessed to you that I am a recovering perfectionist. And like so many of the people I work with who are high performers, we do tend to walk a fine line between having a desire to perform at a high level and trying to be perfect. But striving for progress rather than striving for perfection can actually free you to be your best self rather than getting paralyzed by the pressure of perfectionism.

It is my hope that after reading the article I wrote on this topic last month, you decided to make the shift with me. But, now what? Maybe you’ve tried and then found yourself back in old patterns if being hyper-critical of yourself, feeling like you must prove your worth, overachieving and striving to be perfect once again…  

If that’s true, then this article is for you because now it’s time to help yourself step into this new way of being, beginning with having self-compassion. Yes, as our quote...

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”  ~unknown

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the US, so of course I can’t miss an opportunity to talk about the power of gratitude...

Research has shown that practicing gratitude regularly has a positive impact on not only your happiness and sense of well-being, but it actually has a positive effect on your health too. That’s pretty amazing for something that doesn’t require anything more than some effort. No magic pill, no money needed, just a commitment to pause every day, be present and choose gratitude.

Which is why I started a gratitude practice for myself years ago where each day I journal about what I am grateful for. And I truly believe that as a result of keeping this simple practice going throughout the years, it’s transformed me into a more positive and hopeful person on the inside and it’s made me into ...

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls bloom.” ~ Marcel Proust

This week my daughters host their annual Friendsgiving celebration at our home!

I love listening to the hum of their voices talking and laughing. It’s been a little quiet around here this year as both girls and all their friends are away at college. So, I do love when they all come home. And although their friendships will change as they each start to go their own way; the ones who give consistent effort to stay connected will be able to pick up right where they left off every time they get together.

I think about the friends I have - acquaintances, colleagues, family, my spouse, my daughters’ friends’ parents, my workout friends, my long-distance friends, my closest friends, old friends, new friends, potential friends… and on and on. All different levels of friendship and yet all hold value and a place in my heart. Maybe you can relate, when you stop to think ...