Masterful Mindsets

“If you dare declare that you are free, free you are this moment. If you say you are bound, bound you will remain.” ~Swami Vivekananda

We just celebrated Independence Day here in the US and with it the reminder of our freedom. So, in honor of the holiday, I thought I’d focus on this concept of freedom. And perhaps help you shed some light on what it is that might be keeping you from having a sense of freedom in your own life at times.

We’ve all had things in our lives that weigh us down or make us feel trapped. And it can be difficult to see a way out when you are feeling stuck. But there is always a way to create a better sense of fulfillment and freedom in your life! It may not always be easy. And often people would rather stay stuck where they are, than make the effort to change themselves or their situations, but if you are someone that is tired of feeling caged in certain areas of your life, then please know, it is possible to achieve a sense of freedom. However, you must f...

"I’m a great believer in luck, I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”   ~ Thomas Jefferson

What are your beliefs around luck? Do you believe that having good luck is out of your control and only the lucky ones can really have a life they love? Or do you believe that you are in complete control and that your beliefs, attitude, and actions determine the kind of luck you have?

My daughters were both highly competitive athletes. For years you could usually find me at a field or court, watching them play soccer or basketball, year around. As a matter of fact, my youngest daughter is in her first year playing college soccer, so I am still at games all the time.

And like most parents, I would always have a few pre-game words for them that almost always include these three phrases, “Play Hard! Have Fun! And Good Luck!”

So with St. Patrick’s Day being earlier this week, I thought it would be fun to discuss the concept of “luck” for this week’s Masterful Mindset. I mean, what ...

“Nothing changes, until you change. Everything changes, once you change.” ~Julian Lennon

Earlier this week was Groundhog Day here in the US… the day when we wait to see if a groundhog will see his shadow or not and then predict how much longer winter will last, as a result of the outcome. Kind of a zany (and not very accurate) event, but one that is rooted in tradition. As a matter of fact, Punxsutawney Phil has been giving his annual forecast in Pennsylvania since 1887.

This quirky tradition also became the setting for a movie back in the early 90’s called Groundhog Day. Where the main character, played by Bill Murray, gets stuck reliving the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over until he can get it right. After resisting his situation for some time, he eventually changes his attitude and then starts to make changes in his actions each day so that he can change the outcome of the day and eventually get what he wants.  

Do you ever get the feeling that every day is Groundhog Da...

"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...

“Always be yourself, unless you can be a ninja, then always be a ninja.” ~unknown

As I was preparing to write this week’s blog post, I was feeling a bit stuck for an idea. So, I did what I sometimes do when stuck, and that is read old articles I’ve written in order to find a subject for inspiration. (I could honestly fill a book with all I’ve written in the last 18+ years of delivering weekly articles/blog posts to you.) In addition to ideas for topics, sometimes it’s just fun to read through them again because many include stories of what was going on in my life at the time. Ummm… yes, I realize this is possibly border lining on procrastination because I’m stuck. But that’s not the point of today’s post. LOL - Instead, what I want to tell you about is a post I wrote clear back in 2009. (And yes, this one involved a personal example.)

See, since it’s October and Halloween is just around the corner, I was thinking about writing something on the topic of fear. But I couldn’t quite ...

“Comfort is the enemy of progress.” ~ PT Barnum

I was in a yoga class recently and the instructor asked us to ponder the question, “Will you choose courage or comfort today?” She left it open ended… and since it was the beginning of the class, it would be easy to assume she was just talking about our physical effort for the class. But of course, you know me… I took it much farther than that. Because the truth is, you could literally ask that question for every instance, decision or action in your life.

As class continued, my thoughts went inward, and I had an aha moment that led to a shift for me, which reignited my desire and passion for progress. So, I wanted to share it with you, just in case you need a little nudge to push you out of your comfort zone too.   

Now first, let me just say that being comfortable isn’t always a bad thing. We as humans are usually striving for comfort in some way. But it’s when being comfortable gets uncomfortable that we must recognize we are stu...

“Do something every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

When was the last time you tried something new for the first time? I posed this question to my Tuff Chicks Group recently because I think it is important to try new things, be open to change, challenge yourself and of course, as the featured quote says, do something that scares you!  

I was speaking with my own coach recently (Yes, coaches have coaches – the process works! So why wouldn’t we?!?!) and was asked to rank how much I feel I challenge myself and to name something I’ve done lately that has pushed me out of my comfort zone. It was kind of interesting because at first I was being really hard on myself and then I began to think of several occasions recently when I’d stepped out of my comfort zone to take a risk, learn something new and challenge myself big time with a huge project. Doing the exercise made me feel really proud, because stepping out of my comfort zone is something that I try to challenge myself to...

“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” ~ Gloria Steinem

Have you ever lied? Come on now, be honest… maybe a little white lie, like the time you told your Great Aunt Gertrude that you loved her ham-loaf casserole, or the day you called in sick from work so you could go to the beach instead. Maybe you can recall times when you’ve simply ignored or omitted the truth by just keeping quiet. Some lies are bigger than other. And some truths hurt more. I’m not here to judge, but the fact of the matter is, we can probably all admit that we’ve lied about something.

Interestingly enough, I am willing to bet that most people lie to themselves as much as they lie to anyone else. And that just might be the biggest lie of all – when you realize you are living a lie! After all, lying is exhausting. And living a lie, well - that'll eventually kill you. Maybe not physically, although in some cases it might. But it can kill your hopes, your dreams and your passion for life....

" - it's possible." ~ Les Brown

Next week my youngest daughter will graduate from high school, and as I'm sure many of you know embarking on a new journey can be a fearful experience. I decided that this week, I wanted to set the stage for the words of Les Brown to speak to anyone experiencing the closing of one chapter and beginning of another. So I’m giving up my writing space and time with you this week to Les Brown, because what he says, I could not say any better myself.

Although you may have heard or read this before, I can promise you, it's worth the read again. Therefore, as a little something different, below is the rest of the speech that inspired me to use today's quote. It’s simple really… “ - it’s possible” speaks volumes to me. Often shouting out, above the noise and chatter of fear, especially when I’m embarking on a journey to make a dream a reality. Loud and clear. It's possible! And guess what, your dreams are possible too. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

“Only you hold the key to unlock your true potential.” ~MW

Several years ago, I wrote an article that was inspired by a late-night TV commercial and my husband being the smart-aleck that he is. 😉

Then a few months ago, I ran across this article while I was looking for inspiration again… The interesting thing is, this time when I read what I’d written, it nudged me to heed my own advice. Below is the original article. Have a quick read and then at the bottom, I’ll explain why this article coming across my desk recently was exactly the nudge I needed right now.

Do you have a flavor lock lid keeping all your potential inside?

I was watching late night TV the other night and wondering what I should write this month’s article about. Looking for inspiration, I asked my husband if he had any ideas. It just so happened, at that moment, there was a commercial for coffee that had a flavor lock lid to keep all the freshness in. So my loving husband, being the helper he is, said, “Why don...