Masterful Mindsets

The rhythm of life is intricate but orderly, tenacious but fragile. To keep that in mind is to build the key to survival. ~ Shirley Hufstedler

This week is the last of our mini-series on letting go of tension by living with intention… And I am so excited to share these last three big ideas with you because these three are foundational game changers when it comes to regular self-care. Once again, just like the other concepts I’ve shared thus far, they are so simple, yet so profound and powerful. These three concepts, when utilized effectively, can help you implement a consistent self-care practice that will have you feeling more balanced and peaceful in your daily life no matter what you might be facing.

Now of course, the first two parts of this mini-series were all about incorporating small self-care activities into your life to help you eliminate symptoms of stress, anxiety, overwhelm, etc. But keep in mind that perhaps the best way to eliminate tension isn’t just to manage the...

“Be like a tree. Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty. Keep growing.” ~ Joanne Rapits

Last week I shared three of my favorite ways to let go of tension and live with intention through super simple and quick daily self-care practices. I hope you gave them a try because this week, as promised, I want to share a few more.

The great thing about the concepts that I’m sharing with you through this mini-series is that they do not require big changes or much time. The truth is - small shifts can produce big results. If you commit to consistently being intentional with even a few of these simple practices, I believe you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the profound difference they can create within you.

With that being said, let me share three more powerful but simple ways to intentionally practice self-care and relieve tension:  

Ground Yourself – This can be done in conjunction with the ideas I gave you last...

“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 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. ...

"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...

“Being able to selectively forget about the things in your life that don’t serve you might just be the most freeing feeling in the world.”

I was recently coaching a client through a session on defining her ideal identity and it reminded me of an old show I watched years ago. It was about a woman who had amnesia and was trying to figure out who she really was. As she began to rediscover herself, what she found was that she didn’t really like who she had been. So, she decided that if she was going to have to relearn who she was, she might as well learn to be who she really wanted to be. She chose to redefine herself, create new beliefs and make some changes that of course, lead to her becoming a better, happier and more successful person then she had ever been.    

I still remember thinking, as I sat there watching the show, that in a way she was kind of lucky. Don’t get me wrong, there would be many downfalls to having amnesia, like not knowing any of your friends or family. But woul...

“The secret of happiness is freedom... The secret of freedom is courage.” - Thucydides

Independence Day is one of the greatest American holidays, both for what we celebrate and how we celebrate it. I mean, who doesn't love a good barbecue, a festive parade and spectacular fireworks? But as our whole world knows, freedom is not something to be taken for granted. A few years ago COVID quickly taught us that lesson. And yet, I still encounter people who readily give their freedom away by being trapped within the walls of their own beliefs and fears.

What about you? Are you trapped by your own fears and limiting beliefs, or do you feel truly free to live your best life? I know one thing; our forefathers certainly didn't fight for our freedom so that we could be imprisoned by our own limitations. So do you have the courage to set yourself free?

Take some time this week and into the coming holiday weekend to reflect on why we celebrate. There are some in this world who only wish they ...

"The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success."  ~David Sarnoff 

When you hear the word persistence, what do you think of? For me, I like the way Josh Shipp describes it. He says, "Perseverance is stubbornness with a purpose." At first read, that is funny, right? But it also proves a valuable point. That sometimes what one person sees as a negative trait, another can see as a great quality.

I remember when I was a school counselor and I'd help students with their scholarship applications. Often they were asked to describe themselves. So I'd give them the directive to make a list of their qualities. Many struggled and they'd say things like, my parents think I'm stubborn, my friends think I'm bossy, my teachers think I'm…

As for myself personally, I've been called stubborn on more than one occasion too. So now I know, that just means I'm persistent. 😉 Which, in the right context, can be a great quality. Being stubborn from an egocentric place is not a...

"We need to accept that we won't always make the right decisions, that we'll screw up royally sometimes - understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it's part of success."  ~Arianna Huffington 

I absolutely love this week's quote because it stands as a reminder to me that failure is not a bad thing. And instead, a necessary part of growth and success. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn. You see, I grew up with a well-meaning father what told me all my life, "You can't afford to make mistakes." Needless to say, it entrenched a huge fear of failure in me that at times would literally paralyze me from taking action - questioning my every move and staying in limbo for fear that the decisions or actions I might take, just might be a mistake!

Maybe you can relate in some way…

What are your deep-seated beliefs about failure? Perhaps you were programmed with a similar message when you were growing up that has kept you from taking huge leaps in your life. Do you ...

"Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t." ~ Rikki Rogers

We’ve all experienced events in our lives when we just didn’t think we would possibly have the strength to get through, and yet we did. I look back on the eight years my husband and I dealt with infertility and I can remember many times thinking I didn’t have the strength to endure another unsuccessful treatment or heartbreaking negative pregnancy test. Yet, month after month and year after year, we found the strength to keep trying. And now here we are, twenty-one years later, having just celebrated our oldest daughter's birthday and preparing to send our youngest daughter off to college in the fall. (Funny how all those years went a lot faster than the other 8!)

Anyway, if you really think about it...

You can probably recall times when you’ve overcome an obstacle or reached a goal you weren’t sure you could actually achieve. Strength comes from those ...