Masterful Mindsets

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." ~Buddha

Relationships require effort. Anyone who tells you differently is misrepresenting the truth of relationships. Now I am not saying that they have to be difficult or hard. But they do require effort. Trust me, after 31 years of marriage (which we are celebrating today) we wouldn’t still be deeply in love with each other if we didn’t put effort into our relationship. Don't get me wrong, sometimes even we need a reminder. Life can get busy and overwhelming. And when that happens, it's easy to take your closest relationships for granted. But to keep any relationship alive and strong, it requires attention and effort. It requires kindness, love and affection.

Do a check right now before you read on… On a scale of 1-10, how much effort do you put into each of the relationships you value most? If the score you give yourself doesn’t match the value of the relationship, then I’d say it’s tim...

 “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.” ~John Pierpont Morgan

How often do you find yourself dancing with indecisiveness about what your next steps or actions will be in your life? I will admit there have been times when I’ve felt stuck and hesitant to take a step forward into something new. The fear of uncertainty and failure can be paralyzing if you aren’t careful. But sometimes all it takes to move forward is the decision that you are ready to take that first step and the certainty of knowing that no matter where it takes you, you’re going to be alright.

I remember as a little girl growing up, my grandparents used to say, "Watch out for that first step. It's a doozy.", which I always thought was funny. But I was not lost on the fact that what they were actually saying, was to be careful because that first step could be tricky, difficult or even dangerous. And if you weren't careful, you could trip and fall. It was ...

"I’m proud of the scars in my soul. They remind me that I have an intense life." – Paulo Coelho

Have you allowed the scars of your past to haunt you and hold you back from living full out in your life? Or do you see the beauty and strength that can be found in those scars as reminders of an intense life?

Last Monday was Memorial Day here in the US. It is traditionally a time to honor those who’ve lost their lives while serving our country in the military. But it’s also become a time when we honor all who have passed on before us. For me that brings to mind one of the biggest scars in my soul.

I’ve been through some things in life that most would see as difficult and heartbreaking experiences. Of course, nothing as tragic or horrific as what those who serve in the military might experience or that someone who has grown up in an abusive home might know. But none the less, losing my mother at age seven and then later in life, spending eight years struggling with infertility are amo...

“Influence is not about elevating yourself, but about lifting others.” ~ Sheri Dew 

Last week I asked you to think about a person in your life that was highly influential to you. Maybe that person was a role model that you followed and looked up to. Someone who led you to the beliefs that you now live by. Maybe they taught you to think about things in new and different ways. Or maybe they were someone who was always challenging you to step up and be your best! Inspiring you to dream bigger and encouraging you to go after those dreams!

It is my hope that you were able to think of more than one person who has been highly influential in your life. I know that I have more than one. Some filling different roles and some coming at different times in my life. And while I am thankful for all of them, I am particularly thankful for the ones who inspire and challenge me! I would not be near the person I am today, if it weren’t for the people who have challenged me to be my best and inspire...

“Let us be thankful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~Marcel Proust

If you live in the US, odds are you’re preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow. Which can mean many different things for people. For some it’s no more than an excuse to eat and drink too much. Or a much-needed day off from work. But for most people, it’s a day to get together with family and friends to remember what we are most thankful for. And if you’re lucky, the two go together… the people you’re with are in fact what you are most thankful for. So, as we prepare for this day of thanksgiving… why not use this as a time for reflection and sharing with those we truly are grateful for.

Going back to the research I’ve been sharing with you over the last couple of weeks from Robert Emmons, who wrote the book Gratitude Works! I want to share another idea for how you can practice gratitude in a powerful way and in fact, share the gift of gratitude. ...

“You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fear.” ~ Sammy Davis, Jr.

You commit to a project or goal… maybe you’re excited about it or maybe it’s just one of those must do kind of things. Either way, as you get started, you feel something shift inside. Fear starts to creep in. Can I do this? Do I know what I’m doing? Am I good enough? And suddenly, every little excuse and distraction seem to work to keep you from making progress. You no longer know what your next action should be. You aren’t even clear anymore on the goal or how to get there. You procrastinate and you’re tired even thinking about it… Sound familiar?

Over the last few weeks, I’ve shared that if you want to be highly productive, it’s important to have clarity about what your goal is plus the plan for reaching it. As well as how important your mental and physical energy are to being productive. But if you don’t have courage to get going and to keep going when doubt, fear and failure get in your way –...