Masterful Mindsets

“The freedom to be yourself is a gift only you can give yourself. But once you do, no one can take it away.” ~ Doe Zantamata

The Fourth of July is just a few days away here in the United States. It’s a time when we celebrate freedom. Freedom to choose, freedom to speak, and freedom to pursue the life we want to create.

But as I reflect on the holiday, I find myself thinking about a different kind of freedom, one that isn't granted by a government, protected by a document, or taken away by another person.

What I’m thinking about is the freedom to be yourself.

And sadly, I think this is the freedom many people struggle with most.

Instead of boldly owning who they are and sharing their gifts with the world, they hide. They hold back. They worry about what others might think. They dim their light and try to fit into someone else's expectations rather than fully expressing who they truly are.

Maybe you can relate.

Take a moment and think about this for yourself. How free are you ...

“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...

“Through discipline comes freedom.”  ~ Aristotle

Summertime is the perfect time for taking vacations. And having free time is important to your overall well-being and happiness. I take a lot of time off in the summer with my family. But the one thing I know is that if I’m not disciplined enough to get my work done, it’s not only hard to get away but also hard to enjoy my time off, knowing that I have pressing projects or to-do’s hanging over my head. Not to mention the fact that if I don’t have discipline in getting things done, I will never achieve or be successful with anything. As Jim Rohn says, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”

That’s why this week’s quote, although so simple, is so very profound. It has been a complete game changer for me. Although, I will admit that when I first heard the concept that discipline equals freedom, I had a twinge of dislike because the stigma of the word discipline caught my attention first. Discipline in general tend...

“When we throw out the physical clutter, we clear our minds. When we throw out the mental clutter, we clear our souls.”  ~ Gail Blanke

I’m hopeful that last week’s article inspired and motivated you to do a little spring cleaning and remove some of the old, unwanted items you’ve been hanging on to for way too long. I don’t know about you but for me, clearing out the clutter feels so freeing. Not only is the physical space lighter but so is my mental space. I swear I’m able to think more clearly and creatively when my space is free of clutter.

As a matter of fact, that feeling is so important to me that I actually clear off my desk every night before I leave my office because I want to start my next day fresh, empowered and full of inspiring energy. Clearing the clutter does that for me!

But do you know what else can leave you feeling light and free? Getting rid of the old unwanted mental clutter that you’ve been hanging on to for way too long. Yep, that’s right…

Spring cleaning isn...

"The very fact that you worry about being a good mom means that you already are one." ~ Jodi Picoult

Mother’s Day is this weekend. A time to honor moms for all they do throughout the year. But for many moms, there’s an internal struggle that occurs between accepting and enjoying that recognition and the ever-so-strong mom guilt that tells them they don’t deserve all the love and praise because they don’t do enough. If you’ve ever experienced a similar guilt, you’re not alone.

These feelings are normal – I don’t know a mom (or dad) who doesn’t experience them from time to time. Even if you aren’t a parent, odds are high you’ve experienced a form of this guilt at some point in your life. (Just replace parenting children with what’s at the root of your own guilt – i.e., family, friends, business, school, work, etc.) But in honor of the upcoming holiday, I’ll be focusing on mom guilt here. So if your guilt is showing up a little too often, it’s time to get a handle on it. And what better...

“The launching pad for emotional freedom is always yourself.” ~ Judith Orloff

Last week I told you a personal story about how I discovered I was feeling stuck emotionally because I hadn't given myself the time to acknowledge and honor my feelings. As a result, my stuck emotions were screaming for attention in the form of some interesting physical, mental and emotional energy “mishaps” if you will. So, if you think you’ve got some stuck emotions that might just be wreaking havoc on your life… then this is for you.

Odds are high that at some point in your life, you’ve buried some emotions inside of you that could be holding you back in your life. You may not be consciously aware of these stuck emotions on a daily basis… but they may very likely be keeping you stuck and robbing you of precious emotional bandwidth that could be used for more peace and happiness in your life.

Maybe your unprocessed emotions show up in the form of unexpected anger toward your loved ones… or as an unre...

“You can’t move on to your next destination if you don’t get unstuck from where you are.”

I was speaking with a fellow coach recently who’d asked me what I’d been up to. I told her we’d gotten our youngest daughter off to college and then filled her in on all the details of what’d been going on in business and how busy we’d been. Then I said, “But I’ve been super tired lately and feeling like I’m stuck on some projects that I just can’t get clarity or motivation on.” With which she proceeded to ask me, “Have you given yourself permission to grieve?”

My initial reaction was, to wonder what she was getting at and what that could possibly have to do with my stuckness. I thought, “I shouldn’t be grieving. I don’t have any reason to grieve.” After all, isn’t grief about death and loss? Sure, maybe not always a loss of life; if you’ve ever heard me speak on “The Death of a Dream” then you know that we can also grieve the loss or letting go of an unfulfilled dream for the future, a los...

“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 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....

 “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 ...