Masterful Mindsets

“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.”  ~Proverb

Living in Colorado we have a saying, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes, it’ll change.” And springtime here is certainly guaranteed to make that statement ring true. It’s this time of the year when one day it can be a beautiful warm, sunny, spring day and the next - a huge storm bringing freezing temps and several inches of snow. It’s during this time that we start to feel like winter will never end. But, just like this week’s quote, no matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.

So, what does this have to do with Masterful Mindsets and more importantly, life?

Well, it is a sign of hope! And not just hope for warmer days. But hope for new beginnings. It’s a reminder that in the dark, dreary, cold spaces of your life, you can still have hope that no matter how long that period lasts, a new season of life will come and with it, new growth, promises of warmth and renewed beauty in your lif...

"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. ...

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” ~Maya Angelou

By now most schools are back in session and autumn is starting to whisper, “I’m on my way…” So as the smell of sunscreen is being overtaken by the scent of pumpkin spice, so too are our carefree feelings being overtaken by a sense of overwhelming tension.

This year being an election year there is a special weight coming with the changing of the seasons. I don’t think I need to tell you that the weight of all the “heaviness” our world and nation has faced over the last nearly 10 years, it can be a lot for many people to manage on their own.  

Combine all these emotions with the usual feelings that most people face as the last quarter of the year comes tumbling in and it’s no surprise that so many people are feeling a crushing sense of exhaustion, hopelessness, and negativity. I mean, aren’t we supposed to be starting new and fres...

“Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you.”  ~John C. Maxwell

Have you seen those quick quizzes on social media? (If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen them on my story periodically.) They list a bunch of things and then ask you if you’d choose this or that. It’s usually something fun and cute like “Coffee or Tea”, “Mountains or Beach” – but what if there was a this or that quiz that required you to dig a little deeper for the answers?

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been asking you to choose between Courage or Comfort, Hope or Fear, and Stuck or Striving. How’s that for a this or that quiz? When you really think about the choices you are making in your life, do you like what you are choosing? I get it, it’s not as fun as choosing “Cake or Pie” but its choices like these that can truly transform your life.

So, let me ask you, what choices have you been making lately that are dictating the outcomes of your life? And maybe more importantly, are ...

“Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Invite one to stay.” ~ Maya Angelou

In my last Masterful Mindset, I wrote about choosing courage over comfort. So now, I want to focus on another choice we have. This is the choice between hope and fear. So before you read on, ask yourself, if hope or fear is dictating the path you’re taking to your future? Which one do you want guiding you into the next chapter of your life?

With each passing year, both of my daughters consistently and joyfully embark on new chapters in their lives. (This year, my oldest will be graduating college and my youngest will be leaving for college) at I want for them but at the same time, letting them go… not so easy.

I have such great hope for their futures. And yet, if I’m not careful, I can easily find myself overcome with fear about their futures too. The uncertainty, the risks, the fact that I truly cannot be there to protect them every step of the way nor am I in control of everything...

“Nurture your dreams as a gardener nurtures his plants.” ~Vridhi

We typically see a lot of moisture during spring. Being from Colorado this often comes in the form of snow, but it is moisture nonetheless. And seeing the tulips popping out from beneath the snow brings a sense of hope and excitement for what’s to come.

A very good friend (whom I always think of fondly around Earth Day, because she loved gardening) said to me one day, years ago, as we were talking about some plants that I was sure were dead... "All they really want to do is live, you just have to help them along and give them a chance."

I’ve never forgotten that. It was so profound to me because, truly, isn’t that what all of us want? We want to live and thrive. And sometimes, we just need a bit of help or support along the way. We need to be reminded not to give up on our hopes and dreams, instead, we need to nurture them. Just think of how you and your dreams might be able to grow and flourish with some tender ...

"The journey to joy begins with acceptance." ~ Margaret Feinberg

Ever have one of those days when nothing seems to go right? Kinda makes you cranky, doesn't it? But what if you just accepted it and laughed it off? Could it be possible to find joy even when life seems to be unraveling?

Let’s get one thing straight about this week’s quote, it does not mean that you should settle for whatever or wherever you are in life. But rather, I believe it means that once you face where you are with acceptance of the situation – whether good or bad – you can put your energy into adapting and advancing. In other words, instead of wasting time and energy staying stuck in the problem, you just acknowledge it and then you can begin to shift your focus to the solution and moving forward into a more joyful life.

Let’s face it, life does not always turn out exactly as we’d like. There are plenty of mistakes, disappointments and failures all along the way. The secret to being content is accepting tha...

“Sometimes life takes you in a direction you never saw yourself going but it turns out to be the best and most beautiful journey you’ve ever taken.”

I read a short story once by Longtime Sesame Street writer Emily Perl Kingsley. It was something she had written to help people understand her experience of raising a child with disabilities, as her son was born with Downs Syndrome. She explains it as someone who’s planned and planned to take a vacation to Italy, only to board the plane and land in Holland.

Imagine the surprise and disappointment you might feel when you realized you’d reached the wrong destination. All your preparation, studying the Italian language, mapping out your trip, creating your itinerary, researching your destination, were all lost. Time wasted. Now you’re somewhere you didn’t want to be. At first you might not be able to look past the disappointment of not being in Italy to see what a beautiful place Holland was too. Yes, it’s different then you had planne...

"Sometimes it’s okay if the only thing you did today was breathe." ~Yumi Sakugawa

The holidays can be emotional for many people, especially if you’re going through a difficult time. We each fight our own unseen battles everyday no matter how big or small, and the holidays can bring about a lot of additional stress which in turn can cause emotions to escalate.

Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one or struggling through another hardship like a broken relationship, a lack of direction, a failed business, an illness, a family quarrel or even grieving the dreams for your future hopes that did not come to pass this year, I want you to know that’s it’s okay to honor your grief and sadness. But I don’t want you to get stuck in it.

So today, just breathe... as I share some caring tips for coping with grief, depression or other strong negative emotions throughout the holidays this year.

If you are struggling this holiday season for any reason, please read on and feel free to s...

"If the only prayer you say in your life is thank you, that would suffice."  ~Meister Eckhart

Thanksgiving is always a time when we are reminded to be thankful for the blessings in our lives, so I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to begin this week’s Masterful Mindset by telling you how truly grateful I am that you have chosen to allow me to be a part of your life. I value you as part of my community and am so thankful that we are connected.

Now, on to this week's thoughts:

I recently spoke at an event and shared some of the key concepts I live by, that have helped me create a life I can celebrate every day. One of those concepts is to live with gratitude and hope.

So, this week's quote is something that I often refer to in my own life because there are so many times when I am overflowing with how blessed I am, that prayers of gratitude are literally the only prayers I need to make.  And likewise, there are some times when I’m overwhelmed with hardships and worries so sta...