Masterful Mindsets

"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...

“Love is…” ~ Kim Casali

What does love mean to you? What does love look like? Feel like? Act like? What is love?  

When I was a little girl, I found a book titled, “Love Is…”by Kim Grove-Casali. She made the book from a series of love notes to her soon to be husband, Roberto Casali. It was a funny little cartoonish book that had illustrated images of a couple in love doing mostly random acts of kindness for each other. Beginning with the cover which displays the caption, “Love is… what gives you a smile from ear to ear.”

It was a cute little book and yet so influential. I mean, here I am, 40+ years later, writing about this book! For some reason, I was completely intrigued by it. Maybe it was the adorable little cartoon couple who looked so in love or maybe it was the message of how simple love can be. I still don’t know, but it always lifted my spirits and I’ve never forgotten it.

So, although Valentine’s Day is over for this year, let’s not forget that love is something to b...

“Be your best true you.” ~Michelle Weimer

My youngest daughter will be graduating from high school this weekend so I thought it would be nice to write a special note to her and all those graduating this year. Or for that matter, anyone who might be coming to the end of a chapter in their life and preparing to embark on a new one.

Then as I started to write, my eyes filled with tears… and my mind went blank. I honestly didn’t know where to start. There was so much I wanted to say. And yet, I couldn’t seem to find the words.

Deep feelings of happiness, joy and pride are mixed with sadness, worry and an odd emptiness. I was quickly reminded of the old saying, “I love you so much it hurts.” As my heart aches every time I think about her leaving for college. And yet, it is exactly what we’ve raised her to do… to go off and be a strong, independent young woman.

So I hope you find value in my thoughts this week as I write this post to her. I think you will definitely see that it can ...

"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 the most productive thing you can do is rest and let your angels wrap you in their loving wings. They've got you covered." ~ Anna Taylor

Where do you get your inspiration from? How do you stay productive, especially when you're overwhelmed and exhausted?

I've got to admit something to you... I was feeling less than inspired to write this week's Masterful Mindset. I started writing four different blog posts this week. I even wrote the word "poop" after a long pause in a sentence, as I was trying to think of what to say. (Yes, sometimes my posts require a lot of editing before you see them.) 😉

I also wrote down nine - yes - NINE different quotes, looking for inspiration. I got nothing... then I decided to just sit on my back porch and watch the sun set. Partially because I was so frustrated that I just had to stop but mostly because I knew it was a sure sign that I needed a break. I've had a lot going on lately... and I've been working long hours. (Can you relate?) It w...

“The step from service to sacrifice can be a slippery slope.”  ~Michelle Weimer

I hope you took some time last week to complete the journaling exercise about whether you were more of a People Pleaser or someone who suffered from Superwoman Syndrome. Maybe you aren’t either. (Congratulations!) Or maybe you discovered you were both…

My bet is that you do have superwoman tendencies. In today’s fast paced and demanding world, it’s so easy to get caught up in constantly striving to accomplish more and more, as perfectly as possible, without ever asking for help. We “superwomen” want to prove we can do it all but sadly it is often at the expense of ourselves.

I know a lot about Superwoman Syndrome because not only do many of my clients deal with this, but I myself am a recovering superwoman. Yep, I admitted it years ago and yet I still find myself periodically getting caught up in the struggle. The step from service to sacrifice can be a slippery slope. However, now I can recognize wh...

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi  

Wouldn’t it be great if you could flip a switch and change the world? I’ve often thought about how nice it would be, to be able to rid the world of all negativities.

Of course, I know there’s no magical solution but what I do know is that there are a few simple concepts that, when practiced regularly, could change your life a bit for the better and perhaps the lives of others around you. And quite honestly, I think our world could use some change so why not let it start with each of us?   

Before I go on, please know that this is not a political post, nor is it a declaration of me thinking I have the answers to change the world. It’s simply a viewpoint on a couple fun and simple steps we can all take to be better and be kinder. And no matter what your beliefs are, I would hope you always strive for kindness and to be your best. So please read on…

Be Present – Try being in the now, fully present in the moment, full...