Why Sleep Matters More Than We Think & How To Get More Of It

A few years ago, I was listening to photographer, Chase Jarvis, interview Ariana Huffington about her book, The Sleep Revolution. She began by detailing why sleep became such an important and personal crusade for her. She said it all started when she, herself, had a physical and emotional breakdown after consistently not getting enough sleep. And she spoke these words, that I haven’t been able to get out of my head: “Right now, we take better care of our smart phones than we do of ourselves. Like I bet everyone…right now knows how much battery remains on their smart phones—if [...]

By |2020-08-26T19:13:41+00:00August 27th, 2020|Categories: Adulting, Balance, Depression, Habit Making, Health, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Mental Health, Routines, Self Care|Comments Off on Why Sleep Matters More Than We Think & How To Get More Of It

How to Create Time When There Seems Like There is None

When I left my full-time job in youth ministry, suddenly, I didn’t have to be anywhere. I had so much free time. No one was expecting me to be showered, dressed, and ready to go by nine in the morning. Or by eleven in the morning for that matter. Needless to say, I discovered quite quickly, I needed a routine. Until I found my next career, I needed a place to be. Or at least, I needed a purpose to fulfill each day, beyond doing laundry or grocery shopping. For some part of each week, I wanted to do something [...]

By |2020-08-23T21:29:38+00:00August 24th, 2020|Categories: Adulting, Anxiety, Balance, Habit Making, Health, Routines|Comments Off on How to Create Time When There Seems Like There is None

The Real Secret to Creating A Sense of Balance In Your Life

Baking bread is one of my favorite creative endeavors. Kneading dough is therapeutic. And the smell of bread baking in the oven is heavenly. Only, when I first began learning how to make bread, it wasn’t great. In fact, I wouldn’t use the words “therapeutic” or “heavenly” to describe my experience.  Honestly, using the words “melt down,” would be more accurate.  At least, if we’re talking about the day I tried to make Challah bread to bring to a friend’s house for Easter. Yes, I had ignored the cardinal rule—never try a new recipe on anyone other than your family—but [...]

By |2020-08-19T10:09:16+00:00August 20th, 2020|Categories: Acceptance, Balance, Body Image, discipline, Failure, Habit Making, Health, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, perseverance, Practice, Routines|Comments Off on The Real Secret to Creating A Sense of Balance In Your Life

On Finding Motivation & Three Ways to Get Your Routines Back on Track

A few years ago, I followed an online influencer for a while who commonly told her followers: “You are in charge of your life.” Over and over, she talked about how we choose how we respond to our circumstances. That we have control over our futures. That life doesn’t have to “happen to us,” in fact, she would ask “what if life is happening for us?”  For that season, she inspired and encouraged me to take some steps I needed to take in my life. Only, it wasn’t long before I realized that her words were only half the story. [...]

By |2020-08-16T16:33:10+00:00August 17th, 2020|Categories: Balance, Change, Habit Making, Health, Hope, Routines|Comments Off on On Finding Motivation & Three Ways to Get Your Routines Back on Track

Nine Signs Your Routine Is Off

Before I experience it anywhere else, I feel it in my chest. I wake up in the morning to an anxious tightening in my lungs that makes it hard to breathe. And it’s as if my body knows before my brain does that I am overwhelmed. I can’t see the forest for the trees. I know I have a lot to do. Only, I can’t figure out what to focus on or accomplish first. I may not even know what day it is. For me, these experiences and feelings are my first clues that my routine is off. That my [...]

By |2020-08-12T20:49:26+00:00August 13th, 2020|Categories: Adulting, Anxiety, Balance, Change, Habit Making, Health, Hope, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Making Decisions, Practice, Routines|Comments Off on Nine Signs Your Routine Is Off

On Finding Balance the Midst of Change

When I was a kid, the place I most wanted to be in the summer was the beach. As we were fortunate to live close to one, it was where my mom took me and my sisters almost daily. After all, there are endless activities to entertain four girls at the beach. There are sandcastles to build, sea shells to find, and waves to chase. Only, that last one didn’t always go as we planned. I remember my sisters and I running into the ice cold, foaming salt water just far enough so we could ride the waves into shore. [...]

By |2020-07-15T23:46:26+00:00July 16th, 2020|Categories: Balance, Change, Character, Conflict, Failure, Lead, Leadership, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, perseverance|Comments Off on On Finding Balance the Midst of Change

Five Reasons Not To Ignore Self Care During Times of Change

There are two kinds of change in this world: The change we long for and the change that finds us. Before 2020, the timing of these changes were typically different for each of us. For me, I got married after a lot of my friends but before all of my sisters. And when my first career was ending, some of my friends’ jobs were just taking off.  But then COVID hit, and change found us all.  Our world came to a stand still, and our lives changed in ways we are still discovering. Collectively we’ve all experienced trauma, while individually [...]

By |2020-06-30T15:30:26+00:00July 2nd, 2020|Categories: Balance, Change, Habit Making, Health, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Mental Health, Practice, Self Care|Comments Off on Five Reasons Not To Ignore Self Care During Times of Change

Staycationing This Year? Here’s Five Ideas to Make it Feel Like a Vacation

For us, this past spring brought cancellation after cancellation. Small trips Tony and I were looking forward to fell quickly in succession up against shelter in place orders. And all the unknown factors surrounding COVID, has definitely kept us from planning any faraway trips for this summer. So other than trying to squeeze in a possible trip to see family, it looks like we may be staycationing this year. Anyone else? Only, we also don’t want to spend the entire time doing things around the house or catching up on our to-do lists. The point of a vacation is to [...]

By |2020-06-15T18:50:31+00:00June 15th, 2020|Categories: Balance, Creativity, Health, Staycation, Travel|Comments Off on Staycationing This Year? Here’s Five Ideas to Make it Feel Like a Vacation

Two Questions to Ask as We Wait For The Return of “Normal”

I know you’ve said these six little words. I just wonder if when you say them, you get the same feeling I do each time they pass my lips. Because every time I say,  “When things get back to normal…” There’s a heaviness in my chest. A question on whether I should replace the “when” with an “if.” A sense that we’ve passed the point of no return. That just as September 11th shifted so much about how we live our lives, COVID-19 has done the same. Only we don’t fully know what it looks like yet. Often, after this [...]

By |2020-04-26T13:07:37+00:00April 27th, 2020|Categories: Adulting, Anxiety, Balance, Calling, Courage, Habit Making, Making Decisions, Social Distancing|Comments Off on Two Questions to Ask as We Wait For The Return of “Normal”

Five Virtual Activities to Revamp Your Screen Time

A few weeks ago, a Social Distancing Meme appeared in my Instagram feed. On the top half it read “Isolation without kids.” Underneath it showed photos of a couple smiling as they did yoga, played a game, and read together in bed. It also showed a woman painting, while in another photo, a woman was planting a garden.  Then, on the bottom half, the meme read “Isolation with kids.” Underneath it showed a photo of kids in a hot tub overflowing with bubbles. There was one of a baby covered head to toe in Skippy Peanut Butter. Then there was [...]

By |2020-04-22T23:50:39+00:00April 23rd, 2020|Categories: Balance, Creativity, Lead, Learn, Love, Love Learn Lead, Social Distancing|Comments Off on Five Virtual Activities to Revamp Your Screen Time

ABOUT ME

I’m a life coach and writer who loves coffee, adventure, and the ocean. I want to live a truly good story, and I want to help you do the same. 

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