For the past 15 months, I’ve spent a good bit of time listening to podcasts on Stitcher at the gym, on planes, and in car rides. When I return after a break, the female voice says in her British accent, “Resuming episode.” My playlist predominantly consists of what I like to call “Buddha Mama’s,” a […]
Goals Just Got Easier
Tis the season for goals. So why not set them in a way that you’re more likely to accomplish them? I’m not talking about lowering your standards. I am talking about getting real with the ways we get in our own way. Gabriele Oettingen’s Rethinking Positive Thinking details her research on increasing the likelihood of […]
Find Your Friendly
“Unfriendly” substitutes for the full range of sad and angry emotions possible. Boorstein simplifies her mental check-in with curiosity when she notices herself shifting away from friendliness. Sometimes our instincts are accurate, and we are threatened. Other times, no threat exists. I find myself feeling unfriendly after repeated requests to finish a meal, get dressed, […]
What if someone is watching?
Turns out someone is always watching. Reminding myself helps. When I’m talking to – or yelling at – my sons. When it’s just me and the stream in my head – I count. I’m watching. What’s done gets exposed. All of it. I get credit, sooner or later. What will you choose to do knowing […]
Feeling Caged or Called?
May you feel called today. Called to hear. Connect. Lift up. Take action. Lend a hand. Comfort. Call out. #mardimeditation #seedstogrowgrace
Furious or Curious?
“You ungrateful little…!” Or… “Oh, interesting!” Two possible reactions to my sons’ saying, “Just a sec,” to my every request. Do I get irate, or do I inquire about what has them so immersed that they just can’t break away to be fed, clothed, or educated? I can get furious or I can get curious. […]
What is your wish?
What is your wish? What is the outcome if your wish comes true? What obstacles within your control could keep your wish from coming true? What is your plan to clear those obstacles? Sit (or walk) with these questions. Honestly ask and answer. Commit to clearing your obstacles. May your wishes come true. * WOOP […]
Totality
At no point did I fully get on board for the trek, and yet there I was in a remote section of national forest in southeast Oregon along with my seventy-plus-year-old in-laws, three seven-year-olds, a couple of tweener nephews, and a bachelor buddy of my husband’s. Our campsite passed for an REI showroom with our […]
Grace Note
In music, a grace note is extra, not part of the main melody, an add on. As I work on composing myself to add more grace, I’ve begun collecting moments when others have done a bit extra for me, when they have extended grace above and beyond. I intend to share these “grace notes” with […]
Obstacle Ahead, Keep Going Anyway
This is not a stop sign. This is a warning sign. You keep going and use caution. Accomplishing our dreams means overcoming obstacles. Let your realist kick in to complement your optimist. Imagine the obstacles you are facing and start coming up with strategies to get over those obstacles. Stuck? Find someone who has faced […]