The #1 Cause of Loss of Joy, Serenity, Hope, and Trust
What causes joy, serenity, hope, and trust to die in us? The number one cause is . . . . . . Trauma. And none of us are exempt. This week I attended a presentation by Dr. Michael F. Barnes, Clinical Program Manager, at CeDAR, University of Colorado Hospital. It was one of the finest […]
What is Good for Your Soul?
So, how are you doing with your new resolutions this year? Hmmm. Yup. Like most of us, you’re doing pretty well with some, not so well with others. Am I right? I suspect I’m right because . . . . . . that’s been my experience so far. I’ve been great with purging, organizing, and […]
The One Element That Most Often Defeats Change
“Be gentle with yourself for you are living through a major expansion of your faith and how you use it in the world. You are rewiring decades of old beliefs and shifting how you live your life. This is no small fear. It is OK to feel uncomfortable. Great change often brings with it discomfort and […]
The Most Lethal Factor Affecting People in the Workplace (and Everywhere Else)
Only 30 percent of American employees feel engaged or inspired at their jobs and the vast majority of U.S. workers — 70 percent — are not reaching their full potential, a Gallup study concluded in 2013. In June, 2014 a report released by the Conference Board, reported in Forbes magazine, that 52.3% of Americans were […]
Two Essential Ingredients Necessary for Change – the Hallmark Secret
Tis the season for Hallmark holiday movies. I confess I have at least 10 of them saved on my DVR right now. It seems this time of year I gravitate toward these seasonal chick flicks. Nothing like a Hallmark “take me away” by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa. Or perhaps a cup […]
When Chasing Your Tail is Beneficial
Sent to me by Fran Kenny, one of my Facebook friends, I share this piece of wisdom today. I have a slightly different take on some of these (imagine that!), and I also offer an eighth rule for your consideration . . . 1 – Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present. […]
Are You Just Being Too Sensitive?
“You’re just being too sensitive.” Perhaps. Often, however, these words are spoken by someone who’s actually . . . frustrated or afraid of your pain (or your anger). I’ve observed we have a tendency to minimize pain. We ignore it, dismiss it, or medicate it. We magnify fear, but we minimize pain. We mask anger and anxiety in […]
How to Transform Politics (and Other Dysfunctional Relationships)
I find politics interesting. I also find it informative, challenging, thought-provoking, and crazy-making. There’s often more talking then listening going on. And there’s a lot of rehearsal about what is to be said, rather than impromptu understanding of what needs to be heard. Politicians are seldom fully present in the moment. I began to imagine […]
Using Disappointment to Leverage Success
We are instinctively created, as part of our basic survival, to avoid pain. We will do everything we can to push it away – blame, project, shame, deny, minimize, berate, distract, and medicate, just to name a few of our strategies. Yet when disappointment happens – and it will happen – in every setting and […]
The Value of Poor Choices (or Stop Feeding Your Inner Piggies)
I know people who feel like they’ve wasted years of their lives because of poor choices. They spent years in a relationship that was toxic, years with an addiction, years at a job where they weren’t fulfilled. But you have to realize, nothing you have been through is ever wasted. Your past experiences, good and […]
