June is right around the corner, and it's the perfect time to press the reset button. Because I work in higher education, summers are spent resetting everything for the fall term. It's when we make necessary changes and improvements, cut out the excess, and put our discombobulated ducks in a row. We take time to retreat together, refocus and sharpen our skills, and we enjoy the lighter side of life. I absolutely love these summer months to reset and make all things right again. It's refreshing because it brings clarity and renewed purpose to the days ahead. Our mistakes take a back seat to all the ways we succeeded. Past frustrations give way to new plans and visions. Overwhelming agendas are cleared to make room for play. Unmet goals become new opportunities to set Continue Reading
Refresh Your Soul with Acts of Kindness
It is so good and refreshing to be back here after an unexpected 2-week break... I've missed connecting and sharing in this space. Sometimes life forces us to stop everything and dig deep to connect with the roots of our faith. To rest in hope and face challenges in the quiet space of solitude. I've been so grateful for those who have offered attentive kindness. For dear friends who have listened with a compassionate heart. For prayers and encouragement to soak in the stillness and wait with expectation...for God to meet me. Even in the waiting, our heart is often moved to step out of our own circumstances and share a simple kindness with another. Sometimes the best drenching of our soul occurs in the pouring out to another. Nothing grand or weighty. Just a simple Continue Reading
Refresh With a One Woman Retreat
It seems summer is the best time to retreat from the world and escape the stresses of everyday life. But what do we do when we return from vacation more tired than before we left? Maybe we need a One Woman Retreat. For many years, I planned women's retreats, brought in amazing speakers, created relaxing themes and I loved helping to nurture and refresh other women's hearts, but I wasn't so good at taking care of my own. So a few years ago I experienced the pure joy of a one woman retreat. It wasn't something I was immediately comfortable with, and it took some time for me to acclimate to giving myself permission to exhale. But the reward left me recharged and refreshed for months. I slept...read...walked...slept more...ate...sat on the beach...journaled and practiced finding Continue Reading
5 Ways to Detox With Grace
Sometimes deciding to detox and refresh is a challenge in choosing to give ourselves grace. At least that’s what I’m experiencing only a few weeks into #SummerRefresh. It's easy for me to minimize the need to detox as a part of self-care. The temptation to go back to what is more comfortable pulls strong. My imagination and creativity comes up short with the distraction of responsibilities. And I've had to give myself a few pep talks along the way. How about you? Have you battled guilt? Are you struggling with separation anxiety when it comes to your To-Do list? Does the thought of losing time cause you stress? Have you found yourself distracted by chaos while attempting to invest in you? In letting go, are you realizing the pressure you're under to be "more-than" Continue Reading