“It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It's what we do consistently.” ― Anthony Robbins” Quite a few years ago, before becoming a certified life coach, I became enamored with the idea of incorporating small, deliberate, and consistent baby steps in my daily life instead of surges of energetic momentum to accomplish my goals. Why? Because the joy and motivation I experienced during my surges rarely lasted as the work of meeting goals became more grueling, and I found myself depleted, defeated, and unable to find the momentum to keep going. It's discouraging to be stuck with no real progress to show for it. In the coaching world, we call these Mini Habits. Mini-habits are small, positive steps (routines or rituals) that only take a few minutes out of each Continue Reading
Change Your Password, Change Your Life
Hope is the password to a life of change and growth. Without it, we simply exist, relegated to the mundane and doomed to wander. But how do we hang onto hope? How do we keep hold and access all the power hope holds to transform our heart, our soul, our mind, our will? When life bears down hard, how can we push hope to the surface and allow it to mold and shape us into who we've been created to be? How can we inspire just a glimpse of hope when all we feel like doing is giving up? It's been said that hope changes everything, and I believe it does. But sometimes before the change comes, hope requires a little intention. In my line of work, I utilize passwords continually. Every electronic exam given to students is locked down until the students are given the secure Continue Reading
Above All Else…Guard Your Heart: Identity Collaging
We live with a continual threat of identity theft. The threat is so widespread, there’s even an Identity Theft Resource Center to keep us informed of the latest sneaky scams and the best ways to protect ourselves and our privacy in this online world. We’re told to use strong passwords, only log into secure wireless networks, never save credit card information when shopping online, don’t accept social media invites from unfamiliar people, and the list grows with each new confirmed threat. But, when I think of identity theft, I’m also reminded of how often my true, God-given identity is threatened daily, and has been from a very young age. Truthfully, I’ve struggled with my identity in some form or another my entire life. Who hasn’t? Because life is hard and it’s often not Continue Reading
How to Savor and Share the Art of Handwritten Letters
Call me sentimental, but I have a love of all things handwritten. So when my parents recently showed me a letter from the nanny who cared for my brother and me in France, I was mesmerized. Not only by the beautiful penmanship and age of the simple lined stationery but also by how the heartfelt sentiments transcended time, bringing to mind sweet memories and emotional ties for my parents. This nanny was my namesake, so to see a picture of her and to be granted a personal glimpse into her life through a handwritten letter from so long ago was a moment to savor. These were precious years of a young couple trying to make their way in a foreign country, raising small children, and our nanny occupied a tender spot in their hearts, even after all these years. This letter was a Continue Reading