How to Let Go of the Pony

Many years ago a friend of mine told me the reason the holidays can be so difficult for many of us is because we are waiting for the pony. I struggled with the holidays for years, starting in September and through to January. I would agonize before, in anticipation of my angst, suffer during and…

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Boulder Community Health Decreases Employee Stress 20%!

In the midst of all the transition in healthcare today, with 2 out 3 healthcare providers reporting feelings of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion, Boulder Community Health (BCH) wanted to offer their staff relief and support them in preparation for moving their hospital to a new facility. Administration wanted to give staff practical tools and…

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The Compassion to Care

Last month I had one of the highlights of my speaking career by opening the Emergency Nurses Association Conference in Indianapolis for 2500 nurses. I felt I had really come home, not only because I worked as an emergency room nurse for 23 years, but because I also grew up in Indianapolis. In contrast, we…

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Getting to YES

The sign on the wall, “If you don’t puke, faint, or die, keep going” was a tad concerning as I walked into a cycling class called HELLth. The initial reason I said YES to this 6am class was because the new owner of my yoga studio in Park Hill, (who owns five fitness facilities in…

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STOP Judging and Start Dancing!

A couple of months ago, my partner Neil and I went to a salsa bootcamp to learn how to dance, connect on a deeper level, and have some fun. Like all life experiences, it was a perfect opportunity to practice mindfulness, especially non-judging. While salsa looks smooth, sexy, and intuitive, (kind of like ice dancing)…

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The Freedom of Acceptance

I visited my 81 year old Mom last month in Illinois and it went much better than I expected, in fact I think it was one of the best visits we have had in recent years. The weather was perfect, in the mid-70’s with a nice breeze, we didn’t have any unpleasant tasks, like a…

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The Wisdom of Patience

Jon Kabat-Zin says patience is a form of wisdom. It is being completely open to each moment, accepting it in it’s fullness, and acknowledging things unfold in their own time. Patience is remembering you can’t push the river—which I sometimes try to do when in unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory. Like when I am forced to…

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Trust the Mud

Many years ago when I first got into the speaking business, my mentor and now dear friend, Mary LoVerde told me every time you want to get to another level, you have to go through the mud—that period when everything seems confusing, overwhelming, and downright impossible. I am feeling that way about my current project,…

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The Courage to Change

Courage is the ability and willingness to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. We need courage, not because it shows our strength but because it shows our ability to act, in spite of our weaknesses. If we don’t stand up for what is important to us, follow our hearts, and persevere in our most…

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The One Thing You Need to Be Authentic

On the mountain

When I first started speaking professionally, almost 20 years ago, I wanted to be just like all the great speakers I experienced, such as Jeanne Robertson, with her side-splitting humor, Les Brown, with his engaging intensity, and my beloved coach, Lou Heckler, with his heartfelt ability to connect. Great speakers are polished and passionate delivering…

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