Stress Management
Take a Mindfulness Challenge and a Vacation!
When I lived in Estes Park a few years ago, a beautiful mountain resort town in Colorado, it felt like everyone I came in contact with was on vacation. And with 100,000 summer visitors compared to 10,000 year-round residents, they usually were! But even living in Denver now, it can still feel that way. I…
Keep Reading...Breathing Space to Lead
I was honored to be a part of the VHAtv Nursing Leadership Series a couple of months ago to discuss how mindfulness can help us be better leaders. As it turns out, the traits that contribute to excellence in leadership are the same qualities cultivated with mindfulness. They include: – Presence – Focus and creating…
Keep Reading...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)…
Keep Reading...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,…
Keep Reading...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…
Keep Reading...The One Thing You Need to Be Authentic
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…
Keep Reading...Surprise Yourself this Holiday
I decided not to put up a Christmas tree this year. Not because I was bitter or in protest, but because I just couldn’t face spending the 4 days it takes to get the decorations out of the crawlspace, go through them, make room for them, and then clean up and put them all away…
Keep Reading...You are Not Your Brain!
Last month I attended a mindfulness retreat, (which was part of a class I took in January and kept postponing because I was too busy). We spent the day in silence with various mindfulness practices of yoga, body scan and meditation. At lunch, we were encouraged to go outside and maintain our silence while practicing…
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